A new 'tougher' thread... and so it continues

D&DD

Smiley I hope the news is good for your boy X
Softstuff sorry to hear you've been so poorly
Has anyone heard how Taurus is?

Kidcat so know how you feel running on caffeine and *whispers* cigs here atm my lot have been really narky with each other this week which has set DS3 off big time so I'm getting around 3 hours a night at the mo.
Thought I'll have a lay in this morning and some prat knocks at 7am and disappears by the time I made it downstairs :mad: not happy!

Rosie (dog) seems better this morning after her escapades yesterday (she ran all the way home on her own from the park) she was quiet last night but seems more settled now so taking her out in a bit..on her lead!

Planning on some baking today but its anyones guess if I'll actually get around to it :rotfl:

kidcat

D&DD - there have been moments this week when I swear pure caffeine must have been flowing though my veins! Any chance you can get to nap this afternoon??
On school days when OH is working I try to get a nap during the day, but as he has been off most of this week and we have been searching for cars there just hasnt been the time. Am hoping that MOnday and Tuesday when hes at work I can get back to normal.

My house looks like a bomb dropped, OH started to clear car and has simply dragged all the stuff he took out and left it a t various points in the house. Added to kitchen disaster zone I can see it taking days to catch up. Setting eldest two to work on kitchen and dining room whilst I wander to Aldi, then can start to get stuff from car sorted into rubbish, recycling and keep.

scrabbles_2

Softstuff wrote: »

TThings work a bit differently here than in England, my GP is the centre of everything, it's very easy and quick to get most tests and it's from him I go here there and everywhere, but all results go back to him (even things from specialists and whatnot), so he remains very much knowledgeable of my overall health and wellbeing, and is able to connect the dots a bit more easily rather than treating each symptom as a separate thing...

With the kind of care and attention I've had, it didn't take long for him to find my low B12 (which was silly low, but I've put symptoms down to other things), but it is taking a bit longer to find out why it got low in the first place. This is purely ruling out one thing after another really, working from the very obvious and moving along...

Over here they're a bit more understanding of the b12 issue and give higher doses of it than I've heard they do in England (here with pernicious anemia you get monthly shots at least, in England you're very restricted to 3 monthly regardless - my stepdad has it)...

In any case, as I'm sure you understand, until my levels go up a bit the shots make me briefly good then I sink back to slugdom! A few more weeks before there's improvement there, then maybe a few months before some of my other symptoms go too...

Sorry for shortening your post down. Just wanted to add a few thoughts. Joining the dots... yeah, I could do with that. I have a gastroenterologist and a colorectologist who can't seem to communicate, which is partly why I have had so much trouble with my surgeries, both assume the other is doing this or that, and neither communicate with each other, only the GP. And of course it would never occur to the GP to pass information on to either of them. SO it is left down to me, because obviously that's the way it should be done :mad: Isn't the NHS grand?

It took years to get a diagnosis. Over the years I got told it was depression, anxiety, all in my head, anaemia, eating wrong, psychosomatic illness, irritable bowel syndrome, "women's troubles" (love that one), "the student lifestyle" (and that one), "overstudying" (AND that one), virus, allergies... they basically thought I was a hypochondriac. Then I lucked out and happened to see a doctor who was young and green enough not to fob me off. The low B12 itself got found quite easily on my bloods, then it was a long process of elimination.

smileyt wrote: »

Good morning everyone, am I the first up? I'm off on a 'big birdwatch' starting in an hour's time, so just popped in before I walk the dogs. Very sorry to read of all these black dogs and of people feeling so poorly.

My own real black dog (well, black with a white blaze down his chest) has to have an operation on Tuesday to remove a couple of lumps. He is also losing weight, and is at the lowest weight he's ever been, so it's not looking good, but I won't know for sure until his lumps have been to the histology lab and his blood tests are back. As I type this I am quite calm, but last night I was in tears for a good part of the evening. I am terrified that he might die under the anaesthetic (he'll be 14 in a week's time, but he is extremely fit for his age) or that the vet will say the x-ray has revealed tumours internally and it would be kinder not to wake him up. Oh bum I'm crying again. Sorry. I know when you get an animal you are inevitably setting yourself up for a broken heart but it doesn't make it any easier!

