I'm still knocking around ...

[g8ina]

What I hadn't realised was how long it'd been since I posted here. Sorry about that, especially to those that did know much of the above and were getting worried.

Yes you bugger, we were

But yes, really pleased you seem to have it under control and great to hear from you.

Now, about these loudspeakers ......



atb
D & S

[cptwhite_uk]

Glad to hear you're still with us old boy. g8ina was starting to think he might have to take on the role of oldest contributing member....

[Disturbedguy]

Good to see you're still here and making epic long posts

I completely understand what yourself and others have said around the anxiety of getting checked stuff. Last year I was having testicle pain, put off getting checked for a few weeks as I was scared of what might be found, what might be said and all that stuff in between. Eventually talked myself into going, the GP themselves didn't really do anything, instead I got sent for an ultra sound. One quick ultra sound and a fondle later, given the all clear, pain is caused by a bit of fluid build up.

Told to keep an eye on things, if the pain gets any worse / more persistent than obviously go back.

[Saracen999]

... put off getting checked for a few weeks as I was scared of what might be found, what might be said and all that stuff in between. Eventually talked myself into going, the GP themselves didn't really do anything, instead I got sent for an ultra sound. One quick ultra sound and a fondle later, given the all clear, pain is caused by a bit of fluid build up.

...

That's kinda what I was getting at with the suggestion that people should get themseves checked if they're n any doubt.

I mean, on an intelectual evel and when not at all concerned, it's obvious, but if something has happened, all of a sudden (lots of) people get a serious dose of the 'what-ifs' and put off going.

There really is no downside to getting checked.

Either there's a problem, or there isn't and delaying will NOT make it go away. If there is a problem, delay might turn it from survivable to "too late". If thee isn't a problem, delaying means you spend that time worrying, when there really was nothing to worry about.

Simplez, innit? Except, when you're worried about what might happen? Ithink te only things that can happen are that you avoid worrying unnecessarily, or perhaps, get help that might save your life.

This preaching isn't aimed at you, DG, as you've already acted but at anyone else reading this, now or in the future, that might have a concern. If you do, the "Ostrich" reaction I mentioned earlier really doesn't have any upside at all.

In my case, it never entered my mind that my two symptoms, what felt like a small boil on my scalp, and a sore finger I thought I might have broken, could even be linked let alone ominous symptoms. So I wasn't avoiding getting checked.I just didn't want to "waste" valuable GP time with a couple of seemingly trivial issues. Hah!

The other subtext from my comments, I suppose, is that een chemo isn't necessarily as bad an experience as people fear. As best I can tell, these days it's a bit of a lottery, that being exactly what cancer someone has. It can still be extremely unpleasant, but my experience cleary shows it isn't always the case. What is certainly the case is that there are a growing range of very carefully targetted treatments aimed very directly at specific conditions, and I won that lottery. For me, chemo is one tablet a day, that makes me feel a bit icky for an hour or so. It's not the horrible experience that the much wider systemic treatments can be.

But either way, putting off getting checked will only ever mean either needless worry, or the situation getting worse, possibly irredeemably so.

So if you, dear reader, are worried about something, .... why are you still sitting there reading this? You should be on your way to your GP by now.

[Rob_B]

Good to see you're still here and making epic long posts

I completely understand what yourself and others have said around the anxiety of getting checked stuff. Last year I was having testicle pain, put off getting checked for a few weeks as I was scared of what might be found, what might be said and all that stuff in between. Eventually talked myself into going, the GP themselves didn't really do anything, instead I got sent for an ultra sound. One quick ultra sound and a fondle later, given the all clear, pain is caused by a bit of fluid build up.

Told to keep an eye on things, if the pain gets any worse / more persistent than obviously go back.

Aah old man problems as you age, fun aren't they?

[Saracen999]

... Eventually talked myself into going, the GP themselves didn't really do anything, instead I got sent for an ultra sound. One quick ultra sound and a fondle later, given the all clear, pain is caused by a bit of fluid build up.

...

I guess what the GP visit did achieve though, is a gate-keeping job for hospital visits. Both, to be honest, are over-worked and over-loaded to a huge degree but, my experience at least, was that having seen the GP, my feet didn't touch the ground.

