Listen to your doctors.
Reddit user squishy0930 wanted to hear which patients think they knew more when they asked:
"Doctors of Reddit, what was the dumbest 'I read on the internet...' moment you had with a patient?"
Really.
Why would drinking urine be the be-all health savior?
Because It's Sterile And She Likes The Taste?
"When I was a medical student I met a woman who was heavily interested in homeopathy and natural healing, who started drinking her own urine. You can often drink small amounts with no issue, but she was drinking only urine. Urine has a high salt concentration, and she ended up dehydrated with an acute kidney injury."
At Least They're Honest?
"Not a doctor, but work at a doctors office. One of our patients said "I do my own research. I know more than the doctor!"
Garlic Infused...Nevermind.
"Not a doc (nurse) but my doctor friend who works in the ER had a patient with a few garlic cloves stuck deep in her vagina because she had read on the internet it helps with certain infections and yeast. (I realize garlic does have antibacterial properties but needs to be used appropriately and with caution)"
Can You Hear This? Why Are You Wasting My Time?
"Recently. 5 year old boy brought in by mum with a sore ear. Diagnosed with an ear (otitis media) infection, given backpocket antibiotics to start if getting worse or ongoing in another 36 hours (as they often go away on their own)."
"Mum declined, is going to take the kid to a naturopath for treatment instead."
"Unlikely to have a poor outcome (but still possible), but why the f-ck did you come and see me?"
Topical Misunderstanding
"As a general surgery resident on the colorectal surgery service, we do a lot of hemorrhoids, anal fissures, etc. One of my colleagues prescribed a cream for a middle-aged woman and she later called back and asked if the cream would still work while she was on vacation in Hawaii. Uh, yes it will, why? She replied, 'Bc I was told to apply it locally.'”
– TypeADissection
Misunderstanding medical facts are more widespread thanks to the equally quick widespread media we all consume. Odds are the information in a movie or television show is stretched past truth to make the story more interesting.
YEEEEEEEEE-aaaaaahhhhhh?
"I regularly have to explain to junior detectives and families that an autopsy does not function as it does on CSI and I can't just speculate wildly about the sex, height, hand dominance and motive of a murderer except in very specific instances."
"But I don't blame them, I blame f-cking CSI."
Lack Of Trust Right Up Until Death
"My father saw a patient who was convinced that hospitals were a sham. She had cancer. She winds up on chemo for a bit but very quickly tells my father she isn't going to be taking her medication anymore because "she knows when she's being scammed" and the side effects of her medication were "proof". Apparently, the chemo my father was prescribing was a ploy by Big Pharma. Apparently, that was what was actually causing the "cancer" in the first place."
"Well, she decides to go off her medication for a bit and starts feeling better as no chemo = no side effects from chemo. She takes this as further proof that hospitals are a sham and starts blogging about it. Posting online about how she's living proof that hospitals are fraudulent and telling people to stop buying Big Pharma's lies."
"She was then sent back to my father, via ambulance, sometime later. The test results were back and, surprise surprise, stage four cancer. She died in the hospital later that week."
We Push Medicine Because Otherwise People Die
"You'd be amazed at how many people tell me (type 1 diabetic) that I could could get out from big pharma and my dependency on insulin if I just eat right..."
"I'm skinny and otherwise healthy. Type 1 is an immunodeficiency that must always take insulin due to the pancreas no longer creating any on its own..."
"These conversations are often met with a blank stare by me."
"One of my senior collegues explained to the press that of course he was a shill for big pharma. All his 500 patients with T1 would be dead in a week if big pharma stopped delivering."
The Faith Healer
"I had a friend about 10 years ago go to a 'faith healer' for wrist pain from drumming and asked me to go with him. It was the dumbest shit I have ever seen. He paid her £200 to literally just wave her hands over his wrist for 20 minutes while some pan-pipe music played."
"Funnily enough, it didn't cure his carpal tunnel syndrome. Who would have thought??"
"It did make me wonder whether I'm missing out on an easy scam if people are THAT gullible, though XD"
– kutuup1989
Confession From A Diabetic
"You'd be amazed at how many people tell me (type 1 diabetic) that I could could get out from big pharma and my dependency on insulin if I just eat right..."
