Family Fit Lifestyle Month Emergency Weather Plan

Prepare. Plan. Stay informed.

Prepare yourself first, and plan before the storm arrives. Check and update your plan monthly.  When a weather emergency occurs, your family should have a plan.  Your contact list should include agencies listed below including local numbers and websites for your area.  If you have a condition that requires special assistance, many of these agencies have contact information for preparations before, during, and after the storm. For example, most state power and utility companies have special assistance programs for thse in need of power to run medical supportive devices.

Preparation tips include:

• stay well rested 
• avoid unnecessary distractions
• know the facts, be present and up to date on storms and emergency preparation by reading and listening to lectures 
  
• prepare and check medical provider list to include your primary care doctors including specialists, nearest urgent care community health centers and hospital
• contact electric company to help with medical provisions like home oxygen should power failure occur
• contact community emergency services for listing if medical condition requires extra attention
• prepare food and water stock for two weeks or more
• freeze water for ice enough to fill two or more coolers
• keep prescription medication current with adequate supply for two months
• stay informed with neighbors and community resources
• get batteries for lights, radio, fans, medical devices like glucometer, blood pressure monitor
• charge all sources of power for telephones, limit use and keep turned off if not in use

During a weather emergency many resources are used quickly.  Make your emergency plan a family priority.to prevent and avoid unhealthy adverse events.  Best health!

Emergency Contact List

RED CROSS
http://www.redcross.org/
Phone: 1-800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-2767 / 1-800-257-7575 (Español)

Ready
http://www.ready.gov/
Phone: 1-800- BEREADY (1-800-237-3239)

CDC Emergency Preparedness for Flood, Hurricane, Wildfires and more
http://emergency.cdc.gov/

CDC
http://www.cdc.gov/
Phone: (800) CDC-INFO/(800) 232-4636) TTY (888) 232-6348

National Weather Service
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/
http://www.weather.gov/

NOAA (National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration)
http://www.noaa.gov/
NOAA in Your State
http://www.legislative.noaa.gov/NIYS0107/noaainyourstate.html

FEMA
http://www.fema.gov/
Disaster Assistance: (800) 621-FEMA, TTY (800) 462-7585

Flood Smart (NFIP - National Flood Insurance Program}
http://www.floodsmart.gov/
Phone: 1- 888-379-9531

National Association of County and City Health Officials
http://www.naccho.org/
local public health resource

National Guard
http://www.nationalguard.com/

Stay healthy.  Stay safe.  Stay prepared. Best health!

Health Literacy Month Healthy Life Line: Read

 Read what you need. Learn about what you need to maintain good health and well-being.  Health literacy is an important part of your self-care health care.  It helps promote better health and quality of life. During this Health Literacy Month make your health healthier with more medical information.

Medical science progresses so rapidly!  It is impossible for health care providers to keep up with all these new developments. Be aware of treatments your doctors and healthcare team have yet to hear about or are unlikely to ever find out about.  The overwhelming amount of new health information that comes out is far too much for many to stay current on every disease and treatment.  This should not stop you the patient from finding out all you can.  The same goes for wellness.  Participating in your health care is mandatory to maintain good health, achieve wellness, and overcome illness.

There are so many different treatments and modalities that compliment traditional medicine.  As many lack training in these areas they are unable to tell the patient.  Asking your doctor is a good starting place as is telling your doctor about the things you have read about or tried that helped.  In turn this may evoke a response by your physician to find out more,and even share with other patients and colleagues who may in turn share their “new” information which your doctor can share with you.

Reading and learning are vital to good health. Health literacy helps you make healthier, informed choices based on facts that have proven to yield better health outcomes.  Be health literate.  Best health!

Good health maintenance reads: 

Healthy Life Lines Amazon.com: Healthy Life Lines: Simple Tips to Improve Your Health eBook : Richardson M.D., J L: Kindle Store

Patient Handbook to Medical Care Amazon.com: Patient Handbook to Medical Care: Your Personal Health Guide eBook : Richardson M.D., J. L.: Kindle Store

Nutrition Month: Choose Healthy Food

Cooking is good medicine.  What you cook is better medicine.  Culinary medicine can help you get better and stay healthy.  The healthy food plus cooking adds to great, healthy feelings.  This is what more doctors and healthcare providers are studying to recommend for their patients.  More residency training programs are including culinary medicine in their school curriculum.  

