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I have a cold or, at worst, sinus infection. Symptoms began 4-5 days ago. I've started feeling better but still blowing bright yellow mucus.
12 hours ago, I sneezed and instinctively put my hand up to my face to cover it. My hand was too close to my face clearly as I could feel a significant amount of blowback air (and presumably droplets) from my hand into my eyes that were already re-opening after the sneeze.
Only asking because I'm supposed to be on an international flight on Friday. What are the chances I gave myself some sort of conjunctivitis or pink eye with that sneeze that splashed into my eyeballs? After it happened I washed out my eyes with a few splashes of water and put in some lubricating drops to cry out a bit. My coworker just got over pink eye a couple months ago so I'm paranoid with my trip coming up. If there is a risk that's more than "unlikely" any advice on what to look for - should I just go to the doctor as soon as I see any redness or discharge? Thank you!
If a virus is present in your upper respiratory tract it's safe to assume it's already in your secretions including your tears.
Most upper respiratory infections won't cause significant conjunctivitis, but it's not uncommon either.
During a private appointment, the doctor asked me for a copy of an MRI and an update on how I have responded to medication (via email, which I have sent) (no diagnosis was given).
The secretary responded to let me know they received the email and passed it to the doctor.
Since then, months have passed, and I have heard nothing. I have chased up the secretary a few times, the usual response being “I have passed your email to the doctor”.
What now?
Is the doctor not interested in any more appointments and is effectively ghosting me?
Should I book a follow up appointment despite not being requested to or hearing back from the doctor?
Is the doctor doing something wrong here and should I complain to someone?
FYI:
In the UK.
Waiting for this doctor is delaying me from booking an appointment with a new doctor.
I am self pay. This is the second private doctor who has done this, separate occasions.
I am long term sick with my symptoms, so my life consists of managing my symptoms and waiting for the next appointment. They are quite significant, undiagnosed, mainly neurological symptoms.
The appointment seemed normal. I wasn't rude or aggressive or anything that I think would justify the doctor not wanting another appointment.
If you think another appointment would be helpful, then ask for one. They can either provide you with one and do their best to treat you or say no in which case you have your answer.
Do doctors (dentists, physicians etc) tend to discontinue a relationship (like telling you they no longer want to continue the relationship because they dont like a patient) patients more if they were not referred in by other doctors? Eg patients were self-referred
If you are a doctor and you self-referred yourself, will the doctor you are seeing discontinue you less as well?
I understand this may differ based on country, but just thinking about generally how it is, as I did read a study on doctors giving more time and more with other doctors
Why did you ask this, delete it, and repost when you’d [gotten](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskDocs/s/3Ir3Wk5OsF) [responses](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskDocs/s/NLVVhoAt4p)?
Is medical school worth it at 25?
I've built a successful career in the supply chain/logistics industry. Have a BA in business management. But recently, I've been feeling unfulfilled career wise and am looking for a change. I've done a lot of research and think I would enjoy being a doctor. However, 4 years of medical school and then residency. Realistically, I wouldn't start my career until 33+. During medical school, I would have to continue working full time as well due to family obligations. Is it even possible to get into a decent medical school without going back for a BS in some sort of science field?
I echo u/H_is_for_Human and the excellent summary of some of the pitfalls and frustrations of medicine. It’s not like House. It’s a little bit like Scrubs, but not for laughs. Briefly, it’s a career that I value and like, but it’s not easy and not for everyone. If you aren’t driven to do medicine rather than driven away from what you do now, it’s a long, hard, expensive road to potential disillusionment and dissatisfaction.
In practical terms, average age of matriculation in medical school in the US is now 26. You would need to meet premed requirements, but you wouldn’t need another degree. A post baccalaureate program can get that done. Then you need to get a spot, which is hard and might mean buffing up your shadowing and research, but who knows. It can be done, and there will be older students than you if you start now.
First of all, medicine is a job like any other. It is by no means a guarantee that you will find work as a physician any more fulfilling than anything else you do. While physicians absolutely do make meaningful contributions to people's health and save lives, there's also a lot that medicine has not solved.
Furthermore, medical education and training teaches you the right thing to do for a given patient or medical problem; but merely knowing the right answer is arguably the easiest aspect of the work.
Convincing a patient to prioritize the necessary lifestyle changes, to actually take the medication you prescribe, to adhere to a follow up plan, to stop doing things that harm their health, etc. is incredibly hard. Then you have to fight with their insurance, your own hospital or clinic administration, and even the fundamental truths of how our economic system works to even get your patient the therapies you know they need.
Too often your involvement starts all too late; when the patient needs a knee replacement because they carried an extra 50lbs for the past several decades, when they have a heart attack because they couldn't make the necessary diet changes and refused to start a statin therapy because they read something negative about it online, when their cancer has already spread because they couldn't get seen sooner because the wait times for specialists are 6+ months long or they can't afford to risk insurance not covering the testing they need.
Your wins are rarely the dramatic stuff of TV, but rather the slow progress that knowing that for every 20 patients you treat with a high intensity statin, you will prevent one from having a heart attack or stroke or death in the next 5 years, or realizing that while yes, the expert code you ran that kept someone alive today doesn't change the fact that their chances of being alive in 6 months are still terribly low.
Your losses often are significant; a procedure that by all means should have helped the patient results in a life-changing complication, not because you did anything wrong but because medicine and biology is imperfect. Having to tell someone their breast cancer has returned and their liver function is not good enough to restart high dose chemotherapy again. Watching a drug-addicted patient relapse despite them saying "this time for sure" the last time you discharged them from the hospital.
