Terrible cough, too late to leave the house in search of remedies -- can I take this expired (expired April 2009) prescription Tussionex cough syrup or is there a better solution in my house? [more inside]
posted by tastybrains on Oct 24, 2009 - 14 answers

Where can I find level-headed, researched, sound information on "cold lasers" or "low-level lasers" as medical treatments? [more inside]
posted by pzarquon on Oct 21, 2009 - 5 answers

Told my doctor I smoked pot, now I just got a disconcerting letter from my insurance company. [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Oct 20, 2009 - 36 answers

I'm compiling a set of 30-40 photographs related to any and all aspects of disease for a high school visual literacy project. The students are high school juniors who are struggling with literacy and writing. I'd love your suggestions for compelling, diverse, and striking images and sites that have collections of same. [more inside]
posted by foxy_hedgehog on Oct 20, 2009 - 3 answers

I have a multi-day Scrabble tournament soon and a brand-new cold. Help! [more inside]
posted by iftheaccidentwill on Oct 18, 2009 - 15 answers

New-York-Filter: How big is the Spanish speaking community around Columbia University Medical Center? How many of their patients are Spanish speakers? [more inside]
posted by chrisalbon on Oct 17, 2009 - 18 answers

What is special about a square surgical knot? It seems like the regular kind of knot I use to tie my shoes, just using a very specific hand technique. Is there any advantage to this knot tying technique?
posted by Brennus on Oct 17, 2009 - 5 answers

I'm expecting a baby in a few months and have questions about medicating infants and toddlers. I always thought you give babies motrin when they're teething really badly, baby allegra when they have sinus infections, etc. However, all my friends seem to either be dead-set against baby Motrin or use it very, very sparingly. What's the cause for alarm? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Oct 15, 2009 - 26 answers

Hey Hive Mind - Mind Helping Me Understand Medicine Dosage? [more inside]
posted by Willie0248 on Oct 13, 2009 - 7 answers

What are the most useful iPhone apps for a newly qualified doctor? [more inside]
posted by ianK on Oct 13, 2009 - 13 answers

Alternative medicines for a young kid - am I making too much of it? [more inside]
posted by H. Roark on Oct 12, 2009 - 36 answers

What is the most important scientific question of our time? [more inside]
posted by Demogorgon on Oct 12, 2009 - 44 answers

What is the name of this heart condition, and is it genetic? The main artery supplying blood to the heart isn't developed properly in utero, resulting in major surgery and/or death of the baby post birth. [more inside]
posted by heytch on Oct 3, 2009 - 8 answers

I messed up my eye - please help me figure out doctor stuff. [more inside]
posted by Solon and Thanks on Sep 30, 2009 - 15 answers

Anti-depressants: do they eventually stop working? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Sep 24, 2009 - 10 answers

A question about automated drug discovery [more inside]
posted by mpls2 on Sep 23, 2009 - 13 answers

What are your experiences with St. John's wort? In particular, have you ever taken it at the same time as ADHD medications like Ritalin/Focalin (methylphenidate), Adderall (amphetamine) etc? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Sep 13, 2009 - 15 answers

I am a 40 year old man that died of a skull fracture in August, 1920. [more inside]
posted by asockpuppet on Sep 7, 2009 - 9 answers

I started feeling stuffy tomorrow, and today I have an awful cold. Tomorrow, I don't have the time to put up with a cold. Is there medication that actually works well enough to help me get through the day? How do I know if I'm contagious? [more inside]
posted by fogster on Sep 7, 2009 - 18 answers

I may have accidentally injected testosterone into a vein. Do I need to go to the ER or can I wait until my endocrinologist's office is open tomorrow? [more inside]
posted by double block and bleed on Sep 7, 2009 - 14 answers

Recommend an excellent, comprehensive book on the history of antibiotics? [more inside]
posted by inoculatedcities on Aug 21, 2009 - 6 answers

I've been reading a lot of conflicting information about the U.S. health care reform bill (HR 3200) and its potential impact on different groups of Americans. I tried to read the bill, but it's over a thousand pages and is written in mind-numbing legalese. Is there a place online where I can find comprehensive, non-partisan, easily understandable information about the bill?
posted by zembla3 on Aug 18, 2009 - 12 answers

Why shouldn't I use Q-tips? Or an ear pick? [more inside]
posted by musofire on Aug 12, 2009 - 26 answers

What are examples of medical conditions that were once thought (mistakenly) to be caused by psychological factors?
posted by mirileh on Aug 10, 2009 - 32 answers

It's my nephew's birthday this weekend. He is going to University in September to study Medicine (in the UK). Are there any essential medical text books I could get him to help with his studies?
posted by kenchie on Aug 6, 2009 - 19 answers

Health Mystery Solved. I have been given a diagnosis of avascular necrosis. My general practitioner relayed these results to me after she saw my MRI results. On Friday I meet with an orthopedic surgeon. Please help me prepare. [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Aug 5, 2009 - 5 answers

