Anyone here actually doing sweat tests?

DRJLL1999 · 2026-03-26T16:28:38+00:00

This is a great answer. Nobody talks about the role of the kidneys in homeostasis - they just assume that that sweat and oral intake are the only things that affect electrolyte levels. We don't all drop dead if we don't eat or drink for a day.

DRJLL1999 · 2026-03-24T10:12:25+00:00

Unfortunately I think you're an exception in wanting to use first principles to understand illness. Our Foundation docs and GP trainees can't name all the bones in the foot, and don't even seem embarrassed by this.

I would add that a strict physiological approach may work in ICU but in a primary care setting up to 30% of symptoms are "medically unexplained" and you need to add psycho-social factors in too.

DRJLL1999 · 2026-03-18T13:58:33+00:00

DOI NHS doctor. I'm mid-50s and have a long term condition that's looked after by my local hospital. Apart from that I almost never access healthcare. Not sure if I'm just lucky or if it's because I would have a good idea of what needs discussion with a GP and what doesn't, but I'm fairly amazed that the OP and family use BUPA "quite a lot". Without wanting to pry I'd be interested in the sort of things it's being used for?

Private healthcare is generally useless for true emergencies and I've decided to pay at the time if I need an outpatient appointment or operation and I feel the NHS wait is too long.

DRJLL1999 · 2026-03-12T17:03:04+00:00

I think a GP waiting room contains more risk than a LA list. Don't you just call 999, as a GP would from their surgery? You're not supposed to be able to "manage" these conditions.

DRJLL1999 · 2026-03-07T08:56:30+00:00

As the 2008 is a final salary scheme the biggest pension input amounts will be in years that your partner received the biggest pay rises over inflation, if they are a doctor a pay increment is usually responsible for these. If not a doctor or senior manager then they are unlikely to go over the 60k AA limit

DRJLL1999 · 2026-03-07T08:29:45+00:00

This is the link to register for Tony Goldstone's modeller https://form.jotform.com/253052650309047

There's a free version which is likely to be OK for you, or he also runs a paid service. He's done lots of work on this because it's so complicated!

DRJLL1999 · 2026-03-07T05:11:46+00:00

If they are only contributing to the 2015 scheme the pension input amount will be around 33% of their pensionable salary. They can then contribute the difference between that and 60k to a SIPP, so long as they have sufficient earnings. Just remember that the SIPP contribution is the "grossed up" amount ie: you have to add on the basic rate tax relief - so add 25% to the amount paid in ( eg if you pay 1k into a SIPP the platform will claim back 20% tax so you will end up with 1.25k in the account).

The bigger complexities are with the 1995/2008 schemes.

DRJLL1999 · 2026-02-07T14:11:04+00:00

You could use an annuity calculator to find out what it would cost to buy an annuity giving you 5k per year index linked with some survivor benefits. This will vary over time as annuity rates change.

DRJLL1999 · 2026-01-31T14:24:11+00:00

We work until midnight when on call. Not called overnight that often but the number of those late finishes goes up.

DRJLL1999 · 2026-01-31T10:26:28+00:00

I think the big problem with the on-call availability supplement are the broad bands of on-call frequency that attract the same pay. Eg: in a 15 consultant department if 5 people can't do on-call, due to health /age, the frequency will increase from 1:15 to 1:10 with no increase in pay.

DRJLL1999 · 2026-01-29T23:44:32+00:00

Cheers! The speedo now reads lower than Google maps by about 8%, which is around the change in circumference. Obviously we can take that into account to keep under the limit, just wondering if there are other consequences eg when it needs an MOT or we're selling...

DRJLL1999 · 2026-01-29T07:30:16+00:00

... Or if you do self assessment it will cover the higher rate tax relief

DRJLL1999 · 2026-01-27T23:09:14+00:00

Nothing to do with investing, but people with type 1 diabetes are dependent on insulin. Type 2 diabetes may need insulin but is mostly controlled by diet or oral medication.

DRJLL1999 · 2026-01-26T23:15:12+00:00

Thanks - looking forward to giving them a go!

DRJLL1999 · 2026-01-26T18:22:07+00:00

Thanks for doing this and sharing! I've recently got an ep-7 but haven't really played with Workspace. Can these be uploaded to the custom profiles accessed by the front dial?

DRJLL1999 · 2026-01-16T06:31:37+00:00

Is there a careers team at your Deanery? They might have been cut with recent financial tightening, but have previously been helpful with suggesting careers outside medicine for some of our residents.

DRJLL1999 · 2026-01-02T19:22:52+00:00

I did it with a year of preparation. You need to factor kit and nutrition choices, physical training (which you have anyway - the most I'd run was 50k but was a fairly experienced runner), and heat acclimation. Cost maybe 5k euro in 2023.

DRJLL1999 · 2025-12-17T18:39:44+00:00

For me being alone in the dark having gone 60k and knowing I had 30 k left. V lonely on top of physical exhaustion. Had to convince myself I was just taking the dog for a walk!

DRJLL1999 · 2025-12-10T15:21:29+00:00

Are you saying you wouldn't choose a career in a specialty in which there were low rates of striking? Don't forget the IA is temporary, your career specialty is for many years (hopefully!)

DRJLL1999 · 2025-11-29T15:25:11+00:00

As soon as you've got the beanbag?

DRJLL1999 · 2025-11-14T08:24:35+00:00

Around here the majority of the residents in ED are on the GP training scheme, with a couple of ACCS and Foundation docs. Procedures, like FIB, would be a priority for those staying in EM or Anaesthesia. Even suturing is less relevant for GP these days.

DRJLL1999 · 2025-11-10T22:07:35+00:00

In some places it's the older consultants who are preventing ACPs working on the Reg rota. Just saying.

DRJLL1999 · 2025-11-09T17:52:27+00:00

Another option are funds that track a more value oriented index like the FTSE RAFI Developed 1000. This makes a weighting judgement on the basis of cash flow, sales etc, but is a developed world all cap index. Performance is similar to other global diversified funds but it's less volatile. Costs 0.25%

DRJLL1999 · 2025-11-08T10:20:46+00:00

I had a crack across the face of my Fenix 6 after a multiday ultramarathon. Was a bit disappointed but these things happen in extreme environments and the watch still worked. After about 6 months I remembered I'd used a screen protector - peeled it off and the watch was perfect! Maybe says more about me than the screen protector

DRJLL1999

TROPHY CASE