MEDICAL MATTERS

[Wendyf]

Will be thinking of you tomorrow Ian.

[PanBiker]

Thanks Wendy, It's completely debilitating when it manifests albeit a transient problem. I will be glad if they can get to the bottom of the symptoms.

[Big Kev]

Hopefully they'll get you sorted, Ian.

[Stanley]

Hard luck Ian. Something like that would be the last thing I need at the moment. It's a lottery isn't it....

[Marilyn]

Good luck Panbiker. Hopes for a resolution...
Hubby still sick. We had a poor night. I offered to drive him to Casualty about 3am, but he refused. Finally, I talked him in to 2 puffs of Ventolin to help with the cough spasms. Thankfully, that settled him ( along with a hot Milo and an hour of TV) and we slept for about 2 hours!
As you say Stanley, nursing duties can be draining.
He couldn't eat tea tonight and just craves cold glasses of milk. Think we have been through 4lites of milk since Saturday! Anyway...he has a doctor's appt tomorrow, so that should help. Currently he is sitting in front of the heater with thermal gloves on. I am melting...and keep getting up to ease the door open a bit so I can breathe. I have removed all the clothing I can, but can't take much more of these stuffy conditions!. It's not natural!

[PanBiker]

Looks like your hubby is going through the mill at the moment Maz, I hope he picks up soon.

For my current woes, thanks all for your comments. Sally drove me to Airedale this morning for the TIA clinic and my 9am appointment. It's temporarily located in a section of Ward 2, usually Ward 5 which is undergoing refurbishment and upgrade. I was scooped up by the TIA nurse who pointed us to the waiting room and then took my BP. She made us a brew while we waited for the consultant (Dr Zane) to turn up. Didn't have to wait long and I was in to see him by 9.20.

He wanted a full run down of my symptoms, frequency and severity. He couldn't tick many boxes for the standard medical screening questions, I don't smoke or drink very much, have no allergies, not on any existing meds and have no history in the family of heart attack, stroke or diabetes. He moved on to examination, heart and lungs first then onto a range of neurological tests followed by strength tests for both arms, he was very thorough, tests took about 10 minutes. He concluded that my symptoms did equate to TIA events and has decided to treat me as such.

He prescribed me two lots of medication 75mg Clopidogrel Zentiva which replaces Aspirin and 40mg Atorvastatin, I have to take the Zentiva in the mornings and the Statin before bedtime. He sent me upstairs to the scanning department to get a Cardiology trace and get my Carotid arteries scanned. We dropped off my prescription at the pharmacy on the way up. Karen the clinician who did the tests told me she was quite happy with my arteries, no narrowing and no detectable plaque build up in the lining. This is the same as it was when I had the procedure last time nearly four years ago, this is good news. Cardiology trace goes straight back down to the consultant and she does not comment on that. We called back at the pharmacy on our way out and my prescription was ready.

Dr Zane has scheduled for me to be fitted with a three day portable heart monitor to look for any trace of arrhythmia. I will be called back in to be kitted out with this. He has also scheduled a brain scan, I will get an appointment by letter. He has told me not to drive for a month. I didn't have to go back to see the consultant today, he will call me back in if required as my results are fed back and interpreted. He also said that I should 999 myself back in if I have a repeat of the symptoms.

I feel OK at the moments and now know I have nothing wrong with my arteries. I took the first of my meds when we scooped our Ruby up from Carla's.

[Marilyn]

Sounds like you are getting a good seeing to, Panbiker. Just have to be patient now until all tests are done.

