MEDICAL MATTERS

[Tizer]

Something I forgot to mention when we were talking about painkillers. I'm relieved to know that doctors in the UK haven't followed down the path taken by US doctors who fell for the advertising by drug companies and prescribed powerful opioid drugs willy nilly. Now the US has a very serious problem with opioid addiction among ordinary folk to whom it was over-prescribed...

Sadly, I was wrong. How can our medical profession be so blind to what has already happened in the USA? It also reflects the US situation with the worst of it being in the poorest areas, particularly were the rust belt industries have declined. The Sunday Times has revealed how bad it is here...

`Britain’s opioid epidemic kills five every day' Sunday Times
`Britain is in the grip of an opioid epidemic, experts have warned, after an investigation by The Sunday Times exposed a huge rise in prescriptions of powerful painkillers and soaring addiction rates, overdoses and deaths. Senior doctors, drug specialists and MPs warned last night that the UK is hurtling towards a US-style crisis. There, super-strength painkillers have killed more than 91,000 people in the past two years. Escalating numbers of Britons are being given the highly addictive drugs for chronic pain, despite evidence that they are ineffective after more than a few days. There are growing fears that prescribing has got out of control. It is four times higher in the north of England than in London, and there are three times more deaths...'

[Stanley]

Is it across socio-economic boundaries Tiz? I couldn't agree more. I have never trusted pain killers even though in my time I have been forced to take a lot just to get to work. These days I would have to be in extremis to agree to them, luckily that need hasn't arisen. When Janet was ill she was being pumped full of what they knew were lethal doses of opioids but of course in her case there was no danger, she was dying anyway.
I have been watching what is happening in the US for a while now and I am sad it has spread over here......
On a brighter note. I go for the last of the big BCG irrigations tomorrow. I'll be glad to see the back of it and hope that in a few weeks I'll find they have done the trick!

[Stanley]

Looking forward to the last catheterisation! (Unless they aren't satisfied we have zapped the little buggers!)

[Wendyf]

I finally gave up yesterday on trying to fight a throat infection that has been wearing me down for 2 weeks. I phoned the surgery but couldn't get an appointment until the end of March, however a phone call was arranged and tonsilitus diagnosed on my description of symptoms. I have a course of antibiotics to take so fingers crossed they do the trick.

[Stanley]

Sorry to hear that and I hope they work Wendy....
That last treatment produced the most severe side effects yet. By teatime I had acute discomfort and was peeing a bit of blood. Drank plenty of water and all symptoms subsided within three hours. I console myself with the thought that as the intention of the live virus irrigation is to inflame the interior of the bladder and trigger an immune reaction that zaps the cancer cells (they admit they don't know why), this means that it was successful! I am very tired so it's look after Stanley time! Thankfully I can now concentrate on recovery for three weeks, might even get back in the shed to Kev's cannon shortly......

[PanBiker]

Commiserations Wendy I am no stranger to throat infections after my run in with Quincy a number of years ago, ongoing legacy although not as often now with no longer working in school.

For you Stanley, take it easy, if you are to have further maintenance treatments albeit in three weeks you will need to be well rested, even the weekly travelling can be tiring.

My MRI results, not got them yet so I gave Mr Anderson's secretary Deborah a ring on Monday. She was out of office but her message gave an alternate number to ring for her backup Sarah. I left a message for Deborah and rang Sarah. She pulled my notes but said that I would normally receive an appointment with Mr Anderson to discuss the results. I don't think she realised that these were post op results, anyway she said she would print them out and use them to give Mr Anderson a prod. Deborah rang me back yesterday, I wasn't in but she left a message, Mr Anderson has reviewed my results and she is sending me them via first class post, I will probably have them this week.

[Big Kev]

might even get back in the shed to Kev's cannon shortly......

You put your feet up and have a good rest, let the treatment do its job

[Stanley]

We're both getting First Class service Ian! You and Kev are right, I know I need to recover properly before the cystoscopy and will be looking after myself. But nice to know the shed is pulling me again, a positive sign!
Jack and I are both doing fine.

[Marilyn]

Still a week out from my appointment with the surgeon.
Saw the GP yesterday, and he has fine tuned my medication. I get the worst of my pain in the mornings now, so as from today started on a double dose of the slow release painkiller in the mornings, with just a single dose at night. Early days, but it seems to have made a difference already and I am much more comfortable this morning ( I have needed Paracetamol and Iboprofen but no Endone at all). This is a good thing.
Very hot today, so we have had our walk earlier than usual, and have settled back in the cool of the house to follow quiet pursuits. In my case, reading.

[Stanley]

I'm glad things are easing a bit for you Maz.....
I'm gradually getting over Tuesday's little episode....

