HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: lindae@netcom.com
Subject: Sinus Headaches
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services  (408 241-9760 guest) 
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1992 01:14:55 GMT



I suffer from frequent sinus headaches and have found that I am
unable to take the over-the-counter decongestents .  When I take
them, I get really shaky and my heart flutters, etc.  I don't
know if this has anything to do with my hyperthyroidism, but
nonetheless, I just can't take any of these medications.

I've tried taking Seldane which doesn't give me the side effects,
but doesn't seem to get rid of the headaches either.  I've
also tried taking antihistimines, which I am able to take, but
those don't help either.

Any suggestions?  The answer doesn't necessarily have to be
medication.  Anything that would help would be greatly
appreciated.

Thanks,
Linda
lindae@netcom.com
From: geb@cs.pitt.edu (Gordon Banks)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Drug-firm sponsored research supplements (was Re: FDA - Is this true or is it a hoax?)
Date: 29 Sep 92 16:04:10 GMT
Reply-To: geb@cs.pitt.edu (Gordon Banks)
Organization: Univ. of Pittsburgh Computer Science

I've only been on one of these also.  They are now no longer offered,
I think, due to ethical concerns which are valid.  This one was
on anticonvulsant monotherapy sponsored by Abbott (maker of
Depakote).  I found it the same as Ken did, very objective.
No talks by any employees of Abbott, but by researchers in the
field.  I think Abbott's reason for sponsoring it was that they
had a new drug, as good as the old drugs, and they knew that
the experts would say that.  They couldn't help but benefit
from more widespread knowledge, since those who didn't have up
to date knowledge would still be using the older agents.
It was very nice.  They put us up at the Ritz in Naples,
FL.  Paid for the food and the airfare.  In my case, I was
grateful, but I didn't prescribe any more Depakote than I had
been doing.  I do think it is legitimate to prohibit such junkets,
though, since they do undoubtedly increase the costs of the drugs
to the patients, who can ill afford it in many cases.

-- 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gordon Banks  N3JXP      | "I have given you an argument; I am not obliged
geb@cadre.dsl.pitt.edu   |  to supply you with an understanding." -S.Johnson
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: mdkline@rodan.acs.syr.edu (Mark D. Kline)
Subject: Re: Doctors' credentials
Organization: Syracuse University
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 92 17:51:30 EDT

In article <1992Sep29.140127.10092@eng.umd.edu> georgec@eng.umd.edu (George B. Clark) writes:
>In article <1992Sep28.204251.27190@uvmark.uucp> susan@uvmark.uucp (Susan Todhunter - (JWT)) writes:
>>
>>What is a "problem patient"?
>>
>
>A "problem patient" is a patient who is hard to get along with. It's the
>same scenario as a "problem customer" in a retail store, i.e. a customer
>who complains as a matter of habit, even if his complaints have no
>merit. It is someone who whines.

There are many kinds of problem patients.  Ideally the doctor patient
relationship is one of trust - that's two ways.  Some patients demand
respect they don't give, some have their lawyer on speed dial, some are
looking for the doctor to do something nonmedical for them (e.g., help
them get disability, rather than help them get well), some have
psychosocial problems that interfere with medical treatment, some want
recreational prescriptions, some demand appointments tomorrow then
don't show up (its always somebody else's fault), some are alcoholic or
drug addicted, some don't pay their bills (they figure the doctor is
rich and doesn't need the money) just to list a few off the top of my
head.

Some people have very legitimate gripes about doctors.  And vice versa.

--
================================================================= 
mark kline                              mdkline@rodan.acs.syr.edu
suny health science center, syracuse    voice: (315) 422-1050
================ courtesy of syracuse university ================
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: wc4209@writer.yorku.ca 
Subject: Screening for lead
Originator: wc4209@innis
Organization: Computer Assisted Writing Centre, York University, Toronto, Canada
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1992 05:07:51 GMT

I've read recently a recommendation to screen infants for lead
poisoning starting from about one year old using "Free erythrocyte
protoporphyrin (FEP)" as an initial screening test. Anyone have any
comments on the usefulness or prevalence of this test in everyday
pediatric or family practice?
From: med50003@nusunix1.nus.sg (WANSAICHEONG KHIN-LIN)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Why test before hep vaccine?
Date: 1 Oct 92 09:43:51 GMT
Organization: National University of Singapore
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL6]

Testing before vaccination is to determine the status of the person.

