General Medical issues thread

[Quickstatus]

hysterectomy and damage to the ureter

You beat me to it. An ultrasound can give much information

 

[drron]

Tell the hospital staff that your wife has had the ultrasound and get them to chase the answer.

 

[Pushka]

I'm not a doctor but I'm now thinking Lupus as a possibility. Wife has had pain and swelling in feet which is not exactly consistent with the rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis so possibly both autoimmune diseases.

And it's always the right flank which is the flank damaged with the hysterectomy and damage to the ureter when daughter was born. This is not negativity but wife has not been the same since.

My understandings from the Rheumatologist I see. There are different blood markers for Lupus and RA. Being diagnosed with RA means that RA markers are present plus symptoms. There are also several markers that are consistent for all systemic auto immune issues. (Eg ANA).

 

[Cossie]

My dermatologist appointment is in Goulburn, it was booked last Feb for end of June, still earlier than getting an appointment in Canberra.

 

[JohnK]

Tell the hospital staff that your wife has had the ultrasound and get them to chase the answer.

RBWH did kidney ultrasound in February. We did kidney CT in Toowong. All of them clear but that doesn't mean something has not changed. I think the only one left is UKB ultrasound which I talked the GP into requesting but we've not had the time due to wife working.

 

[prozac]

My dermatologist appointment is in Goulburn, it was booked last Feb for end of June, still earlier than getting an appointment in Canberra.

I cancelled my annual appointment with heart surgeon last May due to being in hospital waiting for cancer diagnosis. Rebooking in February I was not able to secure an appointment before middle July despite being a frequent flyer. So my pacemaker has not been checked in 2 yrs. That's not quite true, a nurse came round when I was in oncology late May with a portable machine in a shoebox. She needed to satisfy some hospital check-box to say they were taking care of me. No-one knew how to use it so I had to do it myself. But essentially I haven't had a proper check in 2yrs.

 

[Quickstatus]

pacemaker has not been checked in 2 yrs.

Newer heart devices are Bluetooth enabled which communicates with the clinic via a smart phone app. Some require a sensor Device placed against the heart device. But both can be done at home and transmitted to the clinic via internet or cellular. .

 

[prozac]

Newer heart devices are Bluetooth enabled which communicates with the clinic via a smart phone app. Some require a sensor Device placed against the heart device. But both can be done at home and transmitted to the clinic via internet or cellular. .

I showed the nurses how to place the toroid over the left side upper chest, then cycle through the options on the device they had. Still not up to standard of a full check and interrogation of previous 12 months activity. I have a device at home that reports at 2am every day.
Still not the same as seeing the device company rep and having your surgeon review as well. 2 yrs ago for instance they asked me what happened on 5 March. I was able to tell them I was up a ladder and took a belt off an exposed electrical wire. My pacemaker went into safe mode for 20 minutes. They don't miss anything.

 

[JohnK]

Visiting wife in hospital. Still not well. They've now given her Piptaz as infection is more than likely in kidney.

Wife has now had fever 5-6 times in 2 days so body trying hard to fight infection but not succeeding? Temperature was 38.7° and blood pressure was 101/65 just before getting moved to ward and then less than 30 minutes later blood pressure is 88/60 so they're going to give her more fluids. Still nauseous too with very littke appetite.

Funny thing is they were trying to do CT scan with contrast and wife kept objecting. I specifically told them no contrast and they need to keep this on file. Last time wife had contrast she had severe panic attack and one hand (or both) were paralysed for up to 10 minutes. Not going through that again.

 

[Quickstatus]

contrast

The contrast might be necessary. This is to illuminate certain parts of the body being scanned. Contrast blocks X-ray and makes those parts appear white contrasting it from other soft tissues which appear dark - hence the name. This is especially beneficial in soft tissue scans and improves reporting accuracy.

 

[Steamrollersam]

I showed the nurses how to place the toroid over the left side upper chest, then cycle through the options on the device they had. Still not up to standard of a full check and interrogation of previous 12 months activity. I have a device at home that reports at 2am every day.
Still not the same as seeing the device company rep and having your surgeon review as well. 2 yrs ago for instance they asked me what happened on 5 March. I was able to tell them I was up a ladder and took a belt off an exposed electrical wire. My pacemaker went into safe mode for 20 minutes. They don't miss anything.