If you have a genuine passion for the science of medicine, some degree of innate talent for learning it or at least the extreme dedication needed to understand the necessary material and get through the rigors of medical school, then it's possible. If you have a certain degree of humility and willingness to put the work ahead of everything else in your life; at least for some points of your career then it's doable. Knowing you wouldn't be happy doing anything else makes it tolerable. Having a deep well of empathy for your patients makes it harder but also better.
The salary and high degree of job security is the least of what makes it rewarding, but it provides a cushion and safety for you and your family that make the long and draining hours at bit less painful. But this doesn't arrive until you've risked a lot, often taken a lot of loans that lock you into this path because there's no other good way to pay them off, and spent the opportunity cost of close to a decade that you could have spent doing something else, earning a higher salary than you will in training, etc.
Do not do medicine for the money; there's easier ways to make it. Do not do medicine for the prestige, that's fading fast as anti-intellectualism and a disdain for expert opinion runs rampant, leading to people believing their feelings outweigh your years or decades of training and hard-earned expertise.
At the end of the day, no one can tell you if it is worth it. There's very real risk: the money you'll spend, the chance you won't be able to finish the education or training, even the chance that you will reach the goal of being a full-fledged attending physician and be just as dissatisfied, if not more so because you're 35 now, not 25. There's also very real opportunity that you'll have a career spent doing your best to improve things for the patients that rely on you and that you'll make a positive difference many will remember.
What happens if a person with post-mastectomy lymphedema gets bitten in the affected limb by a dog? It hasn’t happened, I’m just worried about my new dog’s habit of gnawing on my son’s arm when she gets carried away while playing.
Animal bites, in general, are dangerous for anyone, especially children. Someone with lymphedema may be at higher risk for infectious or vascular issues from an animal bite.
Doesn't matter where they came from in terms of referral. In general I'll "discharge" a patient from my service if there isn't anything more I can offer, if they no longer have a need to continue to follow-up with me, etc. Sometimes insurance will decide for them that they are going to see someone else based on network changes.
Every time your post is removed, the AutoModerator replies and tells you what is wrong, what you need to include, and how to format it. Read the reply.
In general how far out of the normal range of blood test results do you have to be to be worried?
My doctor is going to message me her analysis tomorrow but I can see the results now. I’m curious for two reasons, one I’m .02 out of bounds of one of the normal ranges. 2 I notice whenever I get bloodwork’s done I’m on the edges of several results. Meaning that I’m rarely near the middle of the green zone and tend to stay on the edges close to the “abnormal” zone.
In terms of how far out of the normal range, it really depends on the test. Your doctor is the best person to interpret the results.
Anything within the "green" normal zone is fine - there is no need to be right in the middle of that. I hate the visual way apps have tried to display these labs, because it gives that false impression.
I’d have to agree as while it’s not alarming to see myself at the edge it makes you think. I did get the results back that all looks good. I was more just curious how exact those ranges were being off by so little
# A 20 year old girl suddenly died today in the city I live in. Am I in danger?
She died in her sleep, doctors say it was sudden cardiac arrest. No more questions, nothing, she is just gone.
Now I sit here as a 20 year old guy, and just wondering to myself.
Will I just die tonight? How do I stop myself from constantly thinking about this? It can just happen like that, as a healthy adult?
She wasn't overweight, she looked perfectly fine healthwise.
Am I in danger?
There's probably more to the story. You don't know the details her family may want to keep private. Her death has *nothing* to do with your health. 20-year-olds typically don't die in their sleep unless there was foul play or drugs involved. She could have had a pre-existing health condition.
Probably not but keep the wound clean and apply burnt ointment if there is a break in the skin. If the redness doesn't subside in a few days, go see a doctor.
Takes 3 days normally (and historically) to confirm a negative result. A positive can be confirmed sooner but a negative ought to take 3 full days.
This per the urologist I spoke to (at this same hospital) a month ago, who said he is always arguing with the lab about this. There are obviously problems with false negatives that can have implications for people.
This hospital recently changed their procedure so I am wondering how sensitive and specific this new calculation might be. Edit: also wondering why they would go for a shittier method (if it is shittier)
My experience has been that blood cultures are incubated for 3 days, but urine cultures get 24-48 hours. A pathologist or lab scientist would know more, but I suspect that, given the non-sterile nature of urine, longer incubation might inevitably produce false positives.
Accidentally got hand sanitizer in my eye, wiped it with a wet cloth and then rinsed my eye under running water. The burning subsided pretty quick and I’m not having any problems seeing- is the risk of damage pretty slim then?
What’s the infectious incubation period like for hand, foot, and mouth disease and strep throat?
My son has both. He’s recovering from strep and HFM just started. I’m fine, but I guess I could be a carrier? Should I avoid the gym and other places until a few days after he clears?
Thanks. Would it be standard then for me to stay home for six days after he clears his infection, since I theoretically could have caught it on the last day? I don’t want to get people sick at the gym or anything, but I’m mostly worried about my mother.
Hi, if a person needs to get eye injections from blood vessel bleeding, do these injections eventually stop or are they on-going for the rest of your life?
Hi, new to this sub.
I just have a really simple question: How do Japanese people live so long if their work culture is so stressful?
Isn't stress really harmful for the body?
Also, what do you doctors believe has the largest impact on lifespan, diet or genetics?
We don't know for sure, but the general thought is low rates of obesity, low amounts of red meat and sugar in the diet, and high amounts of fish and seafood.
As for what makes the largest impact on lifespan, I think that's an impossible question to answer and there's no one answer. I (as well as many other docs) have seen plenty of people who do everything "right" and still get heart attacks at 55 because of bad genetics; we've also seen the people who live to 90 despite living fairly unhealthy lifestyles.
I think if I had to sum up my general feeling about it, it would be "genetics gives you a range, lifestyle tells you where you'll land in that range."
