Hi everyone, I eventually got a colonoscopy with a general anesthetic on the 6th January nearly a year after surgery, the wait was awful and I wonder if my heart hospital hadn't intervened how much longer it would have been.I had my clinic appointment at the Jubilee yesterday and I am very pleased to say that everything is fine except my cholesterol which is 5.4 (due to my love of cheese I think) my consultant has changed my statins from pravastin to artorvastatin if anyone has tips on how to lower cholesterol I would love to hear them and if anyone takes artorvastatin has it improved cholesterol and is there any side effects.
I had not heard anything from the general hospital re the results of the colonoscopy, I only knew that polyps had been removed but low and behold the Jubilee had the full report and I am absolutely delighted to tell you all, that there was no cancer detected, I am so glad after having a terrible 2024 that 2025 has started so much better it was a year on Feb 4th that I had my bowel surgery. Thank you all for listening to my tale, offering great advice and most of all understanding what it's like to constantly worry about health issues, Char xxx
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Thank you Sue, I was just so happy to get it over and done with, it was awful waiting and worrying all that time. I hope you and Ralph are both well especially after the year you both had you both had char xx
One thing I hate is waiting around for results!I do know that most people's results are fine and you have to be very very unlucky to have problems but still it's not very nice waiting around!
I don't understand why when they have my results they never told me they were clear unless it is in the post, If I hadn't had my transplant appointment on Friday I still wouldn't know, a phone call would have been fine just to tell me the good news. Char
It's the only thing I can find fault with in the NHS, communication and admin are a total nightmare especially when you attend different hospitals they are just not joined up and it's so frustrating. Char x
I am not doing bad, having counselling, has been an eye opener! Didn’t realise how much I was dealing with! Not just Johns death but everything else. You just keep going without dealing with it properly.
I am sure 2025 will be a much better year for you, how many holidays booked?😂
In regard to counselling you can say anything you want to them and it's no problem as they have heard all kinds of stories from clients and in there what you say to them in their office stays in the office which isn't guaranteed with a good friend!
Since I moved up here back in 2023 I have come to terms with lots of things and dealt with why do I get extremely infuriated when selfish people won't take no for an answer and got the answer myself after thinking it through and it's to do with when I was growing up when I said no to things I would be shouted at by my father who would go on and on like a stuck record hoping I would cave in and when I didn't you would think the world had ended and it was nice to get to the bottom of the question why do I get infuriated when selfish people won't take no for an answer?
My initial thought was because it's rude and disrespectful and yes it is but that didn't answer the question fully but having time to think things over brought me some answers which is a relief as its nice to get some kind of understanding over what upsets me and why that's the case!
I am so glad that the counselling is helpful you have been through so much with your own health and of course John.I have a few things booked 🏖️ we are heading to Palma Nova in June with our friends then there is an unexpected one to Puerto del Carmen in July for Steven's son in law's 40th, I am going to Puerto Polenca with Steven in September and last but not least a few days in back in Palma Nova with my Pal of over 50 years, I am looking forward to every one of them I am always scared that they might be my last. Did you have a cruise booked this year xx
Yes fly to Barcelona in May a night there and board the ship for a cruise round the Mediterranean. All my family from the States are flying in from all different parts into Barcelona, if we all meet up it will be a feat of organisation! Paul my youngest is meeting me at Barcelona airport so fingers crossed it all works out! 😂 my nephew who’s the surgeon as insisted that my brother and I have electric scooters! So he’s arranged for them to be delivered to the cabin and then picked up at the end of the cruise. He said the ship is huge and we can race each other to the lift! Says there’s going to be lots of videos taken!
Thanks Eileen, it started out with just 6 of us now 15! We all haven’t been together in such a long time. The younger ones are doing lots of excursions ashore in different ports, my brother and I will sit and remember years gone by! Eat lovely food, and be so grateful for our families. Maybe have a ride around the ship on our scooters 😂 every time I think about it I laugh.
How are you? Hope you’re doing well. Take good care of yourself.
Thanks Pauline, I'm fine - time is flying by, it's over 6 years now since my op. Your holiday sounds fabulous - just getting to meet up with all the family is wonderful - I can just picture you scooting round the ship on your scooter - my aunt had one with a sign on the back 'recycled teenager' - maybe you should get one too 😂😂 Take care and enjoy every minute xx
And you deserve a better 2025 and so glad to read your post so full of positives and good results
I had quite high cholesterol and I take atorvastatin they started me on 80mg which caused some aches so they reduced it to 40mg which I seem to tolerate and my cholesterol is ok so fingers crossed it will work for you to
Recently I have been involved with the local community centre nearby and have made some friends there and going there has brought up all kinds of emotions for me and I have learned some life lessons there as well and how I am absolutely disgusted after hearing stories from those who are disabled or chronically ill that go there how they are treated extremely badly by those who are paid to help them and they don't and just fob them off with silly lies and excuses and claim there's lots of opportunities for them and no there are not which I think is cruel myself claiming things are available and no they aren't!
