Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with health

I’m in the UK and have Primary Sclerosing Cholangitus, what can I expect?

Nufkin — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 05:51:13 -0800

I’m in the UK and have Primary Sclerosing Cholangitus, what can I expect? On Friday I was diagnosed as having Primary Sclerosing Cholangitus. I have used my Google-fu and found information relating to symptoms (itching, upper-right quadrant pain and so on) but no where I can find describe what that exactly is. Is the itching just normal? What type of pain?

Also, I was trying to get some personal stories from people to tell me that my life isn’t over now or in 10 or so years when I need a transplant.

Humana Medicare Supplemental Insurance--is it any good?

I'm Brian and so's my wife! — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 11:07:34 -0800

Has anyone here had any experiences with Humana's Medicare Supplemental Health Insurance for seniors? My mother-in-law currently is paying $400 a month for her supplemental insurance with another insurance company. She recently called Humana and got a quote of $98 a month. Sounds a little too good to be true. Any folks out there have the supplemental health insurance with Humana? Have your experiences been good or bad?

She resides in Tennessee and is in her 80s.

No more facial soap bars, switching to liquid soap.

mtphoto — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:54:22 -0800

What kind of liquid facial soap do you recommend? I'd like to stop using facial soap bars to wash my face. I've used the Neutrogena "transparent facial bar" for several months, but I don't like how to bar melts away so quickly. What liquid facial soaps do you recommend?

I'm a guy, if that changes your suggestions at all.

Optic Neuritis

jara1953 — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:44:44 -0800

Looking for 1st hand experience of optic neuritis. Googled out and YANMD. Two Opthamologists, 2 neurologists and now my gf, 57, is in hospital as I write this, had MRI & CAT scan, and is also on intravenous steroids but has gotten no answers. Docs say it's not MS, and only see a couple arteries (?) that are normal for her age.

She has whiplash from years ago and previous to this her neck was reallly hurting, cracking and causing severe headaches. She's been under tremendous stress the past 3 weeks; her mom having surgery, work, car breaking down, etc.

We're getting desperate. Anyone been in her shoes? Thanks.

Does Pterocarpus marsupium work?

RajahKing — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:27:50 -0800

I recently heard that Pterocarpus marsupium extract can be beneficial for those of us with high blood sugar. Have you tried it yourself? Has it been helpful? Have you seen results? Any side effects?

How do I get SSI/disability for mental health?

loquacious — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:32:34 -0800

How do I navigate Social Security to qualify for Medicaid, SSI and disability for mental health services? How do I find an advocate to guide me through the walls of paperwork and decisions? Sub-question: what are current mental health institutions like for in-patient treatment? I qualify for an array of symptoms for mental health disability - namely marked social dysfunction, severe anxiety, depression (most likely rapid cycling bipolar), persistent ideations and the inability to function normally and keep a job, set or keep goals or otherwise function at life. I have trouble maintaining all kinds of relationships. I also have an unhealthy relationship with alcohol and tobacco as self-medication.

In case it needs to be said - I also qualify financially. I have no job, no money, no property and as much as I hate to admit it I'm basically indignant and losing my housing.

I'm having a hell of a time finding services, doing my homework and wrestling with the bureaucracy while in the midst of these symptoms. How do I find an advocate, case worker or guide? This process is daunting enough without struggling with the symptoms at the same time, and dealing with the bureaucracy is aggravating the symptoms and often sending me spiking off into severe manic or depressive territories.

Also what can I expect these days if I sign myself in for in-patient treatment at a mental health facility in Los Angeles? I'm considering this as an option to get the process kick-started, as I'm more or less on the edge of crisis territory. What's the process like? What can I bring with me? What can't I bring? How much control can I expect to have over the process?

(Paging The Straigtener)

How can I find a school nurse to let me shadow her for an article?

rinosaur — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 08:21:09 -0800

How can I find a school nurse to let me shadow her for an article? For my final paper this semester in my health writing class I'd like to write a "day in the life of a school nurse" piece that focuses on the new/emerging responsibilities taken on by school nurses with the growing diagnoses of ADD/ADHD (and the subsequent medication) and the like. The trouble is that I do not know any school nurses personally. What's the best way for me to go about finding that resource?

