MEDICAL MATTERS

[Wendyf]

Col can access his medical records on-line....he signed up for a trial with Earby Surgery a year or so ago. I couldn't cope with it, but he can see all his test results as they come in to the surgery.

[Big Kev]

Regarding NHS IT, we're particularly poorly served in Barlick as the systems at Airedale don't talk to the systems at our surgery, which are integrated with those of East Lancashire (OK though if you're referred to Burnley/Blackburn).

Unfortunately the government funded scheme, to fully integrate the NHS IT systems, was a colossal failure. Individual trusts can just buy in their own IT systems which, without a lot of work, will not "talk" to each other. Airedale use SystmOne and Barlick Surgery uses the Emis system, competitors in the healthcare IT market

[PanBiker]

I think we will be heading that way at the Barlick surgery Wendy. All the paper records have been removed from reception and all seem to be accessible on the docs desktop computer. We have an electronic log in system I notice as well to save you queuing for the receptionist but I have not used that yet.

It's the second time I have seen him Stanley and I like the fact that he is at the same side of the desk as you and your notes are clearly visible to you as well. It's a bit more personal than over the desk. I have no doubt that as I get older I may need to visit more often but as a said in my previous post, that is not the case at the moment. I consider myself very fortunate. I know that I have a weakness to throat infections and when to ask for AB's and up to press that has been my only cause to visit. If I could get them over the counter I could self medicate when required but that is not an option.

I ordered a BP monitor from Lloyds Pharmacy on Tuesday, paid for next day delivery, waited in Wednesday, was then emailed and told it would be Thursday. Waited yesterday then got an email from DPD who will be delivering to tell me that it will be today. Three days I have had to stay in when I could have been out walking to aid a healthy lifestyle, bugger!

[Tizer]

At our local surgery the GPs all have the records on their PCs and can send emails back and forth...but a lot of the contact with other surgeries and with hospitals still goes on through fax! And the faxes have a habit of getting lost or never arriving.

On blood pressure, here's a new development for controlling BP:
23 January 2015 Last updated at 01:28
`High blood pressure treatment device 'promising''
"A device the size of a paper clip inserted in the groin has shown promising results in lowering blood pressure, scientists say. In a study of 83 patients, published in The Lancet, those who received the device experienced an immediate reduction in blood pressure. But one-third also developed swelling in their leg which needed treatment. Experts say the device could be a new way of controlling blood pressure, particularly in hard-to-treat cases."

"The device, called a coupler, made by ROX Medical in California which also funded the study, creates a chamber between the artery and vein in the upper thigh which appears to help lower resistance and bring blood pressure down. Researchers at Queen Mary University of London, which led the study, tested the device on 42 patients with high blood pressure which had not responded to at least three types of drug treatment. They compared the effects with 35 patients who were given the standard medical treatment for uncontrolled high blood pressure. Patients were drawn from 16 centres across Europe. The study found "significant reductions in blood pressure" in the coupler group six months after the device was implanted. For patients in this group, there were fewer hypertensive complications and fewer hospital admissions for high blood pressure emergencies. Patients who had the coupler inserted were also able to reduce their medication. However, the device did have side-effects. In around 29% of patients, swelling developed in the leg in which the coupler was inserted. This required another short procedure to insert a stent in the vein.
More here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-30938868

[PanBiker]

Interesting Tiz but I think I'll go for a preventative fix rather than reactive surgery. Good news for those who have got to the life threatening stage though I suppose. I have had another update from DPD regarding my delivery, any time in the next hour or so they say. I'll be out for my daily walk as soon as they have been and I fancy doing my 5 mile Weets circular tomorrow.

[Stanley]

Home blood pressure monitors are the way to go. The Lloyds one is very accurate Ian, mine has been running with no problems for eight years now. When I put the sleeve of mine on in the surgery Hassan pointed out that theoretically the bladder inside the sleeve should be on top of the arm for the most accurate reading. Nobody has ever told me that before.... My daughter Janet who knows about these things says that the way forward is for us to wear sensors that monitor various parameters and are in communication wirelessly with the surgery IT programmes. These are available now and mean that you have the doctor on watch 24X7.

[Marilyn]

I would be losing the sensors before intimacy, Stanley...if my doctor is on the other end of the line!

[Stanley]

I asked Janet about that and she said that you can take the sensor off, it's like a wrist watch......

[Marilyn]

Right...well it will be slipped off and strapped to the leg of a sleeping cat...

[PanBiker]

Lloyds don't do the £10 one now Stanley, it's replacement had a lot of negative feedback on Lloys online store so I went for the same make that the surgery use, Omron. It's instructions give correct placement for the cuff if reading from the left or right arm (it's different), pipe in line with index finger if reading from left and down the inside of the arm in line with thumb if reading from the right arm. In both cases the cuff should be higher than your heart so use a cushion when sitting. It's not as fancy with memory storage of results and such but it does all the main stuff it can recall the last reading and will warn if you are about to explode! It's giving me readings in the same parish as the fancy one loaned from the surgery so it will do the job.

