HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: geb@dsl.pitt.edu (gordon e. banks)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Colonic irrigations
Keywords: alt medicine
Date: 21 Jul 92 21:08:09 GMT
Organization: Decision Systems Laboratory, Univ. of Pittsburgh, PA.

In article <1992Jul20.013403.24229@techbook.com> cathy@techbook.com (Cathy Gaupo) writes:
>I have read recently about colonic irrigations being useful for 
>people with 'backed up systems', or becoming ill, or for people starting
>a juice fast.  
>
>Are they any good?  Do regular M.D.'s see their value?  Is theis only a
>part of alternate medicine?
>
Colonic irrigation is a dangerous quack treatment which has been
outlawed in many jurisdictions.  It has no established use.
There have been deaths due to the procedure.

>
>Also,  is there any newsgroup that talks about alternate medicine.  I am
>interested in learning more about herbolgy, natural medicine,
>aromatherpy and the like....
>

I've been trying to get people to start one to get this stuff out
of sci.med, but no luck.

-- 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gordon Banks  N3JXP      | "Skepticism is the chastity of the intellect, and
geb@cadre.dsl.pitt.edu   |  it is shameful to surrender it too soon." 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: scramer@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Steve K Cramer)
Subject: Drugs and Pregnancy
Organization: The Ohio State University
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 1992 13:13:53 GMT

Please forgive me if this post is inappropriate to this group.

Question: Why Wife and I are trying to get pregnant. She just came down with a 
sinus infection, and was prescribed amoxycillin, pseudofed, and Tylenol. She 
was told by her doctor that there is no risk of harming a fetus by taking these
drugs. She wanted me to ask you folks, just to feel better. Is there a risk, to
a developing fetus, from any of these drugs?

Thanks in advance.

*******************************************************************************
Steve Cramer                               scramer@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu
Systems Support Specialist
Office of Continuing Education    224 Mount Hall    614-292-8481
The Ohio State University
*******************************************************************************
From: collene@unisql.UUCP (Collene Pearce)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Inderal vs. Inderal LA
Date: 30 Jul 92 17:32:13 GMT
Reply-To: collene@unisql.UUCP (Collene Pearce)
Organization: UniSQL, Inc., Austin, Texas, USA

In article <8398.2A715AA6@stjhmc.fidonet.org> Tom.Kashuba@f99.n101.z1.fidonet.org (Tom Kashuba) writes:
>In an article of <13 Jul 92 18:47:48 GMT>, steege@bchm.biochem.duke.edu (Lora 
>LeMosy) writes:
>
>Re: Migraines, Inderal, et al
>
> LL: If anyone has any general information or advice, I would be 
> LL: most appreciative.
>

I used to have horrible migraine headaches.  Finally, they reached
a frequency of about 2-3 per week.  At that point, I went to the
specialist(s) and had every imaginable test run.  There was no medical
reason for me to have the headaches (they said).  So, knowing it
had worked with other patients, one doctor prescribed Inderal for 
me.   

I had been taking it about a month and it hadn't done a thing for the
headaches.  I am also allergic to fire ant bite (very allergic).  I was
bitten by 15 of them one day.  I jumped in the car (didn't have a little
stabber kit at the time), raced to the minor emergency center and went
into shock.  Obviously, I survived, but I almost didn't.  My gp was
very upset, and so was my allergist, that a beta blocker had been
prescribed for me.  

So, the thing is - if you have any allergic reactions to
bites/stings/etc., you probably shouldn't be taking a "beta blocker",
because it exaggerates the reaction.

After this mess, I went back to the neurologist and explained that
Inderal was out and we would have to think of something else.  He
suggested Pamelor (an anti-depressant), which "sometimes works for
reasons we do not know".  I took 25mg a day for 2 weeks and nothing
happened.  Then I took 50mg for 2 weeks, and my headaches lessened.
I still take the Pamelor (about a year now).  And I have, at most,
only one migraine headache a month.   

Knowing that Pamelor is an anti-depressant drug, I thought that
it might have some other positive effects on me.  However, although
my headaches are much improved, my disposition is the same.  ;-)
Drivers who don't signal had still better stay out of my way. ;-)


-- 

********************* #include <std_disclaimer.h> **********************
* A. Collene Pearce (512-343-7372, x114) * Organization: UniSQL, Inc.  *
*                                        * Austin, TX                  *
* unisql!collene@cs.utexas.edu           * 512-343-7297 or 7383(fax)   *
************************************************************************
From: geb@dsl.pitt.edu (gordon e. banks)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: A Question/Proposal for "Health Care Consumers"
Date: 26 Jul 92 02:52:45 GMT
Organization: Decision Systems Laboratory, Univ. of Pittsburgh, PA.

