Are there any public advocacy groups in Australia to help people with debilitating illnesses get new medical products and procedures added to Medicare?
posted by krisjohn on Dec 4, 2009 - 1 answer

What approaches have worked for you to reduce the size of a medical bill after services have been rendered? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Nov 12, 2009 - 6 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

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

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 - 16 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

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

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

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

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

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

What field(s) of medicine is/are most likely to benefit from new genetic technology? [more inside]
posted by greatgefilte on Apr 1, 2009 - 2 answers

What herbs or vitamins or food will make more blood flow into my brain? [more inside]
posted by lynnie-the-pooh on Mar 18, 2009 - 20 answers

Could I possibly have Serotonin Syndrome even though I've been off anti-depressants for two or three years? And whether I have it or not, what's the best way to get a doctor to hold my hand while I try the recomended treatment for it; an antihistamine called Cyproheptadine (brand name Periactin) that blocks Serotonin receptors? [more inside]
posted by Clay201 on Mar 10, 2009 - 15 answers

At 8 am this morning my five year old son was fine. At noon he had a temperature of 40.4 C (104.7 F). By 4:30 his temp was normal again. This is the fourth time in the last two weeks he's had a high fever (over 39) that lasts for only a few hours . What's up? [more inside]
posted by winston on Mar 9, 2009 - 9 answers

If you recently made the switch from a CFC-propelled asthma inhaler to a non-CFC-propelled inhaler, how has it been? I've seen news reports that the spray is softer so you may not feel like you've gotten the full dose, and the inhalers have to be cleaned more often, and was curious to hear from people who've actually made the transition as I wait for my seasonal allergic asthma to kick in any day now. Any hints for making the adjustment smoother?
posted by mediareport on Feb 24, 2009 - 11 answers

I will be returning briefly to the US after 6 months abroad and I would like to partake in some of that wonderful US healthcare before I head back abroad. I have a couple of questions. [more inside]
posted by andoatnp on Feb 18, 2009 - 13 answers

My friend has mononucleosis. He shared a drink with a friend of mine who had mono several years ago. I later shared a fork with this latter friend. Is there a chance that I was exposed? Could my friend have been carrying the disease even if she can't contract again? I'm freaking out a little. In a couple weeks I'm going to start an intensive program that's 12 hours in the classroom a day for about a month, and the absolute last thing I need is to come down with mono. Ahh!
posted by howgenerica on Feb 2, 2009 - 5 answers

Australian (and U.S.) Mental Health/Legal Filter. Can you just go and talk your GP into having someone put through a psychiatric evaluation? [more inside]
posted by metalheart on Feb 1, 2009 - 14 answers

I'm pretty sure I have thyroid issues. I see the doctor in three weeks. What can I do until then and how do I know whether I need to see someone sooner? [more inside]
posted by tkolstee on Jan 21, 2009 - 11 answers

What is a 'feline esophagus'? [more inside]
posted by mattholomew on Jan 8, 2009 - 4 answers

What is a good, reliable online Canadian pharmacy for Americans to purchase from? (Particularly interested in finding one with AcipHex.) [more inside]
posted by metalheart on Dec 26, 2008 - 5 answers

Any recommendations for (preferably) online Public Health Journals, Communities, or Blogs? [more inside]
posted by rosswald on Dec 11, 2008 - 6 answers

For minor pet health questions: suggest websites that are comprehensive & user-friendly? I'd like to avoid unnecessary vet visits. [more inside]
posted by pseudostrabismus on Oct 30, 2008 - 10 answers

How long after taking .25 Mg or .5 Mg of Xanax should I wait before drinking any alcohol? I've taken Xanax frequently over the years to treat anxiety, fear of flying, etc. and never had any problems. [more inside]
posted by Raichle on Oct 21, 2008 - 13 answers

Why do medical insurers treat obesity different than other vices? Not a GYOB (I've got one); I literally don't understand the facts of the situation. [more inside]
posted by WCityMike on Oct 20, 2008 - 20 answers

Are there any good products that help an elderly woman remember when to take her pills and which pills to take?
posted by bucksox on Oct 18, 2008 - 11 answers

YANMD: Self-diagnosed high-groin sprain. Chronic for more than six weeks, further aggravated when I tripped in the airport today. It seems that the negative stress of catching myself completely tweaked it. 39yo Caucasian male [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Oct 3, 2008 - 5 answers