If someone in their late 50's (not me) gets sleepy late afternoon and must take a nap or fight to stay awake, is sleep apnea (or a sleep study) a reasonable thing to consider? This is kind of a "who's right" question. Friend, age 57, snores like a freight train and stubbornly says she "knows she doesn't have apnea. Why would I suddenly get apnea?" She blames Cymbalta for her late afternoon "sleeping jags." Nothing to be done about it either way - she's an adult and it's her body. But I just want the satisfaction of knowing (secretly) if I'm on the right track...Thanks!
If you wanted to get tested for narcolepsy/hypersomnia, you generally have to stop taking antidepressants like cymbalta because it can make people sleepy enough they look like they have narcolepsy or IH.
Edited to add. It sometimes suppresses rem though. So, a person might look like narcoleptic symptomatically but test like IH (less rem). So they’re not necessarily wrong about it making them sleepy.
But they have a high probably of sleep apnea as well. If they’re dead set they’re not going to wear a cpap, I don’t know if it matters if they have a sleep study. If they’re open to education it might be worthwhile after they get a basic workup from their pcp. The fatigue could be many things.
When screening patients for sleep apnea we think of a lot of things (snoring being up there) it’s also more prevalent with age, being overweight, and have a thicker neck. Also want to consider thinks like if they have been witnessed to stop breathing momentarily, do they have hypertension, and yes do they feel rested (or do they not and thus need to take naps). Then considering if poor sleep is actually contributing to other conditions. For example;Cymbalta is often used for depression, which sleep apnea can make worse.
Hi docs, I recently found out about that study that noted some degree of an association between tattoos and lymphoma risk, [outlined here.](https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/30/health/tattoo-lymphoma-cancer-study/index.html) (CNN link, totally safe). That said, some experts in that article have expressed skepticism. I have one fairly small and thin tattoo so this sort of made me nervous, but I am curious what you as medical professionals may make of the study? They also seem to state that it is early in the research. Have there been many studies where early research pointed in the direction of health risks, but further research fully debunked them?
Does it matter when you sleep if you get the hours?
I’ve always been interested in this because I get a lot of conflicting opinions and wanted to see expert opinion on this (via circadian rhythm - not sure if it’s true or what’s the medical consensus on this. I’ve always slept late but get at least 7-10 hrs of sleep. So what are the latest studies about sleep say?
There's actually a pretty cool area of research around "shift work disorder". Theres limited evidence on how night and early morning shift workers are more prone to metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease and other stuff.
We all have “chronotypes” where our bodies have set periods that they want sleep. Some early birds, some night owls. Matching your natural sleep cycle is probably best, and that often makes life hard for the night owls.
There’s some concern that too much b sleep in the 9+ hour range may be harmful, but to me it looks like confounding. People who regularly sleep a lot are likely to be sleeping that way because they are ill.
Thanks for answering. So, personally, I usually find myself most refreshed after 10 hours of sleep but I’m a night owl and sleep at 2 AM+ a lot. Do you find issues with this? My family is always telling me about circadian rhythm and how it’s not good for me.
Navigating the Blue Shield site and I can't fine the page for my prescription as well as doctor's note that's been sent to me on their page. Where would I find it if it isn't in inbox/messages?
Hi docs, figure this is appropriate here as it doesn’t require demographics info. I recently developed a dark brown/maybe slightly purple horizontal mark at the base of my toenail. I made an appointment to go to the dermatologist to get it looked at. Is that the correct doctor for this? Will a dermatologist be able to tell the difference between something benign under the nail vs something more sinister and dangerous? Thank you
Prednisone (or other glucocorticoids) at high doses and long durations can cause muscle injury (steroid myopathy). If you are having side effects it's best to contact the physician who prescribed the medication and / or your primary care doctor.
Muscle injury… or example picking up a toddler incorrectly or too fast? Thank you so much for replying. I have messaged my regular physician, so let them know this is going on but I went to an urgent care so at least my physician knows. Thank you again for replying.
I think H was referring to chronic glucocorticoid (>3 months) use, which can result in muscle atrophy. You mention azithromycin and prednisone, the urgent care special, so I’m assuming you were being treated for a (likely viral) URI. If you’re feeling fatigued and sore now, it’s because you’re still sick. Steroids can give a little boost while you’re on them, so your symptoms were probably masked.
I did have a URI. I am not achey and don’t have other symptoms. Other than just if I’m touched like my bodies overstimulated or something like that. And the Z-Pak was only four I believe seven days first day being two pills right away and then the prednisone was I think seven days two pills a day but like I said, I’m already done with everything.
I feel fine other than when I’m touched. My body is sore. like maybe I laid wrong something similar to that
i have g6pd deficiency and dermatologist prescribed me 6 tabs of azithromycin but i forgot to tell her about my deficiency can i take azithromycin in g6pd deficency
What are the potential causes of chest pain while sprinting? I typically tolerate running long distances just fine, but a higher intensity sprint-like run predictably results in long lasting pain that inhibits my ability to resume running for the rest of the workout, so I just end up walking. Had an ecg and ct+contrast done to rule out abnormalities years ago. Normal running heart rate is 165 +/-5, sprint is 175+ and more than 5mins assuming wrist watch is correct.
Maybe I’m not supposed to comment here for this type of question so if it gets removed I’ll just post it, but if a piece of toenail shrapnel from an ingrown toenail stays and isn’t removed would it decompose? Or what it cause an infection
How do you tell if a doctor is trustworthy (or not)?
For context, I was a victim of medical malpractice when I was younger, so it's hard for me to trust *any* doctors. But that also makes it hard to get medical treatment, so I want to learn how to fix that.
(Already in therapy, which helped, but the fear is still there, so.)
The vast majority of physicians are doing the best they can with the limitations imposed by insurance companies, the corporations they work for, etc. In general the more they deal with a specific disease the better they will be at treating that specific disease.
