General Medical issues thread

[Pushka]

Isn't that what psychology is for?

Nup. Not when pain might mean something sinister.

 

[Milboo]

To an extent, when you live with chronic pain it simple becomes part of the background and you ignore it. The other alternative really is letting it rule your life.

 

[JohnK]

Nup. Not when pain might mean something sinister.

I used to run to the doctor everytime I had chest/stomach pain. It turned out to be inflammation from the spine area pushing forward against the organs. Pain was so bad that my left ribcage has been pushed out of shape making it uncomfortable.

Running to the doctor isn't the ideal solution if you don't want to keep wasting time. Learn to live with pain but occasionally that may mean missing something.

Catch22 right?

 

[rogerkambah]

I'm now limping noticeably with osteoarthritis in the left hip. It has now started in right hip. I struggle to play golf but somehow manage to walk around. At which point should I consider surgery? Not an easy one.

Something you may need to take into consideration, if you are planning on using the public health system, is the waiting time for a hip replacement operation. A double HR may be an option as you would then have your leg lengths equalized with your pelvis returned to normality.

I only needed a single HR but when the surgeon measured my legs he found that the leg undergoing the HR had shortened by over 2.5 cm. Equalizing my leg lengths meant that my pelvis was normalized and no more back pain.

 

[JohnM]

Hmmm, I started something that I didn't mean to .

Obviously nobody watching has had the specific procedure I was asking about.

No matter, I have just read the specialist's letter to my GP and he talks about my case being 'a dilemma' in that my (minor) pain and numbness has gone but I have a clearly extruded disc that is impinging on my spinal cord.

I probably implied when I said 'recommended' that he was indicating that I need to have the procedure he was talking about. It was more of a case that it was, prima facie, the standard procedure that someone presenting like me would generally have.

I have had another MRI to see whether anything has noticeably changed anatomically in the six months since the previous scan and I'll have another chat to the surgeon. But I basically have decided to let sleeping dogs lie.

Besides, I have a massive array of travel planned over the next twelve months or so that I don't wish to interrupt....

 

[Pushka]

Hmmm, I started something that I didn't mean to .

Obviously nobody watching has had the specific procedure I was asking about.

No matter, I have just read the specialist's letter to my GP and he talks about my case being 'a dilemma' in that my (minor) pain and numbness has gone but I have a clearly extruded disc that is impinging on my spinal cord.

I probably implied when I said 'recommended' that he was indicating that I need to have the procedure he was talking about. It was more of a case that it was, prima facie, the standard procedure that someone presenting like me would generally have.

I have had another MRI to see whether anything has noticeably changed anatomically in the six months since the previous scan and I'll have another chat to the surgeon. But I basically have decided to let sleeping dogs lie.

Besides, I have a massive array of travel planned over the next twelve months or so that I don't wish to interrupt....

We had a trip planned before the disc rupture and had to cancel. Was just not allowed to travel.

I’d seek an opinion from a neurosurgeon assuming your current specialist is an ortho.

 

[docjames]

Besides, I have a massive array of travel planned over the next twelve months or so that I don't wish to interrupt....

Without stating the obvious (and then doing so), beware the T+Cs on travel insurance regarding "pre-existing" conditions.

If the symptoms suddenly worsen requiring overseas hospital / repatriation etc, then you'd want some certainty you're covered.

 

[Pushka]

Without stating the obvious (and then doing so), beware the T+Cs on travel insurance regarding "pre-existing" conditions.

If the symptoms suddenly worsen requiring overseas hospital / repatriation etc, then you'd want some certainty you're covered.

If JohnM has purchased an annual policy or specific dated policy prior to any symptoms occurring then he would be covered. Let’s hope so.

Risk of further damage was the issue my Spec said to me. He didn’t want me travelling on a plane for hours as I was at risk of paraplegia if the floating disc penetrated the spinal cord as opposed to just pressing on it. And being in the air when that might happen was a significant medical emergency.

 

[JohnM]

I appreciate what you are saying about travel insurance, folks.

However, when I think back over instances of a bit of pain behind my left shoulder blade and lessened left-turning neck mobility over many years, all indications are that I've had this issue for a long time. It was only when I had the minor numbness/tingliness down my left arm that persisted for a few weeks that I saw my GP and the MRI revealed the disc abnormality. Of course, that now means it's documented as a pre-existing condition. But it it doesn't mean that it's going to blow-up spontaneously.

But it has never caused any more than minor pain (not even enough to take a Panadol) and it is now symptomless. The orthopod could find no effects on posture, movement, reflexes, gait, strength - you name it. He knows that I exercise quite solidly (run c. 5 km several times a week on the beach, swim/body surf, go to gym to pump iron and hit the rowing machine for about 4000 m a few times a week).

He is saying carry on with what I'm doing. He suggested, somewhat jokingly perhaps, that it my be prudent if I don't play rugby! (As someone just shy of 70 there is no prospect of that - but more to the point, I detest ball-games ). My body-surfing is confined to small-moderate well-shaped waves - I avoid the big stuff, but that's because I'm a coward .

I'm jumping-out-of-my-skin healthy, keep good muscle-tone, BMI 24.5, never taken any medication apart from stuff for transient infections or ailments. Despite some occasional appearances to the contrary that somehow find their way onto AFF , I am actually sensible about my well-being .

It is much more likely that a massive trauma (eg. car crash, AK-47 shot ) is going to be needed to cause damage and the rest of the mess will subsume my funny disc.

