What life is like for this retired physician
I have now been out of the active medicine for two years. I still have dreams about being a doctor and practice. I don’t think you can do the same thing day in and day out for 40 years and not have it be a part of who you are. I am still asked my opinion by friends and family about their health issues, and frankly, I find my fund of knowledge is slipping away. I did renew my license in the state of Florida that required 40 hours of continuing medical education. (I did mine mostly online.) I don’t know if I will renew it again in 2019.
Being on Medicare, I visit doctors — probably too often. I have become ...
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - April 16, 2017 Category: Journals (General) Authors: < a href="http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/post-author/david-mokotoff" rel="tag" > David Mokotoff, MD < /a > Tags: Physician Primary care Source Type: blogs
I Was Thinking
I ' m sorry, I know I shouldn ' t spend time thinking because it can cause all sorts of problems. I know. I should stop spending so much time thinking. I ' ll think about that for a while.Anyway, I was thinking because I read an article on the giantRheumatoid Arthritis Time Suck. When you have RA you spend a lot of time going to the doctor to deal with doctors for RA and then all the time dealing with the side effects of your RA medications. And your low immune system which makes you high risk for everything. And blood tests every 8 weeks. And more and more.But then I get to add in the fibromyalgia time suck which causes t...
Source: Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog - April 13, 2017 Category: Cancer & Oncology Tags: ailments thinking time Source Type: blogs
Calcium Scan and Subtractive Medicine
By SAURABH JHA MD
Being a radiologist, I rarely speak to patients, but I was asked to counsel Mrs. Patel (not her real name, so calm down HIPAA totalitarians), who was worried about the risks of radiation from cardiac calcium CT scan. Because of her risk factors for atherosclerosis, her cardiologist wanted her to take statins for primary prevention, but she was reluctant to start statins. They eventually reached a truce. If she had even a speck of calcium in her coronary arteries she would take statins. If her calcium score was zero she wouldn’t. This type of shared decision making is the most frequent reason why cardiol...
Source: The Health Care Blog - April 3, 2017 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: at RogueRad Tags: Patients Small Practice Source Type: blogs
There ’s a healthcare lesson for people in the behavior of two little dogs
We have two little dogs. Pepe is a 10-year old Shih Tzu/poodle and Coco is an 8-year old Shih Tzu /Bichon. Pepe had been getting frailer and weaker throughout the Fall months.
We thought this might be her last year with us. But her blood work in November showed that she has a thyroid problem. She now gets a daily medication and has more energy and no longer sleeps most of the day. The name Pepe (as in peppy) is fitting her again. (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog)
Source: Healthcare IT News Blog - March 28, 2017 Category: Information Technology Tags: Patient Engagement Women In Health IT Source Type: blogs
Sue Schade on the value of being your own health advocate
We have two little dogs. Pepe is a 10-year old Shih Tzu/poodle and Coco is an 8-year old Shih Tzu /Bichon. Pepe had been getting frailer and weaker throughout the Fall months.
We thought this might be her last year with us. But her blood work in November showed that she has a thyroid problem. She now gets a daily medication and has more energy and no longer sleeps most of the day. The name Pepe (as in peppy) is fitting her again. (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog)
Source: Healthcare IT News Blog - March 28, 2017 Category: Information Technology Tags: Patient Engagement Women In Health IT Source Type: blogs
The Ordinary Acts We Perform Each Day Lead to Joy and Happiness
The ordinary acts we practice every day at home are of more importance to the soul than their simplicity might suggest.~ Thomas Moore,Care of the SoulI cared for my mother Dotty from November 17, 2003 until she went to Heaven on May 25, 2012.I understand how caregivers feel.What's the Difference Between Alzheimer's and DementiaBy Bob DeMarcoAlzheimer's Reading RoomSubscribe to the Alzheimer's Reading RoomEmail:It is my belief that there is a path from burden to Joy for every Alzheimer's caregiver.Manynew cargivers cringe or get angry when they first read those words. Some disagree.Alzheimer's Care The Power of Purpose in O...
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - March 13, 2017 Category: Neurology Tags: alzheimers care Alzheimers Dementia care facilities for dementia patients dementia awareness dementia care family caregiving health help with dementia care senior care Source Type: blogs
The Alzheimer's Action Plan
When someone asks me which book they should buy for Alzheimer's I always say the same thing --The Alzheimer's Action Plan: The Experts' Guide to the Best Diagnosis and Treatment for Memory Problems.I keep the book right here on my desk. I used it so many times it is almost worn out.I received my first copy directly from the publisher.I benefit from the book over and over. My best story is about how my mother didn't laugh for years.What is the Difference Between Alzheimer ’s and DementiaBy Bob DeMarcoAlzheimer's Reading RoomSubscribe to the Alzheimer's Reading RoomEmail:I benefit from the book over and over.My best story ...
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - March 3, 2017 Category: Neurology Tags: advice alzheimer's action plan alzheimer's care alzheimer's questions and answers alzheimer's symptoms dementia care health help with dementia care lifestyle Source Type: blogs
Weight loss that works: A true story
Many people struggle with being overweight, or even obese. It’s a common topic at office visits. As a doctor, I know that excess weight is associated with potentially serious health conditions — high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high cholesterol — not to mention sleep apnea, fatty liver disease, and back and knee problems, among other things. Patients may also worry about their appearance.
