General Medical issues thread

[Pushka]

I've had type 2 diabetes for 20+ years but the last few blood tests including September show no signs of diabetes. I don't take Metformin regularly.

Swelling and inflammation is a part of my life.

Doesn't that just mean your sugar levels were ok at the time of the test and maybe they aren't right now? Sounds like you still have diabetes if already diagnosed but mostly control it with diet, but maybe not right now.

 

[drcam]

If you've lost a fair bit of weight, you can return to normal blood sugars, even without meds, meaning effective remission from diabetes. Small mercies.

Swelling and inflammation unfortunately is part of a lot of lives, unfortunately.

 

[Pushka]

If you've lost a fair bit of weight, you can return to normal blood sugars, even without meds, meaning effective remission from diabetes. Small mercies.

Swelling and inflammation unfortunately is part of a lot of lives, unfortunately.

That's good to know if weight is the issue. Swelling and inflammation is well entrenched in my life unfortunately. Damn immune system.

 

[JohnK]

Doesn't that just mean your sugar levels were ok at the time of the test and maybe they aren't right now? Sounds like you still have diabetes if already diagnosed but mostly control it with diet, but maybe not right now.

Every recent blood test shows normal Ha1Bc which is used to detect type 2 diabetes. As that test monitors sugar levels from past 2-3 months I'd say it's well under control.

I have not lost weight since being diagnosed type 2 diabetes. In fact I've put on 25-30kg or more.

Liver fine. Kidney fine.

I do have auto immune issues. Have had since around 16-17 years old. Swelling and inflammation drive me nuts. Can be very uncomfortable.

 

[Katie]

Just back from a health assessment before I'm too old for this category of health assessment.

Calcium levels continue to be up, GP a little concerned about that, so back to the endocrinologist who I didn't follow up with after my first couple of appts with her (was meant to see her in 12 months and didn't). My endocrinologist uncle had told me my level weren't yet worth worrying about too much.

Anyway, GP was a little concerned they they are at much the same levels (no dropping), and said to check for calcium in any supplements I'm taking.

Doh! As I was walking home, I remembered my new routine of having a protein shake (with water) for the past 12 or so months ... better check the calcium in that! Might have to do something different for breakfast and make sure we have pate when we have cheese for dinner, which is only once a month or once every two months. I don't drink milky drinks and don't normally eat much yoghurt, ice cream or cream. I'll put on my thinking cap for anywhere else calcium has snuck in without me realising it.

 

[andye]

Just back from a health assessment before I'm too old for this category of health assessment.

Calcium levels continue to be up, GP a little concerned about that, so back to the endocrinologist who I didn't follow up with after my first couple of appts with her (was meant to see her in 12 months and didn't). My endocrinologist uncle had told me my level weren't yet worth worrying about too much.

Anyway, GP was a little concerned they they are at much the same levels (no dropping), and said to check for calcium in any supplements I'm taking.

Doh! As I was walking home, I remembered my new routine of having a protein shake (with water) for the past 12 or so months ... better check the calcium in that! Might have to do something different for breakfast and make sure we have pate when we have cheese for dinner, which is only once a month or once every two months. I don't drink milky drinks and don't normally eat much yoghurt, ice cream or cream. I'll put on my thinking cap for anywhere else calcium has snuck in without me realising it.

High calcium is usually due to an overactive parathyroid gland (your Endo should have ruled out any more serious cause by checking PTH levels). If the levels get very high then sometimes surgery is required, bur often it stays steady.
I'm not an Endo but I dont usually advise rigorous calcium elimination as I worry about osteporosis.

 

[Katie]

High calcium is usually due to an overactive parathyroid gland (your Endo should have ruled out any more serious cause by checking PTH levels). If the levels get very high then sometimes surgery is required, bur often it stays steady.
I'm not an Endo but I dont usually advise rigorous calcium elimination as I worry about osteporosis.

Hmmm, hyperparathyroid rings a bell …
I’m booked in with the Endo in Dec & might run my PTH numbers and calcium past Uncle Endo.