Food as medicine is hardly a new treatment.  Hippocrates quoted it thousands of years ago.  Research continues to show that proper nutrition with natural foods keeps low risk for disease lower, and it also keep high risk conditions from progressing and perhaps even occurring. Starting before birth is the optimal time.  Early good nutrition is important.

Make your healthy more wealthy by learning to shop for healthy food to prepare healthy meals.  This can save your money as well as your health.  Let it begin and/or continue with education (March is National Nutrition Month) and action with the intent of adding it to your healthy lifestyle.  Best health and eating!

Hypertension Healers

Make less stress, tolerate even less.

Learn relaxation techniques.

Meditate daily.

Eat heart healthy food.

Exercise at least fifteen minutes or more a day in your best way.

Pursue enjoyable hobbies that you like.

Sleep soundly at least eight hours per twenty-four.

Let love keep you healthy.

Smile a lot.

Pray often.

Own a blood pressure device and /or an application on a phone.

Check your blood pressure at home. 

Give a blood pressure monitor as a gift.

Use positive kindness as daily medicine.

Best health!

MY PATIENT HANDBOOK: hypertension 

Premarin Pandemonium Prices!

Premarin Vaginal Cream is at an all time high of $379. Insulin is at all time high of unaffordable over $100 per bottle for most people who need it.  Do no harm is the medical mantra yet harm is done each time a person has to even think about buying medication.  Unaffordable prices is hardly the answer to this deceptive dilemma. Stay in the best health you can to prevent medication dependence.  Prevention and early intervention are essential to great health.  Seek alternatives to help you heal and stay well.  

The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest patients in the care of the main frame, in diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease. -Thomas Edison

Best health!


Integrate Medical Treatments
https://mypatienthandbook.blogspot.com/2017/03/medical-treatments-for-your-good-health.html

Money and Your Medication 

https://mypatienthandbook.blogspot.com/2016/09/money-and-your-medication.html

Diabetes Defense Is Good Offense

Diabetes is on the rise around the world.  Current global statistics reveal that 1 in 11 persons had diabetes in 2015.  This is about 415,000 million people.  A recently published study by JAMA found that almost 50% of Americans have pre-diabetes or diabetes.  About one-third of these patients were unaware they had either condition, and were already showing signs of diabetes.  National cost was almost $300 billion in 2012.  International cost in 2015 was $673 billion which is 12% of global health expenditure.


Pre-diabetes and diabetes are often discovered during the routine physical, or in the emergency room with severe hyperglycemia or complications secondary to the disease.  Patients may present without any symptoms or the classic triad of polyuria (increased urination), polydipsia (increased thirst), polyphagia (increased hunger).  Blood tests that confirm diabetic disease include: FBS (fasting blood sugar) / FPS (fasting plasma glucose) over 126 mg/dl; two hour plasma glucose over 200 mg/dl HgbA1c over 6.5.  Weight loss and dehydration may be apparent clinically as the heavy glucose molecule depletes the body's water volume.


Comorbidities associated with diabetes include hypertension, heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, and general vascular disease.  These are all chronic disease states as is the eye disease (diabetic retinopathy) which may lead to total blindness.   Diabetic neuropathy involves nerves especially those to the extremities causing numbness, tingling, and decreased sensation.  If vascular disease is present, this may lead to poor circulation.  As a result diabetic foot ulcers may emerge.  Due to lack of sensitivity these may go unnoticed until an infection occurs which left untreated may lead to amputation.


Treatment includes diet, exercise, and medication.  Surgery is also a consideration.  It is of utmost importance that the proper diet is followed.  Counseling with a dietician provides necessary nutritional information to keep and help keep blood sugar in normal range.  Weight maintenance at a  healthy level is beneficial as overweight states have been correlated with an increased risk of diabetes.  Excess weight can make diabetes more difficult to control.  Adherence to diet leads to better control overall even if on medication.  Along with routine exercise this helps maintain a healthy weight.  If you are losing weight and eating the right foods, diabetes may come into control without medication.  It is important to check your blood sugar often when lifestyle changes are being made.  Keeping your blood sugar within normal limits will help defend against secondary complications.  Most important, you will feel better.  Best health!

Use Your Medical History As Guide Guideline

Preventive health guidelines were developed to improve one’s health using things that prevent disease and detect it early.  They are based on credible research in which the criteria have been studied extensively.  The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) is a leading resource for preventive health guidelines along with doctor specialty organizations like the American Academy Of Family Physicians and American Academy of Pediatrics.  There are so many that it can become confusing as to what you should do.  Like one size fails to fit all so do the guidelines. How will you know what you need and when you need it?
 
