topic Re: It just gets better. in Community Chat

It just gets better.

noodleann — Wed, 15 Apr 2020 02:46:19 GMT

Not.

Reality alert: This is not for people who are looking for something upbeat and happy, but I can recommend the shortbread thread and the jokes threads for that--they're great.

This is about the coronavirus testing. The punchline of the article:

"There's no time really to put the effort into saying, 'Where's the problem here?'" said Catherine Troisi, an epidemiologist at the University of Texas Health Science Center. "I'm not saying the test is bad. But what good is a test if you don't know it's giving you reliable results? We just don't know."

The article is "Coronavirus Tests Being Fast-Tracked by FDA, but Are They Accurate?"

On Medscape, no ads.

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/928602

Re: It just gets better.

occasionalrain — Wed, 15 Apr 2020 02:53:36 GMT

An unreliable test is worse than no test at all. A false negative test will have the person tested out and about possibly spreading the virus to untold others.

Re: It just gets better.

noodleann — Wed, 15 Apr 2020 03:37:03 GMT

@occasionalrain wrote:
An unreliable test is worse than no test at all. A false negative test will have the person tested out and about possibly spreading the virus to untold others.

Exactly. I keep looking for something to hang my hopes on, but not yet.

Makes that shortbread and Cadbury dip seem like a worthwile immersion experience.

Re: It just gets better.

mrshckynut — Wed, 15 Apr 2020 06:32:20 GMT

Kinda makes me think of those that choose a Cologuard test in lieu of a Colonoscopy. One is 100% accurate with the procedure results, and at best 50/50 with the Cologuard, and at worst 90/10. No big deal, Colon Cancer is not 1st in cancer deaths in the United States, it's 2nd!

hckynut🏒

Re: It just gets better.

NickNack — Wed, 15 Apr 2020 18:18:18 GMT

@mrshckynut wrote:
Kinda makes me think of those that choose a Cologuard test in lieu of a Colonoscopy. One is 100% accurate with the procedure results, and at best 50/50 with the Cologuard, and at worst 90/10. No big deal, Colon Cancer is not 1st in cancer deaths in the United States, it's 2nd!

hckynut🏒

Welcome to the boards @mrshckynut ! I enjoy reading your husband's posts. @hckynut

Edited to say: I read further and realize that the hckynut that posts here is not your husband. I still welcome you to the boards. Your name will confuse a lot of people though, because hckynut is a frequent poster.

Re: It just gets better.

Isobel Archer — Wed, 15 Apr 2020 11:35:06 GMT

Gives us even more confidence in our medical "experts." Right.

Too funny - the press goes ballistic over a drug that seems to work - OMG don't offer it to anyone it's snake oil. All because they don't like the person who commented on the results and gave people the right to try - rather than just die on a ventilator.

But the presss extolls testing and complains that we don't have "enough" tests - because THAT is the answer to everything (before we get the vaccine which is supposed to be the next answer).

And now we find out the tests may not work even as well as the drug that is supposed to be so terrible.

Re: It just gets better.

Isobel Archer — Wed, 15 Apr 2020 11:39:29 GMT

@mrshckynut wrote:
Kinda makes me think of those that choose a Cologuard test in lieu of a Colonoscopy. One is 100% accurate with the procedure results, and at best 50/50 with the Cologuard, and at worst 90/10. No big deal, Colon Cancer is not 1st in cancer deaths in the United States, it's 2nd!

hckynut🏒

I would agree - and I've had both tests - but I also know 2 people who ended up with a perforated colon as a result of the colonoscopy - and I don't know anyone who ever had any other such serious issues as a result of a test or hospital procedure - or even surgery - so that does give me pause.

Re: It just gets better.

millieshops — Wed, 15 Apr 2020 12:21:59 GMT

Yesterday in a hospital so close I can walk to it, a patient 17 years younger than I am, died. I'm sad for his family and all who loved him, I'm sad for the medical staff who tried so many ways to save him, and I'm sad for all of us that hydrochloroquinine is not a magic bullet. It was tried.

Re: It just gets better.

stevieb — Wed, 15 Apr 2020 15:11:49 GMT

@Isobel Archer wrote:
Gives us even more confidence in our medical "experts." Right.

Too funny - the press goes ballistic over a drug that seems to work - OMG don't offer it to anyone it's snake oil. All because they don't like the person who commented on the results and gave people the right to try - rather than just die on a ventilator.

But the presss extolls testing and complains that we don't have "enough" tests - because THAT is the answer to everything (before we get the vaccine which is supposed to be the next answer).