Anyway, I'd better get going. I have my thermals on already .... :rotfl:

Huge hug for you smiley (((hug))) I do hope your pup will be okay. It's an awful thing to go through. Grief is part of love - the important thing is that you are doing the right thing for him and making the right, unselfish, decisions for him when it matters most. What pup could ask more. I do hope you'll be okay, I'll be thinking of you today xxx

mardatha wrote: »

Hubby has pernicious anaemia it runs in the family. Hair turned a gorgeous silver within weeks He gets shots 5 weekly but is ready to go down to 4 I think. There is noway you should wait for 3 monthly - if anybody has it and you're knackered then go to the doc and ask him to shorten the 12 weeks to 10. Be firm - its not a medical thing its a money/convenience thing for the NHS. Used to be 4 weekly but some erk decided oh lets give them a bigger dose less often and it will cost less. But some people cant cope with that and run out early.
I got all hopeful and had mine tested to see if thats why I was a slug but no, my levels are high.

I got mine every 6 weeks. Like so much with the NHS, I think it all comes down to where you live. Although I have heard that complaining to your MP can get things sorted out for you.

lizzyb1812

ginnyknit wrote: »

Just made cranberry muffins with added bran - secret ingredient in my war with one of OH's problems - they taste good but look very insipid :rotfl:

Could you add a bit of cocoa powder and make choc cranberry muffins?

D&DD wrote: »

Rosie (dog) seems better this morning after her escapades yesterday (she ran all the way home on her own from the park) she was quiet last night but seems more settled now so taking her out in a bit..on her lead!

Felt real guilt when I read this - earlier in the week my pup chased another dog off the woodland path we were on, through a wood and into a road - thankfully it was a quiet cul de sac and the chasee kept to the pavement. Turns out she was heading home. The owner was cross with her and I kept telling him it was pup's fault. No harm done in the end except for a few minutes of palpitations on my part but pup is becoming a handful. On the lead he's bouncy but controllable, off the lead he's a chaser - dogs, joggers, cyclists, children - he loves everyone and everything and just wants to play but at 5.5 months old has not learned to come back when called. We'll have to practice more and hope time will help.

Smileyt - fingers crossed for your own pup.

Softstuff - glad to see you posting, hope you feel better soon.

Wrapping up warm today as very cold here but at least there's some sun for now.

Softstuff

Mardatha, from the bit I've read the standard treatment over here is monthly at the same dose as the NHS suggests should be given 3 monthly. I believe France has the same dosage as Australia. Funnily enough, I also read both Britain and the UK believe any b12 count over 200 is ok, but Japan says less than 500 is deficient. I think it should be given more liberally, since anything more than you need you just pee out in any case and as many will attest it's not fun being deficient.

Sorry to hear of your troubles Scrabbles, I hear regularly of NHS communication woes from my parents. It's a battle I'm grateful not to have to fight here. We have to pay more for some things healthwise, but we certainly get value.

I hope there's good news for your pup too Smiley.

It seems to have been a tough start to the year for many, hopefully that means we're getting it out of the way for a good rest of the year.

Thanks for all your well wishes, I swear I feel a bit perkier as a result.

savingqueen

Hi-di-hi one and all!

Coming out of lurkdom with the lurgies to say hello. We have a poorly household, DS1 & DS2 and myself. Fortunately DH is fit and well so is officially Chief Household Controller today. Unfortunately however he will only do the bare minimum. Without me doing loads which sometimes nudges him to do 'less than loads' but more than 'the bare minimum' ... not a lot will get done!!! One or more of us has been ill at any time since end of November and I've only had a few odd days respite between bouts of illness since then. Never mind, we are really lucky only temporary illness like bugs, coughs, colds and the like and nothing more serious or permanent. Hugs to all those who are poorly physically or emotionally.

On a more positive note, advantages of lurgydom:

yet another NSD to add to loads others (other than essentials like food, calpol etc which I don't count)

I don't have to wear myself out doing lots this weekend as I'm already worn out.

Lots of MSEing yipee!

Even if I can't do a lot, I can think a lot and plan a lot!

Excuse to eat lots of biscuits and whatever else I can lay my hands on.

Cats (x2) have plenty of laps to choose from

When we do get back to normal, will appreciate going out even to boring places like supermarches rather than dragging myself to places

right sat here long enough, will do a couple of chores in slow motion, starting with the laundry pile, always makes me feel better getting that done then back to MSE for a rest again. Surprising how much I can get done with this method... The Slow Housework Movement ... could it catch on? :rotfl:

HariboJunkie

Sorry to hear you are poorly Softstuff.
Nice to see you savingqueen and hoping you all feel better soon.
SDG I am sorry I meant to mention you yesterday. Hope the cloud is lifting for you. xxx

Ironing is done so I'm heading out to the garden with OH. We're coming down with wood for the stove so he want's to build a new log shed. :cool:

Take care everyone. It's bitterly cold here today. :eek:

Byatt

Softstuff, so nice to see you posting! Sorry you have been poorly though. :A

Smileyt, hope pooch will be ok. I know it's upsetting and worrying. Do they do a kidney test before the op as standard? If not say you want it, it is extra but it will show if his kidneys are ok. Maybe my vet just charged extra but it would be worth asking. They must think it's worth doing and that he will be ok as my pooch is 12 this year (good age for a boxer) and have been told she is too old to do anything for.

