I am deciding whether or not to get a stapedectomy done, and my doctor told me that it is only a 0.1% chance (1 out of 1000) that i will go completely deaf. i think i am going to go through with it...since i have been partially deaf my whole life, and am excited to hear the difference.
View 5 Repliesi have been on atorvastatin 20 mg for about 4 years now. i was on simvastatin but i had muscular problems . just lately it's all you have been hearing on the news is there seems to some doubts about statins do the benefits outweigh the risks and what exactly are the risks , does anyone actually know.
View 7 RepliesI've seen lots of threads on here about how much TL 'ruined' women's lives. Sex drive, attitude, etc. Many I've read on here are upset because they want to have more kids now, 1, 3, or even 10 years later.
If you're considering having a TL done, remember that the doctor shouldn't be blamed. At the doctor's office, prior to surgery, you HAVE to sign an Informed Consent form. I work in medical records as a registered technician. I see this forms all the time - and I signed one for my procedure. When I review a medical record, I have to look for the phrase "discussed / reviewed Benefits, Risks and Alternatives.." in the patient history and physical. If your Dr. is not reviewing those 3 things with you, you have 2 choices: be proactive about YOUR body and ASK or find another doctor!
My dr. did not go over the risks, but he did try to get me to go a different route (alternative) and discussed how beneficial it would be vs. hormonal methods or implants (IUD). However, I hold nothing against him. I did my research prior to the ELECTIVE surgery. SO, just saying, it's not all on the doctor. Patients need to take responsibility for their decisions.
I've heard a lot about PTLS - post tubal ligation syndrome. I do find it interesting so many women share the same effects, however I am curious as to how blocking the fallopian tubes messes with hormone levels. Very curious , as I've not seen anything on the PTLS boards linking them. I won't discount it though. However, maybe a small handful of those women who have PTLS have lack of sex drive because they are depressed. Maybe they are depressed because they regret their decision to have a TL done. Those with heavy bleeding, consider what your period was like before you were ever on a birth control pill. So many of us have spent many many years on BC hormonal pills that we get used to a predictable period that is identical every month. Pills regulate the cycle - pills dictate when you will bleed. Take that away and you give your body a chance to do it's own thing. Most women though stop the pill to 1-switch to another, 2- get pregnant or 3- have their tubes tied. If you go straight from pill to pregnancy to TL, you don't know what kind of period is normal for you.
Again, not discounting PTLS, BUT I want those considering a very effective surgery ( or even Essure now! ) to not be scared if they truly want it.
Now, remember, it is considered a "major surgery" , even in laparoscopic form as I had following birth. I won't lie , for me the recovery was horrible. I elected to be awake for the procedure, with just a spinal block. I did this so I wouldn't be too groggy to see my baby afterwards. Also, it was really interesting participating in conversation during the procedure!! Anyway, when the numbness wore off, I could not even walk to the bathroom without feeling like "please, let me just pee in my pants and someone clean me up - don't wanna move!". Eventually it got easier to walk, but getting up was the worst for about 9 days. Glad I didn't have a Csection, I now can't see why anyone would elect one of those! but I digress.. SO, after I was healed, stitches dissolved (small piece not completely, but I just pulled it and it came right out and I was fine.. granted this was after 3 weeks, I'd NEVER recommend this ), I couldn't wait to have unprotected, uninhibited sex with my husband! No worries of another baby, no worries of "did I take my pill?" (and no worries of affording the pill!).. Maybe I was and am not depressed and losing my sex drive (it's increased ten fold) because I genuinely 100% know for a fact that I am done having babies. My husband is done. We are happy with the 3 miracles we have and are enjoying our newest baby. Sure, I'm tired sometimes, but I have a 15 week old baby. I take care of myself, eat well and exercise 6 days/ week. I am active with my kids. I work a full time / over time job in the hospital.
I just wanted to put it out there that not ALL women who have a tubal ligation live to regret it (I've seen so many "you will regret it" posts, and I think, how do you know what I will regret?!)
Good luck, I hope I've helped at least one person! Not to sway you into it or away from it, but to give you insight into a positive experience.
