"It's teeny!": the World of Healthcare

[CarpeDiem54]

Mucinex's Wise-Cracking Booger Accosts Travelers at JFK Airport

Bawahahaha!

[Amethyst]

That's pretty gross, but I thought it would be some guy in a suit, like a mascot.  

 

Still...ew.

[Eliot]

There is a new Viagra Sex Prisoner gracing the airwaves. This one looks like she is being held in a treehouse.

[roseha]

I just wish the pharmaceutical companies would stop running endless commercials with people referring to having "A-Fib" or "Hep-C".  Because *everyone* refers to their chronic conditions by nicknames.

[SoSueMe]

Hee! Reminds me of my freshman year in college, when I had a horrible throat infection. The nurse at the quack shack handed me a big ol' horsepill and when I asked what it was, she replied, "we call it a 'big white' -- just take it."

 

I asked again, what was in it (it was a capsule, filled with white powder). Turned out to be a combo of aspirin and acetaminophen. Why couldn't she just say that to start with? It was the mid-80s and "Just Say No" was still pretty popular, so why would you give a college kid an unidentifiable drug with a street-sounding name?

Wow. I could swear that I remember hearing that combining aspirin and acetaminophen was somehow dangerous. Bad interaction. 

[riley702]

Nah, that's 2/3 of Excedrin, which is a wonder drug for me.

[janie jones]

I just wish the pharmaceutical companies would stop running endless commercials with people referring to having "A-Fib" or "Hep-C".  Because *everyone* refers to their chronic conditions by nicknames.

I don't have either of these conditions, but when I would get hepatitis vaccines (I've had them for both A and B), they would get referred to as "Hep B" and "Hep A," so I feel like if that's what your health care provider is calling the condition, so would the patient, especially if they were talking about it a lot.

[Eliot]

I just wish the pharmaceutical companies would stop running endless commercials with people referring to having "A-Fib" or "Hep-C".  Because *everyone* refers to their chronic conditions by nicknames.

 

My friend had Hep C and that was what she called it.

 

But I do hate the trend of giving embarrassing ailments a catchy abbreviation. Yes "E.D." sufferers, I'm looking at you. It's called I M P O T E N C E. Look it up!

[Muffyn]

Maybe low T led to ED.  I'll let myself out. 

[Jamoche]

Wow. I could swear that I remember hearing that combining aspirin and acetaminophen was somehow dangerous. Bad interaction. 

I think that's acetaminophen and vicodin, because vicodin contains acetaminophen so you can hit the critical liver damage level without meaning to.

[Rick Kitchen]

Watching the Viberzi commercial made me think, how would you like to be an actress who puts on her resume, "I played diarrhea in a commercial"?

[Prevailing Wind]

I've been seeing an ad for Craftmatic Adjustable Beds that I can't find on ispot or youtube.  It's about 4 or 5 people, serially, looking at the camera & talking about if you knew how little they cost, you'd buy a Craftmatic.  OK.  That's not bad...but every last one of the "actors" look like they haven't had a decent night's sleep in 3 or 4 months.  NOT what a bed should be going for.

[random chance]

Watching the Viberzi commercial made me think, how would you like to be an actress who puts on her resume, "I played diarrhea in a commercial"?

 

I know!  I hate this current trend of making cute little mascots out of body parts!  Intestines having a nice day at the ballgame, bladders tugging at someone's hand like they spotted an ice cream truck, diarrhea playing on the beach, constipation eating a snack - where will this end?  With some guy talking to his cartoon prostate while it drinks a beer?  Ugh.

[mmecorday]

 

Watching the Viberzi commercial made me think, how would you like to be an actress who puts on her resume, "I played diarrhea in a commercial"?

Her costume looks like someone started to copy Slim Goodbody's look, found the task too arduous, and gave up.

[Bastet]

I just wish the pharmaceutical companies would stop running endless commercials with people referring to having "A-Fib" or "Hep-C".  Because *everyone* refers to their chronic conditions by nicknames.

 

I've somehow accumulated numerous friends/family members with a-fib, and every one of them - and their doctors - refers to it as such; I've never heard anyone say "atrial fibrillation."  Hep-C/Hepatitis-C I hear pretty equally, though.  So those commercials don't bother me, because they're just using preexisting vernacular.  Inventing shit like "Low-T" or "LBL," though -- those commercials bug.

Edited April 11, 2016 by Bastet

[DeLurker]

I just caught this commercial for something called Opdivo where they repeatedly blather on about the chance to live longer.

