General Medical issues thread

[VPS]

Well the honeymoon at the nursing home is over. Last night, mum had an unwitnessed fall getting out of bed to go to the loo. She forgot that she can't do it and needs 2 carers to help her. She declined a trip to ED at that point (not sure how long after the fall they found her), but this morning was in severe pain, so agreed to an ambulance. My sister went with her. They have been up there all day and are still waiting for an X-ray. Not sure if it his her ribs, hip or pelvis that is hurting the most.

boy you just can't win sometimes can you. At least she was in the nursing home and not alone.

 

[MARTINE]

This is going to be a close-to-but-not-entirely-useless response: I can't find the news item, but about five days ago I read an article that mentioned promising new treatment (non-surgical IIRC). Perhaps you'll be able to find mention of it through judicious keyword/timeframe/LLM search? Apologies for not having retained even a hint of more detail in my shrinking brain this week.

Lots of non-surgical ablative options available for enlarged prostates. Lasers and other techniques
Greenlight is one

 

[love_the_life]

Well the honeymoon at the nursing home is over. Last night, mum had an unwitnessed fall getting out of bed to go to the loo. She forgot that she can't do it and needs 2 carers to help her. She declined a trip to ED at that point (not sure how long after the fall they found her), but this morning was in severe pain, so agreed to an ambulance. My sister went with her. They have been up there all day and are still waiting for an X-ray. Not sure if it his her ribs, hip or pelvis that is hurting the most.

So sorry to hear Seat0B - hopefully her injuries are not too serious and she is back to the resi soon. Such a worry for all though at least the resisters see the sense in her moving into the home. My step MIL fell at home and was not found for 4 days - never really came out of care after that - first hospital then nursing home,
A good friend in her 80s is causing me much worry as she is very unstable on her feet but won't do anything about it. For example, her son makes Dr appointments and she agrees but then when he comes to pick her up, she has cancelled the appointment. She is still at home but I am concerned that she will have a fall and that will be the trigger for resi care.

 

[cove]

My PSA dropped from 8 to 2.8 with 6 months of Duodart. Now I only have to see the urologist if my PSA goes beyond 5. So far that has been quite a relief as the MRI did not show any abnormalities.
At my most recent school reunion there were four who had their prostates removed. Seems that around 75 to 80 years of age males can have this gland grow.

 

[Quickstatus]

Lots of non-surgical ablative options available for enlarged prostates.

Add in prostate embolisation of feeder arteries via angiogram.

 

[Seat0B]

Mum is back in hospital. She has displacement of L1and T12 vertebrae and fractured right ribs 6-8. They think she will stay 3-5 days. When doing her admission paperwork I had to change her address from her house to the nursing home and the ward clerk just said thank God for that otherwise we would all be scurrying for a nursing home bed.

Edited - I misnamed the injured vertebrae

 

[love_the_life]

That's not great for your mum, Seat0B. Ribs are horrid as they can't really do anything to strap them etc and just have to wait for them to heal. Hopefully she will be on the mend. Interesting comment about the address - it is very fortunate she already has a place.

 

[Pushka]

That's not great for your mum, Seat0B. Ribs are horrid as they can't really do anything to strap them etc and just have to wait for them to heal. Hopefully she will be on the mend. Interesting comment about the address - it is very fortunate she already has a place.

Yes. And even breathing properly hurts and it's important to try take deep breaths to avoid complications.

 

[Seat0B]

Yes. And even breathing properly hurts and it's important to try take deep breaths to avoid complications.

Yes they are making her cough 10 times every hour on the hour. It’s painful for her.

 

[Seat0B]

Cannot fault the care at The Canberra Hospital. They have picked up a “significant but not occlusive” DVT in her left femoral vein (whilst doing ultrasound to check for internal injuries from the fall).
They are considering the best way forward as it can’t be left - significant stroke risk. But given her age and state of health they aren’t clear about the best combo of blood thinners etc to use. They don’t think the clot is from the fall. More likely it’s sequelae from the stroke and/or general inactivity from 10 weeks in hospital followed by 10 days in resi care.

This is incredibly hard to watch as it unfolds.

 

[Pushka]

Cannot fault the care at The Canberra Hospital. They have picked up a “significant but not occlusive” DVT in her left femoral vein (whilst doing ultrasound to check for internal injuries from the fall).
They are considering the best way forward as it can’t be left - significant stroke risk. But given her age and state of health they aren’t clear about the best combo of blood thinners etc to use. They don’t think the clot is from the fall. More likely it’s sequelae from the stroke and/or general inactivity from 10 weeks in hospital followed by 10 days in resi care.

This is incredibly hard to watch as it unfolds.

It's surprising she hasn't already been put on blood thinners with the stroke so recent. I guess risk versus benefit. Hope they sort it out soon. Yes, watching parents age and sometimes so quickly is distressing.

 

[RooFlyer]

@Seat0B I guess your mum will now have 'crash mats' on the floor? Sounds bad, but my sister had them and protected her a number of times.

 

[Quickstatus]

crash mats

Unfortunately the downside is they can be a trip hazard

 

[love_the_life]

Cannot fault the care at The Canberra Hospital. They have picked up a “significant but not occlusive” DVT in her left femoral vein (whilst doing ultrasound to check for internal injuries from the fall).
They are considering the best way forward as it can’t be left - significant stroke risk. But given her age and state of health they aren’t clear about the best combo of blood thinners etc to use. They don’t think the clot is from the fall. More likely it’s sequelae from the stroke and/or general inactivity from 10 weeks in hospital followed by 10 days in resi care.

This is incredibly hard to watch as it unfolds.

I really feel for your family - can't seem to take a trick as they say - one thing after the other (and over a few years as well). Seeing healing thoughts your way.

 

[Seat0B]

It's surprising she hasn't already been put on blood thinners with the stroke so recent. I guess risk versus benefit. Hope they sort it out soon. Yes, watching parents age and sometimes so quickly is distressing.

She was put onto blood thinners from the stroke (Cartia) - but the doctor discontinued it this morning because her BP was too low (according to her chart). They gave her a Clexane shot instead. Now they are thinking about a better regime for her.

 

[Quickstatus]

Now they are thinking about a better regime for her.

Maybe half dose eliquis?

 

[Seat0B]

Maybe half dose eliquis?

I will ask tomorrow if I see her doctors.

 

[ellen10]

Oh my @Seat0B , just when you thought and hoped that things were getting better and you could all relax a little.
Its certainly still a rollercoaster for all involved.
Sending you big hugs

 

[andye]

Cartia is aspirin which is an antiplatelet. It makes the blood less sticky. Clopidogrel is the other common antipathetic

Antiplatetets are ineffective against DVTs. For that you need an anticoagulant (blood thinner( (eg apixaban (eliquis) rivaroxaban (xarelto) enoxaparin(clexane) warfarin)

Antipletlets are also ineffective to prevent stroke caused by atrial fibrillation hence some stroke patients are on anticoagulants

 

[Pushka]

Antipletlets are also ineffective to prevent stroke caused by atrial fibrillation hence some stroke patients are on anticoagulants

Yes. Which is why I wondered why @Seat0B 's mum wasn't on them. Benefit versus risk maybe. Atrial fibrillation was assumed in my mums stroke. So warfarin. Aged 86. Sadly Didn't stop another stroke, or maybe bleed, 18 months later. Or maybe they just didn't monitor her INR correctly especially if like me, she had APS.