[Stanley]

In my experience they are remarkably accurate and consistent. Keep a log in a little notebook with the monitor and take it in when you go to the surgery. Hassan will appreciate it and as the years go by it's interesting to see how you are doing. I have 8 years of readings now.....

[PanBiker]

He averaged out all my readings Stanley so I have knocked a spreadsheet up to record my results and automatically do the same. It will save him the bother, trends at the top and average at the bottom.

[plaques]

An aquaintance of mine checked his blood pressure with his home monitor and thought it was a bit on the high side. Being one of those breeds of engineers that studied everything in minute detail he created a data base of his readings. Not satisfied with a weekly or even a daily check he took it every half hour for four days. Each time the reading went higher and higher. His final conclusion was that the reason for his elevated pressure was the act of taking the reading. He ditched the monitor and returned to normality. QED.

[PanBiker]

So, in effect he self diagnosed his elevating blood pressure and ignored it? very strange behaviour for a bloke so meticulous. Doc asks you to monitor it at home because it generally gives a more accurate result than a single reading at the surgery with the stresses associated. I'm no hypochondriac but can see the sense in self monitoring in moderation and given the same results, I think I would have asked for a second opinion of the cause.

[Stanley]

He sounds as though he was a bit too anal about it. Sometimes I miss taking a reading for weeks. Ian is right about 'surgery syndrome'. I'm not a nervous bloke but my reading is always higher at the surgery. Funnily enough, readings at hospital are usually dead in line with home readings. Self monitoring is sensible and could be very valuable as an early warning.

[Moh]

Just watched 'Wanted Down -under' - no wonder our doctors & nurses end up down there. Today's was a GP and his wife who is a nurse - both of them could earn over double for less hours than here - he would be on £200,000 for 30 hours and she would be on £33,000 for part time !!

[Stanley]

Very true Moh. That's why I am so happy that two of my daughters are out there with their families and leading a good life.

[Stanley]

Have a look at THIS for an intriguing report of a test that showed that patients reacted better to the expensive version of a drug than a cheaper one. The twist is that both were placebos and based on saline water! It was particularly effective in treating Parkinson's Disease. The human brain is a very complicated mechanism!
It makes you wonder about tests on Homoeopathic treatments.....

[Stanley]

I had an unexpected visit from an old friend (?) yesterday. My back bit me! Can't think what did it unless it was moving the big machine vice off the vertical miller table but it was a nasty one. Jack wonders why I occasionally shout out in pain! Took two enteric coated aspirins night and morning and even though it seems a lot better this morning have taken two more. I shall not be walking very far today, one slip could give me a month or more of misery. I know the enemy well and respect it. The miracle is that I managed to get though my working life.....
On a brighter note. I rang the NHS choices line yesterday and had a very nice and efficient talk with a lad in Chatham Kent who has taken all my details, will contact Mr David's clinic at Burnley and he tells me that I should get my appointment for laser implant cleaning before February 12th. If I don't I have to contact the surgery and get them to chase it up. No wait for an agent, very smooth process, I am impressed. He said he had dealt with a lot of calls from our area from people cancelling appointments because of the bad weather.

[Stanley]

My strategy of rest and recuperation yesterday seemed to work. Apart from a slight twinge from the damaged muscle the spasm in my back has gone way. Gott sei dank!

[Stanley]

See THIS BBC report on the ineffectiveness of this year's flu vaccine. The scientists say that the culprit is a strain of flu that mutated much faster than was expected.

[Tizer]

The Daily Telegraph front page shouts "Flu jab given to millions is useless" and the Daily Mail screams "Flu jab is a waste of time for 97% of patients". Both wrong, misleading and will cause unnecessary distress to many people, perhaps even contributing to the death of others. The present main influenza strain has mutated and become resistant to the vaccine, something that can't be predicted in sufficient time to make new vaccine. So, nobody's fault - that's nature at work. But the vaccine gives immunity to other strains of influenza and, as I've mentioned before, each annual dose builds on the strength of the previous ones in terms of general immunity to influenza -so don't miss a year. It's irresponsible of the newspapers to say the vaccine is `useless' or `a waste of time'.

[PanBiker]

Par for the course though Tiz, anything to sensationalise. I know one thing, I'll not miss mine and I know I'm still better off with than without. Can't understand anyone not having it really, the ones that don't obviously have never had real viral influenza or understand the implications. Killed more after the First World War than died in combat, now that's a serious disease.

[Stanley]

I forgot to mention. NHS Choices worked. I got news from Burnley yesterday that I am on the waiting list for window cleaning.....

[Cathy]

Tiser you always make great sense for us poor befuddled unscientific types Thankyou
Stanley good luck with your window washing