Another bad night with hubby...think we got another 2 hours sleep. Last night, leg cramps were bothering him as well as his cough and gastric reflux. I made him a hot Milo about 2am and he watched TV (in bed) until he settled. I don't know about him, but I'm feeling a bit sleep deprived. By the end of the week I suspect I will be putting my car keys in the fridge and hanging the milk on the hook in the pantry! This "virus" as the doctor calls it is on Day9 now and showing no sign of going away.
The doctor couldn't do anything for him except give him a month's trial of something for reflux. He said the rest is down to (you guessed it!) - warm Milo and Hot Lemon Toddies, and Disprin as needed. So absolutely nothing can be offered medically. He said there are 5 very nasty respiratory viruses around about, that are just as nasty as the Flu. No antibiotic can help.

I might try to get a little kip this afternoon...

[Stanley]

That answers my question in the other topic Maz....... Give him my best and take care of yourself....
Ian, and Trump says our health service is no good! How much would that lot have cost in Trumpland?
Health here is on an upwards curve......

[PanBiker]

Ian, and Trump says our health service is no good! How much would that lot have cost in Trumpland?

Indeed Stanley and the good thing is I will be welcomed back at speed if needs be for the cost of a single telephone call. Come to think about it aren't 999 calls free?

Just realised I haven't had any needles stuck in me or any body fluids extracted on this trip. I may get a free shave on the system as well. Karen the scanning and ultrasound clinician had difficulty yesterday getting the pads for her 10 lead cardio scanner to stick on as I am a reasonably hairy beast. If I have to have one for three days they may need some better pads, or a razor.

[Tizer]

It's good to know you've been well tested Ian and it's always uplifting to get `clear' results. I had to go for an angiogram a few years ago when I started with the breathing problems and it was great to be told my heart is fine. I hope they can find the cause of your troubles and get rid of them.

Maz, I've always thought of a cough as being bacterial rather than virus but perhaps the cough is secondary to the viral infection?

I may get a free shave on the system as well. Karen the scanning and ultrasound clinician had difficulty yesterday getting the pads for her 10 lead cardio scanner to stick on as I am a reasonably hairy beast. If I have to have one for three days they may need some better pads, or a razor.

Oh well, that will put paid to your job as a stand-in for Poldark in the coming weeks.

[Marilyn]

Tiz...the source of hubby's infection ( a visiting relative) is now bed-bound with Pneumonia. I have asked for their antibiotic treatment, because it could help if Febby deteriorates. Handy to know, should we have to do the post midnight drive to Casualty.
I am soooo tired tonight, tried to get an afternoon kip, but incoming calls made it impossible. Just after 7.30pm here, but I am off to bed shortly, because I feel like I am only half alive...

[PanBiker]

Take care Maz that you don't succumb yourself, nothing worse than both being crook at the same time. Sally and I both had full blown viral Influenza for over three weeks. 18 years ago now and never want to go there again.

Oh well, that will put paid to your job as a stand-in for Poldark in the coming weeks.

I wish, although I could probably have given him a run 30 odd years ago. In our motor bike rallying days I once won an impromptu hairy belly competition at a rugby club watering hole, I think it was at Nottingham Goose Fair or could have been the Robin Hood rally at Sedgefield cant remember if they were Geordie's, long time ago.

[Tripps]

I made him a hot Milo about 2am and he watched TV (

I found last year that Sainsburys started to stock Milo here in UK. I hadn't seen it here before that, but remembered it from my time in Singapore. I still like it.

[Marilyn]

The warm Milo seems to ease his sore throat, Tripps. I bought another 3 litre container of milk yesterday, but only about a litre of that remains. I've just got back from a walk to a friend's house to raid her Lemon Tree for his Hot Lemon and Whiskey Toddies. ( blow me down if he hasn't gone through a half a bottle of Whiskey in the past 10 days...he normally never drinks it except at Christmas...lucky we had that bottle on the bar!)
I have obviously got the virus too, just at a lower strength. I feel pretty good most of the time, but have joined in with the coughing at night. Unfortunately, I can't seem to take Cough Mixture as is makes my heart race and I would rather live without that feeling.
We got a few hours sleep last night, but gave up at 5am, made cups of Tea and just sat and coughed together in front of TV.
Very romantic!
I've made him a pot of Pea and Ham Soup this morning, so that should cure him once and for all. We have both lost weight this week, which is a real bonus!