Hester, I know what you mean about clothes for work. I barely had anything and one of my colleagues took pity on me (must have been from wearing the same thing all the time!) and gave me a load of lovely clothes. I also remember one winter my boots tore as I was pulling them on and all I had left to wear was some sandals, so walked to work (several miles) in the snow in sandals! As for food at home, there was breakfast and tea, but not any extras for sandwiches or snacks. I always gave more than half of my wages to my mother even when married and living away from home. Long story and an over developed sense of responsibility. Kept me in a job I hated, a marriage I should have walked away from and a realisation that I should have been more selfish.


I'm feeling a little better today, but just walked around the corner to put some money on my electric key (no electric), and feel weak as a kitten. Really getting impatient with myself now.

Hello savingqueen! :wave:

My dad had pernicious anemia and had monthly injections, but this was back in the 80's, maybe earlier.

Lizzy, we had a dog who would run off and chase anything or nothing. It is totally draining and worrying and I experienced a few heart stopping incidents. And was shouted at quite a few times. (a 25kg Boxer hurtling towards you is somewhat scary). My advice is to try really hard to work on recall; get some help if necessary, because when they are no longer puppies people are not so understanding (rightly so), and walking becomes very stressful. Otherwise, you may not be able to let your pooch off lead. It is down to individual dogs as to how easy or not it is to train as my second pooch wanted to stay by us right from day 1. So if we started to walk away, she would soon join us. That's the other thing to do which is counter intuitive, you run the opposite way calling their name (usually high pitched and repetitive) and always praise them when they come back to you. The downside of that, if like my first dog, you are even further away from them as no notice has been taken whatsoever! :eek: Take some food treats and start off with short periods. Time alone won't help. You have to be very proactive. I pass this bit of wisdom on because I adored our dog but it was a real nightmare walking her and know we should have done more.

Frugalista, thinking of you.

Well, I've written more than I intended.

BitterAndTwisted

Write as much as you like. I do enjoy these chatty posts and it's lovely to see new people (well, new to me) joining in. I do lead a pretty quiet life at the moment with little direct contact with other people every day so threads like these are a lovely replacement for an interesting chat now and then.

Nothing of much interest to report this morning other than I've got a fair bit of cooking and baking on the horizon. I'm going to visit some lovely friends this evening and I want to have a couple of nice things to take with me. Home-made hummus and a cake of some description, I think. I have a yen for parkin or ginger cake, so may make one of those.

Best wishes to all those who are having difficult things to deal with at the moment, be they health, relationships, poorly darling pets or money ones.

prepareathome

For those who are stuggling a bit now with the gloom, even without snow a while ago on the winter thread someone mentioned how they use Biobulbs, so I asked about them and then bought one.

Now I get ahem rather bad depression usually from end of Dec till end of March ( it goes after I have one night when I have to fight against shall I saw removing myself from the world, its like an abscesses that builds up till that night then bang its gone and fine till the following winter). Its not just dullness its my physical condition is always worse, past few years I have been in bed totally from Jan to March not even getting downstairs for weeks on end. This has happened for past 5 winters so this year decided to be pro active.

So bought one of those Biobulbs and got to admit so far its doing the trick. The light is white, more like natural light, its like bright day but you cannot see the sun, in fact its a harsh white light just like real bright sunlight is, but no glare. I have one in bedroom and one in study. I also did buy a small SAD lamp from Argos £50 and so far since buying Biobulb I have hardly used it. I had heard from threads on here about Vit D so make sure I take it daily. I do try and do a bit of exercise, but like last week that was only going up and down stairs but am making sure I do go out at least once a week where as past few years didn't go out for 2-3 months. Its one of the reasons I joined slimming world, at least I have somewhere to go out, as hubby does the shopping if I am bad. As it is past few weeks I have had quite a few places to go to ( hosp appointments) but I got there where in past cancelled all from Jan - March.

I do swear the Biobulb is one of the best things to help me ( I usually feel as part of the down/depression that there is not enough light around me and although I might have 5 lamps on in past it still felt dark where as the Biobulb plus a lamp or Sad Light is enough on bad days - and that is it the bad day stays as just that one day tops. Ok it has helped that at long last I have got the measure of my body and can pace correctly so not getting so many days when I am totally stuck in bed, if something needs doing and I know I only have a bit of energy left it gets left undone, as going to bed with a bit of energy feeling as if you could have done a bit more is important, you haven't drained your reserves so next day you are not worn out and I think that applies to most people if you do to much one day its harder to have energy the next except the young and healthy.

