General Medical issues thread

[andye]

Managed to slip over on the mud while organising kids rugby on Sunday. Right thigh very painful and swollen. I delayed medical attention as "I'm busy" and had crutches

On way to work Tuesday morning, my car broke down in middle lane of busy road. A tad concerned as would have been unable dodge traffic. Did manage to limp the car to turnoff.

After the tow, went to my own ED. Treated rather well. Have a 75% quad tear with knee hanging on by only one of the four muscles.

Surgery next week. In leg brace until then and for 6 weeks after

 

[Pushka]

Must be the week for coming a cropper. I did this week on the cobblestones in Portugal. Not because they were cobblestones but the tree roots had created undulations and the shadows of the branches obscured their height. First fell on knees then palms of hands and then recall as that bit hurt a lot I released them a bit then fell forward onto my cheek. It was quite weird as I knew each bit was happening but was powerless to stop it. I can usually recover when I start to trip and don't usually end up on the ground. I have bruises on knees and hands but thankfully not face. We didn't tell anyone (we are with son and his in laws) and I don't like a fuss and I'm already 'bothering' them with my now two month long cough but yesterday the DIL looked aghast at my hands and said what had happened. The bruises are large and purple. Anyway I've been outed. Clearly steroi_s haven't weakened the bones as that should have done something. Am now aching a bit in my arms but don't know if that's because of the fall or whether I've tapered too fast on steroi_s and that ghastly pmr is back again. Inflammation markers are cactus from this virus so it's hard to work out what is what. Getting old is no fun. But Neither is the opposite.

There are the two kids (son and DIL) us, and DILs parents and we get on famously. But each one of us has had something go awfully bad this week (two deaths and a sad family issue, all close ) and while each of us knows the others situation none of us want to share any of it nor talk about. The alcohol is managing it it seems.

 

[Flyfrequently]

A difficult time for you all @Pushka and with your physical injuries as well.
Along with some "refreshments" hope you and Mr P are embracing some self-care.

 

[Cossie]

Finally after 6 months got to see a dermatologist, had to travel interstate.

Anyway, she has ordered a bucket load of blood and urine tests to exclude a few things and thinks it may be Psoriasis. Daivobet 50/500 to start with. Just hope it
doesn’t spread.
Warning, unpleasant photo following!













)

 

[MARTINE]

Finally after 6 months got to see a dermatologist, had to travel interstate.

Anyway, she has ordered a bucket load of blood and urine tests to exclude a few things and thinks it may be Psoriasis. Daivobet 50/500 to start with. Just hope it
doesn’t spread.


)View attachment 392962

I cannot unsee that!

 

[Pushka]

I cannot unsee that!

And it looks painful.

 

[Cossie]

Not really painful, but I when I was trying different creams and my skin reacted, I wanted to scratch it so much!

 

[tgh]

I have been counting down the weeks and days and today is the day to dump my blood thinners .. whoooppeee..
Only problem is that I had a sharp BP uptick a week ago and immediately panicked ( lying there in the blackness when I should be sleeping fantasising about stent revisions, another 12 months of blood thinners and other black thoughts…)
I had been pushing myself physically a bit hard recently and hope it was self inflicted ; two really hard walks in the last few days @ <10min/km with some hills that drove my hr up had 0 repercussions and the bp readings are dropping back.
GP visit today so we shall see….

 

[Flyfrequently]

I have been counting down the weeks and days and today is the day to dump my blood thinners .. whoooppeee..
Only problem is that I had a sharp BP uptick a week ago and immediately panicked ( lying there in the blackness when I should be sleeping fantasising about stent revisions, another 12 months of blood thinners and other black thoughts…)
I had been pushing myself physically a bit hard recently and hope it was self inflicted ; two really hard walks in the last few days @ <10min/km with some hills that drove my hr up had 0 repercussions and the bp readings are dropping back.
GP visit today so we shall see….

Good luck @tgh

 

[tgh]

The hugs are very much appreciated but it was all a false alarm, sadly hypochondria has been trumps for a few days.
Running up the ladder carrying a 25kg pressure cleaner in one hand has probably strained something but it ain't my heart..
Time to wake up, smell the roses and get on with life...
er..go lions...

 

[prozac]

I have a mystery infection under the skin, about 70-80mm dia, red and lumpy. Been there around 2 weeks on the side of my rib cage about half way down, probably below the axillary lymph nodes. I am wondering where the lymph drains to from this location?

EDIT: Ok I'll come clean. I also have a very tender nipple. Kind of on the same latitude as the thoracic skin infection. GP did not know what sore nipple was about but then a had not discovered the lumpy infection on side of chest. You know, you always find this stuff when you get home after the appointment.

@drron , @Quickstatus , @andye , any association between the 2?

 

[k_sheep]

You don't have shingles do you? Sounds like it could be an affected dermatome.

But axillary lymph nodes can go a long way down. It's possible there's mischief in the nipple draining there. But that's a big area; suspect you're up for another visit with an examination (and possibly swab).

 

[prozac]

You don't have shingles do you? Sounds like it could be an affected dermatome.

But axillary lymph nodes can go a long way down. It's possible there's mischief in the nipple draining there. But that's a big area; suspect you're up for another visit with an examination (and possibly swab).

Thanks @k_sheep . I am seeing my skin specialist (dermatologist) on Tuesday post scalp skin cancer treatment. I'll ask him.

