Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Tuesday Morning, 1:58 a.m.

Dr. Grumpy: "This is Dr. Grumpy, returning a page."

Mr. Sleepless: "Hi, I take Compazine for nausea, and wanted to know if it's safe to take with my epilepsy?"

Dr. Grumpy: "Haven't you taken it as needed for several years? It's never caused you to have a seizure before, has it?"

Mr. Sleepless: "No, never had a problem before, and I've been using it here and there since the mid-90's"

Dr. Grumpy: "Then it shouldn't be a problem."

Mr. Sleepless: "Oh good. Sorry to bother you, but I couldn't sleep, so I started googling all my medicines, and saw that Compazine could do this."

12 comments:

LilMsHppyPillz said...

Whenever someone ask to be counseled and I hear the word "internet" I know it's a lost cause on my part. The internet is always right and my 13 years of experience and 6 years of college are always wrong

Anonymous said...

What is information WITHOUT knowledge...

Sue

The Good Cook said...

Don't any of your patients own clocks??

Frank said...

One of the MANY reasons I think you should not be googling medicine unless you are in the medical profession. Every idiot with a computer suddenly perceives themselves to be some kind of medical genius now that they can see things on "the Google".

Anonymous said...

Should I wait until three ay-em to call you and ask about the effects my Cymbalta might have on the baby if I get pregnant? Of course, I had a hysterectomy ten years ago and mt husband had a vasectomy in '92 and we haven't had sex in six months, but I found out on Google it could be a problem so I though I'd better call you just in case. Dr. Grumpy? Are you there??? Is that a dial tone? HELLO???!!!

Pattie, RN

Capt. Schmoe said...

Google - Reinforcing delusions, confirming conspiracies and diagnosing hypochondriacs since 1998

Anonymous said...

Pattie, that was awesome. LOL

Suzanne said...

Oh, I completely understand that the general public googling medical info can't be a good thing. But, as a member of the general public, I've actually done that. I once told my doc that I thought my daughter had Fifth Disease given the slapped-cheeks look, lacy flat rash on arms and legs, and a clear runny nose the week before . . . He laughed and told me it was his impression, too. Now, when I go armed with info and present it in a humble way, he is grateful. Maybe because I don't get paranoid it's OK? I don't know. I never have middle-of-the-night calls into his service, either.

Anonymous said...

So, the cause of the nausea? (Which drug to discontinue?)

Classof65 said...

I guess I just don't get it. We are encouraged to play an active part in our medical care, to better understand what we should and should not do to take care of ourselves. Since few of us own encyclopedias, which, by the way, are probably out-of-date even before they're printed, our alternative is to consult the 'net. However, we are aware that not all the information on the 'net is accurate or actually vetted by medical professionals. So where should we look for answers?

amy said...

Classof65:

I think that you should be looking and calling for answers during business hours, not at 1:58 am.

k2 said...

Yeah, I think if you don't get paranoid, and don't call the doc in the middle of the night, and balance what you read with what your doc actually tells you, it is good to educate yourself.

 
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