Use your medical history as your guide in deciphering through different health organization guidelines.   Though they may address the same thing, there will be similarities and differences.  If you have a history of cancer, you may want to get a mammogram or colonoscopy more often. If there is a family history, you may want to get tests sooner than the guidelines suggest.  Abnormal physical exam findings warrant testing regardless of guidelines.
 
Be sure to review guidelines from different organizations. This gives you a broader view of what you need.  Look at the pros and cons as they fit you.  Focus on those that concern you and your condition.  Discuss them all with your doctors and healthcare providers to plan your guidelines. Your medical history is your guide to the guidelines right for you.  Best health!

Stroke Awareness: Know Your Risk Factors

As more people are diagnosed with hypertension the incidence for stroke increases.  Currently about 1 in 3 persons worldwide has been diagnosed with hypertension.  This indicates that the incidence for stroke is more likely than ever before. Diabetes, high lipids, obesity, and cigarette smoking are also risk factors.

Strokes are cerebrovascular accidents, CVA for short.  Strokes may occur from uncontrolled high blood pressure, but may also occur when blood clots block the major arteries to and in the brain cutting off oxygen.  Hemorrhagic strokes may cause bleeding in the brain secondary to a ruptured artery.  The most common cause is from severe hypertension.  Other causes include aneurysm and malformations of arteries and veins in the brain.  Ischemic or thrombotic strokes happen when blood clots block the carotid arteries or arteries in the brain because of fat deposits in the vessel lining (atherosclerosis).  This cuts off or decreases blood flow to the brain.  Embolic strokes usually result from blood clots elsewhere in the body like pulmonary embolism (PE) or deep vein thrombosis (DVT).  Clots from the area involved migrate to the brain and block blood flow. 

Mini strokes called transient ischemic attacks, TIAs for short, usually last a few hours.  If longer than 24 hours, it is considered a CVA.  The impairments that occur are not permanent.  TIAs signal that one is at risk for a potential stroke with lifelong impairment. 

Signs and symptoms of strokes include:

• Dizziness, lightheadedness
• Weakness or loss of function  in arm, leg, face on one side
• Slurred speech or loss of speech
• Blindness 
• Mental  confusion or loss of consciousness
• Unsteady gait

 

The pseudonym FAST is a simple way to recognize general stroke symptoms. Face droops; Arm weakens; Speech difficulty; Time to call 911. 

Risk factor reduction is a good way to protect yourself and prevent strokes.  Keep your blood pressure in normal range.  Eat low fat dpet to keep lipids low.  Refrain from smoking.  Stay active with regular exercise.  Make less stress a priority as well. Best health!

Chronic Non-Malignant Pain Opiate Options

You got pain?  Take a pill to ease the strain.  Chronic nonmalignant pain affects everyone.  It can be a major cause of personal and family distress.  In addition to the pain of pain many live with secondary effects such as depression which leads to family chaos, work absenteeism, and decrease in activities of daily living to the point of depression.  Prescription medication like nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs include ibuprofen, naproxen, celebrex and more) and opiates (oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, morphine and more) are the gold standard for acute and chronic pain management.  Once you have seen the doctor you are most likely to get one or both of these depending on the etiology of the pain.  Once the cause of the pain is found and treated the need for pain medication may cease.  If this fails to work, the pain meds continue.  This can be a hazard to your health.

In 2012 there were about 183,000 deaths worldwide.  In 2014 there were over 47,000 lethal drug overdoses making it the leading cause of accidental death in the United States (2012 statistics: United Kingdom: 3,200, South America/Latin America/ Caribbean: 7300, European Union: 6100, Oceania: 1900).   This exceeds the number of deaths in road accidents in most countries. Research from studies done in 2013 revealed that opioid analgesics were the primary cause of most drug overdoses in the United States.  Over three-quarters of these deaths were accidental or unintentional.  Opioids (75%) were the most common drug followed by benzodiazepines, antidepressants, and antipsychotics.  Prescription pain relievers accounted for over 18,000 overdose deaths.  Misuse of these medications often leads to illicit heroin use.  Why?  It is easier to get and less expensive than prescription opioids even though the rate of prescribing opioids has almost tripled since 1994.  This has increased the mortality rate from overdosing over 400% in women and over 200% in men from 1999 to 2010.