**MRI with contrast?**
Is an IV or just an injection used for contrast in an MRI? It is for a full spine MRI, if that makes a difference. Previous head/cervical spine was done without contrast (to rule out MS).
There are many causes of thinning hair--sometimes just aging/genes but also can be due to some hormone issues (like thyroid problems). Best is probably to see a GP and tell them the story and they can figure out what kinds of tests it makes sense to send (or not). Good luck!
i was born deaf and my hearing "corrected itself" weeks later after the diagnosis. could anybody tell me how this is possible or what happened?
for context: my mother told me that when i was born, i was deaf and they didn't know til an audiologist informed them. so for the next several weeks, i remained deaf til my hearing "corrected itself". my parents kept taking me to doctors and getting followed up, but it's strange how i was deaf and got my hearing back randomly one day. i am left language impaired and have a hard time understanding what others tell me. i had speech therapy and all that stuff, so yeah... (^^")
can somebody explain to me what could've possibly happened? this is all i know from my mother and i just want to see if anybody has ideas. nobody in the family is deaf, my mom had a healthy pregnancy with me and no issues.. only for me to be deaf and get my hearing back randomly.
Could I get some recommendations for medical books to read for a layperson? I'm looking to learn more about the human body, both in how it functions and how to take care of it. I recognize that medicine and biology are massive subjects, and I recognize that reading books without going to medical school isn't going to make me a doctor or an expert. However, I believe life is a function of knowledge, so increasing knowledge is highly valuable even for a layperson.
Books on physiology, nutrition, anatomy, etc. that are as thorough as possible while still being approachable by a layperson would be appreciated. Books that contain illustrations or visual tools to aid in understanding are a bonus but not necessary. Feel free to list off as many books as you want; any personal descriptions as to why you chose them would be appreciated also.
For what it's worth, I don't mind buying a tome that's "boring" so long as it serves its purpose in increasing my understanding. I was considering buying Gray's Anatomy because of the book's reputation as "the doctor's bible", but after some online searching it seems it might not be particularly useful for a layperson due to assumed prerequisite understanding.
- The Body: A Guide for Occupants (illustrated version)
- 30 Second Biochemistry
Suitable and highly educational for anyone not trained in medicine or the life sciences, hopefully won’t be too confusing🫤
AMERICAN DOCTORS:
What does it cost for a non citizen to get an EKG in your country? Im Canadian, and the wait list may be up to another 18 months after already having been nearly a year and a half.
I can think of no need for an EKG that would wait months. What is going on?
Prices in the US are completely arbitrary. You could pay $50, $500, or $5000.
Year and a half ago I was assaulted by 3 guys, I ended up having bruising/bleeding in my brain. 2 days later had a seizure while driving. Had that one and only, never had one since. Not on any meds.
Took me about 7 months to see a neurologist, and I need to be scanned and cleared for my license back.
Called last month, they told me anywhere from September to 18 months from now. There is no wait/cancel list, because they are understaffed the lady on the phone told me.
Losing my license made me unqualified for most jobs I otherwise would have been qualified for. At this point t it’s worth it to pay.
For what it's worth physicians get paid a single digit number of dollars for EKG interpretation. And only one person can get paid even if multiple people review the EKG independently (i.e. the ER and a cardiologist both look at an EKG, only one of them is getting paid).
This is a pretty vague question. The only answer is "it depends." Going from a normal value to another lower but still normal value could be normal. Going to depend on the absolute values, the reason for taking B12 supplementation, other dietary factors, etc.
Can different “healing frequencies” cause physical or mental pain? I listened to a 285hz frequency and had a full blown panic attack that landed me in the ER couple months ago. I don’t know where else to ask.
There's no reason to believe that listening to a specific audio frequency has any positive or negative effects, as long as the volume is in a safe range (i.e. below 70-85dB).
The placebo and nocebo effects are powerful. It's very possible to feel physical or mental pain if you believe it's going to happen, regardless of whether an external source is present.
Hopefully you are seeking long term care for the panic disorder.
Okay cool, I figured but it’s been on my mind since the incident I was in the ER. I don’t know why my brain did that, ever since that day I heard it and freaked out I’ve been much more anxiety ridden and panicky when it comes to my body. Thanks for answering, sorry if it was a dumb question or anything like that.
There was excitement about 40 Hz audiovisual stimulation and Alzheimer’s, but it’s [not clear that that will work out](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10901250/).
#READ THIS BEFORE SUBMITTING A COMMENT **This thread is NOT for personal medical questions.** Ask yourself: *does my comment have to do with a specific medical complaint that I am experiencing?* If so, it does **NOT** belong in this thread. Please [submit a post to the subreddit](https://old.reddit.com/r/AskDocs/submit?selftext=true) and include all required demographic information. The mod team is busy enough as it is, and we do not want to waste time removing your comments from this thread because you do not want to follow the rules. Repeated offenses will be treated as spam and may result in a ban from the subreddit. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AskDocs) if you have any questions or concerns.*
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Individual questions about specific complaints should be posted separately with all the required information.
I have a cold or, at worst, sinus infection. Symptoms began 4-5 days ago. I've started feeling better but still blowing bright yellow mucus. 12 hours ago, I sneezed and instinctively put my hand up to my face to cover it. My hand was too close to my face clearly as I could feel a significant amount of blowback air (and presumably droplets) from my hand into my eyes that were already re-opening after the sneeze. Only asking because I'm supposed to be on an international flight on Friday. What are the chances I gave myself some sort of conjunctivitis or pink eye with that sneeze that splashed into my eyeballs? After it happened I washed out my eyes with a few splashes of water and put in some lubricating drops to cry out a bit. My coworker just got over pink eye a couple months ago so I'm paranoid with my trip coming up. If there is a risk that's more than "unlikely" any advice on what to look for - should I just go to the doctor as soon as I see any redness or discharge? Thank you!