 

They also go on at length about some of the possible side effects, the list given is not all inclusive (starts around 45 seconds in). 

 

Given the side effects, I am not sure I would want to live longer with them.

[Prevailing Wind]

That's how I feel about a lot of drugs.  My neighbor's been diagnosed with Stage 4 esophageal cancer and he's going for the all-out chemo/radiation/chemo trifecta.  His girlfriend (yeah, the guy's 75 and has a GF) told me it's not a cure, but...

 

Meanwhile, the dude's so wiped out, he can't even live at home, because he can't climb the stairs.  What's the point?  If you can't do the things you love to do, why bother prolonging your life?  if it were me, I'd spend the time making sure my nephew inherits with as little hassle as possible, make sure the cats are taken care of and then check out.

[revbfc]

The Viberzi lady:

or the Zifaxin intestine turtle:

 

Which is more repellent to you?

Edited April 29, 2016 by revbfc

[Cobalt Stargazer]

The Viberzi woman. I do not need to be thinking about having a conversation with diarrhea.

[Bastet]

I love the Xifaxan intestine in the commercial where it's at the game, so the other one.  (She doesn't repel me, but she does annoy me.)

[Sandman87]

Gotta love the ad that 's pushing Botox for the treatment of chronic migraine headaches. Side effects may include headaches! So if it doesn't work for you, the doctor can claim that it's working just fine, but you're having side effects.

[Bastet]

My migraines are miserable when they occur, but they're far less frequent and far more treatable (Excedrin migraine can knock some out in a few hours, and Imitrex takes care of the rest) than many deal with.  I'd have to deal with a far more severe pattern before I'd inject myself with botulism to handle them, but it's working - when nothing else does - for enough people that I can't get too worked up about the commercial -- except for the general "so ask your doctor about ..." nonsense that's screwed up about all drug advertising.

[AntiBeeSpray]

On 4/29/2016 at 10:15 PM, Bastet said:

I love the Xifaxan intestine in the commercial where it's at the game, so the other one.  (She doesn't repel me, but she does annoy me.)

Definitely. It's kind of cute. The other one is just annoying.

[random chance]

I just realized that the coded language in that ad for opiate-induced constipation has been sailing right over my head for months.  "I'm really struggling to find relief."  OH.  They mean, literally. 

Here's something I've wondered about for years: why would anyone need to "cath" themselves a lot?  Enough so that having tons of catheters delivered to their door is convenient?  I am really, really curious.

[Jaded]

This commercial drives me crazy, the guy in the scrubs can't be taken seriously and the guy at the end seems like he should have been in an insurance commercial.
 

[janie jones]

52 minutes ago, random chance said:

Here's something I've wondered about for years: why would anyone need to "cath" themselves a lot?  Enough so that having tons of catheters delivered to their door is convenient?  I am really, really curious.

After having her second baby, my sister was unable to pee, so she had to cath herself.  It was due to some inflammation.  It went away after a few weeks, so I don't know what would cause someone to have to be in this situation long term.  But if you think of how many times you pee a day, that's how many times you're cath-ing per day.  I think my sister was allowed to reuse hers if she cleaned them properly, but if you aren't reusing them, I can see how they'd add up quickly.

[Bastet]

Quote

Here's something I've wondered about for years: why would anyone need to "cath" themselves a lot?  Enough so that having tons of catheters delivered to their door is convenient?

If that's the only way pee is going to get out, you're going to need to use a catheter frequently.  There are several conditions that can cause the bladder not to empty completely when a person pees on their own; if that can't be aided by other means, using a catheter is necessary (and just letting the extra pee hang out there isn't a good option because of the infection risk).  Someone for whom that condition is chronic or permanent rather than temporary is going to need a large supply.

Edited May 4, 2016 by Bastet

[random chance]

OH ok I didn't know that you had to use one every time, I thought once they were in there they could just stay in place until you didn't need to use them anymore.  Thanks for solving that mystery for me! 

[BW Manilowe]

16 hours ago, random chance said:

OH ok I didn't know that you had to use one every time, I thought once they were in there they could just stay in place until you didn't need to use them anymore.  Thanks for solving that mystery for me! 

Some catheters can stay in, but you still need to change them within a  certain timeframe, like those disposable contacts you can sleep in, in order to prevent infection. You're also better off if you use new catheters every time even if you don't have to use them permanently, again to prevent infections (if they get bad enough, they can result in kidney failure, which landed me in the hospital for the last half of last October). And as the poster upthread said, there are certain conditions--such as birth defects (which I'm personally familiar with) or other, post-birth, permanent injuries of the type mostly involving paralysis below the waist--which would necessitate either occasional, semipermanent, or permanent use of urinary catheters.

