General health matters.

[jack]

Surgeon and physio both said that with this sort of op about 20% can have issues of one sort or another...

I am definitely in the top few % of outcomes, so I'm grateful for that.

[Nick]

I get the feeling (but don't know, maybe Andrew I has more insight) that surgery is still about rock stars and ego rather than processes and review (or to put it another way, its a craft rather than a engineering discipline), Hopefully that will change,

[jack]

I get the feeling (but don't know, maybe Andrew I has more insight) that surgery is still about rock stars and ego rather than processes and review (or to put it another way, its a craft rather than a engineering discipline), Hopefully that will change,

Not the impression I got. First thing the consultant/surgeon did was refer me to the NHS outcomes site that gives all orthopedic surgeons' data and outcomes. He was completely open about his results.

Having said that, I know him from old as he lives in the same village as my in-laws and was friends with them, plus he did an ACL repair on my other knee back in 1999. Plus he's done 100s of ops like mine in our area, so there's a lot of first-hand info out there.

[Nick]

Well, maybe my hope is coming true

[jack]

Well, maybe my hope is coming true

I have experienced consultants who are arrogant dicks too.

I had long standing retinal damage in my left eye and needed the edge of the retina spot welded back down - this is done by dilating the pupil and the surgeon then paralyses the eye so it doesn't move then, whilst you are awake, they zap laser pulses through your eye to do the welds... It supposed to be painless. It's not. Over the years I've had maybe 2,000 of these. Each one is like being punched. At the end of a session, you feel quite nauseous.

Anyway, I had the signs of a retinal detachment (flashes when my eyes were closed etc.) so I went to our regional specialist eye centre. Normally I'd go straight to Moorfields, but this time I went local.

I was assigned to one of the two consultants there - retinal detachment is an emergency, so you get to see a specialist in just a few hours.

This guy was dreadful - arrogant and condescending. I asked for a second opinion and went to Moorfields where I saw the guy who ran the retino-vitreal teaching unit there - one of, if not the, top guy in Europe. He also just happened to be the guy that trained the two at my local clinic.

He found stuff that the local guy had missed, specifically asymptomatic issues in my other eye.

When I went back to the local guy he was truly offended and offensive - "how many consultants do you need to see", "why bother coming here if you don't trust us" etc. etc . A total twat. It's my right to have a second opinion, he missed critical stuff, I seriously disliked his manner and told him so.

I had my treatment up at Moorfields instead.

[Daniel Quinn]

Surgery is so regimented these days , there isn’t room for the brilliant maverick .

If the outcome is not as expected you must be able to show you followed nice clinical guidelines and the surgery was undertaken in accordance with strict protocols.

[Ray P]

When I fractured my hip at the end of 2009 I was told by several of the initial paractitioners that I would have a new one in a day or two. Fortunately the consultant was brilliant and took a very different view - at the age I was, early 50s, he said he didn't want me to have to face several periodic replacements within my expected lifespan and felt the fracture was recoverable. Here I am, three titanium screws and 12years later with a perfectly functional and pain-free hip. The only lasting negative affect is some fluid retention in the lower leg which is a common scenario for that sort of surgery.

[pre65]

I've heard of several people who have had "problems" when prescribed pills have changed to a different brand.

Jean is currently having such problems and has side effects that are on the enclosed data sheet that were not experienced with the original brand of pill.

Anyone else have any experiences to recount ?

[jack]

I've heard of several people who have had "problems" when prescribed pills have changed to a different brand.

Jean is currently having such problems and has side effects that are on the enclosed data sheet that were not experienced with the original brand of pill.

Anyone else have any experiences to recount ?

Yep - a relative was on Thyroxin-related tablets - nominally, all tablets, regardless of the laboratory, have the same active ingredients but they may use a different packing material, which is of course supposed to be inert,

However, they found (and we did blind testing) that one set of tablets made them feel crappy and with the others, they felt just fine - nominally, the only difference was the laboratory that made them.

[Nick]

I assume you mean double blind?

[jack]

I assume you mean double blind?

No - their partner knew which was which, but didn't tell the patient.

So, single, not double blind.

[pre65]

Now, I've never been known to enjoy physical effort, but since having (what appeared to be a mild version of) Covid, I've been so lacking in energy. Just been mowing the grass, and even though the mower has electric start and powered back wheels I have to come in and sit down for a rest after every 2 full grass-boxes..

Strangely, I can manage up to 5 miles walking at a moderate pace without problems.


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[pre65]

The fatigue issue seems to be improving.

I've been out in the front garden this morning, and I've got more done than I thought I might.

Stopping now for a little rest, and some lunch. It's quite hot outside and I'm sweating, but at least the vitamin D levels should be increasing.


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[IslandPink]

This is a good time of year for curing fatigue.

[jack]

This is a good time of year for curing fatigue.

Also quite a good time of year for curing biltong...