Friendly health reminder

[Donald]

For those of you who tend to take prolonged trips, take a break now and then, have a stretch, visit your doctor!

Mate of mine just got out of hospital after a clot formed in his neck, luckily (sort of) it went to his arm and chest. Still, small trip to the hospital today, 3 months of stomach injections and tablets and he should be right as rain. This happened after an 8 hour trip to Wales to pick up a new car and docs said it was more than likely the cause.

Now I say luckily for my mate because almost 10 months ago my dad's mrs had a clot form in her neck, unfortunately it moved to the brain and caused a stroke (well 3 technically). Long story short a week prior and unknown to her her carotid ruptured so had already begun to clot, but the long trip she made from NZ back to the UK made it far worse (almost fatally), and although she was extremely fortunate in her recovery she's still lost an amount of motor function, but has happily returned to work just this month.

Mate is 22 and dad's mrs is 32, so relatively young for this sort of thing when you consider 90% of people experiencing these clots are over the age of 40!

I also lost another friend over christmas that was just 22, through a fairly surprising and fast development of lung cancer.


That's all Not after sympathy, 1. I'm not the ill one and 2. because everyone loses people or has ailments in their friend/family circle, but I thought this was worth posting since a fair amount of us do a good bit of driving and probably not a lot of you go for regular health checks since you're all so young and spritely.

[prelude91]

First point, Thanks Donald, I fly out to N.Z on Tuesday, over 24 hours in the air, so need to be careful with blood circulation etc.... Secondly my L5 S1 prolapsed disc was caused by driving continually, other than fag and petrol breaks, for 21 hours to Southern Germany from the south coast. I did the return 21 hour journey only 5 days later, I'm still recovering, even after 27 months. Oh, and , yes, she was worth the trip at the time!!! All this at the age of 52, upright and breathing, as Bert Munroe said.

[wurlycorner]

What is it that actually causes blood clots within moving blood vessels? Never have been able to work that one out?

[Donald]

Can be lots of things from genetics to disease, causing irregularities.

Abnormal protein production, poor flow causing an accumulation of platelets, bodily controls such as thromboregulation, hemostatic & humoral responses, arterial and venous ruptures which then stimulate coagulant factors, I think atherosclerosis is a common one with age/poor diet.

Plenty of info out there I imagine, I find a decent page to link you but it's effort from tapatalk

First point, Thanks Donald, I fly out to N.Z on Tuesday, over 24 hours in the air, so need to be careful with blood circulation etc.... Secondly my L5 S1 prolapsed disc was caused by driving continually, other than fag and petrol breaks, for 21 hours to Southern Germany from the south coast. I did the return 21 hour journey only 5 days later, I'm still recovering, even after 27 months. Oh, and , yes, she was worth the trip at the time!!! All this at the age of 52, upright and breathing, as Bert Munroe said.

That sounds jobby, what are they doing for you? Back injuries take an age to recover (if they even do). I'm less than half your age (just to make you feel better) and have a MSD that generally keeps me from sleeping, hence the large amount of late night posts I take it you too experience paresthesia? I think my uncle had a similar thing to you and always complained of sciatica as well.

Also it may sound silly but my grandad always rated those socks they give you when you're in hospital

[simonc]

Blimey Donald, I'll be sat on me arse at 38,000ft for 18 hours tomorrow. I'd better read the card properly on DVT this time. Mind you, it's a bit tricky to do some of the exercises they recommend when one is squashed next to someone in cattle-class.
BTW - those socks you speak of have been proven to be beneficial for a lot of folks. I've seen them for sale in Duty-Free shops at airports in many places round Asia.

[prelude91]

Donald, if you had several hours to spare, I'd give you a blow by blow account of how my NHS treatment went, not good, the main improvement started when I saw an osteopath privately as of Jan. 2012, starting improving by late spring, after already 16 months of total immobility, sleeping pattern still not brill, hence my trip abroad now after more than 2 years incarcerated in this house/ area. Hopefully back to work when I get back in May. The official diagnosis was a prolapsed disc, L5S1 leading to nerve trapping and paralysis of the right leg.

[prelude91]

Seems like myself, simon and doggo are the international travellers at present.

[Donald]

Donald, if you had several hours to spare, I'd give you a blow by blow account of how my NHS treatment went, not good, the main improvement started when I saw an osteopath privately as of Jan. 2012, starting improving by late spring, after already 16 months of total immobility, sleeping pattern still not brill, hence my trip abroad now after more than 2 years incarcerated in this house/ area. Hopefully back to work when I get back in May. The official diagnosis was a prolapsed disc, L5S1 leading to nerve trapping and paralysis of the right leg.

Oof. I wont start on the NHS because on their tight budget they do well IMO, but compared the private it's night and day. I take it the surgery is out of the question then?

[prelude91]

Agreed, at least it's there when we need it, and free at the point of service. I had a selective nerve root block, unsuccessfully, I think that sent the system into hyper-drive, as it was uncertain what was the best course of action after that, but at least things are better now. You seem to be a health professional yourself?

[wurlycorner]

don't go blowing more smoke up his ass - the only kind of doctor Donald may be is the time lord kind! ( and that is becoming dubious... )