OneGuyFromBarlick

5pm our time and 8 hours plus 2 tablets and Sallys eye is on the mend, red. It she can open it. We have to pop back down at 6.30 with our docs, for reference the surgery is opeñ until 10.00pm.

Poor Sally, what caused it, do you know?

Bugger! Just what she needs on holiday! Give her my love and I hope it mends quickly. Impressive opening hours and prescription price....

Mossie bite Wendy. We we went back with our docs last night and saw the nurse who is English. She gave Sally another injection of anti histamine. She said she was lucky as they often go for both eyes. Doctor gave her a large dose of steroids in the first jab as he was concerned that the normal dose would not work and if it fails they send you to hospital to be put on an IV. Not come to that fortunately, we have to call in again today for another check. Sally's treatmentt came to e120.00, we can claim that back via our EHIC card and the cost of the prescription. The surgery is open same hours today which is Sunday of course. What will this cost post Brexit?

Sorry to hear that your holiday is being disrupted. Enjoy the rest of your stay.

It's very early days yet but it's possible that EHIC will continue as before.

"EHIC doesn't rely on membership - Maria Caulfield, MP for Lewes

Switzerland and Iceland are just two examples of countries outside the EU that use the EHIC scheme.
It would be outrageous scaremongering to claim British holidaymakers would lose access to European healthcare after we Vote Leave. It is in the EU's interest to continue the arrangement as the UK has given £5.8billion more to EU countries for medical costs than we've got back."

That's good to hear. We called back today and the nurse was very pleased, just a bit of puffiness remaining, they can prescribe some gel if it starts to itch. It's ñot been too onerous helped by the very efficient medical system, mind you they did invent it didn't they?

Perhaps you should apply some ouzo or retsina on your skin before going outdoors, that should kill the flies!

Good news Ian, give Sally my best and tell her not to rub it!

It continues to mend, bad news, she cant have a drink! I have to drink her Mythos for her.

My two big blisters from insect bites have now healed well and I'm now a convert to the benefits of hydrocolloid dressings for wounds. When, some months ago, the doctor treated the scabby tissue problem on my face he used a hydrocolloid dressing. It was a large dressing and he cut a piece to size and gave me the rest in case I needed to replace the original bit. Unlike ordinary `sticky plasters' it didn't have a fabric area surrounded by an adhesive area; it was the same all over which allowed me to cut it to any size. I didn't have to replace the original and the wound healed very well. The dressing was unaffected by washing and gave good mechanical protection. When I later had the big blisters I initially protected them with the hydrocolloid dressing. Later I had to lance them (sterilising everything with alcohol) and covered the area with new hydrocolloid dressing. I didn't need to change those final dressings and the skin healed well. Eventually I peeled off the dressings easily and they parted from the skin cleanly.

Wikipedia states: Hydrocolloid dressings are non-breathable and adhere to the skin. The active surface of the dressing is coated with a cross-linked adhesive mass containing a dispersion of gelatin, pectin and carboxy-methylcellulose together with other polymers and adhesives forming a flexible wafer. In contact with wound exudate, the polysaccharides and other polymers absorb water and swell, forming a gel which is held within the structure of the adhesive matrix. The moist conditions produced under the dressing are intended to promote fibrinolysis, angiogenesis and wound healing, without causing softening and breaking down of tissue. The gel which is formed as a result of the absorption of wound exudate is not mobile and free running but held within the structure of the adhesive matrix. Most hydrocolloid dressings are waterproof, allowing normal washing and bathing.

Further information is available here: LINK
This includes:
In the intact state most hydrocolloids are impermeable to water vapour, but as the gelling process takes place, the dressing becomes progressively more permeable. The loss of water through the dressing in this way enhances the ability of the product to cope with exudate production.
Hydrocolloids are easy to use, require changing only every 3-5 days, and do not cause trauma on removal. This makes them useful for clean, granulating, superficial wounds, with low to medium exudate.
Hydrocolloids provide effective occlusion; with dry wounds, they can have a softening effect, and they have been used to prevent the spread of MRSA (by providing a physical occlusive barrier).

Hydrocolloid dressings are more expensive than normal dressings but I believe they are worth the higher price. But take care when buying them. In Boots and Superdrug I haven't been able to obtain ones like those supplied by doctors' surgeries and hospitals, which are a single material that can be cut to any size. The chemists' shops sell packs of hydrocolloid dressings which are more like ordinary plasters in that there is a central, non-adhesive active area surrounded by an adhesive area, so you can't cut them to the size and shape you need. I'm going to search the Web to find where I can buy the doctor's type of dressing and I'll report back on OG if I find a source.

Later...a search of the web shows that it's difficult to find shops selling dressings of the type I prefer which you can cut up to any size. Suggestions are that you ask to buy them at your doctor's surgery and a cycling forum even pointed advised asking a vet because they use them too! I did find one source of `Duoderm' which is the right type and Mrs Tiz was given it when she had a wound on her hand. Amazon sell it in various sizes and the larger sizes and bigger packs work out cheaper if you expect to need the dressings often (like those cyclists who must be always falling off their bikes!): LINK

They sound like a good thing.....

See THIS for a report on the possible side effects of prolonged use of painkillers like Ibuprofen. I think we all suspected this but a 19% increase in risk in some cases is a worrying statistic.
Later THIS Daily Mail report caught my attention. Warning of the dangers of obesity and lack of exercise this study by University College London claims that many young people's hearts are in a similar condition to 60 year olds. Again, I think we knew this but no harm in giving concrete evidence.

