FBN

Splitting coated tabs may lead to a rapid absorption and increase in the blood levels of that particular drug or deficient absorption as the coating usually is designed to allow for the release of the drug in the gut rather than stomach where gastric acid may reduce the bio-availability or effectiveness of the medication.

Splitting coated tabs may also not be accurate, resulting in different doses.

Best is to stick to the proper dose and presentation. If you do split this particular drug in question, best to have blood lipid levels checked at about a 6 week interval.

Question: Shouldn't the other symptoms I mentioned be evident during my attack with the fever?

I went to a specialist a few weeks ago. He said the symptoms didn't sound like malaria. He said there was a one in a hundred chance I may have contracted dengue fever. More than likely he said I picked up a virus on the plane. It took five weeks to get the result of the blood test here in Canada. I was one of the lucky ones. No malaria, no dengue fever.

This is how people die from malaria (and several per year do in Europe alone). Coming from Thailand and Laos (you did not say if you were in an area where exposure was likely) your chances were probably less than coming from Africa.

Generally, if you return after a visit to a known high endemic area and have a high fever or "flu-like" symptoms, even if you had been taking prophylaxis, the safest is to assume malaria until proven otherwise. Medical practitioners in countries where no malaria occurs, seldom keep that in mind unless they are made aware of your travels. Even then, diagnostic capabilities are usually not that great.

If this had been malaria, the blood test result in this case, would have been known posthumously...

Mobi,

You had the pseudomembranous colitis a few weeks ago. With underlying diabetes, it may just be fungal overgrowth as we suggested in a post on that thread. C. dificile is not easily found in tests but have it repeated.

More antibiotics without a specific diagnosis will only aggravate the situation.

By all means have a colonoscopy done; it is a good test to have if you are over 50 anyway but I don't know of any colon cancer that presented with diarrhoea; the colonoscopy should exclude that and may also offer an opportunity to take samples from the intestine for checking.

Can you clarify ''I don't know of any colon cancer that presented with diarrhoea'', is it not a symptom?

Diarrhoea is not a usual sign associated with colon carcinoma. Any change in bowel habit must be investigated when over 50; meaning constipation, pain with defecation etc. also. Occult bleeding is, however. Colon carcinomas can stay asyptomatic till very late in the disease. Not uncommon to have liver metastases at time of diagnosis already.

Hmmmmmmm .....

Travel to this one -

http://www.snopes.com/travel/foreign/olympics.asp

Deflated...

There is nothing new!!

Poor Seagull, he probably doesn't get out much.

The forum "stalker"... Finds anything to flame. Why not just move on for crying out aloud!!

Interesting thread.. Gives you some perspective at least.

1-3K with friends and good food.

Foreign tourists to Africa are quite something themselves !!!

These questions about South Africa were posted on a South African Tourism Website and were answered by the website owner.

Q: Does it ever get windy in South Africa ? I have never seen it rain on TV, so how do the plants grow? ( UK )

A: We import all plants fully grown and then just sit around watching them die.

Q: Will I be able to see elephants in the street? ( USA )

A: Depends how much you've been drinking.

Q: I want to walk from Durban to Cape Town - can I follow the railroad tracks? ( Sweden )

A: Sure, it's only two thousand kilometres take lots of water...

Q: Is it safe to run around in the bushes in South Africa ? ( Sweden )

A: So it's true what they say about Swedes.

Q: Are there any ATMs (cash machines) in South Africa ? Can you send me a list of them in JHB, Cape Town , Knysna and Jeffrey's Bay? ( UK )

A: What did your last slave die of?

Q: Can you give me some information about Koala Bear racing in South Africa ? ( USA )

A: Aus-tra-lia is that big island in the middle of the pacific.A-fri-ca is the big triangle shaped continent south of Europe which does not....

oh forget it.

Sure, the Koala Bear racing is every Tuesday night in Hillbrow. Come naked.

Q: Which direction is north in South Africa ? ( USA )

A: Face south and then turn 90 degrees. Contact us when you get here and we'll send the rest of the directions.

Q: Can I bring cutlery into South Africa ? ( UK )

A: Why? Just use your fingers like we do.

Q: Do you have perfume in South Africa ? ( France )

A: No, WE don't stink.

Q: Can you tell me the regions in South Africa where the female population is smaller than the male population? ( Italy )

A: Yes, gay nightclubs.

Q: Do you celebrate Christmas in South Africa ? ( France )

A: Only at Christmas.

Q: Are there killer bees in South Africa ? ( Germany )

A: Not yet, but for you, we'll import them.

Q: Are there supermarkets in Cape Town and is milk available all year round? ( Germany )

A: No, we are a peaceful civilisation of vegetarian hunter-gatherers. Milk is illegal.

Q: Please send a list of all doctors in South Africa who can dispense rattlesnake serum. ( USA )

A: Rattlesnakes live in A-meri-ca, which is where YOU come from. All South African snakes are perfectly harmless, can be safely handled and

make good pets.

Q: I was in South Africa in 1969, and I want to contact the girl I dated while I was staying in Hillbrow. Can you help? ( USA )

A: Yes, and you will still have to pay her by the hour.

