So, I’m a nurse. I’ve spent time working in a nursing home, throughout most of the medical inpatient areas of a hospital as a “float” nurse, and now I work in the Emergency Department. And I’ll be the first to admit that there are a lot of things I don’t know, especially now that I have a baby (kids open up a whole new realm of medical possibilities).
But, I know a nurse! Well, more like a hundred nurses. And quite a few doctors. So I know where to go anytime I have a question or medical concern; I literally have hundreds of reliable resources at my fingertips. I’d like to share that with all of you, if you have any medical concerns or questions (appropriate for public posting) leave a comment and I’ll do my best to find answers!
Oh my goodness what a generous offer! I don’t doubt that you may be inundated with a lot of questions to be sure. Especially with the summer being here! Thanks so much! I am sure I will be one of those coming to you!
With summer coming my question is . Why do I sweat so much more than most people?
I really have no great answer for you, Ann, other than some people just sweat more than others. Everyone is created differently and everyone’s body handles situations slightly differently. Some people never seem to sweat, and others seem to be dripping sweat constantly. Sweat is actually the body’s way of cooling you down. The salt water on your skin (sweat) evaporates to release heat and cool the body. Some medical conditions (like pregnancy, menopause, diabetes, alcoholism, stroke, heart failure, cancer, and thyroid problems) and some medications (like antidepressants and some mineral supplements) can cause a person to sweat more.
That said, if someone is just sitting in a room that is a comfortable temperature, with no anxiety or stressful situation occuring, and he/she is sweating, there is a condition called hyperhidrosis that causes excessive and unnessecary sweating and only that person should see their regular doctor for diagnosis and treatment options.
Lastly, because I’m an ER nurse and we see a lot of dehydration and heat stroke, I have to say: if you find yourself sweating remember that you are losing water and need to drink water (or other drinks like juice, or gatorade-type drinks) to replace what you sweat off. And if you find you are getting too hot, try to find a cooler or shaded place to relax and cool down.
Thanks for the answer….I think also some of it is genetics because all the females in my family sweat a lot and very easily. My mom has a whole basket (not exaggerating) full of different deodorants to try and help and well thats just say she is still trying to find the miracle one. lol I have just given up and will just reapply when needed.
How nice that you have such a great resource, and if anything goes wrong you can find out. But, my question to you is. When my elderly Father bends down to pick something up, and then he stands back, he gets really lightheaded, and seems unresponsive for about 15 seconds. This seems scary. Thanks for your help!
Karen, it sounds like your father might have orthostatic hypotension, a condition in which a person becomes dizzy when he stands suddenly, or changes position. I don’t know the details of your father’s medical state so I can’t really say what is causing his lightheadedness for sure though. It sounds like something that he should make an appointment to go see his primary doctor about, especially if he has any heart condition or is on any medications for his heart or blood pressure. In the meantime, he should take care to stand slowly from sitting or bending, and if he becomes truly unresponsive to touch or talking or becomes pale and passes out, call 911.
Elderly people also become dehydrated easily and tend to drink less water than they should, and this can cause dizziness, particularly with position changes. Encourage him to drink more water and eat a healthy diet.
Does this help at all?
Thank you so much for helping me by answering this post. This really makes sense, and I am going to discuss this with his doctor at his next visit which is next month. Thank you so much!!!
I would like to ask what it is like to work in a nursing home? My neighbor got his CNA and started working in one, and he hates it, but I hear the pay is pretty good.
Looking back on working in a nursing home, I have fond and pleasant memories. Then thinking more about it, I remember long difficult days of passing medications to 52 people at 8, 12, 2, 4, 6, 8, and bedtime. And checking vitals signs, managing wounds and dressings, and keeping track of the CNAs (what they need, who they are helping, and if they need assistance). I have a HUGE respect for CNAs, that is incredibly hard work and the good ones do it with a smile on their faces and good relationships with the residents. They help bathe, dress, feed, serve, and mobilize people. Their day is never over, and there is always something more to be done. I did enjoy working there, getting to know the residents, laughing and carrying on conversations with them as well as the staff, but every job has its difficulties and nursing home work has many. Stubborn residents with “behaviors” (like spitting their pills back at you) are a daily struggle, medical concerns and emergencies can (and do) occur suddenly, and death is not uncommon. With good coworkers, anything is possible, but nursing homes have high turnover (staff quit and are replaced by new staff frequently) because it is hard work, so by the time you get used to a coworker and the best routine with that person, a new one comes and you have to adjust all over again. It’s good work with great rewards of getting to know some incredible people in their “home”.
What can I do about my Eczema? Have it on the palms of my hands and the insteps of my feet. Gets worse in the summer heat.
We don’t see a lot of eczema in the ER and don’t know much about it. But the general consensus seems to be to keep the areas you have out breaks on (your hands and feet) clean and unexposed to various things as best possible. Use well vented shoes or sandals, wash your hands and feet after being outdoors, stay out of humidity when possible, drink plenty of water, and use lotions marketed toward eczema. Vitamin E oil seems to be helpful for some. And figure out what seems to irritate your skin. For some people, exposure to cigarette smoke, various chemicals, or pet fur irritates the skin. Some people also note certain foods cause more outbreaks, especially milk products. Some people say a cold shower helps with the itching when you do break out, or run your hands under cold water. Talk to your doctor about prescription remedies if it gets really bad. Everyone is different and it will probably take some trial and error to figure out what works best for you.
How old do you have to be for Lasik Surgery? My son is 16 and wants to drive bit I know he cant pass the eye exam. I think surgery may help enough to pass but most of his vision can not be restored. Thanks for any info.
I don’t know much about LASIK and I talked with a few of my coworkers about it but didn’t find out much in depth. Whether LASIK is right for a person depends a lot on their specific eyes and what the problem is. If glasses or contacts are helping, it seems to be best to wait until a person is 20-21 before getting LASIK because until then his eyes may still be changing. It’s really something to talk to his ophthalmologist about. 16 is a huge landmark for a teenage boy who wants to drive just like all his friends, and his ophthalmologist will understand that desire too. You are right, LASIK can’t fix everything, but some form of eye surgery might be able to restore enough vision for him to be able to drive.
My question is why more Drs dont try a natural or holistic approach first for some common ailments?
So sorry I’m just now seeing this!!! Most doctors don’t know much about natural or holistic medicine, they do know a lot about western medicine. So they do what they know, what they went to college for and have been practicing for years. There are some doctors that have studied or dealt with more natural or holistic approaches and it makes them better doctors for sure.