General Medical issues thread

[Siebert]

It's amazing how these things seem to come in clusters. One injury is manageable, then suddenly everyone around you has a trip to A&E for something different. Hopefully the next update is about holidays instead of hospitals.

 

[JohnM]

PJM and I are due to depart on a 7-week trip to Africa in two weeks, with my brother and SIL and two other friends. We are all in our 60-70's and wanting to do as much as we can while we can.

My parents are long gone. Realistically, that's a relief when travelling.

PJM's mother long ago passed, but her father is 92 and is really in very good health but is terribly lonely and has 'had enough'. We saw him today and he said "just [expletive] do it" in relation to our travel.

My SIL's mother is also about 92-93, but she is fading. Thankfully, they have recently managed to get her into care as she was assessed as not capable of staying alone in her home where she has been since the 1950's (husband passed away in the 1970's) and recently had to spend some weeks in a hospital geriatric ward, which was very stressful for SIL, given the loomimg trip.

Not easy.

 

[Beer_budget]

Three weeks battling RSV, and I seem (knock on wood) to finally be on the mend. It's always doubly exciting in the later stages; with a compromised immune system, there's always an anxious watch and wait for signs of secondary infection, and I also have to come off my immunosuppressive meds while sick to reduce that danger, which leaves me at risk of a flare up, especially when it's been this long.

@Seat0B I'm so sorry to read about your mum. UTIs are terrifying with how fast they can spiral. I hope you are taking good care of yourself through all this.

 

[Seat0B]

Good news for me today - had a bone density scan 12 months after starting post+menopausal HRT for osteopenia and I have increased bone density in hip by 6.9% and spine by 8%. Yay. It’s working. Still have osteopenia, but better than before. Doc said still gains to be made for another 12 months or so.

 

[Quickstatus]

osteopenia

Better than -porosis
What Vitamin D and calcium brand are you on?

 

[Katie]

Good news for me today - had a bone density scan 12 months after starting post+menopausal HRT for osteopenia and I have increased bone density in hip by 6.9% and spine by 8%. Yay. It’s working. Still have osteopenia, but better than before. Doc said still gains to be made for another 12 months or so.

Hope I can get similar results! Have upped my dietary calcium and Vitamin D after a parathyroid scan showed all 4 glands were enlarged, not what the endo was expecting.

 

[Seat0B]

Better than -porosis
What Vitamin D and calcium brand are you on?

Not taking either - my blood tests did not reveal a Vitamin D deficiency (repeatedly the same over several years) and my doc said calcium not needed as dietary was sufficient and my bone turnover markers have also increased. Should I be asking more questions about this?

 

[Quickstatus]

Not taking either

If D levels and Ca intake is sufficient, then my understanding is no need if not on the treatments for -porosis like Aclasta etc.

No strong evidence for supplements if not D deficient and Ca intake sufficient. Dietary Ca intake can be difficult to estimate so some just take D+Ca just to make sure.

Some General info

 

[Seat0B]

If D levels and Ca intake is sufficient, then my understanding is no need if not on the treatments for -porosis like Aclasta etc.

No strong evidence for supplements if not D deficient and Ca intake sufficient. Dietary Ca intake can be difficult to estimate so some just take D+Ca just to make sure.

Some General info

That is really interesting and useful info. Based on everything, I’d say I don’t need supplemental Vit D and Ca at this point as I do eat the recommended amounts of milk, yoghurt and cheese most days plus I am taking all my various pills with custard now due to the chronic cough issues.

 

[prozac]

That is really interesting and useful info. Based on everything, I’d say I don’t need supplemental Vit D and Ca at this point as I do eat the recommended amounts of milk, yoghurt and cheese most days plus I am taking all my various pills with custard now due to the chronic cough issues.

Why custard? I've read natural yoghurt is best food for calcium conversion.
I know that being male gives me an advantage but just letting you know I was a minor celebrity for a day when I was in hospital during cancer treatment. After I had a bone marrow biopsy every specialist I encountered delighted in telling me I had the bones of a 20yr old.

 

[Quickstatus]

Why custard?

Contains milk and cream as main ingredients

had the bones of a 20yr old

Yes to get the bone marrow they would have to manually drill through the surface of the bone. That is the hardest part of the bone - the cortex