Arthritis?

[PlaneMan]

Just got back from the trick cyclist and within 30 minutes he’d diagnosed me with Autism/Aspergers. The final diagnosis will take a little while longer as they go over my past, the questionnaires and the notes taken today. He was amazed that with all the professionals I’ve seen over the years no-one had had any inkling. ?

The reason for putting it in this topic is when he was going over my medication/ailments he asked why I wasn’t taking pain killers for the arthritis and when I explained that they don’t work he mentioned that autistic people have a 30% higher chance of certain medications not working or having side effects.   That makes a lot of sense.

[Ed P]

Too damned logical for  the placebo effect to work!

Outside the US — In 1996, a painkiller relieved symptoms in 73 percent more patients than a placebo. i.e. there is roughly a 30% placebo effect. Tough luck – you just have to BELIEVE that the mind is stronger than the body, a little more than you do, then you could BELIEVE aspirin cures all. (incidentally the placebo effect for that most dangerous drug, paracetamol is very high)

Why outside the US ? basically because of the heavy drug marketing that goes on – there the placebo effect is now only about 10%

[Ed P]

I guess that latter statement I made could be inferred to say that there is a 20% mixed placebo/real effect for painkillers with but only 10% of pain killers really work without some sort of placebo effect.

Sorry for the divert, I have always found placebos fascinating ever since the time when I was a 10 yr old child and my GP used it to eradicate a wart using something akin to a witch-doctor’s trick of telling me the painful consequences of what he would do if his painless fakery failed. (it worked of course)

Missing link

 

[Bob Williams]

PlaneMan wrote:

autistic people have a 30% higher chance of certain medications not working or having side effects. That makes a lot of sense.

Nolan, that explains some things about my senior gson the Aspergers lad. He is mind-bendingly logical and highly intelligent, possibly the worst combination for any health professional. He was suffering from Thyroid and vitamin D deficiencies, had appointments that apparently only granddad can take him to. Doc suggests various remedies, he questions them all in depth. Example: “Vitamin D replacement tablets: how do they work?”

Doc: “They support your system to create Vitamin D for itself.”

“How, exactly? How is it absorbed, how does it enter my system? Does it have side effects: it is not a natural substance, it replaces a natural effect, after all.”

And so on – he is a med. pro’s nightmare, but when he found the one consultant who explained (with body diagrams) exactly how it worked, he was content.

Anyone who considers themselves logical in thought and action, get into conversation with two Aspergers people like my gson and his mate. The ideas flow, the talk gets faster and the world starts to wobble a bit on its axis.

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Richard]

Tramadol, remind me what is that supposed to do? Ah yes if you are lucky it could stop the trots but has no effect on my for pain relief or anything else beyond acute stopping up for that matter. Others found they could fly like kites with no strings. Gabapentin, a multi-use treatment, it might even work for some, just no use for me.

Sedatives let me see, ah yes they make you roaring drunk so you lack any cares in the world.

Minocycline, not a well favoured antibiotic this one, especially so when you know that those who are susceptible may develop drug induced lupus and end up almost bed ridden; if it is not stopped in time they probably will end up that way. The recovery may take a long time and while blood chemistry might appear to improve within months, functional recovery takes far longer and can be affected by other conditions associated with the patient’s make up.

Those are just a few of the items to which I or a blood related family member have had ‘unusual’ reactions.

[JayCeeDee]

I’m on Gabapentin at the moment – it was prescribed by the one GP I’ve seen since getting the shingles. It was partially effective, but on a re-visit it was upped from 100mg to 300 mg and it was a godsend.

The co-codamol that they said would do, was just not cutting it – the GP said co-codamol was good for muscle/joint pain/toothache/headache but no good with shingles which attacked the nerves, so a nerve painkiller was required.

Bob – I know what you mean re autism, we went on a course some years ago and it was explained to me so :-

If you tell an autistic person “Hang on a minute!” You’ll likely get an answer “ What do I hang on to and must it be exactly 60 seconds?!!” That course was a real eye opener.

[Bob Williams]

That’s my gson, John: every word we say has to be internally checked before release. I text and say “Be at your gate in 10.” Back comes – “10 what?” – “Minutes.” – “OK.”

He lives in an ‘executive’ flat within a gated courtyard and is there on the dot to open the gate. The one who drives him crackers, is his mum: our daughter is the family’s worst time keeper. So he doesn’t go to the gate until she calls him: “I’m here!”

His Gt. granddad, wife’s dad, I suspect had some Aspergers. He was a Station Master until 1962, the days of clockwork timekeeping were his time and he was a stickler for it. If I turned up 5 minutes late, he would be pacing the carpet. His garden was a riot of roses and fruit bushes, until you looked from further back and picked out the regular spacing between plants. Lovely man though: best possible FIL.