Are expensive, precautionary tests for health preventive maintenance an abuse of the medical system? [more inside]
posted by netbros on Aug 4, 2008 - 17 answers

What should a well-stocked medicine cabinet contain? [more inside]
posted by somanyamys on May 19, 2008 - 30 answers

What's the best health advice you ever received? [more inside]
posted by HotPatatta on May 9, 2008 - 56 answers

Is it safe to mix 24 hour Loratadine (Claritin) with 25-50 Diphenhydramin HCl (Benadryl)? My allergies are killing me and the loratadine does not seem to be doing the job.
posted by Raichle on May 6, 2008 - 29 answers

Medical Filter. Recently (in the past month or so), one of my legs seems to have either grown longer than the other one, or one has shrunk. [more inside]
posted by billysumday on Apr 17, 2008 - 11 answers

Seasonal allergy relief: I've read a bunch of the previous questions, but was wondering about allergy medicines that have gone prescription to over-the-counter or brand-name to generic since last spring. I know there's a generic Zyrtec now, but was wondering if there are any others that might be more affordable/available than they were last spring.
posted by mediareport on Feb 7, 2008 - 6 answers

Why don't insurance companies cover or help cover gym memberships? [more inside]
posted by MrMulan on Jan 22, 2008 - 24 answers

How do loratadine and diphenhydramine HCI work? Specifically, how is it that both can help control allergies, yet have different side effects? I'm particularly interested in how loratadine works without causing sleepiness, while a single 25 mg capsule of diphenhydramine is able to knock me out in a matter of minutes.
posted by invisible ink on Jan 14, 2008 - 7 answers

Any specific reason why I would get really dry skin "down there," and is there a remedy? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Oct 8, 2007 - 22 answers

How do I go about finding a good psychiatrist in the Boise Idaho area? I am a reasonably well-managed bipolar patient. I am not happy with the side effects of my mood stabilizer and am suspicious that depression is interfering with my life. I haven't seen a psychiatrist for about 3 years. My GP prescribes my medicines since I am reasonably well-managed. However, I just moved to the Boise/Nampa/Caldwell Idaho area and would like to start seeing a psychiatrist and seeing about trying something different. I was really lucky how I found my last psychiatrist through the recommendation of a counselor that I trusted. But I don't have any contacts in the area. Does anyone have a recommendation of a good psychiatrist in the Boise area? Or how have you/would you go about finding a good one? Thanks
posted by doppler68 on Sep 11, 2007 - 2 answers

Can anyone recommend a good G.P. and Optometrist in Baltimore, MD? [more inside]
posted by Braeog on Sep 4, 2007 - 4 answers

I recently had stitches on the underside of my big toe and second toe on my left foot and four days later, it's time to go back to work. Unfortunately, I drive a stick shift. [more inside]
posted by vkxmai on Jul 29, 2007 - 12 answers

I have intense, constant muscle tension on the right side of my neck. I think Botox will help, but my neurologists think it won't. Either convince me they're right or convince me I'm wrong. Oh, and is the anticholinergic drug I took three days ago making this problem worse? If so, what do I do about it? [more inside]
posted by Clay201 on Jul 1, 2007 - 16 answers

I still have periodic acne breakouts at the age of 24, and now that I have health insurance I want to see a dermatologist. However, there's a million of them in NYC, and I don't have the time to shop around, so I'm considering going with NYC's most heavily advertised doctor, Dr. Zizmor. Is this a bad idea? Have you or anyone you know ever said, "Thanks, Dr. Zizmor?" [more inside]
posted by tweebiscuit on Jun 20, 2007 - 21 answers

In short: how does my father, trapped in a hospital bed, get a private doctor and a second opinion? [more inside]
posted by electriccynic on May 30, 2007 - 2 answers

Ok, so I am now willing to admit I may have ADHD, but I have no health insurance. Now what? [more inside]
posted by blueplasticfish on Apr 26, 2007 - 16 answers

Will a $6,000 bill from the ER completely cripple my credit score for the next ten (plus?) years if I don't pay it? [more inside]
posted by inoculatedcities on Apr 8, 2007 - 30 answers

How do I find and evaluate assisted living, retirement communities, and nursing homes from afar? My father wants my help in researching retirement options for him, and he wants to retire to an area where neither of us currently lives. Google is a bit overwhelming and feels predatory on this topic, and I'm just not sure how to proceed. [more inside]
posted by occhiblu on Feb 8, 2007 - 9 answers