General Medical issues thread

[MARTINE]

No

If you think about the fact it takes between 2-4 hours for the assessment then same to wrote a very detailed report and that neuropsychologists are minimum Masters/Phd trained the fee is not unreasonable but -I agree- it IS a lot of money. If she was attending a public hospital for assessment of the clinical situation warranting this there would be no fee. It may take longer (both to see the doctor and the ensuing assessment).

 

[VPS]

I got test results back on Saturday night from the urine test last week. Didn't know that the walk in center had sent it off for additional tests after they did the dip test.

Got a call from the walk in center with the results. The predominate bacteria detected (pseudomonas aeruginosa) is resistant to the antibiotic they gave me, and also appears to be resistant to the different antibiotic my GP gave me (to have something on hand if needed when I'm overseas soon) on Friday.
Trying to get another GP appointment for review of the antibiotics before I go on holiday while working around limited availability (more so at this time of year).

Surely in the situation they could do a telehealth - sounds like you're having a rough time - good luck

 

[Himeno]

Surely in the situation they could do a telehealth - sounds like you're having a rough time - good luck

The teleheath appointments are booked as normal appointments. They are just online/phone calls instead of at the office.

 

[k_sheep]

I got test results back on Saturday night from the urine test last week. Didn't know that the walk in center had sent it off for additional tests after they did the dip test.

Got a call from the walk in center with the results. The predominate bacteria detected (pseudomonas aeruginosa) is resistant to the antibiotic they gave me, and also appears to be resistant to the different antibiotic my GP gave me (to have something on hand if needed when I'm overseas soon) on Friday.
Trying to get another GP appointment for review of the antibiotics before I go on holiday while working around limited availability (more so at this time of year).

The only currently available oral antibiotic of any use against pseudomonas is ciprofloxacin - and it develops resistance very quickly. A very tough bug to deal with as an outpatient.

 

[drron]

The problem with pseudomonas is that it is often a coloniser and not an infection. If found in blood or in other organ specimens it needs urgent treatment and usually not oral antibiotics.
If found in specimens collected outside the body you really need other evidence of infection such as elevated white cells or ESR/CRP.
Most infectious disease physicians I met were not happy using too much Ciprofloxacin because of the risk of developing antibiotic resistance to it.

 

[tgh]

Always learn sumpin 'round here….. never hear the colonisation term but live with it every day.
My last old horse has immume mediated Psa…along with chromic lymph drainage disfunction in the hind legs.
Cannot kill the PsA.. have tried everything.. if the Immune system hosts it is a lost cause.
I buy Penicillin in bulk for outbreaks along with IM steroi_s (Dexamethasone) for the occasional serious blowup of Lymphangitis.
I control the lesions topically with constant cleaning and my tgh proprietary goo….
The vet thinks I am pretty clever ( and nuts to boot ) to have kept him alive for many many years...
Also note PsA must not be particularly infectious, I am sure that I get lots of exposure but no infection..

 

[Lynda2475]

An update on the GP situation for my parents.

It was a chore, as none of my parents specialists (Dad's oncologist or Mum's Neurologist) were able to recommend any nor could their neighbours. So we had to rely on online research and some practices provide very little useful information.

Took about 4 weeks, but I identified a practice of 3 GPs a few suburbs away (with nearby free parking, on a direct bus route and also within the distance band for community transport i.e. where volunteers/carers will drive you to appointments). All doctors at practice Australian university trained (and no law suits showed up when I googled them), English only practice and onsite pathology.

Rang up and was lucky one of them was taking new patients (another practice I rang was not), made an appointment and very happy with outcome. GP is young (mid 30s), works 3 days at GP practice (on days that suit my folks) and 2 days at a local aged care facility so is well versed in dealing with oldies. He spent a whole hour with them going through medical history then arranged for nurse to provide their shingles and covid boosters.

Hopefully this will be last change necessary.

 

[prozac]

I am going in for an angiogram tomorrow. I am sure previous angios have been either overnight or a few days when there has been complications, but it has been a while since I have had one. How long is recovery to discharge these days? Background: I had a triple by-pass in 2020. Last May I had thoracic surgery to obtain a biopsy during which the RIMA was separated and then terminated to stop blood flow. This was only recently discovered during a CTCA which shows the 2 right side by-pass grafts not to be working. Hopefully this works.

