In Sickness and in Health

[Xela]

2 hours ago, Follyfoot said:

Can you PM me her number please 

He's called Dr Fox.

Not sure of his medical qualifications, but he does spin some fine tunes.

[Follyfoot]

37 minutes ago, Xela said:

He's called Dr Fox.

Not sure of his medical qualifications, but he does spin some fine tunes.

I have heard he is not a real Dr or a real Fox 

[Xela]

1 hour ago, Follyfoot said:

I have heard he is not a real Dr or a real Fox 

The bastard!

[bielesibub]

23 hours ago, hogso said:

7 weeks ago I was really ill, quite suddenly, over the weekend. Symptoms of a fever, hot and cold spells, high temperature. I put it down to Covid initially. 

Shortly after that I had a lot of trouble urinating, and when I did it was really smelly and cloudy. GP diagnosed me with a Urinary Tract Infection following urine test showing positive for infection, 1 week of antibiotics. 

2-3 days after that course, symptoms came back. GP gives me the same prescription for another week, but this time sends me for bloods. Bloods are done, everything checked comes back as within normal levels. 

During this time I've started to have pain in my back, sides (kidneys), testicles, thighs, although the UTI symptoms themselves have lessened. The worst thing really is having to get up during the night 2-3 times to urinate which is ruining my nights, bear in mind I also have a 3 year old. 

2-3 days after the next course ends, symptoms return. This time the GP diagnoses me with epididymitis aka. poorly bollock tube. Different antibiotics, and this time, 2 week course. 

These antibiotics have almost no effect on symptoms it seems, and once the course is finished, my back pain in particular has gotten notably worse. 

Fourth GP does a prostate exam and explains one side is enlarged, refers me for the Prostate Serum Antigen blood test, as well as getting me an urgent referral to Urology at the hospital.

PSA test comes back as slightly raised which may be down the infection I have (or have had) but below levels for concern. 

Consultant at urology does a prostate exam and says he's not concerned about cancer with that alongside the PSA result. However, he is concerned about the recurring infection which he suggests should be impossible for a male of my age. 

So I now have lined up, or will have lined up...an MRI scan, urine flow test, bladder retention test, camera up the wazoo to check my urinary tract test, semen culture test, oh and for me and missus to have STI tests too. 

I've never had a hospital admission, broke a bone, and I've been to the GP more times in the last 7 weeks than in the last 20+ years, so it all seems a bit mad. 

Unfortunately symptoms of prostatitis and a benign enlarged prostate or prostate cancer are all very similar, although the former appears to be the most likely explanation at the moment...although that's an issue far more common in 60+ years olds (I'm 37). Plus, I've already had 2 weeks of the most likely antibiotics to treat that with little improvement. 

So, it probably isn't cancer, but could be, but probably isn't. Dunno. I note that @drat01 advises the chaps to go and get checked out, the prostate exam isn't really that bad. I was geared up for having to have one, but I was sick and tired of feeling...well, sick and tired by that point, so was and remain more than happy to do whatever the heck they want to figure out what's going on. 

 

Name the Final Fantasy thread after me x 

I’ve been having very similar problems over the past 7 years. Each time I end up in hospital, get patched up, sent home then we wait for the inevitable kidney pain, temperature, urgency to pee, etc This recurrent infection has made my MS symptoms get gradually worse. I can only get about with a Zimmer frame now! Worst case I had was the start of this year, I had Covid, pyelonephritis and urosepsis. The fever and pain had me hallucinating, I thought at one point I had been teleported to Australia!
Most recently I’ve been in hospital twice, october and November. I’ve been out for 2 weeks. I’ve got a catheter, which is both a pain and a blessing. I’m currently meant to be getting better at home, I sleep most of the day. 
from my experience, gps will prescribe you broad spectrum antibiotics where you probably need a fairly specific type. In my case this is usually done a couple of days after the broad spectrum antibiotics haven’t worked and after a culture blood test is taken and a specific antibiotic is then given. This is happens only if I am in hospital though. 
if your temperature goes over 39, don’t mess around call 999. have you got a thermometer at home?
For pain and temperature relief keep taking paracetamol, as much as you are allowed of course. I found morphine was the only thing that really took away the pain, it also had me watching the telly tubbies dance around in a picture on the hospital ward wall. 
Apologies if this makes no sense, after my latest stint in hospital I’m really struggling to make my mind work properly. I’ll go back to bed now. 

