The other night I performed an LP (lumbar puncture) on a patient with fever and headache for four days. The result was almost 100% clean. The was 1 WBC per high powered field and there no neutrophiles. Probably a case of viral meningitis -or just viral cephalgia. The guy looked OK but had a bad head ache - I offered to the PMD to admit him for pain control and fluids but no, the guy thought I could “manage his pain” as an outpatient - oh, and by the way. “Put him on Cipro just in case”. Just in case what? That he has Menigicoccal infection?!?! Would I even consider sending him home if I thought was a possibility? OK, whatever, another wasted course of antibiotics.
So the guy sees the PMD today (his cultures meanwhile are negative) and still has a headache. He calls me and says to admit him because “I can’t manage his pain as an outpatient”. That’s what I thought…..
Canadian Pharmacy
The PMD appears to be a carrier - he gives other people head aches.
Let me guess, that physician knows everything or better yet, thinks he knows everything?
Well I knew what LP stands for and you defined that, but I can’t figure out PMD.
Teresa,
It means primary medical doctor (PMD)