At restart they had tried to claim to me how supposedly lots of things are available and I reckoned it was lies and just said OK then and let the matter drop!
Thankfully I am fit enough to go looking for jobs myself and know when I am being fobbed off and manipulated through years of experience!
It's disgusting isn't it how the most vulnerable in society who are ill through no fault of their own are treated badly by those who are paid to help them and they don't and those who really are ill don't have the strength to turn around and complain and stand up to them!
Thankfully with myself when I get given all these lies about bogus opportunities available I take them with a grain of salt say OK then and walk away as when things are too good to be true then yes they are!
These crooks can stick their bogus opportunities where the sun doesn't shine!
Thanks, I don't know what dose she has started me on I suppose I will no soon enough. I hope you are feeling a bit better at the moment, it won't be too long until we can get back out in the garden. Char
I haven't got them yet she said the prescription should be ready in my GP surgery some time next week she has also prescribed meds that should stop me getting any more UTI's I can't remember the name but they are not antibiotics so I won't build up a resistance to them, I never knew there was such a thing, if they work it will be one less thing to worry about.I have a few holidays booked, in June we are off to Palma Nova with friends, July Puerto del Carmen for a 40th , September Puerto Polenca and later in September back to Palma Nova for a few days with my bestie we have been friends since 1970 and have been there so many times it's like home from home except for the weather 🌞🏖️. Char x
When you get them it will say of they are 80mg or 40mg you will have to let me know
I get a lot of water infections and my doctor offered me a tablet to take and I cannot remember what it was called because I am not as brave as you and was to afraid to try them but I know what it is like to keep suffering with them so I hope they work for you
I just admire how you enjoy life with what you do and especially your holidays when I was young I went to Palma Nova several times and it was lovely then so sounds along with your other holidays planned you are going to have a lovely time and with your best friend with you it will be perfect x
I am just frightened to stop going on holiday in case it might be the last one that I can manage, we do book ryanair and easyJet flights when they are cheap and then book hotel/apartment separately to keep the cost down and always just take hand luggage. We just love Palma Nova beautiful beach and near the airport, roll on June. My GP has never mentioned anything for UTI except antibiotics and the last two I have had have taken two courses to clear it up so I thought I would give this one a bash to see if it works, I hope it does 🤞
I understand the way you are thinking but I think you have plenty more Holidays to come but they do say enjoy things while you can so you do right and I remember Palma Nova been beautiful and it is good to hear it still is
The antibiotics they give you for water infections make me feel so ill and the last one she gave me I am not sure if you remember my post but I came out in all red welts over my body she has logged those down I cannot take them and I think that is when she mentioned this tablet possibly what you are going to take that keeps water infections at bay as I get so many but I declined
Let me know if you have time how you get on with them x
My partner is retiring shortly and we will be able to go off season now, the place he worked closed down for two weeks in July it was awful, too hot, too expensive and in the middle of the school holidays, after this year we will never have to go in July again, thank goodness.I will keep you posted re the statins and the UTI one, I hope they both work with not a lot of side effects. Take care Char xx
I am sorry to hear that you are still struggling, I hope once the better weather arrives and you can get back out to the garden you might feel a bit better, take care Char xx
I am really looking forward to the lighter nights although our weather was pretty bad last year, I was hardly able to sit out at so hopefully this year we will get a good one. Char xx
I hope so 🌞, I haven't got them yet my GP/chemist are quite slow with things, I got another call from my transplant nurse today and they are lowering one of my immunosuppressants, I actually thought I was on the lowest dose, they haven't changed them for about three years, I am happy about that as well . Char
That is positive they have lowered your med I bet you are happy made me smile when you said you did not realise you were not on the lowest dose anyway x
Good to hear you have been told you are in the clear. Plenty of stuff on the BHF website about lifestyle measures that can reduce your heart health risk covering diet, exercise, body weight management, alcohol and smoking etc etc so I suggest you have a look through and see if there is is any thing there which applies to you and which you can incorporate into your life without going overboard. As far as side effects from statins are concerned they only affect less than 10% of users according to the data, and they are listed on the patient information sheet that comes with your medication, but muscle and joint aches and pains seems to be the most reported. But if you feel you are one of those who is struggling with a side effect that might be down to statins , then go back to your GP who can prescribe another statin, of which there are several, that might be OK for you. Finally I have a natural total cholesterol >9, and 40mg of atorvastatin reduced that to about 5.5ish, and 80mg to 4.5 to5, and now with the addition of ezetimibe, plus the 80mg atorvastatin, it is below 4.