I can't say it any better than I did in my blog..

A Father's Father...

Many, many years ago

When I was twenty-three,

I got married to a widow,

Pretty as could be.

This widow had a grown-up daughter

With flowing hair of red.

My father fell in love with her,

And soon the two were wed.

This made my dad my son-in-law

And changed my very life.

Now my daughter was my mom,

For she was my father's wife.

To complicate the matters worse,

Although it brought me joy.

I soon became the father

Of a bouncing baby boy.

My little baby then became

A brother-in-law to dad.

And so became my uncle,

Though it made me very sad.

For if he was my uncle,

Then that also made him brother

To the widow's grown-up-daughter

Who, of course, was my step-mother.

Father's wife then had a son,

Who kept them on the run.

And he became my grandson,

For he was my daughter's son.

My wife is now my mother's mother

And it really makes me blue.

Because, although she is my wife,

She's my grandmother too.

If my wife is my grandmother,

Then I am her grandchild.

And every time I think of it,

It simply drives me wild.

For now I have become

The strangest case you ever saw.

As the husband of my grandmother,

I am my own grandpa!

I've had Carpal Tunnel Syndrom in both hands for years. I worked in construction and used vibration tools regularly, which probably induced the condition. I've had corrective surgery twice in one hand and once in the other. Neither worked. Operations aren't a cure all, as per my case. So don't think everything will be happy ever after.

This is indeed tragic. HAV (hand arm vibration syndrome) is now recognised in the industry as an Occupational Illnes and carpal tunnel due to handling these tools may be eligible for compensation in some countries. (Have you tried to pursue this?)

The mechanism of injury to the nerve here is different. It occures over en extended period and the damage becomes cumulative resulting in fibrosis of the nerve and nerve sheath. The operation for carpal tunnel is intended to relieve pressure on the nerve where it passes into the hand through the carpal tunnel by cutting through the tough connective tissue bands covering the structures passing through this tunnel (tendons to fingers, blood vessels etc). Sometimes the nerve sheath need to be opened right along each of the individual branches it splits into after passing through this "tunnel" into the hand.

In this case, extended damage of the nerve probably occurred over time. Basically, the longer the history of symptoms and signs, the poorer the outcome of any intervention.

Is there proof that she has had a baby (been pregnant and delivered birth) ?

If not, could she be a post-op ladyboy ? (just trying to consider all possibilities)

This is what is called "lateral thinking"; only in LOS !!!

Apologies, did not try to make light of this but....

With the family history the cause is either genetic or common exposure. The infectious causes must be excluded first; posts #12 and #13 above is sound advice. No need to repeat any of that here.

Gilbert's syndrome is the most common, and benign, genetic condition that results in yellow discoloration of eyes due to an abnormal metabolism of Bilirubin but I have no idea about the incidence in Asian population groups. It is fairly common among Caucasians.

Bloodless field: Using a tourniquet to cut blood supply to the area where you do surgery. Prevents bleeding during the procedure and allows for much better identification of anatomical structures.

Structure: In this case, the nail growth plate itself.

Happened to me in exact same order 2 years ago and has gone away somewhat, pinkie still feels a bit numb. I also think it's caused by the way I sat at my desk resting my elbow on the sharp corner. I'm thinking more nerve damage or pinched. I now use a gel pad to rest that elbow, seems to improve slooowly.

You have an Ulnar nerve compression syndrome. The ulnar nerve supplies sensation to the little finger and half of the ring finger. It runs down the arm at the inside of the elbow (it is the "funny bone"); any pressure on the inside of the elbow can cause this. If it continues past a week or 10 days or so, have an electromyography test done. This will show where the nerve is compressed/injured. Can also be down at the hand but this is less likely.

If the test shows compression at the elbow, a small operation may be necessary. If it is due to you resting your arm in a certain way on a chair, it should be temporary and normal feeling should return in a few weeks.

Mallet finger only involves the last joint or tip of the finger; it seems that you have a problem bending the finger at the mid joint?

It is important to know more about how the injury occurred but, if it is the mid joint, it will require very delicate surgery.

The mallet finger deformity is where the tip of the finger is permanently bent at about 30 degree angle or a bit less. Usually, the acute injury is treated with a "mallet splint" that keeps only the last joint straight or a bit hyperextended to allow some healing.

If the deformity is permanent, the treatment is usually an arthrodesis or surgical removal of the joint with fusion of the last and second digit in about 15 degree angle. This allows for the hand to be closed normally.

There is a hand surgeon in Bumrungrad; search their site but I am sure Sheryl (the mod on this forum) has posted his name in another thread before. Sheryl is the best resource for these referrals; try and contact her.

From what you have said it would be easier and more cost effective to have it removed. I had both my big toe nails removed twice the last time they burned the nail bed with some kind of acid this prevents the nail growing back but....................... nail came back! and only bits so I now officially have the ugliest toes anyone has seen.

Sounds like a botched attempt! The nail bed has nothing to do the the actual growth of the nail; the growth plate must be removed properly. This is situated approximately 1cm above the nail fold flush to the bone itself. Complete removal best done with a bloodless field where the structure are more easily identified.

