Brexit, for once some facts.

[Woosh]

I so wish I agreed.

People should never have to self medicate.

And where is the border between self-medication and non-self-medication?

The medical establishment in the UK, insofar they think about the issue, frequently advise we all take vitamin D. They refuse tests on the grounds we are all low in vitamin D. And expect us to buy our own.

Yet, excess vitamin D can cause some significant issues.

Is taking vitamin D, as promoted by the medical establishment, self-medication? Without tests, without individual advice, without even distinguishing D2 from D3.

I usually get 2-3 blood tests a year to monitor my diabetes and PSA so I spend half an hour each time to read the results of the blood work.
If I ever feel anxious about any indicator, I always talk to my GP. 95% of the time, I come home without a prescription.

 

[Nev]

Heart consultant, Interestingly just says eat and exercise well, don't smoke,drink alcohol or vape. Oh, and he added get vaccinated if you are not.

Or he could have said just do the opposite of everything soundwave does.

 

[oyster]

Eat a balanced diet,

Two people, seemingly very similar, both eating the same diet which has been formally assessed as balanced, has lots of fresh foods, etc.

One might be very well, the other very ill. We are all different and have different needs.

(And that is without going into the allergens issues. Let's assume both are free of any known allergies.)

 

[flecc]

It will be interesting to see which type of immunity is the most durable / effective over the longer term. They are already priming us for a fourth dose of white man medicine in about 16 weeks time. For the first time, I’m starting to feel slightly uneasy about another dose of vaccine. I’ll have it, if offered, but won’t be quite as eager this time. A 5th dose? Hmmmm.

I already know that the immunity from prior infection is superior, since London's dependency on it has resulted in far lower deaths for both the Alpha and Delta waves than the rest of the country who were far more dependent on the vaccines.

This is what Professor Spiegelhalter also belatedly spotted, and also the Professor who Danidl quoted, and they are not being contradicted by the medical experts.

And of course we officially know that the vaccines decline in efficiency very rapidly, the need for boosting at three months being too short to cover the Delta wave period for those vaccinated in the early days.

I've already made my decision on more of the same via boosters. It's a firm no until Pharma comes up with a genuine improvement that more effectively prevents infection as well as alleviating if caught, and these benefits for at least a year.

No-one has any idea what the consequences of the present jab every three months will be and Covid is simply not serious enough for the risk to be taken.
.

 

[jonathan.agnew]

But how many people examine things to your degree but then live "unhealthy" lifestyles, smoking, drinking, vaping over eating, not exercising.
It's modern way.. Take a supplement, have a vitamin, take magnesium, potassium, calcium, vitamin C/D, B12... List is endless.
If folk want to be healthy and fit there are no quick fixes. It's very simple. Eat a balanced diet, don't smoke/drink and exercise regularly. I suspect many go down route of self medication to avoid the actual healthy lifestyle choices.

In my life its been even simpler, all the major health problems (pompholyx, graves) have been a function of stress. Regardless of what research say about nicotine, cell metabolism. If I could have a chat with a 20 year old me I'd say take it all as unseriously as you can, sail more, spend more time in the carribean, it's all a mugs game anyway.

 

[oyster]

St

In my life its been even simpler, all the major health problems (pompholyx, graves) have been a function of stress. Regardless of what research say about nicotine, cell metabolism. If I could have a chat with a 20 year old me I'd say take it all as unseriously as you can, sail more, spend more time in the carribean, it's all a mugs game anyway.

Stress is a known and major factor in developing (some) thyroid disorders.

There is increasing evidence that things like high stress in childhood can ripple through and, eventually, result in (maybe, just one possibility) autoimmune thyroid disease. Even when there might have been many years of relatively "ordinary" levels of stress.

 

[oyster]

I usually get 2-3 blood tests a year to monitor my diabetes and PSA so I spend half an hour each time to read the results of the blood work.
If I ever feel anxious about any indicator, I always talk to my GP. 95% of the time, I come home without a prescription.

I usually get one thyroid test a year. That might have Full Blood Count, liver function and a few others added on.

Trouble is, they usually only measure one factor - Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH). The typical reference interval is something like 0.4 to 4.0 and any value within that tends to be regarded as being just fine. Plus, TSH can vary by up to about 2.0 within a single day (rises overnight, falls through day). And it varies through the year.

Even when TSH is over the reference interval, GPs sometimes take no action until it is much higher.

And TSH is not a thyroid hormone. It is perfectly possible to have thyroid hormones levels which are well out of their reference intervals while TSH remains within its reference interval.

And the reference intervals for the population are far, far wider than they would be if calculated/inferred for an individual. My personal acceptable TSH could be 0.8 to 1.1. Holding that up against 0.4 to 4.0 is ridiculous.

And at my last GP interaction I was offered amitriptyline (no, thank you very much!) but had to argue strongly for a levothyroxine increase from 100 to 112.5.

 

[Zlatan]

In my life its been even simpler, all the major health problems (pompholyx, graves) have been a function of stress. Regardless of what research say about nicotine, cell metabolism. If I could have a chat with a 20 year old me I'd say take it all as unseriously as you can, sail more, spend more time in the carribean, it's all a mugs game anyway.

Couldn't agree more.
Well said.
Suspect most poor lifestyle choices are forced on us by poor choices elsewhere. I should have got out education 10 years before I did..
Didn't realise I was stressed.... Until I wasn't...
But reaping rewards further down line.

 

[jonathan.agnew]

St

Stress is a known and major factor in developing (some) thyroid disorders.

