According to the study of Volnyja initiative, more than 40% of political prisoners who have been released require medical consultation or assistance.

Together with the intensive care physician, candidate of medical sciences and Bymedsol volunteer Andrey Vitushka, we have developed a memo so that you and your loved ones know the first steps to recovery of health Volny should take after release.

The level of medical support in places of detention in Belarus is, to put it mildly, low. It is often difficult to get a doctor's consultation, attentive attitude, and get the right medicine there. Imprisonment in itself mutilates the body and soul, and in such conditions, so too. Therefore, after release, it is highly recommended that Volnyja undergo a medical examination.

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A basic medical examination includes:

• A visit to the dentist and healing of the teeth. It is no secret that nutrition and the level of dentistry in the Belarusian prison system do not contribute to the health of the oral cavity. Meanwhile, unhealthy teeth are the source of many problems with the health of other organs.  
• A visit to a therapist/general practitioner (or at least a telemedicine consultation) for an initial examination, determination of the necessary studies and specialist consultations,
• For women, a visit to a gynecologist.
• Laboratory tests,
• Instrumental examinations.

Laboratory examinations

Help to understand how well the body functions. If it is not possible to visit the doctor before passing the tests, you can complete a basic set with which you can then contact the doctor for an explanation.
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The basic set of analyzes includes:

• General blood and urine tests (allows to judge many aspects of the body's work (for example, iron metabolism), as well as identify disorders in the work of the kidneys)
• Biochemical blood analysis (which indicators to study - on the next card)
• Tests of thyroid hormones (TSH – primary, T3, T4 – additional)
• For men 40+ – PSA (prostate cancer screening)

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Biochemical analysis of blood

Blood for these tests is usually taken from a vein, after a 12-hour break in food (fasting). Before taking the test, find out how best to prepare for it (usually, there is information on this topic on the pages of the laboratories that perform the tests). Biochemical indicators make it possible to evaluate the function of internal organs (liver, for example) and determine the deficiency of micro- and macroelements.
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What basic tests should be included in the biochemical blood analysis:

• glucose (some call this test "blood sugar" - allows you to evaluate the work of the pancreas and determine the tendency to diabetes  
• lipidogram - the number of different types of lipids (fats) in the blood - helps to estimate the risk of developing and worsening heart and vascular diseases
• liver enzyme tests (AST, ALT, bilirubin and albumin)
• uric acid and creatinine, which will allow us to judge about the preservation of kidney function
• electrolytes of sodium, potassium and calcium, which will help to assess the general state of metabolism, determine their deficiencies. Magnesium can also be added to the study. Phosphates, which together with calcium help predict bone health, as well as thyroid and kidney function
• ferritin - allows us to judge about the preservation of the iron transport function,
• vitamin D, vitamin B12 - here we will see their possible deficiency, which can affect many aspects of metabolism,
• C-reactive protein - will help to understand, for example, whether there is active inflammation in the body.

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Instrumental examinations.

Of course, the best thing is that the doctor will tell you about which tests should be done for you during a personal visit or a telemedicine consultation. But if there is no such possibility, then here is a list of studies that will help evaluate your internal organs  

• X-ray of the chest
• Electrocardiogram (ECG). Very useful research, especially for those 40+. Allows you to assess the regularity of the heart rhythm, see signs of insufficient blood supply to the heart (ischemia) and indirectly assess the state of the heart structures,
• Ultrasound of the abdominal organs,
• Gynecological ultrasound and mammography according to the referral of the gynecologist,
• Ultrasound of the heart (if there are indications for this according to the ECG data or if you wish to objectively evaluate the structures and function of the heart)
• Ultrasound of the thyroid gland (additional if necessary after tests)

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When exactly do you need to see a doctor?

Please monitor your health every day and seek immediate medical attention if you notice:

• Bleeding – coughing up blood, blood in the urine or black stool.
• Breathing problems (shortness of breath during physical activity that was not there before or the appearance/worsening of shortness of breath due to a viral infection),
• Episodes of loss of consciousness (especially in combination with heart failure)
• Pain (especially chest pain lasting more than 10 minutes, especially if you are over 40+, smoke, overweight, and/or have diabetes (risk of heart attack), No improvement after 3 days of acute respiratory viral infection
• A sharp headache that has not been there before, especially in combination with dizziness and a change in the appearance of the face and speech (signs of a stroke),
• Sudden swelling on the extremities or other parts of the body that were not there before,
• For women, new lumps in the mammary glands that you find during self-examination (please look up how to do this online and get yourself examined at least once a month).

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A healthy mind is in a healthy body! ‍

It is not enough to visit doctors to restore physical and mental health. We start the changes with ourselves and with our way of life!

• From 4,000 steps daily (owning a dog helps a lot in this sense)
• 6+ hours of sleep in comfortable conditions
• Quit smoking
• Drastic reduction in salt intake (prevention of heart disease)
• Healthy food. Scientists recognized the "Mediterranean diet" as the healthiest. It helps maintain a healthy body weight and reduces the risk of heart and blood vessel diseases, which in turn are the main cause of death.
• Daily intake of vitamin D is 1000-2000 ED, and in case of deficiency, more pain (the doctor will tell you).  

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If you need advice or consultation, please contact us through the questionnaire or in private messages through social networks.

For online advice from doctors, you can contact the okdoc.me service. It's anonymous, and if you're in Belarus, be sure to use a VPN.

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