[hogso]

1 hour ago, bielesibub said:

I’ve been having very similar problems over the past 7 years. Each time I end up in hospital, get patched up, sent home then we wait for the inevitable kidney pain, temperature, urgency to pee, etc This recurrent infection has made my MS symptoms get gradually worse. I can only get about with a Zimmer frame now! Worst case I had was the start of this year, I had Covid, pyelonephritis and urosepsis. The fever and pain had me hallucinating, I thought at one point I had been teleported to Australia!
Most recently I’ve been in hospital twice, october and November. I’ve been out for 2 weeks. I’ve got a catheter, which is both a pain and a blessing. I’m currently meant to be getting better at home, I sleep most of the day. 
from my experience, gps will prescribe you broad spectrum antibiotics where you probably need a fairly specific type. In my case this is usually done a couple of days after the broad spectrum antibiotics haven’t worked and after a culture blood test is taken and a specific antibiotic is then given. This is happens only if I am in hospital though. 
if your temperature goes over 39, don’t mess around call 999. have you got a thermometer at home?
For pain and temperature relief keep taking paracetamol, as much as you are allowed of course. I found morphine was the only thing that really took away the pain, it also had me watching the telly tubbies dance around in a picture on the hospital ward wall. 
Apologies if this makes no sense, after my latest stint in hospital I’m really struggling to make my mind work properly. I’ll go back to bed now. 

The transported to Australia bit sounds OK, not sure about the rest. 

Has the actual cause of your infections been identified? One GP suggested to me it was bad luck which seemed...rather anti climactic? 

I did get the impression that a couple of the GPs expected me to fess up to some unusual sexual habit which may increase my risks, but no.

Yeah, we've had a proper thermometer since the height of Covid. It's quite handy actually. My temp at it's worst was around 38, so not anything that concerning. Yet!

[bielesibub]

6 hours ago, hogso said:

The transported to Australia bit sounds OK, not sure about the rest. 

Has the actual cause of your infections been identified? One GP suggested to me it was bad luck which seemed...rather anti climactic? 

I did get the impression that a couple of the GPs expected me to fess up to some unusual sexual habit which may increase my risks, but no.

Yeah, we've had a proper thermometer since the height of Covid. It's quite handy actually. My temp at it's worst was around 38, so not anything that concerning. Yet!

there are a few things wrong, thanks to MS I’ve got a ridiculously over active bladder, I never fully empty my bladder, the flap valve that stops piss going up into my kidney from my bladder is broken and stuck open as a result my bladder squirts stale pee ( the pee that remains when I haven’t fully emptied my bladder) right up the ureter and into my kidney causing recurring kidney infections. 
 

my experience with GPs has been really awful. 
 

you seem to be lined up with a bunch of further tests which is great. Fingers crossed the stars align and they find out what is causing your problems. 

[tomav84]

On 16/10/2023 at 13:56, tomav84 said:

hernia operations...anyone had one and how long was the recovery time?

looks like i need one never had any form of operation before so i'm shitting it...even though it's about as routine as they come

had this done yesterday. sore but otherwise fine

general anasthetic is weird innit. literally out like a light then woken up. i know that's the idea, but was just odd having never had it before. didn't talk any gibberish when i woke up like some do apprently but bizarrely the first thing i thought of as i was coming around was moussa diaby. his face just popped into my head as soon as i woke up. very odd.

[Anthony]

28 minutes ago, tomav84 said:

didn't talk any gibberish when i woke up like some do 

FFS. You're letting us all down.

Glad to hear the op appears to have been a success.

[UpTheVilla26]

Not sure what I've got but feel like shyte. 

Missus was a bit rough over the weekend, she works in a school and said it's full of illness at the moment. 

Worked Monday, then started to feel a bit rubbish. Went Tuesday but left at 1ish, which included a 2 hour drive home from the place we were working at. 

Since then, I feel like death. 1 min I am too hot, then I'm too cold, ache like hell, full of snot and I got the worse cough I think I've ever had. Unfortunately, I smoke, which don't help but I was gasping for air last night after coughing and felt like I was going to throw up. 

I just tried to get dressed to pop out and grab some rolls for tea but ended up having to use Deliveroo.

I'm swaying to the fact I've got flu

[tonyh29]

As some of you know , I ended up in A & E on New Year’s Day ..

