General Medical issues thread

[love_the_life]

Off to Europe on Monday, don't feel so good, not sure what tablets I should take to make me feel better, guess I should just suck it up and hope everything works out ok, maybe they won't let me into the UK if I have flu type symptons.

Did I tell you about my knees, ever since the boss had a new knee 4 weeks ago, mine just keep on hurting like you wouldn't believe, don't know what to do, what pain killers should I take?

Perhaps though, it's just all in my mind and they are going out in sympathy, although maybe I'm just an attention seeking hypochondriac, dunno?

More rally cars?
MrLtL is suffering from a bad cold and can’t shake it but not flu at least. Thought it was hay fever at first as it’s been early this year.

 

[Quickstatus]

J

GP suspects medial cruciate ligament injury.

No such thing as medial cruciate ligament
Do you mean the medial collateral ligament?

Trivia- a bit of nomenclature:
Ligaments link 2 or more bones
Tendons attach muscles to bones.

 

[Quickstatus]

Your friend is not going to be very happy. When I did outpatient rehab after my back operation, the rest of my classmates at rehab were there after their knee replacements. And they were suffering a whole lot more than I was when doing their exercises.

Also, they were going to rehab for six weeks (twice per week), whereas people with back operations only went for four weeks.

My wife had her back operation after I had mine, and she too noticed that her fellow knee replacement colleagues at outpatient rehab, were suffering a lot more than she was.
Regards,
Renato

Knee replacement (TKR) are about the most painful operations to have.
The ones who do bilateral TKR are smart because they only suffer once

 

[JohnK]

No such thing as medial cruciate ligament
Do you mean the medial collateral ligament?

Could be the collateral ligament . I thought it was cruciate but we are checking the MCL. The inside of the knee.

 

[Renato1]

We discussed Panadeine Forte, Tramadol and Endone with GP yesterday.

Endone was fantastic when I had chicken pox in 2010. Couldn't feel the burning. I got a script a few years later for chronic pain but it didn't help much so haven't been on it since.

I tried Tramadol 50mg a number of years ago and it didn't do much for me. Should have gone to higher doses but didn't and now reluctant to go back. What worries me with some of these medications such as Tramadol, Di-gesic etc is they don't seem to work if haven't been used for a while and you go back on them.

Panadeine Forte usually works for me but the full 60mg codeine of 2 tablets. Took 4 tablets yesterday. The first time it took a while to work and the second time helped more quickly. Haven't taken any today. GP worried I will get hooked on Codeine. That's not going to happen.

Luckily he also prescribed Prednisone. 2 tablets so far and knee feeling much better. Still limping slightly but most pain gone. Swelling still there.

When we discussed chronic pain GP mentioned to go to a pain management clinic. Not sure what they can do. GP also Radiofrequency Ablation? He thinks it could be effective. Need to do some research.

Hi John,
I didn't think Tramadol did much for me many years ago when I first got it for kidney stones, but now I think it works great.
One good reason for mucking around with it - as it only costs around $6 at Chemist Warehouse ($16 at other chemists) - is that you can't get addicted to it, as can happen with Codiene and Oxycodone. The only possible downside is that it may be one of the drugs I was taking (Tramadol, Lyrica, Oxycodone) which after taking them for a while led to normal Panadienes making me extremely sleepy all day long after taking them. Previously I'd take two standard Panadienes every three hours after certain procedures, withoiut any such side effect. Now only one or two tablets has been stuffing up my day.

Anyhow, great to hear that the new drug is working for you (though I haven't come across it).

Oh - and don't forget the simple stuff like the slow release Panadol Osteo (or generic equivalents). It doesn't do much for many people (like me), but many others swear it is great for them (like my wife). It can't hurt to buy a box and test it out. In hospital the nurses were always telling me that opiates made Panadol work better. Similarly, the non-addictive Lyrica enhances the performance of opiates (but leaves one a bit vague).
Regards,
Renato

 

[Quickstatus]

Could be the collateral ligament . I thought it was cruciate but we are checking the MCL. The inside of the knee.

Yep that’s the medial collateral ligament. Did you injure it?

 

[Renato1]

Knee replacement (TKR) are about the most painful operations to have.
The ones who do bilateral TKR are smart because they only suffer once

But - they will really, really suffer when doing their rehab.
Still, they will save on painkillers, as one Targin or Endone will work on both knees.
Cheers,
Renato

 

[JohnK]

Yep that’s the medial collateral ligament. Did you injure it?

I suspect I twisted it at golf last Saturday on the hills of Bardwell Valley last week and got worse on Sunday at golf. Still sore although improving and not limping much. Ultrasound on Tuesday.

 

[Quickstatus]

But - they will really, really suffer when doing their rehab.
Still, they will save on painkillers, as one Targin or Endone will work on both knees.
Cheers,
Renato

But ask those who have a bilateral an invariably they say they were glad to do it once. YMMV

 

[JohnK]

Knee ultrasound shows effusion. Doesn't appear to be any damage to cartilage, ligaments etc but they need to do MRI. I have no idea what this means but hope all is good.

Glad I found River City Imaging at Auchenflower on only the 3rd call. Bulk bill MRI with referral from GP.

 

[Quickstatus]

Knee ultrasound shows effusion. Doesn't appear to be any damage to cartilage, ligaments etc but they need to do MRI. I have no idea what this means but hope all is good.

Glad I found River City Imaging at Auchenflower on only the 3rd call. Bulk bill MRI with referral from GP.

Effusion means fluid buildup in knee often due to injury. Nothing to worry about. Suggest physio.

 

[Pushka]

Effusion means fluid buildup in knee often due to injury. Nothing to worry about. Suggest physio.

