SPRING is in full swing, which is great for our moods and vitamin D levels, but you can end up going overboard if you’re not careful.
Take it easy, especially with any spring cleaning.
Whether you’re clearing out cupboards, running up stepladders to get things down from the loft, emptying gutters or doing a deep bleach clean in the bathroom, watch your step.
Make sure to bend your knees when lifting and moving heavy items to protect your back, wear a mask and gloves when dealing with home cleaning chemicals and always have someone hold the ladder at the bottom – you don’t want to spend the bank holidays in A&E with any broken bones.
Here are some of the questions readers sent me this week . . .
Q: I HAD my gallbladder removed after it ruptured in November. Before that, I had lost 2.5st at Slimming World, but now I’m struggling to lose weight and have started gaining a pound a week.
I still follow the plan but for some reason I can’t stop eating and am hungry all the time. Is the gallbladder removal the reason and, if so, what do I do?
A: The surgical procedure to remove the gallbladder is called a cholecystectomy and it is possible for there to be some metabolism changes after it.
The gallbladder concentrates and stores bile (which is made by the liver).
After eating, it squeezes bile into the intestines, where it helps digest fatty foods.
If your gallbladder is removed, there is no organ to concentrate or control your bile.
Instead of funnelling into your gallbladder, bile now travels directly to your intestines in an unregulated way.
Cholecystectomy is still the leading treatment for symptomatic gallstones and is one of the most commonly performed operations worldwide.
Short and long-term outcomes are deemed to be excellent.
However, there is relatively new evidence showing that a cholecystectomy may lead to a raised risk of developing disorders of the metabolism, part of which can be increased hunger and weight gain.
This doesn’t necessarily mean it affects everyone or lasts for ever.
In some people the metabolic changes do seem to last.
In others, bodies regulate themselves and the changes calm down with time.
Some researchers have suggested patients having this surgery would benefit from dietary education support, which does not routinely happen at present within the NHS.
If the weight gain continues, my advice would be to ask your GP which services are available to support you in your area.
It might be a dietician, or depending on your BMI, you may be eligible for weight management specialist services.
In the meantime, eating plenty of colourful vegetables for nutrition and ensuring you consume fibre and protein with each meal will help, as this will make you feel fuller for longer.
I’d also give yourself a break.
You underwent surgery just six months ago, don’t expect everything to immediately return to normal.
Q: I GET terrible burning when peeing. There’s no infection or STI – I’ve had loads of tests and nothing is showing up.
A: There are lots of conditions that can mimic the symptoms of a urinary tract infection.
Your pain could be caused by things like kidney stones, prostatitis, appendicitis or vaginitis.
There’s also a condition called bladder pain syndrome or interstitial cystitis.
It can be difficult to diagnose as there’s no test.
Symptoms include pelvic pain, consistent urges to pee, pain in your tummy, finding it hard to pee, urinary incontinence and blood in urine.
These symptoms can also be signs of bladder cancer and while that is far from the most likely diagnosis in your case, it is important to return to your GP if symptoms are persisting.
Bladder pain syndrome is more common in women and symptoms can come and go, sometimes lasting weeks or months.
The cause is unknown but it could be down to damage to the lining of the bladder and surrounding nerves, pelvic floor issues or the immune system causing a reaction.
It can also be associated with chronic conditions such as fibromyalgia and irritable bowel syndrome.
Despite the tests you have had being negative, you could still have a UTI.
You’ve already seen your GP but if things are not improving, you may require more tests.
Your GP can arrange further urine tests, and an ultrasound scan of your urinary tract.
Sometimes a referral to a urologist is required for further tests, which could include a cystoscopy, where a small camera looks inside your bladder, and a range of bladder function tests.
WHAT advice do you have for someone suffering from health anxiety?
From Covid and the pandemic to NHS shortages and strikes, it’s been a worrying time for many people when it comes to their health and that of their loved ones.
Try to pinpoint when your health anxiety started.
Were you diagnosed with anything?
Did a loved one get sick or pass away?
There’s often a root cause for anxieties related to health and if you can unpick what it might be, you might be able to start helping yourself.
If there’s nothing specific you can pinpoint, then ask yourself what you’re worried about.
Is it getting ill with some-thing that exists around you?
Is it developing something that can be hard to spot or diagnose without tests?
You can refer yourself for talking therapies on the NHS, and cognitive behavioural therapy has been proven to be very helpful for people with health anxiety.
If you’re genuinely worried you have something that is undiagnosed, speak to your GP.
There may be existing conditions in your family you’re worried about and your GP can help relieve your fears and concerns about them.
Please don’t try to ignore it, though.
Health anxiety is a recognised mental health condition and you’ll benefit from getting treatment for it like you would any other condition.
Don’t suffer in silence.
