[IndigoXLGrandDi]

Originally Posted by carboy

The cost of the instrument is negligible compared to cost of the strips. If I remember correctly, the strips cost roughly around 1200-1500 per box of 50 strips - if you are on insulin - you will exhaust one box per month - so the monthly cost would be more than the cost of the instrument itself. So look for the instrument whose strips are easily available and of course accurate. One Touch Ultra and Accu-Check are well known brands. The One touch Ultra costs around 1300 for meter. It's very accurate. And they have excellent customer service also.

Even if on insulin, he will not check everyday. May be once in 5-7 days.
The cost of One Touch Ultra Test Strips is approx. double as that of Accu-Chek Strips.

Cost-wise the Meters -- Dr. Morepen < Accu-chek < One Touch Ultra.

Also I think Strips of Accu-chek could be sourced easily even in small towns.

One final question- Please rate the following in terms of Accuracy-
Accu-chek Active, One Touch Ultra, Dr. Morepen BG-03.

[condor]

OneTouch Select is cheaper than Ultra, and has a 60 day life after opening the pack. The Ultra instrument does have lot more functions, and is useful if you are doing a comprehensive tracking.

[Jaxy]

Has anyone used the Teeth Whitening systems currently being offered on online sites? Link here: http://www.naaptol.com/hygiene-needs.../12234616.html . wanted to know if they are of any use. I'm looking to try one of them.

[Tejas@perioimpl]

I would stay away from these products.

Infact i don't recommend bleaching at all. Eventually leads to sensitivity.

Brush regularly and be regular with your dental hygiene visits.

[saket77]

Hello TBHP Docs, I have a query.

I am in my early 30s (31) and my wife is 3 years younger to me. Both physically fit & slim, but since I have a desk job and have little time for physical exercise, I would like to get recommendations for best cooking oil. We have been using Suffola Active Lowsorb and mustard oil for cooking, depending on the dishes. My father had Cholesterol & high BP problems but well controlled by normal dosage of medicines.

I have read conflicting advice about saturated & unsaturated fat oils. Same about Olive oils. However, have read good things about coconut oil. Kindly suggest.

Thanks in anticipation of advice,
Saket.

[alphadog]

Originally Posted by Sprucegoose

Could be carpel tunnel syndrome.
Does she use a computer a lot?
is she a leftie?

PS: I'm not a doctor, but my friend has/had CTS.

To any orthopedic doctors / physiotherapists out there, I have a query
I had ACL reconstruction on my right knee.
Started playing playing football again after I regained full range of movement [and after taking considerable rest. About 6 - 7 months]
Last Wednesday, I was playing football and i kinda tweaked the knee again, I don't seem to have lost any stability in the knee, but when my right knee is at full stretch and under load [like when I'm running up stairs 2 at a time], the muscles around the knee feel kinda funny, like they were post surgery.

The right rear ligament/tendon connecting the back of the knee to the hamstring ached for 3 days, but now it's almost fine.

Hi Sprucegoose

I am an Orthopaedic Surgeon, specialising in arthroscopy & sports Injuries, at Aster Medcity, Cochin, Kerala.
I do not have the benefit of examining you, which would have been ideal. However, I can provide some advice based on what you have described.
As long as you did not have a large amount of swelling and pain in your knee, it is unlikely that you have done any major damage or had a re-rupture. You will however, benefit from a good rehab programme to strengthen your Quads and Hamstrings and to improve your co-ordination in your legs. The key to keeping injury at bay is good warm up, keep the muscles strong and improve your 'proprioception' or coordination.
Do some gym work for your thigh muscles and improve your stability.
If your problem persists inspite of these measures, then please get it investigated with an MRI scan and consult with your surgeon.
Hope this helps.
Regards

Dr Vinod Kumar

[alphadog]

Originally Posted by ani_meher

My sister's left wrist frequently pains, and is sometimes swollen too. The pain starts at around the base of the thumb (palm down position), and sometimes engulfs the entire forearm. We had applied iodex, omnigel etc, did some Ayurvedic treatment, even visited an orthopedist who deduced the pain was because of heavy use of texting and using mobile. But she never uses mobiles for texts, and hardly ever dials.

She has not done any rigorous activity that she remembers where she had hurt her hand. When she works around the house, the arm pains depending on how active she had been in the day! What to do?

Any home made remedy or do we need to go for xray or such? Is there any good orthopedist in Pune? I live on the east side.

Hi Ani

I am an Orthopaedic surgeon, from Aster Medcity, Cochin, Kerala.

Obviously, I do not have the benefit of examining the wrist. However, from what you have described this sounds like either Dequervains disease or a Carpal tunnel.
With DeQuervains, one tends to get pain at the base of thumb area, especially worse by making a fist with thumb tucked into palm. The pain can radiate up the forearm. It happens due to inflammation of the sheath of the tendons that help you to move the wrist and fingers. The treatment initially is rest and splintage, followed by steroid injection and if these measures do not work then a small day case surgery to release the sheath is the way forward.

With Carpal tunnel the pain is in the wrist proper and particularly worse during night, with occassional tingling sensation into the fingers of the hand.
It happens due to compression of a nerve at the wrist called the Median nerve and treatment initially is splints and rest. If it doesnt settle after a few weeks, best thing is to get the compression relieved through a small day case surgery under local anaesthesia, which lasts only 10 minutes or so.

Please get it checked by a local orthopaedic surgeon. I would recommend Dr Raghav Bharve at Ruby Hall.

Hope this helps.

Dr. Vinod Kumar
Aster Medcity, Cochin.