 

[Quickstatus]

70-80mm dia, red and lumpy

Hard to know without visualising.
Guessing:
Simple staph skin infection
Cutaneous manifestation of the DLBCL

 

[JohnK]

I posted this earlier in thread.

This is now week 6 of me coughing. Sometimes cough starts and does not stop. I don't know what I've got or whether I'm infectious. It could be stress/anxiety, allergy or some viral/bacterial infection that has done some damage.

Last Friday morning woke up 5:00am Thailand time as I needed to book flight BKK-CNX and could not go back to sleep as I was coughing non-stop for 2-3 hours.

The symptoms have changed 4-5 times since cough started. I do not remember being sick with any fever or headaches.

- First week felt like choking and throat felt full of phlegm, lots of coughing and pain on chest 5-10 cms from left shoulder just under chin
- 2nd week phlegm felt like breaking up but still coughing
- 3rd week no phlegm but coughing continues

The next 2+ weeks in Thailand have been strange. Coughing continues. Phlegm is there but no colour. Coughing can hurt. Still have pain on chest just under chin. Lymph nodes? Lung issues?

I don't think I've had heart attack but who knows as I've been under extreme stress. No other pain that may indicate heart attack. Some sort of viral/bacterial infection with lingering cough. Have noticed some wheezing sound at times so possible some obstruction. Don't really feel anxiety even though I've been under stress. I don't want to visit doctor/hospital here so need to wait until 08 July when back in Brisbane.

 

[prozac]

I posted this earlier in thread.

This is now week 6 of me coughing. Sometimes cough starts and does not stop. I don't know what I've got or whether I'm infectious. It could be stress/anxiety, allergy or some viral/bacterial infection that has done some damage.

Last Friday morning woke up 5:00am Thailand time as I needed to book flight BKK-CNX and could not go back to sleep as I was coughing non-stop for 2-3 hours.

The symptoms have changed 4-5 times since cough started. I do not remember being sick with any fever or headaches.

- First week felt like choking and throat felt full of phlegm, lots of coughing and pain on chest 5-10 cms from left shoulder just under chin
- 2nd week phlegm felt like breaking up but still coughing
- 3rd week no phlegm but coughing continues

The next 2+ weeks in Thailand have been strange. Coughing continues. Phlegm is there but no colour. Coughing can hurt. Still have pain on chest just under chin. Lymph nodes? Lung issues?

I don't think I've had heart attack but who knows as I've been under extreme stress. No other pain that may indicate heart attack. Some sort of viral/bacterial infection with lingering cough. Have noticed some wheezing sound at times so possible some obstruction. Don't really feel anxiety even though I've been under stress. I don't want to visit doctor/hospital here so need to wait until 08 July when back in Brisbane.

Pain sounds like angina John. Heed the warning and get a heart check.
Coughing could be anything subject to more knowledgeable advice in this thread. When I was coughing last year with signs of obstruction @ddron advised chest x-ray and blood tests. Not advising just letting you know what happened with me. I kept putting things off telling myself I'd be better in a day or two. Didn't happen, never got better. You sound like you are under a large stress burden. Do you think you should wait 8 days?

 

[JohnK]

Pain sounds like angina John. Heed the warning and get a heart check.

Thanks. There is no pain in the chest other than when I cough and even then the pain is not there with every cough. I actually feel well other than the stress and the cough. Played the best golf I've played here the past couple of years.

By the way I'm not trying to ignore it. I just don't think I'll get any answers in the few days left in Thailand.

 

[prozac]

Thanks. There is no pain in the chest other than when I cough and even then the pain is not there with every cough. I actually feel well other than the stress and the cough. Played the best golf I've played here the past couple of years.

By the way I'm not trying to ignore it. I just don't think I'll get any answers in the few days left in Thailand.

Understand what you are saying. When you start getting pain near the jaw it is a warning.

 

[JohnK]

Understand what you are saying. When you start getting pain near the jaw it is a warning.

Yes I read about getting pain near jaw.

I just checked again. Pain is right next to collarbone level with shoulder. If I'm not mistaken this is where lymph nodes are located on each side? This may suggest infection?

 

[QF WP]

Time for my medical issues.

Had blood tests ostensively to check PSA levels (as brother aged 58 had prostatectomy in May) but no problems there (I must be the other side of the family )

Found out that I had high LDL (4.9) so onto statins. Good to find early and brother on same statins - thankfully the one with which we can still have grapefruit (we both love it).

Had elevated calcium levels. So had CAT scan for calcium studies (levels) - awesome, only 37. My own GP said he had 420 and would swap me - no thanks. My cardiologist who got the report (a family friend) obviously isn’t concerned as he hasn’t contacted me.

Finally, it showed high white blood cell count, particularly b-cells. Put that down to the fact that I have had an open wound that hasn’t healed for 18 months, had multiple bugs in it (including staphylococcus) but after a punch biopsy ended up becoming a BCC. So now 12 days post op; BCC removed (inside of R calf) and skin graft taken from R quad. Both sites still sealed and after course of antibiotics, looking good. Only on Panamax for pain relief. Been very careful about not overdoing it - only drive for first time on Friday (actually one of the things that hurt the most, apart from walking down stairs). Seeing surgeon (dermatologist) on Friday for follow up. Hoping that after follow up blood tests that my WBC count will have reduced and I don’t have CLL (which my Dr foreshadowed, but I feel is wide of the mark as he isn’t my usual GP and hasn’t reviewed my history).

Glad I’ve done all the tests and the operation. Back to work Wednesday (2 week mark), after 2 weeks stuck at home.