"I'm skinny and otherwise healthy. Type 1 is autoimmune disorder that must always take insulin due to the pancreas no longer creating any on its own..."
"These conversations are often met with a blank stare by me."
– BearXW
The Transplant Recipient
"Not a doctor. As a transplant recipient, I have to take immunosuppressant medication for the rest of my life. There are studies that some people do come off them completely, but it’s such a huge risk to take that it may trigger organ rejection."
"A family member of mine still can’t grasp how a life saving surgery provided by western medicine which initially saved my life, is still keeping me back from living my life. He suggested that I get off my immune suppressants because I am a cash cow for big pharma."
– mango_invasion
Germs To The Rescue
"Had a patient come in with horrid cellulitis bc they thought they read that putting dirt in a cut would help stimulate their immune system. It did for all the wrong reasons."
– CaptainSpalding232
And then there's all issues related COVID because of course COVID is still a thing. We're still in a pandemic. Listen to your doctor, but not the kinds of internet doctors that tell you to not trust other doctors. Otherwise you'll end like this.
*facepalm forever*
"Respiratory therapist here. Mostly I have enjoyed reading the public comments on articles relating to COVID. Highlights have included:"
"The ventilators are killing people! If people can breath on their own, they do better on high flow oxygen" Right. Believe it or not, we don't intubate people because it's a slow Tuesday, it's because (in the case of COVID) their oxygen demands have exceeded other mean of delivery (BiPAP, usually)"
"COVID isn't a lung issue! It's a gas exchange issue!" Sure. And where does the primary source of gas exchange occur? Yep. That's the lungs."
"Also had a patient that didn't believe he had COVID. Even went so far as to ask if the q-tip we used for the test came from the bottom of the box where it could be contaminated by actual COVID positive tests, since he heard that can happen. (All our lab tests are individually packaged of course)"
"We had an older (60s) couple that ended up with COVID, and we had them together in the same room. Most of us thought the man was going to die, as he was pretty bad. Their daughter was there almost around the clock. Many of us had long conversations with her about various treatments and expectations. Even she had mentioned it was just so different living thru it than what she had been expecting thru social media."
"When they had first came in, we had them in separate, smaller rooms since that's what we had available. After a week or so, one opened up where we could put them together. The daughter asked me point blank "So, are these rooms opening up because the people in them died?" I was honest. "Yes. That exactly what's happening". She just nodded her head. I don't think she was expecting that answer."
You Knew This One Was Coming
"So much COVID disinformation!"
"I enjoy teaching my patients about their health. It took me countless hours of studying in medical school and many more hours than that in residency to figure out how the body works, so I'm not usually surprised if patients are confused about things."
"However, since the start of the pandemic, I've actually had to keep current on the latest disinformation just so I know where these questions are actually coming from."
"I had a guy a few weeks ago come in with a Post-It Note with the word "Ivermectin" written on it."
"I felt like I knew where this conversation was going, but I asked: "Why do you want a prescription for ivermectin?"
"Just to have it…"
"Is this some treatment for COVID?"
"Yeah, I read online from some doctors (WHO???) that it can boost the immune system and treat COVID."
"Sir, ivermectin is a treatment for intestinal parasites. It does nothing against a virus like the coronavirus. Further, I actually treated people in the hospital with COVID and rounded in our ICU and none of us have ever prescribed ivermectin to treat seriously ill COVID patients."
"But I read online from these guys—and they're doctors—who said it works…"
"After five minutes of back and forth like this, you just need to stop, cut them off and tell them you're not prescribing their medication and move on. There's 20 other patients on the schedule today and I can't fight this battle right now. Good luck, man."
Listen to your doctors.
Seriously. This pandemic will be over a lost faster if we all just keep listening to trustworthy medical professionals.
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Macaulay Culkin Just Revived His 'Home Alone' Character For A Commercial—And It's Perfection 😂
Macaulay Culkin is possibly one of the greatest actors that nobody seems willing to acknowledge is great. We all get kind of hung up on his character from Home Alone, and with good reason. Kevin McCallister is an iconic role from a beloved series of films.