In article <1992Jul22.152557.7831@athena.mit.edu> jgnassi@athena.mit.edu (John Angelo Gnassi) writes:

>
>I spent the other half days at an elementary/junior high school
>without prepared lectures, just wandering from classroom to classroom.
>Big difference.  The kids there were *starved* for simple knowledge
>that I had.  I am not a trained educator, but I doubt that one has to
>be in order to teach people who really want to know something.
>
>What did they want to know?  About what germs are and how they are
>transmitted, and how to prevent transmission.  How xrays work and what
>you can tell from them.  How much blood the heart pumps in an hour and
>how one can measure it.  What did Beauregard (a dog) die of (this one
>I didn't know).  How common AIDS and HIV are in the world, the US, and
>Philadelphia.  Why strep throat is bad for you.  What is safe sex.
>How nerve gas works and how exposure can be treated.  How one figures
>out the relative dangers of, say, driving in a car, or flying in a
>plane (time-distance disctinction).  Why we can't know what's wrong
>with someone for certain all the time.  What white blood cells do.
>How one develops an immunity to something... why not all things?
>Do seatbelts actually save lives.  Is marijuana really bad for you.
>What a heart attack is and how you can prevent one.  Why everyone
>is worried about getting measles when there's a vaccine for it.
>(The measles and nerve gas questions were relevant to current
>events in 1990-'1.)
>
Sounds like a bunch of smart kids who haven't been totally
stifled by our educational system yet.  Don't be surprised if
you aren't invited back.  Such excursions into how exciting
knowledge can be doesn't fit into any lesson plan.  

Freeman Dyson talks about this in his lectures.  He was excited
by physics because in his school in England (long ago) they
only taught history, literature, and Greek.  Science was the
smart kid's way of exploring knowledge on his own.  Now that
science is taught in the public schools, Dyson suspects this
is why there are fewer and fewer great physicists.  He predicted
the same fate for computer science, now it has penetrated into
the public schools.  There is no subject so interesting that
a bad teacher can't ruin it.














-- 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gordon Banks  N3JXP      | "Skepticism is the chastity of the intellect, and
geb@cadre.dsl.pitt.edu   |  it is shameful to surrender it too soon." 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Ned.Canepa@f63.n161.z1.fidonet.org (Ned Canepa)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: BP of 150/90?
Date: 13 Jul 92 13:08:24 GMT
Organization: FidoNet node 1:161/63 - The Greatful Med, Concord CA

I take Visken, 10 mg twice a day for hypertension.  When I go to the doctor, 
even while taking the medication my BP reading might be like 150/90 or 
sometimes a little better.  ONce and a while I even get a 120/80...Then, at 
home with an electronic device, it is consistently in the 120/80 range..
I suspect maybe I have "white coat" syndrome.  The sight of the MD makes me 
nervous, then at home its ok.  Any opinions about this?  The other thing is,
is 150/90 anything to get excited over..I am 40 years old and my BP seems to 
get to that high whenever I'm at the doctor, for quite a few years..
THanks for any replies.


 

--  
Internet: Ned.Canepa@f63.n161.z1.fidonet.org
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: drand@spinner.osf.org (Douglas Rand)
Subject: Re: MRI, is it safe?
Organization: Open Software Foundation
	<1992Jul23.015139.25874@ux1.cts.eiu.edu>
Date: 23 Jul 92 14:46:26

In article <1992Jul23.015139.25874@ux1.cts.eiu.edu> cfaks@ux1.cts.eiu.edu (Alice Sanders) writes:

   >(Alice Sanders writes:)

   >   I need some feedback asap.  I'm supposed to have an MRI on my shoulder
      tomorrow a.m.  Is it completely safe?  Hurry.  Thanks.

   (Douglas Rand writes:_)
   >
   >There aren't any known side effects -- unless you have metal in
   >your body.  Then the strong magnets could, ah, apply force to the
   >metal and thus to you.  But it's safe otherwise.
   >
   (NEW)
   What about fillings in your teeth and/or wire orthodontic braces?  WOuld
   those cause any harm?

Fillings are silver and mercury - they aren't a problem.  I'm not too
sure about braces,  I'd ask the technician or the doctor.