1. If you have the antibody but not the antigen, you are already
protected and the vaccination not needed.

2. If you have the antigen but no antibody, you either have the
infection or are a carrier. Again, vaccination is not needed. (See
below)

3. If you have the antigen and the antibody, you probably have an acute
infection or recently had one. Ditto about the vaccination.

4. If you do not have the antigen or antibody, you may get an infection
and a vaccination will be offered to you.

About 2, this gets a bit complicated but you either go into group 1 or
remain in group 2 for life. It is those who carry the infection that are
at increased risk for liver cancer (although most actually live normal
lives and never would have noticed or bothered about it).

Who will stay in group 2 and who will go to group 1 is a fairly
difficult to say and you may want to read up some more about this.

Gervais
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: dyer@spdcc.com (Steve Dyer)
Subject: Re: Starting an alternative medicine newsgroup
Organization: S.P. Dyer Computer Consulting, Cambridge MA
Date: Sun, 4 Oct 1992 17:20:59 GMT

In article <16757@pitt.UUCP> geb@cs.pitt.edu (Gordon Banks) writes:
>>I vote for this nonsense to stay in sci.skeptic.
>
>What is the charter of sci.skeptic?  Is it for those skeptical
>of science or those skeptical of claims like those made for iridology,
>for example?

It's a group skeptical of bunkum and nonsense.

I don't think anything whatsoever is gained by isolating these morons
into groups of their own, letting them feed on each other's credulousness
until their faculties turn to mush.  They're living in the 20th century,
using 20th century equipment to spread such nonsense:  let a little
enlightenment shine on their pre-scientific fingers (I hesitate to use
the word "brains".)

-- 
Steve Dyer
dyer@ursa-major.spdcc.com aka {ima,harvard,rayssd,linus,m2c}!spdcc!dyer
From: hrubin@pop.stat.purdue.edu (Herman Rubin)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Cost Concerns in Med School?
Date: 30 Sep 92 16:15:18 GMT
Organization: Purdue University Statistics Department

In article <BvD8zJ.33x@wpg.com> russ@wpg.com (Russell Lawrence) writes:
>From article <16651@pitt.UUCP>, by geb@cs.pitt.edu (Gordon Banks):
>> In article <Ieki79W00Uh74105gs@andrew.cmu.edu> sean+@andrew.cmu.edu (Sean McLinden) writes:
>>>>   Would anyone who knows more about this care to comment on why these
>>>>   disposable tools are so expensive?

>>>Because:

>>>    1. The cost of getting the device approved for use in human beings.
>>>    2. The fact that there is little competition in the medical devices area.
>>>    3. Up until now, the system will pay for it (and still does).


>> Add to that the liability insurance for the manufacturer.  When I
>> was taking sports medicine as an intern, I had an idea of using
>> RTV to make flexible casts that football players could wear in
>> a game without hurting people.  We got a tub of it and did some
>> experiments.  But when the company found out what we were doing they
>> told the dealers not to sell it to us.  They had another product,
>> which was exactly the same stuff, but approved for medical use
>> that was 100 times as expensive.  

>How much of the increase was attributable to liability insurance?

>Would you be in favor of abolishing the Medical Devices Amendment
>of the Pure Food and Drug Act?

I would be in favor of abolishing the stupid idea that the manufacturer
of widgets is responsible for any problems in using the widgets in ways
the manufacturer does not claim are safe.  In return for this protection,
the manufacturer must make the relative safety and effectiveness information
available to the users.

It is essential that incompetent government bureaucrats, and under the 
present setup there will be few who are not, do not dictate what people
can and cannot do.  Everything has risks and benefits, and those taking
sports medicine were probably more knowledgeable about what they were
doing than the regulators.  The increased cost of medically approved
products is at least partly due to the stupidities enforced by the
regulators.  With the movement to essentially public payment of at
least a substantial part of medical costs, it is us taxpayers and
consumers who are stuck with the bill.
-- 
Herman Rubin, Dept. of Statistics, Purdue Univ., West Lafayette IN47907-1399
Phone: (317)494-6054
hrubin@pop.stat.purdue.edu (Internet, bitnet)  
{purdue,pur-ee}!pop.stat!hrubin(UUCP)
From: geb@cs.pitt.edu (Gordon Banks)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Arrogance, arthritis, & Banks
Date: 28 Sep 92 15:02:11 GMT
Reply-To: geb@cs.pitt.edu (Gordon Banks)
Organization: Univ. of Pittsburgh Computer Science

In article <Bv3sFp.Hqs@wpg.com> russ@wpg.com (Russell Lawrence) writes:

>expertise or even personal interest.  In such cases, it's 
>unlikely that they're going to have much success in convincing a 
>person who's allegedly misinformed unless they take the time to 
>present ample details along with suitable references.  
>

They may not convince the original poster, but regular readers
form opinions about who is sensible on what topics and who is
riding a hobby horse.  They may well convince a large number
of people without spending hours in the library dredging up
references.  