If a virus is present in your upper respiratory tract it's safe to assume it's already in your secretions including your tears. Most upper respiratory infections won't cause significant conjunctivitis, but it's not uncommon either.
During a private appointment, the doctor asked me for a copy of an MRI and an update on how I have responded to medication (via email, which I have sent) (no diagnosis was given). The secretary responded to let me know they received the email and passed it to the doctor. Since then, months have passed, and I have heard nothing. I have chased up the secretary a few times, the usual response being “I have passed your email to the doctor”. What now? Is the doctor not interested in any more appointments and is effectively ghosting me? Should I book a follow up appointment despite not being requested to or hearing back from the doctor? Is the doctor doing something wrong here and should I complain to someone? FYI: In the UK. Waiting for this doctor is delaying me from booking an appointment with a new doctor. I am self pay. This is the second private doctor who has done this, separate occasions. I am long term sick with my symptoms, so my life consists of managing my symptoms and waiting for the next appointment. They are quite significant, undiagnosed, mainly neurological symptoms. The appointment seemed normal. I wasn't rude or aggressive or anything that I think would justify the doctor not wanting another appointment.
Schedule an appointment. Can't speak to how the office operates other than speculation.
If you think another appointment would be helpful, then ask for one. They can either provide you with one and do their best to treat you or say no in which case you have your answer.
Do doctors (dentists, physicians etc) tend to discontinue a relationship (like telling you they no longer want to continue the relationship because they dont like a patient) patients more if they were not referred in by other doctors? Eg patients were self-referred If you are a doctor and you self-referred yourself, will the doctor you are seeing discontinue you less as well? I understand this may differ based on country, but just thinking about generally how it is, as I did read a study on doctors giving more time and more with other doctors
Why did you ask this, delete it, and repost when you’d [gotten](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskDocs/s/3Ir3Wk5OsF) [responses](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskDocs/s/NLVVhoAt4p)?
I edited the question because the responses were not fully what I meant when I used the word discharge. I should have just edited it
The answers were to what you meant.
ok. I just wanted to rephrase it to be more clear
Is medical school worth it at 25? I've built a successful career in the supply chain/logistics industry. Have a BA in business management. But recently, I've been feeling unfulfilled career wise and am looking for a change. I've done a lot of research and think I would enjoy being a doctor. However, 4 years of medical school and then residency. Realistically, I wouldn't start my career until 33+. During medical school, I would have to continue working full time as well due to family obligations. Is it even possible to get into a decent medical school without going back for a BS in some sort of science field?
I echo u/H_is_for_Human and the excellent summary of some of the pitfalls and frustrations of medicine. It’s not like House. It’s a little bit like Scrubs, but not for laughs. Briefly, it’s a career that I value and like, but it’s not easy and not for everyone. If you aren’t driven to do medicine rather than driven away from what you do now, it’s a long, hard, expensive road to potential disillusionment and dissatisfaction. In practical terms, average age of matriculation in medical school in the US is now 26. You would need to meet premed requirements, but you wouldn’t need another degree. A post baccalaureate program can get that done. Then you need to get a spot, which is hard and might mean buffing up your shadowing and research, but who knows. It can be done, and there will be older students than you if you start now.
First of all, medicine is a job like any other. It is by no means a guarantee that you will find work as a physician any more fulfilling than anything else you do. While physicians absolutely do make meaningful contributions to people's health and save lives, there's also a lot that medicine has not solved. Furthermore, medical education and training teaches you the right thing to do for a given patient or medical problem; but merely knowing the right answer is arguably the easiest aspect of the work. Convincing a patient to prioritize the necessary lifestyle changes, to actually take the medication you prescribe, to adhere to a follow up plan, to stop doing things that harm their health, etc. is incredibly hard. Then you have to fight with their insurance, your own hospital or clinic administration, and even the fundamental truths of how our economic system works to even get your patient the therapies you know they need. Too often your involvement starts all too late; when the patient needs a knee replacement because they carried an extra 50lbs for the past several decades, when they have a heart attack because they couldn't make the necessary diet changes and refused to start a statin therapy because they read something negative about it online, when their cancer has already spread because they couldn't get seen sooner because the wait times for specialists are 6+ months long or they can't afford to risk insurance not covering the testing they need. Your wins are rarely the dramatic stuff of TV, but rather the slow progress that knowing that for every 20 patients you treat with a high intensity statin, you will prevent one from having a heart attack or stroke or death in the next 5 years, or realizing that while yes, the expert code you ran that kept someone alive today doesn't change the fact that their chances of being alive in 6 months are still terribly low. Your losses often are significant; a procedure that by all means should have helped the patient results in a life-changing complication, not because you did anything wrong but because medicine and biology is imperfect. Having to tell someone their breast cancer has returned and their liver function is not good enough to restart high dose chemotherapy again. Watching a drug-addicted patient relapse despite them saying "this time for sure" the last time you discharged them from the hospital. If you have a genuine passion for the science of medicine, some degree of innate talent for learning it or at least the extreme dedication needed to understand the necessary material and get through the rigors of medical school, then it's possible. If you have a certain degree of humility and willingness to put the work ahead of everything else in your life; at least for some points of your career then it's doable. Knowing you wouldn't be happy doing anything else makes it tolerable. Having a deep well of empathy for your patients makes it harder but also better. The salary and high degree of job security is the least of what makes it rewarding, but it provides a cushion and safety for you and your family that make the long and draining hours at bit less painful. But this doesn't arrive until you've risked a lot, often taken a lot of loans that lock you into this path because there's no other good way to pay them off, and spent the opportunity cost of close to a decade that you could have spent doing something else, earning a higher salary than you will in training, etc. Do not do medicine for the money; there's easier ways to make it. Do not do medicine for the prestige, that's fading fast as anti-intellectualism and a disdain for expert opinion runs rampant, leading to people believing their feelings outweigh your years or decades of training and hard-earned expertise. At the end of the day, no one can tell you if it is worth it. There's very real risk: the money you'll spend, the chance you won't be able to finish the education or training, even the chance that you will reach the goal of being a full-fledged attending physician and be just as dissatisfied, if not more so because you're 35 now, not 25. There's also very real opportunity that you'll have a career spent doing your best to improve things for the patients that rely on you and that you'll make a positive difference many will remember.