Hi thank you I will definitely have a look at the BHF website I never thought of that, my mum has always had quite high cholesterol I must take after her . Char
I had a tough week last week so decided to stay in today and I have caught up on the washing and made some dinners for the week ahead so when I am ready I can just pop them in the pan to reheat without any problems!
Last week ringing the bank and demanding they stop the 40% interest on my overdraft was hard going but I did it though and agreed with them initially we will do this for 3 months and see how things pan out and to get in contact with them at the end of May to perhaps agree a new arrangement for a few months which I feel was a fair deal!
The job interviews I went to were easy compared with doing that as I had ended up in tears having to go through all that and stand my ground when they tried to fob me off but no I wasn't being fobbed off with silly excuses and stood my ground and got what I wanted!
At the pantry yesterday I told my friends there it was good news in regard to my worries over my overdraft and how we had come to an agreement for the charges and interest to be stopped for a few months and they said good for me for standing my ground when they tried to fob me off!
That must be a weight off your mind to get a few months leeway from the bank, I am pretty hopeless at dealing with big organisations It really stresses me out, my mum has altzeimer's and I have had to deal with everything on her behalf I am finding it really difficult.That's great you are organised for the week ahead, the only thing I usually have in my freezer is homemade soup 😋 Char x
On Wednesday afternoon doing all that with the bank was stressful but needed to be done and for a few months I won't be allowed to borrow any more money which is fair enough!
Yes it's a relief having that off my mind as it had been worrying me for ages!
I had cried whilst I was doing that as well due to stress!
I rang barclays up as well and they said just pay the minimum for a few months when I said I could do that for them no problem and then move onto Barclays when the overdraft is cleared!
I don't owe that much with them so that won't be a big problem like the overdraft has been!
Some of my friends had gone over their overdraft limit lots of times and had ended up having their account sent to collections!
Thankfully I have never gone over a credit limit on an account which is when they get cross when you do it all the time and don't talk to them!
Usually if you are honest with creditors as I was they are very kind and sympathetic!
Last week I had some extremely bad news when the leisure centre I had been going to for 3 years shut down as they have been made bankrupt and on Monday afternoon last week I had cried reflecting on what had been lost but now I am OK about it and feel how as one door shuts, other ones open!
You done great speaking to the bank about it and it was well worth the effort to get help from them for the next few months it's usually horror stories you hear about banks, I am so glad that is one worry out the way for you.That's such a shame about your leisure centre, is there another one near that you can go to. I am very bad at exercising, I always have been, I try and walk as much as I can but it's not often enough. Char x
Yes there's a leisure centre up the hill I will be signing on with in due course!
I can walk there and don't have to pay out for bus fares and petrol like I did the other one!
In regard to that carry on with that stupid restart place on Friday now I have calmed down and thought things through I decided to put in a formal complaint and have done so about the way I was treated and spoken to with the jobcentre like I have complained about them a couple of times before when they have failed to deliver!
From now on when restart start their stupid nonsense I will put in complaints about them to the jobcentre and that's not a threat its a promise!
Friday just gone that was bullying and I feel making a complaint was warranted and it's not telling tales to report bullying!
I bet lots of others at restart are suffering in silence from the bullying!
That sounds awful when they are meant to be helping you although I have to say I am not surprised. Over the last few years I have had to deal with DWP and I have never met such a bunch of bullies in all my life and also the person doing the pip review phone interview, I hung up in tears she was so awful, I also have had to contact them on behalf of my mum, once again they were so rude, I am actually scared to speak to any of them ever again, thankfully I got my state pension and I don't have them on my back about my ESA. Char x
On Friday at the pantry I was absolutely disgusted when I heard stories of how those who are chronically ill and disabled are treated badly and fobbed off by those who are paid to help them and don't!
It made me feel fortunate that I can work and have the strength to stand up to those bullies by putting in complaints!
I hope you put in a complaint when they were rude to you when you tried to claim pip!
I didn't, I just couldn't face it I would be too stressed about something like that, a lot of DWP benefit's have now moved to the Scottish S.S I had to contact them once they are just as bad maybe even worse. I suppose they do it because they don't want to help or give anyone any money at all. Good on you for not letting them get away with it. Char x
This morning before my interview at 11am where I went away feeling I had given it my best I put in a formal complaint to restarts head office as well as to the jobcentre about how I have been treated and named the members of staff involved and said how I wasn't going to put up with being bullied and how going on and on after being told no is bullying and how I won't stand for it!
