Worried about your cholesterol but can’t or don’t want to take statins – check this out I was at a meeting this week with some fellow doctors discussing how we manage people with raised cholesterol levels which aren’t high enough to warrant treatment with a statin but which should ideally be lowered. We talked a lot around the merits of …
Health Harms – what happens to your blood when you smoke?
View PostIt’s #NationalBloodWeek – if you’re thinking of donating, check this out
I was joined by some of the amazing people who work in NHS Blood and Transplant on This Morning today, whilst two people gave blood live on air to show just how simple it is to do. It takes just 15 minutes to donate blood and each unit donated can help up to three people. It really is your chance …
Hereditary Diabetes ?
My 48-year-old sister has recently been diagnosed with diabetes. No one else in my family has ever had it, but could I be at risk of developing it too? A new diagnosis of diabetes at 48 is almost certainly type 2 diabetes – the type that is usually treated with diet and tablets rather than insulin. Relatives of anyone with …
My ankles are swollen
Every couple of days my ankles swell up. I sit at a desk to work, so I put them up when I can. I’m 33 and not overweight. Why are they swelling up? Swollen ankles in women are relatively common and are usually due to slow blood flow. Sitting for long periods won’t help and sitting cross legged is the …
Thirsty all the time
I’m 62 and I have started feeling thirsty all the time. I drink a lot of tea and water, but it doesn’t seem to be enough. I even wake up thirsty in the middle of the night. A friend said it could be diabetes. Is she right? She may well be. Undiagnosed diabetes can present as being unusually thirsty and …
What’s causing these dizzy spells?
Sometimes, when I stand up my sight goes black and I feel very dizzy. I have to sit back down again until my sight clears. Why is this happening? Standing up quickly can cause blood pressure to drop which can lead to the sort of symptoms you describe. Elderly people and young women are particularly prone to this and often …
Nosebleeds
I’m 48 years old and generally well, but I suffer from a lot of nosebleeds. I seem to have one every couple of days. I also get pain in my sinuses and regular headaches. Someone said I should get my blood pressure checked. Do you think that might be the problem?