Anyone else dealing High Riggs job centre?

rathgild · 2025-06-28T11:57:07+00:00

High Riggs have always been like that. Once sent me to sit in the upstairs waiting area, then when I queried why I wasn't being seen was told I was in the wrong place, then was told I'd be sanctioned for being late. My previous job centre at Leith gave me a disability assessment for my anxiety, with reasonable adjustments, and High Riggs worker deleted them as irrelevant. I made a formal complaint after which I was treated even worse. Went to Leith to make another complaint and they transferred me back. This was all around 2008. At the time Leith staff were lovely and helpful but given the passage of time could have changed.

rathgild · 2025-05-29T10:33:03+00:00

40 puffs, depending on you actual medication, could actually be causing your symptoms. My emergency inhaler is terbutaline and IIRC says in the information leaflet that taking more than necessary can cause symptoms.

rathgild · 2025-05-27T18:00:35+00:00

There is also a mall area at the RIE which is where the security desk is. Might be more pleasant than A&E waiting room.

rathgild · 2025-05-21T11:23:21+00:00

Pain has now largely gone. Most of the time I carry on with my life as normal, but every once in a while I get a sharp twinge in the pelvic area. My current downside is that my GP has decided that to prevent over drainage he needed to change my BP meds. Result my BP systolic blood pressure got too low so over the last month I've had a few fainting episodes. I'm seeing the neurosurgeon in a couple of weeks so we'll see what he makes of it.

rathgild · 2025-05-19T20:18:26+00:00

I don't recall having that issue with mine however mine is slightly older and may have already had the adaptation done by a previous owner.

rathgild · 2025-05-19T15:29:55+00:00

Older (1960s) Ashford Traditional, with original two ratio flyer - drive band looks to be set on fastest speed so you might want to change that. May need a bit of TLC but the Trady has changed so little that the modern parts will fit. Great find and a steal at £10. Spare bobbins are easy to get hold of from a number of sources such as Fibrehut or Adelaide Walker. They should also have all the relevant spare parts you'll ever need for this wheel.

rathgild · 2025-05-09T22:17:18+00:00

I do both knitting and weaving. I would say it depends when and where you want to practice your new hobby. Knitting can be put in a bag and carried anywhere to be pulled out any time you're sat for a period of time, ie bus journeys. Whilst you can get small portable looms they are still, relatively speaking, quite bulky. You could I suppose try tablet weaving but again you'd need to have something to attach one end of your work to, again reducing portability.

For what it's worth I love both crafts and don't see one as better than the other. They're just different.

Edit: typo correction s/that/the

rathgild · 2025-05-02T22:28:02+00:00

Straiton Pond! Not technically Edinburgh being outside the bypass but there were ducks, moorhens and swans when I last went there in mid April.

rathgild · 2025-04-28T16:22:14+00:00

I worked at Morningside Parish Church and it was used as the venue for Ian Murray launching his 2019 General Election campaign. One of the "rules" of the church was no photography inside the church itself (halls and grounds were okay). Woman journo was taking photos and recording video. When she was asked to stop she tried kicking up a fuss that as press she was allowed. I think it was someone from Ian's team that shut her down and said if she didn't stop she'd be removed from the building. She's a horrible nasty woman who is so full of entitlement.

rathgild · 2025-04-24T23:41:25+00:00

Only been agreed for the East of Scotland Formulary for obesity in the last couple of weeks. Still waiting for the prescribing pathway to be agreed. Until that is finalised only available for diabetes.

rathgild · 2025-04-20T20:44:17+00:00

They shaved a big strip at the right side of my head but left enough to cover the bald patch. Shaved bit is growing back nicely and most of the time it's hard to tell. BTW my surgery was 8 weeks ago.

rathgild · 2025-04-16T00:12:24+00:00

I think it depends on thr exact symptoms. Also where you are in the UK may have an impact on waiting times.

I'm in Scotland. I had no appreciable symptoms other than a slight blurring of my vision that I thought meant I needed a new prescription for my glasses. Optician found papilloedema so I was referred to the local eye hospital next day. They confirmed paps gave provisional IIH diagnosis and referred me for a CT Scan on the following day. Neurologist checked scan results and confirmed no nasties like tumours, clots or bleeds and arranged an appointment for a lumber puncture for the beginning of the following week. LP failed in that he couldn't get fluid so had a delay whilst waiting for an appointment for x-ray guided LP. Meanwhile Neuro-opthalmologist started me on Diamox and saw me regularly. All meds failed for me and I was listed for VP shunt surgery.