In regard to the bogus promises I can let that go as all I do is laugh when they are full of lies and listen to what they have to say, acknowledge them, walk away and let it go but those incidents and the one last Friday was bullying and like I said to head office this morning when I wrote to them I won't stand for it!
This mornings interview was a cinch compared with all that with the bank last Wednesday!
Sorry I don't know anything about your financial situation, but you can always contact STEPCHANGE or a similar charity, they do all the negotiations with your creditors, give you options of repayment schemes. Was a massive weight off my shoulders. I wasn't allowed anymore credit but taught me valuable lessons. Hope this helps.
They said to me I'm not allowed to take on any new borrowing for a while as well and I said that was fine as its that that got me into this mess in the first place and how further borrowing doesn't solve problems!
I feel relieved though after that call to the bank last Wednesday!
It was just great to hear it after the long wait, that's good to hear he doesn't have any side effects, it's always a worry when they change meds. Char x
So pleased for your good news.With cholesterol, I have porridge two or three times a week, and it keeps my cholesterol in range. Apparently it has a soluble fibre in it which soaks up some of it.
It works for me, but I suspect it doesn't for people with a family history of high cholesterol, but I don't think it would do any harm to try.
I love porridge being Scottish it's a must 😅 I just don't eat it enough, I make it with water and just add milk to it, I keep trying to eat more fish and then I fall by the wayside and go back to meat. I just need to try a bit harder with my diet. Char
It's hard to change the habits of a lifetime.I tend to have porridge for supper, and make it with milk, my biggest sin is self indulgence I think, but it still works for me.
I find it very hard to make myself eat the things that are good for me, I wish there was somewhere I could go to learn how to prepare things healthily, but are palatable.
I learned to cook from my mother as she learned from hers, but the nutrition we need now is different. They needed the carbohydrates and we need so much less because of the difference in lifestyles.
I try to have a salmon sandwich on wholemeal bread a couple of times a week, at least the cat will eat any leftover salmon.
Best of luck with it all, Char, you've had a tough time. Helen
My son's cat nhala she was a 25 year old Persian, has just had to be put down but she led a long and pampered life.I don't have any pets at the moment I keep thinking I might get a cat but so far that's all I have done. X
I've got 2, both long haired, botg rescues. Cherry is a small cat, velinged to my niece but when she moved Cherry kept returning to their old place. She cane to me, the whole area is brilliant for cats.The other one is Biccie, white with tabby and black splodges. He's a big cat, but I have to be very strict with his diet, he's lactose intolerant, with lots of other things upsetting his digestion too.
He belonged to a neighbour of my sister, who left him behind when she moved. He isn't fond of other cats, and is really territorial. He doesn't like dogs either, and all the local dogs are walked on the other side of the road from my house. If a cat should venture down this lane he's like an exocet missile!
He has a lot of unfortunate habits, he had been abused badly, he's a terrible thief amongst other things, and I have sheets of foil in all sorts of places to stop him going where he shouldn't.
Both are roughly 13 years old, I wouldn't say they are friends but they both seen to prefer having a member of their own species in the household, rather than just a human.
And both will accompany me up the lane if I'm going to the post office van, but Biccie will keep trying to herd me into the side of the road despite no traffic.
I wouldn't say they're spoilt, I never do that, indulged is a better word.
Last week I had a Sunday lunch at the pub and they had run out of red cabbage and I had missed it and I said to my sister in law how I must be sick in the head to be missing healthy things like red cabbage and swedes and white turnips as over time my body has got used to receiving those things regularly so it was missing them when they weren't there!
She said how those things are important to me personally and no it's not sick to enjoy veg that's good for you!
My father who died in 2021 laughs at me from above saying how I must be sick in the head to miss having the healthy veg and to have grieved over the loss of the leisure centre last week!
Thing is you get used to certain foods and being fed at certain times and when they're not there you miss them!
I wish my diet was as healthy as yours but I understand the need for what you are used to, I am trying to stop eating so much cheese but every time I open the fridge I keep trying to reach for it xx
Hi and good morning , It was so nice to hear that everything after colonoscopy is okay. Iam just curious to know what type of bowel surgery was it a year ago. Benign polyps do no harm but you will need checks regularly. With regard to high cholesterol along with the change of statin, you got to be choosy with regard to diet. You got to avoid fatty meat like pork, lamb, sea food especially prawns , lobsters etc and go for lean meat like chicken and fish like herring, mackerol . With regard to Atorovastin , I don.t have personal experience but it is one of the safest statins documented. One of the side effects is muscle pains. Hope this advice will be helpful. Regards.
