General Medical issues thread

[prozac]

Interesting report in SMH regards Covid affecting heart DNA, albeit in a small study.

Unlike flu, COVID-19 attacks DNA in the heart: new research

Australian researchers have for the first time discovered COVID-19 causes DNA damage to the heart, giving clues to why the diseases causes heart complications in some people.

www.smh.com.au

Most people I know seem to have had covid at least once, so far we have avoided it.

 

[tgh]

so far we have avoided it

Many (including moi) profess this but without evidence it is speculation.
My gp offered a covid antibody test add on when I am getting blood tests but I keep forgetting to do it.

 

[prozac]

so far we have avoided it

Many (including moi) profess this but without evidence it is speculation.
My gp offered a covid antibody test add on when I am getting blood tests but I keep forgetting to do it.

A few weeks back I had a negative PCR after a friend called to say he had developed symptons a day earlier and tested positive. We had attended a car show together 4 days earlier. Later I was able to help him identify where, and who, he got it from the day after the car show. Would the PCR indicate if you had previously had it?

EDIT: Apart from ongoing loss of taste and smell, the friend says he has lost feeling in his right arm and leg.

 

[JohnK]

Cellulitis infection had gone away about 3-4 weeks ago while I was still in Thailand.

Swelling in left foot and ankle is still there. The 2 left toes feel uncomfortable. The ankle feels uncomfortable. The tissue up the shin/calf feels uncomfortable.

Ultrasound shows fluid build up but no other issues. Lasix does not reduce swelling. Blood tests normal apart from elevated uric acid but this is not new and I've had this for a long time. I've been suffering from chronic severe inflammation for most of my adult life and it's getting worse.

So possibly gout but if that's the case this is the worst I've had and there's no sign it will get better. Visible signs of limping and most times I'm not aware I'm limping.

Getting old can be cruel.

 

[prozac]

Cellulitis infection had gone away about 3-4 weeks ago while I was still in Thailand.

Swelling in left foot and ankle is still there. The 2 left toes feel uncomfortable. The ankle feels uncomfortable. The tissue up the shin/calf feels uncomfortable.

Ultrasound shows fluid build up but no other issues. Lasix does not reduce swelling. Blood tests normal apart from elevated uric acid but this is not new and I've had this for a long time. I've been suffering from chronic severe inflammation for most of my adult life and it's getting worse.

So possibly gout but if that's the case this is the worst I've had and there's no sign it will get better. Visible signs of limping and most times I'm not aware I'm limping.

Getting old can be cruel.

Find a practitioner who does lymphatic massage.

 

[tgh]

Getting old can be cruel

Indeed.. the losses are multifarious and sometimes play with my mind…..leads to …. next time I see a rooster with all his tail feather I am gonna shoot the sucker (joke)

 

[Freq Flier 2013]

Not your typical question but does anyone have any home / natural remedies for a baby - 8 weeks with reflux/ heart burn (brest fed). Pediatrician said to try baby gaviscon otherwise he can prescribe baby somac / equivalent.

If we keep her upright then she falls asleep in minutes but as soon as we put her down flat she vomits a bit and it wakes her up. Lots of “reflux” sounds and symptoms.

 

[drron]

Cellulitis infection had gone away about 3-4 weeks ago while I was still in Thailand.

Swelling in left foot and ankle is still there. The 2 left toes feel uncomfortable. The ankle feels uncomfortable. The tissue up the shin/calf feels uncomfortable.

Ultrasound shows fluid build up but no other issues. Lasix does not reduce swelling. Blood tests normal apart from elevated uric acid but this is not new and I've had this for a long time. I've been suffering from chronic severe inflammation for most of my adult life and it's getting worse.

So possibly gout but if that's the case this is the worst I've had and there's no sign it will get better. Visible signs of limping and most times I'm not aware I'm limping.

Getting old can be cruel.

But getting old still beats the alternative.