I've aired my views on ibuprofen and similar NSAID drugs on OG before. They should never have been made available off-prescription in chemists and on the web. I'm glad to see in the Guardian article:
"In an accompanying editorial, two Danish health researchers said that because of the widespread use of NSAIDs, “even a small increase in cardiovascular risk is a concern for public health”. They said the fact they can be bought over the counter in supermarkets “further fuels the common misconception that NSAIDs are harmless drugs that are safe for everyone”.
But it's shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted.

I was surprised that a `consultant pharmacist' on the radio this morning said that the drugs were safe for everyday troubles in younger people, such as `for head aches and stomach-ache'. On the contrary, they should never been taken for stomach-ache without a doctor's prior examination. If the pain is due to a stomach ulcer or inflammation of the stomach lining the drug could result in perforation, internal bleeding and death.

Recently my Doc proscribed some ibuprofen for a foot infection. I expressed my reservations about the drug but was assured it was Ok. That week my weight went up 6lb and then dropped again equally as fast when I stopped them. Subsequent to that I've lost another 7lb over the following months. Just to be on the safe side I've completed one of those bowl checks. Results pending. No two people are alike but its best to keep an eye on things.

Ibuprofen is good in its place but I agree with you both about the dangers. Have you seen the BBC programme on the Doctor who gave up drugs? He's targeting extreme cases but even so the statistics on pill-popping are terrifying!

Update on Sally's mossie incident. Steroid and anti histamine injections had an almost instant effect on the problem and we saw improvement before the end of the same day. It took the best part of the week for all the swelling to go down though. A bonus from the steroids and the course of tablets was that she has so much stuff inside her that she didn't get any more bites throughout the week while she was taking the tablets. She took the last one of the course in the morning the day before we came back. We went out for our meal that night and she was bitten three times on the backs of her legs despite being lathered with her potions! None have gone bad though which is a bonus.

When you put this into context, our brushes with the little sods are minor compared to the areas of the world where the problem is endemic. Modern medicines can get on top of the infection but at a price, 122.60 euro in our case. Next trick is to invoke the claim back routine from the back of the EHIC, I will report here how we get on.

PanBiker wrote: When you put this into context, our brushes with the little sods are minor compared to the areas of the world where the problem is endemic.

I live in the tropics where mozzies can be a problem but I'm very rarely bitten. My theory is that some people are naturally repugnant, even to mozzies. I thought it was because I am blood group A but one scientific study found no difference in frequency of bites between A and O blood group people. I'm just happy to be naturally repellent. I used to take precautions like spraying myself with DEET but don't usually bother with anything now.

I should have said Sally's problem with them. I'm like you China, they never bother me, I'm A+ but I don't think it has any bearing. Interestingly they have only started to bother Sally since her chemotherapy treatment, but that was 20 years ago now. I wonder if they can detect a compromised immune system?

On the EHIC side, Sally rang the contact number on the back of the card for the DWP who handle the claims. They will issue a claim form which we have to fill in and return, this will then be logged and then winged off to Greece to their equivalent department for confirmation of treatments. It's not fast, they said it could take 4 - 5 months for the turnaround of data, compared to the speed of treatment given this seems an inordinate amount of time for what effectively should be a pretty straightforward exchange of details with a reciprocal agreement. I know Greece is very laid back but apparently this would be the same if if it was anywhere else in the EU as well. DWP have taken our bank details and we will be fully reimbursed eventually, they will write and tell us when the refund has been approved.

We got our flu jab call up papers as well Stanley, I'm sure this is getting a bit earlier each year. Better than being at the back of the queue as that tends to bugger up my blood donor session.

This morning at 11AM for me.....

Started with diarrhea last night at about 9.30pm. I had to go the loo about 6 times. I felt sick also but couldn't make anything come up. Sally had an early start this morning for the WASPI rally at the Tory Party conference in Birmingham so I elected to sleep downstairs on the settee. Broken night of sleep until 6.30am when I brought up all of last nights tea. I think I am empty now as I have not needed the toilet and have not been sick since. Not tempting fate with any food but trying to hold body and soul together with re-hydrant and as much water as I can get in. I have a headache of course from fluid loss, I'm on my 6th glass sipping slowly, no reaction triggered so things are looking up. I might contemplate a slice of toast tomorrow.

I will have to rejig my flu jab on Tuesday, I don't think it would be prudent to have that until I'm fully recovered.

Oh dear Ian, hope you soon feel better.

Whatever it was Ian it sounds as though you have got rid of it. Speedy recovery!

Not the recommended way to do it but I have lost nearly 4lbs! Slept like a log last night so starting the re boot of the system, had 2 slices of toasted chia bread and a glass of water for breakfast. Planning a simple chicken and pasta thing for my tea. I have rearranged my flu jab.

Sticking on medical matters, the postman has been and delivered my new organ donor registration stuff. I have always carried the original paper card in my wallet but that had no database backing it up and relied solely on someone finding the card. Medical staff still had to get the consent of next of kin with varying degrees for a successful outcome. I have registered to donate all organs and tissue if push comes to shove. My new card has a tick box to indicate that I have discussed my wishes with my family.

NHS Organ Donation

I seem to remember opting for that option quite a while ago Ian. I'm not going to bother checking because it is covered in my Medical Directive and that is part of the LPA for terminal care I am setting up at the moment. The stage we are at is that the forms will be posted back from Oz on Wednesday. Based on how long it took them to get out there it will be at least four weeks before Janet Geldard gets them back and she tells me the current time taken to register is 16 weeks! As mine will be in the system over Xmas I suppose we can add at least another month to that. Perhaps this is another example of how Public Service Cuts are affecting our essential systems.....
PS. Still coughing grinding dust up.... No fool like an old fool!