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Joined: Feb 2008
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old hand
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OP
old hand
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 876 |
Okay, I was at a doctor appt. after 2 of my boys had positive strep tests. This was a couple of days later, and I'd had a low-grade fever the day before, and a sore patch developed in my throat. The doc told me he was going to prescribe antibiotics and not bother with a test because of the research indicating most people with family exposure who present with symptoms go on to develop strep, so he would prescribe them, [pause], so I offered "prophylactically", but he rejected it, saying, no, "just in case". So here's my question: "prophylactically", in my understanding, means as a preventive measure. I assume his objection was that I was presumed to be infected already, and therefore the treatment couldn't be preventive. Soooo, is there a word that means "just in case" because it probably is the case? Thanks in advance! :0)
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2005
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(The word lest is similar to prophylactically.)
Ceci n'est pas un seing.
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Joined: Dec 2008
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Okay, I was at a doctor appt. after 2 of my boys had positive strep tests. This was a couple of days later, and I'd had a low-grade fever the day before, and a sore patch developed in my throat. The doc told me he was going to prescribe antibiotics and not bother with a test because of the research indicating most people with family exposure who present with symptoms go on to develop strep, so he would prescribe them, [pause], so I offered "prophylactically", but he rejected it, saying, no, "just in case". So here's my question: "prophylactically", in my understanding, means as a preventive measure. I assume his objection was that I was presumed to be infected already, and therefore the treatment couldn't be preventive. Soooo, is there a word that means "just in case" because it probably is the case? Thanks in advance! :0) Quite a few years ago, I suffered an episode of rheumatic fever while serving in the Air Force in east-slope Colorado which had back then a high incident of RF. When I was cured, my doctors prescribed a daily dosage of penicillin as a prophylactic against a recurrence of RF or an occurrence of an upper respiratory infection for the duration of my active duty service. They also advised me that I should seek to obtain a post-discharge supply of the same for a minimum of six years. There was a divided opinion. The NY Medical Society recommended a lifetime prophylactic whereas the AMA recommended six years. The VA supplied me with the latter. I therefore took same for a total of nine years. The medication was generally effective, especially after my tonsils were removed about two years after the RF episode. They had become permanently enlarged and showed a susceptibility to infection in spite of the penicillin. Sorry, I am not sure of the proper word for which you are searching although palliative might be appropriate.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803 |
I don't think palliative is quite the right word since it means 'relieving the symptoms without effecting a cure.' Twosleepy's condition was that of possibly having the infection and the doctor's plan seemed to be to cure it if it's there. The unasked question is whether one should trust a doctor who uses terms the layman can understand.
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old hand
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OP
old hand
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 876 |
You have it exactly right, Fal. But I don't think he knew a word for "cure it if it's there", and neither do I! I am assuming you don't either, because you didn't offer one, so it looks like a goose chase so far... :0)
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I don't think palliative is quite the right word since it means 'relieving the symptoms without effecting a cure.' Twosleepy's condition was that of possibly having the infection and the doctor's plan seemed to be to cure it if it's there. The unasked question is whether one should trust a doctor who uses terms the layman can understand. Well, I won't stir the witch's brew of the argument between homeopathy and allopathy, but since most of modern medicine is allopathic and a "cure" is usually associated with the relief or removal of the symptoms, it would seem to me that palliative might be an appropriate term although there may be a better one.
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Joined: Dec 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
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... since most of modern medicine is allopathic and a "cure" is usually associated with the relief or removal of the symptoms, it would seem to me that palliative might be an appropriate term although there may be a better one. I ain't sayin' nothin', but, since " without effecting a cure" is part of the definition of palliative I mo assume that it's not the right word. I ain't sayin', I'm just sayin'.
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addict
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addict
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 618 |
Was he prescribing them to be taken immediately? If so, he was doing nothing more than treating a disease early based on a high probability of it's presence and the natural history.
Or was he providing a script, to be filled later if full "strep" symptoms developed? In this case I would use a term like "expectant" (though this often has connotations of a "wait and see" approach, with the expected - but not certain - outcome being death). It was only prophylactic in that it prevented another visit to the doctor.
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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Aug 2002
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Palliative, at least in the Canadian medical system, refers to comfort measures and symptom management in terminal illness. As far as I know strep throat is seldom fatal.
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