DR ELLIE CANNON: My doctor says there is no treatment for blood cancer. Is this correct?

I was diagnosed with anemia three years ago and although no cause could be found initially, I was diagnosed with myelodysplasia in April. My doctor says there is no treatment. is he right

There are many causes of anemia – when the body does not produce enough red blood cells, leading to fatigue, shortness of breath and pale skin, among other things. Causes range from a lack of iron in the diet to blood loss during heavy menstrual periods.

The older people get, the more we worry that this is a sign of hidden cancer. Blood can be “consumed” by a growing tumor or by “hidden” bleeding due to intestinal problems. That’s why we ordered tests starting around age 40 to rule out something serious when blood tests revealed anemia.

This may include a CT scan, colonoscopy, or other examination. If no cause is found, a referral to a hematologist may be made to rule out problems with the bone marrow, where blood cells are made.

Myelodysplasia is a form of blood cancer that occurs mostly in older people. Although it is a type of cancer, it can remain mild and non-life-threatening for years.

The hematologist would create a treatment plan and not the GP. Myelodysplasia prevents the bone marrow from producing normal healthy blood cells, which can also explain the anemia.

If there are any questions about treatment and assessment, they should be discussed with the hematologist. A GP cannot carry out some of the specialist examinations and monitoring that can be offered to people with myelodysplasia.

It may be normal for people with mild myelodysplasia not to receive treatment, but to have regular blood tests to check for changes.

In April 2022 I had a double hip replacement and after surgery I was given a physical therapy plan which I followed until August 2023 when I suddenly became exhausted. Instead of feeling better, my legs felt weak and my toes became stiff. I wonder if I have been doing physical therapy for too long?

Physiotherapy for too long is actually not possible if the set program is followed.

Typically there are 12 weeks of regular, more intense training, tapering off to fewer times a week and lasting long-term.

After hip surgery, there are exercises aimed at strengthening the muscles around the joint and restoring strength in the legs. It is intended to help the patient return to walking normally or better.

The exercises are gentle and non-stressful and are intended to improve function around the hips and the use of the legs.

Recovery from a hip replacement is expected to take about six months, at which point people can return to exercise and improve their quality of life.

It is worrisome when a person becomes tired from a physiotherapy program and it may indicate that the correct program is not being followed and rather exercises are being carried out excessively or too often.

In any case, the exercises should become easier and strength should be gained. Symptoms such as weakness and immobility of the toes should be assessed as a new problem. I wouldn’t expect anything like this after a joint replacement at this point.

In many GP practices you can now see a physiotherapist without seeing a GP. It is therefore worth asking the reception team if this is possible. Otherwise, the GP can assess.

I had pain in my ribs, a nurse told me it was costochondritis. Before it started ten weeks ago, I suffered from recurring respiratory infections and was prescribed several courses of antibiotics. How long does costochondritis last and how is it treated?

Costochondritis is an inflammation of the rib joints in the chest wall.

The ribs have joints in the rib cage and like any other joint they can become inflamed or even sprained.

This would not be unusual after a prolonged coughing fit associated with a respiratory infection. It tends to cause chest pain in the center of the chest – around the sternum – and you can usually feel the pain when you press on that area.

Because of the movement of the chest when you breathe, the pain also usually increases when you take a deep breath.

As with all joint pain, the pain can last from a few days to a few weeks. If the cause of the problem is eliminated, things will definitely get better.

So if cough is the primary cause, any underlying infections or medical conditions being treated should help first. Otherwise, time and normal breathing are helpful.

Anti-inflammatories can be helpful in this scenario because they act as both pain relievers and reduce the inflammation causing the problem.

An anti-inflammatory drug can be taken regularly with meals under the supervision of the pharmacist.

The condition usually goes away on its own. If it does not, local corticosteroid injections can be offered on referral from the GP.

You can avoid gluten or just be careful this Christmas

This Morning’s Vanessa Feltz (pictured) got into trouble because her celiac disease ‘went down’

Vanessa Feltz of This Morning (pictured above) got into trouble last week for claiming that celiac disease is not comparable to a peanut allergy in terms of severity.

After her comments went live on air, many on social media complained that she was irresponsible in “downplaying” the disease – when the immune system attacks the body when gluten, a protein in wheat and other grains, is consumed.

In Vanessa’s defense, her tone may have seemed undiplomatic, but she has a point. Nut allergies can quickly become fatal. That’s why you need to be extra careful when providing a nut-free environment, especially for at-risk children.

Gluten, when consumed by a celiac patient, can cause digestive problems. And even microscopic spores that do not cause symptoms can damage the intestines, so this must be taken into account when cooking, for example. However, there is no strict medical need to eliminate all gluten-containing foods from a meal when welcoming someone with celiac disease, as long as everyone is careful not to contaminate their dishes. Still, it can be a nice gesture for everyone to eat gluten-free out of solidarity.

The patient’s “shock” account on the way to the operation

Do you have private health insurance? Millions of people in the UK do just that and pay a monthly premium to have this important surgery done quickly.

As waiting times in the NHS increase, so do the number of contracts signed. But last week I heard an interesting – and disturbing – story about a man who was on his way to surgery when he got a “surprise bill” he wasn’t expecting.

He was told he had to pay the anesthetist’s £800 costs out of his own pocket – and if he didn’t, his operation would be cancelled.

A little investigation revealed that doctors’ pay disputes are not just confined to the NHS and that these ‘shock bills’ are a symptom of private sector doctors demanding fair pay.

I would like to hear if something similar has happened to you. Write me and let me know.