[random chance]

I see.  Man that's brutal, I'm sure that changing those things is no picnic.

And on the thread topic since I waylaid it .... TOMORROW TOMORROW I LOVE YA TOMORROW TOMORROW TOMORROOOOOOW IS ANOTHER DAAAAY TOMORRRRRRROW I mean dear God, right? 

[NikSac]

Just adding one more catheter post - when I was a kid in the hospital for long term physical therapy, a girl I roomed with for several months was paralyzed from the waist down and had to use catheters. I assume that was going to be for the rest of her life. They taught her how to do it herself, and she used a new one every time. She'd been there for at least 6 months I think, and it was one of the things she had to be able to do successfully before they would let her go home.

[emma675]

Quote

Gotta love the ad that 's pushing Botox for the treatment of chronic migraine headaches. Side effects may include headaches!

Wait a minute, how can a side effect also be the condition you're being treated for? Botox has got some crazy lawyers writing those disclaimers!

[janie jones]

Is it "migraine headaches" or "migraines"?  I've seen that ad (though I haven't paid attention to the disclaimer) and the latter is how I took it, and it actually makes sense to me.  Because migraines are more than just bad headaches.  Some people might not care about getting another headache if it means their vision or speech isn't impaired or they aren't experiencing nausea and vomiting, especially for people who get them multiple times a week.  Some people's migraine headaches aren't helped by regular medicines so if they could trade in a migraine headache for something they could take ibuprofen for, they probably would.

I mean, someone might.  My husband and I both get migraines (different kinds), and we saw that ad and were both like, "hell no."

Edited May 18, 2016 by janie jones

[smittykins]

OK, so instead of an anthropomorphic bladder(who texts)or intestines, now people with IBS-D have to deal with an entirely separate person? Glad I don't have to deal with that.

[theatremouse]

11 hours ago, janie jones said:

Is it "migraine headaches" or "migraines"?  I've seen that ad (though I haven't paid attention to the disclaimer) and the latter is how I took it, and it actually makes sense to me.  Because migraines are more than just bad headaches.  Some people might not care about getting another headache if it means their vision or speech isn't impaired or they aren't experiencing nausea and vomiting, especially for people who get them multiple times a week.  Some people's migraine headaches aren't helped by regular medicines so if they could trade in a migraine headache for something they could take ibuprofen for, they probably would.

I mean, someone might.  My husband and I both get migraines (different kinds), and we saw that ad and were both like, "hell no."

I forget what the ad claims, but I'm with you there (I think). If I could get rid of the nausea and vision issues, I'd probably be substantially less miserable with the headache portion.

[Bastet]

I've never seen the commercial, just read these posts, but I assumed the headaches referred to as a possible side effect were "regular" headaches: The Botox will work on your migraine (which, as noted, comes with problems in addition to the headache), but you may get a tension headache as a side effect.  Sounds like a good trade-off!  (The being injected with the same bacteria that causes botulism, maybe not so much.)

[Muffyn]

I'm starting to think people would be less concerned about having IBS-D or bladder leakage if these problems didn't come with normally internal organs that you have to lead around.  Perhaps the solution is to place their organs back in their bodies?  After all, it is hard to control when you have to pee when your bladder is outside your body. 

[riley702]

Weirdly, my sister gets "silent" migraines; that is, she gets the auras, but not the pain. So, it's only a problem when she's driving.

[Sandman87]

3 hours ago, Bastet said:

 Sounds like a good trade-off!  (The being injected with the same bacteria that causes botulism, maybe not so much.)

No worries. It's not the bacteria that you get injected with, just the neurotoxin that the bacteria produce. Hardly anyone ever dies from it. Usually.

 

2 hours ago, Muffyn said:

I'm starting to think people would be less concerned about having IBS-D or bladder leakage if these problems didn't come with normally internal organs that you have to lead around.  Perhaps the solution is to place their organs back in their bodies?  After all, it is hard to control when you have to pee when your bladder is outside your body. 

I envy the ancient Greeks; at least they didn't have to put up with animated TV commercials for Wandering Womb treatments.

[random chance]

9 hours ago, Muffyn said:

I'm starting to think people would be less concerned about having IBS-D or bladder leakage if these problems didn't come with normally internal organs that you have to lead around.  Perhaps the solution is to place their organs back in their bodies?  After all, it is hard to control when you have to pee when your bladder is outside your body. 

