Is this pandemic ever going to end? I'm due for an ultrasound this coming Wednesday. I may have a bile duct stone. Can't do the ultrasound in a hospital. They are all full with covid patients. And I'm in Florida. Hot spot for covid right now. I will get the ultrasound at an imaging facility. But to actually see if there's a stone I would probably have to have the endoscopic procedure which would need to be done in a hospital. Drs here like everywhere around the world are burned out. Many nurses the same. Some are walking away. So there's a shortage of Drs and nurses. For once in my life I am frightened. I just want to ball up in a corner and cry. There was a veteran who just recently died from a gallstone. Not a hard surgery. I had mine done 20 years ago. But this young man who served my country died needlessly because there were no hospital rooms anywhere for him. A Dr called various hospitals in other states to find him a place. But by the time a room was found he'd gotten worse and he died. He didn't have to. Broke me down. Sadly it's happening to others who can't get in for a procedure. God help us all.
Now Louisiana will be hit by a cat 4 hurricane. Complete devastation will follow. Please say some prayers. We all need some prayers. 🙏
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belindalore
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I guess the simple answer to your question is yes, but of course, it’s not as simple as that. There are so many different factors that will impact on our future, if there is a God, I doubt even he knows when things will get back to some degree of normality but please don’t let us get into a religious debate!! From what we hear, from the start of time the world has been subject to plague, tempest, war and goodness knows what else but so far, it has largely survived but the casualties en route have been unquantifiable. So many of us are aware of someone facing a potential disaster but I guess all we can do is to be thankful for all the clever people out there working so hard to make the world a safer place and pray that those in power don’t cock it up. I fear that that maybe a big ask!!
The world has changed in a way from which it will never recover I fear and not just from the pandemic. This is the new normal and we better get used to it.
Years ago I remember reading about explorers who took the common cold or chicken pox to secluded tribes who were whiped out by those common diseases. In time populations get used to these pandemics and they will become part of normal life . My Grandmother went through the Spanish flu and lost three brothers (That came from the far east as well by the way) and that pandemic lasted over two years. With today's transport I fear this one will be much longer.
I lost an uncle to the Spanish 'flu, late 1918. My mum used to mention she'd lost a baby brother when she was 6. But it wasn't until I was chatting with her about 15 years ago that she first mentioned 'it was a bad 'flu going around that killed him'
I had to go and look up "'flu. 1918' "that I 'discovered 'spanish flu' .
Funny how things are easily forgotten. Hopefully covid will be, one day.
Yes the Spanish was terrible. And they didn't have much to help patients back then. But it did finally subside. I'm agreed covid never will.Thanks for your reply. Take care.
There are some scientists who believe that like today the recommended advice was partly to blame for the devastation. Aspirin had been discovered in the 1890s and from 1915 was sold over the counter in tablets. People were encouraged to take it but often in too high doses in order to reduce fever. But fever should not be reduced in infections. It is the body's mechanism for preventing the replication of microbes . High doses of aspirin can cause haemorrhage. Today with covid advice is similar - stay at home and take Paracetamol. Even worse as Paracetamol not only reduces virus killing fever but reduces the production of glutathione one of the most important anti oxydants produced by our bodies . So advice is counterproductive.
I think the medicine you talk about must be like the acetaminophens we have in the USA? They are over the counter and Drs push those too. They are also bad for the kidneys.One Dr prescribed Toradol for me for pain. I took one and it made my palpitations much worse. I looked it up and Toradol is a medicine that should not be taken by anyone with Afib. Drs just won't and don't take the time to find out if a drug they prescribe might just do more harm than good. It's so frustrating and unnecessary. So yes you are so right. Advice is counterproductive. Too too often.