Whether a patient is at risk for medical problems due to being overweight, or if it’s a personal health goal, then it’s my job to provide counseling.
In my experience, most patients consider weight loss drugs or surger...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - March 1, 2017 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Monique Tello, MD, MPH Tags: Diet and Weight Loss Exercise and Fitness Health Healthy Eating Source Type: blogs
So What Causes Your Depression?
Today at my therapist ' s, she asked me if I thought my pain issues cause my depression. I don ' t think so. But we had a discussion on the subject.I think my emotions have been screwed up since my thyroid cancer diagnosis in 1981. Honestly, don ' t you think that a cancer diagnosis without any emotional support wouldn ' t cause depression? It just took a long time for me to realize how screwed up I was. Then at my second cancer diagnosis I decided I needed to be proactive about getting emotional support.Then my health collapsed and you wonder why I still am depressed. Add some chronic pain into the mix and a bunch of othe...
Source: Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog - February 22, 2017 Category: Cancer & Oncology Tags: depression emotional toll therapist Source Type: blogs
6 Ways to Recover Your Mental Health
If you are emerging from a period of mental distress, the most important thing to remember is that you are the key person on the treatment team. Although other people can give you advice, encouragement, recommendations and even love, the ultimate person in charge of helping you get better is you. There are practical, doable, affordable steps you can take to work on your own recovery. By regularly following these steps, you can regain stability and get on with life.
1) Remind yourself that you are not alone.
Fully 20% of Americans report that they have symptoms of mental illness at some time in their lives. That’s 1 in 5 ...
Source: World of Psychology - February 18, 2017 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Marie Hartwell-Walker, Ed.D. Tags: Happiness Inspiration & Hope Mental Health and Wellness Motivation and Inspiration Psychology Mental Disorder Source Type: blogs
When infertile patients start obsessing over their test numbers
I'm a big believer in patient empowerment and feel that patients should do as much homework as possible, so they understand what their options are and can make well-informed decisions for themselves. Yes, this does involve a certain amount of effort, but it is possible for patients to decipher medical jargon and understand their options.Lots of husband and family members worry when patients spend time on the internet trying to make sense of their results because they feel that half knowledge is dangerous and that these are decisions which are left to the doctor. Because infertility treatment is elective, there are so many ...
Source: Dr.Malpani's Blog - February 17, 2017 Category: Reproduction Medicine Source Type: blogs
The fix for dry eyes
There are two unopened boxes of contact lenses in the cabinet under my sink. I’m not using those tiny disposables anymore; wearing them makes my eyes so dry they feel like they’re being sucked out of their sockets. Actually, it’s not the contacts — those have many benefits, and I’ve worn some version of them since my teens. But as a middle-ager now, the contacts aggravate a condition I have that’s apparently pretty common: dry eye syndrome. “I’d say at least a quarter of my patients have some degree of complaint about dryness,” says Dr. Matthew Gardiner, an ophthalmologist with Harvard-affiliated Massachu...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - February 10, 2017 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Heidi Godman Tags: Eye Health Worplace health Source Type: blogs
I Don't Care if People Know About My Cancer History
I used to hide the fact that I had cancer. There are people who knew me for decades before I told them about my thyroid cancer diagnosis. When I was diagnosed with breast cancer I was a bit more open about it but I still kept it private to an extent.I think I cared more about it when I was working full time. I didn ' t want any potential employer to know that I had cancer because, even though people are not supposed to discriminate they do. If you are looking at two potential employees who have the same credentials, the one with a history of cancer will probably not be selected because they might ' get sick again ' . This ...
Source: Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog - January 31, 2017 Category: Cancer & Oncology Tags: breast cancer cancer history thyroid cancer Source Type: blogs
An Undetected Urinary Tract Infection Can Kill an Alzheimer's Patient
Urinary tract infections can be the "bane" of our existence as caregivers of people living with dementia.UTIs are a cause of great distress. This happens to caregivers becauseurinary tract infection often go undetected even by doctors and physician assistants.Urinary tract infections in dementia patients don't always come with signs and symptoms.In dementia patients the signs and symptoms of a UTI are oftensilent.Persons living with dementia rarely tell us they have a UTI. Why? Because they don't know it.UTIs often cause dementia patients to become mean. Death by Complications from Alzheimer's, What does this mean?By ...
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - January 18, 2017 Category: Neurology Tags: alzheimer's awareness care of dementia patients care of dementia patients at home dementia care elderly dementia care health help alzheimer's help with dementia care urinary tract infection UTI Source Type: blogs
Facing Anniversaries
So I was diagnosed with breast cancer at the end of May 2007 which means I am almost at my ten year mark. When I was diagnosed I hopped online for a lot of emotional support where I met a bunch of great people who really helped me learn, cope and adapt to this new phase in my life.I got online immediately (probably within a week of my diagnosis) and met so many people who were already through most of treatment and were diagnoses up to a year or two before me. Now I am still in touch with them and watch them celebrate ten years out from their breast cancer diagnosis. I am happy for them but I am not sure how I feel about me...
Source: Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog - January 12, 2017 Category: Cancer & Oncology Tags: anniversary breast cancer bonds Source Type: blogs