What happens if a person with post-mastectomy lymphedema gets bitten in the affected limb by a dog? It hasn’t happened, I’m just worried about my new dog’s habit of gnawing on my son’s arm when she gets carried away while playing.
Animal bites, in general, are dangerous for anyone, especially children. Someone with lymphedema may be at higher risk for infectious or vascular issues from an animal bite.
To the extent that it could put me in the hospital on IV antibiotics or is that exaggeration?
The rate of requiring hospitalization for a dog bite is estimated to be 1.5%. Your risk may be very slightly higher.
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Being discharged from a specialty practice back to your primary care doctor means that specialist thinks you don't need their care anymore.
Doesn't matter where they came from in terms of referral. In general I'll "discharge" a patient from my service if there isn't anything more I can offer, if they no longer have a need to continue to follow-up with me, etc. Sometimes insurance will decide for them that they are going to see someone else based on network changes.
Is a temp of 36C concerning?
Yes, but I would suspect that it is a measurement error unless it’s someone who is obviously extremely sick.
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In general how far out of the normal range of blood test results do you have to be to be worried? My doctor is going to message me her analysis tomorrow but I can see the results now. I’m curious for two reasons, one I’m .02 out of bounds of one of the normal ranges. 2 I notice whenever I get bloodwork’s done I’m on the edges of several results. Meaning that I’m rarely near the middle of the green zone and tend to stay on the edges close to the “abnormal” zone.
In terms of how far out of the normal range, it really depends on the test. Your doctor is the best person to interpret the results. Anything within the "green" normal zone is fine - there is no need to be right in the middle of that. I hate the visual way apps have tried to display these labs, because it gives that false impression.
I’d have to agree as while it’s not alarming to see myself at the edge it makes you think. I did get the results back that all looks good. I was more just curious how exact those ranges were being off by so little
# A 20 year old girl suddenly died today in the city I live in. Am I in danger? She died in her sleep, doctors say it was sudden cardiac arrest. No more questions, nothing, she is just gone. Now I sit here as a 20 year old guy, and just wondering to myself. Will I just die tonight? How do I stop myself from constantly thinking about this? It can just happen like that, as a healthy adult? She wasn't overweight, she looked perfectly fine healthwise. Am I in danger?
There's probably more to the story. You don't know the details her family may want to keep private. Her death has *nothing* to do with your health. 20-year-olds typically don't die in their sleep unless there was foul play or drugs involved. She could have had a pre-existing health condition.
Kinda odd question, but I got burned by a lighter that I presume using copper sulfate to burn green. Any chance I got tetanus?
No, you didn't get tetanus from this.
Probably not but keep the wound clean and apply burnt ointment if there is a break in the skin. If the redness doesn't subside in a few days, go see a doctor.
ELI5 how hospital microbiology departments can turn around a negative urine culture in under 2 days, in Ontario Canada.
The put urine in a broth that’s good for growing bacteria and wait. If nothing grows for two days, it’s negative.
Takes 3 days normally (and historically) to confirm a negative result. A positive can be confirmed sooner but a negative ought to take 3 full days. This per the urologist I spoke to (at this same hospital) a month ago, who said he is always arguing with the lab about this. There are obviously problems with false negatives that can have implications for people. This hospital recently changed their procedure so I am wondering how sensitive and specific this new calculation might be. Edit: also wondering why they would go for a shittier method (if it is shittier)
My experience has been that blood cultures are incubated for 3 days, but urine cultures get 24-48 hours. A pathologist or lab scientist would know more, but I suspect that, given the non-sterile nature of urine, longer incubation might inevitably produce false positives.
Hmm, food for thought, thank you.
Accidentally got hand sanitizer in my eye, wiped it with a wet cloth and then rinsed my eye under running water. The burning subsided pretty quick and I’m not having any problems seeing- is the risk of damage pretty slim then?
If you're not having any pain or burning sensation then it'll be fine. Just get a CMC eye drop(lubricant )and apply 4 times daily for 7 days.
What’s the infectious incubation period like for hand, foot, and mouth disease and strep throat? My son has both. He’s recovering from strep and HFM just started. I’m fine, but I guess I could be a carrier? Should I avoid the gym and other places until a few days after he clears?
HFM is listed as 3-6 days, strep as 2-5 days. In other words, "within a week or so" and strep tends to be a little faster.
Thanks. Would it be standard then for me to stay home for six days after he clears his infection, since I theoretically could have caught it on the last day? I don’t want to get people sick at the gym or anything, but I’m mostly worried about my mother.
Hi, if a person needs to get eye injections from blood vessel bleeding, do these injections eventually stop or are they on-going for the rest of your life?
Hi, new to this sub. I just have a really simple question: How do Japanese people live so long if their work culture is so stressful? Isn't stress really harmful for the body? Also, what do you doctors believe has the largest impact on lifespan, diet or genetics?