Yes it is Acetaminophen. In UK it is called Paracetamol and here in France Doliprane. Fever reduction in infection has come to be dogma I believe because of the availability ( and marketing!) of anti fever meds. Our grandparents ( and the docs of their generation) knew that the best way of getting rid of bugs was to take a hot toddy and huddle under lots of bedclothes -often with a bonnet on- and sweat it out . When the fever broke the patient was on the mend. Microbes do not like raised body temps . I had my jab - with a heavy heart- last week as I have to go into hospital for another hip op. I was worried about catching Delta from all those vaccinated nurses . Fauci and the CDC have admitted that the viral charge in the nose and throat of the vaccinated is just as great as with the unjabbed . But because they are far less likely to get ill they don't stay home and therefore spread it to the unvaccinated. The doctor who vaccinated me told me to take Doliprane if I had a fever. I didn't but I wouldn't have taken it if I did. Luckily I had hardly any reaction not even a sore arm. Just a bit achier that night. Stay safe Belinda .
Thank you Auriculaire. You know when I was little we did the same. We had a lot of home remedies and they worked. Mom made us cough syrup of a little whiskey, water and a bit of sugar. I've done the same as an adult. Sweat the fever out. Then I started listening to the Drs. People we're supposed to trust. I did when I was young when Drs actually cared about the patient. Now I don't trust them so much. Along with our so called experts like Fauci. He's got too much money invested in big pharma. That shouldn't be allowed. Nor do the masks work either. My partner and I finally got the Moderna. With our health problems we couldn't know which would be worse. Getting the vaccine or the virus. I think some of the symptoms I'm having now could be from the vaccine. I didn't feel that great before I got it. Same as many other people. As time goes by I feel worse at times and I've not done anything different aside from getting the vaccine. My partner has good and bad days too. But not as bad as I. Of course people out there will poo poo what I've said. Drs too. The fact is no one knows what an experimental vaccine is going to do. If they did they wouldn't ask people every week through email (as they did here) if they were having funny symptoms and side effects and the Vaers website (app) wouldn't have been developed to keep track of the symptoms and side effects of the vaccines. Vaers is an app people are supposed to be able to look at. Only I don't have a computer. I only have my cellphone to use to get online. And it won't download a bunch of apps. And my bet is when Vaers was developed they counted on many people not being able to get into it. Too much disinformation. Too much unknown.
The name actually came about because the only country which admitted having it was Spain.(This was due to wartime censorship)) It was first discovered in a British forces transit camp in France at the end of 1918 but is now thought to have come from the far east as most of these respiratory virii do. It killed millions over two years -- some say more than the war. .
Unless you define "the Far East" as including Kansas, the Spanish flu did not likely originate in "the Far East." The first documented cases were in a military base there in March1918.
Agree with you totally John, we need far more information on who has covid and how it's affecting, or has affected them.
We all thought that by having the vaccine it was going to protect us, now the experts are lowering the odds on that happening. Look at Israel, we thought they were a shining example of how good the vaccine was, but that's not the case today unfortunately.
I'll cling to the hope that if I get it, the effects wont be as bad, as it would have been without the vaccine.
Jean have you all been told that you need to get a booster covid shot? Here it's in the news all the time. One day they tell us the vaccines will work against the new variants. Then we're told they won't now. Many people here in the states are in the hospital who have been vaccinated. Some getting terribly sick. And a few have passed away. It's all so uncertain. Take care and be safe.
Like you, one day we're told we'll need a booster, then the next it's only for those that are vulnerable. My doctors surgery sent out an email a month or so ago saying we would all be given a booster of the Pfizer vaccine, no matter which one we were given before. I had the Astra Zeneca. Just a case of wait and see I guess.
Yes, my area, the South West, a high tourist area of the UK, is hit particularly bad with covid right now. As far as I know, our hospitals are still managing to cope though.