I've made contact with several of the "community relations" personnel at surrounding school districts, and I see via google that there is a School Nurse Association and have emailed their main contact information. Is there more I should be doing, or a tactic that might be more direct to help produce results? Are there concerns that school districts and nurses will have that I'm not considering and should be prepared for?

Alternately, do you know a school nurse in the Philly area who might be interested?

I'm hoping this is an OK use of ask.me and I apologize if it's misplaced.

Thanks in advance for any help you could give!

Is Green Tea Good for You even when it's cold?

lynnie-the-pooh — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:09:17 -0800

I heard Green Tea is extremely good for you. If I drink it cold, will it give me the same benefits as hot green tea? I like the Snapple Green tea drink you can get in a glass bottle and you drink it cold. Thanks, Lynnie-the-pooh

What's going on behind my ears?

MattMangels — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:07:10 -0800

What's going on behind my ears? (Slightly disgusting) I've had this problem with my ears for a while now. Basically, the area behind my ears is often cracked and raw and sore, and usually gunk builds up like a scab. I've been told it's because I don't dry behind my ears well enough after I shower, but this doesn't seem to solve the problem. Any ideas?

Mild sickness, when must you rest and when is it okay to maintain normal activity?

JoannaC — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 20:33:32 -0800

Recovering from lingering sinus infection, when can I work out again? I am a teacher exposed to tons of germs on a regular basis, but I am pretty healthy. I get sick maybe once a year, and I am having it now. I had a small cold a few weeks ago, it seemed to clear up for a day or two, then it came back and my ears felt like they were under water. A few days later they started hurting. I went to a walk-in clinic and was diagnosed with a sinus infection. That was two weeks ago. I feel mostly okay, but my throat is still scratchy and my neck is still a little sore.

I am itching to get back to my fitness routine (I was rocking a Tae Bo rotation) but don't want to make things worse. I think the reason the cold escalated in the first place was because I didn't slow down and take proper care of myself. But it has been going on three weeks already, and I feel like if I wait until I am 100%, I will be waiting forever because I have asthma and these things tend to linger in me. And due to my job, I am just exposed to so much stuff. Surely, since I feel mostly okay, it's safe to start it up again? How do I know when I should be taking it easy so I don't make things worse and when it's okay to just carry on?

Not-so-Fantastic Plastic

Miko — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 07:19:55 -0800

Can you help my household kick the plastic habit? I've been reading all sorts of creepy things about plastics lately, and really want to stop using them as much as possible, especially for food storage and heating.

I've been using Pyrex refrigerator dishes for leftovers for a long time, and have a bunch of old-school Thermoses that still work well. I've become aware of round metal "tiffin" containers, but haven't bought any yet. We store a lot of grains, beans, and spices in canning jars in the cupboards.

Beyond that, I'm still searching for solutions. Things like: when I want to pop a bowl of dough or something in the fridge with an airtight cover, what can I use? Are there reusable sandwich bags or food wrap of some material other than plastic? What about sandwich-shaped containers? What can go into the freezer and provide a real seal - as for frozen pizza dough, leftovers, etc?

A lot of cosmetic products come in plastics, too. Any ways of getting around that?

Thanks all.

Strange malady - please help me identify this

dmbfan93 — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 03:24:34 -0800

Please help me identify this illness I have. WebMD and other medical web sites don't quite address the symptoms that I have. Please help. I get this illness each fall/winter: I feel weak, sluggish, headache. I wake up at night in a cold sweat. And yet its not so bad that I can't go to work. To others I seem perfectly fine because I have no tell-tale signs of an illness. It doesn't manifest in upper respiratory issues: I don't get congested, although I feel some sinus pressure. The feeling of weakness and sluggishness feel particularly worse when I slow down - when I'm sitting still working in my cube at work, or when I'm lying in bed - I zonk out right away - I feel so wiped out. Last year when I had this the only thing I could find when inputting my symptoms on medical websites was mono but its not mono because it tends to go away after about two weeks. I want to know how to treat this - to make it go away more quickly - or treat the symptoms. Have you suffered from this malady? If so, how long does it last? Is this just a virus? Appreciate your advice, thanks.

