MEDICAL MATTERS

[Marilyn]

Tonight is the first night I have been able to sit on the lounge. I know I am on pretty heavy slow release pain killers, but this time of night has previously caused me agony that can last up to six hours ( way after I go to bed). Had a very bad night last night and was awake until about 3 am. So it is lovely to have it different tonight. I shall touch some wood.

[Stanley]

Good! It's progress Maz. Remember it's often one pace back and two or three forwards....

[Marilyn]

Blood sugar, two hours after dinner is 11.0. Blood pressure 123/ 65.
Lowest I have had....heading in the right direction.
Pain cranking up slightly, but due for the slow release pain killer.
I am pleased with the progress!

(Next morning...spoke too soon. Had a dreadful night. Only managed 2 hours sleep. Pain still bad this morning..)

[Stanley]

Recovery is never a linear progression Maz. You know that. We get peaks and troughs but it's overall progress that counts. Don't get disheartened, stick with it and in a couple of months it will be just a bad memory.
Having said that I hate to hear about pain and losing sleep. I've been there in the past and it's miserable. I wish you well.

[Marilyn]

...and yet I am having a good day today. Have been pain free for the past 7 hours. Fasting blood sugar this morning 9.9.
So the days are quite acceptable but the nights are just awful at present.

[Stanley]

Have you tried sleeping in a comfortable chair temporarily? It may be posture in bed that's causing it. Not ideal I know but any port in a storm Maz!

[Marilyn]

I have a recliner, but I can't get comfortable in it when the pain is bad. I am better off stood up. ( which is fine during the day but gets tedious overnight.)

[plaques]

I can't recommend a specific aid to help the condition when you're in bed. Just the usual things like rolled up towels support pillows and boards under the mattress. This you Tube clip is interesting. Back Traction.. A pal of mine made is own swivelling table out of an old door. I'm not recommending any of these for you although I personally got a lot of relief from traction.

[PanBiker]

Not in Maz's league but debilitating nevertheless. I am happy to report that my tight calf that was limiting me earlier in the week has now resolved. I went out for a walk yesterday and repeated a route that I did the week before. Finished it with just a bit of pain kicking in but 5 minutes faster than I did it last time.

I did make a comment yesterday that I thought I had posted but it's nowhere to be seen. I must have cancelled it by accident rather than submitting it. It was about the contrast dye that they shove into you for the MRI. The Meningioma FB support site that I subscribe to has some sorry tales of reaction to the stuff. They used Doterem solution for me which is Gadoteric Acid whatever that is? It comes with a whole raft of potential nasty side effect ranging from itching, hives, swollen tongue, lips, vomiting, constriction of the throat, palpitations and all the way up to anaphylactic shock, coma and death! It flushes out through your urine so plenty of water is the recommendation. Fortunately I have not had any problem and don't even come into the 1 in 10 bracket

Next job for me is my appointment on Monday with the Orthotist based at Burnley General. I will be re-assessed to see if there is a better "foot up" device for me. The one I have is failing in effectiveness and is slowing progress. Emma will ring me later after my appointment for a catch up and to see if I need any further visits.

[Stanley]

The dyes they used 50 years ago definitely did have serious after effects, many of them permanent damage. I was lucky when I rejected the use of them on me because my motivation was't the dye but the size of the needle!

[PanBiker]

I can't quite get my head around (no pun again) how the mechanism for a contrasted scan works. It's almost instantaneous reaction to what they shove into you. I think I will have to google that.

[Tizer]

Gadoteric acid is a large molecule consisting of a ring of 4 amino acids with a gadolinium (Gd) atom at its centre. The ring is a chelating agent which binds the Gd and makes it water-soluble and thus suitable for distribution through the blood circulation. (A bit like a haemaglobin molecule has an iron atom at the centre and is a way the body makes iron water-soluble.) Gd itself would be toxic but in the chelate it can't interact with the body and the intact molecule is excreted. Gd is magnetic, hence the use in scanning. Injected substances are instantaneous because the blood flow rate is so fast - that's how hormones like adrenalin have an immediate effect.

[PanBiker]

Thanks Tiz, that's saved me a lot of bother.

[Marilyn]

This morning my fasting blood sugar was 8.0.
( almost back to normal range)
Last two nights I have had a better sleep, both nights only having to get up once with pain...and back in bed after 45 mins when the pain killers kicked in. I seem to be in the kitchen at about 4 am every morning! ( but at least the last two nights, I haven't been there since midnight).
GP appointment tomorrow, though I'm not sure he can do much before the injection on Tuesday.

[Stanley]

It's progress Maz, stick in there!

