General Medical issues thread

[cove]

This past week we paid for the latest US flu shot. We went to Ralph’s Supermarket next door for us as they have a pharmac_ at the back of the store.

 

[tgh]

Swmbo has been on the job today, she can be a sharp operator at times...
So the goss was that the shingles vac was more available..
First she rings our GP clinic who advise that they get TWO shots PER DOCTOR.. Per MONTH.
Thinking laterally, swmbo then rings the local chemist ( we give them a lot of business being aged and drug dependent)
Oh just a moment says the friendly chemist person..pause/returns..actually we do have some availability.
She is booked in for her shot at 11.30 tomorrow and if I am nice she will also ask them to reserve me a shot.
………..

 

[Cossie]

A bit over 2 years ago a friend died from cancer, he was not only a friend but he had been my shift manager for a few years. Needless to say it was a shock, he was only in his late fifties.
At his wake a lot of former colleagues from the old HIC were there, it was good to catch up with people even though the circumstances were not so good.
Anyway, today I heard that a former workmate of ours has succumbed to cancer, such a shock as the last time I saw her was at our friends wake as above and she looked great, certainly looked much younger than her age, I had known her since 1986 and she was without a doubt one of the smartest people I ever worked with, so it wasn’t surprising to me that she retired as an SES.

Unfortunately for us she wanted a private funeral, family only, which I can accept and respect, but gee it makes it hard for us to give her a send off we would have liked.

Can’t believe the cough that has happened over the last few years, in particular the last few months. I keep hoping things will get better, but who knows.

<Redacted>

Don’t worry, radio silence will be resumed…. and by the way, I hate f…….. cancer.

 

[cove]

We had the Shingrix injections to prevent shingles at our Ralphs Supermarket pharmac_. Two shots 6 months apart has worked for us. That was 6 years ago and I think the cost then was $280 USD for each of us.
Our two sons won’t need this as they have not had chicken pox.
My mother had shingles and it was nasty with nerve ending pain for years.

 

[prozac]

Chest/abdominal CT and blood tests yesterday to rule out anything insidious. I do not think there will be any answers for the ongoing pain (now 2 months) under the ribs on my RHS. I can live with it for the 2 yrs of treatment if I know it is nothing and will go away when treatment stops.
One suggestion is adhesions from chest surgery. I'd like to be confident enough to book some travel.

 

[Pushka]

Chest/abdominal CT and blood tests yesterday to rule out anything insidious. I do not think there will be any answers for the ongoing pain (now 2 months) under the ribs on my RHS. I can live with it for the 2 yrs of treatment if I know it is nothing and will go away when treatment stops.
One suggestion is adhesions from chest surgery. I'd like to be confident enough to book some travel.

That's exactly the pain I get from time to time. Have had multiple scans and all normal. For me I think it's related to scleroderma of oesophagus (aka significant heartburn pain and occasionally just pain) but the medication controls that pretty much. My dad died in his sixties from pancreatic cancer so I'm not taking any chances.

 

[prozac]

That's exactly the pain I get from time to time. Have had multiple scans and all normal. For me I think it's related to scleroderma of oesophagus (aka significant heartburn pain and occasionally just pain) but the medication controls that pretty much. My dad died in his sixties from pancreatic cancer so I'm not taking any chances.

Mine's round near the kidney region. Given how aggressive the original lymphoma was it is being prudent.
Doctor says it is not the treatment drug, Rituximab, but that is not what Dr Google says.

 

[Quickstatus]

Mine's round near the kidney region

How's your urine?. Have you checked your Uric acid levels? IIRC last dose of rituximab was a while ago now?

 

[prozac]

How's your urine?. Have you checked your Uric acid levels? IIRC last dose of rituximab was a while ago now?

Pain only on one side. Left a urine sample yesterday along with bloods for muscle enzymes etc. Last infusion 22 Dec. Next on 16 Feb.
Pain level sufficient that radiologist at hospital noticed and asked if ok.

 

[Quickstatus]

Pain

Ok sounds like they are on to it.

Back of my mind is to rule out tumour lysis syndrome

 

[prozac]

Ok sounds like they are on to it.

Back of my mind is to rule out tumour lysis syndrome

Interesting. Whilst the tumor was double the measured size of a "large" mass it has been so long since chemo finished surely it would not be a thing now? i.e. Tumour burden now over

 

[Quickstatus]

would not be a thing now

I would have thought so....

 

[prozac]

I would have thought so...

Mustn't be anything visible on the scan, the telephone hasn't rung.

 

[Quickstatus]

the telephone hasn't rung.

I have a surgeon colleague tell the patient relative: The surgery should take X hours but if it takes longer and I don't call. it does not mean it's bad"

 

[prozac]

I have a surgeon colleague tell the patient relative: The surgery should take X hours but if it takes longer and I don't call. it does not mean it's bad"

The surgeon who did the chest surgery called MrsProzac at 1230am!
The images were available yesterday arvo so I think it must be a case of move on, nothing to see here.

 

[Quickstatus]

nothing to see here.

But worth checking bloods and urine.

 

[prozac]

I have a surgeon colleague tell the patient relative: The surgery should take X hours but if it takes longer and I don't call. it does not mean it's bad"

Scan shows nothing of any consequence.

 

[Himeno]

When I had Covid the medical advice was to wait 3 months after recovery before any further vaccination. Not sure if it has changed.

Current requirement is 6 months after last dose or confirmed infection.

I was one of the last people at work to get covid. April 2022. After lockdowns ended, but before they stopped requiring isolation. A couple of months later, the recent recovery meant that I didn't have to get a test before I could enter the government run walk in clinic.
I got covid a few weeks after my booster (3rd) shot.
I had a 5th shot in June. I'm able to get a 6th now. Will keep getting them for as long as the government pays for them.

 

[Himeno]

I got a call from Nepean Hospital yesterday about the referral from Canberra Hospital and proposed surgery for the issue this SPC is currently bypassing.
The specialist in Canberra didn't fill in the paperwork correctly. Putting my contact details and problem with someone else's name and using an address for Nepean that doesn't exist. They can't do anything else until the paperwork is corrected, and they are having problems getting in contact with the specialist.

I've had 4 visits by community nurses since the SPC went in. Each of the nurses has told me something different about how to use the leg bag and take care of the SPC site.

 

[SuePa]

What happens if I have a Covid vaccination soon after having Covid?

I was just a bit worried because when I filled out my visa application for Sri Lanka, it asks if I'm fully vaccinated. The trouble with getting Covid now, is that by using RATs to confirm and not having to register it anywhere, I have no proof I've recently had it.
So, I haven't been vaccinated since last April, but I've had 4 shots (and they probably won't ask anyway!), so I'm sure I'll be fine.
Thanks for all the replies.