The Lie of Precision Medicine
My next blog post will be entitled " The Lie of Precision Medicine "— sarcastic_f (@sarcastic_f)June 23, 2018This post will be my own personalized rant about the false promises of personalized medicine. It will not be about neurological or psychiatric diseases, the typical topics for this blog. It will be about oncology, for very personal reasons: misery, frustration, and grief. After seven months of research on immunotherapy clinical trials, I couldn ' t find a single [acceptable] one1 in either Canada or the US that would enroll my partner with stage 4 cancer. For arbitrary reasons, for financial reasons, because ...
Source: The Neurocritic - June 24, 2018 Category: Neuroscience Authors: The Neurocritic Source Type: blogs
I Cured My Neighbors' Alzheimer's
Today I learned an important lesson. But first, let me tell you how I cured a neighbor of Alzheimer's.By Bob DeMarcoAlzheimer's Reading RoomOh happy day. I just learnedfor the first time ever that someone in the Pines finally listened to me.I live in a community where there are a lot of people over 80 years old.The simple statistics tell me thatone in every three will suffer from dementia. If they live long enough,one in every two.Those are the odds.13 Things Every Alzheimer's Caregiver Needs to KnowFor some reason when a person starts showing signs of dementia here, and I suggest they get a full blown evaluation and full ...
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - May 28, 2018 Category: Neurology Tags: alzheimer's Alzheimer's cure alzheimer's symptoms alzheimers care dementia dementia care dementia help for caregivers dementia symptoms health lifestyle memory care memory test Vitamin B12 wellness Source Type: blogs
After Cancer Coping With The Instant Cancer Bond
So after you get diagnosed with cancer, it seems like everyone you know has cancer because:You have met a lot of other people going through cancer treatment while hanging out at chemo, in support groups, your oncologist ' s waiting room, etc. That part is kind of nice. You find out you aren ' t alone in this cancer business. You have an instant bond with new friends.Then you start hearing about all these other people who are diagnosed with cancer. You feel like you are supposed to be their friend too - because of that cancer bond thing again. Your cancer friends tell you about everyone they know when they are diagnosed wit...
Source: Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog - May 8, 2018 Category: Cancer & Oncology Tags: cancer bonds cancer diagnosis coping friends guilt Source Type: blogs
Insurance denials: the law of the land
It all started out with Malaysian methimazole, and didn’t end until two highly trained medical professionals sat on opposite ends of a telephone call, scratching their heads and wondering how two digits being transposed could lead to so many problems.
Those two transposed digits caused a thyroid uptake scan to become a bone marrow scan (whatever that is). But look at all it took to get there.
Mystery illness, mystery medicine
It started when a new patient came to see one of my colleagues with a mystery illness, and a medication in a pill bottle with a label in another language.
After figuring out what this medicine w...
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - May 7, 2018 Category: General Medicine Authors: < a href="https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/post-author/fred-n-pelzman" rel="tag" > Fred N. Pelzman, MD < /a > Tags: Physician Primary Care Source Type: blogs
What is The Difference Between Alzheimer's and Dementia
Dementia presents as a group of symptoms, and Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia.By Bob DeMarcoAlzheimer's Reading RoomWhen someone is told they have Alzheimer's or dementia,it means they have significant memory problems as well as other cognitive and behavioral issues.Most of the time dementia is caused by Alzheimer's disease.There is great confusion about the difference betweenAlzheimer's anddementia.In a nutshell, dementia isn't a specific disease. Instead, dementia describes a group of symptoms affecting memory, thinking and social abilities severely enough to interfere with daily functioning. Alz...
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - April 26, 2018 Category: Neurology Tags: alzheimer's Alzheimer's Dementia Alzheimer's disease alzheimer's symptoms alzheimer's vs dementia the difference between alzheimer's and dementia Source Type: blogs
The Surprising Reason Behind Your Weight Gain
You may have heard that stress can affect your body in many ways, and that your waistline can become a victim in your stress battle. Sadly, this is true. There are several ways in which stress can contribute to weight gain. The major reason has to do with cortisol, also known as the stress hormone. When we’re under stress, the fight or flight response is triggered in our bodies, leading to the release of various hormones, including cortisol, rushing through our bloodstream.
When we have more cortisol in our system, we may crave less healthy food options like salty snacks and highly processed foods that are high in suga...
Source: World of Psychology - April 25, 2018 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Emily Waters Tags: Eating Disorders Exercise & Fitness Habits Health-related Stress Chronic Stress Cortisol Diet Emotional Eating Food Cravings Metabolism Mood Swings Relaxation stress reduction Weight Gain Weight Loss Source Type: blogs
A tired child? What you should know
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Children often complain of being tired. Usually it’s for simple reasons — because it’s the end of a busy day, or because they stayed up late the night before, or because they are trying to get out of doing something they don’t want to do. When kids are sick they are usually tired, and need more rest to get better. But when a child complains all the time, and fatigue starts to get in the way of things they usually enjoy, it could be a sign of a problem.
