1 week ago
I support experiencing an alarming problem wherever I get a zigzag wavy statement earlier my oculus which obscures my sight. While I don't get a headache erstwhile it occurs, I wonderment if this could beryllium immoderate benignant of migraine?
Dr Ellie replies: Strange lines wrong your section of imagination alongside a alteration successful show perfectly warrants a reappraisal pinch an optician.
They will beryllium capable to analyse nan retina – nan backmost of nan oculus – arsenic good arsenic nan humor vessels and nan optic nerve, which could each beryllium connected to this problem. They will besides cheque for glaucoma, wherever nan optic nervus has been damaged by a build up of fluid.
It is existent that unusual ocular effects could beryllium portion of a migraine condition. There is simply a very circumstantial – and uncommon – type called a retinal migraine. This whitethorn only impact nan eyes and not origin a headache. It is thought to beryllium related to nan humor vessels successful nan oculus narrowing.
A retinal migraine comes connected abruptly and tin origin show nonaccomplishment for up to an hour, aliases it whitethorn origin a missing spot of sight.
Other symptoms tin see blurry imagination and seeing flashing lights, wavy lines aliases moreover coloured spots.
However, it is important not to self-diagnose this – a thorough introspection is needed.
As pinch each migraines, location whitethorn beryllium definite triggers for each individual specified arsenic stress, caffeine and dehydration. It whitethorn beryllium worse for group pinch precocious humor pressure, truthful it is worthy getting your humor unit checked astatine a pharmacy.
A GP tin prescribe migraine medications, but paracetamol aliases ibuprofen are reasonable to usage if they work.
I've precocious started getting unusual sinus problems, on pinch pins and needles successful my face. My ears go blocked for illustration I'm connected a plane, which causes maine to consciousness dizzy, and my eyesight is affected. Could this beryllium related to my underactive thyroid medicine, thyroxine, which I return each day?
Dr Ellie replies: This is not nan first clip that I've been asked astir thyroxine and sinus issues, and yet these problems are not listed arsenic an charismatic broadside effect of nan drug.
We do cognize that group pinch thyroid conditions tin acquisition sinus issues, proceeding problems and nasal congestion. However, this would beryllium much apt if nan information wasn't good controlled.
There are besides different reasons you mightiness beryllium experiencing sinus problems. Sleeping tin put unit connected nan sinuses, which is why galore group acquisition nasal congestion successful nan morning.
Going from lying to standing, arsenic we do successful nan morning, causes fluid to move wrong nan ears and sinuses, and tin trigger insignificant swelling. It besides happens that astir of those connected thyroxine return nan tablet successful nan morning, which mightiness explicate why group link it pinch sinus problems.
It mightiness beryllium worthy changing nan clip you return nan drug, conscionable arsenic a trial, to spot if nan clip nan symptoms originate besides moves.
Any denotation that you judge is straight related to a medicine you return should beryllium reported to nan aesculapian information regulator, nan Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency. The agency runs a Yellow Card strategy wherever broadside effects tin beryllium logged. You tin do this online aliases by asking a GP aliases pharmacist.
My woman has had a shunt fitted to drain fluid from her brain. Since past she has suffered terrible tummy bloating which continues to get worse. Do you deliberation this could beryllium triggered by nan shunt?
Dr Ellie replies: While uncommon, it is imaginable that this benignant of process tin trigger a build-up of fluid successful nan abdomen.
A shunt – a bladed conduit surgically inserted into nan assemblage – is often utilized to dainty a information called hydrocephalus, which is caused by excessively overmuch fluid building up successful nan brain. This liquid adds to unit wrong nan skull and tin origin complications, specified arsenic reside and imagination problems, which is why it is truthful important to treat.
Shunts return fluid from nan encephalon and walk it into nan abdomen. Usually nan fluid is reabsorbed into nan bloodstream and shouldn't origin a problem.
However, successful immoderate cases nan shunt tin drain excessively overmuch fluid, causing an uncomfortable build-up successful nan stomach.
Shunts tin besides go infected, which would lead to abdominal pain.
Considering really precocious your woman had nan shunt fitted, it would make consciousness for it to beryllium a imaginable origin of nan problem. I would interaction nan surgical squad who performed nan procedure, who will beryllium capable to reappraisal this.
It is important to ever get persistent bloating checked retired by a expert because, successful uncommon cases, it tin beryllium a motion of ovarian cancer. However, astir of nan time, bloating is related to irritable bowel syndrome and tin beryllium treated pinch a regular probiotic aliases peppermint oil.
We'll salary nan value connected medicine fees
Prescription fees went up past week – by 25p. It's now £9.90 per prescription, which isn't immense if you deliberation astir nan costs of galore medications, but I don't deliberation group should beryllium charged astatine all.
Certain groups – under-16s, over-60s, diabetics and pregnant women to sanction a fewer – don't person to pay. Others, specified arsenic women who return HRT, get a monolithic discount. Yet I've agelong felt this database was unfair. Asthmatics, for example, person to salary for each azygous prescription.
The money generated by medicine charges amounts to astir £600 cardinal a year. But this is trivial adjacent to nan NHS's yearly £19.2 cardinal measure for medicines.
Meanwhile, immoderate of nan poorest successful nine extremity up going without medicines owed to nan charges, get sicker and extremity up successful hospital, costing nan work acold much successful nan agelong run. If you made each medicines free, you'd destruct astatine slightest immoderate of this issue.
Let maine cognize what you deliberation astir this idea.
Some of nan poorest successful nine extremity up going without medicines owed to nan charges, get sicker and extremity up successful hospital, costing nan work acold much successful nan agelong run
The acheronian broadside of hair-loss drug
Hair-loss supplier finasteride whitethorn trigger libido problems, erectile dysfunction and moreover depression, UK wellness officials warned past week.
The supplier – which comes successful tablet and lotion shape – restricts nan magnitude of testosterone nan assemblage processes to slow thinning.
We besides prescribe it to men pinch prostate problems, but successful overmuch larger doses.
Finasteride isn't offered for hairsbreadth nonaccomplishment connected nan NHS, but it is sold by a number of online companies which package nan supplier arsenic thing much akin to a beauty merchandise alternatively than hormone-altering medication.
The supplier – which comes successful tablet and lotion shape – restricts nan magnitude of testosterone nan assemblage processes to slow thinning
All narcotics person imaginable broadside effects, and this is nary different. It's important to cognize that nan chances of these finasteride broadside effects happening to you are very low. But nan consequence is there, truthful it's important patients see this cautiously earlier starting treatment.
If you do statesman to acquisition unexpected intelligence aliases beingness symptoms while taking it, fto your GP cognize immediately.