[Stanley]

Lemon and Honey with a knob of butter in is a good home brewed cough medicine Maz.
Ian, your hair story reminded me of Peter Cook. Do you remember the sketch he did of the vicar's sermon? "For he was an hairy man.....".

[Tizer]

Here's news which will change our approach to preventing and controlling viral infections...
`Why stealthy viruses are making you ill' LINK
`A trick used by viruses to make us sick - "stealth spheres" - has been discovered by scientists. It had been thought viruses were all lone wolves, each on a solo campaign of infection. Instead they can form "packs" of up to 40 viruses and surround themselves with a fatty sphere that makes them invisible to our body's defences. The team at the US National Institutes of Health say their findings rewrite the textbooks of infection....'.

The article mentions looking for a new type of hand wash that breaks down the fatty spheres. I hope they test traditional soap. It might disrupt the spheres better than alcohol washes.

[PanBiker]

Milo, I seem to remember that being available over here a long time ago maybe in the 50's. Isn't it the same as Ovaltine?

Haven't had any more TIA's, I reckon the meds have started to kick in. Took my BP last night and it was 10 points lower on systolic than what is my normal average, will do it daily for a bit to see if that is my medicated new normal.

Stanley, Peter Cook sketches, my favourite (with Dud) is the "Tap, tap, tapping at the window" and who do you think it was "Only Greta Bloody Garbo"

[Marilyn]

Tis...I read that report this morning about 5am...tucked up with a cup of Tea and coughing violently as we watched TV. I remember thinking "I don't need to be reading this".
Milo is slightly different to Ovaltine in the way that Marmite is different to Vegemite. I think Milo is a bit more chocolatey whilst Ovaltine is a bit more malty? ( not sure, as I don't drink either of them)
One wonders if one should treat ones slight constipation again ( obviously caused by decreased intake of food). But one has to consider ones coughing spasms, so one may delay treatment!

[Tripps]

Milo, I seem to remember that being available over here a long time ago maybe in the 50's.

You may well be right Ian, as it's made by Nestle who have massive marketing range, but it only entered my life recently. I found it first in a local convenience store, then noticed in Sainsburys.

I think Milo is a bit more chocolatey whilst Ovaltine is a bit more malty?

That would be my opinion too. In fact I sometimes add a small amount of cocoa to it.

[Stanley]

When I was Open All Hours at Sough I sold Milo. Not a big seller but like Marmite it had its regulars.
Tiz, I love old fashioned red carbolic scrubbing soap. We can still get it at Shambles on the square and it is very fatty soap, I'll bet that will bust the fat spheres! Can you still get Wright's Coal Tar Soap?

[PanBiker]

Wright Coal Tar is still available as far as I am aware, love that smell and the red carbolic. Smells like home when I was a little lad.

[Marilyn]

My great Aunt had a tin of "Watkins Petro-Carbo Salve". They came to Australia ( I think) in 1962.
( she convinced me it was good for pimples when the tin was old and rusty)
I had a shine to my face you could see from 100 metres! And a strange burning sensation...
Never trust an aging Great Aunt on such matters.

[Tizer]

Maz, just be thankful you were treated for pimples and not piles!

Stanley, I think those old-style soaps now only smell of carbolic etc rather than containing the original chemicals.

[Marilyn]

I don't know Tizzy...at least the redness would not have been so apparent!

[Marilyn]

The surgery recalled hubby this morning. They say his infection is NOT Viral. So after 13 days of suffering needlessly, he is now on antibiotics! Hallelujah!
I am desperately trying to work up the energy to change our sheets today. I changed the pillow slips a few days ago as a token effort, and I keep putting on clean nighties, but our bedroom is starting to smell funny ( and we don't want to turn into older folk what smell funny!)