My daughter has hyperthyroidism and thyroid eye disease, her Ophthalmologist suggested she take selenium, along with her usual block and replace medication. Is anyone else taking this? Any comments would be welcome.
View 7 RepliesI was listening to our local radio this morning .it was talking about cannabis oil and its benefits for epilepsy especially epilepsy in kids, it really helps . it also went on to say that the oil in drops helps pain , so i was wondering about you all on here from U.S.A in the states that it is legal have any of you tried this oil . and if so did it help ?
View 19 RepliesI was diagnosed last year with PMR and at moment have managed to get down to 7mg of pred, but I also have to take two calcium tablets daily and 1 x alendronic(?) acid tablet on a sunday, the one where you have to sit up straight for an hour, I experience usually about Tuesday a bad tummy but the dr says that is probably the alendronic acid
I have been in so much pain when walking that my doctor advised for me to go for an MRI scan, which is showing wear and tear on my spine and problems with my sciatic nerve, which is probably causing the pain when walking - I can only walk for approx. 5 mins(sometimes not even that) and the pain is so bad I find it hard to lift my feet one in front of the other and I get breathless - surely at 56 I should be fitter than that. I also find that going upstairs can cause the burning sensation in my leg and I have to sit down for a few moments until it eases As for housework well....................... I really enjoy cleaning my house ( probably because it is such a change from when I am at work sitting at my desk all day) but I find after about 10 - 15 mins I have to sit for a few moments and then carry on if I can it is so frustrating. My doctor after the results of the scan has now put me on Co Codamol and I have to take 2 x 15mg tablets four times a day. I only started them yesterday and cant say there has been any difference yet in my pain.
I have also got the "hamster" face from taking the pred and have put on a lot weight around my stomach area, my doctor has now told me I have to go on a very low carb diet. He advises porridge in the morning and then for the rest of the day just either salad, fish, lean chicken and veg. I am to have no extra milk(he says I will get enough calcium from the tablets) and no bread, potatoes, pasta(don't like it anyway!) or rice.
I have my breakfast at 5.00am every morning so by 9.00am I am starving and then it just gets worse throughout the day - although oddly enough this morning I had porridge instead of my usual two slices of toast and so far I am not terribly hungry.
A friend of mine says she drinks between 60ml and 120ml of aloe vera juice every day and she feels great - she hasn't got PMR or any illness for that matter but she says the juice helps with her weight loss and is entirely natural so shouldn't do me any harm. She also says it helps with inflammation.
Has anyone else experienced this juice that has had PMR and was there any benefits to it?
I've posted on here about my now-frequent bouts of constipation. Have relied on Stool Softeners which have done the trick. I eat veg, not keen on fruit and can't stand fruit juice, Have upped my water intake: good results. But I don't want to take these for long periods.
Well for some reason I was remembering my dear ol' mum and her issues around constipation. I believe she, myself and one sister had this tendency: the rest seem to go as often as a racing Greyhound!!
Well, I remember my mum each morning making up a small concoction of Epsom Salts, mixed to a paste with water then washed down with a cup of tea. Within half hour she was flying past us to the loo!
When I was feeling completely bunged up, I did wonder if this might work for me. But I have to say, as great as she was, my mum had some funny ideas about medicines etc, so wondered if this was just one of her many 'alternative' ideas she'd come up with herself! She would have been 95 now, and died (not from constipation!!) at 81, so she had a good innings.
Well, that funny lil ol' girl was doing something right for once! I read a really good article about Epsom Salts and their health benefits. The article name-dropped Gwyneth Paltrow and Victoria Beckham soaking in E'salt baths to reduce bloating (what? on them two - who they kidding?!). But more importantly it went on to mention soaking in a bath with the salts to help aching joints......
I'm new to hormone therapy and just today started 1 mg estradiol once daily and low dose progesterone. I am 28 and my last blood work shows that my hormones are very low. I have been basically going through menopause..although my cycle had remained somewhat normal until this last month.. I have experienced weight loss.. and I have trouble keeping weight on..mood swings and hot flashes are present..and a General just not feeling well is the biggest complaint I have .. I would like to ask if anyone could explain to me what I can expect from the treatment? What benefits might i see as a result of taking these two medications..