Hi and thank you for your reply I love all meat and shellfish although because of my transplant I stay away from it, I do like fish and I really have to make the effort to eat more of it, eggs and chicken are my go to as well unfortunately I really hate most veg!.Just over a year ago I done the routine test that gets sent to the house and I was asked to go for a colonoscopy, unfortunately a tumor was found, due to the position of it they had to remove the whole of the right side. the surgeon said at the time there were more polyps on the left that had to be removed she said 3 to 4 months. My surgery was on the 4th February 2024 and that was the remaining polyps just removed on 6th January this year, it was a long worrying wait. My cardiac consultant ended up getting involved and contacting them, it was only then I got a date. I am just so glad that everything was fine after all that time. Char
I used to think I hated sprouts but changed my mind after I saw my mate in the greengrocers getting some for her Sunday lunch and decided to give them another go and found out I liked them same as with cabbage, gave it another try and liked it and it has become a staple of my diet!
Great news. The waiting is horrific. Atorvastatin gave me bad stomach pain so it was swapped for simvastatin. Rosuvastatin is claimed to have the fewest side effects. Simvastatin is fine for me. All of them do lower cholesterol
It was awful although not anywhere near as bad as waiting for a new heart that was over two years waiting for a phone call that never came but in the end it was so worth it.I hope the change over from the pravastin to the new one goes smooth as up till now I haven't had any bother with statins🤞 char x
Oh my word; you're the bravest person I know of. I thought waiting 2 years for a check up on two LAD blockages was bad enough. Still waiting. I'm sure I'd never cope with a t ransplant w ait. I admire you.
Thank you, I didn't feel brave at the time I just felt miserable and wondering if it was all worth it and nearly five years later it definitely was although the cancer was a bit of a set back! The NHS does have some wonderful surgeons and consultants but the waiting times for appointment's and their admin really lets them down , I really wish they could fix it. Char
A bit of a setback? That's an understatement. I do know that fear and the wait. \when I was just 17 a very brusque G P bluntly announced hat a breast lump "could well be cancer although i was really too young" I would have a 6 month wait for a biopsy. That bland statement left me having serious panic attacks for the next 20 years and I still have health anxiety. NO it wasn't cancer, it was a cyst. I saw a doctor my dad knew the next day. I've had a few scares since like 7 years of tests on thyroid nodules; a massive 4 stone sudden weight loss after my heart attack, bowel investigations and numerous chest x rays repeated. The waiting and worrying is worse than the tests when you do get them. The NHS is great when you start treatment but is so broken up to that point.
Completely agree, that must have been terrifying to be told that at 16 and with a six month wait for a biopsy no wonder you still have anxiety, especially with the other health problems you have had, if only the testing and admin could be sorted out char x
Well 6 years ago when I had the sudden weight loss, I was seen and tested well within the recommended 2 weeks. There can't be such a gigantic backlog after the pandemic so why on earth has it got so bad within such a short time?
Great new, very pleased for you. With regard to cholesterol, a daily porridge is good, but use dry oats that you make yourself, not the prepared variety. Takes a while, like everything, but it will help!
I’m also a cheese addict but I’ve banished it now apart from low fat cottage cheese. Also eating more oily fish, porridge , chicken , turkey , no red meat etc etc. I’m hoping, with atorvastatin, these changes will lower my cholesterol. Also in the pool every day except Saturday now, either aquacise or swimming.
Hi, I will also have to stop buying it, I was thinking that the calcium in it would help my osteoporosis but maybe I was just kidding myself 😅I do like everything else you have mentioned, I also like red meat and eggs. That's brilliant you go swimming every day I only swim on holiday now. I definitely should walk more and I hopefully will once the weather is a bit better, the storm's and rain have been awful. Char
I really miss walking but my left knee is far too painful now. I’m so happy we have a new public pool just 5 minutes away and I can cycle when the better weather comes (electric bike ). I don’t miss red meat as I rarely ate it but I would like a couple of eggs a week. I was worried about calcium and osteoporosis too but then I read about calcium build up round the heart ….. Anyway, here’s to Spring and warm, dry days. Take care xx
That's great you have a pool near you, we used have one in the town centre but when it closed down they didn't build a new one if you want to go swimming you have to go to the high school outwith school hours and you need transport to get there. I haven't been in it since I was at the school in the 70's . Charx
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incredibly lucky
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