Possibility related to an auto immune process?

I used a gift voucher from last Christmas last week for a massage. Decided just my back and shoulders as I was feeling a bit dodgy. As she was massaging I could feel her hands would move and then there’s a mmm lumpy bit so her hands would kind of falter. Can’t think of a way to describe it. And she concentrated on my R shoulder and neck. Didn’t say anything at the time.

Later on she said I had multiple areas of immobility all down my right side and shoulder. Then I told her of previous back surgery (although she would have seen the scar) and frozen R shoulder. She suggested a therapeutic massage which I’m having tomorrow. Not looking forward to it to be honest. After the last one I ended up with a ghastly headache.

 

[Quickstatus]

Possibility related to an auto immune process?

Unlikely as thats the knee he injured.

 

[whatmeworry]

Took mine mum to the orthopaedic surgeon a couple of weeks ago. Looked at her knee films and sent her for a MRI for her back and hips.

Follow up today. Only took the MRI with us. He wants the Knee films! I said didn't you take notes? Nah says he needs the films. So luckily only two streets from his practice. Leave Mum in the wheelchair and walk back and get back in 15 minutes.

So the good news, he got us into St Vincent's Public. The bad news the wait will be 6 months. However better then 2-3 years wait in some other networks.

He then had the cheek to remind us to bring the knee films in 6 months.

 

[JohnK]

Effusion means fluid buildup in knee often due to injury. Nothing to worry about. Suggest physio.

Let's leave physiotherapy out for now. Like to know what's wrong.

I don't know about others but I see physiotherapy and chiropractors as being similar. Feel good for a couple hours and then back to normal until next visit. That's not a desirable solution.

 

[love_the_life]

Took mine mum to the orthopaedic surgeon a couple of weeks ago. Looked at her knee films and sent her for a MRI for her back and hips.

Follow up today. Only took the MRI with us. He wants the Knee films! I said didn't you take notes? Nah says he needs the films. So luckily only two streets from his practice. Leave Mum in the wheelchair and walk back and get back in 15 minutes.

So the good news, he got us into St Vincent's Public. The bad news the wait will be 6 months. However better then 2-3 years wait in some other networks.

He then had the cheek to remind us to bring the knee films in 6 months.

My SIL had an appointment with surgeon in Melb. She lives in the country. I have found that usually they send a letter confirming the appointment and letting you know the cost, also what to bring. She didn't get one and didn't think much about it. When she went he wanted to see her X-rays and scans which she didn't take. His response was 'bad luck; can't do anything; make another appointment'. She was pretty upset.

 

[love_the_life]

It's been a good news/bad news day.
Good news - Friend with pulmonary fibrosis had a very positve/hopeful diagnosis from the respiratory surgeon. Some more tests but seems it is not aggressive and she is likely to have many more years before it makes life difficult.
Bad news - friend with stage 4 bowel cancer scans have shown a new very large tumour in liver as well as smaller ones elsewhere. Is back in hospital while they decide how to treat it, though it's inoperable. They are trying to keep positve but must be worried. We saw him about a month ago and he was feeling great. They had planned two trips o's in the next few months.

 

[love_the_life]

Effusion means fluid buildup in knee often due to injury. Nothing to worry about. Suggest physio.

Is that what used to be called 'fluid on the knee'?

 

[Quickstatus]

Follow up today. Only took the MRI with us. He wants the Knee films! I said didn't you take notes? Nah says he needs the films. He then had the cheek to remind us to bring the knee films in 6 months.

My SIL had an appointment with surgeon in Melb. She lives in the country. I have found that usually they send a letter confirming the appointment and letting you know the cost, also what to bring. She didn't get one and didn't think much about it. When she went he wanted to see her X-rays and scans which she didn't take. His response was 'bad luck; can't do anything; make another appointment'. She was pretty upset.

1) dont just rely on the xray report. So must have xray films at surgery. Some xrays are relied upon during surgery - ie they are not just important for diagnosis but also for intraoperative guidance and planning, and comparison. "A picture is better than a thousand words"
2) very sorry to hear. For those patients from out of town it is often better to get another xray on the day and hold off the appointment till later in the day - most surgeons that I know would have organised this. There are many conditions where the actual xray is important and without it its impossible to give a meaningful opinion. Sometimes the xray facility have it on disc and can send it electronically as well.

3) sometimes the xray films are in the possession of the surgeon who brings them in for the surgery. Occasionally its forgotten and still sitting in office. Then has to get someone to race up to office to get them.
4) Many xrays and scans are necessary only for diagnosis and therefore not important to bring into hospital.
5) I have seen xrays depicting a particular limb - right or left. But the surgery is advertised as the other limb. Or the xray incorrectly labels a limb. so very very important to bring into consultation and surgery.

 

[love_the_life]

1) dont just rely on the xray report. So must have xray films at surgery. It is relied upon during surgery. "A picture is better than a thousand words"
2) very sorry to hear. For those patients from out of town it is often better to get another xray on the day and hold off the appointment till later in the day - most surgeons that I know would have organised this. There are many conditions where the actual xray is important and without it its impossible to give a meaningful opinion. Sometimes the xray facility have it on disc and can send it electronically as well.

Yes, I agree. I would have thought that the surgeon could have sent her off to get one, or have asked for them to be sent. I think she was most upset by his somewhat cavalier attitude. I suspect she will ask for a referral to a different surgeon next time.

When son had tumour removed from his face, he had the scans and the surgeon asked him to take them with him to the hospital and on no account allow them out of his sight until he was wheeled into surgery. Said the hospital tends to lose them so not to give them to anyone except him.