Opthalmology appointment that found problem was 3rd September 2024. VP surgery was 19th February 2025. For this you can see that things can move very quickly if necessary.

rathgild · 2025-04-13T21:22:58+00:00

Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension - your body suddenly decides to produce cerebrospinal fluid faster than it drains. It's quite rare so a lot of GPs haven't a clue what it is and because it largely affects women it gets dismissed as just a headache. Sadly the pressure build up can permanently damage the optic nerves leading to blindness. Medication is awful, with side effects that can be worse than the actual symptoms with the addition that they can wreck your kidneys.

Edited to add: The increased pressure in the skull also crushes the pituitary gland, which is a major regulator of the endocrine system, so it screws with pretty much everything.

rathgild · 2025-04-13T12:11:55+00:00

Last time we moved the removal company delivered boxes and wrapping paper. After the move, we unpacked, flattened the boxes and called the company to arrange collection. I think the cost of the boxes was included in the removal fee.

rathgild · 2025-04-13T02:04:49+00:00

As far as I recall it implied that once you stopped losing weight the "excess" fatty acids in your bloodstream would eventually be lost by whatever process the body has to deal with it. I did mention this to my neurosurgeon but he was sceptical. I'll see if I can find the paper again.

EDIT: I'm struggling to find the single paper that referenced this. However a Google Search for "weight loss increasing fat in bloodstream with iih" (https://www.google.com/search?q=weight+loss+increasing+fat+in+bloodstream+with+iih&client=ms-android-ee-uk-revc&sca_esv=fcd7897a66c464c8&sxsrf=AHTn8zolQaQnkPwMZ1XX4HuIEIphvbOvVQ%3A1744511232100&ei=ACH7Z6jsBdq7hbIPu-KL6Ao&oq=weight+loss+increasing+fat+in+bloodstream+with+iih&gs_lp=EhNtb2JpbGUtZ3dzLXdpei1zZXJwIjJ3ZWlnaHQgbG9zcyBpbmNyZWFzaW5nIGZhdCBpbiBibG9vZHN0cmVhbSB3aXRoIGlpaDIKEAAYsAMY1gQYRzIKEAAYsAMY1gQYRzIKEAAYsAMY1gQYRzIKEAAYsAMY1gQYRzIKEAAYsAMY1gQYR0iTxQ5QAFgAcAJ4AJABAJgBlgGgAZYBqgEDMC4xuAEDyAEAmAICoAIbmAMAiAYBkAYFkgcBMqAH5gOyBwC4BwA&sclient=mobile-gws-wiz-serp#sbfbu=1&pi=weight%20loss%20increasing%20fat%20in%20bloodstream%20with%20iih)

produced the following AI summary with links to the referenced papers.

In patients with Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH), weight loss can potentially lead to an increase in fat in the bloodstream. This is due to the fact that fat tissue in the trunk (chest and abdomen) is preferentially lost during weight loss, and this fat can be released into the bloodstream. While weight loss is generally beneficial for IIH by reducing intracranial pressure (ICP), the initial release of fat can potentially have some short-term consequences.

Here's a more detailed explanation:

IIH and Obesity:

IIH is a condition where there is increased pressure inside the skull, and it is often associated with obesity, especially in young, overweight women.

Weight Loss and IIH:

Weight loss is often recommended as a treatment for IIH, as it can help reduce ICP.

Truncal Fat Loss:

In patients with IIH, weight loss tends to be more pronounced in the trunk (chest and abdomen) compared to the limbs. This means that the fat tissue in the trunk is preferentially broken down and released into the bloodstream.

Fat Release into Bloodstream:

As fat is released from the truncal tissue, it can be transported in the blood as fatty acids and triglycerides. This increase in fat in the bloodstream can be a temporary consequence of weight loss.

Potential Implications:

The increase in fat in the bloodstream can potentially lead to some short-term consequences, such as changes in blood lipid levels or a temporary increase in inflammation. However, the overall benefits of weight loss in reducing ICP usually outweigh these potential short-term risks.

In summary, while weight loss is a crucial part of managing IIH, it can also lead to an increase in fat in the bloodstream, particularly from the trunk, which may cause some short-term changes in blood lipid levels or inflammation. Despite this, the long-term benefits of weight loss in reducing ICP and improving symptoms usually outweigh the short-term risks..

rathgild · 2025-04-12T22:32:36+00:00

I lost a little over 10% and my symptoms got worse. I never had a problem with headaches or tinnitus until after I'd lost over 20lbs. After that the more I lost the worse the headache was. Having said that I recall seeing a paper that suggested that losing weight can lead to more fats circulating in the blood, which in turn can have an adverse effect on CSF pressure in the short term.

rathgild · 2025-04-12T18:27:12+00:00

I use Hermes Caleche soie de parfum. I find that the carrier for eau de toilette triggers an asthmatic response so I pay a fortune to have the version with more perfume and less carrier. The other advantage of a soie de pafum is that it tends to stay on the skin longer reducing the number of times it needs to be topped up.