How do I deal with paranoia without addictive medication?

iabide79 — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:16:15 -0800

What are some suggestions concerning dealing with feelings of near constant paranoia? I question everyone's motives all of the time and I know that's not normal. A friend or family member can't even say anything nice to me without me over thinking it and picking it apart. I don't trust anyone anymore and it just keeps getting worse to the point where I have pretty much cut off all contact with all of my friends,even the ones I know in my head don't mean me any harm. I don't want to live like this anymore but I just don't know what to do. I am taking welbutrin and just got off of tranxene a few weeks ago. It was a miserable experience getting off of it, there is no way I want to take any more benzos. I don't think I can do therapy because I don't feel comfortable talking to a complete stranger(face to face) about my feelings. I have felt like this for a long time but it has gotten worse in the past year. I feel so alone. Any and all suggestions are welcome. Thanks for reading this.

Can employers tell people when employees are sick?

um_maverick — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:45:19 -0800

My employer just asked us to contact HR if any of our employees are diagnosed with H1N1 flu. Is this allowable under HIPAA? It was kind of a weird email that came not from HR-on-high, but from a local HR manager. Are managers even allowed to ask this question? If they come across it somehow ("hey boss, I have pig flu, be back in a week"), can they pass it along? I don't know HIPAA that well, but this seems to be a violation...

"How to get an orgasm to work in my pants?"

Anonymous — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 07:56:28 -0800

I'm a mid-20s male, I'm having orgasm problems and I desperately need to do something about it. Any advice would be gratefully received! Thanks for clicking through!

I have a long-standing problem of finding it extremely difficult to orgasm during any sort of sexual play. I've recently (and improbably!) started dating The Most Beautiful Girl In The World, and I'm terrified that it'll ruin our relationship.

I'm a mid-20s male, very skinny but not unhealthily so, with plenty of energy, who eats well and takes absolutely no medication. I'm certainly sensitive down there. I have purposefully been avoiding masturbation for several weeks. At this point I'm confused, and think there might been some psychological issues, and would really appreciate some advice.

What's that? You want way too much background info? Sure thing!:
I was in a 6 year long relationship that was the first time for anything sexual for both my ex-girlfriend and me. We had both masturbated frequently and then found that it took an immense amount of effort for either of us to reach orgasm when together. It was, however, possible, especially if we involved sex toys for her and were willing to be very patient for me. Due to this, our sex life was infrequent, though we remained very comfortable with each other's bodies. She then went through a period of change in her personal life and became unwilling to have sex for a period of about 2 years. During this I waited patiently, fulfilling myself through masturbation. Even past this point, sex was incredibly infrequent and often unsatisfying. I found myself finding her unattractive and considering ending the relationship. I still tried to initiate sex, but was usually rebuffed, though she usually showered me with apologies and confusion at lack of libido. During the last three years of the relationship, I frequently tried to seek couples therapy, but she wouldn't acquiesce. Finally, she ended up cheating on me with a random stranger that she met at a bar, citing that "she was frustrated at our lack of a sex life." The mind boggles. That was the end of our relationship.

Several months later, I have started dating the aforementioned Most Beautiful Girl In The World (seriously, she's loveliness personified, in every aspect) and am overcome with glee. I anticipated that I might have orgasm problems, and intentionally have gone completely cold turkey on masturbation for several weeks. Our sex life is, so far, fantastic. She's (bizarrely) very attracted to me, I'm obviously attracted to her, we both have well-matched libidos, I push her buttons with joyful, joyful ease and... I still can't reach an orgasm.

We've tried penetrative sex in a variety of positions, she has given me some absolutely mind-blowing oral sex, and there's still nothing. I remain hard, and even feel like I'm approaching orgasm. When I'm on the cusp (which takes a while itself), instead of going over the edge and ejaculating, I find myself almost pushing through it, after which the feeling dies down somewhat. There's no loss of erection, and I'm able to comfortably continue having sex.