And now we find out the tests may not work even as well as the drug that is supposed to be so terrible.

Oh yea, supreme confidence in the medical community... Doubly not sure of the value of a test that might or might not be accurate, especially when regardless of the outcome there's no real proven treatment and no vaccine... And, when there is a vaccine, assuming there will eventually be one... let's hope it's more reliable than the annual flu shots... Moving on...

Re: It just gets better.

esmerelda — Wed, 15 Apr 2020 15:18:28 GMT

@occasionalrain wrote:
An unreliable test is worse than no test at all. A false negative test will have the person tested out and about possibly spreading the virus to untold others.

@occasionalrain Hopefully, even if they test negative, they will take precautions. They won't know the status of those around them.

Re: It just gets better.

Peaches McPhee — Wed, 15 Apr 2020 15:42:31 GMT

@mrshckynut wrote:
Kinda makes me think of those that choose a Cologuard test in lieu of a Colonoscopy. One is 100% accurate with the procedure results, and at best 50/50 with the Cologuard, and at worst 90/10. No big deal, Colon Cancer is not 1st in cancer deaths in the United States, it's 2nd!

hckynut🏒

How funny you should bring this up. I am doing this test right now. The accuracy is 92% vs. 94% for colonoscopies (according to a quite Google search). It is not for everyone, depending on your history and situation.

Re: It just gets better.

Mj12 — Wed, 15 Apr 2020 16:55:41 GMT

@NickNack wrote:
@mrshckynut wrote:
Kinda makes me think of those that choose a Cologuard test in lieu of a Colonoscopy. One is 100% accurate with the procedure results, and at best 50/50 with the Cologuard, and at worst 90/10. No big deal, Colon Cancer is not 1st in cancer deaths in the United States, it's 2nd!

hckynut🏒

Welcome to the boards @mrshckynut ! I enjoy reading your husband's posts.

@NickNack @hckynut just started a thread stating that this poster is not his wife. Who would do that - use that nic??

Re: It just gets better.

NickNack — Wed, 15 Apr 2020 17:04:51 GMT

@Mj12 wrote:
@NickNack wrote:
@mrshckynut wrote:
Kinda makes me think of those that choose a Cologuard test in lieu of a Colonoscopy. One is 100% accurate with the procedure results, and at best 50/50 with the Cologuard, and at worst 90/10. No big deal, Colon Cancer is not 1st in cancer deaths in the United States, it's 2nd!

hckynut🏒

Welcome to the boards @mrshckynut ! I enjoy reading your husband's posts.
@NickNack @hckynut just started a thread stating that this poster is not his wife. Who would do that - use that nic??

@Mj12 That's bizarre. I'm sure she did it innocently, not realizing there was already a @hckynut that posts here. I'll edit my post,

Re: It just gets better.

ValuSkr — Wed, 15 Apr 2020 17:15:26 GMT

@NickNack wrote:
@Mj12 wrote:
@NickNack wrote:
@mrshckynut wrote:
Kinda makes me think of those that choose a Cologuard test in lieu of a Colonoscopy. One is 100% accurate with the procedure results, and at best 50/50 with the Cologuard, and at worst 90/10. No big deal, Colon Cancer is not 1st in cancer deaths in the United States, it's 2nd!

hckynut🏒

Welcome to the boards @mrshckynut ! I enjoy reading your husband's posts.
@NickNack @hckynut just started a thread stating that this poster is not his wife. Who would do that - use that nic??

@Mj12 That's bizarre. I'm sure she did it innocently, not realizing there was already a @hckynut that posts here. I'll edit my post,

@NickNack Yes, it was probably also a coincidence that she chose the same signature as hckynut.

Re: It just gets better.

Porcelain — Wed, 15 Apr 2020 17:16:22 GMT

@NickNack wrote:
@Mj12 wrote:
@NickNack wrote:
@mrshckynut wrote:
Kinda makes me think of those that choose a Cologuard test in lieu of a Colonoscopy. One is 100% accurate with the procedure results, and at best 50/50 with the Cologuard, and at worst 90/10. No big deal, Colon Cancer is not 1st in cancer deaths in the United States, it's 2nd!

hckynut🏒

Welcome to the boards @mrshckynut ! I enjoy reading your husband's posts.
@NickNack @hckynut just started a thread stating that this poster is not his wife. Who would do that - use that nic??