Pain can be managed in ways that use less prescription pain medicine.  The pill may be the easiest way and is usually the first thing a patient is offered.  There are many options to finding relief while decreasing your risk of opiate dependence or overdose. Your doctor can do the following:

• advise on other treatments and refer to appropriate specialists
• discuss risks, side effects, etc of prescription pain drugs
• educate, provide resources for education on the diseases, pain management (articles, books, videos, agencies like Partnership for Drug Free America)
• prescription drug monitoring (doctor-patient contract, drug tests)
• use of non medicinal treatment
• identify risky drug use patterns
• require visits for refills
• referral to pain management specialist
• behavioral therapy consult

Opioid dependence and overdose can be prevented.  Using opioids responsibly is the patient’s responsibility.  It is up to you to recognize what these types of drugs can do to you.  Relief of pain is the objective; however, the addictive potential must be taken into consideration.  It is important to get a correct diagnosis of the pain as there is probably non opiate treatment that can make it tolerable or resolve it totally.  Make opiates the option instead of the treatment of choice.  Best health!

High Blood Pressure: How Loud It Can Be

High blood pressure (HBP) is louder than you may think.  Often called the “silent killer”, hypertension has symptoms to let you know it is present.  Symptoms may include headache, dizziness, fatigue, weakness, blurred vision, seizures, unexplained anxiety, and more.  Though nonspecific these signs and symptoms do correlate with high blood pressure. If you have a family history of HBP and heart problems, it is very likely the symptoms will be present. Untreated hypertension may lead to more serious conditions like heart attacks and strokes.

When you experience symptoms suggestive of hypertension, it is important to get it checked.  This should be done by a health care professional, but can be done at home, also.  Consistent readings above 140/90 call for assessment and treatment.  A complete physical exam, complete blood tests, and EKG should be done to check for overall good health and findings that are seen with hypertension. 

On physical exam the eye exam may reveal retinopathy and artery narrowing.  This is associated with decreased vision and can proceed to blindness.  Bruits over the carotid arteries in the neck and over the abdomen area suggest vascular disease that can block the arteries off.  This can lead to strokes, chronic kidney disease, peripheral vascular disease (poor circulation in legs), sexual dysfunction and more.  Heart findings and EKG changes can show signs of heart disease that accompany hypertension.  Blood tests provide further information and can even help assess if there are secondary causes.  Your doctor correlates all the information to assess a treatment plan. 

Initial therapy includes lifestyle changes like a healthy, nutritious diet, good sleep, low stress, and exercise.  If your blood pressure reading consistently remains elevated medication may be needed.  This may be temporary or lifetime depending on your lifestyle health habits.  For example, weight loss and eating the right foods especially those known to decrease blood pressure, can totally eliminate the need for medication and its side effects that can create new chronic problems. The best part is that you will feel better, and hopefully prevent any problems from untreated high blood pressure.  Best health!

Family Health: Allergy vs. Adverse Reaction

Do you know the difference between an allergy and adverse reaction?  When taking medication of any type, prescription or non-prescription, reactions from a single or multiple drugs may occur.  An allergic reaction usually involves allergy symptoms which may include difficulty breathing, hives, and itching.  Adverse reactions may include this and much more essentially indicating your body is unable to tolerate the medicine.

It is important that your health care team is aware of any reactions to medication you have taken.  When asked about allergies be sure to include adverse reactions as well.  It is also important to note any drug-drug and drug-food interactions you may have experienced.  Medication in the same drug class are often offered as alternatives. These can also be adversely tolerated.

Be aware of your medication history and include it in your medical history.  Share this with all of your healthcare providers.  This will assure that you will be unlikely to be prescribed anything that may cause an allergic or adverse reaction.  Best health!

Screening for Cancer

Screening tests save lives. Talk to your doctor and do your own research on tests you need and how often. What the guidelines suggest and what you need may be different.

Common screening tests for cancer include:

• mammogram and/or MRI for breast cancer
• PAP smear & HPV test for cervical cancer
• stool check for blood (fecal occult blood test, FOBT); colonoscopy, baseline at 50 for colorectal cancer
•  chest X-ray and or CT scan for lung cancer
• complete physical exam, and routine blood tests

Be sure your doctor goes over the test results with you and explains everything. Get all of your questions answered! Timely follow up with your doctor is important to prevent any delays in diagnosis and treatment.

Get a copy of your test results. This will help you understand your diagnosis and make sure all is accurate.  Research your results and diagnosis. Getting a second and sometimes tiebreaker third opinion (because you were told different things by each doctor!) is a reasonable and smart thing to do.  This offers more alternatives and insight enabling you to get the right treatment for you based on facts.