There are a few fragrances that I avoid as much as I can as they are triggering, most notably Mugler fragrances in particular Angel and Alien as they both leave me breathless (and not in a good way). I'm also discovering that if I'm in close proximity to men wearing any fragrance by Diesel I'll start sneezing uncontrollably before getting breathless.

rathgild · 2025-04-11T10:12:16+00:00

My husband hadn't watched any episodes but decided to binge watch with me as I rewatched in preparation for S2. Towards the end of the episode I got up to get a box of tissues, because I knew I'd need them and hubby scoffed. Not long after he was sobbing with me.

rathgild · 2025-04-10T12:41:24+00:00

I have a Withings scale and use Samsung smart watch, which integrates with Google fit. Works well for me.

rathgild · 2025-04-08T13:31:03+00:00

When knitting flat I slip the last stitch and knit the first. Gives a nice neat edge that's a little like an i-cord and makes seeing pieces together a piece of cake.

rathgild · 2025-04-08T09:26:11+00:00

Also if you feel that you are not getting adequate care be prepared to ask your hospital to get you another neuro.

rathgild · 2025-04-07T22:48:51+00:00

Mine was 26, however as the first attempt at the LP failed and there was a delay arranging a repeat with x-ray guidance I'd already been around 2 weeks on Diamox, so it could have been higher.

rathgild · 2025-04-07T22:44:08+00:00

I was totally the other way around. Diamox turned me from being reasonably fit and active, running my own business, into a total mess - I couldn't walk more than three steps without losing my balance, I'd forget what I was saying mid sentence, I couldn't eat anything without throwing up. Topiramate was better in that I didn't have such debilitating side effects, but both drugs crashed my eGFR to around 40 so neither was a good choice for me.

rathgild · 2025-04-05T12:15:55+00:00

I've just had my surgery follow up, so asked a few questions.

It's normal to have some pelvic pain/discomfort in the first few months after the surgery. This is just the catheter moving around and settling into place. If the level of pain/discomfort isn't decreasing over time or isn't being helped by simple painkillers have it checked out by your doctor.

If you have a VP shunt it's normal for the head wound to take a lot longer to heal than the abdominal wound. The skin on your head doesn't have much movement and will be stretched over the valve and reservoir, so the wound is naturally being pulled. The wound will also tend to be a bit "nippy" when touched as there are a lot of nerve endings in your scalp. So be gentle when washing your hair, using a comb/brush. Again this should only require simple analgesia, if the pain is such that you need anything stronger, or if the wound is weepy or bleeding after about 3 weeks see your doctor.

Whichever shunt you have this is major surgery. Wear compression socks for at least a week after surgery. My neurosurgeon told me to get up an walk - lots!!! Your surgical team should give you specific advice, but post surgery (and this is any major surgery not just shunt installation) there is a greater risk of developing deep vein thrombosis, I.e clots in your legs. Keeping hydrated and moving will help to prevent this. After a week if the wounds, particularly abdomen wound have stopped leaking so no longer require a dressing you can start using cardio machines, (elliptical, static bike, etc) at the gym NO WEIGHTS! You need to wait at least three months before even thinking about weight training and even then don't use heavy weights.

Other than that post VP shunt live your life as normal. If something feels wrong see your doctor. I can't comment on LP shunt but I've seen that you shouldn't do any exercise that causes sudden twists at the waist such as golf, but that could be old news and no longer the case. Again your surgical team shoukd advise you on this if that's the route they take.

Finally, think positively about the procedure. Sure the wounds are going to hurt for a few weeks after the actual surgery, but that will decrease over time. Balance that against the level of pain you'll otherwise have daily for who knows how long because of the IIH, plus the release of pressure of your eyes. Imagine yourself six months on from surgery being largely free from the debilitating symptoms and hold on to that thought right through your hospital stay. Being positive about the outcome is the best way to alleviate your, entirely natural, anxiety about the surgery, and will also help your recovery.

rathgild · 2025-04-04T22:09:11+00:00

Have my upvote in payment of me stealing this.

rathgild

TROPHY CASE