It's a shame to define Culkin by that role, though. Have you seen his other work? Even as a kid, his role in The Good Son showed that he had the range to be horrifying. If you haven't seen Saved! or Party Monster then you're missing out on some masterful and boundary-pushing work. The actor's mischievous sense of humor always brings him back to Kevin from Home Alone, though, and we love him for it.
Recently, he partnered with Google for an ad that revisits Kevin to see what he's up to as an adult, and it's great!
The spot recreates key moments in the Home Alone film with almost ridiculous faithfulness. BuzzFeed pointed out some of the finer details that set designers worked hard to match as closely as possible, like bathroom decor and wallpaper in the mom's bedroom. Creepy furnace makes a cameo and there's even a nod to everyone's favorite bandits! So what's different this time around?
First of all, Kevin is now almost 40 and throws his back out jumping on the bed. More important, he's got his home hooked up with all the latest Google tech.
It makes his time home alone much easier:
Home Alone Again with the Google Assistant www.youtube.com
BONUS ROUND: There's a behind the scenes/blooper reel too!
The Making of Home Alone Again with the Google Assistant www.youtube.com
Twitter loves it!
@CNN This might be the cutest thing I see all day— Krista Dawn Pulliam (@Krista Dawn Pulliam) 1545299701.0
Wow, this is genius. #HomeAlone https://t.co/HtAexlki7I— MI$$ 22❤️ (@MI$$ 22❤️) 1545284474.0
@CBSNews saw it yesterday, and got a good laugh from it— shawn zylla (@shawn zylla) 1545268904.0
@TwatBibIe @SantaaCIaus Smashed it out the park with this one— just me (@just me) 1545308500.0
@Complex I felt this! 🤣🤣🤣 https://t.co/dBlfFzkd2T— Avery Hall (@Avery Hall) 1545244036.0
@JUNIORC4RT1ER @Complex I literally just queued it up. This ad gave me all the feels.— Tamarra The Aries (@Tamarra The Aries) 1545256091.0
And you can rest assured there was an almost insane number of GIFs in response to the ad:
So there you go. Enjoy the commercial, ya filthy animals!
'Swastikas' Are Appearing On Google Maps Searches—And People Are Understandably Weirded Out
When searching for a hotel on Google Maps, the last thing most people hope to see is a swastika marking their destination on the map. Due to what appears to be a bug in Google's code, however, some internet users have found just that.
@googlemaps can you tell me why the hotels in Dublin on my Google maps has swastika signs for them 🤔 https://t.co/rPuTN6W47y— katie (@katie) 1543596468.0
Twitter user Katie from Dublin, Ireland, found the error and took a screenshot so people online would believe her.
"I opened my maps and was looking for hotels in the surrounding area, when I noticed the swastikas. I thought it very strange so I took a screenshot. That's when I tweeted Google maps questioning it."
But after restarting her app, the swastika was gone!
"I've since closed the app and reopened it and it's back to normal with the bed. This is the only time I've ever noticed it."
She's not the only one to see something strange, however. Users in "West Covina, California [and] London, England," have also reported swastika sightings:
Excuse me @Google but why are your maps showing London hotels with #Swastikas on the pins?? @TheSavoyLondon… https://t.co/TbaHo8gKM9— Andy (@Andy) 1543569661.0
@irishkokolily @googlemaps same https://t.co/jazLtHSnin— Jamie Gray (@Jamie Gray) 1543624024.0
Playing around with Google maps today, when I tried to change the icon for my location pin, I looked at more icons… https://t.co/bhIj3UMHEg— ℳąhą Bąℓi, PhD مها بالي 🌷 (@ℳąhą Bąℓi, PhD مها بالي 🌷) 1536046781.0
In the 1930s, the Nazi movement in Germany appropriated the swastika as a marker of white supremacy, but prior to that it was a widespread symbol of good fortune or divinity in several Indian and other Asian religions. It's for that reason Google maps offers the image as a possible marker for a point of interest. The company refers to it not as a "swastika," but as a "Buddhist symbol of worship."