View 2 RepliesJust trying to hear other people's opinion on the benefits of taking Folic acid and hydroxychloroquine with Methotrexate. I stopped taking these two medications since switching to MTX injections and I've never mentioned this to the doctors during routine checks and so far I'm feeling much better on MTX alone.
Has anyone had a repercussion of not using any of these tablets where it's been prescribed along with MTX?
my daughter is thirteen weeks pregnant and has been in touch with chicken pox at the contagious stage. what are the risks to her and her baby. she has seen a doctor and is very upset.
View 1 RepliesI have suffered from IBS for over 10 years, my main symptoms are abdominal pain, stomach cramps, spasms, burning sensation in sides. My GP keeps insisting on me adhering to a gluten free diet to manage my symptoms. I have done this in the past but felt very little benefit from it. Has anyone else tried a gluten-free diet and felt that improved their symptoms?
View 3 RepliesI recently had an encounter where I accidentally may have used the towel which the sex worker just used to clean herself. What are the risks of stds for this action? Do I need any testing?
View 1 RepliesI have had a macular pucker in my right eye for three years. It's not terrible, just very frustrating. It has been changing only a little from year to year.
I have not wanted to try vitreous surgery for epimacular membranes (macular pucker 'repair') because of the risk of some of the receptor cells being damaged as the scar tissue (epimacular membrane) is pulled off the macula. I don't want blind spots.
Yesterday an optometrist told me that I risk getting those same blind spots by not having the surgery - because the scar tissue is pulling the receptor cells away from their blood supply.
Is/are there any data or studies that compare the risks of having the surgery with the risks of not having the surgery - as regards damage to the macular cells?
I know that development of cataracts is a well known complication of having the surgery. And having to risk cataract surgery is another reason I have for resisting the pucker repair.
I am seriously considering getting glasses that adjust for my main problem (things look 15% bigger in my right eye). This condition, caused by the membrane, is called aniseikonia and can be compensated for by getting glasses that minimize the image in my right eye.
If the risks of surgery, and there are many, are greater than no surgery, special glasses will be my choice.
I've read that, on average, the surgery, if successful, gives you back half of the vision originally lost to the pucker. I think that means I would still need special glasses.
Can taking 8 to 10 dihydrocodeine 30 mg pills a day cause serious health problems? I am aware of addiction issues but what are health risks? Is there risk to kidney function or liver function etc?
View 3 RepliesYesterday I had my 6 week PO review with my surgeon, he was very happy with every aspect of my recovery. However, when I mentioned returning to work, he was adamant that not for another 6 weeks. He said that too many people feel pressure to go back to work too soon, do damage by overdoing it and kick themselves 12 - 18 months later due to some form of correction or achieving less than optimum results.
My work would require about 50/50 office/factory floor walking and an hours commute.
I'm a 25 year old female who has recently moved to Singapore with her partner.
I began attending a specialist in Glasgow in 2010 after minor palpitations that would always disappear on their own or with a forced cough. The longest lasted 10 minutes. They never caused me too much concern and after lots of tests and ECG monitors, which returned nothing, I put it at the back of my mind. My Dr. suggested it was a minor AV Node SVT and that we would just monitor it over time.
Last Sunday morning I woke out of my sleep at 0630 with a severe attack. Nothing would stop it at home. After 15 minutes I made my way to the nearest A&E where I was injected with Adenosine (not pleasent) and was kept under observation for the rest of the day before being sent home being doing that I had SVT. I had no caffeine or alcohol that night and made sure that I rested well.
The following morning I was woke out of my sleep at 0530 (an hour apart - strange) with another severe attack and followed the same process at A&E. Again, I was kept in for observation for the rest of the day before being sent home with Verapamil, to be taken as and when required.
The following day I was tired, extremely anxious and now afraid to be on my own or fall asleep but I had no palpitations. I followed my no caffeine and no alcohol diet hoping for the best but by Wednesday evening, after leaning over, another attack presented itself.
