MEDICAL MATTERS

[Stanley]

You may remember I have long been sceptical about statins. Now I see that a new injection given twice a year can relieve many of taking daily statins. If statins were so good why is it good to replace them?

[plaques]

The logic behind statins was that they reduced the amount of cholesterol in the system hoping that guide line levels will stop it clogging up the arteries. In my mind the research should be why it sticks there instead of moving on when its done its job. If these injections are a move towards that goal then good but if they only reduce the frequency of taking the drug then we are not really much nearer finding an absolute silver bullet.

[chinatyke]

Statins can have some dramatic side effects including tendon problems and severe nocturnal cramp in the lower legs. I used to take one tablet at night as preventative medicine. During most nights I was suffering from painful tendons and cramps that would wake me up and leave my leg muscles aching for hours. It was so painful that I was fearful that it could be DVT. On looking into the problem I found that about 2% of people get these dangerous side effects and I guess I'm one of the unlucky 2%. I'm glad to say the problem went away as soon as I stopped taking statins.

Since then I've also stopped my low salt diet in order to replace losses caused by excessive sweating in our hot climate.

[Stanley]

That accords with the problems I have heard about Graham. At one time people who started on Statins were told they could never stop. I don't believe in a pill for every ailment. Why not attack the cause by diet?

[chinatyke]

I wasn't aware that statins could have such serious side effects. I dreaded going to sleep knowing that I would wake up a couple of hours later and have to dance around the bedroom trying to make the pain go away, and It got to the point that I was thinking I couldn't go on like this. First I stopped diuretics (for high BP) and there was a slight improvement. Then I stopped low dose aspirin and I didn't notice any improvement. Then I stopped taking statin and noticed an improvement within 24 hours. Funnily enough my BP is lower now than it has been for 20 years, 111/73 just now. I have no muscle or tendon pains now.

I try to eat a healthy diet, a subject which my wife takes seriously. I only "relapse" to my frying-pan diet when she is away.

[Stanley]

An occasional fry up won't harm you Graham. Try to use a natural saturated fat or olive oil....

[chinatyke]

We use olive oil, another improvement by my wife trying to keep her "golden mountain" healthy!

[Stanley]

[Big Kev]

I got the invite for my flu jab, September 24th.

[Stanley]

Earlier than mine at Well Kev.

[Big Kev]

I've emailed the surgery asking if they can tag P on, she's 6 months older than me...

[PanBiker]

I would have thought P would already be included Kev if you receive your jab on medical grounds. I got mine at the docs years before I qualified on age as Sally receives hers due to her compromised immune system and we co-habit.

[Big Kev]

Paulette got her first invite today, we're two hours apart on the 24th. I called the surgery this afternoon and asked if they could tweak the timings so we could come in together, the message has been passed onto the jab coordinator and they'll get back to me.

[Big Kev]

Very accommodating at the medical centre, we had a call on Friday and can both attend at the same time on Friday 24th.

[Sue]

You may remember I have long been sceptical about statins. Now I see that a new injection given twice a year can relieve many of taking daily statins. If statins were so good why is it good to replace them?

Side effects Stanley. They can cause muscular aches and pains

[Stanley]

Quite Sue, that's what I heard informally a long time ago. I was also told that once on them you were taking them for life. I'm just glad I kept away from them and I will refuse the jab also if offered because I don't think I need it.

[plaques]

Side effects Stanley. They can cause muscular aches and pains

Don't they work by altering your liver function? Leave well and good alone if its not causing problems.
Within the last month I was put on Terbinafine for a fungal infection. Very aggressive on the liver. Told to stop when a blood test showed it was affecting the liver. With a half life of 20 days it will be about 3 months before its out of my system and hopefully the liver should recover. The Doc: was aware of the possible side affects before prescribing it. No grumbles there.

[Stanley]

That sounds like powerful stuff Ken. Sorry you have had the experience and I wish you luck getting rid of it. The only advice I can give is drink plenty of water! That usually helps almost anything, we all neglect drinking straight cold water!

[Big Kev]

Flu jabs done. In, out, shake it all about in less than 2 minutes.

[Stanley]

Good, I look forward to mine on October 7th.

[Tizer]

We've had a phone call from our GP's surgery to say that our influenza jab appointments have had to be postponed because the vaccine hasn't been delivered on time. I asked when they might be starting to do the covid booster jabs - the answer was `No idea, it'll probably be announced on the BBC before they tell us. Let us know if you find out!'

The common cold is back...
`Is 'the worst cold ever' going around? LINK

[Stanley]

I saw this report also Peter. I seem to remember hearing predictions of this a few months ago because due to lockdown people hadn't been able to massage their immune systems by picking up mild infections and dealing with them on a daily basis. The problem doesn't appear to be a worse strain of the common cold but immune systems that have not been exercised as normal for eighteen months and need to get tuned up again..

[Big Kev]

Barnoldswick Medical Centre sent this out on Facebook.

FLU CLINICS

Under 65 Flu clinics - thank you to all patients who attended for their flu vaccine on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning.

Disappointingly we had over 130 patients who didn't turn up and didn't cancel over the 2 days. Our staff are already working extra to cover staff shortages and have given up their time off to work at these clinics, so it was disheartening to have so many wasted appointments.

We appreciate some appointments were sent out at short notice but there was an option to respond to our text message that you couldn't attend.

For patients who responded to cancel, thank you, anyone who cancelled after we had closed on Friday, your records will be updated on Monday.

Over 65 Flu clinics - supplies of Over 65 vaccines have been delayed but we are now able to start to book some appointments in early October.

please do not contact the practice, we will contact you with an appointment. We have further supplies due at the end of October.

Thank you

[Stanley]

There should be some sanction available against ignorant people like that Kev. It makes one wonder how they treat other people in their lives.....

[Big Kev]

There should be some sanction available against ignorant people like that Kev. It makes one wonder how they treat other people in their lives.....

Indeed.