General Chat

Many moons ago OH was shown to have high cholesterol levels and was put on statins.

These, however, had some side effects (diagnosed by Dr. Google) so she didn't take them regularly.

Since then she has ditched her original GP and now sees another one in the same group.

This second GP prescribed a different type of cholesterol medication and a change in diet.

This medication has also had some side effects, so the doctor sent her off for a scan to check her blood for calcium as precaution before deciding whether or not OH needed any ;further treatment. Her levels had dropped but were still over the recommended limits.

Took ages to get the results back, absolutely clear for calcium, but the scan did pick up an aortic heart murmur.

So on Monday it's of to the Cardiologist for an ultrasound to see what THAT problem is. :-S

My OH always says once they get you into the system they keep you in somehow. I hope the latest problem is not as worrying as it sounds Allan.

Have a look at clopidogrel.

Thanks, Ann

Rollo, that looks interesting. I've been on aspirin for years now after I had a pulmonary embolism but do have to self administer clexane if about to undertake a long flight.

Hope everything gets sorted soon Allan.

Allan, a heart murmur could well indicate that a heart valve is not operating properly. It could be not opening fully, not closing fully or both.

According to our doctor, there are thousands walking around with heart murmurs they don't even know they have - as your wife must have been doing.

The results of the ultrasound will indicate whether your wife needs any treatment. If a valve is, say, not almost closing but opening fully, no action may be necessary. If it is a more serious valve problem it could be that a replacement heart valve is necessary.

I am sure that the cardiologist will give your wife sound advice.

Allan - don't panic!
My mum was born with a faulty heart valve.
They operated on her when she was 78!
Good to know your doctor is thorough <3

I did say to OH, jokingly I hasten to add, that I was surprised that the doctor found that OH has a heart ;-)

A bit like the time my OH had a brain scan, Allan.

Me: did they find anything?

OH: no.

We both fell about laughing.

Hope all goes well with the tests.

(So you found she had a heart. I,m surprised you didn’t find out that she had a good right hook ;-) )

My wife never resorts to violence, well hardly ever, and I can run extremely fast for my age.

Its all part of our fitness regime

;-) :-D :-D

I hope the tests show if any treatment is required, it is successful.

For yourself, is aspirin the recognised treatment after a P.E in Australia?
I was put on Rivoroxaban.

It is, Gwyn, although the pundits are now saying that aspirin may not do much good and could cause internal bleeding problems.

I think that that advice is for those who take it 'just in case'

I've been on it for nearly twenty years and it was prescribed for me by the specialist. Initially after the P.E. I was on warfarin tablets for twelve months.

Funny thing, when I took the script in to the chemists the staff were horrified. In Australia aspirin is an over the counter medicine and costs just over $4.00 for a box of 120. If the chemist had used the script the tablets would have cost me $35.00 due to the wat the Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme works.

Fine for all the expensive medicines which only cost $35.00 no matter what their actual cost is, but it is a catch all provision :-D

Our mum had various health problems over the years including COPD
She had various meds and inhalers for it

She had problems coping with the loss of dad too and was given more meds for anxiety etc

She would get side effects for one med so given another to combat the side effects then another for the side effects of that one

She was taking so many pills she had to use a pill box every day loading it with the days needs so she didn't forget to take one of them

She was then taken ill and rushed to hospital where the doctors reviewed what she was taking and said you don't need all these tablets and took her off most of them

Sadly she had developed a heart problem caused by the wrong combination of pills and did eventually have a sudden heart attack and passed away

We all said her GP was at fault for fobbing her off with more pills rather than getting to the bottom of her basic health needs

That's sad to hear, Shirley.
Not all pills suit everyone.
Luckily I have been able to talk to GPs if something doesn't suit and working together we have worked out a satisfactory result.
Recently I was offered an alternative medication after a specialist review. He gave me a leaflet to read and told me to contact his secretary if I wanted to go ahead. The side effects seemed disturbing, so I discussed it with a pharmacist, who advised that for the time being it would be be better to leave things as they are.
I want to live life, not exist in a drug-induced haze.

Allan
That's quite a mark up!
GPs locally don't prescribe paracetamol etc. if it is cheaper to buy over the counter.

My late mother-in-law in Hampshire was prescribed paracetamol and received them regularly as part of her repeat prescription, home delivered by the chemist. Try as we might, it was ages before we could get that part cancelled, as she didn't need or take them.
We can't buy more than 32 tablets at a time. She had enough stock piled to supply most of the town!

Shirley, I can only repeat what Gwyn has said re your mum, so sad.

Gwyn, the mark-up does seem excessive, but it's swings and roundabouts. Some medications on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme which are available for $36.00 could normally cost thousands of dollars.

I was just fortunate that the chemist queried the script in the first place as I had no idea that aspirin was available without a script.

This is a very recent example of my last post

https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/patients-to-save-tens-of-thousands-on-two-key-cancer-drugs/news-story/cf8c85537508a413634c35df2b23b39a

I've also been quoting an old price for scrips, which have now risen to about $40.00

as a concession card holder I only pay $6.50 for each of my medications

OH has now had the ultrasound.

Some calcium on the aorta and two leaky valves, but nothing very serious :-)

I've offered to buy her a puncture repair kit :-D

Good news Allan. She'll still be able to catch you!!! :-D

Allan
It's good that you get results so quickly and I'm pleased that it's shown up nothing more serious.
I hope your OH can be successfully treated, if necessary.


It's great that recent Australian legislation makes those special drugs more readily available to all and needing people are not barred due to price.
That's a consideration one doesn't want to face, at times of emotional and physical stress.