General Medical issues thread

[blackcat20]

Back to the prescription thing, I've had no trouble having my script filled every couple of days. But that's not stockpiling when there's only 4 tablets per script (technically 2 days worth).

 

[Katie]

I received a surprising text message from my GP clinic on Wednesday, stating I was overdue for a colonoscopy.

I had a colonoscopy 15 days prior. I don't think a fortnightly colonoscopy is anyone's idea of a good time!!

I was meant to have it in March - three years after my first one - but delayed due to Covid. The gastro told me after surgery to come back for my next one in five years.

The same clinic has messaged me twice saying I need a follow up appointment about my negative Covid test. My kid had a test a week after me, also negative, and the text message for her was just that the test was negative, no need to follow up.
Unless there was something more to the test that I don't understand, it smacks of trying to drum up Telehealth appointments. :/

 

[Cossie]

So an interesting day, managed to drive a tek screw into my hand! The boss said leave it in, there are many nerves in that area that may have been affected, so off to ED. It is because I'm clumsy and always in a hurry and not being careful.
X-rays, yes it is there, fortunately it is only about 15mm in length. Didn't hurt, I just couldn't believe I had done something so silly, sigh. Would have been interesting if it had been longer and gone right through the hand.
Debates as to how to remove and, possibility of a general! Fortunately it was removed in ED under a local by a lovely Doctor who happens to be here instead of Westmead Childrens due to covid.
Of course she is a friend of Dr FM. No escaping things like that in this part of the world.
Anyway, screw removed, have to go back early am for day surgery, they will examine the wound under a microscope to see if I have done any damage.

Max had better appreciate the effort I have put into his cat-run.

 

[HokitikaGold]

This reminds me of when I got up on the roof of my house in rural Queensland a few years ago to re-affix some loose corrugated iron. All I had to do was bang in some extra nails. But my home then was an old one. The sheets of corrugated iron were "old school" - like seeming that they were about half an inch thick. Very hard to bang nails through, especially when it was onto a frame made of 100 year old hard-wood.

It was a hot day, so being on a roof was unpleasant. I toiled and advanced, my arm almost numb from the heavy hammer. I got to the very last need - just one more nail. With the sweat and fatigue, I managed to smash my thumb that held the nail, with the oversize hammer that I had to use to perforate this iron. Instant, intense, agony. As anyone would know if they have done similar, the pain was incredible. The splattering of blood over the roof obscenely distasteful. My thumb suddenly a swelling and tear-jerking reality. I sat and howled, but being the last nail, I eventually found the strength to hit the nail again. To finish this task. So I mustered all my pain and rage, and took that last swing.

But again I hit my thumb. The already throbbing agony.

To this day I am unsure if I passed out. I may have. But I do recall sliding of the side of the roof, and crawling up in a ball.

I have never ever, since, to this day, attempted roofing.....

 

[Brissy1]

This reminds me of when I got up on the roof of my house in rural Queensland a few years ago to re-affix some loose corrugated iron. All I had to do was bang in some extra nails. But my home then was an old one. The sheets of corrugated iron were "old school" - like seeming that they were about half an inch thick. Very hard to bang nails through, especially when it was onto a frame made of 100 year old hard-wood.

It was a hot day, so being on a roof was unpleasant. I toiled and advanced, my arm almost numb from the heavy hammer. I got to the very last need - just one more nail. With the sweat and fatigue, I managed to smash my thumb that held the nail, with the oversize hammer that I had to use to perforate this iron. Instant, intense, agony. As anyone would know if they have done similar, the pain was incredible. The splattering of blood over the roof obscenely distasteful. My thumb suddenly a swelling and tear-jerking reality. I sat and howled, but being the last nail, I eventually found the strength to hit the nail again. To finish this task. So I mustered all my pain and rage, and took that last swing.

But again I hit my thumb. The already throbbing agony.

To this day I am unsure if I passed out. I may have. But I do recall sliding of the side of the roof, and crawling up in a ball.

I have never ever, since, to this day, attempted roofing.....

Having also experienced the pain of a hammered thumb, I can't imagine hitting it again; I squirmed and literally gasped reading your post.

