Click to play videoNew Delhi: What is it that you need to keep in mind when you visit a doctor?
Dr Amit Varma who is director of Critical Care, Fortis tells you how to get the most out of a doctor’s visit.
Dr Varma’s tips:
- Keep a medical journal and a track of medicines you are allergic to and tell your doctor about it even if it sounds trivial.
- Let your doctor know about your lifestyle including your diet, whether or not you exercise, how much alcohol you drink and if you smoke.
- You should also let your doctor know whether you are taking other medicines, even if it is just vitamin supplements, or painkillers whether it is ayurvedic or homeopathic medicine because it is important.
Other than that, you should ask questions on radiation safety, side effects of the drug that you are taking and even question the medical value of the diagnostic tests that are being done on you.
You should remember not be afraid to speak up because after all it is your life and your health.
Dr Amit Varma responds to readers' queries:
Pradeep, Bangalore: I have been experiencing this problem for the past six weeks. After driving my car for about eight-10 km, I experience a shock sensation when my body comes in contact with a metallic object. It is so severe that sparks fly from my key chain. I have experienced the same feeling when I touch aluminum. I am 39 years old, male, married and have a nine-year-old daughter.
Dr Amit Varma: It is a probably due to the static electricity phenomenon which is experienced by a lot of people related to friction between two surfaces.
Juliet Noronha, Bangalore: My eight-year-old son is suffering for gastro problems for the past two years. He seems to be passing stool in his trousers without his knowledge. I have shown him to pediatricians, homeopathy and also a gastroenterologist. Though, now the problem has lessened, it is still occurring. He is so uncomfortable and unhappy that he has almost stopped playing. I have been giving him Liquid Paraffin, easylax and cremaffin syrups. Please tell me as to what he should take as I have now stopped going to doctors because of monetary concerns. My son usually eats vegetables and rarely a piece of chicken. Otherwise he is normal and healthy.
Dr Amit Varma: Please stop the Liquid Paraffin, easylax and cremaffin as these tend to cause loose stools. In children it may cause excessive laxity of stools leading to loss of bowel control. So kindly desist from giving him any of the above medicines. In case the problem persists, then you need to see a clinical psychologist who will be able to help you.
Feroz Khan, Hyderabad: I am 29 years old. I have been getting blood in my urine for the past three months now, but the problem is that it doesn’t happen regularly, it happens once a week or lesser. I have been to a urologist and after the tests he told me that I have small stones in both my kidneys.
He prescribed me medicines and said that operation is not required. Now after three months of medication, I had continuous bleeding for two days. I have a bad stomach and burning sensation, which sometime goes up to my chest. Please suggest whether it’s only the stone problem or something else.
Dr Amit Varma: The bleeding in the urine in patients with renal stones is never continuous. Most patients experience intermittent bleeding though, microscopic bleeding is almost always there. The burning sensation in your stomach is likely to be due to acid peptic disease and not related to your renal stones and you will require a course of antacids.
Manas, Mumbai I am 42 years old and diabetic. My question is will my child also be diabetic since I am one?
Dr Amit Varma: Though diabetes is familial it is not a must that your child will have diabetes.
Shekhar, Hyderabad: My parents have been suffering from Diabetes for quite a while. They are in their early 60s now. Even though they look healthy and fine, their tests taken once in a couple of months show higher levels of sugar in their blood (both fasting and non-fasting). What measures can I take to control this behaviour of the test results? What kind of food should they stick to? We are vegetarians.
Dr Amit Varma: Your parents need to see a doctor who will have to modify the treatment so that blood sugars are better controlled. Also it will help if they indulge in regular exercise like walking. Diabetics should obviously avoid high sugar foods, it is important that they take small but frequent meals so as to avoid high fluctuations in blood sugar levels throughout the day.
Mallikarjuna Budur, Bangalore: I am 29 years old, a software professional. For the past two years at times my heart starts beating very fast. My weight is 79 kg and my height is 5'9". Can you please let me know what I have to do for this.
Dr Amit Varma: I think this is a very natural phenomenon experienced by a lot of people. It is because of the fact that anxiety, anger, fright all cause sympathetic stimulation, which causes your heart to beat fast. This is generally experienced by many people and is termed as palpitation.
Pramod, Bangalore: People say "sweat it out" but I have a unique problem – over-sweating. All I need is a power-cut and I have had it. My head is usually in a pool of sweat and it is getting worse now. I am 32 years old.
Dr Amit Varma: No need to worry, it is a normal phenomenon.
Kirti Pandey, Faridabad: If my son, who is seven years old, needs a check up on Remnant Urachus who should I consult – a paediatrician, urologist or a general surgeon? What could be the worst-case scenario as ultra sound has only now revealed that he has the problem. How can I know for sure if that is not a cancerous growth? Will this affect his future?
Dr Amit Varma: If your child has dribbling of urine thorough the umbilicus then the entire tract needs to be excised. This is best done by a urologist. No it does not have any effect on the urinary or future reproductive function of the child.
Sanjeev Shah, Chennai: My 12-year-old son bed wets. How can I solve this problem?
Dr Amit Varma: Kindly consult a clinical psychologist as this could be a result of some occult anxieties or fears experienced by the child.
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