But if you could send your bladder off to the bathroom on its own that would be perfect!  I'd pay big bucks for that drug.

[Haleth]

6 hours ago, Sandman87 said:

just the neurotoxin

That sounds so much better.  LOL

[CoderLady]

10 hours ago, riley702 said:

Weirdly, my sister gets "silent" migraines; that is, she gets the auras, but not the pain. So, it's only a problem when she's driving.

Man, those are freaky. Big chunks of my field of vision turn to rippling flashy gray curtains that I can't see through. It only happens a couple of times a year. Definitely not bad enough to get injected with one of the most potent neurotoxins in the world, though.

[DrSpaceman73]

Botox works great as a migraine preventive treatment.  It truly can be remarkable how well some people do that otherwise are miserable almost every day of their lives with migraines.  And the injections are not as bad as it sounds, once every 3 months.  It's probably the biggest breakthrough in migraine therapy in the last 10 years.  

[janie jones]

1 hour ago, DrSpaceman73 said:

Botox works great as a migraine preventive treatment.  It truly can be remarkable how well some people do that otherwise are miserable almost every day of their lives with migraines.  And the injections are not as bad as it sounds, once every 3 months.  It's probably the biggest breakthrough in migraine therapy in the last 10 years.  

This would mean more to me coming from someone with a different name. :)

[DrSpaceman73]

9 hours ago, janie jones said:

This would mean more to me coming from someone with a different name. :)

Well I am no scientologist, but I did go to Hollywood upstairs medical college just like Dr. Nick. 

[friendperidot]

I've seen too many Cancer Treatment Centers of of America or whatever. The one with the guy with the most stinkingly adorable daughter concerns me. He said it was nice to go there where they greeted him when he walks in and they include him on treatment decisions...wait, even if you are a cancer doctor, I'd think you would want to be included in treatment decisions. I do. I realize that when you get a big diagnosis you're not always thinking straight and then you need someone with you to help you understand all the options. I had a brain aneurysm a few years ago and I knew I would not be able to comprehend everything by myself, so I took a friend with me to my follow up appointments. That was the worst headache of my life - and I'm a migraine sufferer, I get terrible rebound headaches from all the tryptans, have a phobia about needles so botox is probably out of the question, but Amitriptyline  keeps mine pretty well under control.

 

I also question the blonde that does so many ads for ambulance chaser attorneys, she can really rip off all the problems that each of the medicines may have. And those attorneys are on top of the latest findings, a report barely comes out and they're advertising to sue.

[Sandman87]

From the current Linzess commercial: "My chronic constipation keeps coming back!" Gosh, ya think maybe that's why it's called chronic constipation? Dumbass.

[Aquarius]

Cialis for daily use commercial :  When the moment is right, why pause to take a pill or go to the bathroom?

How about pausing to find someplace more private than a restaurant, public beach or patio, and take your pill or use the bathroom on the way?  Seriously, horndogs, you can wait to be out of other people's line of sight before getting busy.

[Ilovecomputers]

1. As annoying as all commercials for prescription medicines are, why is it I can never remember the name of the drug or what it's used for?
2. Why does it always seem the side effects are scarier than the illness the drug is supposed to treat?
3. Did I really hear on one of the commercials that persons taking the drug had reported driving while under the influence of the drug with no memory of doing so?
4. There's a prescription drug ad for something that I particular despise because the actors portraying people taking the drug are always the best in their field, so they say things like, "I accept that I'm no longer President of the United States, but I won't accept not being able to go rowing every day," or "I accept I'm no longer Prima Ballerina of the Royal Ballet, but I won't accept that I can't foxtrot 'til dawn anymore."  Can't we just agree that it's difficult to accept some of the changes that come with the aging process?  This same company has a dingleberry jogging through a college library.  Library staff don't shush people anymore and I guess now you can jog through it, too.
5. While I have enormous sympathy for people with shingles I don't need to see another person lift his/her shirt or blouse, or turn their face, or show me an affected eye or anything so that I can see the effects of shingles.  To the guy at the driving range who lifts his shirt and complains he's not up to golfing that day:  just stay home!  I understand what hemorrhoids are, too, without someone turning around and showing me those in a commercial.

[Prevailing Wind]

Quote

Did I really hear on one of the commercials that persons taking the drug had reported driving while under the influence of the drug with no memory of doing so?

Yes, you did. That would be Ambien.