MEDICAL MATTERS

[Marilyn]

It will be "a walk in the park", Stanley. Worry not.

[Stanley]

I'm OK Maz but thanks for the encouragement. I told Mick and Susan how much their totally unconditional support helps. I am very lucky.... (I'm taking bets that all will be fine and I will be out the following day.... As for the diagnosis after pathological examination, that's in the lap of the gods and I have no control so no point worrying.)

[Marilyn]

Well...as you know...we have been there and hubby has had the tumours removed twice now. ( and an op after he haemorrhaged and an op to remove huge clots that would not pass, despite irrigation).Many Cystoscopies along the journey. Last one was clear. Another one in 3 weeks. Fingers crossed. That's all we can do. He feels well and looks well. ( we've been doing this for almost 2 years...I am getting used to sitting in hospital corridors!)

[Sue]

Just googled URAL sachets to find out what they are and they aren't available here. A Boots brand of granules for treating cystitis pops up but it is not recommended for men or diabetics!

Ask them what they recommend Stanley, there are loads of over the counter preventions these days, trust me they are all pretty foul! Potassium citrate is the normal here, but you must ask them. There is also a one tablet antibiotic favoured by the French....I know I have been there. Drink plenty, that helps too, but you must ask for advice. Operations on tbe bladder often cause cystitis but not always.

[Marilyn]

URAL tastes ok!, Sue.

[Tizer]

But Wendy says it's not available in the UK and I couldn't see it on offer in the UK when I looked - all the web information related to Oz.

[Marilyn]

Well zero in on the ingredients listed on the photo of the packet. There must be something similar. We can buy these in the supermarket here, ( but the chemist is cheaper...marginally). They take the "sting" out of a burning bladder...( hubby says).
I have used them too. Not regularly, but occasionally. They ease things very well.

[Big Kev]

Stanley would be provided with any medication he needed on prescription so no need to buy anything extra

[Marilyn]

That's fine Big Kev. I respect that.
But here...if they are available over the counter ( and in the supermarket), chances are they are CHEAPER than on script! Like Paracetamol etc...
We don't have NHS here, so we have to be a bit more savvy.
( we don't have cradle to grave care here)

[PanBiker]

(I'm taking bets that all will be fine and I will be out the following day.... As for the diagnosis after pathological examination, that's in the lap of the gods and I have no control so no point worrying.)

That was my position also Stanley, absolutely no point vexing over something that you cant control. I'm with everyone else, you will be fine. You will also be shipped home with everything that you need medication wise. Once the pharmacy gets you on their radar they provide everything. I came home with prescribed paracetamol and two different laxatives as the former taken regularly tends to bung you up when you are not as active. We don't pay for prescriptions at the chemist once you get to 60 anyway. You will get a nice bag of meds to come home with and whatever is prescribed will be forwarded to Hassan and go on repeat until you no longer need them.

Take heart, they take brain tumours out of blokes older than you Stanley, I have shared the crac with two blokes rocking on your age over the last three weeks in LGI. I'll pop round when you are flip side and we'll have a natter.

[Stanley]

Thanks Ian, I am not going into a decline about anything, I know exactly what they are going to do and it will be interesting! Arthur Morrison once told me that surgeons were more relaxed when operating on the very young or the very old, it was the middle aged ones that tended to give the problems. Anyway, this isn't an operation, it's endoscopy and the wound will only be a centimetre across.

[Sue]

Well zero in on the ingredients listed on the photo of the packet. There must be something similar. We can buy these in the supermarket here, ( but the chemist is cheaper...marginally). They take the "sting" out of a burning bladder...( hubby says).
I have used them too. Not regularly, but occasionally. They ease things very well.

It is potassiumcitrate that they give here, or drink lemonbarley water or cranberry juice.

[Sue]

That's fine Big Kev. I respect that.
But here...if they are available over the counter ( and in the supermarket), chances are they are CHEAPER than on script! Like Paracetamol etc...
We don't have NHS here, so we have to be a bit more savvy.
( we don't have cradle to grave care here)

Potassium citrate is over the counter. First thing they offer if you ask for something.

[PanBiker]

Arthur Morrison once told me that surgeons were more relaxed when operating on the very young or the very old, it was the middle aged ones that tended to give the problems.