Grad-school, med school, residency match, geography...help? [more inside]
posted by DeucesHigh on Aug 2, 2009 - 12 answers

My current doctor seems poorly organized and has misdiagnosed me one time too many. I know there are MeFites in the Olympia area; does anyone have a doctor they love?
posted by dacoit on Jul 30, 2009 - 1 answer

Did Dr. Rufus W. Hooker survive WWII? I read his 1943 memoir, Ship's Doctor, and it's driving me crazy. [more inside]
posted by Netzapper on Jul 29, 2009 - 5 answers

I have homocystinuria, which means that I should get as little methionine in my protein as possible. The doctors recommend I take a special methionine-free protein powder, but the insurance won't pay for it. What is the step-by-step for making them come around? [more inside]
posted by Jacen Solo on Jul 28, 2009 - 2 answers

I've lost nearly 90 LBS, but I feel like poo constantly. I've had increasing foot problems, and just generally tired, and sick all the time. Have any of you gone through a dramatic weight loss and felt horrible, or developed problems that didn't exist before the weight loss? [more inside]
posted by JonnyRotten on Jul 14, 2009 - 47 answers

Where can I get a prescription pill analyzed for chemical contents? [more inside]
posted by jnnla on Jul 14, 2009 - 13 answers

DocFilter: For those of you who are physicians and have family life, how have you achieved balance between work and family? [more inside]
posted by sciencemandan on Jul 10, 2009 - 9 answers

What should I do with my leftover meds? [more inside]
posted by ValkoSipuliSuola on Jul 9, 2009 - 19 answers

Do Bananas constipate or do they do the opposite? My daughter needs to eat foods that make stool soft. Some people have told me to feed her bananas and others say to stay away from them. Which is the truth? My daughter is five years old. [more inside]
posted by lynnie-the-pooh on Jun 15, 2009 - 25 answers

I am on 75mg a day of Amitriptyline for migraines. Has anyone had any luck not gaining weight on Elavil/Amitriptyline? I have been on it for a couple months and am having a much harder time than I thought not gaining weight. Did any particular strategies work for you? Did the effect kind of wane as you got used to the medicine? Thanks!
posted by gibbsjd77 on Jun 2, 2009 - 6 answers

I just had an MRI and MRA in response to these issues, and the radiologist's report should be relayed to me in a day or two. I've already had one normal CT scan. I received a copy of all the images from this scan - should I look at them? [more inside]
posted by elektrotechnicus on May 29, 2009 - 10 answers

What is this pain in my hip, how can I make it go away, and should I make a doctor's appointment yet? [more inside]
posted by booknerd on May 25, 2009 - 10 answers

Why did this doctor prescribe Penicilin vk 500 for me when the description says it's not for fighting a cold or flu and yet that's CLEARLY what I have? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on May 24, 2009 - 15 answers

What chemical did I inject into myself, and will I be okay? [more inside]
posted by lostburner on May 21, 2009 - 14 answers

My feet are in pain. What kind of doctor should I go to? I've heard that podiatry is sort of a dubious branch of medicine. [more inside]
posted by Sloop John B on May 19, 2009 - 17 answers

Need no or low cost reconstructive surgery for friend who had a radical vulvectomy [more inside]
posted by ~Sushma~ on May 18, 2009 - 16 answers

Is there any particular reason that Effexor comes in gelatin capsules? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on May 16, 2009 - 10 answers

How can I complete pre-medical requirements after having earned my B.A.? [more inside]
posted by mahoganyslide on May 15, 2009 - 3 answers

Why do some people's hair on their head and pubic hair not match in color? [more inside]
posted by reenum on May 14, 2009 - 30 answers

Woke up Tuesday morning with a killer sore throat, swollen lymph nodes making it painful to swallow and a low-grade fever. A doc visit this afternoon confirmed I've got some sorta creeping crud and I was given a prescription of antibiotics, (Amoxicillin tablets 875mg). Can someone describe in detail what exactly happens when I take the stuff, maybe in a timeline format? How does it wipe out the baddies exactly (i.e. what mechanisms does it use to kill off the bugs?) [more inside]
posted by captnkurt on May 13, 2009 - 8 answers

I'm looking for a clever way to bring 2 tablespoons of liquid medicine around with me in my pocket on weekends, without lugging around an entire bottle. [more inside]
posted by anonymous on May 6, 2009 - 40 answers

There was a series of articles by doctors (or possibly, a doctor) in a mainstream US magazine, each about a patient who had a weird ailment, usually incorrectly diagnosed at first. What was it?
posted by musofire on May 3, 2009 - 11 answers

Where can I find references and referrals for a good Orthopedic / Sports Medicine Surgeon [more inside]
posted by mi6op on May 2, 2009 - 6 answers

In a flu pandemic what determines who dies? [more inside]
posted by tr45vbyt on Apr 27, 2009 - 14 answers