>The notion that we should have a separate group for quack theories
>doesn't make much sense to me, unless you can point to someone who's
>always right (a god perhaps) who can tell everyone in advance which
>theories are unfounded and which ones are solid.
>
Well, there is a broad division that is pretty much agreed upon.
There is scientific medicine, using western science as the model
and there is alternative medicine, with such things as traditional
chinese medicine, accupuncture, herbalism, etc.  Alternative
medicine could all be lumped into one group, as far as I am concerned,
without saying that they are all equally valid or invalid.  This
doesn't say that all alternative medicine is invalid, it just says
that science isn't the method used to decide on its validity.

>Personally, I'm disgusted by the ever-present flames.  

What group do you know of (other than say, folk music and others like
that) that doesn't have flame wars?  This is better than most.
But getting alternative medicine its own group would help.
I promise not to go in and cause flame wars there, myself,
if such a group is created.

-- 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gordon Banks  N3JXP      | "I have given you an argument; I am not obliged
geb@cadre.dsl.pitt.edu   |  to supply you with an understanding." -S.Johnson
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Xref: sparky sci.med:18567 alt.folklore.urban:24955
From: mcdonald@aries.scs.uiuc.edu (J. D. McDonald)
Newsgroups: sci.med,alt.folklore.urban
Subject: Re: Self Castration (was Re: "Problem Patient")
Date: 6 Oct 92 14:24:06 GMT
Article-I.D.: aries.mcdonald.365
Distribution: usa,au
Organization: UIUC SCS

In article <1992Oct5.173830.7948@newstand.syr.edu> mdkline@rodan.acs.syr.edu (Mark D. Kline) writes:

>In article <Bvnp1G.Ly6@mentor.cc.purdue.edu> kelley@vet.vet.purdue.edu (Stephen Kelley) writes:
>>In article <16768@pitt.UUCP> geb@cs.pitt.edu (Gordon Banks) writes:
>>- 
>>- I saw a much more interesting case in Madison Wisconsin.  THis
>>- fellow was not a Munchausen's, but had a compulsion to operate
>>- on himself.  He was a genetics graduate student.  The first
>>

>I saw a patient in upstate New York who had "surgically" amputated 
>his own testicles.

This was discussed some years ago in rec.music.classical [sic].
Apparently the testicles of Percy Grainger were cut off by himself and
mailed to the museum for him in Australia.

The general concensus was that it was a true story.

Doug McDonald
From: Rick.Ellis@ofa123.fidonet.org
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Osteoarthritis Info Wanted
X-Sender: newtout 0.02 Sep 21 1992
Date: 28 Sep 92  22:55:34

On <Sep 28 22:55> Steve Dyer writes:


 SD> Azithromycin.  I'd imagine that chlamydial arthritis is pretty rare.

What can you tell us about azithromycin.  I just switch from it as it didn't
seem to be working.
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Placenta Abruptions and Bedrest ??
From: RGINZBERG@eagle.wesleyan.edu (Ruth Ginzberg)
Date: 5 Oct 92 21:16:04 EDT
Distribution: world
Organization: Philosophy Dept., Wesleyan University
X-News-Reader: VMS NEWS 1.20In-Reply-To: jasonc@hpnmdla.sr.hp.com's message of Fri, 2 Oct 1992 20:30:10 GMTLines: 38

In <4260050@hpnmdla.sr.hp.com> jasonc@hpnmdla.sr.hp.com writes:

