Download Top 9 Reasons to Call Your Doctor Immediately

Top
Reasons to Call
Your Doctor
Immediately
When and why to tell doc what’s up
You may experience many symptoms
as an hiv positive person. Most of
these do not mean you have a serious
medical condition. Sometimes, however, they could indicate an acute
and possibly life-threatening medical
emergency. Get in touch with your
doctor immediately if you experience
any of the symptoms listed below:
1
“I can’t keep any food or liquid
down.” This could lead to your
body not getting enough water—
dehydration. Vomiting is a common cause of dehydration, but if you
can’t eat for other reasons (such as
painful swallowing or severe nausea),
you might need treatment with intravenous (iv) fluids.
2
“My stomach hurts so much.”
When abdominal pain is beyond
the point where you can tolerate it
and/or is getting worse, it must be
dealt with. If you’re on ddI (Videx) or
d4T (Zerit), severe pain in the middle
of the abdomen could signify pancreatitis (a life-threatening inflammation
of the pancreas gland) or lactic acidosis (a condition where high levels of
lactic acid build up in the blood).
3
“I can’t breathe normally/properly.” If you can’t breathe well,
you need medical attention—no
matter what’s causing it. There are serious hiv-related conditions, such as
pcp (Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia), other pneumonias, lactic acidosis
or abacavir (Ziagen) sensitivity, which
could be the cause of abnormal
breathing or shortness of breath (dyspnea).
4
“My chest is killing me.”
5
“My vision is going
blurry.” Especially if your
cd4 cells are low (less
If you have chest pain, a
feeling of tightness and
shortness of breath that
lasts more than a few minutes, you
should see your doctor immediately or
go to the emergency room. These can
be signs of a heart attack.
than 50), this could be the
beginning of cytomegalovirus (cmv)
retinitis. cmv is a serious eye infection
that can cause blindness if not
treated. An ophthalmologist (eye doctor) should examine you as soon as
possible.
6
“I feel like killing myself.” Depression and sui-
cidal tendencies can increase in hiv positive
people. This may be even more likely
for people taking certain medications,
www.catie.ca
1-800-263-1638
This article originally appeared in the Fall/Winter 2004 issue of The Positive Side, CATIE’s health and
wellness magazine for people living with HIV. You can view an archive of The Positive Side issues or
subscribe to the magazine through the CATIE website. Or call us for more information.
PHOTO-ILLUSTRATIONS: PHOTOS.COM
by Mark Katz, md
such as interferon (for the treatment of
hepatitis C) or the non-nuke efavirenz
(Sustiva and in Atripla), because these
drugs can have psychological side effects. Depression can be treated! If you
feel like you’re losing the battle with the
blues, get help. [For more info on depression, see “Lady Sings the Blues,”
The Positive Side, spring 2003.]
7
“This is the worst headache of
my life.” Most severe headaches in hiv positive people
have nothing to do with hiv.
Still, if this headache is worse than any
you’ve had before, call your doctor.
8
“I am passing blood in my
stool (or vomit).” A small fleck
of blood is not necessarily an
emergency. This can happen
with a condition such as hemorrhoids.
But if you go to the toilet and what
comes out looks like actual blood, call
your doctor.
9
“My mouth is on fire.” If you’ve
had a rash, especially when
starting a new medication
(such as Bactrim), and then
develop fever and nausea and notice
that the lining of your mouth (mucous
membranes) is becoming inflamed and
seems to peel off, this is serious. This
condition, known as Stevens-Johnson
syndrome (sjs), is a major allergic reaction to medications. Although it’s
rare, if you don’t get medical help, it
could be fatal. ✚
Reprinted courtesy of www.PositiveWords.com
© 2004 by Prochilo Health, Inc.
important: Decisions about particular medical
treatments should always be made in consultation with
a qualified medical practitioner knowledgeable about
hiv -related illness and the treatments in question.
permission to reproduce article: This document is copyrighted. It may be reprinted and distributed in its entirety for non-commercial purposes, but
permission must be obtained if you wish to edit the
content. The following credit must appear on any
reprint: “This information was provided by catie,
Canada’s hiv Knowledge Exchange Broker. For more
information, contact catie at 1-800-263-1638 or visit
www.catie.ca.”
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Top 9 Reasons to Call CATIE
1
Newly diagnosed? We’ll give you the lay of the hiv landscape.
2
We’ll connect you with resources in your own community. catie can
3
We’ll help you understand hiv treatment. Drug combinations, starting,
4
We’ll school you on the medical jargon and the alphabet soup of
aids acronyms—and what they mean for you. cd4 counts, liver
Whether you want to learn about the basics of hiv, the immune system, living
day to day with the virus, hiv drugs, co-infections such as hepatitis C or
syphilis, nutrition or hiv prevention—or if you just need to talk to someone
about what it means to have hiv—catie can show you the ropes.
hook you up with anonymous testing sites, aids organizations, clinics and
other hiv resources.
stopping, switching, drug interactions, resistance, complementary therapies—we’ll go over your options so you can make informed treatment decisions with your doctor.
enzymes, genotypic testing, co-infections, triglycerides, cmv, stis, pcp—
you name it!
5
We’ll help you learn how to manage your health. From eating well to
6
We’ll talk to you peer to peer. We know that treatment is more than taking
7
We’ll update you on the latest treatment information. Call us to find
8
We’ll research hiv treatment information for you. Can’t find the facts
9
We’ll dial you in to catie’s services. Workshops, publications, treatment
monitoring your lab tests, from side effects to supplements, from herpes to
hep C, catie can dish up info and tips to help you take control of your health.
medications and your health is more than cd4 counts and viral load. Living
with hiv can affect your self-esteem, relationships and lifestyle. Most of us at
catie can talk the talk with the voice of experience, helping you put it all into
perspective.
out about new drug info, studies, clinical trials, dosing, side effects, availability, expanded access and more.
on a particular topic? Looking for published medical studies? catie can help
you find what you’re searching for and, where possible, direct you to it
on-line or send it to you by mail or fax.
news, research library. . . it’s all at your fingertips, because it’s at ours.
Call catie’s information line from anywhere in Canada at 1.800.263.1638
(toll-free) or 416.203.7122 (for collect calls from correctional facilities). Staff
is available Monday from 10 am to 9 pm est and Tuesday toThursday from
10 am to 6 pm est.