Health Log [31 Jul 2009]

Dr. H : How are you today?

Me : Not too good. I have flu and I keep coughing whenever I start to talk.

Dr. H : Do you have sore throat?

Me : Yes.

Dr. H : When did it started?

Me : Yesterday. My sore throat started. Flu started out of nowhere this morning.

Dr. H : You went to work today?

Me : Yes, I felt alright in the morning. Just sore throat. But around 8-plus, I started to sneeze non-stop... I have a confirmed case in my class...

Dr. H : You are running a fever. A slight one. Pull your hair up, let me listen to your lungs.

Dr. H : According to the Ministry, you are categorised under ILI (Influenza-like Illness), and we are advised to give all ILI patients Tamiflu. But Tamiflu does not come cheap, and not all influenza is H1N1...

Me : What do you advise, Doctor? I know I am very prone to catching flu, (Dr. H : yes..) and this does not feel different from previously...

Dr. H : Let us do this. I will give you some medicine for your fever, flu and throat, and we will monitor your progress. In any case if you develop higher fever or difficulty in breathing, come to me again. Or you can go immediately to Tan Tock Seng if I'm not available.

Me : Ok. Actually Dr. H, do you still remember the last time you diagnosed me with hyperventilation? I had a few attacks subsequently... unable to breathe properly. And once, when I was watching movie, and my heart started to beat so fast that I thought I might just stop breathing altogether.

Dr. H : Haha... must be a very exciting movie.

Me : I then to the polyclinic and was referred to a heart specialist. They did tests on me, and found nothing wrong.

Dr. H : Yes, I didn't it was anything to do with the heart.

Me : They told me that it might just be a case of acid reflux, and gave me 2 months of medicine for that.

Dr. H : Did they do a scope to prove that?

Me : No.

Dr. H : How do you feel after taking the medicine?

Me : It didn't make me feel any better. I still feel the inability to breathe properly every now and then. But I feel that when it happens, I am getting better at controlling it, and not panic.

Dr. H : (softly to himself) I didn't think it has got anything to do with acid reflux either.

Me : Then what could it be?

Dr. H : Do you still remember the pills I have given you the last time, for you to relax? Take it whenever you feel it coming. In any case, if it gets serious, go directly to A&E.