#health information

[the-lincyclopedia]

This maybe sounds mean, but I think we should be able to send doctors “hey, you were wrong” letters.

I was misdiagnosed with asthma when I was 12 and took asthma meds daily for seven years, and then it turned out I hadn’t had asthma in the first place; I actually have a different breathing problem. I don’t think the doctor who told me I had asthma (my pediatrician, who I was no longer seeing by that point) ever found out she’d been wrong. (This is one of at least four misdiagnoses in my life, from a variety of doctors, that I can think of off the top of my head.) Similarly, my first therapist told me she didn’t think I was autistic because I wasn’t obsessed with trains. I don’t think she ever found out that I am, in fact, autistic, because I wasn’t seeing her by the time I was diagnosed.

I get that it might be demoralizing to have someone contact you specifically to tell you that you messed up, but I think it would be useful for doctors to have data on how often they misdiagnose patients, especially since some doctors tend to think the patient is generally wrong when attempting self-diagnosis. It would be useful for my former therapist to move me from the mental column of “people who erroneously think they’re autistic” to “people whose autism I did not notice when they were right in front of me.” It would be useful for my pediatrician to realize she needed to look more closely and listen to kids when their breathing symptoms weren’t the classic asthma ones.

Doctors can get on their high horse and refuse to believe patients a lot of the time, and the power dynamic makes that dangerous in plenty of situations. I think it would be helpful to have a way to at least alert doctors when we have proof they messed up.

[allthecanadianpolitics]

Quebec to begin rollout of digital health records system - Montreal | Globalnews.ca

The system is designed to replace paper files and fragmented platforms with a centralized digital record, giving health-care providers quick

Quebec is set to begin rolling out its long-delayed digital health records system later this week, starting in Montreal and the Mauricie region, as the province aims to modernize care and reduce paperwork for medical staff. The system is designed to replace paper files and fragmented platforms with a centralized digital record, giving health-care providers quicker access to patient information, including medical history, test results, prescriptions and care plans. MUHC Department of Medicine Chair, Dr. Marc Rodger, who has experience using a similar system in Ontario, said the technology can significantly improve care by allowing both doctors and patients to access key health information, such as lab results, imaging and treatment instructions.

Read more.

Tagging: @newsfromstolenland

[rhealenigma]

Before I can focus on studying, I feel I have to make a post about Valley Fever. I'm not going to go deep into my personal life because it's too fresh and painful but I feel information needs to be shared. There's no answer yet as to what caused my cousin's sudden seizure and subsequent brain death. But the people in my family and my friends who I've spoken to about it, all have no idea what I'm talking about when I say I think it was long term Valley Fever (and secondary meningitis), and that really concerns me.

I looked it up last night when I got the news, mainly to dissuade myself that this could've been the cause. I've been looking a lot at the Mayo Clinic's information. This whole time I thought Valley Fever was caused by pollution, lack of wind, and heat that's present in the Phoenix Valley, and other desert valleys. Alas. Valley Fever is the colloquial term for a fungal infection called coccidioidomycosis (kok-sid-e-oi-doh-my-KOH-sis). For a lot of people this fungal infection will resolve on its own, usually just by leaving the area. Its notable symptoms are similar to the flu: fever, cough, tiredness, night sweats, headache, joint pain. There are antifungal treatments and it can take awhile to fully recover if symptoms are experienced, but you can get better.

Chronic Valley Fever can also result in long term pneumonia, coughing up blood tinged mucus, chest pain, low grade fevers, and scarring in the lungs. This usually becomes chronic in people with weakened immune systems.

The most uncommon thing that it can do, which is what I believe happened with my cousin as she'd been suffering for over ten years from an "unknown" illness, is disseminate. This is the most serious thing that can happen if you have Valley Fever and do not treat it. The fungus can spread to the skin, bones, liver, heart, and, most notably, the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord. This last will cause meningitis, which can be fatal.

Valley Fever most commonly infects those older than 60, those with weakened immune systems, those who are pregnant, those who have diabetes, and those of Filipino or African descent. If you live in or even visit a desert valley in the American Southwest, develop these symptoms, and they do not go away on their own, please please please seek medical care. Please suggest the coccidioides fungus/Valley Fever as a potential cause, and make sure they rule it out. It lives in the dirt there and is airborne. It is not contagious. It is tested for by blood test, chest imaging, and/or biopsy.

You can help prevent infection by wearing a mask outdoors, avoiding going outdoors during dust storms, avoid construction areas, wetting the ground before digging, and using HEPA air purifiers in your home or wherever you're staying if there temporarily.

This post is intended as informational, not to fear monger. This illness is treatable. I am constantly surprised at how few people are aware of Valley Fever. I don't want what happened to my cousin to happen to anyone else.

Again, most of this information is pulled from the Mayo Clinic site. (link is to the webpage on coccidioidomycosis). I am not a doctor and thus cannot legally give health advice, so please do not consider this as such.

[mental-mona]

Why Neck Pain and Migraine Are Often Linked and How to Get Relief

Does neck pain cause headaches and migraine attacks or the other way around? An expert answers questions about neck pain.

[palettesofrenaissance]

Immediately noticed a difference in my body

[anim-ttrpgs]

In Eureka, monsters are like humans unless otherwise noted, so they presumably have the full range of human medical problems. (Vampires and living dolls excepted.) How do their monster traits affect their meds? Do the unusual metabolisms of gorgons and maneaters affect how quickly medications are absorbed? Do physical transformations mess up dosage? Do pills work at all for Things From Beyond?

This isn’t something that is usually particularly mechanically relevant to Eureka’s gameplay so it isn’t something we feel the need to go into detail about, but the answers to your questions would be Yes, Yes, and Yes. Luckily for wolfmen and TFBs, they pretty much have self-perpetuating bodies, but gorgons and man-eaters often have special requirements when it comes to medical treatment, which can leave them in a bind if they get injured or have a health problem. There are doctors who don’t ask too many questions, but you usually won’t find them in any hospital or covered by your insurance.

[balkanradfem]

Hey so I saw your post about your health problems I hope your doc checks your phosphorus (it’s a blood and urine test) and vit d levels because if they are worried about your bone health those are more important than calcium actually and calcium supplementation can actually be bad for your heart and for calcification problems like you mentioned also if your pain is that bad I hope they have a REAL pain management conversation like more than just over the counter nsaids like we talking is it an accute problem? Then maybe a course of something stronger (I want to say torridol? It’s been a hot minute) and gabbepetin is often a first try for chronic pain which may or may not help the nerve type pain but there are lots of non opiate options if they’re squirmy about that. Hope that helps. Don’t let the buttheads get you down.

Thank you so much for telling me! I will ask about phosporus, and last time we checked vitamin D it was super low. I took supplements for a bit then forgot about it.

They gave me deksketoprofen for pain and recommended some paracetamol but I ignored that second one because the pain isn't that bad anymore, I'm more concerned about being unable to lift my arm at all, like it doesn't wanna go there at all. Pain was real bad just for like 2 days! Now its like a 4 which I can ignore. If I try to lift my arm it goes to 9 though.

Everyone was real nice to me in the ER! They weren't sure what was going on and were honest in saying they only think its the calcificate and it could be many other things. They told me to come back if it doesn't get better in 5 days. I do think it's the calcificate because I have a central pain spot in my shoulder that hurts to touch, that must be the source. I'll get my phosporus levels checked!