WHEN it comes to issues of obesity, there is no doubt that so-called fat jabs have turned the tide on treatment options.
Even if you are not on them, the chances are you will be curious.
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As a GP, I understand both the intense interest and also the reservations people may have.
That’s why I am calling on Sun readers to send in their questions about the jabs to me.
No question is too big, too small – or silly!
From how much weight you can expect to lose to the long-term side effects, I get asked questions every day about the GLP-1 jabs, Wegovy and Mounjaro.
These drugs have been hailed as game-changers because they allow for drastic results.
But anyone considering them should make an informed decision.
These are medicines, after all, meaning they have potential side-effects and complications.
There is no single solution to tackling obesity.
They are more of a tool in a large toolbox, and a pricey one at that.
Email me at health@thesun.co.uk and I will answer questions in a Live Q&A on The Sun’s website.
Meanwhile, here’s what readers have asked me this week . . .
PROSTATITIS PUZZLER
Q: MY father is in his mid-70s and has non-bacterial prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate).
He has researched it online, asked his doctor and pharmacist for advice on how to care for it, but doesn’t seem to get much help.
He has tried avoiding alcohol and limiting caffeine.
Some days it’s worse than others, particularly when he’s stressed.
Because of this, it makes him more stressed, and it remains bad for a fair number of days or continues to flare up.
It is like a vicious cycle.
A: Chronic prostatitis can have a huge impact on quality of life.
Symptoms vary and it can be challenging to treat.
You haven’t mentioned which symptoms your father has, but they may include urinary symptoms, such as pain, peeing frequently, needing to go urgently, a poor stream or hesitancy when trying to pass urine.
The condition can also cause pain in the lower abdomen, perineum, rectum, penis and testicles.
If prostatitis has been present for longer than three months, it is classified as chronic.
In about ten per cent of cases there is bacterial infection, but as with your father, in the majority of cases there is not.
In the absence of infection, sometimes a single course of antibiotics is still advised.
Tamsulosin can also help. It’s a type of drug called an alpha blocker, and can help relax muscles in the prostate and bladder, easing urination and potentially reducing symptoms associated with chronic prostatitis.
Painkillers can help, as can stool softener medication if bowel movements cause pain.
There are some self-help measures: Staying hydrated, avoiding bladder irritants (caffeine, alcohol, fizzy drinks), and engaging in regular physical activity, as well as pelvic floor exercise.
Finally, stress is a huge factor and you’re already one step ahead here because you have identified this.
We often feel that we cannot do much to manage the stress factors in our life, but we can take steps to help our bodies deal better with them.
Spending time in nature, doing breath-ing exercises (have a look at box-breathing), meditation, reading a good book, taking part in yoga, or gardening will help.
If symptoms are severe or persisting, then a referral to a urologist might be necessary.
Fortunately, in most cases, the trend is for symptoms to improve over months or years.
What are hard lumps on my hand?
Q: I’m a 60-year-old female and on my right hand in line with the fourth finger there are two hard lumps/nodules.
The second lump seems to have a shaft coming from it, which is going toward my wrist.
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I was wondering if you had any idea what they are, they are not sore but can be uncomfortable to press or if I stretch my hand to its full width.
The problem with my hand nodules have been there a while now, I’m mainly curious as to what they are and if they will be a cause for concern at some point.
A: My educated guess from your description would be that you have ganglion cysts.
A ganglion cyst is a fluid-filled swelling that usually develops near a joint or tendon.
The cyst can range from the size of a pea to the size of a golf ball.
These are not anything to be concerned about unless they are causing significant pain or affecting your ability to use your hand properly.
There are two old-fashioned ways that people used to attempt to treat ganglion cysts themselves.
The first was hitting the cyst with a heavy object, often a Bible, to cause it to rupture.
This can cause injuries to the hand or wrist and bleeding and scarring, so please don’t do it.
The other, which is also dangerous, was popping the cyst with a needle.
This can cause infection and the cysts tend to come back following this method, if not done by a professional.
In your case it sounds like they can probably be ignored as they’re not causing too much of a problem, but if at some point they do, please have them dealt with by a qualified healthcare professional.
I’d advise you to have a little look at some images online to see what they look like.
If following this you feel that yours are ganglion cysts, you don’t really need to do anything further.