It's obviously extremely beneficial to her, but she has expressed anxiety at not being able to please me. That's not true, as it's been feeling amazing, and I have told her the above, though not the gory details of my previous relationship. She's been very supportive and loving, but I fear that at this early stage in our relationship, it could ruin our chances of staying together.

I did once have trouble achieve an erection, but I was rather drunk, and it did come, though slowly. I presume I'm still able to achieve orgasm through masturbation, though I'm unwilling to try for fear of numbing myself in any way.

Unfortunately, I'm living hand-to-mouth at the moment, so I have no possibility of seeing a therapist. I do, however, wonder if the problem is psychological in nature, or if there are lesser known physical roots. I should note that I'm in London, in the UK, just in case that's of any help.

I set up a throwaway email account: athrowawayaccountformefi@gmail.com

Thank you for reading this!

Changing the world, one kiss at a time...

Muirwylde — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:35:10 -0800

Cosmetic manufacturing in China. I've noted that certain regions of China specialize in different types of consumer goods manufacturing. Which city or region is ground zero for cosmetics manufacturing in China? I'm interested in having a cosmetic product line (lipcare, lip gloss, lip balm, etc.) manufactured in China. Product line will use stock componentry custom overprinted with trademarked logo. I have had products produced in Taiwan of my own design. I don't need concept, design, or formulation input. My Tawainese suppliers are not suitable for this project and I want to take a trip to Mainland China to find a supplier who is capable of providing scalable production capacity for a national, and eventually, international roll out. I don't expect a recommendation to a specific cosmetic manufacturer unless you have specific experience with this type of product. The product (lip gloss) will be hot-filled in glass. I realize the manufacturers have close relationships with componentry suppliers and I also have my own sources for the componentry. Manufacturer must be capable of supplying a 1200 door international chain from 2-3 store test phase through full roll-out. Manufacturer must be willing to work with a small but rapidly expanding niche brand.There are hundreds of Chinese cosmetic manufacturers (or agents masquarading as cosmetic manufacturers) online. Please, no links to Alibaba or other China 'business lead'-generating sites. Rather, I am more interested in what city or region I should be looking at that is the absolute center for cosmetic manufacture in Mainland China so I can travel there and make some decisions after eyeballing the terrain. Any links to the pre-eminent cosmetic trade shows (in China) or China cosmetic trade organizations that you feel might be useful or helpful would also be greatly appreciated. I also would be interested in knowing what unforeseen problems you may have experienced while rolling out similar product lines. Thank you!

What are the best, almost scientific, alternative health food/supplement recommendations?

HopStopDon'tShop — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 06:38:53 -0800

[Alt-health filter]: what are your top 10, most important, almost scientific (ie. generally accepted) foods and/or supplements that I should focus on to improve my health? Speaking from a general well-being, alternative health-type of point of view? I don't mean 'vegetables' but very specific stuff like "linseed oil is the very best thing in the world" and "resveratrol kept me alive for 200 years" etc. I'm not an alt-health fanatic but I know there's something there, sometimes, and I'd like to know what you think are the most important, and widely accepted.

"Avoid aspertame" would be a good example. But I can't determine which other stuff is as generally accepted as bad, or good, for you as aspertame. And honestly, I don't think I have time to eat all the things that I'm supposed to be consuming if I was to take everything I read on this seriously ("just 5mg of ... a day..." and "just 10ml of ... in the morning will..." multiplied by 50 just doesn't work).

I hated my job, but now that I got let go, I feel even worse.

greatalleycat — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 21:42:04 -0800

How to deal with unemployment + feeling like crap? Just got let go last week from crap job I hated, but now feeling more miserable than ever. I am the girl in this question that got a DUI a few weeks back and said my life is over. Due to this and me not being able to give definite answer about getting occupational privileges (in OH, where draconian laws just got worse) I was fired on Friday at 4 after busting my ass all day. They can go to hell, I was still doing my job. They were just looking for people to drop I guess, was convenient excuse for them.
How do people who were abruptly laid off/fired structure their days? I can't spend all day job-searching, how do you fill time?