--
Douglas S. Rand <drand@osf.org>		OSF/Motif Dev.
Snail:         11 Cambridge Center,  Cambridge,  MA  02142
Disclaimer:    I don't know if OSF agrees with me... let's vote on it.
Amateur Radio: KC1KJ
From: shirriff@sprite.berkeley.edu (Ken Shirriff)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: DES structure?
Date: 22 Jul 92 22:18:53 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: University of California, Berkeley
NNTP-Posting-Host: hijack.berkeley.edu

I noticed that DES is an estrogen, but its structure is totally different
from other estrogens (in fact from all other steroids), because it doesn't
have the four ring structure.  So what's going on here?  Does it get
metabolized to a normal estrogen or does it work some other way?

Ken Shirriff			shirriff@sprite.Berkeley.EDU
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: young@serum.kodak.com [Rich Young (x37176)]
Subject: Re: Telephones and Doctors
Originator: young@sasquatch
Reply-To: young@serum.kodak.com
Organization: Clinical Products Division, Eastman Kodak Company
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 92 16:55:05 GMT

In article <15769@pitt.UUCP> geb@dsl.pitt.edu (gordon e. banks) writes:

>In article <15764@pitt.UUCP> km@cs.pitt.edu (Ken Mitchum) writes:
>>
>>The last time I bought a car I spent three hours haggling with the
>>dealer to get the price I wanted. He found out I was a doctor after
>>the deal was done.
>>
>And I'll bet he cussed you up one side and down another after
>he found out.  I also never tell people I'm a doctor unless
>I trust them very well.  People assume all doctors are rich.
                          ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

   Clearly a false impression, since __I'm__ Rich and not a doctor, whereas
   you guys are Ken and Gordon and ARE doctors.  :-)

   Seriously, though, I _love_ to hear about car salespeople who end up on
   the short end for a change!  Makes me feel like I've been avenged for
   some of the beatings I've taken over the years.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>|<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Rich Young                             | Phone: (716) 253-7176
Eastman Kodak Company                  | FAX: (716) 253-7254
Clinical Products Division             | Internet: young@serum.kodak.com
100 Carlson Road                       |
Rochester, New York, USA   14653-9122  |
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>|<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: draper@gnd1.wtp.contel.com (PAM DRAPER)
Subject: nasal steroid sprays
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.3-4   
Reply-To: draper@gnd1.wtp.contel.com
Organization: GTE Government Systems, Federal Systems Division, Chantilly, VA
Distribution:  usa
Date: Thu, 30 Jul 1992 21:38:04 GMT

Does anyone out there know much about nasal sprays like Beconase, Nasalide,
or Nasalchrom?  For chronic stuffy nose upon reclining, my allergist put
me on Beconase 2 sprays twice a day.  After 3 months, no change.  My 
internist put me on Nasalide 2 sprays twice a day.  After three weeks,
no change.  I talked to the Pharmacists because the insert said to increase 

to three times a day.  She said it's ironic because they recently got a
memo that these three were not effective unless taken at least three times
a day. So then I called the ENT assistant and she said they normally 
prescribe these sprays for at least three times a day.  So, I started
taking the Nasalide three times a day twice in each nostril.  Within 3 days
I started getting headaches.  At first I didn't realize it could be the
spray.  Then a few more days later I started getting kind of like diarrhea,
not all day long mind you, but when I went, I went.  Then the third symptom
was very dry eyes, making it uncomfortable for me to wear my contacts at
night.  

I called the pharmacist again today.  Since my mom's doctor gave
her nasalcort, I wondered if that was like nasalchrom; the last spray
for me to try.  She said it was in the Nasalide family; like aspirin
is to advil.  So I asked how did nasalchrom differ from nasalide?  She
said nasalchrom was used like allergy shots- to desensitize you.  You
use it preseason to keep the reaction from occurring.  If you get the
allergy symptoms its because you didn't start the spray early enough.

Well, here I am suffering interrupted sleep for 2 1/2 years because of
my nose swelling up at night.  What do I do?  I'm on the wait list
to see an ENT, which is a four month wait- I have 2 months to go.

Have you ever heard of these symptoms from this nasal spray?  Do you 
think I was on the beconase at a high enough dosage or was it like taking
one aspirin instead of 2 for a headache?  I have no problems with my
nose when upright, do you think the nasalchrom is what I really need?
Should I call my allergist and request it?  Or is it not worth it.