 

[Cossie]

Ended up having a general, they wanted to dig around to make sure the ligaments were ok, I wasn't out for long, but waited a looong time to get to theatre. Can't say I would want to work in that environment, far too stressful.
I was given the tek screw so I'll use it in the run somewhere as a momento.

 

[mrs.dr.ron]

..................
I was given the tek screw so I'll use it in the run somewhere as a momento.

I would get it gold plated and wear it around your neck as a reminder ............

 

[prozac]

Ended up having a general, they wanted to dig around to make sure the ligaments were ok, I wasn't out for long, but waited a looong time to get to theatre. Can't say I would want to work in that environment, far too stressful.
I was given the tek screw so I'll use it in the run somewhere as a momento.

When I was a kid, maybe 10-11yrs, I got a treble hook attached to a Halco metal fishing lure into the middle finger one Sunday morning. Don't tell Mum. So we snuck up to the hospital where I had to wait in emergency, all the while trying to hide the big silver lure behind my free hand because I was embarrassed. Well you all know, they simply pushed the hook all the way through, cut off the barb and pulled it back through.

 

[Brissy1]

Ended up having a general, they wanted to dig around to make sure the ligaments were ok, I wasn't out for long, but waited a looong time to get to theatre. Can't say I would want to work in that environment, far too stressful.
I was given the tek screw so I'll use it in the run somewhere as a momento.

Very very wise not to have done anything to self remove it. In my long ago, brief, farming days I'm sure my father would have "reverse"drilled and applied a band-aid.
Google says there are 48 nerves in a hand, I presume the General was to ensure absolutely no movement when removing the screw.

 

[VPS]

Very very wise not to have done anything to self remove it. In my long ago, brief, farming days I'm sure my father would have "reverse"drilled and applied a band-aid.
Google says there are 48 nerves in a hand, I presume the General was to ensure absolutely no movement when removing the screw.

My dad probably would have wrapped in an old rag or a dirty hanky. The first time I ever heard him really swear was when a big lamb jumped an a 1/4 inch piece of wire went into his hand

 

[prozac]

My dad probably would have wrapped in an old rag or a dirty hanky. The first time I ever heard him really swear was when a big lamb jumped an a 1/4 inch piece of wire went into his hand

Alright, whilst we are on hands... Cat food!
Or dog food too for that matter. You know sometimes the ring pull lids on the cans get stuck half way open and you give an extra tug? Please don't and treat with caution.

These cans are the most dangerous thing you can imagine. I did this one night and ended up in the local emergency with a slice in the web of skin between thumb and index finger. It sliced through an artery and a nerve to the index finger. Yeah who would have thought you have an artery in that spot...when the triage nurse removed the tea towel I had wrapped around the wound it spurted about 2m, and I had warned her it was a bleeder!

 

[Flying mermaid]

I went to a Neurologist today for a Nerve Conduction Test/EMG because of problems with my left hand and my 'normal' Dr wasn't 100% sure what the cause was. The tests were conclusive and the diagnosis was Moderate to Severe Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. The Neurologist recommended surgical intervention as he considered that it was too far advanced to try other treatment options. Even though this is a bit of a nuisance at least I now I know the cause of my problems.

The test was interesting, mostly just being uncomfortable with a couple of incidences of pain. Feeling the electric impulses causing my fingers to jump was very strange and revealed the problems. The painful bit, only about the same as a dental injection, was when 'pins' were put into the muscles of the arm and then the electrical activity monitored to check their operation - this result was normal.

For those interested this is similar to what was done. Of course this video is from the U.S.and my tests were simply done in the Neurologists office and no gowns were involved.

I had a nerve conduction test done last year and almost passed out from the pain! They actually had to stop the test to give me time to recover. Generally I have a very high pain threshold, but this was when all my muscles and joints had disintegrated from the reaction I had to the statin, so I think the electric impulses were the final straw. I actually started sweating and got dizzy. Bad memories!

 

[blackcat20]

Alright, whilst we are on hands... Cat food!
Or dog food too for that matter. You know sometimes the ring pull lids on the cans get stuck half way open and you give an extra tug? Please don't and treat with caution.