I remember the medical community here saying at one time not to mix the vaccines?? Now it's okay? Wait and see is all we seem to have. Your Drs send you emails? I know a couple people who get emails from their Drs but usually concerning the results of labs they had before an upcoming appt to discuss them. I've never gotten emails from any Dr. For those of us who don't, we hear about the booster shots from the TV news. There was talk for awhile about Moderna booster shots but not hearing about it now. The hospitals are full here around the country. As I posted before Drs and nurses are quitting in some places. Patients in beds in the hallways in some hospitals. People being turned away who need other procedures. It's bad in some areas. This morning I had a good cry. For everyone affected by what's happened since the pandemic. For those trapped or killed in Afghanistan. For Haiti reeling from the earthquake and then a tropical storm. And for those in Louisiana who will be hit by a category 4 hurricane in a few hours. People are evacuating. Some always stay. Many lives will be lost. Homes and businesses will be leveled. Many other catastrophes around the world. One has to wonder if it is the end of times. It sure seems like it.
I know what you mean Belinda about all the trouble in the world right now. It's a really sad time and a lot of people hardly give those suffering a thought. We have heard over here about storm Ida being due to hit Louisiana. I'll be watching the news and hoping everyone stays safe.
My doctor's surgery, email a monthly newsletter to patients. I have to say it's a very good surgery and graded Outstanding by inspectors. If you really need to see a GP you can call and you'll get to see one that day. If you don't need to actually see one, just speak, then they'll call you back that day.
My sister in Texas has just emailed me a link to a report about the veteran with a gallstone who died, how odd is that after you'd told me a short while ago.
Yes so much suffering. So little sympathy or empathy. Ida is two states away from Florida. Much of the lower part of Louisiana lies below sea level. They are protected by a huge and smaller dikes. The storm surge will send the water over those dikes and it will probably be worse than Katrina a few years ago. So many have already lost livelihoods due to the pandemic. Now they have to face this massive hurricane. It will be too much for some I'm afraid.
We do have some Drs who accept walk-in patients. If you don't have an appt they try to see you. Not all do that. So we have what are called urgent care clinics. If you're really bad you go to the emergency room at the hospital. But with the virus good luck doing that. I went for this pain I've been battling wondering if it's a bile duct stone. Normally I would have been admitted and the tests would have been done. No beds were available. Anywhere. And there are several hospitals within a 50 mile radius where I live. So I guess like everyone else I have to wait and see. I'm just hoping it's scar tissue from my gall bladder removal 20 years ago but there's no way to know without the right tests.
Yes it was in the news about that military veteran who died from the gall stone. So sad because any other time and he would have still been here. It's just so unbelievable that this can happen to people. Guess it's why I'm so worried. 😞
Jean, you must be in a different part of the south west from me…… No regular email, oh, except for one from iPatient, but that’s generic, not from individual practices. My GP is very good and will usually get back to me as soon as possible following a phone call from me, but the last time I saw him? And as for actually seeing a cardiologist! Everything, yes everything, except for my one appointment in Bristol, has been on the phone and only one of those conversations has actually been with a cardiologist…… Bristol prescribed medication and now it seems to be up to my GP to take care of everything!
It's been reported here that the effectiveness of the vaccines wanes over time and this may occur after several months. Apparently, Pfizer wanes more rapidly than AZ (I haven't read anything bout the other vaccines, possibly because there haven't been any studies). I've also read that mixing vaccines is effective, but can lead to worse side effects. As for when the pandemic will end, nobody knows for sure, but many epidemiologists expect that it will last for the foreseeable future. It's a sobering thought that the Plague of Justinian lasted for over two centuries!
I am sorry that on top of feeling unwell you are feeling stressed by the awful news at the moment. I share your horror and if I am honest I read the bare bones of what is happening and that is all, as I can feel anxiety rising at so many major catastrophes. My husband reminds me there has always been major catastrophes, it is just that long ago people didn't get to hear of them until much later, if at all, and the news wasn't accompanied by lurid pictures.
Last night I watched a documentary of the 2004 tsunami, and although it was only 17 years ago, one of the news producers interviewed said in terms of technology it was light years ago; basic mobile phones, old style video cameras, people on the ground couldn't share or send messages. Today, if something major happens, in seconds it is shared on social media reaching a worldwide audience complete with a film of the event. So all of this development is bad news for the worriers.
