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The Blur

Questions Thread

By The Blur, in General Chat

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Max Wall

Max Wall

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, Wymeswold fox said:

Can anti-depressants take a while to work (i.e. over time?).

I imagine they build up in the system. Often you have to be weaned off them over time so I imagine that's just reversing the process.

I may be speaking shite but that's my understanding (dependant on the actual medication).

 

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Buce

Buce

Posted
Posted
17 hours ago, Wymeswold fox said:

Can anti-depressants take a while to work (i.e. over time?).

 

Wouldn't this be better discussed in the Depression thread?

 

Anyway, yes, but sometimes they don't work at all.

 

They are a useful tool in the fight against depression, particularly if it is caused by a brain chemistry imbalance, but statistically, they only work for 70% of sufferers and have limited effect if the depression is caused by psychological issues.

 

 

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The Blur

The Blur

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Posted

I am thinking of getting my girlfriend mini DLSR camera for Christmas but I don't know if whether it is worth getting as I don't know whether if latest smartphones have became advanced enough to have similar image quality?

 

Can anyone with expertise in photography advise please.  The camera will be used mostly on holidays as we like to go on mini travelling expeditions.

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desertfox2

desertfox2

Posted
Posted (edited)
On 02/12/2018 at 19:40, Wymeswold fox said:

Can anti-depressants take a while to work (i.e. over time?).

Hard to say specifically without knowing the type but stuff like Zoloft (Sertraline) can take several weeks to work. Usually ramp up the dose over time to lessen the side effects, presumably the Dr would suggest that. Taper on Taper off. Mirtazipine worked straight away for sleep.  Not a Dr. Just speaking from experience. Tried both unfortunately. Citalopram too but had to stop as the side effects were horrendous hence the Zoloft. Thankfully off the Zoloft for a few years now as it's wasnt great for the bedroom department for me so that got binned. Useful stuff for bad times though. 

Edited by desertfox2
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Alf Bentley

Alf Bentley

Posted
Posted (edited)
2 hours ago, theessexfox said:

My girlfriend's mum, we think, has had a TIA (mini stroke), after which the risk of a full stroke can be up to 40%. Has anyone experienced similar, and been on medication and/or made lifestyle changes to mitigate the subsequent risk of a stroke?

 

Sorry if this sounds obvious and you've already looked into it, but understanding the causes of her TIA will presumably determine how to mitigate risks. I'm no expert but understand that blood clots are the main cause - but these in turn can have various causes, including arterial narrowing/blockages and heart arrhythmia. Haemorrhages can also be a cause, but not so common, I think.

 

You can doubtless anticipate the lifestyle suggestions to reduce risk of arterial problems: don't smoke or drink to excess, avoid saturated fats, avoid obesity, take exercise etc. Reducing blood pressure (via lifestyle changes or medication) would presumably help avoid haemorrhages.

 

The only one I have personal experience of is stroke risk due to heart arrhythmia. My Mum had a genetic heart condition (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy - thickened heart muscle), had a TIA and, a few years later, a fatal stroke (though that was at age 80; I'm guessing your girlfriend's Mum is a good bit younger & may not have heart issues). She led a very healthy lifestyle & was just unlucky to have the genetic heart problem. I've inherited that problem. I've not had a TIA or stroke but have had arrhythmias, so am on medication: beta-blockers to reduce muscle thickening & Warfarin blood thinners to minimise risk of clots if I get an arrhythmia.

 

I've had no problems with Warfarin. Some people don't like the fact that you have to have regular blood tests. These start off weekly, but if your blood thickness is consistently within range, they're much less frequent - I currently have a quick (finger pin-prik) test at my GP surgery every 2-3 months. Only issue is that Warfarin is very sensitive - if you miss a dose or vary the amount of alcohol you drink, you're likely to go out of range and need more frequent tests. You're also advised to avoid heavy drinking - small, regular amounts are OK. The other risk of blood thinners is they can make an accident more serious (a wound, internal bleed or particularly a head injury - potential for haemorrhage)...but my impression is that this risk is overstated. I even had a tooth extracted while on Warfarin and didn't bleed much more than usual. Likewise, minor cuts just bleed for a couple of seconds more than before. I've had no other side-effects (minor fatigue when I first started beta-blockers, but I've no reason to think your partner's mother would be put on them). There are alternative blood thinners to Warfarin, some not requiring blood tests, but I have no info - ask GP if relevant.