 

[prozac]

I am going in for an angiogram tomorrow. I am sure previous angios have been either overnight or a few days when there has been complications, but it has been a while since I have had one. How long is recovery to discharge these days? Background: I had a triple by-pass in 2020. Last May I had thoracic surgery to obtain a biopsy during which the RIMA was separated and then terminated to stop blood flow. This was only recently discovered during a CTCA which shows the 2 right side by-pass grafts not to be working. Hopefully this works.

OK I can give you an answer. It's overnight.
First time in many angio procedures catheter entry via groin. Was out of bed and sitting up in chair this afternoon. Now I am in trouble with nurse as haematoma is not dissipating, I'll spare the details, so it's back to bed rest.

 

[tgh]

I also managed a groin haematoma, but several days post procedure.
I assume that I did too much but it resolved over a few weeks.

 

[prozac]

I also managed a groin haematoma, but several days post procedure.
I assume that I did too much but it resolved over a few weeks.

Thanks for the advice @tgh .

 

[prozac]

What's the collective advice. Can I catch RSV from the fella in the next cabin in hospital?

 

[Pushka]

I also managed a groin haematoma, but several days post procedure.
I assume that I did too much but it resolved over a few weeks.

I think son had similar after a vasectomy as he had an active toddler. And yes, took a few days to resolve.

Post automatically merged: Friday at 7:42 AM

What's the collective advice. Can I catch RSV from the fella in the next cabin in hospital?

I did at the Royal Adelaide hospital. Coughing his lungs up but he was negative for Covid so no masks etc. Just a material screen between us and I used the bathroom after he did. Sigh. Three days later and was coughing too but which got worse after a week. Be very careful and ask for a mask.

 

[andye]

What's the collective advice. Can I catch RSV from the fella in the next cabin in hospital?

Yes you can

 

[prozac]

Yes you can

Thanks. Just as well I am out of there now and back home.

 

[prozac]

I think son had similar after a vasectomy as he had an active toddler. And yes, took a few days to resolve.

Post automatically merged: Friday at 7:42 AM

I'd post a photo but really it is really big and really ugly. 150mm+ long. And yes, it is sore. I don't know if time is a factor but I was in the CathLab an hour and a bit. Cardio checked everything. Surprisingly the blood flow through RCA is good despite the two missing grafts. Tell me if I am repeating myself.

Edit: MrsProzac measured it, she was not a willing participant. 200mm side to side.

 

[tgh]

ugly. 150mm+ long

You win.. mine was only about 25mm but just near the closure…
Ymmv.. but @150 I would be seeking professional reassurance

 

[prozac]

ugly. 150mm+ long

You win.. mine was only about 25mm but just near the closure…
Ymmv.. but @150 I would be seeking professional reassurance

Cardio looked today and said it was ok. The overnight nurse didn't seem to think it was unusual either. I could do without the swelling.

 

[Himeno]

The only currently available oral antibiotic of any use against pseudomonas is ciprofloxacin - and it develops resistance very quickly. A very tough bug to deal with as an outpatient.

I have that. Not currently using it until next week when the SPC is changed. Have been told to take a tablet about an hour before the change, then another a few hours after before normal doses for the rest of the box.
As soon as I showed my GP the test results on Tuesday (I had the results in the MyDHR app before they had been sent to him), he was all "damn" and on the phone to services australia to get authorization for the ciprofloxacin script.

Until then, he gave me some other stuff to try to make it as unpleasant for the pseudomonas as possible. Had another urine sample sent off this afternoon to see if that's done anything. Should have those results back the evening before the next tube change.

The prior infection in Sep was Morganella morganii and pseudomonas. The hospital gave me IV amoxicillin and gentamicin and 7 days of amoxicillin-clavulanic acid tablets. That cleared it up. They didn't have the culture results when they gave those meds.
This current pseudomonas infection started about 2 weeks after the 2nd SPC change since the 1st infection.

 

[JohnK]

I don't know if this is true or not but thus is what mum told me yesterday.

Dad had a heart valve replacement in 2005 with open heart surgery. Wasn't easy operation and became complicated when they opened him up twice in 24 hours as he was still bleeding. Recovery was slow. That was using pig valve.

In 2017 the same valve was leaking. This time they they did a repair inserting a synthetic valve. He's been fine for some time.

Fast forward to a few months ago and his valve is leaking again. You could say they found the leak by accident. So another valve repair this time using a German product.

Apparently dad is the first person to have had a third valve replacement. I don’t know if that's Australia, Sydney or his cardiologists but if he didn't do it he didn't have long to live. His weight is down to 50kg which is not good.