Coronavirus

[2channel lover]

It's not unheard of... isn't always unhealthy or a warning sign. During this ast holiday season, I was already riding a little high on my weight... the pool closed down for repairs, I was eating too much, eating the wrong things, and imbibing too much as well.
Short of it, come January 1, the lady and I finished our holiday indulgences, and we began Dry January on the 2nd. With that, I also started eating right again.
I went from a bloated and short-term weight of 260 on December 31 to about a 10 Lb drop in just over a week of proper eating, exercising, and abstaining from alcohol. Yesterday I weighed in at 235. Still dry, too.
To be fair, I swim a minimum of 1 mile, 5 days a week when the pool is open. Sometimes as much as 2 miles in a single session. I have been actively working on my fitness for several years; that I had crept up to 260 again was an unfortunate confluence of several things (some my choices and behavior).
Of that initial weight loss, 5# in 3 days was largely just Bloat and Inflamation going away as I got my system to clear itself out.

Six mos ago I was a biscuit shy of 250...@ 6'3" I didn't look terrible because of my height, but more gut than you want, my BP was high, bad cholesterol up.

I just cut back on the junk food, note I said cut back...still have the occasional fast food lunch

I started hitting hit my Total Gym workout machine 3 times a week and as of this week, I'm 217...not bad...with a goal of 190-195 by the end of the summer. I can tell I will need a bit more cardio..seeing your post got me thinking about the pool again. There's an indoor pool near the office and also one near the house...so that may be my option....running is not it.

 

[TLS Guy]

So just to be clear, I'm not yet on any treatment for my RA other than 800mg Tylenol at night to manage pain so I can sleep. I just found out about RA last year and haven't seen an RA doctor yet to discuss treatments.

In that case I suspect that you do not know if you have RA at all. You can NOT diagnose RA from a blood test. A positive RA factor does not make a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis by a long short. I'm starting to suspect the work of a less then stellar member of the "cloth" here.

 

[lovinthehd]

Don't know if any follow archimago's blog, but his perspective on this the last week or so is good reading:
1/ March 18 https://archimago.blogspot.com/2020/03/covid-19-few-thoughts-finding.html
2/ March 20 https://archimago.blogspot.com/2020/03/musings-covid-19-abundance-of-caution.html
3/ March 23 https://archimago.blogspot.com/2020/03/musings-covid-19-we-cannot-let-cure-be.html

 

[gene]

In that case I suspect that you do not know if you have RA at all. You can NOT diagnose RA from a blood test. A positive RA factor does not make a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis by a long short. I'm starting to suspect the work of a less then stellar member of the "cloth" here.

Hmm. I can tell you it runs in my family and I do have pretty sever persistent body pains but no joint swelling. I will definitely go see a Rheumatologist when the quarantine lifts. I got the health department to agree to test me again this Friday. Fingers crossed.

 

[ryanosaur]

Self medicating... Darwin Award... negligent homicide...

White House preparing to promote malaria drugs on online platform to combat coronavirus: report — The Hill

The White House is reportedly planning to promote the use of two malaria drugs frequently touted by President Trump as a potential treatment for coronavirus despite their unproven benefits, using a platform built by the t

apple.news

***edit: I read a different article earlier today describing the situation of the couple that did this. That alone was... unfortunate. But coupled with this news, and the report of the lady saying they did this because of Trump’s suggestion puts all of this in a whole other light. If he were not a sitting president, rather a social media influencer, this would seemingly meet and exceed the definition of manslaughter.

 

[Swerd]

Self medicating... Darwin Award... negligent homicide...

White House preparing to promote malaria drugs on online platform to combat coronavirus: report — The Hill

The White House is reportedly planning to promote the use of two malaria drugs frequently touted by President Trump as a potential treatment for coronavirus despite their unproven benefits, using a platform built by the t

apple.news

You can add false advertising and Federal Chief Executive Malpractice to that list.

 

[ryanosaur]

You can add false advertising and Federal Chief Executive Malpractice to that list.

I was amending my post above when you added that!

This isn't about bashing anybody. This is shameful!

