Open Question: Does having diabetic neuropathy raise your chances for heart disease?
I’m talking about having either autonomic or peripheral nueropathy or both.

Sun, 26 Apr 2009 06:05:18 GMT
Open Question: I was born with pulmonary stenosis, in the navy could i get discharged?
I was born with pulmonary stenosis(heart murmur) and now im in the navy. Ive been having little chest pains. Before i joined my doctor at home said i could have grown out of it, cause he couldn’t hear it. Could i be discharged. My school house runs 5 miles when we exercise im worried it might mess my heart up. Please help

Sat, 25 Apr 2009 22:51:48 GMT

Open Question: I need some math help?!?
the problem is p(x)= 90/1 + 271e^-0.122x
This models the percentage, P(x), of Americans who are x years old with some coronary heart disease. The question is at what age is the % of some coronary disease 70%? (I put in .70 for x)
It seems that this should be easy to answer, but I keep getting stuck and I need some help… thank you in advance for any help

Sat, 25 Apr 2009 20:38:51 GMT
Open Question: Is this what a heart palpatation feels like?
I was laying down relaxing with my lover and my heart was loudly pounding and beating fast. Other than that I felt fine.
My heart wasn’t beating really fast, just a little faster than normal.
No, we had sex over a half hour previous to this and I had already calmed down from that a good while back from this happening. We were sitting up at first and my lover layed their head on my chest just relaxing.

Sat, 25 Apr 2009 17:55:55 GMT

Open Question: question about bulimia?
okay i’ve been having chest pain, feels more like “heart” pain, but anyways- i went to the doctor today and they said i have a heart murmur. they scheduled an echocardiogram, and said if it gets worse go to the ER. could being bulimic have anything to do with this, or what could be wrong with my heart?! please help me.
i can’t tell anyone that! btw, i’m only seventeen so i don’t think i’ll have a heart attack?

Sat, 25 Apr 2009 03:26:49 GMT

Open Question: I have a systolic heart murmur.Should I be worried?
Ive always had it as far as I know but I only know what Ive read online about it.I don’t have any trouble breathing or anything like that but still Im kind of worrying about it.

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 18:35:20 GMT

Open Question: Nerve disease, what to do?
My grandma is another country. I wanna at least find out what’s wrong with her. She’s been having this symptoms for the past 4 years or so. Something in her upper abdomen starts beating as if she’s having heart palpitations in her stomach. It’s been getting worse; a few days ago, it beat really fast and her mouth was apparently opening and closing involuntarily. The doctors there think she has a nerve disease because her heart, stomach and liver tests came back normal.
What can be done about this? Is this likely nerve-related? Is it curable?
Thanks!!

