There are several drug side effects that can be potentially fatal: Lactic acidosis when using any of the NRTIs (nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors) causing nausea, vomiting, hyperventilation, very low blood pressure, rapid pulse Stevens Johnson syndrome with any of the NNRTIs (nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors) causing fever, sore throat, ulcers in the mouth/nose/genitals, rash and… Continue reading I have HIV and the doc put on medication to fight the virus. She mentioned a few reactions that I should be looking out for because she says the drugs can be toxic. What should I watch out for?
Medical Questions and Answers
My mother was diagnosed with melanoma on her hand and it had spread to the eye. She is on chemotherapy but was also told to get surgery for her “intraocular” melanoma. Wouldn’t chemotherapy work for the eye too?
Intraocular melanoma is a rare tumor often remaining asymptomatic for years and presenting as progressive and painless visual loss. Ultrasound of the eye is the most sensitive test for diagnosing the lesion and MRI is often performed to determine the extent of tumor invasion. Chemotherapy for her melanoma will not treat the intraocular melanoma as… Continue reading My mother was diagnosed with melanoma on her hand and it had spread to the eye. She is on chemotherapy but was also told to get surgery for her “intraocular” melanoma. Wouldn’t chemotherapy work for the eye too?
I had a CT scan done as a health check and they found that I have gall stones. They don’t bother me and I never knew they were there. My sister had gall stones and she had to go to the hospital for emergency surgery. Should I get my gallbladder taken out?
The vast majority of patients with gallstones will never experience any symptoms. Therefore elective treatment of asymptomatic gallstones is usually not warranted as the risks of surgery far outweigh the benefits. Patients who do require surgery or endoscopic gallstone removal are those with symptoms such as right upper quandrant pain, pain after eating, jaundice, etc. … Continue reading I had a CT scan done as a health check and they found that I have gall stones. They don’t bother me and I never knew they were there. My sister had gall stones and she had to go to the hospital for emergency surgery. Should I get my gallbladder taken out?
I have high cholesterol and so does my wife. We have a 6 month old baby. Will our baby get high cholesterol? When should we test him?
Seeing how you and your wife both have high cholesterol, there is a likely chance your child may develop high cholesterol as well. However, diet restriction at this time is not recommended. Instead, the American Heart Association recommends that children at high risk for developing heart disease be screened after 2 years old. 1) If… Continue reading I have high cholesterol and so does my wife. We have a 6 month old baby. Will our baby get high cholesterol? When should we test him?
My joints started hurting and swelling yesterday and it is getting worse. My mother has arthritis and this seems similar but I’m only 33. I did have a cold last week and was wondering if it was possible to get arthritis from my cold?
An acute onset of joint paint affecting many joints and following a viral illness is considered to be viral arthritis which should resolve without complications in days to weeks. However it is also important to consider early onset rheumatoid arthritis which could present similarly as well as rheumatic fever which affects mainly small joints. Therefore,… Continue reading My joints started hurting and swelling yesterday and it is getting worse. My mother has arthritis and this seems similar but I’m only 33. I did have a cold last week and was wondering if it was possible to get arthritis from my cold?