We can also fault but each such instance should be an opportunity to admit so that others do not make the same mistakes.
1.A middle aged female lost her young son on his birthday in a motor bike accident. She went into acute depression with insomnia. We saw her on many occasions and each time her sedative dose was increased. This went on for a year when she lost her other son with a similar road accident. The insomnia worsened and the dose of sedative was again increased. A year later she was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Lesson to be learned was that reactive depression usually does not last over three to six months and if it lasts one should rule out organic brain disease.
2.A middle aged female, wife of one of post heart attack Industrial patient, met us in a party and complaint that her husband was having some illicit relationship with her sister and wanted us to intervene. Three months later in another party she repeated the same story. Six months later we were told that she was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Lesson learnt was not to entertain patients in parties and not to ignore any symptoms. Being suspicious can be a sign of underlying brain lesion.
3.An asthmatic journalist friend during an attack of acute asthma became unconscious. He was treated for asthma with steroids and improved and remained alright for the next two weeks. He again lost consciousness once the steroids were withdrawn. CT head showed a brain tumor. Lesson learned was that asthmatics usually do not lose consciousness.
4. A 35 year old female with migraine came with unusual migraine like headache. She was treated with painkillers. Six months later she was diagnosed with brain tumor. Lesson learned was that any symptom appearing for the first time in life, becomes unusual or cannot be explained should not be ignored.
About the author: Dr K K Aggarwal is Padmashri and Dr B C Roy National Awardee, President Heart Care Foundation of India, Dean Board of Medical Education Moolchand Medcity, Sr. Physician & Cardiologist, Chairman Ethics Committee Delhi Medical Council, Visiting professor Clinical Research DIPSAR, Past President Delhi Medical Association and Past Academic and Research Wing Heads IMA.
This Article has been viewed 236 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
No comments yet.
We want your comments! If you can read this, you don't have javascript enabled, so you can't use this comment system. Please enable javascript.
Copyright 2013 IcoLogic, Inc.
Generated live.
Load time: 0.172 seconds.
b