[Marilyn]

Saw the GP today and got a realistic view of my situation. A lot to take in. He gave me the good news and the bad news and possible timelines both having spinal surgery and not having spinal surgery. Still digesting the news....
He winced when he looked at the scan results...

[Stanley]

You'll make the right decision in the end Maz. Remember that docs are very often pessimistic. Don't be rushed into anything.

[Marilyn]

I've been in agony for the past three and a half hours. I am giving in, taking a painkiller and popping off to bed. I want to get settled before Dave comes to bed. ( I have been wriggling about, side to side and on my tummy on the lounge room carpet, and I think I have annoyed him enough)

[plaques]

on the lounge room carpet,

I spent two weeks sleeping on the dining room floor. It was the only place I could get a bit of relief. I was very reluctant to have surgery especially when the surgeon who I was under said " its too difficult for me but I know someone in Sheffield who will probably take it on". In all events the pain subsided , good news, lost all feeling in my leg, bad news, but surgery has advance a long way since those days. Difficult choice but I think surgery is probably the best option.

[PanBiker]

Sounds like you have a coat of thinking to do Maz, I wish you well.

I am back from the Orthotist at Burnley. The department is in the new bit at the Briercliffe Road end and was easy enough to find. Parking was another matter so Sally dropped me off and I made my way up to Level 1 where I needed to go. Five minutes to spare so in good time. I was called in by Avril who agreed that my current aid has lost it's effectiveness. She measured me up and has given me a different design device by an alternative maker to the one I already had. This one has an ankle cuff like the last but the shoe fittings and method of fastening are different. My original had elastic from the shoe that fastened via a clip mechanism directly at the front of the ankle cuff. This tended to pull the cuff down and therefore loose the tension on the elastic causing the front of my foot to drop.

This new design has two different attachment methods for the footwear. One is similar to the last but is a hook held in place by the laces above the tongue of the shoe. The elastic is separate and is looped through an eyelet which is an integral part of the ankle cuff. The round elastic has a velcro pad on each end. So, the elastic is doubled, passed through the eyelet on the cuff and looped around the hook on the shoe, this is set fairly well forward in the lacing. The two ends are then pulled to whatever tension you require and are secured to either side of the ankle cuff, this spreads the tension around the ankle rather than pulling directly on the front. Less tendency for the cuff to slip down and loose tension. The kit comes with a spare lace hook and two sets of metal hooks that can be fitted directly into lace eyelets to provide the anchor point on the footwear. I will have to use it for a while to get used to it, but it feels like an improvement. I'm hoping I can improve enough not to require any additional aids. I notice a bit more movement in my toes on the right.

Emma, my physio said she would ring me later today or tomorrow to see how I got on and see if I need any further sessions with her.

[Marilyn]

Step one was the Spinal Cortisone injection. I had that a couple of hours ago and am now home laying on the bed, as my legs are a bit wobbly and unreliable for the next few hours. They told me my bladder may leak ( oh dear!) so I remembered the box of puppy training pads we have in the cupboard ( we use them as disposable bath mats when camping), so I am sat on one.
They were very gentle with me in Radiology, until they hit the nerve. David said he heard me scream from the waiting room! But the had to do that, apparently, to confirm they were in the right spot. They could have pre warned me. I was laying there thinking this wasn't too bad at all...then WHAM!
I asked the Radiologist if there had been any improvement at all in the herniated disc since my original diagnostic scan a fortnight ago. He said that ( unfortunately) there had been no changes at all. That is disappointing, but explains the dreadful pain I suppose.
Anyway...they say this Cortisone may take anywhere from 2 hours, to 2 days, to 2 weeks to give relief...or may not work at all.
Luck of the draw and it depends how long a piece of string is!

[Stanley]

I hope it works Maz.
First treatment at Airedale today, Margaret is taking me. That's very good!

[Cathy]

Good luck Stanley with your diagnosis and treatment plan.

[Stanley]

Thanks Cathy. I am quite cheerful about it. My mate Martha has had the same treatment and tells me that apart from making her a bit tired as her immune system worked overtime, it was quite benign. I am hoping for the same!

[Sue]

Gadoteric acid is a large molecule consisting of a ring of 4 amino acids with a gadolinium (Gd) atom at its centre. The ring is a chelating agent which binds the Gd and makes it water-soluble and thus suitable for distribution through the blood circulation. (A bit like a haemaglobin molecule has an iron atom at the centre and is a way the body makes iron water-soluble.) Gd itself would be toxic but in the chelate it can't interact with the body and the intact molecule is excreted. Gd is magnetic, hence the use in scanning. Injected substances are instantaneous because the blood flow rate is so fast - that's how hormones like adrenalin have an immediate effect.

I was going to mention the blood flow soeed but not all the technical stuff. Very interesting