I went from a Friday at 4pm GP appointment directly to the hospital, but instead of sitting in A&E for hours, I was sent straight to a "surgical assessment unit" and by 5pm, was seeing a surgeon, albeit a junior one. But he called his senior surgeon in, and after an hour or so of head-scratching, she rang the consultant, at home, at about 8pm.

From there I was admitted overnight, had an (small) op on the finger and on the head the next day, and was home by just after lunchtime.

Elapsed time from seeing GP to arriving home AFTER the minor op's? About 21 hours. My first CT scan was early the following week. And if yu think back to my first post, this was all while the hospital was mid-upheaval to cope with changing everything around to cope with the onset of Covid.

By seeing the GP, they can 'triage' the case and, when justified, things can move really, really quickly. I felt like my feet barely touched the ground.

I know there's lengthy waiting lists for many hospital appointments, and that really sucks, but I have to say, I can't see how they could possibly have moved any faster with my treatment, despite the turmoil over Covid preparations.

If the speed with which that all happened doesn't convince anyone that is a bit worried about a cancer concern to haul their chuff down to the GP post-haste, I don't know what will. Time really, really matters. Don't dither and delay your way into being too late. Let the experts decide how urgent it is.

[jimbouk]

[QUOTE=Saracen999;4316035]I guess what the GP visit did achieve though, is a gate-keeping job for hospital visits.[QUOTE]

And you have to get passed the receptionist first! I was going to be left waiting weeks for a GP appointment until I explained symptoms to them. Again I'm sure they're overworked and under paid but they're not medical staff. Hospital investigation followed promptly after the appointment, only later did I realise what they were looking for in such a hurry. Fortunately all clear and normal surgery sorted me out.

A stark difference to getting my ankle sorted which a multi year wait. I remember the surgeon asking about what Dr 'so and so' had said before and I had no idea who they were as it had been so long since seeing them and being put on the waiting list. The surgeon also had to work on their toes once they started, keyhole became hammer and chisel due to a lack of x-ray before hand.

[Saracen999]

Yeah, getting to see a GP can be a trial in itself. There's probably an element of location lottery in it, but an appointment here can, and usually does, take weeks. But, if you're prepared to just go and sit there and wait, for an "urgent" appointment, it's same day. No kmowing which GP you'll see, but if it's urgent, that shouldn't matter.

And that is what I did. I rang at about 8:30, and they said come this afternoon, I think it was 2:30 onwards. I sat waiting for maybe 45 minutes, went in and within about 5 mins, the GP was on the phone to the hospital, booking a direct (i.e. not via A&E triage) visit, "ASAP".

i went out that afternoon to see the GP, and ended on the operating table without even goig home. I had the clothes I was wearing when I went out and nowt else., It moved really quickly, including the GP bit. For me. Obviously, it's just one instance and I won;t generalise from that, though.

[ik9000]

How does one go about getting a CT scan? I'd happily have one but it's not the sort of thing you can just walk in and have I imagine. Can they scan my head while they're at it?

[jim]

How does one go about getting a CT scan? I'd happily have one but it's not the sort of thing you can just walk in and have I imagine. Can they scan my head while they're at it?

You need a decent reason. Even privately you'd need a doctor to say why one is required and what they're looking for. Not least because they need to know where they're looking and what for.

Also, it's not the biggest thing in the world, but a CT scan uses x-rays so it is doing a bit of damage whilst it scans. My daughter had one as a baby and could do with another, but we've agreed with the hospital that the damage / risks would outweigh the benefit at this point.

[Rob_B]

Check your local universities for any studies they are running, I recently had an MRI for free, yes FREE and got a nice picture of my own brain out of it.

[ik9000]

i think my brain would be of great interest to scientists. I swear half of it has gone missing in recent years. I want to know where.

[Saracen999]

How does one go about getting a CT scan? I'd happily have one but it's not the sort of thing you can just walk in and have I imagine. Can they scan my head while they're at it?

How? As Jim said, referral from a doctor, who is looking for a particular reason.

Can they scan the head? Yup. I have definitive evidence, despite all impression to the contrary, I do have a brain.

