MEDICAL MATTERS

[Stanley]

I see what you mean Maz...... The only colours I have a problem with is green text on a black background.

[Big Kev]

They told me that as well Kev but I said I'd stick with the Metformin as I believe they are an appetite depressant and they don't appear to be doing any harm...... Officially I am now pre-diabetic.

I'm still taking metformin as, apparently, they provide some sort of cardiac protection. I could choose not to take them but they'll be reviewed at my next check up.

[Stanley]

Same here Kev but on the whole I decided there was no harm in continuing....
Remember me getting myself into trouble with grinding dust when I had two days cutter sharpening? It dawned on me yesterday that I've shaken the effects off but it has taken almost a year..... The human body is a wonderful machine, give it a chance and it can solve almost any problem.

[Stanley]

I'm happy to report that neither Jack or I have suffered any adverse after effects from our jabs on Monday. I have occasionally had mild cold symptoms after the flu jab but nothing noticeable this year.

[Stanley]

My eldest daughter Margaret is in hospital in Perth today having a second cochlear implant put in on her other ear. This involves drilling a hole in her head, inserting wires into her brain and screwing a titanium bolt in which is the external contact for the special hearing aid. It's a day procedure, she will be home for tea..... If anyone had told me 50 years ago that I would have a bionic daughter I wouldn't have believed it! Her husband Mick says that this will be a good thing as if she fails to start in the mornings he can now use jump leads on her........
This is the 21st century in action.
Have a look at THIS for a report in the guardian about what I suspect is going to be a big problem. The key fact for me is that 5,000 people a year die in the UK because of antibiotic resistant infections. This has been a slow burn but it is gathering momentum.

[Marilyn]

Good Luck with it Mags...

Can she still wear tin-foil to protect from emitters?

[Stanley]

She's immune, the titanium implants give complete protection!

[Stanley]

Margaret is back home with another bolt in her skull. She stayed in hospital for the night because she felt a bit crook, probably from the general anaesthetic. She's taking it easy but says she is OK.....
Always a relief!

[Tizer]

An example of how children of asylum seekers suffer from what they've seen and experienced...
`Resignation syndrome: Sweden's mystery illness' LINK

[Stanley]

I listened to that report Tiz. One of the many hidden costs of the current disruption of life and migration across the world. It will get worse.
Have you seen THIS report on mental illness in the workplace. If I remember rightly it gave a percentage figure for the illness that was frightening. One telling point was that even the sympathetic companies were having a problem getting treatment for those affected. In less humane companies they are just sacked and left to fend for themselves even though in many cases it is the stress of 'management by attrition' that caused the problem in the first place. I hark back to my days alone in the cab with no phone..... I never felt under pressure or stressed. I must have been lucky in the jobs I had. I can remember coming across this culture in the 1980s when I was working with Coates Inks on the Ellenroad Engine and being shocked by what was happening. The man I worked closely with burned out and it was very distressing. Rightly or wrongly, I blame management consultants like McKinsey for a lot of this.

[Tizer]

I had my flu vaccination a couple of weeks ago and this morning went to the surgery for the shingles jab. A friend who is a GP said I should accept the offer of the jab and then my new doctor, when I saw him for an introductory appointment, said the same. I bowed to pressure and accepted. A slight pin prick in my upper arm is all it needed. I had shingles on my chest in the 1990s and it was painful. The pain was in my stomach area and an elderly locum GP diagnosed it as ulcers and gave me something for that. It didn't go away and on the next visit the locum was a young woman who paid more attention and noted spots on my chest. She got it sorted. I don't want it again so the jab will reduce the chance of it reappearing.

[PanBiker]

I have been suffering from very heavy cold symptoms accompanied by aching all over, started with a raw throat about 3 days after I had my flu jab this time last week. Never had any ill effects before but I think this could be because I had the jab shortly after my blood donor session which was only a couple of days before. Must make a mental note not to fall into that trap again.

[Tizer]

Reading an article on sleep loss I notice it states that lack of sleep makes vaccinations less effective due to a lowering of immune system activity. So always make sure you get a good sleep on the nights before and after your flu jab. We've been sniffling and sneezing since having our flu jabs but we don't feel ill.

[PanBiker]

I am "coughing better" as they say today and have lost most of the aches. NHSBT always warn about jumping out of aircraft or operating heavy machinery after you have donated primarily for the risk of fainting. No mention of whether you can have jabs, it may be that my heavy cold has just been bolstered by the knock on effect of my donation. They definitely don't want you if you have had a recent jab or other invasive treatment like at the dentist, even a scale and polish can render you unfit to donate.

[Stanley]

I've been having very mild flu symptoms the last few days, if it is the flu jab it is a delayed reaction. More likely there's something going about I think. Whatever, it's no problem.
Tiz, everything is better after a good sleep!

