General Medical issues thread

[Quickstatus]

people who consume chocolate every day don’t exercise as much as others?

They accounted for it: Read further down: "Participant and Study design", "Demographic, clinical measurements and physical activity"
Table 1 suggests the high chocolate consumers has slightly higher physical activity but P 0.99 suggesting that the differences in physical activity between the groups were random so it can't be intepreted in any way other than the 3 groups all did some physical activity and it was not possible to determine which group did more.
The 3 groups appeared to be closely matched in other factors as well. Any P<0.1 is high significant and is not due to chance

 

[drron]

Correlation versus causation right there. Maybe people who consume chocolate every day don’t exercise as much as others?

But I exercise because then I can have a chocolate a day.

 

[Pushka]

They accounted for it: Read further down: "Participant and Study design", "Demographic, clinical measurements and physical activity"
Table 1 suggests the high chocolate consumers has slightly higher physical activity but P 0.99 suggesting that the differences in physical activity between the groups were random so it can't be intepreted in any way other than the 3 groups all did some physical activity and it was not possible to determine which group did more.
The 3 groups appeared to be closely matched in other factors as well. Any P<0.1 is high significant and is not due to chance

Not really convincing evidence there. Even the language. 'Suggests'. 'Some physical activity'. 'Not possible to determine which group did more'. 'Appeared to be closely matched'.

 

[andye]

Not really convincing evidence there. Even the language. 'Suggests'. 'Some physical activity'. 'Not possible to determine which group did more'. 'Appeared to be closely matched'.

You may be onto something there. The "daily" group had a higher calorie intake but lower weight (and had higher socioeconomic status)
But...exercise is thought of as being protective from osteoporosis

Data is always fascinating. Add up lean + fat and there is 2.4 kg difference in rarely and only 1.5 kg in daily. Maybe big-boned people avoid chocolate

 

[Quickstatus]

Not really convincing evidence there

Sure, those are just my words.
They did list a lot of the confounding factors and did adjust for it and
The bone density univariate analysis - comparing each group with one variable is highly significant (table 2 P 0.002) .
The bone density multivariate analysis is also significant (table 2 P 0.019 fully adjusted model using the combination of variables in supercript 4)
The important signal here is the daily chocolate eaters have a (significant P 0.02) slightly lower BMI.

The TL;DR summary is that it is enough of a signal to consider chocolate as potentially deleterious to bone health. Does that mean stop eating chocolate?. Of course not, but it is just one of the variables that people should consider.

Of course the researchers also mentioned the weaknesses of the study

and had higher socioeconomic status

All 3 groups were thought to be of higher socioeconomic status.
Interestingly they recruited Women over 70 from Western Australia randomly drawn from the Electoral roll

And the researchers are by no means minnows:

 

[Pushka]

My test results were released today on my health. Yikes. The highest in the first days of PMR diagnosis back 2 1/2 years ago the CRP was 18. (<8).

Last Friday
C-reactive protein 172.1 H [0.0-8.0] mg/L

ESR was 69 (<20)

Lactate dehydrogenase 299 (<250)

And an extra test on Monocytes. Monocytosis. Occasional reactive lymphocytes present.
Query infection or inflammation.

So if I feel better now on steroi_s it's passed?

No wonder the Dr called me.

 

[Seat0B]

Poor you @Pushka

 

[love_the_life]

My test results were released today on my health. Yikes. The highest in the first days of PMR diagnosis back 2 1/2 years ago the CRP was 18. (<8).

Last Friday
C-reactive protein 172.1 H [0.0-8.0] mg/L

ESR was 69 (<20)

Lactate dehydrogenase 299 (<250)

And an extra test on Monocytes. Monocytosis. Occasional reactive lymphocytes present.
Query infection or inflammation.

So if I feel better now on steroi_s it's passed?

No wonder the Dr called me.

Hopefully steroi_s will have helped but no wonder you felt carp.

 

[prozac]

MrsP can't take a trick atm, bloods last week show high Total Billirubin (18). She has had some bloating and abdominal discomfort. Gall bladder? She (we) doesn't eat fatty foods.
She sees her GP this week so hopefully will get it sorted.

 

[Pushka]

MrsP can't take a trick atm, bloods last week show high Total Billirubin (18). She has had some bloating and abdominal discomfort. Gall bladder? She (we) doesn't eat fatty foods.
She sees her GP this week so hopefully will get it sorted.

Is MrsP having symptoms? Not sure the measures this lab uses but 18 on the ones mine uses is mid range.

 

[prozac]

Is MrsP having symptoms? Not sure the measures this lab uses but 18 on the ones mine uses is mid range.

Yes, bloating, abdominal discomfort. Also sore shoulders. Total Bilirubin 18 (H) umol/L Reference Interval: 3 - 15. Testing by DHM

 

[Quickstatus]

Bili 18 is very minor elevation. By itself non specific for anything including gallbladder in the absence of other signs and symptoms.

 

[Pushka]

Yes, bloating, abdominal discomfort. Also sore shoulders. Total Bilirubin 18 (H) umol/L Reference Interval: 3 - 15. Testing by DHM

It's interesting the different ranges that labs use. On mine it shows as

Total Bilirubin 10 [2-24] umol/L

Mine is 10. One of the few that is in mid range currently.

Hope MrsP feels better soon and it resolves on its own.

 

[Katie]

Just had an injection in my hip for bursitis. I'm hoping it will be more effective than the injection in my facet joint in Feb (the only appreciable effect of that injection has been numbness along the side of my leg ever since).

The injection hurt like <swear words>! The doctor reassured me that when it hurts like that, usually the steroi_ really helps the ongoing pain.

I'd come from work, and was dressed in all-Navy. A gentleman who was also getting a steroi_ injection asked me if I was nurse, due to my attire.

 

[ols]

OK
Not one for the squeamish here.
Included shot is three weeks after the surgery.
Had really bad Dupuytrens Contracture in my left hand.
Had a five finger fasciectomy and an unknown number of stitches.
Well north of 50.

All five fingers at once is pretty rare.
My therapist would be lucky to see one a year.

Bruising and swelling from 1/3 of the way down my forearm across my hand and all fingers.
No non invasive options I'm afraid so old fashioned cut em up brutal surgery.
Excruciating pain for first few days and then general annoyance at boxer like strapping and heavy bandaging for a week till removed and replaced with plasters, a hand support and a splint.
Therapist is pretty happy how's it coming along but possibly three months till hopefully back to full use.

 

[Quickstatus]

Well done @ols . Keep up with the hand therapy

 

[prozac]

OK
Not one for the squeamish here.
Included shot is three weeks after the surgery.
Had really bad Dupuytrens Contracture in my left hand.
Had a five finger fasciectomy and an unknown number of stitches.
Well north of 50.

All five fingers at once is pretty rare.
My therapist would be lucky to see one a year.

Bruising and swelling from 1/3 of the way down my forearm across my hand and all fingers.
No non invasive options I'm afraid so old fashioned cut em up brutal surgery.
Excruciating pain for first few days and then general annoyance at boxer like strapping and heavy bandaging for a week till removed and replaced with plasters, a hand support and a splint.
Therapist is pretty happy how's it coming along but possibly three months till hopefully back to full use.
View attachment 449912

A friend, my s.broker, has recently had one done. He's not happy with discomfort so I think you might be downplaying the recovery. Wishing you a full recover.

 

[Flashback]

How long for Lopramide to kick in?! I'd say 3L lost already ...

 

[Quickstatus]

How long for Lopramide to kick in

No more than 1hr

 

[Flashback]

No more than 1hr

Ok well it's definitely not working then. Do I take more ...