Le Grand Moan

Tried that type of inhaler too. I'm allergic to it. Tried steroid tablets to prevent asthma (Singulair). Gave me muscle spasms and muscle pain and didn't ptrevent any asthma.

Freak!

Will check, jeni. Tell me what to say, exactly, please!

I think purple Seretide inhalers have more or less superseded the brown ones as preventers. That's what the doc told me anyway.

Check? Poly is frequently missed by gps

No.

You sure they did that one?

Let's face it, grans, I'm just a freak.

Yes. Loads. Nothing amiss except a slightly low iron count (not anaemic though) which a few bottles of Floradix sorted.

Ie increased c reactive protein!

Have you ever had blood tests, Bags? If you had PMR - which several of us have - increased inflammatory markers would show up. And the treatment is steroids, not just painkillers.

Have you had blood tests?

It doesn't make me shaky. When asthma was first diagnosed and Ventolin wasn't helping (nor the stuff in the brown inhalers (beclomethasone, or something) which I subsequently discovered prevented nothing for me and actually made me iller), the doctor I was seeing then in Oxford just got cross with me and told me to take more. I was shocked at her attitude and just I stared at her for getting cross (I knew nothing about asthma at that point) and she apologised but essentially said, well that's the treatment, take it or leave it. And that has been the message ever since from every other doctor I've seen. So, you see, I've got the message!

Yes, I've wondered about those myalgias and suppose that the doctors have too but the treatment is painkillers, isn't it, which I take anyway.

It's quite possible that the liver in faggots is the only liver I eat. Not terribly fond of it in its natural state, though my mother used to fry lamb's liver with bacon and that was nice. I chuck chicken liver in the stock pot though and boil the hell out of it.

annbel I don't know about woozy, but it certainly makes you shakey!

Bags Faggots, also known as Savoury Duck, consist of minced offal (usually pig's liver), pork fat or streaky bacon, breadcrumbs and herbs. The mixture is shaped into balls and wrapped in pig's caul. They can also be put straight into a dish and covered with pig's caul. Either way, bake at 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6 for about 40 minutes, until well browned.

Hope you continue to improve and feel up to snuff again soon.

Have you thought of fibromyalgia? Or even poly myalgia rheumatic an autoimmune disease?

Hope you are feeling better bags and that you have a bit more today to help you combat the aches and pains.

Wish there was something I could say, Bags. Your local doctors sound like a waste of space. Are you sure that such big doses of Ventolin are OK? I have heard it can make you woozy. Take good care of yourself.

Oh B - This isn't much fun, is it. I do hope you pick up soon. x

My mother used to make faggots. Kidney liver lungs and caul to wrap them in add packet of sage and opinion stuffing mix. Very similar to haggis except bread instead of groats!

Sorry, superfluous apostrophe!

Thanks, when. I had a look on NHS websites. They really don't want you pestering GP's unless you've got a raised temperature with your chest ache, or new symptoms. I haven't either of those and, since I've had the symptoms off and on for about twenty-four years, I think I've exhausted the current medical ability to do anything about them other than what I'm doing already. Sometimes one has to just accept that things are incurable and let them pass. It could be a lot worse. I have a vigorous immune system – over-vigorous perhaps, which may be part of the problem – I've never had a serious illness (not even flu) and didn't need various vaccinations (e.g. rubella, TB) when tested because I was already immune to the diseases.

I really appreciate being able to talk to you lovely lot though, so thank you from the heart. I usually bottle it up and just cope as best I can. It's a relief to moan sometimes.

The Ventolin (four more puffs) is helping and I can feel the progression. I'll be OK. It's just frustrating not to be tearing around the garden at the mo with a saw or hedge-cutter or scythe. Things are getting a bit wild(er than usual). The hedgehogs will be happy

Thank you again, gransnetters!

Hi Bags so sorry to hear you've had a bad night. What about phoning NHS Direct and then if they advise you to see the doctor you will have some ammunition to counter the expected reaction? Also, do you have a walk in centre? We have them around here and a fresh opinion can help.

Well, there is another GP whom I've never seen, but by the local grapevine, he's an even bigger pillock.

I don't know what part of the beast faggots are made of. Quite likely to be at least part offal, I suppose. Waste not, want not and all that. I'll read the packet again and see if it says. It's meat though, so good food, so I eat it.

I can imagine Bags and I am guess ing you don't have any choice of GPs in your locality.

Bags are the faggots 'Brains'? We used to eat those donkey's years ago before I became veggie. They were delicious though God knows what was in them.

Bags I had to smile when I read your 'ME is bullshit'. Very refreshing! [grin)

I say this because I have a relative who never admits to any problem (especially emotional/psychological ones) other than ME. The family wouldn't dare not go along with it.