One Up For New NHS Working Practices

[Richard]

My wife had one of those ‘you will be seen within a short notice period’ appointments this morning. I rashly assumed it would be the usual have a scan well be in touch in three months jobs. True there were several wait periods, but in a little under three hours a consultation, several scans a couple of biopsies and another consultation had taken place. Final results will take a a week or so for the lab to process the biopsies, but to go from a standing start to the full work up that fast had me reeling.

The inevitable road blockages due to the daily accidents was turned into a countryside viewing pain while we skirted round the problem, but my wife learned how to use the phone, at last. So a double winner.

Quote of the day when viewing the phone map, ‘is that blue dot us?’

[Ed P]

Sounds good Richard – I hope all continues to go well.

Your comment on ‘a couple of biopsies’ reminds me of a mate of mine who many years ago had problems with his knee joints (no surprises really as he was a Sparks), what was a surprise was that the newly qualified GP then check-marked about every vaguely related biopsy in the GP how-to do-it manual including those for congenital syphilis. My mate came away from the hospital at the end of the battery of tests wishing that he had never complained!

[Richard]

Thank you Ed, the word at the end was go home and forget about today. At least the biopsies were all focused on the exact problem area by a squad who gave the impression it was not the first, or last such case. One pace forward, my wife started treatment for a related condition to lupus, two weeks back, so she can manage to walk and climb stairs without so much pain, and one back via today’s ‘event’.

I see a less urgent skin person next month…

[JayCeeDee]

Had one of those days too!!! Went to the Nurse Practitioner at our GP’s first thing today. It was a follow-up on the blood tests in January that showed I have raised blood pressure and raised cholesterol. Well the BP is back down a bit, I’ll find out if the statins are doing their job and bringing the cholesterol down, next week, along with the results of the MRI on my knees.

I was worrying a bit about some back pain, as muscle pain is one of the unwanted side effects of the statins – turns out that was an unnecessary concern, I’ve got shingles, again!!?

[Ed P]

If you keep getting Shingles is it worth asking about getting the anti-shingle vaccination? It may cost you £100 if you are not an old phart. Link

[JayCeeDee]

Ed P wrote:

If you keep getting Shingles is it worth asking about getting the anti-shingle vaccination? It may cost you £100 if you are not an old phart. Link

 

Yes – I was reading up on that today, and shingles in general. It is generally accepted if you’re under 55, shingles isn’t too much of a problem. That was the case the first time round, when I was recovering after breaking my legs back in ’89 – weakened immune system left me vulnerable to it. Over 55 and had it before?? – could be problematic. It seems to be only available if you’re 70 or 78, but I reckon I can push the case and argue against their age logic, ie close(ish) to 70 and now had it twice!!

 

[Bob Williams]

I had the vaccine last year for the first time JayCeeDee. Only about 5 months ago, so can’t say whether it worked or not yet. Certainly no after-effects. I know what Shingles is like, get it every few years. My painfull pimples turn into horrendous great scabs and I had enough: anything that helps get rid of that is good.

I started in the Army, with chickenpox at 20! Taken to Aldershot hospital, in an isolation ward. My mate Ron from Redditch laughed: “That’s a kids disease!” 3 days later he was in the next ward holding up cards “Going to kill you, Williams!”

Years later, out in Civvy Street, MOT testing local doctor’s Land Rover, asked him about the painfull pimples on my back. “Bend over the Headlamp Tester!” He was a personal friend as well as my Doc – “You have Shingles!” Had them off and on ever since, hate the buggas.

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

[JayCeeDee]

The sores themselves are a nuisance, but tolerable. What I hate is the  tiredness/headaches/nausea that accompanies them – worse than the worst hangover ( and I’ve had a few ). I didn’t feel this bad when I was on the anti-body/chemo regimen – it just feels like you’re dying ( or want to!!).☹

Slinks off feeling severely sorry for myself………………….

[Richard]

A bit of a follow up, after an appointment last week at which the results were reported as inconclusive he requested an urgent repeat. We tried but were given a 9th April urgent rerun appointment.. until Thursday afternoon when the 9th at 16:00 hours became 09:45 on the 3rd. A very long scan session and a number of biopsies later we left, with instructions for my wife to take pain killers on arrival home. About two hours later a text message arrived, for a follow up appointment on the 9th for a proper drains up.

[JayCeeDee]

Coincidentally, I was back at the GP today for the results of blood tests and MRI’s on my knees. Well, the good news is my cholesterol is down from 5.9 ( or thereabouts ) to 3.5 – doc was happy, he said the statins seem to be working. I replied that the stone I’d lost over the last two weeks with shingles could only have helped!! Cynical??? Moi???

The knees contribution to this weeks delights were that the GP is referring me to the Orthopaedic department at the hospital. A bit of granularity under both kneecaps – right much worse – swollen and possibly damaged meniscus on the right and arthritis to both, worse on the right. He reckons a couple of keyhole procedures to remove the crud and some injections to ease the meniscus should resolve the problems. 18 week lead time should give me some time to build up some muscles to aid the situation – we’ll see.

The shingles are still around but seem to be starting to clear. I’ve still got a band of pain 5″ wide from the small of my back round to just past the belly button. He told me to keep up with the painkillers, both the co-codamol for general and the gabapentin for the nerve pain, which  has been upped to 300mg tablets instead of the 100mg ones. Had a sleep in the armchair this afternoon and woke up dozier than I’ve felt for a while – could it be I’m in for a good nights sleep tonight??!!

Hoping all is well with you all out there in forumite land!:)

[Richard]

I had damaged cartilage removed  removed from my right knee about 55 years ago, for years after that it ground about so effectively on the granules that on a cool day in a quiet room you could hear it creak and groan like two plates with sand in between them. You can still feel it grind a bit now, but perhaps it is less noisy, or my hearing is less good? Its noise role has been taken over my my cervical vertebra and bone conduction ensures that I do hear that bump and grind, but at least I can move my head probably because of a few hours of spinal surgery.

If there is another issue, such as swelling or arthritis then they might justify specific action(s). The 18 week wait is a bit of a hiccup, I saw my doctor last week about a finger with mobility problems, it was swelling and locking. He turned round and gave me an injection there and then. It is not yet perfect but the swelling has reduced and it is locking less than it was. He reckoned on a 2 ~ 3 week improvement period and contact him after 4 weeks if it was still in trouble. Previous injections in the other hand were not so useful and I ended up with operations on three fingers, So good luck, the loss of weight should/might help knee joints, but the inflammation from the illness might have taken things the other way.

[Author]

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