I would strongly recommend seeing a physician for these persistent symptoms. The OTC H1 blockers (claritin, allegra, and zyrtec) all basically work the same way and if one isn't giving you much relief, it is unlikely the others will be very helpful (though people sometimes have idiosyncratic preference for one over…

I was wondering whose blood Melisandre threw into a fire...

I'm sorry that you are having to go through all of this and I hope the best for you and your family. I see a lot of liver failure in my line of work, and I was hoping to help a bit with the medical jargon. The TIPS procedure (transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt) is done in the setting of cirrhosis of the…

You might want to try putting some patio blocks or 2x4s under the legs of her bed at the head end to elevate the whole bed rather than pillows. Just bending at the upper torso with pillows or a wedge can actually increase the pressure in the stomach and make reflux worse.

Thanks for the support! I'm glad you were able to get such great care.

I am a pulmonologist and ICU specialist. If there's anything about navigating the ICU setting that you want to bounce off a stranger on the internet, feel free. It is a scary environment especially when a loved one is on the ventilator. Best of luck to you both. The flu is very bad this year, and we are seeing a…

Nope, I didn't miss it and appreciated it. I just focused on the condescending part of your message. Its a complicated topic, and the data that has been released is murky. I believe that improved quality of life and fewer resident car crashes are both good things, but I can't refute what I see with my own eyes…

Haha, nice. I just didn't realize your commitment to the discussion, so I thought I'd spoon feed you. I'm glad you could find a search engine. Good work. I'm glad your residents get to learn at the feet of such an academic.

I realize that you're an uninformed troll with the "pretty little head" comment, but the Libby Zion case that initially provoked NYC to go crazy about duty hours was mostly bull, and the product of an overzealous and distraught father who had a platform for making his voice heard and likely had very little to do with…

I finished my residency right as the new duty hours were being instituted (80 hour work week, no overnight call after being on a day shift). I think that they have been profoundly detrimental to the medical education just in the short time that they have been implemented. Residents don't see nearly as many patients…

You keep trying to educate science, but it doesn't stay educated...

I think that the question of benefit to the patient is a moot one. She's dead. It is possible that just the move will make this fact more apparent, as the body will not have any ability to regulate its own temperature since the brain is not functioning. I have not yet heard the specifics of where she is being…

As far as how long someone can be kept in this state, it is essentially indefinite, barring the unforeseen. If the body is supported by ICU level care with turning, ventilator management, blood pressure management, electrolyte replacement, warming etc, you can theoretically keep people going for a long time, but it…

As a physician, I wish that the term "brain death" had never been coined. Without the use of advanced care, such as ventilators and vasopressors etc, there would be no differentiating death and brain death, as brain death implies a loss of brainstem function, which means no breathing, which means no oxygen, which…

There are only two good plays: Put the ball in the basket and South Pacific.

The one I am familiar with is a prescription cream called Calcipotriene.

Topical agents for scalp psoriasis are the mainstay of therapy in general with high potency steroids and vitamin D analogues being the primary choices. I'm guessing by the infrequency that you could use your steroid that it is a high potency steroid. If this is not working on its own, consider adding a Vitamin D…

I just saw your post about being allergic to codeine. If you do end up seeking medical attention and you want a non-narcotic cough suppressant, ask about Tessalon perles.

It depends on what you are already taking, if you're taking over-the-counter stuff already. Most of them already include tylenol, so you don't want to add more tylenol to that, but plain old ibuprofen can really relieve some of the muscle pains from coughing. Guaifenesin is essentially placebo, so don't waste time…

In some ways, the transition to medical school is an even more difficult one for relationships than the transition from high school to college. When I went through it, I don't believe I witnessed many relationships that did not involve already married couples survive the transition. I don't think that partners who…