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 05:04:33 GMT
Open Question: How is my writing and what can I do to improve it?
Okay, I’m writing a little story, and I want to know if I should continue or not.
If I need to fix something in the story, please tell me how to improve!
1. The Acid Words
“And make sure you pack all your clean clothes and…”
I rolled my eyes. My mom was always treating me like a kid, even though I was already 14. Her chatter made me ignore her and zone out even more as I was getting older. It was only my mother and I living together, because my dad left my mom when she was still pregnant with me in her stomach. I would never forgive my dad for doing that. I thought of him as a coward who was afraid to give up his money for his own daughter.
I was on my way to my best friend, Natasha’s, house for a sleepover. We did everything together. I’ve known Natasha since we were eight years old.
“Jinny? Jinny, are you listening to me?” my mom suddenly asked.
“Huh..? What?”
“Oh for god’s sake, Jinny. Why don’t you ever listen nowadays?”
“Sorry mom.” I said meekly.
I turned on the radio and changed to my favorite station. After that, my mom drove in silence for 10 minutes.
“Hi Jin!” Natasha hollered.
“Nat! What’s up?”
She answered,”Nothing much. I’ve been busy with my classes. Ms. Hunchburn is giving is a lot of work to do.”
“Sucks for you, doesn’t it?”
She punched my arm jokingly and dragged me into her house while my mom trailed behind silently.
When I was in Natasha’s kitchen, my mom asked me, once again,”Jinny, are you sure you’re not missing anything from home? If you are you better come back and get them.”
“Mom, I said I had everything already! Why don’t you just get out of my face?! You should find something else to do instead of getting in my business all day! Why don’t you go find some friends your own age?! Please! I’m 14 now! You have to let me be independent! I can’t wait ’til I can get out of the house I’m living in now.” I yelled, not thinking of my hurtful words.
My mother looked hurt. The look on her face shattered my heart and made me regret barking out those scorching words. Her eyes weren’t teared up, but the look in them was worse than crying. Whenever I saw that look, I wanted to DIE. Right there. On the spot.
“Mom…” I started.
“I’ll go now, Jinny. I hope you…have fun here.” Her voice sounded like she’d been broken into a million pieces. She then started to walk away, not looking back.
As she got into our green minivan, Natasha whispered,”That was a little harsh, Jinny. Why’d you say that?”
“I don’t know…” I replied.
I watched as the small van drove away into the horizon.
“Come on, Jin. Let’s go to my room. I got a new computer and we could play games…” Natasha started.
I don’t know why, but I suddenly saw Natasha in a different way. I looked at her every detail. She was skinny, and had sea green eyes. Her skin was pale like creamy milk. Her brown straw-like hair slithered down her shoulders like hay. And her cheeks were always red, like roses. I loved every detail about my best friend. And I never regretted meeting her.
“Okay, I’m coming~” I murmured.
I thought about it. Tomorrow, I was going to treat my mom with respect and show her how much I truly appreciated her caring traits.
Little did I know that I would never be able to do that.
2. Mom?
I woke up to see the shining rays of sunlight pouring through Natasha’s bedroom window. Only then did I notice how unkept her backyard was. My mother tended many flowers, fruits, and vegetables in our backyard. She always mowed the lawn. I never noticed the true beauty of my backyard until I looked at Natasha’s today. It was infested with weeds, and everything was lying hear and there. Only then did I discover that I had taken my mom for granted many times. Too many.
“Jinny?! Are you awake yet?” Natasha hollered from downstairs.
“Coming~” I quickly replied as I dashed down the soft stairs.
Down in the kitchen, I glanced at the clock. 9:37 a.m. My mom would be walking to work with her friend, Gloria Hayton.
“Hey Nat. What’s for breakfast?” I asked quickly.
“Waffles. Do you want some butter on your’s?” Natasha said as she pulled the waffles out from the toaster.
“Sure.”
Once the waffles were done, I looked at the time; 10:06 a.m. My mom was sure to be at work by now. I sighed to myself. I couldn’t wait to go home and apologize for the cold words I gave her yesterday.
I looked at Natasha gulping down her waffle and said,”So it’s Saturday today. What do you wanna do?”
Natasha started to respond,”Well, I thought maybe we could-”
“Jinny!” Mrs. Rand, Natasha’s mother, screamed from the living room.
“Yes?”
“Please come! Quickly!” Her tone sounded so panicked. What could be the matter? And what did have to do with me?
I quickly jogged into the living room. “Yes ma’am?”
Mrs. Rand looked into my eyes. “I’m sorry, Jinny. It’s about your mom…”
My heartbeat quickened. “Wha