I have an appointment with a specialist here in Singapore on the Thursday the 22nd and it can't come quick enough, this whole thing has flipped my world and has put everything on hold. Even with a supportive partner, not having my family here has been an upsetting experience. My Dr. in the UK has suggested that I have RFA done to cure the condition once and for all. I'm terrified of the risks but don't want to have to take medication for the rest of my life either. My other problem is, do I get RFA done here or back in the UK when i'm home on leave in July? Should I wait or could I be making my condition worse?
Over a year ago I noticed a change in my vision. It was diagnosed as a macular pucker. I repeated a visit to a retina specialist and she recommends surgery to repair it at an early stage rather than waiting until it gets worse. I live in a large metro area with great doctors and the one I see has good marks.
I can see 20/40 in the bad eye and just fine in the other one. I do wear glasses though. I can tell that my vision is weird as it tries to blend the 2 eyes together but it doesn't stop me from living a normal life.
So, is it worth it to have the surgery like they say or can I just wait it out? If it never changes from what I have I will be fine. I fear the bad results possible with surgery. Why risk a bad outcome and a worse problem than I have now?
I did my glucose test at 28 weeks. I'm now 31 weeks and got a letter from my OB saying they want to talk to me about my results and she said they wouldn't contact me unless something was wrong. What are the risks for my baby or for me with having gestational diabetes?
View 4 RepliesDue to some urine flow problems that I have had for the past few years, my urologist has decided that I should have a rigid cystoscopy to explore/fix my bladder for the problem. It is most likely that I have a stricture in my urethra that is preventing the flow.
Because a rigid cystoscopy can be fairly painful, I will be under under general anaesthetic throughout the whole procedure. The main thing I am worried about is the anaesthesia. I smoke marijuana fairly regularly (2-3 shared-joints a day) and that is all I do. I don't take any other form of drugs. I only smoke tobacco in joints. I don't smoke cigarettes.
My only concern is that this might affect the general anaesthesia during the cystoscopy.
The procedure won't be happening till sometime around April so I will be able to cut down/stop smoking all together if needs be but I intend NOT to smoke at all up to 2 weeks before the cystoscopy.
How long can I smoke marijuana up until the procedure? What are the potential risks of smoking marijuana before operations?
Also, what can I expect from the rigid cystoscopy procedure? This is the first hospital procedure I have ever had, so understandably I am a little anxious about it all.
I was first diagnosed with PAF ( paroxysmal atrial fibrillation) in 2011. Having spent a spell in CCU atrial flutter was also found. I was referred to the EP to discuss ablation but having heard the risks attached to this procedure decided against having it for the moment as I feel I have not explored all the medical treatments available yet. I currently take Bisoprolol 3.75 mgs and Eliquis 5mgs with no probs until last night. Last night I had a prolonged episode of AF which causes me to pass copious amounts of urine. I just wondered if this happens to anyone else. I have to say these attacks do freak me out somewhat, but try to stay calm. My trigger factors are caffeine, lying on my left side stress, and drinking cold drinks, is anyone else the same
View 37 RepliesAfter the usual IV insertion, walking to OR and walking up rather groggy, I must say the first few hours were strange. Having limited hearing in my right for the past 7 years ( and getting worse) I decided to go for the operation.
My mouth and throat were very dry (11am operation with no food or drink in 12 hours) and deep breathing was challenging. I was encouraged to take deep breaths to clear anything from my lungs. My OP ear was full of cotton and gauze so hearing from that side was nada. My good ear was very amplified like I had a microphone inside my mouth, I would scratch my head and it was LOUD. I was discharged after I could stand without aid and at home crashing on the couch.
I had a protein shake and a bowl of hot soup and felt very stable with no dizzy spells or balance issues, but still the amplification inside my head. I had ringing tones on my OP ear on and off but no pain. If I plugged my good ear I could hear nothing but the ringing.
Five hours now and I feel good but I can hear everything around me, the talking , the tv, things very far away are very clear. My dog barked right beside me and I nearly jumped off my chair, scared me. It was loud. I used to watch tv on 65 volume now it's at 40 volume.