 

[Swerd]

Hmm. I can tell you it runs in my family and I do have pretty sever persistent body pains but no joint swelling. I will definitely go see a Rheumatologist when the quarantine lifts. I got the health department to agree to test me again this Friday. Fingers crossed.

For what it's worth, I was negative for rheumatoid factor (RF), which is detected by a standard blood test. Later when I learned I had AS, I realized that AS almost always is RF negative.

"RF is often evaluated in patients suspected of having any form of arthritis even though positive results can be due to other causes, and negative results do not rule out disease. But, in combination with signs and symptoms, it can play a role in both diagnosis and disease prognosis. It is part of the usual disease criteria of rheumatoid arthritis."​

That same Wikipedia link also shows a long list of diseases & conditions, other than in RA, in which RF may also be found at elevated levels:

• Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
• Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
• Sjögren syndrome
• Interstitial pulmonary fibrosis
• Hepatitis B, chronic liver disease, and chronic hepatitis
• Essential mixed cryoglobulinemia
• Primary biliary cirrhosis
• Infectious mononucleosis and any chronic viral infection [recent Covid-19 infection?]
• Bacterial endocarditis
• Leprosy
• Sarcoidosis
• Tuberculosis
• Syphilis
• Visceral leishmaniasis
• Malaria
• Leukemia
• Dermatomyositis
• Systemic sclerosis
• After vaccination/transfusion in normal individuals

You were recently seriously ill, and I am not trying to scare you with that list. I only mention them because diagnosing RA is not a cut & dry process.

If I remember, you are in the Tampa area. I have no idea who good rheumatologists are there. But there is a medical school in Tampa at the University of South Florida. If you look for a Rheumatology department there, you should find board certified and fellowship trained MDs in that field.

 

[shadyJ]

That same Wikipedia link also shows a long list of diseases & conditions, other than in RA, in which RF may also be found at elevated levels:

• Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
• Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
• Sjögren syndrome
• Interstitial pulmonary fibrosis
• Hepatitis B, chronic liver disease, and chronic hepatitis
• Essential mixed cryoglobulinemia
• Primary biliary cirrhosis
• Infectious mononucleosis and any chronic viral infection
• Bacterial endocarditis
• Leprosy
• Sarcoidosis
• Tuberculosis
• Syphilis
• Visceral leishmaniasis
• Malaria
• Leukemia
• Dermatomyositis
• Systemic sclerosis
• After vaccination/transfusion in normal individuals

You were recently seriously ill, and I am not trying to scare you with that list. I only mention them because diagnosing RA is not a cut & dry process.

I hope Gene doesn't have Leprosy. That would be a major bummer.

 

[Swerd]

I hope Gene doesn't have Leprosy. That would be a major bummer.

I hope not as well, but the same goes for anything on that list.

(I'm still stunned over the news about Jeff Bagby's death, so I can't make any wisecracks about that list.)

FWIW, I wonder if being recently infected with Covid-19 might also generate elevated RF levels.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Hmm. I can tell you it runs in my family and I do have pretty sever persistent body pains but no joint swelling. I will definitely go see a Rheumatologist when the quarantine lifts. I got the health department to agree to test me again this Friday. Fingers crossed.

Next time tell them their refusal will make good front page headlines that they will love.

 

[mtrycrafts]

You can add false advertising and Federal Chief Executive Malpractice to that list.

But he knows more that anyone. One reason refused to ask previous presidents for inputs, they have nothing to offer.

 

[ryanosaur]

But he knows more that anyone. One reason refused to ask previous presidents for inputs, they have nothing to offer.

Like the one that started a pandemic response team?

 

[mtrycrafts]

Like the one that started a pandemic response team?

Especially him.

 

[shadyJ]

I hope not as well, but the same goes for anything on that list.

(I'm still stunned over the news about Jeff Bagby's death, so I can't make any wisecracks about that list.)

FWIW, I wonder if being recently infected with Covid-19 might also generate elevated RF levels.

