MEDICAL MATTERS

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Stanley
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Re: MEDICAL MATTERS

Post by Stanley »

I got a good response from my mate on migraine and Topiramate. He wasn't specific of course but the tenor of his reply was to try all the other avenues and regard Topiramate as a last port of call.
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Re: MEDICAL MATTERS

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I'm struggling to understand the logic behind the banning of cannabis derivatives for medical use. Link. Somehow we have moved back into the Victorian era where medicines should taste terrible and have loads of nasty side effects. Its appears to be OK to dispense beta blockers that result in raging nightmares but not something puts a smile on your face while it does its stuff. There may be a chance of some black market abuse but since the bad lads are growing this stuff in every cellar where they can fudge the meter and its perfectly acceptable for the moneyed people to buy as much coke as they like for recreational use the logic is even more perverse.
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Re: MEDICAL MATTERS

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Plaques...all modern pharmacy cures are just expensive "snake oil". Remember when cough mixture actually worked?!!!
I have refused to buy any cures from modern day chemists for years. Hubby still persists if he is desperate, but continues to cough all night. The contents are all artificial....avoid them at all costs...just cough your lungs out.
I wouldn't take Cannabis either, but I've never needed it. I respect that it provides considerable relief for some conditions and I can't see why it is frowned upon.
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Re: MEDICAL MATTERS

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Most medicines start off as some extract from a plant. Even where they are not artificially synthesized the dosage is repeatable and pure. They then have to go through accepted trials before they are released onto the market. Many of the 'off the shelf' remedies have not gone through these trials but can still give relief to some people but cannot claim the effect on their labels. I've always been a non-smoker but if whatever cannabis contains gives relief against certain conditions then its really up to the Doctors and the user to balance the pros and cons for their own wellbeing.
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Re: MEDICAL MATTERS

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I googled the composition of Fisherman's Friend lozenges. The standard Original Extra Strong lozenges contain sugar, liquorice extract, menthol, eucalyptus oil, dextrin, tragacanth, and capsicum tincture. But the sugar-free versions contain sorbitol, aspartame, acesulfame K, vegetable-sourced sucralose and menthol. The first four ingredients are all low-calorie sweeteners four in one lozenge! :surprised:
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Re: MEDICAL MATTERS

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Go back and read my Drugged to Death articles..... I agree with Maz about most of the high price patent remedies on the shelves at chemists these days but some are still original. One such oldie is Covonia Original Bronchial Balm, still has sugar in and tastes lovely. Does the job as well! I always have a bottle in the cupboard. Remember Kaolin and Morphine? Oh, and Dr Collis Brown for stomach upsets, I think they had to ban that because of the high levels of Chlorodyne.
Margaret isn't out of the wood yet but tells me her swelling is going down..... I reserve the right to be worried until it does.
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Re: MEDICAL MATTERS

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Back in February Col developed an irregular heart beat, not fast but a slow, strong thump which we learnt was an ectopic beat on the outside of the heart. We think a sudden change to drinking a large shot of very strong, fresh coffee could have been to blame! Anyway, he was sent to see a cardiologist who said it was very common and a range of tests showed that his heart is strong and healthy and that there was nothing to worry about.
A couple of weeks ago he went to a follow up appointment, having pretty much forgotten about the occasional extra beat and expecting to be signed off. He was reassured again that all was fine but the cardiologist decided to prescribe beta blockers and blood pressure tablets because of the "risk" of heart & kidney problems which go with diabetes.
Well, he took the beta blockers for three days and they turned a happy, healthy and fit man into a miserable wreck in that short time! He had no energy and wanted to crawl back into bed as soon as he got up, he couldn't do his normal exercises or walks without feeling exhausted, gained 1lb a day in weight and became constipated. Needless to say he stopped taking them and puts up with the now very occasional extra heart beats.
Colin is strong minded enough to question and make his own decisions about the medications he is prescribed, but so many people believe their lives are being saved by drugs which are making them ill.
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Re: MEDICAL MATTERS

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A good reminder Wendy that it does no harm to question the doctors occasionally and do what I call taking a bet on the advantages of drugs if you have any doubts. I will resist until death (!) beta blockers and statins, if only for the simple reason that they seem to me to be popular because the doctors see advantages for the 'average patient' and thus recommend them to all. Once again, well done Col!
Did you see THIS report this morning which suggests that a systolic pressure of 130/140 which was seen as normal is now a risk factor. Once again it's an average and I shall not go into a decline with a reading this morning of 128/78 because there are other factors like diet and exercise and if the media is to be believed I am a lot better on these scores than most.
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Re: MEDICAL MATTERS

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Wendy tell Col not to worry. Ectopic beats are about the most common of heart problems. Most people report them as palpitations. Nothing to worry about unless your heart goes into overdrive for extended periods. Coffee, stimulants and high adrenaline, (over exertion). The Beta blockers tend to act like a choke round your neck stopping you getting oxygen into your lungs. Plus other nasty side affects. Excessive beating of the heart can cause damage to the blood resulting in strokes. Warfarin is their normal answer to this. Another nasty medicine. Keep calm and use your loaf about what you do and consume.
A point on blood pressures. mine is usually in the 120/60 range but the last checkups it was up at 150/75. both with the cardiac nurse. (young ladies shouldn't be allowed to take old folks blood pressure) and with the Doctor where I expected a long protracted discussion about Warfarin etc: Actually, the consultation went quite well. His closing words were "it'll probably drop back to normal when you get home" which it did!
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Re: MEDICAL MATTERS

