Mentoring

[mustangsally65]

Have you guys visited the anesthesiology forum lately? I really like reading the case study kind of posts, where the attendings and residents present a case and ask what would you do in that situation, and everyone learns something from the unique or unusual cases.

I think it would be great if those of you who are further along in this process would like to share similar stories.

I'll stop filling up this forum with threads started by me now.

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[McDoctor]

Not too long ago, I saw a 36 yo black female patient who had chronic daily headaches for about 2-3 months, severe enough to cause significant absenteeism from work. She had been seen several times at our clinic as well as having visited the ED a few times. She has a history of migraines, though her current symptoms are not typical of a migraine headache.
She had been on propanolol, recieved several different narcotics, muscle relaxants, NSAID's, steroids, OMT, all with no long term benefit. (admittedly, I had also seen her once previously and prescribed syptomatic care for what seemed like a classic tension type headache). I ordered a CBC, CMP, and sed rate and found her to have a hemoglobin of 8, mcv of 66. She responded to iron supplementation and on further history elicits history of DUB with metrorraghia which has since been addressed by OB/GYN. Her headaches have resolved with correction of her anemia.
Though not the stuff that textbooks are written about, this is the kind of case that makes medicine rewarding and reminds us to think outside of the box a little more. I remain the only resident she will see at our clinic, since as she often remarks "he's the one who cured my headaches".
These little cases make it worthwhile.