[ani_meher]

Originally Posted by alphadog

Hi Ani

With DeQuervains, one tends to get pain at the base of thumb area, especially worse by making a fist with thumb tucked into palm. The pain can radiate up the forearm.

With Carpal tunnel the pain is in the wrist proper and particularly worse during night, with occassional tingling sensation into the fingers of the hand.

Hope this helps.

Dr. Vinod Kumar
Aster Medcity, Cochin.

Thanks Dr. Vinod! As per the symptoms, it looks like DeQuervains as the pain is limited to thumb vein, and not in the wrist. However, I will definitely schedule a visit to the orthopaedic surgeon as suggested. Thanks for your guidance

[scorpion_blore]

Hi TBHP docs,

I need some help with an issue I have been facing for some time now.

Sometimes I have headaches, usually starts the time I wake up from bed. I have been having this problem for almost over a year now. I initially suspected it to be a problem with my eyesight and went for a eye checkup at Nethradhama, Bangalore. The test results indicated that my eye power is normal. The doctor told that I have dry eyes and suggested to use "Glytears" daily. She clearly suggested that the headache problem is not related to eyesight.

I was in US for a couple of months and came back to India recently. I never had headache in USA. But from the past 3-4 days the problem has again come back. My family physician has also not been of any help.

Would really appreciate if you could point out the possible problem.

[archat68]

Originally Posted by scorpion_blore

Hi TBHP docs,

I need some help with an issue I have been facing for some time now.

Sometimes I have headaches, usually starts the time I wake up from bed. I have been having this problem for almost over a year now.

I was in US for a couple of months and came back to India recently. I never had headache in USA.

Have you checked your pillows, mattresses and sleeping posture?

[Arch-Angel]

I have a wierd problem offlate. I continuously keep feeling weak and tired. I have lost appetite and food doesnt even seem to taste good. I seem to hurt myself pretty frequently and it hurts for quite a while. I have no idea what this is. Could someone here tell me what sort of an issue i might be having at hand? I will definitely like to discuss this with any of our inhouse doctors. Thank you in advance.

[Sprucegoose]

Originally Posted by alphadog

Hi Sprucegoose

I am an Orthopaedic Surgeon, specialising in arthroscopy & sports Injuries, at Aster Medcity, Cochin, Kerala.
I do not have the benefit of examining you, which would have been ideal. However, I can provide some advice based on what you have described.
As long as you did not have a large amount of swelling and pain in your knee, it is unlikely that you have done any major damage or had a re-rupture. You will however, benefit from a good rehab programme to strengthen your Quads and Hamstrings and to improve your co-ordination in your legs. The key to keeping injury at bay is good warm up, keep the muscles strong and improve your 'proprioception' or coordination.
Do some gym work for your thigh muscles and improve your stability.
If your problem persists inspite of these measures, then please get it investigated with an MRI scan and consult with your surgeon.
Hope this helps.
Regards

Dr Vinod Kumar

Thanks...
all fine now..
I do some physio exercises [almost every day]
I play some football...
and i'll be joining a gym by the end of the month.

[fine69]

Originally Posted by saket77

I have read conflicting advice about saturated & unsaturated fat oils. Same about Olive oils. However, have read good things about coconut oil. Kindly suggest.

Don't stick to just one oil. Keep on shuffling between different oils. Naturally refined oils are definitely better than other factory methods but I'm not sure how does one make out whether its naturally refined or using high temp / other methods.

I personally prefer Ghee, Butter, Coconut Oil, Mustard Oil, Canola Oil, Flaxseed oil, Sunflower oil and at times Olive oil as well.

Indulge in cardio regularly and you wouldn't really have to worry too much about which oil to use, at least amongst the ones I listed.

[fine69]

Originally Posted by alphadog

I am an Orthopaedic Surgeon, specialising in arthroscopy & sports Injuries, at Aster Medcity, Cochin, Kerala.

Hi Dr. Vinod,

I'm suffering from some fiber tear (possibly) and some fluid accumulation in my right shoulder, just below the collar bone towards the right, where we have the shoulder joint (towards the front). Now I don't face any problem when the doctors try to check the shoulder movements and no matter how much pressure I apply during those diagnotic steps, there is no pain.

However, when I do push-ups or burpees the pain starts within 4-5 days and I have to stop doing any workout. The pain also starts if I start lifting heavy weights.

The first doctor suggested some anti-inflammatory medicines and a gel. The second doctor recommended similar medicines along with 10 days Ultrasonic treatment with physio. I did the US treatment for ~10 days along with some physio however the pain didn't go away completely.

Now the third sports injury specialist I visited suggested that I get Ultra-sonic treatment done along with IFC (I'm assuming its inferrential current therapy, is it?) and physio.

My dilemma and question is - Is Ultrasound & IFC really beneficial. I read about it and realized that it wasn't as conclusive (as mentioned in various forums). I'm going to start with it again as I have no option left but wanted to get another opinion.

[Raghav_K]

Originally Posted by Arch-Angel

I have a wierd problem offlate. I continuously keep feeling weak and tired. I have lost appetite and food doesnt even seem to taste good. I seem to hurt myself pretty frequently and it hurts for quite a while. I have no idea what this is. Could someone here tell me what sort of an issue i might be having at hand? I will definitely like to discuss this with any of our inhouse doctors. Thank you in advance.

Hi, can you please elaborate?

How old are you? What work do you do? How long you are having these symptoms? Have you changed anything from your routine recently - workwise or eating habits or any other? how is your sleep at night?

I'm a surgeon, and what you are facing might not be my speciality, but i/others here can probably help you if you answer the above questions!!!

cheers,
Raghav.