These cans are the most dangerous thing you can imagine. I did this one night and ended up in the local emergency with a slice in the web of skin between thumb and index finger. It sliced through an artery and a nerve to the index finger. Yeah who would have thought you have an artery in that spot...when the triage nurse removed the tea towel I had wrapped around the wound it spurted about 2m, and I had warned her it was a bleeder!

My mum did something similar, dropped a cat food tin and tried to catch it. Sliced a finger right through. And didn't see a doctor till the next day

 

[Flying mermaid]

So an interesting day, managed to drive a tek screw into my hand! The boss said leave it in, there are many nerves in that area that may have been affected, so off to ED. It is because I'm clumsy and always in a hurry and not being careful.
X-rays, yes it is there, fortunately it is only about 15mm in length. Didn't hurt, I just couldn't believe I had done something so silly, sigh. Would have been interesting if it had been longer and gone right through the hand.
Debates as to how to remove and, possibility of a general! Fortunately it was removed in ED under a local by a lovely Doctor who happens to be here instead of Westmead Childrens due to covid.
Of course she is a friend of Dr FM. No escaping things like that in this part of the world.
Anyway, screw removed, have to go back early am for day surgery, they will examine the wound under a microscope to see if I have done any damage.

Max had better appreciate the effort I have put into his cat-run.

View attachment 227053

Eek! That looks terrible - hope it’s recovering now

 

[rogerkambah]

More mets = more pazopanib.

 

[prozac]

I had a nerve conduction test done last year and almost passed out from the pain! They actually had to stop the test to give me time to recover. Generally I have a very high pain threshold, but this was when all my muscles and joints had disintegrated from the reaction I had to the statin, so I think the electric impulses were the final straw. I actually started sweating and got dizzy. Bad memories!

Oh that's terrible Fm.
Are you saying you had an adverse reaction to long term statin usage?

 

[Flying mermaid]

Oh that's terrible Fm.
Are you saying you had an adverse reaction to long term statin usage?

I had a massive reaction. First time I had used a statin and it took 9 days to destroy me. Drug induced myopathy was the final diagnosis after 4 months of consultations with neurologists, cardiologists and rheumatologist

 

[prozac]

I had a massive reaction. First time I had used a statin and it took 9 days to destroy me. Drug induced myopathy was the final diagnosis after 4 months of consultations with neurologists, cardiologists and rheumatologist

9 days! So not long term at all. Hope you are on the mend Fm.

If you are still looking to reduce cholesterol ... I have recently had a consult with a lipids professor. As part of the consult I had to talk with his dietician who advised I should take psyllium husk in water. Apparently it grabs the fat/LDL in your intestines before it gets a chance to be absorbed and sent to your kidneys. Add it to water and quickly stir and swallow before it turns into a jelly.

 

[Flying mermaid]

9 days! So not long term at all. Hope you are on the mend Fm.

If you are still looking to reduce cholesterol ... I have recently had a consult with a lipids professor. As part of the consult I had to talk with his dietician who advised I should take psyllium husk in water. Apparently it grabs the fat/LDL in your intestines before it gets a chance to be absorbed and sent to your kidneys. Add it to water and quickly stir and swallow before it turns into a jelly.

It took a year to recover plus lots of physical therapy as I had no muscle strength left and some of my joints had frozen up. . Totally normal again now thank goodness.

That’s interesting - will remember that .

As part of the many tests I had done, they identified I had no plaque building up at all - all arteries fine and heart fine. In fact when the technician was processing my echo at the cardiologist she turned to me and said “umm so why are you having this done?”. .

My cholesterol was never particularly high and the last time I had it checked was totally normal, but I had a stroke (without any symptoms), so they wanted to put me on a statin as that is the standard, however once they found no plaque build up of any sort, the neurologist decided it was a high blood pressure spike and put me on low dose aspirin. I have to monitor my blood pressure as well but so far it is behaving with a fairly small dose of Amlodipine. Sigh the problems of getting old

 

[love_the_life]

I remember it FM. There was a lot of discussion on statins at the time