I've been told as well as have read that 2,000 mg of vitatmin C is suppose
to work.  Also, that 100 mg of Vitamin B panthonine acid is good for this.
What about food allergies?  No one has considered this either.  We haven't
successfully found the cause of my stuffy nose either.

Any information and advice would be appreciated.
From: kim@techbook.com (Kim Larsen)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: ALS
Date: 27 Jul 92 05:22:44 GMT
Article-I.D.: techbook.1992Jul27.052244.8307
Organization: TECHbooks --- Public Access UNIX --- (503) 644-8135

In article <15826@pitt.UUCP> geb@dsl.pitt.edu (gordon e. banks) writes:
>It is not a very difficult diagnosis except in its very earliest
>stages.  The combination of widespread denervation and upper motor neuron
>signs is almost always ALS.  Occassionaly a clivus chordoma,
>foramen magnum menigioma or severe spinal stenosis can mimic
>the disease, but these can all be ruled out with imaging.  Some
>hereditary olivopontocerebellar degenerations can look like ALS
>also, and behave somewhat similarly.  

Oh, dear...
My Barron's Dictionary of Medical Terms has utterly failed me.  What is
an olivopontocerebellar degeneration?  What is a clivus chordoma?
Are either of them related to heffalu,ps?

  __Kim (feeling the need to lie in the recumbent position)

-- 
kim@techbook.COM    Not affiliated with TECHbooks
----------------------------------------------------------
From: stone@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Glenn Stone)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Red Hot Chili Peppers...(was: Colonic irrigations)
Date: 29 Jul 92 18:17:17 GMT
Reply-To: stone@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Glenn Stone)
Organization: Columbia University

In article <1992Jul29.152449.1341@speedy.aero.org> nadel@attatash.aero.org (Miriam Nadel) writes:

>The more popular current theories about the use of hot foods in hot climates
>is:
>1) The spices grow there to begin with.  People tend to use the ingredients
>at hand.

This theory is not so hot.  Chili peppers were a Mesoamerican
domesticate, but after contact their use spread through parts of
Africa and Asia.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Glenn Davis Stone                                BITNET: stone@cunixf
  Columbia University            INTERNET: stone@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Robin.Salmansohn@f715.n273.z1.fidonet.org (Robin Salmansohn)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Medical records go with you?
Date: 14 Jul 92 14:22:43 GMT
Organization: FidoNet node 1:273/715 - Alternative Lifesty, Wyndmoor PA


 AM> This sounds like medical paternalism to me.  The 
 AM> patient who has sufficient maturity to seek 
 AM> his/her medical records will normally have 
 AM> sufficient maturity to either understand his/her 
 AM> records, or take them to someone who can explain 
 AM> them.  Sure there will be exceptions.  You would 
 AM> deny the many access to their records on account 
 AM> of the immaturity of the few?  Stop playing God!
 
I am not playing God. It can be a mess if the patient has just a little
bit of knowlege, and reads a transcription error. It very much depends
on the patient. Some pts read things in to a problem. Some do not.
It is better if the doctor takes the time to explain things to a patient 
anyway. (aside from errors, it is better, especially if there
is a 2 way converstion). Interaction is good for the patient and also keeps 
the md sharp as to what the patient presents and is concerned about. Medical 
records should be avialable when there some reason that the doctor is not, but 
records do not talk, and are not as good as a
human being. Then too the MD has to shape his words for the patient,
if that person is in the trained opinion of the MD, going to stop
taking a medication should it be needed, or if the records have a bad 
transcription error (you would be surprised how many there are!) that might 
scare the patient. I am not talking about lawsuits, as that is another matter. 
But rather, I truely mean that if the doctor and pt. discuss things in the 
first place, it is just plain better.
No patient (short of a patient who is disturbed) should be denied access
to records when it is needed. But perusing through transcripts is not the best 
option if the doctor and patient can have a serious talk instead.


 

--  
Internet: Robin.Salmansohn@f715.n273.z1.fidonet.org
From: geb@dsl.pitt.edu (gordon e. banks)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: "Aging disease"
Keywords: aging disease puberty maturation
Date: 21 Jul 92 14:26:25 GMT
Organization: Decision Systems Laboratory, Univ. of Pittsburgh, PA.

