Health MATTERS

[Jude]

This is a new thread for all those who have been touched by ill health, ongoing or now past, whether it be themselves or a person close to them. I hope that anyone with a question or symptoms can ask in here and get a reasonble answer - however if things are urgent then I can only adivse you seek an appointment immediately with your GP - or if it's weekends go to your local casualty.

I want to also add things like descriptions of illnesses that some of us suffer - I really could do with a Grandfather father son system here wheren I have one thread but many levels however unless I put this to my web page I can't do it, so every now and then there will be new titles in the headers so you can see where we have go to!

With medication there is often confusion - many GP's are only allowed 7½ mins per patient - that may come as a shock to some of you, to others not an actual surprise. I am lucky that in the surgery I attend, there is no time limit - but it does mean you may have to wait a while past your appointed time to get to see your GP - which would you prefer?

So with this all in mind I will put this in place with a poll on the 7½ mins or wait and have howeverlong it takes to talk to your GP - that in itself might be an interesting debate.

Although this is a more serious thread, the odd bit of humour will be welcome!

Jude

[Great Plum]

Does your surgery only let you try and book appointments that day? That is my major bug bear...

[Jude]

Does your surgery only let you try and book appointments that day? That is my major bug bear...

We can book appointments for up to 3 weeks in advance, and if you have an emergency then there are morning and evening emergency appointments.

Personally I feel this surgery has got it right - even down to a few crackpots like me who have mad conversations with all the other patients whilst waiting! It includes the staff, so they get a laugh too!

[Jude]

until julian has fixed my poll - it should read :

if you want 20mins and are prepared to wait beyond your appointment time to get it

keep rigidly to the 7½ min rule - ie you can only have 7½ mins


(until fixed if you use which do you perfer as the I want more than 7½mins it will work out!)

[Great Plum]

Does your surgery only let you try and book appointments that day? That is my major bug bear...

We can book appointments for up to 3 weeks in advance, and if you have an emergency then there are morning and evening emergency appointments.

Personally I feel this surgery has got it right - even down to a few crackpots like me who have mad conversations with all the other patients whilst waiting! It includes the staff, so they get a laugh too!

That's good then - i think they are introducing this appointment rule at my surgery.

I have been very lucky healthwise so far. I have been registered there for 2 years and only had to go to get travel vaccinations!

[J.R.]

until julian has fixed my poll - it should read :

if you want 20mins and are prepared to wait beyond your appointment time to get it

keep rigidly to the 7½ min rule - ie you can only have 7½ mins


(until fixed if you use which do you perfer as the I want more than 7½mins it will work out!)

You should be able to edit your own poll, Jude !

[Jude]

What follows is a description of M.E., what it stands for and how it affects people. A more in-depth research is on my website (or will be soon!)

M.E. is also known as C.F.S. - Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - this is in some ways a very misleading terminology.

M.E. - what does it stand for:
The 'Myalgic' part of the term refers to symptoms associated with muscles (i.e. fatigue, pain, twitching); whereas 'Encephalomyelitis' refers to brain symptoms (i.e. difficulties with speech, memory, concentration etc…)

One of the best descriptions of the symptoms of M.E. comes from the work of Dr. Melvin Ramsay's book 'Postviral Fatigue Syndrome: the Saga of Royal Free Disease':

"Typically the illness follows an infection, usually a viral illness (which may be subclinical), in a previously fit and active person. The main symptom of M.E. is severe fatigue and malaise following exercise, with weakness and pain in the muscles after use, and frequently visible muscle twitching. This feature of muscle fatiguability is the dominant and most persistent feature of the disease, and in my opinion a diagnosis [of M.E.] should not be made without it. The exhaustion typically comes on 24 to 48 hours afterwards, not during exercise. Fatigue can also result from intellectual exertion.

Then there are a variety of neurological (brain) symptoms: for example - impairment of temperature control and circulation with ashen-gray facial pallor and abnormal sweating; poor concentration and memory; sleep disturbances and emotional instability.

The two other typical features of M.E. are first the fluctuation of symptoms from day to day or within a day, together with remissions and flare-ups during a year; and secondly the tendency for the condition to persist for several years.

Other symptoms common in M.E. are: disturbances of sensation - oversensitivity to sound or light, tinnitus, abnormal pain, numbness or pins and needles; also blurred vision and problems with balance. There is usually a total intolerance to alcohol, and digestive disturbances and food allergies are common."

Dr. Ramsay's description is acknowledged by many medical professionals as one of the best account of the clinical features of the condition.
It is important to note that each person seems to develop a slightly different collection of symptoms, so it is quite common for the severity and type of illness to vary.

[Jude]

until julian has fixed my poll - it should read :

if you want 20mins and are prepared to wait beyond your appointment time to get it

keep rigidly to the 7½ min rule - ie you can only have 7½ mins


(until fixed if you use which do you perfer as the I want more than 7½mins it will work out!)

You should be able to edit your own poll, Jude !

I tried - I rewrote it out, but when I submitted it it reverted back to the booper. Now it won't let me access it at all.

[Euterpe13]

Jude, just so that you know that you are not alone - I have ME/CFS ( finally diagnosed in 1995 after a hoopla of about 3 years sending me to just about every specialist there is , including " psychiatric pain control" oh yeah) and fibromyalgia - and yes, you can have both at the same time, to my utter joy...

Since there is no real treatment ( and most doctors still seem to think that it is a psychosomatic illness....) , I have leart to manage symptoms through diet and lifestyle choices - although getting pickled now and then also figure.... yes, of course I feel terrible afterwards ( alcohol intolerance, natch) , but the bliss of a few hours totally pain-free is worth it!

Your condition seems to be much further along than mine, but would be glad to swap medication tips any time ( or a joint , if we can smuggle one in- also helps sometimes...)- I get brain-dead episodes too, so I sympathise...

B.

[englishangel]

My son had it after appendicitis/peritonitis, (lazy b****r says his Dad).

It was a shock as he had been very hyper when younger.

It meant he missed most of his education from the age of 13, so along with the depression from ME he was also depressed at not getting any qualifications.

GP reckoned it is 'all in the mind' and had to get a diagnosis in a very roundabout way.

I spotted a list of symptoms in a magazine and thought 'That is what James has got, what is it?'

Still not totally recoverd but over the last 18 months sleeps 9-10 hours out of 24 rather than 20.

This improvement followed 2 weeks of virtually continuous exposure to sunshine, sleeping outdoors etc. (in England) which I am sure has made a difference.

[J.R.]

Isn't there a reliable blood-test for ME now ?

[Euterpe13]

No, JR, which is why is it so hard both to diagnose and also to be taken seriously... the americans are working on several tests, but most of them depend on a lumbar puncture to analyse spinal fluid .

[jtaylor]

Now change - I hope I've interpreted your question correctly to word some intuitive question answers!

J

[Jude]

Something brought up in another thread - suppositories for medication... :

Using suppositories for migraines is actually a good method and is used in this country - as the drug can be absorbed by the bowel quite quickly and efficiantly, where as many people who have migraines cannot take medication by mouth as they throw up soon after which means they don't get the full effect of the medication to help them.

Other than that suppositories are used in many other areas of medicine - after all a small thing up your bum is sometimes better than eitehr a large needle or a horse sized pill!

[Jude]

Now change - I hope I've interpreted your question correctly to word some intuitive question answers!

J

Many hugs Julian - for some reason it would not let me alter it - I suspect it had a bug (like flu!!)