General Medical issues thread

[Flyfrequently]

Finding out about Mrscove’s cause of kidney stones is high on our list for tomorrow.

Sending positive thoughts to you both @cove for this.
My diagnosis was over 30 years ago, a few ups and downs but careful management has not hindered me - only pre existing medical TI has been the occasional challenge.

 

[cove]

Thanks @Flyfrequently. Mrscove had a night in hospital and they caught this kidney stone.
Certainly not what we would need when we are in the US next month.
The health care place is $250 USD for an appointment and is about a 3 minute drive up the street.

 

[Pushka]

No , sorry, you missed my point.
It goes back to the idea that people should hardly complain about cost of a vaccine. Taken to an "AFF"level then we should not complain about sky high airfares. Which of course is absurd.

Gotcha.

 

[RooFlyer]

Thanks @Flyfrequently. Mrscove had a night in hospital and they caught this kidney stone.

Had 2 episodes in my 30s. Very painful initially, as people will know. I passed one but needed a lithotripsy for the other, about 2 years later, where they immerse you sedated in a water bath then blast the stone using some sort ultrasonic 'beam'. Breaks up the stone and the pieces are passed.

I was asked to try and catch both lots with a sieve so they could tell which type they were. I don't recall my types but I do remember looking at a whole one under a hand lens and it was round and smooth on the outside but had crystals growing inwards within it - sort of like my very own geode

 

[prozac]

Am hearing RSV getting discussed a bit on radio. Is it really a thing atm?

 

[moa999]

As discussed a few pages back there is a new ($$) vaccine, and I suspect GSKs surreptitious marketing team is promoting it.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Am hearing RSV getting discussed a bit on radio. Is it really a thing atm?

As somneone who ALWAYS gets bronchitis or related lung issues when we travel, and which take 4-6 weeks to stop the cough, I'm been waiting for the new vax to become available.

 

[drron]

As discussed a few pages back there is a new ($$) vaccine, and I suspect GSKs surreptitious marketing team is promoting it.

Absolutely. As said previously the vaccine was approved in April 2023 in Europe and may 2023 in the USA.
In June 2023 all media in Australia began reporting the epidemic of RSV for the first time. It is most likely for RSV to strike in winter. There were a few reports in April/May reporting a huge rise in cases in 2023 compared to 2022. Of course the fact that mandatory reporting of RSV began in 2022 was almost certainly a major contributor to this rise.
Before 2023 the reports of RSV were mainly in journals,medical societies and health departments.
A selection of the mid 2023 articles. Funny they all mention a coming vaccine. It was only approved in Australia in January 2024.

RSV cases skyrocket across the country compared to same time last year

The number of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) cases have jumped close to 10 times higher in some states across Australia when compared to last year. Experts say COVID complacency and higher testing rates could be why.

www.abc.net.au

RSV is everywhere right now. What parents need to know about respiratory syncytial virus

Even otherwise healthy children can end up in hospital with this winter respiratory virus.

theconversation.com

This is probably the best of the articles with less sensationalism.

https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/health-problems/another-virus-sweeping-the-nation-at-alarming-rate/news-story/7183c13110384cd03b11aedf7bb2ebce

 

[cove]

Ok neither the flu shot nor the RSV shot hurt at all.

 

[Pushka]

Absolutely. As said previously the vaccine was approved in April 2023 in Europe and may 2023 in the USA.
In June 2023 all media in Australia began reporting the epidemic of RSV for the first time. It is most likely for RSV to strike in winter. There were a few reports in April/May reporting a huge rise in cases in 2023 compared to 2022. Of course the fact that mandatory reporting of RSV began in 2022 was almost certainly a major contributor to this rise.
Before 2023 the reports of RSV were mainly in journals,medical societies and health departments.
A selection of the mid 2023 articles. Funny they all mention a coming vaccine. It was only approved in Australia in January 2024.

RSV cases skyrocket across the country compared to same time last year

The number of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) cases have jumped close to 10 times higher in some states across Australia when compared to last year. Experts say COVID complacency and higher testing rates could be why.

www.abc.net.au

RSV is everywhere right now. What parents need to know about respiratory syncytial virus

Even otherwise healthy children can end up in hospital with this winter respiratory virus.

theconversation.com

This is probably the best of the articles with less sensationalism.

https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/health-problems/another-virus-sweeping-the-nation-at-alarming-rate/news-story/7183c13110384cd03b11aedf7bb2ebce

I can remember RSV when the kids were young. And they aren't young anymore.

 

[SuePa]

I can remember RSV when the kids were young. And they aren't young anymore.

Yes, we've had RSV go through the school for many years. Usually only the younger grades, with one or 2 older students and maybe a staff member occasionally.

 

[drron]

And school age kids are at very little risk from RSV. Basically in Australia by the age of 3 every child has had at least 1 dose of RSV. The problem is the immunity produced by the natural infection is not long lasting. Usually about 1 month.