Cancer screening is a healthy thing to do.  If cancer runs in your family, get checked for it early.  Many may dissuade you based on clinical guidelines and cost. Guidelines are recommendations.  The cost for your health is priceless.  Since you are paying for it, get what you deserve and need based on your individual medical history.  The cost of prevention is usually far less than the cost of treating and living with cancer.

Best health!

Family Health: Abuse Awareness

Family and domestic violence affects many millions of women, children and men worldwide.  More females and children are affected than men.  In 2011 statistics revealed that over 1.5 million women and 800,000 men were involved in intimate partner violence (IPV) in the United States alone.  Studies estimate the lifetime risk for women is an astounding 1 in 4. 

As more accounts of domestic violence are made public, one would think contact for help would be more prevalent as well.  It is in the real world.  Repeated public disclosure (video, discussion of incidents, etc.) with negative implications is less than desirable for anyone especially victims and their families. This lends to more harm than help possibly generating ideas for potential new and recurring events.

Doctors in Florida are required to complete domestic violence course to maintain licensure.  This ensures that anyone who is faced with this situation will get proper guidance and assistance.  Many doctors include questions about this on routine wellness exams.  Help and prevention of further occurrences from qualified medical professionals is of utmost importance.

Domestic violence is a very sensitive issue that affects health and well being.  It is a private matter regardless of those involved. Seeking help is of utmost importance.  Prevention, intervention and early detection are essential.  This can start in the primary care doctor’s office before it escalates to family violence and ER visits. 

Patient safety is a primary concern as is developing a safety plan. Referral to appropriate health care professionals and community-based programs helps patients with the psychological, emotional, and physical aspects of family violence.  Other resources can be found by phone or Internet as follows:

·       National Domestic Violence Hotline

        1-800-799- SAFE (7233)
          www.thehotline.org

·       National Sex Assault Online Helpline

         1-800-656-HOPE (4673)
www.rainn.org/get-help/national-sexual-assault-online-hotline

·       Institute of Safe Families

          www.instituteforsafefamilies.org

·       National Coalition Against Domestic Violence
    www.ncadv.org

·       Academy on Violence & Abuse

          www.avahealth.org

·       American Bar Association

    http://apps.americanbar.org/tips/publicservice/safetipseng.html


Keep you and your family healthy and aware that IPV and family violence is avoidable.  Educate and inform seeking help when it is needed. Abuse be it verbal or physical is harmful and unhealthy.

Asymptomatic Symptomanic Static on Routine Pelvic Exams

Guidelines for pelvic exams in women has been "updated" again.  Avoiding pelvic exams in asymptomatic, non pregnant adult women is the newest "recommended" guideline.  Could this mean that a woman who meets these criteria should refrain from routine exams until she becomes symptomatic and/ or pregnant?  If this were the case, how many women would be left out of possibly being diagnosed with a disease that was indeed asymptomatic until diagnosed on a routine pelvic exam?

In asymptomatic non pregnant females, my diagnoses have included cervical cancer in an 80 year old, ovarian cancer in a 20 year old, massive uterine fibroid tumor in a 40 year old.  The routine pelvic exam was able to detect these malignant and pre-malignant conditions before they became life threatening.  Early detection allowed these ladies to escape the perilous pitfalls of cancer.  In these cases simple surgery was the cure.  They remained asymptomatic and cancer free by continuing with their routine pelvic exam and checkup.

Without symptoms may appear to indicate a disease free state, but often times it reveals disease.  It is up to patients and their health care providers to include routine exams in their health care plan.  Routine can be yearly, every other year or two, or less frequently depending on the patients medical history.  Routine evaluation and assessment is based on each individual.

Routine pelvic exam guidelines are just that, suggested recommendations that should be considered.  For this doctor and many others, especially women, routine pelvic exams will still be part of a well woman visit as deemed necessary.  The schedule is as follows:

• 18 - 20 first pelvic exam, sooner if sexually active and/or symptomatic
• 20 - 60 pelvic exam every year to every other year unless symptomatic
• 60 - life pelvic exam every 2-3 years unless symptomatic

Routine pelvic exams and pelvic/ transvaginal sonograms together offer earlier detection and diagnosis of more gynecological diseases that can be treated effectively before they affect a woman's quality of life.  In addition, they help avoid "all in your head" misdiagnosis, and can be lifesaving.  As for the concern of "false positives" and unnecessary tests...forget about the asymptomatic symptomatic static.  Most abnormal exams and tests can be repeated and followed on a closer routine schedule that may prevent riskier intervention.  Talk with your doctor about what is best for you.  Best health!

