Strep throat, on Rad Onc

[LurkNoMore]

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Just thought I'd post on the quirkiness of MS3. Made it through Peds, FMed, Surgery, IM w/o getting sick, now I'm on Rad Onc selective (8-4/5 M-F, sans call) and what happens, I get Strep throat!!! I have no idea where it came from either, obviously not from one of the 20+ kids I saw in clinic with a fever and pharyngitis previously this year, eck. Oh well, back to my tea, penicillin, and throat with razor-blades in it.

 

[Richie Truxillo]

I feel for ya. I usually have an iron clad immune system. However, I just finished my pediatrics rotation and I swear I caught everything they had. In a 2 month period I had gastro, influenza, Strep throat and otitis media. I hate being sick on rotations.

Anyway, here's to a speedy recovery LurkNoMore! Enjoy the hot tea!

-Richie

 

[QuantumMechanic]

what do you do if youre sick (like strep throat sick, functional but not feeling well, and possibly contagious)?

do you tough it out or do you stay home (and possibly lose respect, not Honor, etc)?

 

[Critical Mass]

I hope you feel better soon!

 

[Winged Scapula]

what do you do if youre sick (like strep throat sick, functional but not feeling well, and possibly contagious)?

do you tough it out or do you stay home (and possibly lose respect, not Honor, etc)?

There is, unfortuately, a fair bit of disrepect for illness amongst our collegues in medicine. So for most things I would say, tough it out, come to work and hope (fingers crossed) that you get sent home by one of the residents or attendings. However, for something really contagious or which prevents you from actually working (ie, liquid emiting from all orifices), then it would be appropriate to "call in sick", as long as its not abused (ie, you're doing it once a week). Only you can tell the timbre of your team and whether you will be punished for calling in sick.

 

[Richie Truxillo]

do you tough it out or do you stay home (and possibly lose respect, not Honor, etc)?

You really have to feel things out with your current crew. However, it's better to call in sick and take a day or two to get better. If you go in sick, you just prolong the inevitable and make everyone else sick. Hell hath no scorn like a team of residents made sick by a lowly third year scut monkey heheehehe No I didn't make everyone sick but I walked around with a mask on all day long. Tamiflu for the win!

-Richie

 

[LurkNoMore]

In the end it is fortunate that I am on this rotation (and not surgery, medicine, etc.) b/c I really can take th/frid. off to recover. our student health doc even wrote me a note saying I needed 48 hours to become non-contagious so I should stay away from pts. It creates a 4 day weekend for me, but I'd honestly rather be healthy seeing folks than sitting here feeling crummy and laying around.

 

[Wackie]

Just thought I'd post on the quirkiness of MS3. Made it through Peds, FMed, Surgery, IM w/o getting sick, now I'm on Rad Onc selective (8-4/5 M-F, sans call) and what happens, I get Strep throat!!! I have no idea where it came from either, obviously not from one of the 20+ kids I saw in clinic with a fever and pharyngitis previously this year, eck. Oh well, back to my tea, penicillin, and throat with razor-blades in it.

I haven't had a bacterial pharyngitis for years. YEARS!!!

About a month ago, I got it bad. And I have no idea where I picked it up from. I tested neg for strep, but I wonder if the swab wasn't very good. It was classic signs and symptoms of strep. A z-pack had me feeling better within 24 hrs. Hope you feel better soon.

 

[thewebthsp]

Yeah sometimes this culture of doctor's can't be sick irritates me--

Namely, if you have a fever or strep throat you shouldn't be seeing patients period for a minimum of 2 days. Our ICU is in ID lockdown because a doctor came to work with the flu (I had it earlier this month, no fun).

Colds, allergies, mild- moderate GI problems without fever probably are ok to go to work with. One of my residents came to work with pyelonephritis!. But she knew she wasn't contagious so she would not make anyone ill.

 

[deleted87716]

I'm on Rad Onc selective (8-4/5 M-F, sans call) and what happens, I get Strep throat!!!...Oh well, back to my tea, penicillin, and throat with razor-blades in it.

Just tell your attending...a little external beam radiation should fix you right up! 😀

 

[Winged Scapula]

Just tell your attending...a little external beam radiation should fix you right up! 😀

I vote for some brachy...the catheters are a cool fashion statement.

 

[LurkNoMore]

had thoughts of brachy and RTX earlier this week when I believed it to be viral, decided it wasn't worth the possible fibrosis in my neck... in the end I guess PCN is better after all..