I ended  up back in hospital again about a fortnight  ago , similar episode to the previous time , heart all over the place , fainting , shortness of breath , diarrhoea , vomiting , limbs aching , feel so tired I can barely stand up but equally sleep seems impossible 

Spent another 14 hours in A&E , they couldn’t find anything wrong , with my heart , blood , urine etc , eventually after being on a drip everything  calmed down and  I went home again

they’ve put it down to severe  Gastroenteritis both times , but I’m not sure if that is the hospital equivalent of no fault found tbh.

Today I had another “episode” .. haven’t bothered with A&E  as I really don’t want to burden what is already an over crowded  area , felt like shit again , heart rate spiked up to 140 hands were shaking , felt exhausted , puked 4 times , after a few hours it’s settled down and I feel fine again

but , I really really need to get to the bottom of this … Doctors are suggesting I wear  a heart trace for 72 hours , personally I don’t think it’s my heart but I’m happy to rule everything out , if they ever actually get it setup

but I’m wondering  if some form of wellness check can get to the bottom of what it might be , anyone ever had one done privately and an in-depth one ? 

 

[Designer1]

5 minutes ago, tonyh29 said:

As some of you know , I ended up in A & E on New Year’s Day ..

I ended  up back in hospital again about a fortnight  ago , similar episode to the previous time , heart all over the place , fainting , shortness of breath , diarrhoea , vomiting , limbs aching , feel so tired I can barely stand up but equally sleep seems impossible 

Spent another 14 hours in A&E , they couldn’t find anything wrong , with my heart , blood , urine etc , eventually after being on a drip everything  calmed down and  I went home again

they’ve put it down to severe  Gastroenteritis both times , but I’m not sure if that is the hospital equivalent of no fault found tbh.

Today I had another “episode” .. haven’t bothered with A&E  as I really don’t want to burden what is already an over crowded  area , felt like shit again , heart rate spiked up to 140 hands were shaking , felt exhausted , puked 4 times , after a few hours it’s settled down and I feel fine again

but , I really really need to get to the bottom of this … Doctors are suggesting I wear  a heart trace for 72 hours , personally I don’t think it’s my heart but I’m happy to rule everything out , if they ever actually get it setup

but I’m wondering  if some form of wellness check can get to the bottom of what it might be , anyone ever had one done privately and an in-depth one ? 

 

Blimey Tone, hope you get it sorted soon.

Had the standard wellness check when I hit the 50 mark a couple of years ago but it was pretty standard.

**edit** the heart trace is a good idea though. Even just to tick it off the list.

Edited February 6 by Designer1

[choffer]

4 hours ago, tonyh29 said:

but I’m wondering  if some form of wellness check can get to the bottom of what it might be , anyone ever had one done privately and an in-depth one ? 

I’m fortunate enough to have the Bupa’s through work. (It does my yoghurt-knitting reputation all kinds of harm).
Having hit 50 myself last year, I took them up on the offer of a full health check and I have to say, it was incredibly (and occasionally invasively) thorough. 
If you have private healthcare, I’d get straight onto it. In fact, even if not, you can always pony up and pay to get a decent examination. 

[tonyh29]

13 hours ago, choffer said:

I’m fortunate enough to have the Bupa’s through work. (It does my yoghurt-knitting reputation all kinds of harm).
Having hit 50 myself last year, I took them up on the offer of a full health check and I have to say, it was incredibly (and occasionally invasively) thorough. 
If you have private healthcare, I’d get straight onto it. In fact, even if not, you can always pony up and pay to get a decent examination. 

saw the doc today and asked about a full health check but she didn't think it would be much use to me in this instance 

but she was very thorough and said she will get to the bottom of it all ... took more blood and has lined up an Ultra sound and  an endoscopy  and given me some medication in the meantime  .. so fingers crossed some progress has been made  ..

[Stevo985]

19 hours ago, tonyh29 said:

As some of you know , I ended up in A & E on New Year’s Day ..

I ended  up back in hospital again about a fortnight  ago , similar episode to the previous time , heart all over the place , fainting , shortness of breath , diarrhoea , vomiting , limbs aching , feel so tired I can barely stand up but equally sleep seems impossible 

Spent another 14 hours in A&E , they couldn’t find anything wrong , with my heart , blood , urine etc , eventually after being on a drip everything  calmed down and  I went home again

they’ve put it down to severe  Gastroenteritis both times , but I’m not sure if that is the hospital equivalent of no fault found tbh.

