"This blog was developed to provide medical updates that are important and have my perspective as additional insight."
Your brain can do 1 TRILLION computations per second and is the most complex thing in existence that we know of in the Universe…..quite an achievement ……and you are the owner of this wonderful device. Well….perhaps you are not that lucky, as it is constantly active….and that’s a problem. The brain can make connections where …
Yes…you may recognize that amazing line from Monty Python’s Flying Circus, and the reason I reference this is that irony about our health and what we expect. I think we all have a vision of ourselves, a kind of mythical creation as a running reel of our consciousness, and in it, more and less actively, …
With nearly 300 people infected with a multi-drug resistant Salmonella infection in California and across the West Coast, it’s important to identify the potential offending chicken and avoid eating it, but even more important is handling chicken properly and cooking it to 165 degrees to kill any bacteria that you may get exposed to. There …
Read More “NEW SALMONELLA OUTBREAK> COOK CHICKEN TO 165 DEGREES”
Heartburn is a thing of the past……those who are ‘in the know’ are aware that we now call it GERD (Gastro-esophageal Reflux Disease). GERD is very common, with about 7million in the US having it, and almost 60% experiencing the symptoms in any one year. The symptoms of GERD are varied and include: Heartburn (painful …
Dr. Lakin; My dentist likes to do xrays once a year, to help in caring for my teeth, but I’m concerned about excessive radiation. What do you think? Chevy Dear Chevy; This is a great question, and one we should all think about when we are exposure to radiation or xrays. Now that it …
Read More “RADIATION CONCERNS ARE LEGITIMATE, BUT KNOW THE DOSE”
Doctor Lakin…can you give me your thoughts re: interaction between Crestor and Vitamin D (1000 units)…I have been taking both daily for a while as I heard that Vitamiin D will help stave off the muscular pain produced from the statin………R.S. RS; Had not seen such data until you mentioned it. There is one article …
Good Morning Dr. lakin, For the past few months i have been getting diarrhea, i don’t eat a lot of meat, I’ve been eating lots of fruit, but wondering if i need more roughage or if i have a bug of some kind……Patty Dear Patty; Hard to say……such symptoms are non specific. You probably …
Read More “A PATIENT ASKS ABOUT ONGOING LOOSE BOWELS….AND I REPLY”
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus is the latest virus to concern the Centers for Disease Control, appearing 130 times so far in Middle East travelers. This respiratory infection is due to a virus that has ‘gone wild’ and causes severe pneumonia and reduced oxygen levels in it’s victims. With an approximate 50% death rate, it …
Relax…..and early flu case has been noted and is Influenza Type B. This is the least common of the flu types and may not indicate an early season this year as there are occosional cases of flu seen sporadically. We’ll keep you posted on our website and with our Twitter Report…Bugs In Town. When we …
Read More “FIRST CASE OF FLU THIS SEASON IN ARIZONA…BUT NO NEED TO PANIC”
Get a good value is one of the things I love to do when shopping. Something that is high quality, excellent performance, and inexpensive….it’s a great feeling to get that. In medication, it is possible to achieve this with generic medications in some categories. Cholesterol medications, blood pressure medications, heart medications that used to be …
C diff (Clostridium Difficile) is an intestinal infection that arises from overgrowth of this type of bacteria that crowds out the normal gut flora. It occurs often after a person is treated with strong antibiotics that ‘wipe out’ their normal gut bacteria. C diff results in severe diarrhea that is debilitating, particularly as it occurs …
Dr Lakin, I read about new types of flu shots. What do you recommend for me? Ivy Dear Ivy; It used to be simple to get the flu shot…there was only one type and everyone was to get the same one. Now, there are multiple options and it’s a bit confusing, so I’d like …
Read More “A PATIENT ASKS…WHICH FLU SHOT TO GET? OVER 65 IT’S THE HIGH DOSE, TRIVALENT”
Linzess (linaclotide) is a new medication for chronic constipation that has a unique mechanism of action. It binds for receptor sites on the cells lining the intestine, causing and increase in secretion of minerals and chemicals from those cells that result in more fluid entering the bowel, and thus enhancing the bowel movement ….making …
Read More “LINZESS….A NEW MEDICATION FOR CONSTIPATION AND IBS”
Chantix (varenicline) is a great ‘stop smoking’ medication. It works by stimulating nicotine receptors in the brain, but it was given a black-eye when there were concerns that it caused suicidal thoughts in people and might worsen depression in those who are susceptible. Now, a new study, shows this medication to be safe, and that …
Should you take an aspirin daily to prevent strokes and heart attacks? That question seems simple enough, and based on general comments you might think it is a good idea, but the scientific data on daily aspirin remains mixed. Yes….aspirin prevents many heart attacks and strokes, but it does have side effects that are significant. …