 

[Pushka]

Not your typical question but does anyone have any home / natural remedies for a baby - 8 weeks with reflux/ heart burn (brest fed). Pediatrician said to try baby gaviscon otherwise he can prescribe baby somac / equivalent.

If we keep her upright then she falls asleep in minutes but as soon as we put her down flat she vomits a bit and it wakes her up. Lots of “reflux” sounds and symptoms.

I hear your pain. Granddaughter is going through the same issues. She is four months old now. She does take some medication but . I do wonder if it will improve when solids are started.

 

[JohnK]

But getting old still beats the alternative.

We have absolutely no idea what's outside this simulation. In fact just like an ant we don't have much idea of what's inside this simulation either so saying getting old beats the alternative is a naive saying.

It's OK to get old if you have no issues. Getting old and being in extreme pain with zero hope of seeing any improvement is depressing.

I get it that most don't understand but you're a doctor and you should know of the suffering some face.

 

[drron]

John I have seen lots of young people suffer terribly as well as die. That certainly is worse than growing old.
And I have seen old people with terrible disease enjoy life and be able to do things that should be impossible for them to do.

 

[Katie]

Well, it seems my tiredness and irritability may be due to low iron (again, sigh) and low B12. Seeing my GP early next week, so we'll see what she says.
My last iron infusion was in Feb, it seems I've used it all up (at 11ug/L). Not sure if the GP's done B12 test before, but it's just below the normal range.

I'm off to the US next Fri, so hoping I have some kind of interim solution before then, though I realise taking iron or B12 supplements will take a while to kick in. I'm sure being away from home will help my resting - no need to set the alarm for 5am to walk the dog before school!

 

[JohnK]

John I have seen lots of young people suffer terribly as well as die. That certainly is worse than growing old.
And I have seen old people with terrible disease enjoy life and be able to do things that should be impossible for them to do.

@drron without knowing what's on the other side we don't know if dying is worse than growing old. And I'm not saying that in a religious sense. Humanity knows very little.

What I know is that my life is a living hell but that does not mean I have given up or stop having fun. But it does mean that it's very difficult to do quite a lot of things.

Just yesterday I went to the bathroom to shave. After 2 minutes I could not stand as I was in extreme pain/discomfort across the lower back. I had to hunch over every so often and shaving took a lot of time. Sure I can sit and shave but after 2 minutes of sitting I have to move position and continue moving positions.

The one I have to move the most is the left leg. I suspect it's the Osteoarthritis in the hip but I can't move the leg due to excruciating pain. But I have learnt that if I push down hard on the thigh I can move my leg without pain.

Then I walked 500 metres to mall. After less than 100 steps I had to walk hunched over and hold my hands hard against lower back.

That's not my idea of fun but I've learnt to cope. The thing I miss the most is being able to play decent golf and I can't keep up with daughter.

I don't expect people to understand because they couldn't possible understand something they have not experienced. And yes there are others out there with worse health but that doesn't give great comfort.

 

[RooFlyer]

@drron without knowing what's on the other side we don't know if dying is worse than growing old. And I'm not saying that in a religious sense. Humanity knows very little.

In 1990, Kerry Packer had a heart attack and was dead for 7 minutes. He later said:

"Son, I've been to the other side, and let me tell you, there's nothing there."

So there’s a clue

And later

"...there's no one waiting there for you, there's no one to judge you, so you can do what you bloody well like".

 

[JohnM]

In 1990, Kerry Packer had a heart attack and was dead for 7 minutes. He later said:

"Son, I've been to the other side, and let me tell you, there's nothing there."

So there’s a clue

And later

"...there's no one waiting there for you, there's no one to judge you, so you can do what you bloody well like".

I believe that he said it more colorfully than that...

