Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Personal Health: The Doctor is Ill

Muscle aches (myalgias), irritated throat, aches to swallow, sudden sneezing, feeling warm, thirst.  Which patient had these symptoms?  I remember one person with a common cold and another couple of patients with sore throat and cough.  What are the chances that I contracted a respiratory infection from an infected patient?

So what does a physician do for early symptoms of a cold?  Water, Naproxen Sodium, Echinacea and Vitamin C.  Rest and watch a video (The Visitor which has some nice parts about playing Djembe drums).  More water.

Headaches, neck aches.  No cough yet.  Maybe it's a quick virus that will ease up quickly.  More water.  Eyes ache and feel tired and sleepy.  One cough, one yawn.

More water.  Two more introductory coughs.  It's heading for the lungs. Bed time.  2 teaspoons of Tussin (same as Robitussin DM) and so to bed.  No thoughts, by the way, of calling a physician, needing antibiotics, or going to a health care facility. (That might be cheating, since I'm a doctor)

Awakened by phone ringing at 4:59 AM by page on cell phone to call a local Emergency Department to discuss with the emergency physician a patient I hadn't seen in ten years who had a lung infection and unusual finding on a CT scan of the chest.  Two and one half hours later another phone call from an employee calling off work for having infection worse than mine. 

I arise, feed the cat and take my vitamins, echinacea, vitamin C, vitamin D3, naproxen sodium, omega 3 fish oil and water.  No more muscle aches or sore throat.  No cough. One sneeze.  I feel fine.  Drink water, get dressed and off to work site.

I've had my annual flu shot and my diptheria, tetanus, and pertussis (whooping cough) booster.  I wash my hands about 35 times per day. I follow infection control strategies recommended by the  Henry the Hand web site.

I feel fine at work all day and the day after.  I guess my immune system warded off a viral respiratory infection.

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