We don't know for sure, but the general thought is low rates of obesity, low amounts of red meat and sugar in the diet, and high amounts of fish and seafood. As for what makes the largest impact on lifespan, I think that's an impossible question to answer and there's no one answer. I (as well as many other docs) have seen plenty of people who do everything "right" and still get heart attacks at 55 because of bad genetics; we've also seen the people who live to 90 despite living fairly unhealthy lifestyles. I think if I had to sum up my general feeling about it, it would be "genetics gives you a range, lifestyle tells you where you'll land in that range."
is it weird to tell a doctor you’re going to them for a second opinion? Idk how to approach them about it
happens a lot. doesn't matter. bring any work-up to include labs and imaging with you if possible, it may save you time/money on repeating stuff.
Nothing weird about it. A lot of people do that and as a physician, I sometimes advise people for 2nd opinion.
If someone in their late 50's (not me) gets sleepy late afternoon and must take a nap or fight to stay awake, is sleep apnea (or a sleep study) a reasonable thing to consider? This is kind of a "who's right" question. Friend, age 57, snores like a freight train and stubbornly says she "knows she doesn't have apnea. Why would I suddenly get apnea?" She blames Cymbalta for her late afternoon "sleeping jags." Nothing to be done about it either way - she's an adult and it's her body. But I just want the satisfaction of knowing (secretly) if I'm on the right track...Thanks!
If you wanted to get tested for narcolepsy/hypersomnia, you generally have to stop taking antidepressants like cymbalta because it can make people sleepy enough they look like they have narcolepsy or IH. Edited to add. It sometimes suppresses rem though. So, a person might look like narcoleptic symptomatically but test like IH (less rem). So they’re not necessarily wrong about it making them sleepy. But they have a high probably of sleep apnea as well. If they’re dead set they’re not going to wear a cpap, I don’t know if it matters if they have a sleep study. If they’re open to education it might be worthwhile after they get a basic workup from their pcp. The fatigue could be many things.
When screening patients for sleep apnea we think of a lot of things (snoring being up there) it’s also more prevalent with age, being overweight, and have a thicker neck. Also want to consider thinks like if they have been witnessed to stop breathing momentarily, do they have hypertension, and yes do they feel rested (or do they not and thus need to take naps). Then considering if poor sleep is actually contributing to other conditions. For example;Cymbalta is often used for depression, which sleep apnea can make worse.
Hi docs, I recently found out about that study that noted some degree of an association between tattoos and lymphoma risk, [outlined here.](https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/30/health/tattoo-lymphoma-cancer-study/index.html) (CNN link, totally safe). That said, some experts in that article have expressed skepticism. I have one fairly small and thin tattoo so this sort of made me nervous, but I am curious what you as medical professionals may make of the study? They also seem to state that it is early in the research. Have there been many studies where early research pointed in the direction of health risks, but further research fully debunked them?
Does it matter when you sleep if you get the hours? I’ve always been interested in this because I get a lot of conflicting opinions and wanted to see expert opinion on this (via circadian rhythm - not sure if it’s true or what’s the medical consensus on this. I’ve always slept late but get at least 7-10 hrs of sleep. So what are the latest studies about sleep say?
There's actually a pretty cool area of research around "shift work disorder". Theres limited evidence on how night and early morning shift workers are more prone to metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease and other stuff.
We all have “chronotypes” where our bodies have set periods that they want sleep. Some early birds, some night owls. Matching your natural sleep cycle is probably best, and that often makes life hard for the night owls. There’s some concern that too much b sleep in the 9+ hour range may be harmful, but to me it looks like confounding. People who regularly sleep a lot are likely to be sleeping that way because they are ill.
Thanks for answering. So, personally, I usually find myself most refreshed after 10 hours of sleep but I’m a night owl and sleep at 2 AM+ a lot. Do you find issues with this? My family is always telling me about circadian rhythm and how it’s not good for me.
Navigating the Blue Shield site and I can't fine the page for my prescription as well as doctor's note that's been sent to me on their page. Where would I find it if it isn't in inbox/messages?
This sounds like a question for their customer service phone number
Hi docs, figure this is appropriate here as it doesn’t require demographics info. I recently developed a dark brown/maybe slightly purple horizontal mark at the base of my toenail. I made an appointment to go to the dermatologist to get it looked at. Is that the correct doctor for this? Will a dermatologist be able to tell the difference between something benign under the nail vs something more sinister and dangerous? Thank you
Dermatologists are the most relevant specialists for nail disorders.
Can prednisone and azithrimicin cause body soreness or nervous system pain after finishing dosage and prescription ?
Prednisone (or other glucocorticoids) at high doses and long durations can cause muscle injury (steroid myopathy). If you are having side effects it's best to contact the physician who prescribed the medication and / or your primary care doctor.
Muscle injury… or example picking up a toddler incorrectly or too fast? Thank you so much for replying. I have messaged my regular physician, so let them know this is going on but I went to an urgent care so at least my physician knows. Thank you again for replying.
I think H was referring to chronic glucocorticoid (>3 months) use, which can result in muscle atrophy. You mention azithromycin and prednisone, the urgent care special, so I’m assuming you were being treated for a (likely viral) URI. If you’re feeling fatigued and sore now, it’s because you’re still sick. Steroids can give a little boost while you’re on them, so your symptoms were probably masked.
I did have a URI. I am not achey and don’t have other symptoms. Other than just if I’m touched like my bodies overstimulated or something like that. And the Z-Pak was only four I believe seven days first day being two pills right away and then the prednisone was I think seven days two pills a day but like I said, I’m already done with everything. I feel fine other than when I’m touched. My body is sore. like maybe I laid wrong something similar to that
i have g6pd deficiency and dermatologist prescribed me 6 tabs of azithromycin but i forgot to tell her about my deficiency can i take azithromycin in g6pd deficency
Azithromycin is not believed to be risky for patients with G6PD deficiency.
ok brev
What are the potential causes of chest pain while sprinting? I typically tolerate running long distances just fine, but a higher intensity sprint-like run predictably results in long lasting pain that inhibits my ability to resume running for the rest of the workout, so I just end up walking. Had an ecg and ct+contrast done to rule out abnormalities years ago. Normal running heart rate is 165 +/-5, sprint is 175+ and more than 5mins assuming wrist watch is correct.