Sounds like your device is remotely monitored. The clinic receiving your data would be contacting you if anything significant happened (arrhythmias, electromagnetic interference such as what happened on 5/3, any hardware issues). Essentially the only difference between remote pacemaker transmissions and pacemaker checks with your cardiologist is that adjustments to the device programming can only be made in person. Exactly the same data is retrieved remotely and in the office.

 

[prozac]

Sounds like your device is remotely monitored. The clinic receiving your data would be contacting you if anything significant happened (arrhythmias, electromagnetic interference such as what happened on 5/3, any hardware issues). Essentially the only difference between remote pacemaker transmissions and pacemaker checks with your cardiologist is that adjustments to the device programming can only be made in person. Exactly the same data is retrieved remotely and in the office.

Why take time to record on the day and then spend a lot of time dwelling on the information?

I was commenting on @Cossie delayed booking time and saying it seems to be across the board.

 

[JohnK]

The contrast might be necessary. This is to illuminate certain parts of the body being scanned. Contrast blocks X-ray and makes those parts appear white contrasting it from other soft tissues which appear dark - hence the name. This is especially beneficial in soft tissue scans and improves reporting accuracy.

I understand what contrast does but when you get that type of reaction you are not going to convince my wife to agree.

Same with the tube that goes up the nose and down the throat.

 

[drron]

Visiting wife in hospital. Still not well. They've now given her Piptaz as infection is more than likely in kidney.

Wife has now had fever 5-6 times in 2 days so body trying hard to fight infection but not succeeding? Temperature was 38.7° and blood pressure was 101/65 just before getting moved to ward and then less than 30 minutes later blood pressure is 88/60 so they're going to give her more fluids. Still nauseous too with very littke appetite.

Funny thing is they were trying to do CT scan with contrast and wife kept objecting. I specifically told them no contrast and they need to keep this on file. Last time wife had contrast she had severe panic attack and one hand (or both) were paralysed for up to 10 minutes. Not going through that again.

John st op overthinking things. thousands have fevers every day. the highest fevers are often not the most serious and low grade fevers can be much more serious.
As @Quickstatus has said a CT with contrast is usually able to give much more information. A panic attack is not a side effect of contrast. Much better to ask for some premedication such as diazepam to prevent or at least reduce the panic attack so the contrast can be given.

 

[JohnK]

As @Quickstatus has said a CT with contrast is usually able to give much more information. A panic attack is not a side effect of contrast. Much better to ask for some premedication such as diazepam to prevent or at least reduce the panic attack so the contrast can be given.

It's not overthinking and it wasn't just panic attack. Wife was also paralysed for up to 10 minutes. The senior radiologist was very surprised and we were in shock. Short of any other diagnosis we have to assume it was due to the contrast. Most don't have issues with contrast but there are reported cases of side effects. The benefits of using contrast must outweigh the risks.

Wife low blood pressure again and fever. This might be perfectly normal to you but that's 6-7 times now in 2 days. Obviously something is not right. We have to worry because at the moment there is no rational explanation. Hoping the doctors are able to find cause soon.

 

[RooFlyer]

The benefits of using contrast must outweigh the risks.

Wife low blood pressure again and fever. This might be perfectly normal to you but that's 6-7 times now in 2 days.

Think about that.

 

[cove]

Picked up two RSV shots for tomorrow’s visit to our GP. We are travelling quite a bit in the next few months so we decided to get the injections.
I can see why many would not get these shots as they are expensive.

 

[Pushka]

Picked up two RSV shots for tomorrow’s visit to our GP. We are travelling quite a bit in the next few months so we decided to get the injections.
I can see why many would not get these shots as they are expensive.

Many simply couldn't afford it.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Many simply couldn't afford it.

Costs vs benefits. And less than the cost of a passport renewal.

(and far less than Tay Tay tickets! )

 

[prozac]

How many are getting RSV vacc?
Never crossed my mind.