Here are some possible reasons for chronic fatigue in children:
Sleep problems. This makes sense, obviously, since if a child doesn...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - April 17, 2018 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Claire McCarthy, MD Tags: Children's Health Fatigue Parenting Source Type: blogs
Physicians must learn to say no
As a physician, is it acceptable to say no? After working as a hospital medicine physician across five different states and internationally, I’ve realized that saying no is actually imperative. Physicians are stretched thin, abused, demonized and expected to be superhuman when it comes to patient care. We secretly complain in online forums, we commiserate with other physicians in on-call rooms, sometimes we even seek mental health help, but rarely do we fight back and firmly say “no.” In my opinion, we have to change the culture of “yes-to-anything” immediately.
Firstly, we must learn to say no to things that hav...
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - April 4, 2018 Category: General Medicine Authors: < a href="https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/post-author/varun-verma" rel="tag" > Varun Verma, MD < /a > Tags: Physician Hospital-Based Medicine Source Type: blogs
The 7 steps of IVF
IVF seems to be an extremely complicated procedure, and sometimes IVF doctors take perverse pleasure in mystifying it, because they like showing off their expertise. This is why IVF patients are often completely confused about what to expect. Actually , it's very straightforward and logical, and if you understand this simple framework , you will be able to make sure your doctor's doing the right stuff for you. Remember that all we are doing in an IVF cycle is replicating what should have happened normally in the fallopian tubes - the only difference is that we are doing this in the test tube ! 1. First is t...
Source: Dr.Malpani's Blog - March 26, 2018 Category: Reproduction Medicine Source Type: blogs
Measuring Metabolic Slowing and Reduced Oxidative Stress in the Human Practice of Calorie Restriction
The few formal studies of human calorie restriction continue to produce interesting data on the biochemistry of participants, and the degree to which the human response to lowered calorie intake lines up with the outcomes observed in mice. One of the puzzles to be solved is the way in which short-term effects that look very similar between humans and mice nonetheless lead to a radically different degree of enhanced life span. Mice can live up to 40% longer than normal when calorie restricted, which is certainly not the case for humans - it would be very surprising to find an effect much larger than five years for human lif...
Source: Fight Aging! - March 23, 2018 Category: Research Authors: Reason Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs
Mr. and Mrs. Wheat Belly
Men and women follow the Wheat Belly lifestyle and can undergo important and sometime startling hormonal changes. Though results vary with stage of life—young adults, middle-aged, older—there are a variety of hormonal changes that women and men typically experience, some in concert, others independently. Such hormonal shifts can be powerful and part of the health-restoring menu of changes that develop with this lifestyle. They can even improve a relationship in a number of ways, both physically and emotionally, especially if we weave in some of the newer Wheat Belly/Undoctored concepts and practices such as oxy...
Source: Wheat Belly Blog - March 13, 2018 Category: Cardiology Authors: Dr. Davis Tags: Wheat Belly Lifestyle estradiol estrogen hormonal hormones Inflammation low-carb oxytocin testosterone Thyroid Weight Loss Source Type: blogs
The Magseed Injectable Marker: Interview with Eric Mayes, CEO of Endomag
Endomag, a medical technology company based in Cambridge, UK and Austin, Texas, has developed the Magseed, a magnetic injectable marker that can be implanted by a radiologist during an imaging procedure, such as during ultrasound or X-ray mammographic procedures. The marker can then assist surgeons to find features of interest in soft tissues. Originally intended and used as a marker for breast tumors (the CE mark approval was covered by Medgadget in September 2017), Endomag recently received FDA clearance for the use of the Magseed as a marker of other soft tissues and for long-term implantation.
The marker is a tiny magn...
Source: Medgadget - March 9, 2018 Category: Medical Devices Authors: Conn Hastings Tags: Exclusive Ob/Gyn Pathology Radiology Surgery Source Type: blogs
Hidden Scars from Breast Cancer
Yes there are lots of hidden scars in breast cancer. I have discussed the emotional side a lot - which boils down to PTSD for some. But there is also the physical side. Every time you look at your body and see your cancer scars, you are reminded of your cancer misadventure. Its only a scar that will fade over time but its still there.Back in 1984, I found my first breast lump. Due to the limitations of surgery at the time, I had to have an excisional biopsy. And because of my medical history (three years after thyroid cancer) they had to be sure. (And if you are trying to calculate my age, I am still only 37). So I h...
Source: Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog - March 6, 2018 Category: Cancer & Oncology Tags: breast cancer treatment lumpectomy progress scars surgery Source Type: blogs
Tropical Travel Trouble 003 Stiff in the Mouth
LITFL • Life in the Fast Lane Medical Blog
LITFL • Life in the Fast Lane Medical Blog - Emergency medicine and critical care medical education blog
aka Tropical Travel Trouble 003
A 65 yr old woman from Ethiopia is visiting her grandchild for the first time in Europe. She is normally fit and well, physically active with a small-holding in Ethiopia. She does not take any medication and cannot remember the last time she saw a doctor. She presents to you with difficulty chewing 3 days after arriving in the UK. She describes it as being “stiff in the mouth”
Questions:
Q1. What is the differential diagnosis an...
Source: Life in the Fast Lane - March 5, 2018 Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Neil Long Tags: Clinical Cases Tropical Medicine tetanus Source Type: blogs