Umm @googlemaps what point of interest is denoted by a swastika? https://t.co/6qQuUomzfZ— Andy Masur (@Andy Masur) 1455678944.0
@irishkokolily @googlemaps It's a religious symbol used in many Asian religions. So it is likely on Google maps to… https://t.co/H7szfE7zM0— Sean (@Sean) 1543752076.0
Twitter had some feelings about the infamous symbol being used on their maps:
@HuffPost Wth— erictarleton2@gmail.com (@erictarleton2@gmail.com) 1543618188.0
Hey @Google! Hay would your offline Google maps show hotels like @HardRock @HiltonHotels and @Marriott with swasti… https://t.co/xfXtUKda3p— el david (@el david) 1543890115.0
If you think you’re seeing swastikas in Google Maps, don’t panic #Twitter #socialmedia https://t.co/UCbE3yyMvF— Takyou (@Takyou) 1543606563.0
Google is aware of the malfunctions in their program and told Huffpost:
"We're aware that these religious symbols are incorrectly displaying for certain hotels, and are working on a fix to restore the correct hotel icon to these places."
Google says that the reason the symbol is on its Maps service is that the image is not a swastika, but rather a “Bu… https://t.co/WSkCUflsWW— Joe Collett (@Joe Collett) 1543836013.0
So if you see a swastika while getting directions to your hotel, don't panic! Just restart the app and all will be well.
Internet Nerds Imagine What People Would Have Googled In The Middle Ages
[rebelmouse-image 18351612 is_animated_gif=Life in the Middle Ages was crazy different than it is today. With their bizarre medical treatments, trials by ordeal, and short lives, people in medieval times had it rough. But what were they curious about, and what would they have wanted to find on the Internet?
Hi_Im_zack asked, What would be something commonly Googled if we were in the Middle Ages?
Submissions have been edited for clarity, context, and profanity.
How to cure what plagues you...
[rebelmouse-image 18351613 is_animated_gif=Flowers in pocket not stopping Black Death.
1) Does she weigh the same as a duck? 2) Is there a wart?
[rebelmouse-image 18351614 is_animated_gif=Top ten ways to spot a witch.
We may never know the truth.
[rebelmouse-image 18351615 is_animated_gif=Fall of Constantinople inside job.
How does one become King?
[rebelmouse-image 18351616 is_animated_gif=Is strange women lying in ponds distributing swords a basis for a system of government?
Sadly this is still a thing. Ugh.
[rebelmouse-image 18351617 is_animated_gif=Is the Round Earth Society for real or satire?
I think we have someone today who could give us an idea...
[rebelmouse-image 18351619 is_animated_gif=King Henry Tweets.
Well-played.
[rebelmouse-image 18351620 is_animated_gif=Where do I recharge this computer that fell from the sky?
Relevant. Very relevant.
[rebelmouse-image 18351621 is_animated_gif=Should there be sword control?
Eye of newt, bladder of rat, I'm really glad I don't have to eat that.
[rebelmouse-image 18351623 is_animated_gif=What's the best way to prepare 2-week old possum?
Her hair gave out as I was scaling the tower.
[rebelmouse-image 18351624 is_animated_gif=Saving damsels in distress fails.
Probably both.
[rebelmouse-image 18351625 is_animated_gif=Plague or STD?
Ye who knoweth the constant fright of not having light and warmth at night.
[rebelmouse-image 18351626 is_animated_gif=Where does the sun go at night, and why is it mad at us?
Fun fact: leeches are still used today.
[rebelmouse-image 18351627 is_animated_gif=Ailments cured by leeches.
Sir Isaac Newton would have Googled this.
[rebelmouse-image 18351629 is_animated_gif=Supplies to turn lead into gold.
Medieval porn is... well, Google it.
[rebelmouse-image 18351630 is_animated_gif=Porn. Still porn.
Premiering Monday on H2.
[rebelmouse-image 18351631 is_animated_gif=Siege preppers.
Resistance is feudal.
[rebelmouse-image 18351632 is_animated_gif=How to escape serfdom.
Span-ish
[rebelmouse-image 18350878 is_animated_gif=How to avoid the inquisition in Spain.
Read from scrolls in the town square. Just don't tell Queen Mary.
[rebelmouse-image 18351634 is_animated_gif=Ten ways the Catholics want to bring down England - number 6 will shock you.