I started this really to ask, as a long shot, whether there was anyone reading who may have had cervical disc fusion just to get some feedback specifically on that as I know of nobody in my circle of acquaintances who has.

 

[Flashback]

If JohnM has purchased an annual policy or specific dated policy prior to any symptoms occurring then he would be covered. Let’s hope so.

Risk of further damage was the issue my Spec said to me. He didn’t want me travelling on a plane for hours as I was at risk of paraplegia if the floating disc penetrated the spinal cord as opposed to just pressing on it. And being in the air when that might happen was a significant medical emergency.

Any annual policy I've always had say that if circumstances change you must advise them - so therefore just because it's not an issue when you get the policy, you would not be covered if you knew about it before starting your travel.

 

[Pushka]

Any annual policy I've always had say that if circumstances change you must advise them - so therefore just because it's not an issue when you get the policy, you would not be covered if you knew about it before starting your travel.

Well that was my understanding but a weird thing happened. A couple of years ago we had annual insurance but then developed a DVT out of the blue in February.. We thought when we advised the insurance company (TID) that they would say we could not travel and which meant they would have to pay out all the non refundable cancellation penalties of a trip in May. But they said I could travel and they would insure for the DVT should it reoccur or another one develop. Kind of screwed us up a bit as we didn’t want to take the risk of traveling.

 

[Flashback]

Well that was my understanding but a weird thing happened. A couple of years ago we had annual insurance but then developed a DVT out of the blue in February.. We thought when we advised the insurance company (TID) that they would say we could not travel and which meant they would have to pay out all the non refundable cancellation penalties of a trip in May. But they said I could travel and they would insure for the DVT should it reoccur or another one develop. Kind of screwed us up a bit as we didn’t want to take the risk of traveling.

Should have been fine in that instance though - if the Dr said you absolutely cannot / should not travel then regardless of that position, the cancellation cover would / should have kicked in

(I know, a lot of "should" there!)

 

[Pushka]

Should have been fine in that instance though - if the Dr said you absolutely cannot / should not travel then regardless of that position, the cancellation cover would / should have kicked in

(I know, a lot of "should" there!)

Well that’s the thing. The haemotologist said not to travel. All a bit weird. I ended up not travelling and was able to claim via Credit Card Insurance who did not want me to travel.

 

[JohnK]

Any annual policy I've always had say that if circumstances change you must advise them - so therefore just because it's not an issue when you get the policy, you would not be covered if you knew about it before starting your travel.

One thing knowing and another telling.

My shoulder started hurting yesterday. Never had this pain before. Will more than likely not see doctor about it. I'm definitely not going to advise my annual travel insurance policy provider.

 

[Pushka]

If I went to a Doctor every time I noticed some pain I’d be there every week. The only time I’d scoot straight off for pain is anything left sided. And then it’s hospital.

 

[JohnK]

I think you will just wake up one day and know when it’s the right time.

Interesting times ahead.

Wednesday night I was laying on the mattress on the floor with daughter when I got up a sharp pain went through my left knee and fell straight back down not able to move for a few seconds.

 

[Pushka]

Interesting times ahead.

Wednesday night I was laying on the mattress on the floor with daughter when I got up a sharp pain went through my left knee and fell straight back down not able to move for a few seconds.

Sometimes things just get out of place sometimes and then click back in. Have you not experienced that before? Or you get a stabbing pain in your abdomen and you think appendicitis but that goes too.

 

[JohnK]

Sometimes things just get out of place sometimes and then click back in. Have you not experienced that before? Or you get a stabbing pain in your abdomen and you think appendicitis but that goes too.

This wasn't just the usual clicking. The signs with the knee have been there a while. Crouching and not being able to get up. Unexplained fluid and inflammation. Now wait and see.

 

[Renato1]

Hi to All,
Just a note to anyone who's flying after having had back surgery like my wife and I did last year. No matter how fine you feel, and no matter that you've done short eight hour flights to Bangkok or from Singapore and felt fine, take plenty of strong painkillers for use after the longer flights.

My wife both pulled up badly after flying Melbourne to Stockholm. She got better in a few days, while I spent nearly two weeks popping Lyricas and Tramadols and Iboprufens. On the second day in Stockholm, I was thinking of having to cancel the trip - but perservered till I finally fully recovered from the flight after about three weeks.
Regards,
Renato.

 

[Pushka]

Hi to All,
Just a note to anyone who's flying after having had back surgery like my wife and I did last year. No matter how fine you feel, and no matter that you've done short eight hour flights to Bangkok or from Singapore and felt fine, take plenty of strong painkillers for use after the longer flights.

My wife both pulled up badly after flying Melbourne to Stockholm. She got better in a few days, while I spent nearly two weeks popping Lyricas and Tramadols and Iboprufens. On the second day in Stockholm, I was thinking of having to cancel the trip - but perservered till I finally fully recovered from the flight after about three weeks.
Regards,
Renato.

Well as I’ve ranted here, I had back surgery almost 30 years ago and have issues on and off but not enough to scurry to the doctors. I’ve learnt to manage. Last night I was putting something in our small rubbish bin in the kitchen and my back completely seized up. After all the heavy duty lifting (have stopped now for about 2 weeks) I kill my back scraping the dishes into the bin. Could not even work out how to straighten up let alone move. Finally and gingerly I did. Took two Nurofen before sleep. I can still feel it this morning. So it ain’t the big stuff that can get ya.