Yes, doctors and nurses are tired but the majority are still working as usual. I hope you get the treatment you need very soon; let us know how you get on.
When the media get fed up with it.you have my fullest sympathy,we have people with quite serious conditions being held back because of a illness, which ,is 9th on the list of illnesses likely to kill you,the whole thing is a nonsense.
Hi Belinda, with personal faith prayers are certainly needed. I am afraid I have lost all faith in governments, who are controlled by Big Pharma, who are controlled by profits not World Health. The employment of the fear factor, the non-disclosure of vaccine facts and the heavy clamp down on existing cheap drugs (e.g. Ivermectin) to save lives have left me staggered as to the position. Thankfully in the States you have some courageous independent doctors with no self-interest committing to open transparent discussion for the benefit of all covid19criticalcare.com and in the UK bird-group.org
I agree with you. Medicine isn't what I knew when I was younger. Drs didn't listen to the insurance companies and big pharma in order to treat the patient. It's not right and the patient suffers. Yes we have some independent Drs who buck the system. Just not enough.
Israel has turned their country into a giant laboratory for Pfizer. Even so they are very transparent about their health statistics and they clearly show that the efficacy of the vaccines wanes after a few months and that they are less effective against the Delta variant. What their stats also show and is far less reported by our main stream news is that having had covid is far more protective against getting it again than the vaccines are -13.5 x more effective . This shows up the lies that were told about vaccines being better than natural infection and the need to be vaccinated if you had already had covid. Especially with the arrival of variants. It would be far better to let young people get infected and boost herd immunity that way than constantly injecting with poorly effective vaccines. Teenagers in particular . The statistics of the ONS are not social media and anyone can consult them - they are starting to show a similar picture to that in Israel. Same in Iceland , Seychelles and other countries that had massive vaccination campaigns early on. I am going into hospital for a hip op in Sept. I have been vaccinated and have to have a negative PCR before going in. Here in France it will be compulsory by then for all hospital personnel to be vaccinated. Even so I had to sign a consent form to be tested throughout my stay. They KNOW the vaccines are not working against transmission.
Of course they aren't , that is old news, and well documented. Also documented, the odds of you dying or having a serious reaction requiring hospitalization, are minimal.And I also ponder why, people have no issues getting seasonal flu shots, and booster shots for their kids and pets, but are freaking out about covid booster shots.
Remember when everyone wanted to be just like Sweden...like America, chose to get health advice from politicians rather than doctors."Herd immunity...let's party!"
I never get flu jabs. Has it not occured to you that the covid jabs are not like the seasonal flu jabs- they are not conventional vaccines. The mRNA ones use a platform that has not been used for vaccines before only for cancer treatment. As for Sweden you should look at their deaths per million of population - way below those of the UK or France which both had prolonged lockdowns. What exactly is old news? That the vaccines are not working to stop transmission. Well in Israel it looks like they are not working to stop hospitalisation and dying either.
Not in the USA either. We've been lied to. Just look at the politicians running around here and there. No masks. Partying. My guess is as I posted before, they are getting the treatments that the rest of us have been told don't work. Evil.
Oh dear, I wish there was something I could do to help you but we are all in the same leaky boat. If you can try to feel positive I think it might help? But best wishes and keep your chin up 🤞
Yes I try to stay positive. But it's hard to do sometimes. 😔 And yes we are all in the same leaky boat. The Titanic comes to mind. Thank you. You also take care. Just knowing I can come to this forum helps so much. 💖
I think it will end and quicker than many believe switch off the main stream news channels for a week and watch it abating very quickly and when the pcr test is pulled just as when the cycle threshold was lowered "cases" will plummet and no I'm not saying there is no virus but just open our eyes
Already it has taken a back seat to the news coming out of Afghanistan. If the takeover of the Taliban leads to another refugee crisis or an uptick in terrorism in the West it will be further neglected.
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When will I test Negative?
my post ablation update: blanking period 
Ablation yesterday
Linq loop recorder and mammograms? 
Feeling really down 