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[PlaneMan]

Just seen the GP, she gave me some info on possible medication to help with my pain. There will also be a referral to a ‘wellness team’ to see if there’s anything they can do for me in general but mostly along the lines of finding me somewhere quiet (in terms of noise and people) where I can ride an exercise bike for a few hours a few times a week.

[Bob Williams]

Sounds like real, pratical help to me Nolan. Hope it does help you.

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Ed P]

If things do not work out (hope they do), ask about a possible referral to a Pain Clinic.

[PlaneMan]

Ed, there’s meant to be a pain clinic referral in the works but it can take upto a year in the area I am

[Richard]

Good luck with all of those issues, pain control can be and is a real problem for some. You will find some people will swear by a certain treatment while others simply swear at it because it is useless – for them. I have heard exercise can help some sufferers, but sometimes the stupid places that hurt make that a challenging option. I have it in some toes, it makes all sorts of movements an issue when it wants to try me. Still what with dog walking, supermarket smash ‘n grab, trips round hospital car parks plus the corridors I am now well past the 10,000 steps target for the day. It feels like it too.

[PlaneMan]

Thanks for all the good wishes.

The GP I saw today is superb, I honestly don’t think I could see any one better. TBH they are all very good at the surgery but this one just has a bit more desire to help people. Shame it’s very hard to get an appointment  as she’s part time.

[Bob Williams]

That echoes the part-time lady GP at ours. She is actually the one who spotted my prostate problem, sorted out CT & MRI scans which led to the discovery of the pancreas growth. Now the prostate has settled down to 2 pees nightly!

But all the GP’s at our surgery are good and effective. I think the big difference is that they work together. A friend from Dispensary tells me that they have regular meetings after hours, to discuss patients “at risk”. Apperently I am regularly on that list, which is very comforting. I think….?

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[The Duke]

I get a monthly bag of pills for my back. Earlier this month I looked over my prescription slips and they say ”review due July 2014.”

Sort of sums my GP practice up.

[Tippon]

That sounds like mine Steve. Every prescription says you can have this many more repeats before a review. It’s a different number every time, and usually higher…

My GP also prescribed me Tramadol for years, on the hospital’s orders. After the scare stories a while back, he just stopped them dead with no warning. Luckily, Alice was still a baby, so I could manage her along with the withdrawal and the pain the Tramadol was previously fighting!

[Bob Williams]

That’s why I am only taking ONE Codeine-Paracetamol in the morning, instead of the prescribed two, twice a day. I take two an hour before bed, it gets me to sleep. Currently my missus has a continual dry cough, I had to enlist daughter to make her ask an appointment. She now has an appointment to see a consultant about associated X-rays on Tuesday. Trying to stop her worrying about the results, is like trying to stop the Sun going down at night.

Prescription reviews are like buses in my part of the country. Miss one, you have a long wait to get another. Over the Bank Holiday, Stagecoach Lincs have announced they will be running a Sunday Service. Thank you very much, that means NO buses through my village until Tuesday. That service connects Lincoln – Grimsby – Cleethorpes/Louth – Mablethorpe – Skegness, missing out the Mablethorpe and Skeggy connections. Thus preventing families reliant upon public transport, from travelling to the resorts. Therefore not helping the local Tourist economy, over a period of several warm, sunny days. Hopeless.

Next week is busy: Tuesday SWMBO’s appointment. Wednesday collect new car and phone surgery to make appontments for next round of vaccinations. Thursday, up to Beverley Community Hospital to see my consultant, for a verdict on my progress. Friday our cleaner arrives to thrash the house into submission. That will be my cue to disappear somewhere.

Today my back is easier and I managed a walk, during which SWMBO could not keep up because she just had to leave her stick behind. Why are women so vain about having to give in to age and infirmity? She is defo not over the new Hip yet. Shortly I am going for my first drive since March.

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Ed P]

Those with autoimmune problems, be they hay fever or arthritis may find this baking soda article interesting. Perhaps a morning soda before lunch may be a good idea!

[Richard]

Ed P wrote:

Those with autoimmune problems, be they hay fever or arthritis may find this baking soda article interesting. Perhaps a morning soda before lunch may be a good idea!

Second try, I am not sure that the sodium in baking soda sounds a great idea, I wonder if Milk of Magnesia does the same useful function? It was a family stand by for my parents and they lasted into their nineties without arthritic issues.

[Richard]

Bob Williams wrote:

That will be my cue to disappear somewhere. Today my back is easier and I managed a walk, during which SWMBO could not keep up because she just had to leave her stick behind. Why are women so vain about having to give in to age and infirmity? She is defo not over the new Hip yet. Shortly I am going for my first drive since March.

Did your wife not get any/much physio? I sounds as though she could/should benefit. Frankly I am a believer in using all the aids you can to make things better and keep as fulfilled as you can.

My wife has now stopped her autoimmune treatment ready for chemo, some of the steroids might help her but for the moment she is struggling badly so it is down to me to keep her car going with a weekly run. She last drove it in December when I had my eyes done

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