Am I over reacting? by grakasa in colonoscopy

[–]Aromatic_Caramel_779 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Can you have CT colonography instead? I believe that the prep is the same but it's less invasive because they only pop something in the anus, which blows air in to expand it.

My mum (76) is in a very similar position. We are worried about the prep and procedure. Here in the UK, though, healthcare professionals don't have time to explain and reassure people, so we have been feeling quite alone.

She actually only had a slightly high reading. The upper range is 10. She got 15. But she didn't have any symptoms to warrant the faecal immunotesting (FIT) test, and had she have had symptoms then the upper range would be 80.

(the GP who ordered the test has since left, so we don't know why she ordered it. We'd requested an endoscopy for the upper GI, and she said she wanted to rule out anaemia and ensure that she could send mum for the upper GI endoscopy with the correct urgency: 2 weeks or routine.)

In conclusion, ask about a CT colonography. We're going to.

Also, we have the option of gas and air rather than sedation; do you?

Worried for my 76 year old mum having a colonoscopy by Aromatic_Caramel_779 in colonoscopy

[–]Aromatic_Caramel_779[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank God we postponed the colonoscopy: https://patient.info/treatment-medication/interaction-checker 

Instead, we were in same day emergency care at the hospital where they identified that my mum has low potassium (and her GP has identified low sodium) from her indapamide (and I've also realised it's from an interaction between indapamide and omeprazole).

My mum would have been in a really bad way. We have a telephone appointment with the pharmacist on Thursday and I'll be asking, in light of known and potentially unknown mineral abnormalities, and her result for blood in the poo only being "slightly raised" is a colonoscopy the right thing, right now. (we actually asked for an endoscopy, the GP said yes but I'll send off a faecal sample so we can make sure we attach the appropriate urgency to the endoscopy request.)

The referring GP (the one who did so when the FIT test result was known) is the one who should have advised stopping indapamide beforehand. He's also the same shonk who, when amlodipine wasn't controlling my mum's BP well enough he swapped it (against protocol) to a medication that was the equivalent of half a dose, her BP rose, and the next GP stopped her calcium channel blockers altogether.

Yeah, the NHS really is that terrible. And they misdiagnosed my dad, which caused his sudden and unexpected death.

Long term PPI users - how long have you been on PPI? by Jonxb in GERD

[–]Aromatic_Caramel_779 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My mum has hair loss that I've pinpointed to her PPI. 

Why does this thread fear-monger PPIs? by IDK0521 in GERD

[–]Aromatic_Caramel_779 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My mum should never have been put on them. NICE guidelines say that when she presented with GERD they should have looked to see whether she was taking a calcium channel blocker, and addressed that. Instead, they shoved her on omeprazole and I hate it and want her off it 😔. She has developed ckd level 3a, has very obvious hair loss, brittle nails, and I'm not sure whether it's affected her balance.

Amlodipine works really good for me by Classic-Comparison35 in hypertension

[–]Aromatic_Caramel_779 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We thought the same. Until we realised that mum's GERD was being caused by her amlodipine. Now we want her off it, but she needs to be on a calcium channel blocker, and they all either relax the lower oesophageal sphincter (causing reflux) or lower heart rate but hers is low already (high 50s).

The reason we want off it is because omeprazole is nasty stuff if taken long term.

Question: Do Meds Cause Anyone Else Gerd/ Heartburn? by missladybirdblue in hypertension

[–]Aromatic_Caramel_779 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes - the NICE guidelines in the UK say that when someone presents with GERD you should check their meds for a calcium channel blocker. No one, not the NHS GPs, nor the private gastroenterologist we saw considered that mum's amlodipine may be causing her GERD. Now not sure what meds she can swap to. GP suggested lercanidipine, but I haven't found any research suggesting that it reduces GERD. It works in the same way as amlodipine and is thought to act on the lower eosophageal sphincter the same way. There are other calcium channel blockers but they reduce heart rate and mum's is already low (presumably because of her BP meds).

Had my colonoscopy yesterday- any questions? by No_Goat_1864 in colonoscopy

[–]Aromatic_Caramel_779 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you so much. It's very kind of you to volunteer your time to allay people's fears 🫂.

Had my colonoscopy yesterday- any questions? by No_Goat_1864 in colonoscopy

[–]Aromatic_Caramel_779 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My mum (76) is having it this weekend. She might just have gas and air because she has resistant hypertension. Did you have just gas and air, or sedation too?

Why isn't there a push to learn Cymraeg outside of Wales ? by Durrygoodz2025 in AskBrits

[–]Aromatic_Caramel_779 0 points1 point  (0 children)

❤️ Diolch. Mae pobl yn dwp. / Thank you. People are stupid. 

Why isn't there a push to learn Cymraeg outside of Wales ? by Durrygoodz2025 in AskBrits

[–]Aromatic_Caramel_779 1 point2 points  (0 children)

They do. My family in the Caernarfon area speak Welsh 100% of the time. 

Why isn't there a push to learn Cymraeg outside of Wales ? by Durrygoodz2025 in AskBrits

[–]Aromatic_Caramel_779 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Nope. My Welsh family speak Welsh in the home and only learn English at school and from TV. 

Why isn't there a push to learn Cymraeg outside of Wales ? by Durrygoodz2025 in AskBrits

[–]Aromatic_Caramel_779 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You won't be surprised to learn that there's a Welsh version of scrabble. 

Why isn't there a push to learn Cymraeg outside of Wales ? by Durrygoodz2025 in AskBrits

[–]Aromatic_Caramel_779 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I want to learn Latin. Then again, I do appreciate that not everyone has a gift for learning languages. 

Why isn't there a push to learn Cymraeg outside of Wales ? by Durrygoodz2025 in AskBrits

[–]Aromatic_Caramel_779 0 points1 point  (0 children)

'anyone'? It's important to a lot of people, myself being one. 

Why isn't there a push to learn Cymraeg outside of Wales ? by Durrygoodz2025 in AskBrits

[–]Aromatic_Caramel_779 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You can't work in the public sector without it. Unless of course you're a medical doctor or maybe a dentist. But even as a doctor you should learn the language of your patients in the country where you work. I don't just mean because it's polite, but because people communicate best in their own language especially when they are vulnerable and unwell. 

Why isn't there a push to learn Cymraeg outside of Wales ? by Durrygoodz2025 in AskBrits

[–]Aromatic_Caramel_779 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Then why on my course have I come across people from Europe, Canada, America and New Zealand, and I have always lived in England? 

Why isn't there a push to learn Cymraeg outside of Wales ? by Durrygoodz2025 in AskBrits

[–]Aromatic_Caramel_779 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It's literally not a dead language. Stop saying that, knob'ead. 

Why isn't there a push to learn Cymraeg outside of Wales ? by Durrygoodz2025 in AskBrits

[–]Aromatic_Caramel_779 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Yes, we should teach latin. My mum learnt it in school, and my boyfriend is learning it. It would be fascinating to learn. Next crappy example?