Cosmetic results are usually not bad. Much better than a deformed nail.

Antifungal usually works, but always just have them remove the toenail - then treat. Nail will grow back so...

Removal of the nail now with a "cleanup" of the nailbed and near the growthplate of the nail may result in a new, nail without deformity but if the nail growthplate was damaged in the fungal infection, it may never be normal again; in this case, it may be better to remove the nail permanently. It is important to be sure that the fungal infection is cured. Sometimes a year or longer treatment is necessary (on oral medication).

[FBN. You seem to have a reasonable attitude. Tell me. Did you agree with ANY of the slides?

The last one; that is a normal smear.

The parasitised red blood cells: The lighter area within the red blood cell is simply a reflection of the light as the RBC is a biconcave structure.

Malaria (different species) and babesiosis are just about the only 2 parasitic diseases that actually occur intracellular in the red cells. Both are much smaller and require different staining technique to see.

If fungal threads are in your blood stream, it is a fairly terminal condition; smear image not good enough to see but to me it looks like contamination of the slide with fibre. The staining solution used to stain blood smears for diagnostic purposes very often contains crystals and can confuse untrained persons.

I just love asian girls, funny thing is I never used to like asian girls at all. But after being with a few I seem to have this Asian girl fever or something. I would prefer a semi avg asian girl over a hot blonde western girl anyday.

Maybe im sick but asian girls seem to have me under a spell

This condition is generally referred to as "The Slippery Slope"; there is no turning back; Have Fun!

Nature is full of organic crystals, diamonds are just one of thousands of others

Do a search on cholesterol crystals and you will find numerous pages with info from reputed medical sources.

My reply seems to have gone astray in TV cyberspace..

Indeed, a momentary lapse!! I stand corrected... but I don't want any of them coursing around in my bloodstream anyway...

The post above with the micro slides and related diagnoses are an example of why "alternative" medicine is often ridiculed.

Uric acid crystal occur in joints not blood; if it did, you would probably not be on TV writing about it.. Cholesterol is not a crystal; crystals are inorganic matter. Roleaux formation, yes but the slide just demonstrates the difference between a thick and a thin blood smear. The diagnosis of policythemia is made on the full blood picture, not a smear.

There is an artifact on the other slide; passed off as a crystal.. Pulsating parasite? By the name of?

No, fellas; I fully support areas of alternative medicine; many of these over the years have become accepted as current medical practice as the last post (gertatrickid) clearly illustrates. Many more practices regarded today as alternative will still be researched and eventually be accepted as conventional medicine but some things in that post are clearly out of whack..

looks like its back now. we can go on living.

Perhaps change the name of the thread to "Reality TV"

A very simple truth: If there is only one cure for a particular ailment, it is sure to work 100% of time. If there are a myriad of cures, either conventional or alternative, be sure none of them will work 100%.

Faulty logic.

See the statement in context of the thread and the rest of the post.

But to go back to the "logic"; let's take the statement out of the medical context and make it more simple:

Problem: You drop your wallet.

Solution: You bend down, pick it up and replace it where you want it to be.

Simple solution, works every time.

Alternate solutions:

• You wait for a dodgy passerby to pick it up and hand it to you
  
• You take off your shoe and, pinching it between the big and second toe, (not polite in Thailand!) and retrieve said object
  
• You purchase a wallet picker-upper device (if you can't find any, there may be a reason for it..) and retrieve the same
  
• etc etc
  

I am sure, at some point in time, any of the above solutions may have been attempted but it is not a recognised and commonly practiced way of solving this common problem; there is one solution that works...

Logic or still no?

A very simple truth: If there is only one cure for a particular ailment, it is sure to work 100% of time. If there are a myriad of cures, either conventional or alternative, be sure none of them will work 100%.

Humans are multidimensional beings and their afflictions are similar. Medicine have lost, to a large extent, the focus and ability to deal with humans and their conditions in a holistic fashion. Many reasons for this; superspecialisation, time etc etc.

Perhaps alternative medicine fills this niche. The large percentage of psychosomatic problems the generalist practitioner are faced with finds cure mostly in non-conventional medicine. To ignore it is falacy. There are though, far more "dubious" products and practitioners in this "art" than there are in good old fashioned medicine.

A balanced view, as with everything in life, is golden.

I really have never heard off pre-diabetic but the point I was trying to make is, if you are diabetic, you are diabetic. There is no little bit, or part diabetic. You are just diabetic & it wil need to be controlled. If your bm's come up normal then obviously other things need to be looked at but if I eat too many sweets then I too get dizzy spells esp. when I stand up as well as the other syptoms I mentioned. I didn't really have the classic signs but there are lots of other lesser known syptoms too so do some research.

Many women have abnormal glucose tolerances during pregnancy due to the influence of progesterone and is by this definition diabetic. Most of them will return to perfectly normal after delivery and never develop diabetes.

"Pre-diabetes" is not a diagnosis for sure.

helpful comment #24

are you sure you are not attempting to pot a difficult brown , in the mistaken belief that you are going for an easy pink ?

Thank you, it made my day!