And Dr Google tells me there’s memory loss as a symptom, so add that in to the middle aged woman memory issues I’m having, maybe that’s why I’ve forgotten what the Endo said ~3 yrs ago.

 

[Flyfrequently]

Good news : Pathology for left lower limb biopsy came back in 4 days
Bad news : Squamous Cell Carcinoma.
Referral to plastic surgeon, luckily I was able to get in next week.
Probable surgery - imminent.

 

[ellen10]

Good news : Pathology for left lower limb biopsy came back in 4 days
Bad news : Squamous Cell Carcinoma.
Referral to plastic surgeon, luckily I was able to get in next week.
Probable surgery - imminent.

Glad you could get in quickly to see the surgeon.
Hopefully caught it early.

 

[Pushka]

Good news : Pathology for left lower limb biopsy came back in 4 days
Bad news : Squamous Cell Carcinoma.
Referral to plastic surgeon, luckily I was able to get in next week.
Probable surgery - imminent.

Efudex not an option? Worked well for mine. Also lower leg.

 

[Flyfrequently]

Efudex not an option? Worked well for mine. Also lower leg.

Am hoping so @Pushka but dermatologist said not likely - as he said before results came in, best case scenario "cream" worse case "flap."

And @ellen10 , yes did catch it early.
It had only been there 2-3 weeks and biopsied at 4.
Fortunately no travel planned - always a bright side to everything !

 

[VPS]

Am hoping so @Pushka but dermatologist said not likely - as he said before results came in, best case scenario "cream" worse case "flap.

And @ellen10 , yes did catch it early.
It had only been there 2-3 weeks and biopsied at 4.
Fortunately no travel planned - always a bright side to everything !

Good luck and glad it was caught early

 

[Flyfrequently]

Visited plastic/reconstructive surgeon today after SCC diagnosis.
Excision and split skin graft booked for 2/52.
Only need to be a tad immobile, no 4-6 km walks but only first 48 hours need to be on my very best behaviour.
Happy with that.

 

[prozac]

Last week MrsP passed the phone interview for the alzheimer drug trial of donanemab, an amyloid treatment drug that is already approved by the TGA for sale, and was invited in for the next stage of the approval process. Unfortunately she failed to pass on the MMSE cognitive test by one point and was rejected. I scoured the internet and found another trial for a different drug, Xanamem, that has not yet received TGA approval but has minimal side effects on earlier testing. It aims to reduce the amount of p-tau by limiting the amount of cortisol, the stress hormone. There is evidence this will reduce the amount of inflamation of the brain and this somehow affects p-tau (I think) depositing on the brian. It is thought that p-tau and amyloid deposits cause Alzheimer's. So on Monday we went in for cognitive testing which she passed and for bloods to test for p-tau and cortisol. We should know in a few weeks if she will be accepted so fingers crossed.

Also last week I had stress ecg as part of the process for approval for a new pacemaker. No problems though ventricular output is lowish due to previous heart attacks. Surgeon wants to fit a defib PPM. Now here's the thing; I had no problems doing the exercise component. The week prior i had a bad bout of angina early in the morning and for the first time considered driving to hospital. A squirt of Start You cough (nitro-lingual) settled it after a couple of minutes. Later same day I was splitting firewood without any problem. It is so random and my cardiologist has no answers for this.

So I'm after opinions / ideas. Ever since I had thoracic surgery for cancer in 2023 I get this angina pain on minimal exertion, runs up left side of chest, neck and into my ear causing painful ear-ache. The overall pain is strong and hangs around for ages. It doesn't react well to Start you cough. I had an idea today about the surgery which was a 3 part affair after parts one and then 2 failed in succession. The planned surgery was an incision across my throat and then work way down the inside of the left side rib cage to enter the middle mediastinum. Along the way there are lots of vessels to nick and also nerves. This plan was abandoned when it became too dangerous. My thought today was maybe a nerve was damaged and this is the source of the chest pain running up the neck and into the ear. Who's good with anatomy of nerves? Care to comment either here or by DM?

Apologies for such a verbose post.