General Medical issues thread

[trooper]

The surgery has progressed to a point that most patients have only mild pain and it's a 1-2 night stay for most. Typically only Panadol when home.

Worth making sure bowels are empty and diet in the week prior is not gas forming. Basically follow the "low residue diet" for the 3 days before a colonoscopy. Some blokes seem to develop a lot of gas and surgery slows down the gut trapping the flatus and causing bloat.

I have a great many pre admittance instructions to follow which are very similar to pre-colonoscopy prep as you say! ...Right down to the "lovely" preparations I have to drink...lol The surgeon involved has performed over 700 of these procedures... and when he sensed my interest he showed me a video of the actual surgery... the "inside view" as it were...... which I found amazingly precise and very reassuring. Thanks all for the good wishes!

 

[JohnM]

The surgery has progressed to a point that most patients have only mild pain and it's a 1-2 night stay for most. Typically only Panadol when home.

Absolutely. I actually got p!ssed off with the nurses overnight on my 1-night stay in hospital insisting that I take some panadol, despite my protestations that I didn't need it. I gave in just to stop them harassing me. Yeeesss, muuuum!

 

[RooFlyer]

Had a MRI today on pelvis to investigate new severe pain probably (for me, certainly) related to hernia op 2 years ago.

Going back to the original op (double open hernia repair with mesh, done at 10:30 at night by a 68 yo surgeon), I maintain it was a botched operation and not the 'standard' 5% or so failure rate. (details why not necessary here). But ... if I have post-operative pain on one side for 8 months, and they don't scan me then (asked, and refused ), how do they know that its one of the 'standard' failures that they won't do anything about and not something exceptional?

So, back to to today. Told to expect 45 mins in the MRI tube. Groan. Arthritis will make that a challenge.

I lasted 30 mins and they said that they had collected enough data. Hope so.

That hernia operation was the worst thing I ever did.

 

[Seat0B]

Have you tried doing an Epley (treatment for BPPV) to reset the crystals at home?

Home Epley Maneuver

The home Epley maneuver is a type of exercise help that helps to treat the symptoms of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). You can do this exercise at home.

www.hopkinsmedicine.org

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://m.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DxTnV3m4bWDg&ved=2ahUKEwiigvPuodOFAxU2sFYBHUpSAM0Qo7QBegQIDBAG&usg=AOvVaw1ex7lEPR8YgvdnxMSm0GjT

I did this a few years ago when diagnosed with labrythitis (which was absolutely dreadful - I literally could not stand up and found myself crawling along the floor to go to the loo). It was helpful.

 

[Quickstatus]

video of the actual surgery... the "inside view"

Here is a demo of the outside view - of the robot.

The surgeon sits in a corner looking into a large viewer and operates controls at the console. It's essentially a fibre optic "fly by wire" system which translate movement into the robot arms - 4 in total . Because the surgeons forearms are resting on an arm rest all the movements are in the wrist and fingertip and very fine movements are possible - unlike traditional keyhole surgery where the surgeon holds the instruments and conducts the surgery. . The feet also operate controls.

The surgeon scrubs for the start - makes the small cuts to place the robot instruments onto the arms and inserts into the abdomen. And at the end to remove the instruments and sew up.

mesh

Any persistent pain from this surgery should be always investigated.. Potential causes are the mesh, the tacks used to secure the mesh or resulting nerve damage from the surgery. If nothing can be found on scan and after another surgical opinion, I would suggest a Pulsed radiofrequency treatment of the relevant nerves.

 

[Quickstatus]

65% is a good ejection rate

Ejection fraction measures the ability of the left ventricle to pump blood out of the left ventricle. 65% means 65% of the volume in the left ventricle was pumped (ejected) out leaving 35% remaining volume.

Heart failure ejection fraction tends to be around 35%. 65% remains in the heart - in other words the left ventricle not strong enough to pump blood out.

So @prozac, not only is your heart still beating but beating well

 

[prozac]

Ejection fraction measures the ability of the left ventricle to pump blood out of the left ventricle. 65% means 65% of the volume in the left ventricle was pumped (ejected) out leaving 35% remaining volume.

Heart failure ejection fraction tends to be around 35%. 65% remains in the heart - in other words the left ventricle not strong enough to pump blood out.