Today I had another “episode” .. haven’t bothered with A&E  as I really don’t want to burden what is already an over crowded  area , felt like shit again , heart rate spiked up to 140 hands were shaking , felt exhausted , puked 4 times , after a few hours it’s settled down and I feel fine again

but , I really really need to get to the bottom of this … Doctors are suggesting I wear  a heart trace for 72 hours , personally I don’t think it’s my heart but I’m happy to rule everything out , if they ever actually get it setup

but I’m wondering  if some form of wellness check can get to the bottom of what it might be , anyone ever had one done privately and an in-depth one ? 

 

It doesn't sound as severe, but IDKWTCH has been suffering with something similar to this. She has episodes like yours. Shortness of breath, sweating, feeling sick, exhausted etc. Like I said not as bad as yours sounds but not dissimilar

 

Hers was eventually diagnosed as Immune Thrombocytopenia, which is basically a very low platelet count in your blood. It's an immune condition basically that can lead to excessive bleeding and bruising and, obviously , lack of ability to fight infections and things.Treatments was a course of steroids and ongoing medication to maintain a high (ish) level of platelets.

 

It probably isn't that, and I'm sure if they're doing blood tests they'll pick it up straight away, but just thought I'd flag it given the "episodes" seem quite similar

[chrisp65]

If it turns out the entire research arm of the NHS has been needed to recommend not making coffee in a microwave I shall be furious.

[tonyh29]

1 minute ago, Stevo985 said:

It doesn't sound as severe, but IDKWTCH has been suffering with something similar to this. She has episodes like yours. Shortness of breath, sweating, feeling sick, exhausted etc. Like I said not as bad as yours sounds but not dissimilar

 

Hers was eventually diagnosed as Immune Thrombocytopenia, which is basically a very low platelet count in your blood. It's an immune condition basically that can lead to excessive bleeding and bruising and, obviously , lack of ability to fight infections and things.Treatments was a course of steroids and ongoing medication to maintain a high (ish) level of platelets.

 

It probably isn't that, and I'm sure if they're doing blood tests they'll pick it up straight away, but just thought I'd flag it given the "episodes" seem quite similar

hope she is responding well to the treatment and feeling better 

To my mind something like this makes more sense than the heart which they seemed to have been focusing on , though i appreciate they also need to  rule that out of the equation .. so far my blood work has been ok , but the Doctor today said she was going to test my  Pancras and liver functionality and get results tonight and give me a call 

the two prescriptions I got this morning seem to have helped , at least I've stopped feeling like shit , but then again I've been here before and then its come back again 

 

[Stevo985]

Just now, tonyh29 said:

hope she is responding well to the treatment and feeling better 

To my mind something like this makes more sense than the heart which they seemed to have been focusing on , though i appreciate they also need to  rule that out of the equation .. so far my blood work has been ok , but the Doctor today said she was going to test my  Pancras and liver functionality and get results tonight and give me a call 

the two prescriptions I got this morning seem to have helped , at least I've stopped feeling like shit , but then again I've been here before and then its come back again 

 

I'm always wary of telling doctors how to do their job, they certainly know more than a guy you met on the internet telling you what it could be based on a handful of symptoms.

But might be worth asking to see your blood results and then you can covertly look at the platelet count. I believe anything under 150,000 platelets per microlitre of blood is classed as "low" (IDKWTCH her got as low as 14,000)

Like I said it's probably nothing to do with it, but might be worth a check

[Stevo985]

2 minutes ago, Stevo985 said:

I'm always wary of telling doctors how to do their job, they certainly know more than a guy you met on the internet telling you what it could be based on a handful of symptoms.

But might be worth asking to see your blood results and then you can covertly look at the platelet count. I believe anything under 150,000 platelets per microlitre of blood is classed as "low" (IDKWTCH her got as low as 14,000)

Like I said it's probably nothing to do with it, but might be worth a check

Oh @tonyh29 also worth mentioning that they're now testing her for Lupus, which again having a skim down the symptoms doesn't sound too dissimilar to yours, especially as they tend to occur in "flare ups"

[Davkaus]

12 minutes ago, Stevo985 said:

Oh @tonyh29 also worth mentioning that they're now testing her for Lupus, which again having a skim down the symptoms doesn't sound too dissimilar to yours, especially as they tend to occur in "flare ups"

I've seen enough episodes of House to know that it's never Lupus.

[lapal_fan]

16 minutes ago, Davkaus said:

I've seen enough episodes of House to know that it's never Lupus.

Best do a lumbar puncture just in case.