MEDICAL MATTERS

[plaques]

I see two different problems here.
1) People who are massively overweight may be putting their health at risk. A small number of these will go through life as normal but the majority will suffer some of the illnesses that being overweight brings. How to make these people realise they may be heading in the wrong direction without stigmatising them is the problem that needs to be faced.
2) Young people, mainly girls, are bombarded with body image pressures that could lead to anorexia. In my mind they are suffering from mental stress rather than a physical condition which needs to be addressed as quickly as possible. Unfortunately our NHS does not have the resources to cope with this condition and private treatment is very very expensive. The result it that the patient can deteriorate to a point where the condition can become life threatening. Twiggy models along with photo doctored images need to be controlled more severely in the media.

[Stanley]

Two good points and I agree with both of them Ken. I've seen what the results can be with young girls.

[Marilyn]

“Puppy fat” is one thing. Type 2 Diabetes is another thing entirely. I am against labelling young people too, but as a parent you must guide them to the best diet and give information about life style choices. Your kid may never have heard of cocaine/methanphetamine but sugar and carbs CAN rob them ultimately of both eyesight and peripheral nerves. They need to make decisions based on choice, not ignorance. It is called DUE CARE.

[Marilyn]

Son was invited for tea at mutual acquaintance recently diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes tonight.
( he texted me and said “Mum...I can’t believe it...it is Pizza delivery tonight)
He was flabbergasted, having expected acquaintance would be on a new trajectory after Type 2 diagnosis.
HOW do you get through to some folk?

[Tizer]

The obesity issue, like covid virus, is complicated by different ethnic groups having different susceptibility. Fifty years ago I was listening to lectures from medical scientists explaining how native Hawaiians who took up a typical modern `Western' diet were much more likely to suffer obesity than mainland Americans who ate the same diet. Another example of warnings not being heeded.

[Marilyn]

Diet is much more invasive than that these days Tizer. You have parents who either work so hard ( or not work at all) that they just shove frozen anything in the oven and call it a meal. Teenagers in particular have bottomless pits for stomachs and hollow legs. I find the results tragic. Not only aren’t parents putting a well balanced meal on the table, their kids grow up knowing no other way than fat laden, oven ready meals.

[Marilyn]

The other thing of course, is getting cranky teenagers up off the couch for so much as a walk, if Mum/Dad have never bothered themselves!

[Stanley]

On more traditional medical matters. I came across a kit done by Otex with a syringe included so that you can do your own version of 'safe' ear syringing. I am in the second day of twice daily doses of Otex to soften the wax. I'm looking forward to the syringing bit tomorrow. Not sure if it's an age thing or the fact I am not as active physically but I do have a lot of wax and it does affect my hearing. I know that because occasionally an ear will 'pop' clear and I think why can't it be like that all the time!

[Whyperion]

I remember last year that some OG members noted they'd avoided colds and coughs as a benefit of lockdown but were having more sniffles and sneezes. I had worse harvest fever last year than I've ever had and I'm not looking forward to this year's season. Time we had a vaccination for that too!

Wasn't some of the increase due to the switch to rapeseed growing (the trend has now stopped I understand , farmers finding other profitable crops - one is switching to linseed).

On sugar, the subsidies to sugar beet farmers have to go (I know a lot goes for cattle feed, but even so) - just about everything I see in shops is carb based - bread, buns, and the binding in my veggie burgers .

[Tizer]

Wasn't some of the increase due to the switch to rapeseed growing (the trend has now stopped I understand , farmers finding other profitable crops - one is switching to linseed).

There isn't much rape grown near here and my hay fever seems more related to tree pollen. I've wondered whether the lack of immune challenges such as colds has left my immune system looking for a target to attack.

On more traditional medical matters. I came across a kit done by Otex with a syringe included so that you can do your own version of 'safe' ear syringing.

I use Otex drops and the rubber bulb syringe filled with warm water (be careful it's not too hot). Don't shove the tip too far in to your ear and don't be too vigorous with the blast of water or you might burst an ear drum!

[Stanley]

Heard and understood Peter....
I was just putting this morning's drops in my ear and remembered the days when the only reason people bought olive oil was for putting in their ears. My mother always kept ours on the mantelpiece so it was always warmed by the chimney breast.

[Whyperion]

Its amazing how the shape of the bottle on olive oil influences its use.

[Tripps]

Put nothing in you ear except your elbow is an often repeated mantra on the many medical TV programmes I've watched.

[Stanley]

And very good advice David. However it doesn't apply to olive oil and the syringe never enters the ear, that's made very clear in the instructions.

[Tizer]

`Into the opening of the ear canal' is the phrase.

[Big Kev]

PSA 0.48 it's just my age then

[Stanley]

Had to look it up......

[Big Kev]

Gotta love cryptic posts

[Marilyn]

Not quite so confusing to me ( worked as a Pathology nurse)
Mind you, results don’t transfer to the bedroom ( I am just saying )

[Big Kev]

Mind you, results don’t transfer to the bedroom ( I am just saying )

You've confused me now...

[Sue]

There isn't much rape grown near here and my hay fever seems more related to tree pollen. I've wondered whether the lack of immune challenges such as colds has left my immune system looking for a target to attack.


My hay fever is related to tree pollen, it starts as soon as the daffodils appear, a good indicator that its time for tree pollen. It never affects my ears but my eyes are affected, I sneeze, have a sore throat and cough and this morning my chest is tight too. All despite the fact that I take antihistamine all year round for allergic rhinitis. It lasts for weeks too. Last year it was bad as I was just getting over it in France after 8 weeks of suffering when we came hone and it set me off for another three weeks. I am usually over it by late May. I never suffered from hay fever till I had ME flr two years in the late 1980s after a really bad virus infection that lasted three weeks. Long Covid sounds just like the symptoms I had with ME. In those days they said it was psychological and to pull yourself together. How times have changed

[Marilyn]

Well... Big Kev...SOME men regard their PSA as a sign of virility ( believe it or not!) because it really ( truly) has NOTHING to do with the bedroom. So many more things come into issue with virility ( such as Diabetes, Age, Weight, etc).
( hope I have been reassuring...I mean...Mickey Rooney did damn well, didn’t he )

[Big Kev]

Getting up 2 or 3 times to pee in the night hasn't had any impact on my virility, not had any complaints anyway...

[Marilyn]

Fair enough ( all good) I get up in the night to pee too...and I don’t have a prostate!
( just a Chinese bladder, which I have had all me life)

[Marilyn]

You would know if you had a prostate problem....frequency, trouble starting and stopping, insecurity - in terms of being within dashing distance to the loo, and trouble with your stream ( also symptoms of UTI, but that would include stinging, burning, etc so if that is missing it has to be more a prostate problem)