February 20th, 2006

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Science
12 Comments »

This is Not About My Phlegm

Since I fell ill with a bad cold last Monday, I’ve wanted to write about my phlegm. I’ve wanted to detail the rainbow of unnatural colours it comes in. I’ve dreamed of adjectives to describe it’s particular viscosity, it’s lubriciousness. And, of course, I’ve needed to talk about its sheer volume produced by each coughing fit.

My God, the volume.

But I won’t, because I suspect that would try even my dear readers’ patiences.

Because my doctor can’t see me until this Friday (bloody socialized medicine), I’m off to the local walk-in clinic to plead for antibiotics. If I ingest some, I (and, more importantly, my forbearing wife) will hopefully be able to sleep at night.

Comments: 12 Responses so far

'nee
February 20th, 2006
1:41 pm

It’s alright as long as it’s funny: Dooce can get away with talking about constipation, so I’m sure that hearing about your phlegm won’t shock the Internets too much.

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Anonymous
February 20th, 2006
2:36 pm

I too am going through a cold and yes I am also coughing up some nasty bits. I mostly see shades of grey, a bit of taupe…

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Michael Kohne
February 20th, 2006
4:08 pm

Interesting thing about not seeing the Dr. till friday: I live in the US, and pay for VERY good insurance, and I have the same bloody problem.

Sigh.

Good luck with the anti-biotics.

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Tod
February 20th, 2006
5:44 pm

Points for the catchy headline.

Move to the burbs, Darren… I can call my doctor and get in within a day. :-)

Wasn’t like that when I lived in Yaletown, that’s for sure.

Uh, where do you live again?
;-)

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Darren
February 20th, 2006
5:50 pm

Tod: Heh, in truth, I gave up on my doctor and went to a local medical clinic. There are two within a block of each other in Yaletown. I got in after about a half hour wait, which I can’t complain about.

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filmgoerjuan
February 20th, 2006
7:23 pm

Darren, if you’ve got a cold (which is caused by a virus) then antibiotics won’t do anything for you.

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about some symptomatic relief or other alternatives.

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Andrea
February 20th, 2006
7:39 pm

Watch out for those walk-in doctors. I had a similar condition about 18 months ago. The walk-in doctor told me I needed antibiotics. When I asked if “this is something that responds to antibiotics”, he said, “No, it’s not.”

Vancouver’s community health nurses have a big campaign to stop walk-in clinic doctors from doing this. See http://www.dobugsneeddrugs.org/. The nurses and one doctor told me that it takes less time to write a prescription than it does to explain why antibiotics don’t work.

Hope you got a good walk-in doctor.

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Darren
February 20th, 2006
8:29 pm

Truth be told, I likely have a minor respiratory infection. The doctor itemized the reasons he was putting me on antibiotics, and they sounded reasonable enough to me. I guess I’ll know in a few days.

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'nee
February 21st, 2006
1:54 pm

I’m the only person in the entire universe who has a) never been mis-precribed antibiotics for a cold b) has always had positive walk-in clinic experiences c) has never had to wait more than three months for surgery. Am I just blessed? Perhaps I can bottle and sell whatever it is that I have that makes me so lucky.

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BB
February 22nd, 2006
7:14 am

Going to the doctor?! Who are you, Rockefeller?!? Oh, wait…socialized medicine. Dude, I cannot pity your few days’ delay!

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drank2much
April 28th, 2006
4:56 pm

I know what you mean about the hubby/wife sleeping thing with my grayish mucous coughing fits. I’m so tired of it! Dr.’s don’t have an answer. Chest Xrays are fine. Nothing shows but the coughing continues to annoy me. What the hell?

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drank2much
April 28th, 2006
4:56 pm

I know what you mean about the hubby/wife sleeping thing with my grayish mucous coughing fits. I’m so tired of it! Dr.’s don’t have an answer. Chest Xrays are fine. Nothing shows but the coughing continues to annoy me. What the hell?

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