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Any one who takes or is considering taking a statin should read this article by Zoe Harcombe.

http://www.zoeharcombe.com/2013/10/how- ... at-a-time/

I followed Stanley's link and read the newspaper article about the association between blood pressure in 50 year olds and dementia. This was from a study of 8000 civil servants and even the scientist leading the research is quoted as saying that the findings have no relevance to the general population. The media will have a field day!
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Re: MEDICAL MATTERS

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Some years ago I was identified, with possible millions of others, as having high Cholesterol.The solution Statins. Immediately the side affects kicked in, aches and pains in the legs, general tiredness and feeling run down. After some attempts of "try this one" followed by "this is new, try this", all with the same problems I finally kicked them into touch. Probably registered as a Luddite on my medical records. Years later, actually on my last visit, my cholesterol is just below the cutoff level. Over the years I've never changed my diet just got older. This looks like my cells are dying off naturally of old age reducing the cholesterol output. No point in accelerating cell death by taking statins just live long enough and let nature take its course.
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Re: MEDICAL MATTERS

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P. I used to have white coat syndrome, all my surgery readings were higher than those done at home. I am not as variable these days but the doc always prefers the home readings to his in the surgery.
I agree with you about keeping calm..... I go by how I feel!
Thanks for that article on statins Wendy. It confirms me in my opinion, always nice!

{here’s a great message on p304 of the book where the Yosephs suggest a notice that should be put up in washrooms:

Employees must wash hands before returning to work.

And do not touch the mevalonate pathway!}
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Re: MEDICAL MATTERS

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Kev

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Re: MEDICAL MATTERS

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So they've seen sense and done it our way......
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Re: MEDICAL MATTERS

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Big Kev wrote: 14 Jun 2018, 21:33 Interesting https://www.diabetes.co.uk/new ... 134.html
I thought Colin was telling me porkies when he told me about that yesterday.
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Re: MEDICAL MATTERS

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As if......!!
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Re: MEDICAL MATTERS

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See THIS CBS report which demonstrates the dangers of private and outsourced medical services.
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Re: MEDICAL MATTERS

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See THIS BBC report of what looks like good news for NHS funding. It all looks OK but as is the nature of these things we would do well to wait and see how and when it materialises. It is in the nature of these matters that the original encouraging news gets modified by the small print.
I am hopeful but not clapping hands just yet!
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Re: MEDICAL MATTERS

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"However, she (Teresa May) told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show the boost will be funded partly by a "Brexit dividend" available once the UK stops paying into the EU budget."

I'll say no more...
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Re: MEDICAL MATTERS

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I share your doubts Kev. No mention of any dates apart from 2003..... A bit too early to start cheering. This has all the hallmarks of a Cunning Wheeze to wrong-foot the Remainers.
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Re: MEDICAL MATTERS

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See THIS Telegraph article on the news that millennials are now on course for worse middle age health than their parents. This doesn't surprise me, I have banged on for years about the current insecurity in employment and drawn attention to the fact that many health care professionals refer to my age group as 'the last healthy generation' because of our general freedom from many of the so-called 'Western Diseases' such as allergies, ear problems and severe obesity. How did we manage things so badly?
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Re: MEDICAL MATTERS

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`Cases of cancer in elderly to surge by 2035, report says' LINK
The number of elderly people in the UK diagnosed each year with cancer is set to rise by 80% in less than 20 years, a report predicts. Cancer Research UK estimates that by 2035 about 234,000 over-75s will get cancer each year - up from 130,000 now. The charity also said the elderly were more likely to have multiple health conditions, leading to later diagnoses. It called on the health service to prepare now for the rise in older patients with "complex needs"....

An ageing population and being overweight are being blamed for increasing cancer rates. What isn't said is that people are often dying of cancer because they didn't die earlier of heart disease now that we have reduced cardiovascular problems. Cancer Research UK urges the health service `to prepare now for the rise in older patients with "complex needs". This should have been happening long ago. Epidemiologists knew in the 1970s that this would happen - they pointed to Japan where it was already the case. Heart disease was not a major cause of death in Japan because they ate fish rather than meat but they therefore lived to a later age and died of cancer.
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Re: MEDICAL MATTERS

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All very true Tiz. Unfortunately 'life is a terminal disease'. (R. D. Laing) We haven't found a cure for that one yet! (And it's an STD as well!)
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Re: MEDICAL MATTERS

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This is an interesting podcast from Irish radio with Ivor Cummins talking about heart disease and how a simple and cheap scan which reveals coronary artery calcification can identify those in danger of suffering a heart attack. He explains how a change in lifestyle and particularly diet can stop the damage to the arteries caused by inflammation and debunks the idea that high cholesterol is a risk factor in heart disease. Worth listening to!

http://nearfm.ie/podcast/?p=27315
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Re: MEDICAL MATTERS

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I get a definite sense that some of the canards about saturated fat and cholesterol are losing ground at last. This is good. What I would like to see is more attention paid to the balance of long chain Omega3 with other fats and some serious research on the importance of trace mineral elements and micro-organisms that we can get from well nurtured soil and wild produce like berries and game. Hydroponics makes good economic sense but does nothing for flavour and micro nutrients. The French knew what they were talking about when they introduced the importance of 'terroir' to fine wines.....
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