So @prozac, not only is your heart still beating but beating well

Kinda what I was driving at. I was told 55-60% was in normal range for someone my age. I was well below that after the chemo damage. Bouncing off the walls now.

 

[Quickstatus]

55-60%

Note that when your heart was being squashed the ejection fraction could have been higher than that. However the problem in that case was the heart chamber was not filling properly as it was being squashed so while the % was good the amount ejected was low.

 

[prozac]

Note that when your heart was being squashed the ejection fraction could have been higher than that. However the problem in that case was the heart chamber was not filling properly as it was being squashed so while the % was good the amount ejected was low.

I hope @anat0l has no issue with their proposed trip.

 

[RooFlyer]

Any persistent pain from this surgery should be always investigated.. Potential causes are the mesh, the tacks used to secure the mesh or resulting nerve damage from the surgery. If nothing can be found on scan and after another surgical opinion, I would suggest a Pulsed radiofrequency treatment of the relevant nerves.

Initial 8 months on right side was 'discomfort' and occasional tweaking pain. Dismissed by original surgeon (who I regret ever meeting#) as 'one of those 5% where things don't settle down - we don't know why'. Second surgical opinion after a month (I respect this guy) prodded and probed and said much the same thing. Couple of injections of steroi_ no long term use. Said would refer to pain specialist if persisted. It eventually subsided.

Left side flared up 3 weeks ago, occ severe pinching pain, for no apparent reason. Feels to me like re-herniated or mesh tack/'stitch' moved but GP (also have confidence in) thinks on examination just a pinched nerve (dunno how that occurs after 2 years). MRI today as the area too sensitive for U/S.

Get result on Friday. Thanks for the nerve treatment suggestion. I think always good to throw suggestions in - I don't mind appearing foolish

# My referring GP at the time was new to me, and he was new to Hobart. So he referred me to this surgeon not knowing reputation. Looking back, my new GP pursed lips and said "there are better choices". Yeah. My initial GP must have been the only one who didn't 'know about' the first guy. A number of people I've swapped 'my hernia' stories with knew all about him.

 

[blackcat20]

We're a house of mouth dramas at the moment.
Master TC had tongue tie surgery in January. Still has restricted movement and has developed a bubble under the tongue. Waiting for an urgent appointment with the surgeon to get that seen (local dentist has already examined).
Miss TC fell in the playground at school this morning and has damaged her front teeth (for the third time in 12 months). Slippery wooden playground. Booked in for a check with a dentist this afternoon but I can't believe after four falls, those teeth are still hanging in. The roots are long gone, apparently they can dissolve after a serious knock. Given how they looked immediately after the fall this morning, I feel like they might have finally met their end.

 

[JohnM]

It's now 24h since I had cataract surgery on my R eye.

Old lens removed and a synthetic one inserted in about a 30min operation. The thought of someone digging around in an eye is far worse than the reality.

It's amazing how much brighter the world is now!

In two weeks the L eye will be done.

My R eye had become increasingly short-sighted, while my L is long-sighted. The cataract was also a lot worse in the R eye, especially noticeable as light flare if driving at night, so that was the obvious one to do first.

I could drive now but I have no real need to, so I will probably leave it until tomorrow just to let the eye fully settle.

Remarkable stuff.

 

[Pushka]

It's now 24h since I had cataract surgery on my R eye.

Old lens removed and a synthetic one inserted in about a 30min operation. The thought of someone digging around in an eye is far worse than the reality.

It's amazing how much brighter the world is now!

In two weeks the L eye will be done.

My R eye had become increasingly short-sighted, while my L is long-sighted. The cataract was also a lot worse in the R eye, especially noticeable as light flare if driving at night, so that was the obvious one to do first.

I could drive now but I have no real need to, so I will probably leave it until tomorrow just to let the eye fully settle.

Remarkable stuff.

Mine were both done 6 months ago. Yesterday I had an opthamology check as they used a new kind of lens at the time. My short distance vision is now perfect and I can read the smallest text for required publications plus the next smallest. My long distance is excellent not perfect. My right eye is long distance focussed and my left (non dominant ) is short distance and while the tests revealed that difference, together my brain has sorted it out. Before I had size 3 of those cheapie glasses. They have all gone. I think it was on about the first month later that the eyesight correction kicked in once all post surgery stuff resolved. Do use those drops as required.