@Mj12 That's bizarre. I'm sure she did it innocently, not realizing there was already a @hckynut that posts here. I'll edit my post,

That doesn't look innocent to me at all. The person used the same hockey icon as @hckynut. Something odd is up.

Re: It just gets better.

hckynut — Wed, 15 Apr 2020 17:19:20 GMT

@Peaches McPhee,

You got your statistics partially correct. Cologuard is 92% accurate in detecting Colorectal Cancer. But! It is only 42% accurate in predicting Precancerous Polyps.

So! If you don't have cancer via Cologuard, great! But if you have Precancerous Polyps that have been dormant for say, 9.5 years? Chances of those taking a Cologuard test doing it again in 6 months? Doubtful to me that number would be very high. But if they develope symptoms in that period of time? The Precancerous Polyps may have advanced into Cancer and mutated to other parts of the body.

For those willing to take that risk? As far as perforation of the colon during a Colonoscopy? At worst 0.2% among the lowest of any major invasive procedure. I choose the Colonoscopy with is close to being 100% in detecting Precancerous Polyps, what others choose? It's their life, not mine.

hckynut 🏒

Re: It just gets better.

Mj12 — Wed, 15 Apr 2020 17:21:30 GMT

I'm so confused.

Re: It just gets better.

NickNack — Wed, 15 Apr 2020 17:52:14 GMT

@ValuSkr wrote:
@NickNack wrote:
@Mj12 wrote:
@NickNack wrote:
@mrshckynut wrote:
Kinda makes me think of those that choose a Cologuard test in lieu of a Colonoscopy. One is 100% accurate with the procedure results, and at best 50/50 with the Cologuard, and at worst 90/10. No big deal, Colon Cancer is not 1st in cancer deaths in the United States, it's 2nd!

hckynut🏒

Welcome to the boards @mrshckynut ! I enjoy reading your husband's posts.
@NickNack @hckynut just started a thread stating that this poster is not his wife. Who would do that - use that nic??

@Mj12 That's bizarre. I'm sure she did it innocently, not realizing there was already a @hckynut that posts here. I'll edit my post,
@NickNack Yes, it was probably also a coincidence that she chose the same signature as hckynut.

@ValuSkr He doesn't have a hockey stick in his signature though.

Edited to say: I just looked up his posts and see that I am wrong about that. This is a bizarre situation.

Re: It just gets better.

suzyQ3 — Wed, 15 Apr 2020 17:46:53 GMT

@esmerelda wrote:
@occasionalrain wrote:
An unreliable test is worse than no test at all. A false negative test will have the person tested out and about possibly spreading the virus to untold others.
@occasionalrain Hopefully, even if they test negative, they will take precautions. They won't know the status of those around them.

@esmerelda, true. And also, if one is at all symtomatic, the default judgment is that they do have Covid. We are past the point in which people had to jump through hoops for that decision.

I'm worried about tons of virus-related issues, but this is not high on my list.

Re: It just gets better.

Kalli — Wed, 15 Apr 2020 17:53:05 GMT

@Isobel Archer wrote:
Gives us even more confidence in our medical "experts." Right.

Too funny - the press goes ballistic over a drug that seems to work - OMG don't offer it to anyone it's snake oil. All because they don't like the person who commented on the results and gave people the right to try - rather than just die on a ventilator.

But the presss extolls testing and complains that we don't have "enough" tests - because THAT is the answer to everything (before we get the vaccine which is supposed to be the next answer).

And now we find out the tests may not work even as well as the drug that is supposed to be so terrible.

@Isobel Archer I have a loved one on the front lines. He’s been treating Covid 19 patients for weeks. He’s been lukewarm about the treatment hydroxychloroquine + z pac all along and never once has he mentioned this is because of a politician supporting it. It’s because he didn’t have actual results to report either way. He kept telling me they’d know more once their initial vent patients started being weaned off the vents. I, otoh, was excited after seeing this drug combo mentioned on Dr. Oz. I was sure it would work and kept my positive attitude and I kept bugging him.

Last week the weaning process started. Again I’m clamoring for info. He’s putting me off so I have to keep waiting. Finally I pinned him down. I wanted to know, is this combo helping a lot of people? Half? How many? He sighed and said, “some”, with a very unenthusiastic tone. That was it. That’s all. And they weren’t even sure the survivors lived because of this combo. They’re losing patients even though they’re trying so hard to save them. That’s what they know for sure.

So, now I want to know if they’re changing their protocol at all. Adding to the treatment steps they already have? Continuing with that combo? What about convalescent plasma? Remdesivir?