 

As for lifestyle changes, I went tee-total (had been a heavyish drinker) & lost a bit of weight. I try to eat healthily and take a bit of exercise without going mad. I had 2 arrhythmias (atrial fibrillation/flutter) while still drinking, though stress may also have contributed & the genetic defect is my main underlying cause. Since stopping drinking 3.5 years ago, I've had 2 more arrhythmias, caused by sudden physical exertion & a chest infection, respectively. That's another thing I was told re. avoiding heart rhythm issues: regular, even vigorous exercise is fine, but not sudden exertion (no weightlifting or sprinting, I was told!). Have needed 1 minor heart op, otherwise no major problems and no strokes/TIAs yet. 

Edited by Alf Bentley
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Alf Bentley

Alf Bentley

Posted
Posted

@theessexfox

 

Forgot to mention....

 

If your partner's mother hasn't had an echocardiogram done, could be worth pushing for one. When I was first told that I had a heart murmur, I wasn't sent for an echo automatically but my GP said it was "the gold standard" for diagnosis of heart issues - and with funding/staff constraints, they might not offer this without you requesting it.

 

An ECG may or may not suggest a heart issue, but an echo potentially reveals a lot more. It's a simple process - about 15 mins with gel on your chest, lying down & moving around while they use a hand-held scanner device that provides internal live "video" of your heart working. It was an echo that identified my thickened heart muscle - and it would also probably identify narrowed arteries etc.

 

Of course, the TIA might have some other cause - or she may have already had an echo. Seemed worth mentioning just in case....

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theessexfox

theessexfox

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Alf Bentley said:

@theessexfox

 

Forgot to mention....

 

If your partner's mother hasn't had an echocardiogram done, could be worth pushing for one. When I was first told that I had a heart murmur, I wasn't sent for an echo automatically but my GP said it was "the gold standard" for diagnosis of heart issues - and with funding/staff constraints, they might not offer this without you requesting it.

 

An ECG may or may not suggest a heart issue, but an echo potentially reveals a lot more. It's a simple process - about 15 mins with gel on your chest, lying down & moving around while they use a hand-held scanner device that provides internal live "video" of your heart working. It was an echo that identified my thickened heart muscle - and it would also probably identify narrowed arteries etc.

 

Of course, the TIA might have some other cause - or she may have already had an echo. Seemed worth mentioning just in case....

Thank you so much for sharing your experiences, I'm glad your treatment has been successful and relatively painless so far and congratulations for the 3.5 years tee-total. I'm not sure yet what the doctors have said, but I will relay the information when I know more and ask what tests they have done so far. Again, thank you for your messages, that is all so helpful!

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Saxondale

Saxondale

Posted
Posted

Help please!

 

The wife range me at work on Thursday saying that the oven is playing up. It is a fan oven. She says that the element is glowing red.

 

This happens when heating up, so it’s not a thermostatic problem. I did wonder if the fan wasn’t running at full speed and wasn’t providing enough heat dissipation, but I’ve checked that and it’s fine.

 

Because Christmas is coming up, I thought I’d order a new element on an overnight, just to be on the safe side. I’ve just installed the new element and it’s doing exactly the same.

 

To my mind, an electrical heating element glowing red is to be expected in normal operation, but she is absolutely convinced it didn’t used to.

 

Can somebody please help clarify this for me? Otherwise she’s going to be all weird about using it.

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Buce

Buce

Posted
Posted
27 minutes ago, Saxondale said:

Help please!

 

The wife range me at work on Thursday saying that the oven is playing up. It is a fan oven. She says that the element is glowing red.

 

This happens when heating up, so it’s not a thermostatic problem. I did wonder if the fan wasn’t running at full speed and wasn’t providing enough heat dissipation, but I’ve checked that and it’s fine.

 

Because Christmas is coming up, I thought I’d order a new element on an overnight, just to be on the safe side. I’ve just installed the new element and it’s doing exactly the same.

 

To my mind, an electrical heating element glowing red is to be expected in normal operation, but she is absolutely convinced it didn’t used to.

 

Can somebody please help clarify this for me? Otherwise she’s going to be all weird about using it.

Might it be an issue with the thermostat?

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Carl the Llama

Carl the Llama

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Saxondale said:

Help please!

 

The wife range me at work on Thursday saying that the oven is playing up. It is a fan oven. She says that the element is glowing red.

 

This happens when heating up, so it’s not a thermostatic problem. I did wonder if the fan wasn’t running at full speed and wasn’t providing enough heat dissipation, but I’ve checked that and it’s fine.

 

Because Christmas is coming up, I thought I’d order a new element on an overnight, just to be on the safe side. I’ve just installed the new element and it’s doing exactly the same.

 

To my mind, an electrical heating element glowing red is to be expected in normal operation, but she is absolutely convinced it didn’t used to.

 

Can somebody please help clarify this for me? Otherwise she’s going to be all weird about using it.

Sounds normal to me... is it not producing heat, then?

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