General Medical issues thread

[Seat0B]

So I've been coughing for a few weeks without actually being sick, a dry cough. As @drron will attest this was one of the symptoms last time and I have been umming and arring about what to do, be a manly man again and tough it out or follow up as I should have done last time. Thursday I had MrsP at DHM for blood tests as the drug trial company have been in touch to let us know her potassium levels are elevated and she should get further tests. Bugger it, I'm here now so I give Genesis Care a call. The efficient Lisa says she'll email a bloods request and these are completed straight after MrsPs drawing. Next morning my haematolgist forwards a PET scan request and shortly after I get confirmation I am booked in on Tuesday. I cannot complain about how efficiently everything has happened. I had scans yesterday and now waiting for results which I am honestly not expecting to be bad news. The thing is if I didn't do anything someone would be sure to tell me if only I'd been in touch sooner.

Scanxiety is a real thing @prozac. Fingers and toes crossed for you.

 

[prozac]

Scanxiety is a real thing @prozac. Fingers and toes crossed for you.

Received good news the PET scan does not indicate any lymphoma activity. Nice to have this assurance and impressed at how responsive my team are.

 

[mrsterryn]

Received good news the PET scan does not indicate any lymphoma activity. Nice to have this assurance and impressed at how responsive my team are.

Excellent news. I think you and yours have enough happening

 

[tgh]

Great news..can now uncross my fingers ( which has been a tad inconvenient…)

 

[MARTINE]

Received good news the PET scan does not indicate any lymphoma activity. Nice to have this assurance and impressed at how responsive my team are.

@prozac
I am so happy for you and this news
Even though I do not actually know you I really enjoy reading your posts (except where possible relapse is a concern) and wish you all the best. This is (for the most part) a happy community of travel lovers - a personality trait that confers kindness open mindedness and respect.
Stay well

 

[Quickstatus]

Received good news

 

[RooFlyer]

Just had my first BCC removed the day before yesterday, from my back near shoulder. Completely innocent looking pearly pink 5 mm lump - I would’ve never recognised it as anything of a problem. It was picked up in my annual skin check.

I wasn’t overly concerned and need not have been - the GP had it off and patched up within 15 minutes.

 

[prozac]

@prozac
I am so happy for you and this news
Even though I do not actually know you I really enjoy reading your posts (except where possible relapse is a concern) and wish you all the best. This is (for the most part) a happy community of travel lovers - a personality trait that confers kindness open mindedness and respect.
Stay well

Thank you @MARTINE, I am surprised and often educated at other AFFer's trials. It is always a concern about what to share in this thread as it is not a private members-only thread which I believe it should be. @Mods I see no reason our, mostly well established member, personal-life travels should be public?

 

[Seat0B]

Received good news the PET scan does not indicate any lymphoma activity. Nice to have this assurance and impressed at how responsive my team are.

Yay! That is good to hear.

 

[ellen10]

Received good news the PET scan does not indicate any lymphoma activity. Nice to have this assurance and impressed at how responsive my team are.

Great to get some good health news for you @prozac

 

[ellen10]

MrEllen10 had his follow up appointment with our Sydney surgeon the other day. After a few follow up tests, everything is looking good and well. He admitted that it was a very interesting, testing and complicated issue, but all is good and hopefully we will not need to see him again. We shook his hand, grateful for his ongoing care and expertise, and gave him a nice bottle of red wine.

During the heart issues we had to put on hold some BCC perineural invasion problems. Finally had further margins cut out of his upper arm a couple of weeks ago ( he is collecting more large scars). Stitches out, pathology tests came back and good news no radiation required.

Mr Ellen10 is finally breathing better, feeling better and enjoying his rehab program and has more energy to do little jobs and enjoy his grand kids. So lots of positives

We are grateful for all the support and knowledge here and encouragement along the journey. And hope to pay it forward to others.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Annoying umbilical hernia popped up on Friday. Bugger. Doesn’t seem to need urgent treatment but now have to spend week with medical appointments for advice and referrals.

 

[tgh]

There have been numerous requests to mods over time to make this list member only or even better private by application like the wine list.
They have all been ignored , this tells me that the thread has no perceived value to flyer marketing which is the purpose of the site.
I guess it may have some voyeuristic appeal for the bored youngster sitting in a lounge somewhere and perhaps that is why the thread is tolerated.
I don't have a solution; we can create a private messaging list here or elsewhere but that negates somewhat the very real contribution the thread makes to encouraging care and support in general for folks who may be unwell.
The medical input from all the wonderful professionals who contribute is priceless and also builds thread value.
I have no answers but will flag this post after posting it in the hope of some "official" input.

 

[Quickstatus]

Annoying umbilical hernia popped up on Friday.

Can you push it back in?

 

[MARTINE]

MrEllen10 had his follow up appointment with our Sydney surgeon the other day. After a few follow up tests, everything is looking good and well. He admitted that it was a very interesting, testing and complicated issue, but all is good and hopefully we will not need to see him again. We shook his hand, grateful for his ongoing care and expertise, and gave him a nice bottle of red wine.

During the heart issues we had to put on hold some BCC perineural invasion problems. Finally had further margins cut out of his upper arm a couple of weeks ago ( he is collecting more large scars). Stitches out, pathology tests came back and good news no radiation required.

Mr Ellen10 is finally breathing better, feeling better and enjoying his rehab program and has more energy to do little jobs and enjoy his grand kids. So lots of positives

We are grateful for all the support and knowledge here and encouragement along the journey. And hope to pay it forward to others.

Fabulous news — on wards and upwards

 

[TheRealTMA]

Can you push it back in?

Lol. Tried that and made it worse! It’s quite firm underneath and it’s settled down a bit since Friday and not very painful atm so put off plans for ER visit. Will see what GP thinks on Monday. Luckily I have a gastroenterologist friend who gave me some good advice on Friday.

 

[OZDUCK]

Once again very minor news in comparison to others on here. But in good news for me the injections into my stiff finger a few weeks ago have worked. It is now operating well as the rest of them. So as flexible as is normal for my 72 year old fingers.

 

[Quickstatus]

Tried that and made it worse!

Crash course on hernias

Reducible hernias - never an emergency
Irreducible hernias
- (a) incarcerated. = not reducible but blood supply is not compromised. Pain is minimal. But can cause issues such as bowel obstruction. ER not necessary
- (b) strangulated - irreducible but blood supply is compromised. Very painful. Medical emergency - go to ER without passing Go.

So ER if the hernia becomes painful .