Perth is very bright. Get yourself good sunglasses and especially when the second one is done (mine were done on consecutive days). The world and also bright lights are almost painful without sunnies. It's still like that. Before I was a bit slack wearing them. Now I have to.

I have mine privately done but had no gap other than the hospital excess for one procedure. Apparently that's unusual.

Once again I owe @VPS a huge vote of thanks.

 

[JohnM]

I have mine privately done but had no gap other than the hospital excess for one procedure. Apparently that's unusual.

As did I, and a friend of mine the same. I didn't have indication that it was unusual.

 

[Cossie]

The result for my right eye is not so good, even the ophthalmologist said he wasn’t happy with the result.
Before I had my left eye done, I needed glasses to read. Now I can read everything close, but subtitles on the tv are blurry, for example.
So he has suggested another lens inserted over the recent one which will give me close and distance vision. What until August then check with him again.
Apparently as I had Lasik in the early nineties, this may have caused an issue.

 

[love_the_life]

As did I, and a friend of mine the same. I didn't have indication that it was unusual.

Oh yes - MrLtL's ophthalmologist charged well over the schedule fee - though a bit hard to work out as he had stents inserted for glaucoma as well.

 

[Pushka]

As did I, and a friend of mine the same. I didn't have indication that it was unusual.

We caught up with a couple from Qld a couple of weeks ago, Easter. They were excited that their health fund picked up half the cost - so they only paid $5000 . They assumed I'd gone public. Nup.

 

[Pushka]

The result for my right eye is not so good, even the ophthalmologist said he wasn’t happy with the result.
Before I had my left eye done, I needed glasses to read. Now I can read everything close, but subtitles on the tv are blurry, for example.
So he has suggested another lens inserted over the recent one which will give me close and distance vision. What until August then check with him again.
Apparently as I had Lasik in the early nineties, this may have caused an issue.

Usually one eye has better longer distance and the other eye selected for close vision and the brain sorts that out. Hopefully something can be sorted.

 

[JohnM]

Usually one eye has better longer distance and the other eye selected for close vision and the brain sorts that out. Hopefully something can be sorted.

My friend prioritised that because she wanted to be free of glasses after wearing them forever.

I opted to prioritise long distance vision and equal eyes for good binocular vision as I do a lot of driving in the country and in rough situations. With my natural sight tending to one short/one long, the asymmetry was bugging me.

Now, that may have been exacerbated by the cataracts and it may have become more livable after both eyes were sorted, but I opted to prioritise for equalness and driving.

Wearing (progressive) glasses for reading bothers me less than sub-optimal long sight in a full range of light and terrain conditions.

The ophthalmologist's description in his letter back to my optician said this:

"John is keen to optimise his distance vision clarity and happy to wear glasses for near vision. To assist with his intermediate range of vision, I have recommended that we use distance-based intraocular lenses with extended depth of focus effect to aid arm's length vision such as reading a phone or menu."

That sounded pretty reasonable to me; I would rather not be hopeful of trying a bit of both and find that it was sub-optimal for my situation.

Others' MMV.

 

[TheRealTMA]

My friend prioritised that because she wanted to be free of glasses after wearing them forever.

I opted to prioritise long distance vision and equal eyes for good binocular vision as I do a lot of driving in the country and in rough situations. With my natural sight tending to one short/one long, the asymmetry was bugging me.

Now, that may have been exacerbated by the cataracts and it may have become more livable after both eyes were sorted, but I opted to prioritise for equalness and driving.

Wearing (progressive) glasses for reading bothers me less than sub-optimal long sight in a full range of light and terrain conditions.

The ophthalmologist's description in his letter back to my optician said this:

"John is keen to optimise his distance vision clarity and happy to wear glasses for near vision. To assist with his intermediate range of vision, I have recommended that we use distance-based intraocular lenses with extended depth of focus effect to aid arm's length vision such as reading a phone or menu."

That sounded pretty reasonable to me; I would rather not be hopeful of trying a bit of both and find that it was sub-optimal for my situation.

Others' MMV.

Many go for one distance and one close. Not for me tho. I went for two medium - distance lenses and happy to wear simple glasses for close reading. I can just use x2 magnifiers if needed but have gradhated glasses for reading and computer screen. Technology changed in the two years between getting second eye done and that lens is better than the first.

Works well for me but YMMV.

Fantastic thing when you get cataracts done is the brilliant colours you have been missing over the years. Whites are actually white not cream!