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 05:18:30 GMT

Open Question: Elderly dog please help?
We have a 15 year old fox terrier who has lived a full and happy life and always been energetic and a bit mad. She had a health problem when she was a puppy which means she only has one kidney and what the vet describes as a fairly serious heart murmur but other than that she has always been fine and shown no symptoms.
In the last few years her age has become apparent. She has gone very thin despite eating lots, she trembles alot, is deaf and i think her sight is not great. She sometimes gets very agitated and i think is a bit senile but has always been hyperactive. For the last few months she has been weeing much more and wetting her bed. This week she has developed a bowel problem, which means she has diarrohea but also strains to have a bowel movement as if she has constipation.
From reading this i know it seems she is on her last legs and maybe i should have her put to sleep, but she is still very very happy. She is not in pain and looks fragile but fine. Should i wait for her to deteriorate and i will know when she has had enough or should i think about putting her to sleep now? It is difficult at the moment, but is that a good enough reason to have her put to sleep? She is happy sleeping in the garden and gets up to greet me and still begs for food, but we wake up every morning to awful mess and i don’t know what i would do if i couldnt put her outside in the nice weather. The vet knows she has done very well for age but would not help me make the decision. She is too old to go through any intervention or treatment so i don’t want them to start looking for diseases now as she couldnt get throught it. Do old dogs just lose control of their bowels like this? I am not afraid of losing her, i just want to be sure its her time and not too soon. I am sure because of her happy and slightly nutty nature she will just carry on regardless despite the physical problems she may be suffering. I hope this isnt an awful question, but i could do with some guidance on this. Thank you so much.

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 14:08:20 GMT

Open Question: newfoundland dog becoming very lazy and not willing to exercise much. why?
He likes to go out for walks but refuses to walk fast or jog with me. he refuses to play fetch and acts very easygoing and relaxed all the time. in the house also he would sit in one place for hours and walk only little bit. I want his heart to get more activity so that he does not get any diseases or health problems.
He is not old. Just 4 years old.

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 06:57:48 GMT

Open Question: Is something wrong with my heart?
I am 25 years old and it has been a few years now that i have noticed my irregular heart beat. My heart will beat very fast, hard and soft for a few seconds or sometimes just a few harder beats. I dont believe it has ever lasted for a whole minute. I only notice it when im sitting down. It feels like its harder to breath when this is happening. It also sometimes seems to hurt a little because of how hard its beating. A few years ago I told my family doctor about it before i really noticed all of the other signs i just explained, i just noticed it was irregular. At the time i thought it was a heart murmur. My doctor listened for a short time, of course my heart beat was fine at that time, and decided it was not a murmur.
Im going to ask my doctor about this with all the new details i explained here, but i was wondering if someone could help me before i went to see my doctor. Does anyone have any clue of what im talking about? I might just be a worry wort. But then again it might be something serious.
im sure it does not matter but i am 18 weeks pregnant with my second child.

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 19:58:42 GMT
Open Question: Is heart disease *mostly* based on genetics or lifestyle?
Heart disease runs in our family and it seems like half of my family has a storke or HA by the time they’re 75. Most of them have lived a fairly healthy lifestyle.

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 19:52:46 GMT

Open Question: can anyone figure out what’s wrong with me?
for the past 5 months i have been having weird things going on, i have been tested for just about everything, i’ve done some research and i’m down to lime disease, i have almost every symptom, i have pain in my armpit, elbow, pelvic area, chest, neck, knee, and fingers, i can not feel any lumps, but there are visible veins in these areas, which were never there. i can even see the veins all the way to my finger tips and palmside. i have tingling in hands. i have had massive headaches that last about a week, about 3 times i have had numbness on my neck and face. i have had heart palpitations, for the past week my pulse rate has been between 105=111, even checked upon waking before getting out of bed, pressure has been mostly normal. i have had chest pains, high on my chest, near top of sternum, recently learned of this thymus gland, seems like it’s in this area, don’t know if that would give all these symptoms, first time i had the chest pains was about 1 year ago, had ct of heart, all was good, but pain has increased in occurrance, have been to hospital about 6 times since, they assure me heart is good. was tested for ms, negative. had mri on neck and back, there were a few issues there including bulging discs, stenosis, and something else. had nerves tested, negative, diabetes test negative. pains that i feel are not debilitaing, but worrysome. they come and go, but always same places, right knee, right pelvic area, left arm pit and elbow, neck, and left side of face. i was living in tennessee, and came across many ticks, pulled some off me but never noticed the rash often associated with lyme disease. any help greatly appreciated, thanks.