Emergency Plan Helps Save Your Health

"Prepare. Plan. Stay informed."

When emergency occurs it is good for you and your family to be prepared and have a plan.  Your contact list should include agencies listed below and the local numbers for your area.  If you have a condition that requires special assistance, many of these agencies have contact information for preparation before an emergency occurs.  For example, most state power and utility companies have special assistance programs for those in need of power to run medical supportive devices.

During an emergency many resources are utilized quickly.  Make your emergency plan a family priority to prevent and avoid unhealthy adverse events.  Best health!

Emergency Contact List

RED CROSS
http://www.redcross.org/
Phone: 1-800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-2767 / 1-800-257-7575 (Español)

Ready
http://www.ready.gov/
Phone: 1-800- BEREADY (1-800-237-3239)

CDC Emergency Preparedness for Flood, Hurricane, Wildfires and more
http://emergency.cdc.gov/

CDC
http://www.cdc.gov/
Phone: (800) CDC-INFO/(800) 232-4636) TTY (888) 232-6348

National Weather Service
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/
http://www.weather.gov/

NOAA (National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration)
http://www.noaa.gov/
NOAA in Your State
http://www.legislative.noaa.gov/NIYS0107/noaainyourstate.html

FEMA
http://www.fema.gov/
Disaster Assistance: (800) 621-FEMA, TTY (800) 462-7585

Flood Smart (NFIP - National Flood Insurance Program}
http://www.floodsmart.gov/
Phone: 1- 888-379-9531

National Association of County and City Health Officials
http://www.naccho.org/
local public health resource

National Guard
http://www.nationalguard.com/

Family Health: How to Keep Your Health History

Your medical history is the cornerstone of your medical record.

Use it to keep up with your health. Update your medical history often especially as new treatment plans and healthcare issues arise.  Copy and complete the following assessment to keep up with your family's health and medical history. 

MEDICAL HISTORY

 

NAME____________________________

DATE OF BIRTH_____________________________

 

INSURANCE COMPANY___________________

INSURANCE ID #________________________

PHONE______________   FAX__________________

ADDRESS__________________________

CITY_____________STATE___________

ZIP________________COUNTRY__________

EMAIL___________________________

 

PAST MEDICAL HISTORY

ALLERGIES______________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

DRUGREACTIONS________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

DIAGNOSES & MEDICAL CONDITIONS (include year diagnosed)

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

SURGERY/ OPERATIONS (include year done)

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

MEDICATIONS (list prescription, over-the-counter, foods, herbs

also write dosage and how often taken)

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

PAST MEDICATIONS (list anything you have taken and stopped – note why it was stopped)

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

FAMILY HISTORY (list medical conditions in family members – list ages, list if deceased and reason)

MOTHER____AGE________

LIVING: YES___NO____

FATHER____AGE_________

LIVING: YES___NO____

______________________________________________________________________________________________

SISTERS_____AGES_________

LIVING: YES___NO____
_______________________________________________________________________________________________

BROTHERS __AGES_________

LIVING: YES___NO___

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

GRANDMOTHER (Mother’s mother) AGE__________LIVING: YES___NO___

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

GRANDMOTHER (Father’s mother)  AGE__________LIVING: YES__ NO___

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

GRANDFATHER (Mother’s father)    AGE__________LIVING: YES___NO___

 

GRANDFATHER (Father’s father)    AGE___________LIVING: YES___NO___
______________________________________________________________________________________________

 

OTHER RELATIVES (list any more sisters, brothers, great grandparents, etc. especially those with medical conditions)_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

OTHER MEDICAL TREATMENTS (list any other treatments like prayer, massage, chiropractor, exercise, physical therapy, etc.)___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

SOCIAL HISTORY

Home:  lives alone___ 

             lives with family___

             lives with friend____

             lives in facility_____facility name, address____________________year moved in____________

Marital: Single___Married____Divorced___Widow/Widower_____

Use of cane___ walker___ wheelchair___prosthetic_____

Other___________________________________________

Alcohol consumption: 

   How many times per day/week/year?________________

   How much per drink?____________________________

Cigarette use: Yes___ No___

   How many per day?________

   At what age did you start?_______

Sexual:  Are you active? Yes___No___

Drug use: Yes___ No___

 

OCCUPATIONS/ JOBS/SCHOOLING

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

MY MEDICAL NOTES

Use extra page to list any other medical history

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________