But if you’re still uncertain, it’s worth getting them checked out at your GP practice.
VAPES MOST ADDICTIVE
VAPING is more addictive than nicotine gum and has a “high potential for abuse”, experts warn.
A study by West Virginia University in the US found that young people enjoy vaping more than chewing gum, which makes the practice more addictive.
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E-cigarettes were intended to help smokers quit tobacco and reduce their risk of cancer.
However, use of the gadgets rocketed among people who had never smoked and it has become an addiction in its own right.
The study tested the effects of e-cigs and nicotine gum in a group of 16 current or former smokers aged 18 to 24.
They had no nicotine overnight, and in the morning chewed nicotine gum or used a vape, before answering questions about cravings.
Results showed people who used vapes rated their cravings and withdrawal feelings to be worse than gum users.
This suggests e-cigs have a stronger effect which may make it easier to get hooked.
Study author, PhD student Andrea Milstred, said in the journal Nicotine and Tobacco Research: “Electronic cigarettes have great potential to produce addiction in populations that are otherwise naive to nicotine.
“This often includes youth and young adults.”
The UK Government is banning disposable vapes from June 1 in a bid to make them less appealing to teenagers and young people.
BEST CARE AT CHEMIST
FOUR in ten people found it difficult to see a GP last winter, and one in five struggled with A&E, polling found.
Community Pharmacy England said people find chemists the easiest place to get treatment, with just five per cent having trouble dealing with them.
That compared with 37 per cent for family doctors or 18 per cent at casualty.
The CPE said the figures show ministers and the public should make better use of pharmacies to take pressure off the health service frontline.
Patients with coughs, colds, asthma and infections should be helped there as a first point of call, it said.
Henry Gregg, of the Taskforce for Lung Health, said: “Last winter was the busiest year on record for emergency services and lung disease is the leading driver of emergency admissions and winter pressures in the NHS.
“Expanding the use of community pharmacies can reduce the number of respiratory emergency admissions and prevent another winter NHS crisis.”
Chemists have already been given powers to manage simple conditions like impetigo (a bacterial skin infection), sore throats, earache, shingles and urinary tract infections.
NHS England estimates that up to 40 per cent of A&E visits are unnecessary and could be treated somewhere else.
Alastair Buxton at Community Pharmacy England, said: “Empowering pharmacies could provide the lifeline that our creaking health system needs.”
Tip of the week
IF you are prone to cold sores, try lemon balm extract or cream on the area where you feel the tingling sensation.
It has anti-viral properties and can help reduce the severity and duration of cold sores.
Menthol balm also works wonders on bites from midges or mosquitoes
Q: I AM a 74-year-old man with hypertension, arthritis and type 2 diabetes, diagnosed in 2010.
Ever since then, I have suffered from chilblains in my big toes every winter but I’ve been able to manage them reasonably well.
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However, last winter my big toes and several small ones were adversely affected and seriously blistered.
They were extremely painful and made walking very difficult.
A GP was concerned by the state of my toes. The blisters have healed, but some of my toes remain painful, and one is deformed.
A Doppler ultrasound test revealed the circulation in my feet is inadequate.
The GP says that nothing can be done to boost the bloodflow to them.
I am dreading the coming winter, and would be grateful for your advice.
A: It sounds as though you have been diagnosed with peripheral arterial disease, a type of cardiovascular disease where the blood vessels that supply the extremities have narrowed.
In your case, this means bloodflow to the feet is restricted, and that puts you at higher risk of getting chilblains.
Other conditions that increase the risk of chilblains are smoking, diabetes and connective tissue disorders such as lupus.
I applaud you for having the foresight to try to improve the issue now.
Quitting smoking (if you smoke) and exercise are the most important lifestyle changes you can make.
Ideally, you would attend a specially designed NHS structured exercise programme if this is available in your area.
PAD needs to be treated with medication because those who have it also have a significantly higher risk of future cardiovascular events, including heart attack and stroke.
Secondary prevention medications, along with lifestyle modifications, help reduce this risk and improve overall health.
Speak to your GP about medicine to thin the blood, reduce blood pressure and minimise cholesterol.
When it comes to specifically helping the bloodflow to your feet in winter, calcium channel blockers can help.
But it may also be advisable to seek referral to a vascular surgeon as sometimes surgery is the best treatment for people with PAD.
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