> My wife is four months pregnant, and has had problems with spotting and
> on a few occasions severe bleeding.  Our doctor has diagnosed the
> problem as a placenta abruption and prescribed bedrest for the remainder
> of her pregnancy.
-----factual info-----:
Abruptio placenta is separation of the placenta ("afterbirth") from the uterine
wall *before* the baby is born. (It isn't supposed to separate until after the
birth of the infant.)  Obviously, if the pregnancy is continuing, the
separation is only partial.  It usually occurs after 28 weeks & is more common
in women who've had several babies.  It can be caused by toxemia, high blood
pressure, a short cord, or injury to the mother, but usually no cause is
apparent.
-----opinion----------:
You don't have too many other treatment options now, because the fetus isn't
viable yet, so a c-section to save the baby from hypoxia isn't a possibility, &
I don't think we know how to reattach placentae surgically yet.  So preventing
further placental separation, & carefully monitoring both mother & fetus for
further complications seems about your best bet, if you're determined to try to
continue this particular pregnancy.  I hope your doctor told you that this is a
pretty serious complication for this pregnancy.  I believe that most doctors
describe this complication (at 16-17 wks gestation, anyway) as "threatened
spontaneous abortion" rather than as "abruptio placenta."  The same condition
would more likely be described as "abruptio placenta" if your wife's pregnancy
were about 8 weeks more advanced.  It might not be a bad idea, even while
maintaining a positive attitude, to prepare yourselves for the possibility that
this particular pregnancy may not be destined to go full term.  If your wife is
"four months" pregnant (i.e., circa 17 weeks?), that fetus really needs at
least 8 or 9 more good weeks in utero before it even becomes a candidate for an
incubator.
----disclaimer--------:
I'm a college professor, not a doctor.  If anything yr doc said is different,
trust yr doc's info/opinions more than what I say.

------------------------
Ruth Ginzberg <rginzberg@eagle.wesleyan.edu>
Philosophy Department;Wesleyan University;USA
From: geb@cs.pitt.edu (Gordon Banks)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Patients rights to copies of medical records
Date: 1 Oct 92 15:53:49 GMT
Reply-To: geb@cs.pitt.edu (Gordon Banks)
Organization: Univ. of Pittsburgh Computer Science

In article <1992Sep29.161152.25034@unislc.uucp> chris@unislc.uucp (Chris DelPrete) writes:
>Does a patient have a right to read his or her medical records?
>
>Does a patient have a right to a copy of his or her medical records?
>
>Is there a law covering this?
>
>Does the law vary from state to state?

This was hashed out in extenso a couple of months back, pointing
out the need for the archive.  In most states the physician
is required to deliver records to any other physician chosen
by the patient.  In only a few is the patient given the right
to have the records given to them.  The records are considered
property of the person who created them (or hospital) in most
states.  However, it is recognized that the information may be
needed for the welfare of the patient and so the right to withhold
it is limited.  See a lawyer for your own particular jurisdiction.
-- 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gordon Banks  N3JXP      | "I have given you an argument; I am not obliged
geb@cadre.dsl.pitt.edu   |  to supply you with an understanding." -S.Johnson
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: geb@cs.pitt.edu (Gordon Banks)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Cost Concerns in Med School?
Date: 29 Sep 92 21:08:25 GMT
Article-I.D.: pitt.16651
Reply-To: geb@cs.pitt.edu (Gordon Banks)
Organization: Univ. of Pittsburgh Computer Science

In article <Ieki79W00Uh74105gs@andrew.cmu.edu> sean+@andrew.cmu.edu (Sean McLinden) writes:
>>   Would anyone who knows more about this care to comment on why these
>>   disposable tools are so expensive?
>
>Because:
>
>    1. The cost of getting the device approved for use in human beings.
>    2. The fact that there is little competition in the medical devices area.
>    3. Up until now, the system will pay for it (and still does).
>

Add to that the liability insurance for the manufacturer.  When I
was taking sports medicine as an intern, I had an idea of using
RTV to make flexible casts that football players could wear in
a game without hurting people.  We got a tub of it and did some
experiments.  But when the company found out what we were doing they
told the dealers not to sell it to us.  They had another product,
which was exactly the same stuff, but approved for medical use
that was 100 times as expensive.  

-- 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gordon Banks  N3JXP      | "I have given you an argument; I am not obliged
geb@cadre.dsl.pitt.edu   |  to supply you with an understanding." -S.Johnson
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: ekirby@buckeye.boeing.com (Elizabeth Kirby)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Excess Of Vitamin C?
Date: 1 Oct 92 23:35:57 GMT
Reply-To: ekirby@buckeye.boeing.com (Elizabeth Kirby)

In article <16642@pitt.UUCP>, geb@cs.pitt.edu (Gordon Banks) writes:
|> In article <4283.466.uupcb@wugate.wustl.edu> carl.camurca%travel@wugate.wustl.edu (Carl Camurca) writes:
|> >
|> >PR>I believe that Linus Pauling said he takes about 18 grams a day, and
|> >PR>he seems to be doing pretty well.
|> >
|> >BTW, are you familiar with Pauling's reasons for his hypervitamin
|> >diet? (He takes other vit's in huge amounts, too)
|> >
|> 
|> When Pauling's book on vitamin C came out, he recommended 1 gram
|> per day.  After they did studies with 1 gram per day showing no
|> effect on the frequency of colds in normal volunteers, he said,
|> "well, it really is 4 grams per day".  So they did those experiments,
|> still no better than placebo.  I suppose Pauling just keeps escalating
|> the dose and says they having been giving enough to disprove his
|> theories.  18 grams is so absurd, it is ridiculous.  There is no
|> way we could have evolved to require such high doses.  His urine
|> must corrode his commode something awful.
|> 
|> -- 
|> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
|> Gordon Banks  N3JXP      | "I have given you an argument; I am not obliged
|> geb@cadre.dsl.pitt.edu   |  to supply you with an understanding." -S.Johnson
|> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------