 

[drron]

John I experience very similiar problems. I have a lot of osteoarthritis and have had a knee replacement.
The osteo has also caused a severe spinal canal stenosis. just come back in after 2 hours weeding. I can only do that sitting down. And when I get up nothing moves as it should.
On top of that I have a peripheral neuopathy so very much decreased sensation in the feet and some in the hands, Plus slowly losing muscle bulk.
I have always had poor balance but these problems make it worse so I had to give up golf as when I swing about 75% of the time I fall over. As well with the hands starting to be a problem sometimes the club flies out of my hands. I do however always take part in the putting comps onboard the cruise ship.
So mate you are lucky you can still play golf.

 

[Pushka]

John I experience very similiar problems. I have a lot of osteoarthritis and have had a knee replacement.
The osteo has also caused a severe spinal canal stenosis. just come back in after 2 hours weeding. I can only do that sitting down. And when I get up nothing moves as it should.
On top of that I have a peripheral neuopathy so very much decreased sensation in the feet and some in the hands, Plus slowly losing muscle bulk.
I have always had poor balance but these problems make it worse so I had to give up golf as when I swing about 75% of the time I fall over. As well with the hands starting to be a problem sometimes the club flies out of my hands. I do however always take part in the putting comps onboard the cruise ship.
So mate you are lucky you can still play golf.

I played golf in my thirties. Then I ruptured a disc in my spine. Never again as I can't twist. Husband had his handicap down to 4, was a member of an excellent private golf club in SA. He loved the game. Then he tripped on a tram ledge in Melbourne and shattered his elbow. Plus part of the arm bone on each side. He now has a titanium elbow and joint. He was in his early forties. He has never played golf since as he cannot rotate his arm in the follow through. We still have his golf clubs gathering dust. His membership was cancelled after a couple of years when the extent of his injury became obvious. Even twenty years later his elbow gives him grief. It has even worn a smooth patch in our leather chair where he rests his arm. Such is life. And still a good one. Just gotta move on and find something you like.

 

[JohnK]

So mate you are lucky you can still play golf.

That's debatable. I get out and have a go but that doesn't mean I'm playing golf. I don't know what youd call what I do but 75% of the time my body stops me from swinging a golf club so I find myself hacking my way around a golf course.

I get the impression this comes out like a whinge or complaint. Far from it. I've accepted it and I can put up with the pain. A few days ago while I was in Sydney my whole body was swollen everywhere from top to bottom. All I'm trying to say is that life is not as rosy as people make it out to be.

Now need to work on work accepting that I'm better off working from home. I don't want to stop working but I can't get ready to go to work 3 days a week in this condition. I don't want to be in office in extreme discomfort and put on a smiley face for everyone.

 

[RooFlyer]

More a question for our practitioners, but all comments welcome.

What's a recommended sea-sickness tablet? I recently lost my breakfast (metaphorically speaking, as I didn't have any) in a 4 hr rough voyage off WA, having taken Stugeron 15 (active ingredient cinnarizine 15mg per tablet) as directed beforehand. This was recommended to me by a 'windjammer' sailor who swears by them. Not available in Australia, but not illegal to have. He gets it from the UK.

So that was a bit disappointing. So, any thing possibly better, and why, please (ie more clinically rigorous, active ingredient works on X and Y of your body etc etc.) @k_sheep @drron ... others ...

 

[prozac]

More a question for our practitioners, but all comments welcome.

What's a recommended sea-sickness tablet? I recently lost my breakfast (metaphorically speaking, as I didn't have any) in a 4 hr rough voyage off WA, having taken Stugeron 15 (active ingredient cinnarizine 15mg per tablet) as directed beforehand. This was recommended to me by a 'windjammer' sailor who swears by them. Not available in Australia, but not illegal to have. He gets it from the UK.

So that was a bit disappointing. So, any thing possibly better, and why, please (ie more clinically rigorous, active ingredient works on X and Y of your body etc etc.)

Possibly a question for the AFF cruisers. I have read that you can buy a treatment patch which is placed behind one ear.