My firing came after a several-months long bout of depression related to seeing everything fall apart at work. I should have dealt with it earlier, perhaps my life would not suck now.
However, I thought I would be happy to be gone from work, but I feel even worse. Before, I was just angry, now I am just miserable and have problems going to sleep because I am thinking my life is ruined forever and I am a total failure who should be really successful because I came from good family and went to good schools.

I would like to get this addressed medically since I don't know how else to feel better. I used to think job was what made me miserable, but I guess it wasn't all of it because I am just sad now instead of angry constantly like before.
I am delaying help because I don't know how to seek out a therapist (who would be best for me and not really $$) and a doc to give me meds. I'm also waiting to see if I can afford COBRA. I also have to rely on getting rides from family as I probably won't be able to get driving privileges since I don't work. I am in the Cleveland area in a place where I cannot walk or bike to work easily, especially as winter comes on.

I believe I was not let go with "just cause" so I believe I can get unemployment benefits in OH.
I know I sound like a whiny brat, but I would like to feel for one day I haven't completely ruined my life.

Working/Going to School with Fibro: What works?

eleanna — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 21:26:17 -0800

I have fibromyalgia. Help me figure out how to be a better student/employee. What accommodations/techniques work for you? I have doctors, so more looking for 'this worked for me/my mom/my friend' than anything medical. I have fibromyalgia, generally speaking fairly well managed (I have had it for over 10 years and know a lot about what works and what doesn't medically). I have 2 doctors (rheumatologist/internist) who I see regularly and work with, so I feel like I have a handle on the medical side and like, if I could come up with more to do or that would help, they would work with me on it.

I am working on my 2nd graduate degree and I also have work experience and hope to be reentering the workforce soon. However, while I produce excellent work (good performance reviews/straight As in my courses), I also notice that the fibromyalgia can unexpectedly impair performance due to fatigue/pain if I overextend myself (say..during midterms/surprise long project at work). I've realized that I really have no idea what accommodations, if any, to ask for (and I feel a bit ridiculous asking for any, because I should just be able to handle it), or what I could be doing in addition to the general eat healthy, exercise, get as much sleep as possible, work with doctors, to make this easier. Or what the school/my future workplace could do that would help or I could do to mitigate the effect. As an example, my last boss loved my work, but despite me being more productive than most, the amount of sick leave I needed annoyed her.

Bleh. tl;dr.

In summary: What can I do (or other people help me to do) beyond the obvious to maximize my non-fatigue/pain time?

Note: I have talked to my doctor(s) about this...main response (beyond exercise, etc. which I already do) was 'talk to other people who have the disorder/figure out what you need and we'll help'. Hence, the question.

Lasers are cool. Literally.

pzarquon — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:16:52 -0800

Where can I find level-headed, researched, sound information on "cold lasers" or "low-level lasers" as medical treatments? I've been tasked with researching something called "cold lasers" or "low-level lasers" as medical tools, which is apparently used both for post-procedure pain reduction, as well as a "non-invasive" way to achieve liposuction-like weight-loss results. Unfortunately, the latter use means just about everything on the web about the technology comes across as a hard pitch for a sketchy treatment.

As far as I can tell, manufacturers and brand names include Erchonia, Zerona, CoolLipo, and the like.

Just about every mention, whether for pain or weight loss, talk about FDA approval. But I can't find any specific FDA report or listing, nor any details on the laser's approved uses. Is there a handy list anywhere of all the FDA approved things out there? And a search of the "reputable" web resources that I can think of like WebMD have very little to say.

The assertion is that these techniques are so new, that there's limited information available. But that's also what you'd say if you wanted to sell me snake oil.

On the other hand, it appears a lot of "reputable" (though I will put that in quotes), or at least established, clinics that do plastic surgery offer this, usually as one of many options. More than a few local TV stations have done segments, as YouTube demonstrates. But cosmetic surgery as a whole is already a mixed bag -- where a dentist or other outpatient practitioners could easily be moonlighting in liposuction.

This eHow article is just about the only fairly level-headed write up I can find. Everything else merely repeats the same points about how awesome these lasers are. Is there any "there" there, or are people basically switching the price tags on a PowerPoint laser pointer and selling hope?