And 20 somethings, I have a note about this in my memoir yet to come. One thing about hospital meds, they won't give you anything unless you can recite your birth date. Consequently everyone knows everyone else's age. No great shakes you are all in the same boat one way or the other. Comes in useful when you are taking notes. My memoir will cover my journey and all the others I have met along the way. Patient anonymity will be maintained but the wonderful staff are fair game and can be named.

I have been exchanging text messages with my fantastic physio Laura, she is going to ring me next week and try and organise some out patient appointments for me. My referral back to Airedale for less than 18 hours and then discharge was a bit of an administration error I feel. I was already beyond the remit of their physio department as they don't have the extended neuro skills I require.

Laura was adamant that if I stayed with her for two to three days more I could have been discharged straight from LGI on the right path. I agree, I could see improvement after every session and her diagnosis of underlying problems, scapula miss alignment with a knock on effect to to my hip and leg makes perfect sense. I was amazed that a 20 minute hard workout on my right shoulder blade could make me walk better and straighter. More work to do on my dropped foot the turn out of my ankle is improving. Repeat, repeat, repeat, I need to force my brain to rewire neurons after years of compensation from my left leg. It's fascinating and fantastic how we are built and held together, knowledge is power and if I am given a good reason for an exercise it makes it a lot easier to stick to doing it. Zimmer to poles was a master stroke.

[Tripps]

It is potassiumcitrate that they give here, or drink lemon barley water or cranberry juice.

We're not without some experience in these matters.

'Mist Pot Cit' is an expression I remember well. We used to buy some sachets from the chemist at one time, (I've forgotten their name), and being an inveterate label reader I noticed one day that the ingredients of the powders had totally changed. I queried this with the pharmacist, and he told me there was nothing to prevent a manufacturer from altering the ingredients of any product, and still use the same name. I found that surprising.

Cranberry juice: If you were growing a fruit which tasted as bad as cranberries it would help with your marketing and PR, if you told people that they had medicinal properties.

Do your own research as they say on the Interwebthingy.

Cranberry myth

Despite all that, the belief that cranberry juice is good for UTI's is still widespread - even among health care professionals.


PS - I've remembered the sachets. They were Cystopurin and what do you know ? they've reformulated them again and they now contain 'natural cranberry juice extract'.

[Tizer]

...he told me there was nothing to prevent a manufacturer from altering the ingredients of any product, and still use the same name. I found that surprising.

I agree. Like you, I'm a dedicated reader of labels, although I tend to bore people with what I've read and I'm sure you don't do that, Tripps. Ingredients come and go with no warning. As you will know by now I can't tolerate spices in my food so I have to check labels because a product that is free of spice today may be bunged full of it tomorrow. In the medical arena, products such as cough syrups and analgesics have switched ingredients at various times.

[Tripps]

I'm sure you don't do that, Tripps.

Perish the thought. I have quite a low boredom threshold, and my personal First Commandment is "Thou shalt not bore or be bored to"

[Sue]

Yes I believe cranberry juice to be a myth, although lemon barley water does work. Cranberry juice is horrid stuff at the best of times, but enforced drinking is not my idea of fun!

[Stanley]

All very interesting and informative but if I do have a problem after the op I'll tell them, until then I shall be drinking lots of tea and water until I go in early tomorrow. They recommend drinking water right up to the procedure.
But thanks anyway for taking the trouble.
I have my day planned, light shed and then scrubbing up with plenty of Dettol in the bath! I have my packing list and Susan has bought me PJ bottoms (What a good woman!)..... Then relaxing and a good sleep.....

[Tizer]

Susan has bought me PJ bottoms..

I'm relieved to hear that. You might get in trouble for walking around in PJ tops only.

[Stanley]

I shall wear a Route 66Tee shirt for the tops.....
All ready, bag packed and paperwork done. I only have to disinfect myself tomorrow and walk Jack.....

[chinatyke]

Best wishes for tomorrow, Stanley.

[PanBiker]

Just had a call from my physio Laura at LGI, she wants to see me for an hours session on Wednesday 1pm. She says she will try to find me some more neuro sessions nearer home.

Good luck for tomorrow Stanley.

[Big Kev]

Good luck for tomorrow Stanley. Not that you'll need it, all will be good.

[Wendyf]

Hope it's straightforward and painless, we will keep our legs crossed!