With mine, the exact routine seems to vary depending on the person running the mahine, but usually, I get the main body scan first (chest and abdomen), then they get me to sit up, rotate 180 degrees, and lay down again with the head in a specific kind of supprt that gives them the right angle. Then, back into the machine but head-first, this time.

I nee what they call "with contrast" which is a die they put in your system. It can, depending on what they're looking at, be a drink, intravenously or, um, rectally. It's one of the rare times I'm glad someone is sticking a needle in my arm.

They do a normal "no die" scan, then administer the die (an automated drug pump feeding the canula they inserted with that needle, and then they repeat the scan.

For anyone that's not had one, it's a bit intimidating 'cos its a honking great piece of medical equipment (a large metal ring) and you're inserted right into in. It also makes a weird noise.

But in fact, at least every time I've had one, they're incredibly mundane. The only discomfort I've ever felt is getting the csanula inserted, but it's kinda like a blood test, a "sharp scratch", and that's it. THe scan itself? there's some to-ing and fro-ing getting you properly positioned, then you hear the whirring noise as the scanner spees up, because it goes right round that big ring, but the most I've ever been aware of with the actual scan is a very slight change in tone when the radiation is emitted. Physically, so far, I've felt absolutely nothing. and the radiation bit takes a few seconds, if that.

Oh, pro tip, if you're getting your lower half done. Trousers are going to be at best dropped, if not removed. There mustn't be any metal. If that embarrasses you, wear traiing bottoms underneath. No metal, so they stay in place. I don't embarrass easily .... but I do feel the cold and these rooms are often cool, to suit the equipment. So track suit bottoms it is. I usually get a smirk from from nurses/assistants when I tell them they're outta luck with me. No peep show.

The whole process? Oh, about 10 miutes I guess. But if you had a conrtrast die, you'll wait for a while afterwards just to make sure you don't have a reaction. It's rare, apparently, but does happen. So, total time in the hospital for me is usually about 45 minutes, including waiting for my appointmet time.

And yeah, there's radiation involved but the amount is pretty small and not really a concern .... for an adult. If you really want radiation though .... try radiotherapy. That's a very different process where they zap tumours with radiation and the doses are significantly higher, but pretty finelly focussed and aimed. There can, I'm told, be some side-effects you'll feel, including what feels a bit like sunburn. The worst I had was a very mild itching for about 24 hours after one treatment. Though, I do have a small patch (about 2") of permanent 'sunburn' on my back.

That process is a bit intimidating the first time too, as the emitter is a damn great contraption that looks a bit like a very bit frisbee, but is about 2 feet in diameter, about 10 " thick, and it rotates right around you on a robot arm, very close indeed to you. Like about an inch, or so, from you. And yup, more clicks, whirrs and buzzes.

But in fact, any nervousness is really just your imagination. The exposure itself, I guess it depends on what they're targetting but in my case, judging again by the change in pitch of the noise, maybe 5 to 8 seconds. Everything else is lining up and positioning. Total time in the machine room? Probably (for me) ten minutes. If that. And like a CT, for me at least, zero sensation from the scan, and just maybe that mild 'burn' for a day or two afterwards. Of the 15 or so treatmens I've had, I think I felt that mild burn once, maybe twice.

My opinion of both procedures is that while they SEEM a bit intimidating the first time, it's like so many medical procedures you haven't had before - your imagination can make it out much worse than it actually is. My biggest worry with either, to be honest, is that I might doze off in the middle, and accidentally move, requiring it to be done again.

[g8ina]

Glad to hear you're still with us old boy. g8ina was starting to think he might have to take on the role of oldest contributing member....

Im not old, Im 37.

[[GSV]Trig]

I mean, your tag line is 'Grumpy and VERY old '

I always thought you were older than me....

[Saracen999]

A friend of mine has been maintaining he's "14" for, to my knowledge, about 25 years. I once asked him how many times he'd been "14", and he said it was his third or fourth time round, but he's young at heart .... then had to leave to collect his pension.

I hope Google et.al are noting the age i've said I am in various online places over the years. They'll have a pretty impressive collection of ages by now, and I doubt even any of the basic averages come close. It's t'internet, innit?