[Tizer]

Here is something that needs greater attention if we want to keep flu deaths to a minimum. It's now recognised that in serious influenza epidemics most of those who `die from influenza virus' actually die from a secondary bacterial infection. This results from the flu virus making the respiratory tract more vulnerable to bacterial infection. In the past we would have tackled this problem by monitoring flu patients more closely and giving them antibiotics if they showed signs of such secondary infection. Now it's not going to be so easy. We have few effective antibiotics left in our armoury due to mis-use leading to resistance in pathogenic bacteria. Furthermore, if we have a serious flu epidemic and have to use a lot more antibiotics we'll increase resistance even further. Catch 22. The best advice is to avoid getting flu!

[PanBiker]

When we had proper flu in 1999 it was touch and go when the doctor came as to whether we were both hospitalised. We were 10 days in when the kids called the doc, she spent some time listening to our chests which thankfully were both clear, we had had no food for the duration as we couldn't keep anything down. We were very weak and had lost weight but staying at home was considered the safest option. I'm glad we didn't have to go, it would probably have finished us off. We fell over on the 17th Dec and it was the 4th January when we next managed to eat. A further 2 months to recover the weight and stamina.

Regarding the bacterial infection, I consider myself extremely lucky that standard penicillin still works for me in the odd flare ups of infected tonsils which I have to keep a check of on any first signs. When I was hospitalised with Quincy in the first place they had to shove a whole concoction of cross spectrum stuff into me to beat that one. I had quite few different colours shoved in to me and it took 4 days to get on top of the residual infection left after draining the abscess. I was discharged with a further 10 days of antibiotics.

Both my parents died of bacterial infections triggered by other pathological conditions but it was the bacteria that was the actual cause of death. My Dad had a terminal frontal lobe tumour which ultimately led to coma and respiratory failure, same with my mum, carcinoma but bacterial infection when weakened by the illness.

The biggest global threat to health will arrive as more and more strains of bacteria emerge that are immune to our antibiotics (we are nearly there). It will be back to the times when a simple cut finger could see you off. All of our own making as well.

[Stanley]

I'll second everything you say Ian particularly about proper flu. I had a full blown bout of Asian Flu in 1957/58 and I can attest it was a serious illness.
I thought I'd got away with lifting the tool post grinder back under Johnny's lathe yesterday but I was wrong! I have low level back pain this morning so I'm going to look after it! Writing articles and reading I think. I'm relatively free from it now but every now and then I forget and trigger it......

[Cathy]

My back is playing up at the moment too Stanley. We can both sit on the couch... Unfortunately we can't do it together.
When I'm sat on the couch, you will be in bed asleep and when your sat on the couch, I will be in bed asleep.

[Julie in Norfolk]

Young Steve in Norfolk has had shingles for the 3rd time these last few weeks. If anyone is offered a shingles jab, I would recommend taking it up.

[PanBiker]

Not to be left out, I have a bit of lower back pain as well, a touch of sciatica I think just at one side. I think I inherited it with vigorous use of the vacuum after the grandchildren had gone. You see, they even wear you out when they are not here.

[Tizer]

Julie, I don't know whether you can buy a shingles vaccination privately but apparently each shot costs the NHS £100. It's offered to `older' people but the rules are complicated and there are two bands who qualify. The NHS web site states:
--------------------------
You are eligible for the shingles vaccine if you are aged 70 or 78 years old.
In addition, anyone who was eligible for immunisation in the previous three years of the programme but missed out on their shingles vaccination remains eligible until their 80th birthday. This includes:
people in their 70s who were born after 1 September 1942
people aged 79 years
The shingles vaccine is not available on the NHS to anyone aged 80 and over because it seems to be less effective in this age group.
LINK
--------------------------

[Stanley]

Maz, we would find a way.......
My back stretch is minor and improved a lot yesterday, I shall have another day off from the shed today. I'm waiting for the next project to arrive anyway.... And I am expecting a beautiful young woman to visit me this morning......
They gave me the shingles jab at 80..... I must have been lucky. I've seen bad cases and I wouldn't want them!
Ian, vacuum cleaners are dangerous! That's why I got the small hand-held one for the stairs. I shan't have to vacuum after Yiota's visit, she is very tidy!

[plaques]

The risk of getting shingles diminishes if you have already had shingles. Your immune system is already tuned to resist a further infection. Quote. 'Nineteen people per 10,000 who had received the shingles vaccine had a shingles recurrence. In those who had not received the vaccine, recurrence occurred in 24 people per 10,000.' Link.. But once you get to 80 you're beyond the pale and are doomed to suffer plague and pestilence until you pop your clogs.

[Stanley]

Cathy, apologies! I once more confused you with the Ugly Sister.... Sorry, senior moment. (I shouldn't have called her that should I..... Oh dear!!)
My back is OK but just to be on the safe side I will have one more easy day.....