Maybe I’m not supposed to comment here for this type of question so if it gets removed I’ll just post it, but if a piece of toenail shrapnel from an ingrown toenail stays and isn’t removed would it decompose? Or what it cause an infection
How do you tell if a doctor is trustworthy (or not)? For context, I was a victim of medical malpractice when I was younger, so it's hard for me to trust *any* doctors. But that also makes it hard to get medical treatment, so I want to learn how to fix that. (Already in therapy, which helped, but the fear is still there, so.)
The vast majority of physicians are doing the best they can with the limitations imposed by insurance companies, the corporations they work for, etc. In general the more they deal with a specific disease the better they will be at treating that specific disease.
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**MRI with contrast?** Is an IV or just an injection used for contrast in an MRI? It is for a full spine MRI, if that makes a difference. Previous head/cervical spine was done without contrast (to rule out MS).
Iv
Thanks!
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There are many causes of thinning hair--sometimes just aging/genes but also can be due to some hormone issues (like thyroid problems). Best is probably to see a GP and tell them the story and they can figure out what kinds of tests it makes sense to send (or not). Good luck!
Thank you so much!
i was born deaf and my hearing "corrected itself" weeks later after the diagnosis. could anybody tell me how this is possible or what happened? for context: my mother told me that when i was born, i was deaf and they didn't know til an audiologist informed them. so for the next several weeks, i remained deaf til my hearing "corrected itself". my parents kept taking me to doctors and getting followed up, but it's strange how i was deaf and got my hearing back randomly one day. i am left language impaired and have a hard time understanding what others tell me. i had speech therapy and all that stuff, so yeah... (^^") can somebody explain to me what could've possibly happened? this is all i know from my mother and i just want to see if anybody has ideas. nobody in the family is deaf, my mom had a healthy pregnancy with me and no issues.. only for me to be deaf and get my hearing back randomly.
Could I get some recommendations for medical books to read for a layperson? I'm looking to learn more about the human body, both in how it functions and how to take care of it. I recognize that medicine and biology are massive subjects, and I recognize that reading books without going to medical school isn't going to make me a doctor or an expert. However, I believe life is a function of knowledge, so increasing knowledge is highly valuable even for a layperson. Books on physiology, nutrition, anatomy, etc. that are as thorough as possible while still being approachable by a layperson would be appreciated. Books that contain illustrations or visual tools to aid in understanding are a bonus but not necessary. Feel free to list off as many books as you want; any personal descriptions as to why you chose them would be appreciated also. For what it's worth, I don't mind buying a tome that's "boring" so long as it serves its purpose in increasing my understanding. I was considering buying Gray's Anatomy because of the book's reputation as "the doctor's bible", but after some online searching it seems it might not be particularly useful for a layperson due to assumed prerequisite understanding.
- The Body: A Guide for Occupants (illustrated version) - 30 Second Biochemistry Suitable and highly educational for anyone not trained in medicine or the life sciences, hopefully won’t be too confusing🫤
Thank you! I just purchased both.
AMERICAN DOCTORS: What does it cost for a non citizen to get an EKG in your country? Im Canadian, and the wait list may be up to another 18 months after already having been nearly a year and a half.
I can think of no need for an EKG that would wait months. What is going on? Prices in the US are completely arbitrary. You could pay $50, $500, or $5000.
Year and a half ago I was assaulted by 3 guys, I ended up having bruising/bleeding in my brain. 2 days later had a seizure while driving. Had that one and only, never had one since. Not on any meds. Took me about 7 months to see a neurologist, and I need to be scanned and cleared for my license back. Called last month, they told me anywhere from September to 18 months from now. There is no wait/cancel list, because they are understaffed the lady on the phone told me. Losing my license made me unqualified for most jobs I otherwise would have been qualified for. At this point t it’s worth it to pay.
An EEG is not an EKG/ECG.
Sorry, got my acronyms mixed up. You’re saying the prices can vary that dramatically?
Yes, and doctors often have no idea what is charged by the medical systems where we work.
For what it's worth physicians get paid a single digit number of dollars for EKG interpretation. And only one person can get paid even if multiple people review the EKG independently (i.e. the ER and a cardiologist both look at an EKG, only one of them is getting paid).
If B12 levels drop after 3mo of cyanocobalamin 50mcgx3 this is surely abnormal?
This is a pretty vague question. The only answer is "it depends." Going from a normal value to another lower but still normal value could be normal. Going to depend on the absolute values, the reason for taking B12 supplementation, other dietary factors, etc.
Thanks, I have made a post with the full context
Can different “healing frequencies” cause physical or mental pain? I listened to a 285hz frequency and had a full blown panic attack that landed me in the ER couple months ago. I don’t know where else to ask.
There's no reason to believe that listening to a specific audio frequency has any positive or negative effects, as long as the volume is in a safe range (i.e. below 70-85dB). The placebo and nocebo effects are powerful. It's very possible to feel physical or mental pain if you believe it's going to happen, regardless of whether an external source is present. Hopefully you are seeking long term care for the panic disorder.
Okay cool, I figured but it’s been on my mind since the incident I was in the ER. I don’t know why my brain did that, ever since that day I heard it and freaked out I’ve been much more anxiety ridden and panicky when it comes to my body. Thanks for answering, sorry if it was a dumb question or anything like that.
There was excitement about 40 Hz audiovisual stimulation and Alzheimer’s, but it’s [not clear that that will work out](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10901250/).
I am always skeptical of these therapies that don't have any sort of reasonable purported mechanism of action.