	I was looking in a book on Linus Pauling the other day
which seemed to suggest (in short) that about 10 grams of vit. C
per day *might* be carcinogenic and that Pauling's ideas on the
effect of vit C haven't really been tested.   There were a couple
of studies done by the Mayo clinic that have been critized (by
Pauling) for not really testing his claims (the time span was too
short by far).   Does anyone know anything about these claims?

		Thanks,		Beth
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: shafer@rigel.dfrf.nasa.gov (Mary Shafer)
Subject: Re: dangers of microwaving
Organization: NASA Dryden, Edwards, Cal.
	<1992Sep29.173422.2294@athena.cs.uga.edu>
	<1992Oct1.165808.1535@aoa.aoa.utc.com>
Date: Sun, 4 Oct 1992 03:28:37 GMT

On Thu, 1 Oct 1992 16:58:08 GMT, carl@aoa.aoa.utc.com (Carl Witthoft) said:

Carl> The only significant dangers from a microwave are:
Carl> 1) radiation leakage mucking up a pacemaker.  This is very low
Carl> risk unless you've badly damaged the oven door.
Carl> 2) risk of infection due to failure to heat the food all the way
Carl> thru.  Make  sure meats in particular reach some nice temperature
Carl> at their center.  I think 250F or so is good.

NO, NO, NO.

It's impossible to get meat above 212 deg F (100 deg C) and still have
it even vaguely resemble meat.  What you'll get at 250 deg F will more
closely resemble charcoal briquettes.  

In fact, it's impossible to get almost any food except for some
concentrated sugar solutions and pure fats above boiling temperature
and have them resemble food.  (Well, except for pressure cookers, but
I only mention this for completeness since we're talking about
microwaves.)  This is not a question of cooking technique, it's a
question of physics.  You can raise the surface temperature a little
above the boiling poing (hence the surface charring from broiling or
grilling) but you won't have food if you get it all to that internal
temperature. 

My microwave says 170 deg F for pork (trichinosis, I presume) and
185 deg F for turkey (salmonella, I presume) at the center of the
meat, using the temperature probe.

--
Mary Shafer  DoD #0362 KotFR NASA Dryden Flight Research Facility, Edwards, CA
shafer@rigel.dfrf.nasa.gov                    Of course I don't speak for NASA
 "There's no kill like a guns kill." LCDR "Hoser" Satrapa, gunnery instructor
                       "A kill is a kill."  Anonymous
From: llama@pooh.cc.utexas.edu (sine nomine)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: rape and std's
Date: 6 Oct 92 21:11:26 GMT
Article-I.D.: ut-emx.81194
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL5

a friend of mine was date-raped by a virtual stranger last weekend.
she's (understandably) pretty freaked out, but she's getting a lot of
help and support with the emotional side of things; she's got a lot of
friends and we're all trying to let her talk it out as much as she
needs to.

i'm really concerned, though, about the physical side of things. the
guy used no protection, and i'm wondering how she should go about
getting tested for various diseases. i know that an aids test won't
mean anything until several months have gone by, but what else should
she have herself tested for? is it sufficient to go to planned
parenthood or some place similar and say "i was raped and i'm worried
about disease"? is there any length of time she should wait before
having these tests? is testing even necessary?

any input will be appreciated. thanks.

--
sine nomine
debbie martinson
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: phr@telebit.com (Paul Rubin)
Subject: Re: "Problem Patient"
Organization: Telebit Corporation; Sunnyvale, CA, USA
	<1992Oct3.135230.27052@genie.slhs.udel.edu>
	<1992Oct4.125657.16718@newstand.syr.edu>
Distribution: usa
Date: 5 Oct 92 18:52:38

    It has been suggested that patients with a confirmed diagnosis of
    Munchausen's Syndrome should be tatooed prominently so that physicians
    elsewhere won't fall for their shenanigans.  

Nah.  They'd just remove the tatoo with a welding torch and head for
the nearest burn ward for a whole new round of treatment...