In article <32636@auc.UUCP> usul@auc.UUCP (Ron McBay) writes:
>I have a question about the "aging disease" (sorry, I don't know the
>real name of it) that causes kids to die of old age by the time
>they're 14 or so: Do they go through puberty?  What I mean is, is the
>aging process identical to the maturation process?  I was reading

No.  THe aging process has nothing to do with the maturation
process and they do not go through puberty early.  Precocious
puberty is another disease.
-- 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gordon Banks  N3JXP      | "Skepticism is the chastity of the intellect, and
geb@cadre.dsl.pitt.edu   |  it is shameful to surrender it too soon." 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: km@speedy.cs.pitt.edu (Ken Mitchum)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Colonic irrigations
Keywords: alt medicine
Date: 24 Jul 92 21:15:54 GMT
Reply-To: km@cs.pitt.edu (Ken Mitchum)
Organization: Computer Science Dept., University of Pittsburgh

In article <1992Jul23.020521.37791@ux1.cts.eiu.edu> cfaks@ux1.cts.eiu.edu (Alice Sanders) writes:
>This has been an interesting thread.  And such amazing stories.  Is that a
>joke about the jar of mayonnaise?!  

That is no joke! I have seen the xray myself.

The stories about potatoes growing in other regions of the body
are also true. You would be amazed at what some people do.

 -km
From: kurt@eskimo.celestial.com (Kurt Cockrum)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: FDA still at large
Keywords: FDA, unconstitutional illegal action,single-issue blindness
Date: 25 Jul 92 19:28:16 GMT
Organization: >>> Eskimo North (206)-FOR-EVER <<<

In article <2860@voodoo.UUCP> das@voodoo.boeing.com (Deb Schwartz) writes:
>In article <1992Jul23.081405.3582@cbnewse.cb.att.com> doctor1@cbnewse.cb.att.com (patrick.b.hailey) writes:
>>
>>As another example, if you have a fatal disease and have only 6 months to
>>live, and you read about some treatment in France that is working wonders, you
>>could actually have it, if you want.  The FDA could certainly tell you that
>>they don't know yet if it's safe.  But they couldn't force you (or your
>>doctor) at gunpoint to withhold treatment so that your last 6 months are safe
>>months.

They can, too.  They use that very same rationale to prohibit mariguana usage
and sales by/to terminal cancer patients and people dying of AIDS.

>Hmmm...I wonder....Preliminary research has shown that RU-486 may be
>very effective in treating advanced breast cancer.  If I had breast cancer
>that did not respond to any of the currently legal treatments, and tried
>to bring RU-486 into the country for the purpose of treating my breast
>cancer, would the government and FDA let me?  Anyone want to hazard a guess?
>
>Debbie Schwartz // das@voodoo.boeing.com  // or uunet!bcstec!voodoo!das 

Yes.  Your breast cancer is just Ghod's Phunishment for wanting to Khill
Bhaybees!  Since bringing RU486 into the country is Attempting To Thwart
Ghod's Whill, and we live in a nation Under Ghod, the government and FDA
will Nhot let you bring in RU486 to Khill Bhaybees.  So there and Glory B!
-- 
kurt@grogatch.celestial.com (Kurt Cockrum)
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: cwm@beta.lanl.gov (Christina W Mercier)
Subject: Re: Thrush
Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1992 20:18:17 GMT

In article <607@ceylon.gte.com> vrs0@bunny.gte.com (V. Stern) writes:
>I think my 19 month-old son has thrush.  I noticed a lot of white stuff on 
>the roof of his mouth yesterday while he was crying.  He has not been 
>interested in eating for the past couple of days.   He's also been a 
>little restless at night, which is highly unusual for him.  It's almost 
>like he is having bad dreams, so it's probably coincidental.  Otherwise he 
>seems normal.   I called the pediatrician, and he simply phoned in a 
>prescription for Nystatin.  I told him I had never seen thrush, so 
>couldn't be sure that's what it is, but he didn't want to see him.
>
>I would like to know where this could have come from.  My books say very 
>little about it.  It seems to be more common in infants.  My son has been 
>in good health and has not been on antibiotics lately.  We were at a lake 
>over the week-end and I know he ingested a little bit of lake water.  
>Could that have done it?  I gather that the thrush is painful.  The doctor 
>also did not say how long to use the medicine.  I have enough for fifteen 
>days, but that seems overly long to me.
>
>Last question.  What exactly is Nystatin?  Is it an antibiotic or an 
>antifungal medcine?
>
>Thanks!!!
>
>Vanessa R. Stern
>vrs0@bunny.gte.com

GET ANOTHER PEDIATRICIAN!!!!
Make sure he or she is board certified too!

Newsgroups: sci.med