General health matters.

[pre65]

You trying to justify your miserable stance is all the prize I need .

[Mike H]

Does anyone want to hear any more about my toes, or will I be repeating myself?

Skip the following if not interested:


Next check-up Wedenesday, she said last time "keep coming back for as long as it takes"

[pre65]

Does anyone want to hear any more about my toes, or will I be repeating myself?

Skip the following if not interested:


Next check-up Wedenesday, she said last time "keep coming back for as long as it takes"

Updates welcome Mike.

[izzy wizzy]

Does anyone want to hear any more about my toes, or will I be repeating myself?

Skip the following if not interested:


Next check-up Wedenesday, she said last time "keep coming back for as long as it takes"

I don't think we need a vote unlike somebody with a brain bleed.

[Mike H]

Check-up visit today – still a bit of discharge to clear (breaking up scabs), re-bandaged again – always have to when been reopened again, to prevent infection and keep them 'moist' for a bit, this clears more of the discharge. I'm to take the dressings off again Friday afternoon to let them dry out (again), then go in again on Tuesday, see what she thinks about them then.

I might be able to sleep with them covered tonight. Up to now I've been sleeping with my feet sticking out the end, either because it's too painful to have bedclothes over, or to prevent any discharge soiling bedding. Sorry if you were eating.

[andrew Ivimey]

Okay Mike - long slow road to recovery - onwards!

[Paul Barker]

To update you, to recap I refused statins from a telephone conversation with a random gp not my own, that had been given the task of prescribing me statins simply because me ldl collesterol was 8 Something. i said “I want proper investigations from a cardiologist before I take statins.

yesterday the telephone cardiologist occurred. The man was absolutely superb. I wasnt fobbed off with an sho or registrar. It was the cardiologist.

Cut to the quick in the end the rebel in my means I changed nothing about my carnivorous diet, I still cook with beef dripping, mainly red meat, moo cow liver, mince roasts and lamb. I eat root vegetable predominantly, almost no beans or legumes, and I avoid anything that says on the tin or packet “suitable for vegans”. I excercise every third day to a good degree such that the gym machine is now calling me a Sportsman. fast most days, but eat as much as I like outside the fast times.

The consultant said youre collesteral is back down to 6 what have you been doing to bring it down. i said “nothing, I wanted to see where it is with my normal routines.” He replied “you are back down to where you were 5 years ago. But at youre age we would rather it was down to 5”. He had ordered many blood tests from which he read Im as fit as a butcher’s dog, zero metabolic issues, zero liver and kidney damage markers. He searched deeper with questions of my lifestyle, with the greatest of respect in his tone of voice, and didnt condemn me insensetively about the few hours a day I smoke… always after work never during. We agreed I really have to take the bull by the horns and win this battle. its stupid to be that healthy and smoke. Some of you will know its just so hard to give up. I know I have to do it.

So he never mentioned statins and he only mentioned it would be good if through dietary methods I could get my collesterol down to 5. I totally respect him and he totally respected me. He gave me a weblink he aproves of with guidance on reducing cholesterol without statins. He wants me to give up smoking by warm encouragement like a equal not a dominator, and said we’ll have a review in 6 months.”. What an intelligent and professional man!

[Mike H]

Pre Covid, I tried statins for high colesterol (6.7) by doctor's suggestion, on prescription, I stopped taking them about 5 months later 'cos of danger of fainting attacks all over the place. Stopped the pills, same day noticeably better, next day, noticeably better again, and so on, still took weeks if not months for the woozy spells to completely stop. By this time we're well into lockdowns (2020) so the doctor's surgery has got more serious things to worry about than my colesterol levels. However another blood test later showed it's down to 5.4. But same story, "at your age we want it down to 5".

[Mike H]

Quick update re the feet - another check-up since last time, 29th Nov, again break the scabs up to release any fluid, but also, any layers that are loose and want to come off, this is to prevent infection occurring underneath. So new dressings, instructions to remove on Thursday, which I did - right toe fine, bit moist but will dry up (that is the point of removing the dressings for a few days). Left toe however, was having a proper bleeding session and I mean dripping on the floor, good job there wasn't a carpet. 3 swabs later to staunch the flow, 2 paper towels to clean the floor, then about a half hour or so after that, still looking a bit moist, but just clear fluid again. Now dried up and scabbed over. Going back again on Wednesday 7th Dec for another verdict.

I have been sleeping in my OEX duck down sleeping bag because it's really lightweight, on a camp bed, and is much warmer than leaving your feet outside at this time of year.

Onwards!

[IslandPink]

I just don't know what to believe on this, the advice seems to change every year. I'd read a while back that there was decreasing risk that high cholesterol was a problem as you got older, certainly past age 70 .
I don't know why they are so keen on total cholesterol either, i thought the science had moved on to be looking at the LDL/HDL ratio ?
I've also watched more recent discussion from a couple of reliable-looking presenters on Youtube about the Triglyceride/HDL ratio being the one most correlated with small LDL particles and atherosclerosis.
Watch this space ... !

[Paul Barker]

Yes Mike and Mark.

Yes Mark the test we do is primitive.

Only certain sized ldl molecules are capable of bulking a calcification. So it should be judged if you have dna markers combined with the data on the type of ldl in particle size. I thnk small ones are dangerous, but might be more complexed than that.

Id want to start though measuring arterial calcification. Then an up to date cholesterol profile if there are plaques. And the important dna analysis to see if. You are someone that needs statins.

But drug companies encourage Dr’s to prescribe statins willy nilly.

[pre65]

Some good news.

A teenage girl's incurable cancer has been cleared from her body in the first use of a revolutionary new type of medicine.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-63859184

[pre65]

Some good news.

A teenage girl's incurable cancer has been cleared from her body in the first use of a revolutionary new type of medicine.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-63859184

She (and her Mum) were on the news the other night and she looked chipper. Considering her future (or lack of) was limited to palliative care the outcome is amazing.

[simon]

It was the string of beads she has, one for every procedure undergone, that moved me. It was a very long string, must have been 100 or more, maybe many more. She seems a very happy positive girl, helps keep things in perspective.

[Daniel Quinn]

I'm thoroughly pissed off. My foot/lower leg as all kind of activity going on with my brain , which causes me no end of pain and changes my gait daily!

And now it's freezing so ice forms which means I can't walk the dog.

Ffffffffffffuuuuuuuuccccccccccckkkkkkkkkkkkk!