If Gene is indeed a leper, I will volunteer to deliver food supplies to him in a rowboat when he gets sequestered to Leper Island, so at least he will have some human contact instead of just being given food drops by drone. We will make sure he gets a nice cloak too, which will be comfortable to wear as well as good at hiding his horrible disfigurement.

 

[lovinthehd]

If Gene is indeed a leper, I will volunteer to deliver food supplies to him in a rowboat when he gets sequestered to Leper Island, so at least he will have some human contact instead of just being given food drops by drone. We will make sure he gets a nice cloak too, which will be comfortable to wear as well as good at hiding his horrible disfigurement.

Is that off the coast of one of the Hawaiian islands still?

 

[TLS Guy]

I have received very bad news this evening. One of the surgeons, Dr Wally Kuriharra, that I worked with very closely, has died of Covid 19 infection today. I have just been informed of this by one of my former residents who now practices in Montana. Wally was a great general surgeon and an especially skilled vascular surgeon. He retired to Oregon.

We shared some very challenging and difficult cases together.

I dread the thought of the idiot currently inhabiting the White House causing untimely deaths that could be prevented. Meantime he is promoting fake dangerous quack remedies that the Chinese are convinced are of no benefit. All this against the advice of his medical advisers.

What a mess we are in.

 

[ryanosaur]

Is that off the coast of one of the Hawaiian islands still?

No... that closed up a long time ago, but Molakai is an amazing place... and amazingly rustic. One stop sign.

 

[Danzilla31]

I have received very bad news this evening. One of the surgeons, Dr Wally Kuriharra, that I worked with very closely, has died of Covid 19 infection today. I have just been informed of this by one of my former residents who now practices in Montana. Wally was a great general surgeon and an especially skilled vascular surgeon. He retired to Oregon.

We shared some very challenging and difficult cases together.

I dread the thought of the idiot currently inhabiting the White House causing untimely deaths that could be prevented. Meantime he is promoting fake dangerous quack remedies that the Chinese are convinced are of no benefit. All this against the advice of his medical advisers.

What a mess we are in.

I'm very very sorry to hear of your loss. On top of what your saying it's very very frustrating to see people refusing to socially distance and isolate correctly.

Just last night leaving work I spotted a bunch of teenagers just wandering around

How are we going to enforce CDC guidelines if no one is going to comply?

At least San Antonio is cracking down tonight we were issued letters from work there is a curfew now in effect in San Antonio And also a stay at home mandate which San Antonio is going to enforce and unless you have said documentation proving you are necessary personnel that requires to be out working you will be fined or given further consequences.

But I'm really beginning to feel is it too late?

People won't comply

Government is horrible right now with leadership we were caught with our pants down and we still are short on testing and only testing active symptoms being displayed we need early testing sorely right now without it we are trying to cut the head off a snake while being blindfolded

Congress can't get there sh@$! together either

Trump is pushing for a back to work in 15 days you know that's the angle he's shooting for

And you can imagine the chaos that will create if he releases restrictions and most states won't comply but people get desperate to get back to work

It could get really really volatile out there

Good Lord what a mess

I'm really going to push for my parents to get back to Red River New Mexico its isolated in the mountains very low population for hundreds of miles around I don't want them here if this gets any worse or things blow up eventually plus I'm in medical I'm being very careful but I don't want to put them at risk

Sh@$! If we can't contaign it what's next ?

 

[gene]

How did you know you had RA?

I was only recently diagnosed with a form of RA, called ankylosing spondylitis (AS). I'd been suffering from unexplained auto-immune inflammation of the eye for nearly a decade. I would not have known it was AS without seeing a rheumatologist.

The maximum safe adult dose of acetaminophen is 3 to 4 grams daily. How did you arrive at your dose of 800 mg/night?

Although acetaminophen is a mild analgesic, it has no significant affect on preventing inflammation and it's resulting long-term damage. Depending on what type of RA you have, long-term damage may be the more important issue for you.

Just a suggestion… Once you're fully recovered from Covid-19, find a good rheumatologist and make an appointment.

yea agreed. RN I'm using Tylenol to manage pain at night. I definitely will be seeing a Rheumatologist after this mess. thanks.