 

[prozac]

Absolutely. As said previously the vaccine was approved in April 2023 in Europe and may 2023 in the USA.
In June 2023 all media in Australia began reporting the epidemic of RSV for the first time. It is most likely for RSV to strike in winter. There were a few reports in April/May reporting a huge rise in cases in 2023 compared to 2022. Of course the fact that mandatory reporting of RSV began in 2022 was almost certainly a major contributor to this rise.
Before 2023 the reports of RSV were mainly in journals,medical societies and health departments.
A selection of the mid 2023 articles. Funny they all mention a coming vaccine. It was only approved in Australia in January 2024.

RSV cases skyrocket across the country compared to same time last year

The number of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) cases have jumped close to 10 times higher in some states across Australia when compared to last year. Experts say COVID complacency and higher testing rates could be why.

www.abc.net.au

RSV is everywhere right now. What parents need to know about respiratory syncytial virus

Even otherwise healthy children can end up in hospital with this winter respiratory virus.

theconversation.com

This is probably the best of the articles with less sensationalism.

https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/health-problems/another-virus-sweeping-the-nation-at-alarming-rate/news-story/7183c13110384cd03b11aedf7bb2ebce

So likely these figures suggest catch-up statistics and not an actual explosion of detected cases?
I am not anti-vax but I don't like to take medications I do not need and am reluctant to get vaccinations for flu, RSV etc if not required. I haven't had a covid vax in 18 months but had the initial 4. MrsProzac has recently developed memory loss and I wonder about the tumour in my chest in respect of Covid vaccines.

 

[andye]

Human nature to ascribe associations but my experience is that coughpy things happen to good (and bad) people pre- during and post- covid vaccines.

i am not 100% across the RSV-research but like to think I have a healthy but fair scepticism of pharma ( also remembering we'd have almost zero useful drugs without capitalism-based research). If it was a slam-dunk PBS would be all over it

 

[drron]

Until COVID RSV was diagnosed as just another common cold and for most that’s all it still is.
The real problem is with infants especially up to 6 months of age. It can be severe. In those infants admitted to hospital with severe disease the mortality rate is 0.2 to 0.6%.
Yes older folks can get severe RSV but mortality is predominantly in those with pre existing conditions especially of the lungs and heart as well as immune problems.

Flu is by far the more severe disease with even healthy 30-50 year olds dying from flu.

 

[JohnK]

Yes older folks can get severe RSV but mortality is predominantly in those with pre existing conditions especially of the lungs and heart as well as immune problems.

I know we don't agree but it's not just mortality we need to look at with any of these viruses.

As I mentioned earlier wife and daughter had RSV last May and it lasted over 4 weeks for both. Symptoms weren't just mild. Both suffered and daughter went on to continue coughing. Still stumped how I managed to avoid it.

Until Covid we used to ignore all colds/flu's and people just circulated as normal, happily passing them around. During covid I thought we learnt something but that was just a figment of my overactive imagination.

I really cannot wait for the day everyone has a monitor and they cannot leave their house when they're sick.

 

[RooFlyer]

As I mentioned earlier wife and daughter had RSV last May and it lasted over 4 weeks for both. Symptoms weren't just mild. Both suffered and daughter went on to continue coughing. Still stumped how I managed to avoid it.

Both wife and daughter had RSV last May for around 4 weeks. $300/shot? That's way down the list of importance.

So what's your price point to protect your family against a repeat of that month of suffering, or reducing severity?

 

[drron]

I know we don't agree but it's not just mortality we need to look at with any of these viruses.

As I mentioned earlier wife and daughter had RSV last May and it lasted over 4 weeks for both. Symptoms weren't just mild. Both suffered and daughter went on to continue coughing. Still stumped how I managed to avoid it.

Until Covid we used to ignore all colds/flu's and people just circulated as normal, happily passing them around. During covid I thought we learnt something but that was just a figment of my overactive imagination.

I really cannot wait for the day everyone has a monitor and they cannot leave their house when they're sick.

That can happen with any respiratory virus. in fact I had a viral URTI about 4 weeks ago. I am just getting over the post viral cough now. And believe me Japan is the worst place for having a post viral cough.
By the way were they diagnosed with a PCR test?

 

[JohnK]

By the way were they diagnosed with a PCR test?

Blood test and swab.

 

[Quickstatus]

If it was a slam-dunk PBS would be all over it

Yes

Broadly,
ATAGI recommends on the basis of vaccine clinical efficacy/safety - basically technical advice only.
TGA reviews again and is the overall regulator of drugs and devices. If not approved by TGA, supply in Australia is illegal.
PBS recommends on the basis of cost benefit analysis

RSV jab approved by first 2
The third one is an exercise in who blinks first.