There is increasing evidence that things like high stress in childhood can ripple through and, eventually, result in (maybe, just one possibility) autoimmune thyroid disease. Even when there might have been many years of relatively "ordinary" levels of stress.

There's that - the sins of the father, developmental trauma, hardwired into the developing brain if early enough. That's a lot harder to transcend - frankly not sure what I'd say to a twenty year old me about that.

 

[Danidl]

I think there is some truth in this. Immunity comes from either prior infection or from vaccination. Londoners don’t seem to like white man medicine, so they probably have a higher rate of immunity derived from previous infection than other parts of the country.

It will be interesting to see which type of immunity is the most durable / effective over the longer term. They are already priming us for a fourth dose of white man medicine in about 16 weeks time. For the first time, I’m starting to feel slightly uneasy about another dose of vaccine. I’ll have it, if offered, but won’t be quite as eager this time. A 5th dose? Hmmmm.

Well JC, I suspect I am already on my 25 th. dose or jab of the flu vaccine , so getting a 4th. Will not disturb me.

 

[flecc]

Well JC, I suspect I am already on my 25 th. dose or jab of the flu vaccine , so getting a 4th. Will not disturb me.

Like me, but it's an annual with adjustments to suit, not every three months the same thing.
.

 

[Zlatan]

Like me, but it's an annual with adjustments to suit, not every three months the same thing.
.

I don't think it will stay that way flecc. Vaccine efficacy and our immune memory will improve. Suspect in 18 months time Covid jab will be part of flu one... In mean time I suppose its upto individuals, stick or twist... I, ll be twisting. By sounds of it my group will be offered 4th fairly soon. I do see yours and JC's point but it would be very ironic to get Covid in last wave and I suspect you and I won't be here to moan about any long term damages.??
I, d have fourth tomorrow, especially if it was more Omicron specific.
AZ are trialing one.

 

[oyster]

Like me, but it's an annual with adjustments to suit, not every three months the same thing.
.

The various rumours (I'll not put it stronger than that) which one day proclaim one vaccine as the answer, the next dismiss it as almost worthless, really do not help.

I do not like the idea of three identical injections. If a variant can get past that particular product, then it can probably rampage. Whereas, if we have various combinations, there is a possibility that it would only get through in some people. (E.g. any three - other than three the same - from six.)

 

[GLJoe]

GIjoe isn't researching...
He said it all in his reply to me when I pointed out ONS figures on Vaccine deaths.. "well they would say that wouldn't they".

I recall you providing a link to some ONS blog, where in one section, they point out the yellow card reporting system showed something like 1500 deaths shortly after vaccination, then in the next paragraph, they mention some other reports saying it was only 9 deaths.
Yet you chose ONLY to quote the 9 deaths figure.

I don't recall replying to you with that "well they would say that wouldn't they" quote. Can you provide a link please? Otherwise you are misrepresenting me.

The Fact vaccines work and are not dangerous does not fit GIjoes narrative... Even though its proven. (just examine ONS stats)

My 'narrative' is only to try and work out what's happening.
These covid 'vaccines' do indeed do something, however the question is how well do they 'work'? that is the question.
The statement of they are 'not dangerous' is demonstrably false. Anyone who claims ANY vaccine is 'not dangerous' is a deluded fool. The question should be 'how dangerous'? 'how effective', then those factors need to be weighed up against how dangerous the threat is, and only then can one make an informed decision.

And I'm not anti-vax!
From the information I've seen, it appears that for the elderly with co-morbidities, the covid vaccines tip the risk reward balance and should be recommended. I'm pro vax!
However on the other end of the spectrum, everything I'm seeing tells me that kids should absolutely NOT get vaxxed! I'm totally against that.
The problem is, between these black and white regions, there's a whole lot of grey to consider!!

 

[oyster]

What a pathetic level of governing - can't make decisions, so hold cod competitions. If a place has a decent case, let them make it and judgement made. If they haven't, let them shut up and stop squawking.

City status: The 39 towns competing for an upgrade revealed

 

[GLJoe]

I, d have fourth tomorrow,...

 

[Woosh]

I don't think it will stay that way flecc. Vaccine efficacy and our immune memory will improve. Suspect in 18 months time Covid jab will be part of flu one... In mean time I suppose its upto individuals, stick or twist... I, ll be twisting. By sounds of it my group will be offered 4th fairly soon. I do see yours and JC's point but it would be very ironic to get Covid in last wave and I suspect you and I won't be here to moan about any long term damages.??
I, d have fourth tomorrow, especially if it was more Omicron specific.
AZ are trialing one.

it's a relative risk calculation.
Some professor came on TV the other day and gave 50% protection factor against severe covid to natural infection, 30% to first jab, 70% for two jabs and 85% for three jabs.
After 3 jabs, if you don't wear a mask, you'd come into contact with Omicron within half an hour inside a shopping centre. It probably won't bring down someone with 3 jabs, not even some symptoms, but how much would that natural Omicron infection add to your protection factor?
I'd say it may extend your 3 jab protection level for another 3 months. By then, we would have another variant of concern.
So you see? it's not quite clear cut.

 

[GLJoe]

I, ve had exactly same today with my anti vaxxer friend....

Just so you can be prepared for the inevitable when you find out your mate actually knows more than you do ...

 

[GLJoe]

I'm getting boosted tomorrow...

 

[GLJoe]

If folk want to be healthy and fit there are no quick fixes. It's very simple. Eat a balanced diet, don't smoke/drink and exercise regularly. I suspect many go down route of self medication to avoid the actual healthy lifestyle choices.

You may be right.
But what would you say constitutes a 'balanced diet' ?