Weeks 5 to 14 - It’s hateful getting old, but what’s the alternative?

When we returned home we were hoping that a quick visit to the doc’ and a course of tablets would settle everything and we would be back on track.

In a pigs ear!!!

The first trick was to get an appointment with a doctor, there are twelve doctors at the practice we use. The first appointment (with any doctor) was 14 days after we phoned. A long time to wait but the doctor I saw was interested, attentive and despite the reality did not appear time-limited. He prescribed a course of tablets for the coughing, which he had decided was in fact some sort of reflux, a blood test to confirm/deny gout and asked me to return in one month.

One very long month later I presented back to the same doctor who having reviewed the results of the cough tablet deemed them working and prescribed them long term. He had wanted another test to confirm but agreed he would be happy to leave that until we returned in the spring.

From the blood test he had learned that my joint problem was indeed gout and put me on a seven day course of tablets asking me to return when completed. That of course meant fourteen days before I was able to get the next appointment.

Satisfied that it was a correct diagnosis the doctor has now put me on tablet to reduce uric acid in the blood. That medication, it seems, triggers gout attacks so I take another tablet (short term) to prevent those attacks. That prevention tablet one, apparently reacts badly with statins so I have to suspend taking those for a month. Confused? So am I!!

The doc also wanted a blood test in January but I managed to persuade him that it would be better in March.

We are now free till the blood test is due in March, Italy is out as we would be unable and unwilling to rush in order to get there and back in the time for that blood test so the ferry is booked to take us to Santander in Spain and we will yet again go towards Portugal.

© S W Ghost 2018