Dr had arranged for me to see a counsellor last year but you only get 12 appointments and then hey pesto you are regarded as cured ( you can go back but you have to wait 3 months before your doctor can request this) and my last one was last week, hence you all suffering my long posts as no one else to talk ( when depressed I talk to no one not even hubby or dogs) to as only have one friend who herself has agoraphobia but apart from that is a fit and healthy 69 year old. The counsellor worked on trying to change my thought patterns, as some one mentioned on here, when you start to feel down you think oh oh its starting and how I must stop that in its tracks, think ok in past got worse, but doesn't mean it will this year and then try to stop thinking about it by either doing something ( not always possible )or thinking about something nice like what I plan to grow, what I want to eat for next meal, simple things and does seem to be helping as well.

Also make sure if you are feeling down or depressed you have colour around you - when you feel like this you tend to reach for dark blues. blacks or browns and they just make you feel worse. Put on a colourful cardigan or have a nice bright throw on the couch, or buy some flowers if you can afford it to cheer up your LR.

If you can afford it ( and I see the ones I bought have gone up a bit) I would try out a Biobulb.

I found at first I could not have it on for more than about 30 mins as it gave me a headache, just same as when outside in harsh sunlight, but now can have it on all day with no problems, I just built up time it was on and have been using it most days since November whether I feel down or not.

I am itching to get outside to do some bits have been for a few days, but was to tired earlier in the week, yesterday had the energy but weather was just to bad and today its not to bad out but have hair dressers at 3.30pm as we are going out for a meal with hubbys bowls team, something we have never down before as in past couldn't afford it usually or because I could not get out of bed ( they have only been doing it for past 6 years) but as I have not had to buy any actual shopping for past two weeks we can afford it. Jan and Feb usually are times when hubby has no over time and only does his 20 hours which at min pay doesn't give us much, but thanks to all the tips here I am stretching everything so hair done, even bought a new outfit in BonMarche sale - a David Emmanuel top £7 and a pair of white jeans with gold embroidary (spl)on the pockets front and back, but they don't look like jeans at all so should look ok tonight if not have black wool trousers I also bought in their sale. I had not bought anything in Jan sales for years with not having any money ( don't do cc except my prepay one to scared of not being able to pay it off) and this year I have bought a dress, skirt, 2 pairs of trousers ( one the jeans) and 6 tops (incl DE one) £31 mainly from BonMarche, its local and not gone further afield although if I can keep up working the money the way I have so will have weeks when I can spare some cash I hope to be able to do so later in the year, just have to see how it goes when CT is due again in April as that is a big cut into money. At the rate my weight loss is going they should continue to fit me for quite a long time :rotfl:

Oh we did get to see Warhorse, I cried quite a few times during it but enjoyed it, did manage to sit through it - they had an interval half way through so was able to move around then. Usually sitting in one place for more than 10 mins hurts to much but topped up pain meds before I went and it worked, that for me is another thing that is helping using my pain meds to suit me not how doctor prescribed them - she was unsure about my way so actually arranged for a pharmacist to come out to house to chat to me about them and she agreed I knew what I was doing and my way was fine, so if you are on pain meds consider how you are taking them, can you change from usual every 4 hrs or every 12 if slow release ( I have both ) so the amount I take varies from day to day never going over the max allowed but a some of days far less than max. For the slow release I decide when I wake up what amount I should take depending on what I have planned and then top up if needed with the ones that last 4 hrs and this way I find am getting better relief as body not getting used to set dose. I am on Oxycontin ( up to 20 mgs twice daily - slow release) and Oxynorm ( up to 40mg in 5mg doses as needed throughout the day). Nothing I can do for the fatigue/exhaustion except rest but the pacing is helping that a bit. Ok not in a flare just now, if that comes all bets off and will just have to rid with it.

Oh not had a cigarette but am cheating with electronic one since the two I had on Wednesday morning and so far ok but not using anything else. At stop smoking clinic they told me NHS are looking into supplying these, but they have to go through all sorts of tests as they are just the same as patches, inhalator's etc nicotine replacement, be wonderful if they did give them out as I have a prepay certificate so would save me a fortune as at moment its still costing me the same as if I was buying cigarettes. As I am using this I still do count myself as a smoker.

Big hugs and love to all feeling down, wrap yourself in something bright and cheerful, even if you do not feel like doing so...........