[Marilyn]

I was pain free for 10 hours, and that was after a 7 hour pain free sleep. So I am doing well on the altered regime...so far.
I am pleased. ( pain is back now and being treated, but tomorrow is a new day, and I certainly can't complain about today).

[Stanley]

Good. One day at a time Maz!

[PanBiker]

I have my MRI results. Mr Anderson confirms that he managed to remove 100% of the tumour and that my brain has returned to a normal position within the skull. The radiologists reporting the scan feel that there is a sliver of blood lying over the surface of the brain which he is hopeful will resolve over time. He adds that if I am struggling unduly with headaches they have no problem in me contacting them for further clinical investigation. Thankfully I am still in the position that I have never had a headache so this looks like it is not going to be an issue. From the prospective of the tumour all looks good. There is some slight thickening of the dura (lining around the brain) in the region where the tumour was removed but this is something that is not uncommonly seen after surgery. He adds, other than this things look very good indeed and certainly I would be happy that we are managing things well at this point and that the next step is to simply perform another scan at 1 year post op.

Sounds pretty positive to me, the sliver of blood could explain why I still have a degree of numbness down my right side. I was advised fairly early on that this sensation could take months to resolve itself. Rubbing the areas with different textures of materials can help to desensitise in this respect.

[Big Kev]

Excellent stuff Ian

[chinatyke]

Great result, Ian. Best wishes for the future.

[PanBiker]

Thanks both, onward and upward.

[Marilyn]

Couldn't be happier for you, Panbiker.

[Cathy]

Wonderful, great news Panbiker.

[Stanley]

That's a proper result Ian! I'm sure your body will deal with the blood by reabsorbing it over time. Now you can have a holiday from appointments for a year..... Lovely.

[PanBiker]

Seems so folks, I have an orthotics review later this month but it's only a telephone catch up. I will get the same from the occupational therapy girls for a while also. In Mr Anderson's words, we will become more like pen pals. Thanks everyone.

[Stanley]

The symptoms caused by the BCG gradually retreat. Only a slow improvement but Helen told me it would take at least three weeks..... First to slacken is the back ache.... That is very good!
Perhaps it's time to call the surgery and arrange my postponed Diabetes Clinic appointment.

[Stanley]

I've arranged the diabetes clinic appointments and do bloods tomorrow and the nurse the week after.
What grabbed me this morning was the fact that my pains are receding rapidly, I don't have to think before getting out of my bed or chair to avoid triggering pain. I am moving so much easier and it's a delight. Quite amazing how quickly you get used to adverse conditions and side effects..... It's nice now things are improving, I hadn't realised just how much the BCG was affecting me.

[Stanley]

Dracula at the surgery told me this morning that Butts Clinic is being run down for closure and she wasn't sure what, if any, functions were being transferred to the Rainhall centre. Anybody know anything about this?

[Marilyn]

Yesterday was not a good day for me. I could only walk short distances, felt exhausted, and couldn't seem to get my pain under control. I was convinced the Neuro-surgeon would order me straight in to hospital at my appointment tomorrow. All I could think of was "I must make Febby a pot of Soup", to sustain him for a couple of days ( but there was no way I could have stood long enough to make Soup yesterday! ) Today I am feeling MUCH better, thank goodness, so I have made the pot of Soup. Today I don't have that doomsday feeling of being admitted to hospital. ( let's hope I am in reasonable shape tomorrow...though we have a long drive both ways and too much waiting around tends to bring on the pain).
I have a bag packed in case...but that has been packed for the last 7 weeks...in the event that the Cauda Equina suddenly became absolute and I got shuffled off in an ambulance and wheeled straight into theatre. Just have to shove the phone/iPad rechargers in the bag and I am good to go. ( Hubby is dreadful at packing, so that would save him the burden).
I hope I get a very solid plan for the way forward tomorrow. I'm 90% sure I will need an operation. I am mentally prepared for that, but am willing to go with whatever they suggest, because I simply have to get back to normal.
( Febby's suggestion, after some thought, is that they put a big screw into my back, and then use a pair of pliers to pull the ruptured disc back out of the spinal cord canal. If I had to live with this level of pain forever, the theory may even become an attractive solution.)

[Stanley]

Sorry to hear that Maz, recovery is always slow and 0ne step back before two forwards. Hang in there. I hope you get a resolution soon.
I asked David Whipp about the rumoured closure of Butts Clinic.
Here's his reply.... "Currently, we’re aware that the diabetic eye clinic is being provided at Colne instead of Butts. We believe the Rainhall Centre may be being considered as a venue for such a clinic."
We have asked for the issue of services being withdrawn from Butts Clinic to be on the agendas of the next town council and area committee meetings."