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 05:54:50 GMT

Open Question: should IPC hire Nathaniel Wu? why and why not? Please help me!!!!?
THE CASE OF NATHANIEL Wu
Nathaniel Wu is a top-notch microbiologist. Now 30 years old, he has spent several years
working in one of the best research laboratories in the world and has developed an
excellent reputation as a creative researcher and hard worker. Following the birth of their
son six months ago, Nathaniel and his 29-year-old wife decided it was time for Nathaniel
to seek a job that could help them settle down and become financially secure. Thus, it
was with great interest that Nathaniel read the following advertisement in a scientific
journal:
Intercontinental Pharmaceutical Corporation (IPC) of New Jersey is seeking highly
qualified scientists to join a unique research team. IPC is prepared to invest up to $20
million in setting up and supporting a team of researchers to conduct creative research to
find new treatments and cures for diseases ranging from AIDS to heart disease and the
common cold. Because IPC will commit $20 million to this research effort, we will
require those selected for this special research project to commit to a long-term
employment contract. Interested applicants should send information to Dr. Anna Peters
at IPC.
This was the type of job Nathaniel had always hoped for, and he applied immediately.
Before long, IPC invited Nathaniel to come to its headquarters and interview for a
position on this special research team.
Dr. Peters, the head of the research committee, led a series of interviews with Nathaniel
and three other qualified applicants. Although the other three applicants also were well-
qualified, they did not seem to share the same determination and drive as Nathaniel Wu.
She listened carefully when Nathaniel presented his latest research findings to IPC
scientists. They, too, were impressed with Nathaniel?s knowledge, research skills, and
potential for contributing to the special goals of the research team.
Nathaniel sounded like the type of applicant who could have a long and productive career
with IPC, and he seemed to be the sort of team player IPC was seeking.
Because Nathaniel was a top-quality research scientist, there was a high likelihood that
his knowledge and research efforts might result in the type of discoveries for new drugs
and treatments that were the goal of this special research project. Such discoveries and
products could improve the quality of life for countless individuals and dramatically
increase earnings for IPC. The investment by IPC of several million dollars to set up and
support a laboratory for Nathaniel and to pay his salary while he worked seemed like a
good one.
There was, however, one additional bit of information that Dr. Peters had before her as
she considered her recommendation to the Employment Selection Committee. As part of
the application process, Nathaniel had submitted a blood sample to determine his genetic
profile, as had all other applicants. The profile showed that Nathaniel had the allele for
Huntington disease. When asked about this, Nathaniel revealed that he knew nothing
about his family history because he had been adopted as an infant. After thorough genetic
counseling about the implications of this news, Nathaniel still wanted the job at IPC.
Page 2
To have a clearer picture of the impact of this new information on her recommendation,
Dr. Peters had requested information from the IPC medical director. The report included
the following information:
Huntington disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant genetic disorder with an
incidence in North America of 1 in 20,000. It is extremely rare in Orientals.
Individuals who have the allele for HD will, at some point, develop symptoms
of the disease; the usual age of onset is between 35 and 45 years. The disorder
is characterized by progressive degeneration of nerve cells in the central
nervous system. The patient begins to have involuntary jerky or writhing
movements of the arms and legs and facial grimacing. Changes in
personality, including inappropriate laughter, crying, episodes of anger,
memory loss, and bizarre, almost schizophrenic behavior may precede or
follow the movement disorder; the clinical picture is highly variable. The
disorder is fatal, with death commonly occurring when the patient is in his or
her 50s, and the patient usually enters an almost vegetative state for the last
few years of life.
Although we cannot predict the precise age of onset of these symptoms, the fact that
Nathaniel has lived to age 30 without any identifiable symptoms means that he has
approximately a 60 percent likelihood of onset by age 40. Soon after the onset of
symptoms, a person with Huntington disease most likely would be unable to perform
safely or productively in a laboratory setting. Medical care for a patient with HD can be
extremely costly, requiring long-term care in a hospital or other medical-care facility.
Without testing Mrs. Wu, we can predict that their son has a 50 percent chance of having
the allele

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 19:37:58 GMT