Welcome to the winter 2010 edition of our quarterly Patient Newsletter. This edition includes information regarding common winter illnesses, depression as well as information regarding prescription ordering over the festive period.
Winter Illnesses
This is the time of year when most, if not all, of us will suffer some upper respiratory tract infection or gastrointestinal upset. These are mostly caused by viruses and, as such, only need symptomatic treatment. They are self-limiting, although unpleasant, when we have them.
The most common winter illnesses are:
Common Cold - this is caused by the Rhinovirus and commonly affects the nose, ears and throat. There is an associated fever with the cold resulting in many people thinking they have the flu. The cold is unpleasant and may last up to a week. There is no cure and antibiotics have no place in its management. It is best to use Paracetamol/Ibuprofen, take plenty of hot drinks and rest.
Influenza - this is also caused by a virus. As with the common cold, there is no cure for flu and symptomatic treatment is all that is required. If you get Influenza, then you will feel ill with marked fever, aches & pains and will feel ‘as if you have been hit by a bus’. Please remember that you may be eligible for the flu vaccine. This is available to everyone over the age of 65 and also to patients with some chronic conditions like kidney disease, chronic respiratory diseases (including asthma if using a steroid inhaler), cardiac disease and chronic liver disease. Eligibility also includes children who suffer from the aforementioned conditions and to pregnant women. If you are in doubt if you are eligible, then contact the surgery.
Winter Vomiting - this can be unpleasant and affects people of all ages. It is contagious and it is important that you take great care with personal hygiene, especially hand washing. The best treatment is fluid replacement therapy with rehydration sachets which are easily obtained from the pharmacist.
For further information, you can contact your local pharmacist, NHS24 or your local surgery. In various locations there are leaflets produced by NHS Grampian giving advice on these minor illnesses which seem to cause major disruption to our lives.
Depression
Struggling with depression can be very lonely and no-one may be able to understand the depth of what you feel. Some people may urge you to ‘snap out of it’ , whilst others may view you as ‘mad’ or ‘lazy’.
However other people view depression, you know you feel what you feel…...that state of feeling as though all energy has been drained out of you, that lack of interest in things that everyone else seems to enjoy, that lowness of mood that nothing seems to shift. You may find it difficult to describe the feeling of worthlessness you experience. You may also find comfort in eating or, at the other extreme, will find you cannot be bothered to eat anything.
Some people will experience mild depression while others can be so severely affected that they feel life is not worth living and may try to take their own lives.
Some people experience brief periods of depression, perhaps precipitated by a life event such as loss of job or death of a loved one. Other people find that depression becomes a vicious cycle that goes on for years if not tackled.
What can you do if you feel depressed?
Exercise is proven to help people who suffer from depression. Start with something easy and ‘do-able’ such as taking a 10 minute walk every day and gradually build this up over time. Ultimately you can aim for three sessions per week of exercise of 30-40 minutes duration. Exercise makes generally makes you feel more healthy, helps you think clearly and can actually lift your mood as it stimulates your body to release natural anti-depressants.
Reducing alcohol improves your general health. Do not be tempted to drink more as a way of dealing with your depression. Alcohol may help you quickly fall asleep but it may also cause you to awaken during the night or cause a poorer quality of sleep.
Eating a balanced diet - maintaining a good eating habit keeps you healthy and more able to deal with your depression. Depressed people often feel drained of strength and this can be aggravated by missing meals. Try to avoid overeating or ‘comfort eating’ as these can lead to weight related health problems and can aggravate depression.
Maintain contact with others - it can help to have someone to talk to about how you feel. An outing with a trusted friend or joining in a group activity can be a great boost.
Learn more about your condition by borrowing books from the local library or from reading information leaflets on depression. They can help you understand why you feel the way you do and provide advice on what you can do to feel better.
What can your GP do about it?
Some people find that just going to talk to their GP helps them think more clearly about the way they are feeling and this may be enough to help fully recover from an episode of depression. Sometimes, a number of visits may be required to allow time to talk things through although your GP can also give you contact details for helplines that you can call.
There are some online resources available, such as ‘Beating the Blues’, for those patients who have access to the internet.
Your GP may also refer you to specialists who are trained to deliver ‘Talking Therapies’ such as behavioural activation, cognitive behavioural therapy and interpersonal therapy which are recommended as effective treatment options for people suffering from depression.
Your GP will assess if it might be beneficial to start you on medications called Anti-Depressants. These can be effective and are not addictive but may take a while to work. They may have side effects which often improve with time.
The Good News
Depression is a treatable condition and most people do recover and go back to leading normal lives. If one treatment option does not help, then try another or try a variety of the ways above to tackle your depression. Remember to speak to your doctor if you feel you need help or advice.
Useful Telephone Numbers
Cairns Counselling - 633131
Penumbra (mental health support) – 621266
Childrens Continence Advice Line – 01467 672778
Citizens Advice Bureau – 569750
SANDS (support for stillborn and neonatal deaths) – 0870 760 6649
CLAN (cancer support) – 647000
Appointments
We try to see everyone who needs an appointment with a doctor the same day. This may mean you have to come to the surgery is this is deemed to be the most appropriate place for assessment and treatment of your problem. House calls are ONLY for conditions where it is medically necessary for assessment and/or treatment to be done at home. This is why we screen and assess all house call requests. The question of bringing children to the practice is often raised but most of the time this presents no problems and inconvenience will not be considered as a reason for a home visit.
Many patients say that they struggle to get an appointment with a GP. We do have mechanisms in place to ensure that patients who need urgent medical attention are seen. However, last month 273 people did not attend their appointment at the practice. Had they cancelled, there would have been plenty of appointments available for other patients to book. Please phone the surgery and cancel your appointment if you can no longer make it or require it. This is particularly important as we approach the busiest time of the year.
Closure Over the Festive Period
The Practice will close at 6pm on Friday 24th December and will re-open at 8am on Wednesday 29th December. We will close again at 6pm on Friday 31st December and will re-open at 8am on Wednesday 5th January 2011. Should you need medical advice or attention when the practice is closed you should contact NHS24 on 08454 24 24 24. Please ensure you have adequate supplies of your repeat medications over the festive period.
Prescription Ordering
Order Received By / Ready for Collection onWednesday 22/12/2010 / Friday Afternoon 24/12/2010
Thursday 23/12/2010 (before midday) / Friday Afternoon 24/12/2010
Thursday 23/12/2010 (after midday) / Wednesday Afternoon 29/12/2010
Friday 24/12/2010 / Thursday Afternoon 30/12/2010
Orders received after close of business on Xmas Eve will not be processed until Wednesday 29th December 2010
Wednesday 29/12/2010 / Friday Afternoon 31/12/2010
Thursday 30/12/2010 (before midday) / Friday Afternoon 31/12/2010
Thursday 30/12/2010 (after midday) / Wednesday Afternoon 05/01/2011
Friday 31/12/2010 / Thursday Afternoon 06/01/2011
Orders received after close of business on Hogmanay will not be processed until Wednesday 5th January 2011
£££££££Thank you for ordering early for the festive period£££££££