MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'horror stories'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:33:26 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4266087&cid=t_275964_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FrhINY8Ua64M%2F Is announcing serious health problems on Facebook apropros – or just annoying? We’ve all had casual conversations about the annoyance (and, often, idiocy) of Facebook oversharers. They usually peter out and involve tips on how to change newsfeed settings, concluding with a loose consensus that it’s irritating to get constant reminders of how your life choices have differed from those of your high school friends since graduation. But when I heard about the tragic story of Shana Greatman Swers, it forced me to stop and seriously contemplate whether it’s appropriate to share health-related personal details on Facebook. Last week’s Washington Post article, A Facebook Story: A Mother’s Joy and a Family’s Sorrow, is an unusually compelling but incredibly depressing read, a... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4266087 Thu, 16 Dec 2010 23:28:00 +0100 4266087 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3999218&cid=t_275964_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F09%2Fjoanas-letter-to-the-citigroup-ceo.html Dear Mr. Pandit,I am writing to you now to express my outrage about Citibank's despicable actions against my neighbor, Jeanne Sather of Seattle. Ms. Sather, a  55-year old single parent, is terminally ill with metastatic breast cancer, and  as typical, has been unable to work for some years now. She lives on fixed income from Social Security Disability, and a large part of her limited income  goes to pay health insurance premiums  and extensive uncovered medical expenses. Last year  she applied to Citibank's Forbearance Program, which allowed her to stay in her home without making mortgage payments for a period of time.  However, this assistance ended in April [January, actually, JS] of this year, at which time Ms. Sather requested an extension, ... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3999218 Fri, 24 Sep 2010 04:09:01 +0100 3999218 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3808650&cid=t_275964_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Ffeel%2Fimpulse-buyers-beware-dopamine-is-the-culprit%2F Her dopamine levels are off the charts — you can see it in her eyes. (photo: Thinkstock) If you’ve got a closet full of unworn clothes and a credit card bill through the roof, chances are you’re an impulse shopper. You see something; you want it; you buy it. This could be because your brain has more dopamine in it than your more cautious friends. High levels of dopamine cause people to act rashly, which would explain that pair of hot pink pleather pants in the back of your closet. I only impulse buy when I’m stressed — I wonder what that says about my dopamine levels. How many of you have a really embarrassing impulse buy tale? Please, share — we all love a good shopping horror story. via NPR Post from: BlissTree Impulse Buyers Beware: Dopamine Is the Culprit (Sourc... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3808650 Fri, 30 Jul 2010 16:45:37 +0100 3808650 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3798610&cid=t_275964_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F07%2F28%2Fwithdrawing-from-psychiatric-medications%2F This article offers only the most basic of introductions to this topic, because others have covered this area far more extensively than I have. A great place to start is this psychiatric drug withdrawal primer. While not succinct, it does contain all of the information you’ll need to know to successfully end your psychiatric medication treatment. I cannot emphasize this enough — discontinuing psychiatric medications on your own is not recommended. You should enlist your doctor in your efforts to stop the meds. (Source: World of Psychology) World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3798610 Wed, 28 Jul 2010 10:30:19 +0100 3798610 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3581792&cid=t_275964_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F05%2Fanother-news-headline-to-say-duh-to.html I know, I live in the cancer world, so many of the things that I think are obvious are not obvious to the rest of the world. However ...This headline, I think we can all agree, should be met with a resounding "DUH!!!!" from all of us. Here's the headline: Emotional Needs [Are] an Important Part of Cancer CareDon't we know that by now? And aren't oncologists and oncology nurses watching for "distress" in their patients at all times? And doing something about it?Having said that, I know that the answer is actually no--many oncologists and oncology nurses are not watching for distress, whether it be stress, anxiety, depression, or uncontrollable fears. I know this from some of my own experiences with people who work in the cancer world, and I know this from the... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3581792 Wed, 19 May 2010 23:53:15 +0100 3581792 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3294768&cid=t_275964_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F02%2Fharassing-phone-calls-from-verizon-wireless-act-ii.html On January 12, an employee or employees of Verizon Wireless called my cell phone 20 times during the day, presumably to let me know that I hadn't paid my cell phone bill. The following day, January 13, the someone or someones called me 27 times. How do I know? From the call record in my phone, which shows that some of these calls came in before 7 a.m., and others in the middle of the night--12:19 a.m. 12:20 a.m., and 12:21 a.m., to be exact. I was in the middle of a series of cyberknife treatments at the time--this is a special type of radiation used instead of surgery, in my case to treat a tumor in my skull. I spent those two days on the couch, exhausted, and in a lot of pain (not from the cyberknife, but from other tumors in my hip and pelvis).&#0... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3294768 Sun, 21 Feb 2010 19:53:12 +0100 3294768 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3251364&cid=t_275964_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2010%2F02%2Fharassing-phone-calls-from-verizon-wireless.html What was I doing on January 12?I had to check my calendar to be sure, but it turns out that January 12 was the fourth of five sessions of cyberknife surgery to treat a tumor in my skull. Here's one post that I wrote that day: Decadron Prescription Errors I spent the evening on the couch, tired, and in a lot of pain. Here are the phone calls that came in that day from Verizon, my cell phone company:Jan. 12, 6:57 a.m.: 252-157-4972Jan. 12, 9:13 p.m.: 252-157-4972-6Jan. 12, 9:14 p.m.: 252-157-4972-6Jan. 12, 9:18 p.m.: 252-157-4972-6Jan. 12, 10:53 p.m.: 252-157-4972-6Jan. 12, 10:53 p.m.: 252-157-4972-6Jan. 12, 10:54 p.m.: 252-157-4972-6Jan. 12, 10:55 p.m.: 252-157-4972-6Jan. 12, 10:56 p.m.: 252-157-4972-6Jan. 12, 10:57 p.m.: 252-157-4972-6Jan. 12, 10:59 p.m.: 252-157-4972... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3251364 Mon, 08 Feb 2010 04:14:14 +0100 3251364 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2972021&cid=t_275964_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2009%2F11%2Ftyphoid-mary-vs-northwest-hospital.html Conclusion: I now know how dangerous infections are spread in "health-care" settings. Read more about C. diff.: C. difficile: Mayo Clinic @ Jeanne Sather 2009.  (Source: The Assertive Cancer Patient) The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2972021 Sat, 07 Nov 2009 19:01:10 +0100 2972021 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2463224&cid=t_275964_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2009%2F06%2Fwhat-to-say-when-a-friend-has-cancer.html This is a version of the talk I gave on Saturday at the Cattlemen's Ball. The ball was held in a cow pasture somewhere in central Nebraska. (I had a great time.)My talk was sponsored by the McGoogan Library of Medicine in Omaha, and I'd like to thank the library and also head librarian Nancy Woelfl, for bringing me to the ball. These are my do's and don't's for what to say when a friend or family member is newly diagnosed with cancer. These are based on my experience, and I don't generally tell people what to do, so take from this what seems right to you, and ignore the rest. DON'T tell your newly diagnosed friends your own cancer horror stories. We all know some of these stories, but this is not the time to tell your friend, who is reeling fro... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2463224 Mon, 08 Jun 2009 00:29:23 +0100 2463224 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1763830&cid=t_275964_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2008%2F09%2F10-years-ago.html September is the anniversary of my cancer diagnosis, and this month is the 10-year anniversary. And while I celebrate this anniversary as a milestone--I've survived 10 years, after all, despite recurrences and metastases to my bones--it is also a difficult anniversary: The weeks following my mammogram were the most difficult of my life. I was afraid. I was angry. And the medical care I received was less than optimal--The attitudes of the doctor, nurses, and other staff who took care of me during this diagnosis period added to my distress, big time. That is one reason I always give priority to people who write to me who are newly diagnosed. I understand what they are feeling,  and I want to do whatever I can to help. Here's what I wrote in "Jeanne's Diar... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1763830 Thu, 04 Sep 2008 19:38:55 +0100 1763830 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1605806&cid=t_275964_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2008%2F07%2Fa-doctor-who--7.html After I posted Sandy's story on July 4, she wrote to me and added a few comments and clarifications. I think they're worth adding to the story. Sandy points out that Dr. Park did not refer her to a medical oncologist when she was diagnosed with kidney cancer in the fall of 2006. "If he would have referred me to an oncologist," she says, "I would have immediately gone through a battery of scans to see if it had metastasized. Then, they would have done a biopsy and taken care of the tumor in my hip. They would have radiated and possibly done surgery to scrape out the tumor and filled it with a bone cement. I would still have my leg and muscles." She also says that Dr. Park refused to order a scan when she told him she was in pain because "It was protocol" to only do scans every six mont... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1605806 Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:24:06 +0100 1605806 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1307610&cid=t_275964_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2008%2F03%2Fpet-scan-nightm.html A friend just had a routine PET scan, and she e-mailed me this account of the ordeal. Prayers and the PET scan OK, Hell must exist...I just lived through it...and if she (the PET scan lady) is going to heaven, I don’t want to be there. I had the yearly PET scan today. For those who are not familiar, the cancer "victim" is injected with radioactive contrast that seeks rapidly changing cells, like cancer, infections, kidney problems, etc. The injection happens one hour before the scan...you have to lie in a dark room for it to get through your body, you are then taken to the PET scanner which looks similar to a CT scanner (doughnut shape/hard table), but you are velcroed into a straightjacket-type thing and have to lie there without moving for over an hour. The radioactive contrast... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1307610 Mon, 17 Mar 2008 17:24:16 +0100 1307610 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=933134&cid=t_275964_136_f&fid=35303&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assertivepatient.com%2F2007%2F10%2Fits-not-all-val.html The message below is, by far, the nastiest message I have ever received, in all the time I have been writing about my life with cancer. First, here is my reply, which I just e-mailed to the writer, who has an e-mail address containing the words "holy spirit." Is this a Christian? My e-mail: You have the honor (and I hope you're proud) of having written the nastiest message I have ever received. Jeanne After you read what this person has written, if you'd like to reply on my behalf, please do. Here is the e-mail address: holy_sprt@hotmail.com A new comment from “HoLy1” was received on the post “When the Pain Meds Are (Almost) Worse Than the Pain” of the weblog “The Assertive Cancer Patient ”. Comment: At first my reading of this blog brought out the sympathetic feelin... The Assertive Cancer Patient blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=933134 Sun, 07 Oct 2007 16:36:18 +0100 933134