The dude who said too much.

Anonymous — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 17:19:50 -0800

Told my doctor I smoked pot, now I just got a disconcerting letter from my insurance company. First of all I live in Ohio, in case that matters. I experienced a heart arrhythmia a few months back and went to the ER for it. When meeting with a cardiologist about it afterwards we went through a number of lifestyle questions one of which was do you do any drugs. I answered honestly that yes I do smoke pot once or twice a week.

I asked if this could be a cause of the problem and he said that was highly unlikely and as long as I used in moderation that shouldn't pose any specific problem with my heart.

Now I just got a letter from my insurance company saying before they could process my claims for the incident they need more information.

It says - Diagnosis: History of Cannabis Abuse
and asks for first date of symptoms, treatment and my drivers license number. Where I've sought treatment, when I started, when I quit and how often I used.

I am pretty much shocked, I assumed my statement to the doctor was going to be safe and confidential.

So yeah, anyone else experience this? Am I screwed? Will I get my license revoked? How do I respond to date stopped when I used just a few days ago. Are the insurance folks permitted to share this info with the police? Is this just an attempt to scare me out of filing the potentially expensive claim with them?

Any info or advice would be much appreciated.

I don't want to look like W.C. Fields...

miss lynnster — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 00:10:42 -0800

Living with rosacea... tips please. I've been to the dermatologist. I've tried Metrogel and Doxycycline. They work ok but are expensive with my insurance so I am not on either right now. About once a month or so my right cheek and chin explode with outbreaks and I HATE it. Facials really do help, but I don't want to have to spend hundreds of dollars on facials every time I feel an outbreak coming on. I know that food intake is supposed to matter, but I haven't found that so much. I eat healthy and my alcohol intake isn't crazy.

Any tips on living with this and what to do when I feel an outbreak on the horizon? Is there anything that will help other than having an expensive facial or filling myself with expensive chemicals from the dermatologist? Right now my right cheek is almost purple with a volcano of healing-but-angry skin. I'm not a fan of looking like WC Fields on a bad day.

Oh, and no... I'm not more stressed than usual... actually I'm less so.

P.S. - Yes, I've read the other rosacea threads. Since a lot of them seemed to be answered by people who weren't going through rosacea themselves I figured it might not hurt to ask again and see if anyone had new comments.

Thanks in advance for the help folks!

Stress Detector

philosophistry — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:32:48 -0800

Is there a device that can automatically observe your stress levels in real-time? A research scientist mentioned she knew of another research scientist who had a device like this. As she said, "It reminds [me] of a researcher who has a sensor on her computer, which can tell if you're stressed as you're typing away at work." When I followed up with more questions, she couldn't recall details.

I also vaguely remember this being possible. Maybe through a webcam that can tell your facial expressions. Anybody have any leads?

As a half-measure, I bought a heart rate monitor which is effective at telling you when your blood is boiling. While you may not need a monitor to tell you this, I believe in the saying, "if you can measure it, you can control it."

Why Should You Use Social Networking at Work?

Jaybo — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 19:06:47 -0800

Many workplaces ban social networking sites such as Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and so on. What are some of the reasons workplaces should allow (and even encourage) staff to use social networking sites? I'm particularly interested in the case you would make to someone in the healthcare field but examples that are applicable to other areas, especially those that may ban social networking site for privacy or productivity reasons, are welcome as well.

When yr only havin' seconds, I'ma havin' twenty thirds.

orville sash — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:46:08 -0800

Why do I want to eat candy so badly? Over the course of the summer, I starting watching what I ate and exercising a lot. This has paid dividends in the form of losing about 15 pounds, feeling a lot better, looking a lot better, et. al. Ideally, I'd like to lost another 15 pounds, but strangely, I have recently (as in the last month or so) developed an overwhelming urge to eat candy all the time. and I mean ALL THE TIME. Everytime I see a candy bar, I start salivating. Its not that I'm not getting enough sugar, because I eat bananas and stawberries for snacks, but I've broken down a couple of times and gotten some really crappy food.

Why am I coveting all this shitty food?

How do I keep myself from eating it?