Reddit mentions: The best medical diseases books

Came here to say Oliver Sacks (neuroscience).
I picked up a used copy of the DSM-IV casebook; it's very cheap since the DSM-V has come out. Diagnoses may be outdated but the stories are still there!

There are casebooks in other fields, too-- Surgery, multiple specialities, medical ethics, [pediatrics] (http://www.amazon.com/Files-Pediatrics-Fourth-Edition-LANGE/dp/0071766987/ref=pd_rhf_se_s_cp_9_EQ6W?ie=UTF8&refRID=1WJ16SB6971PCJ94TK2S). Your college library ought to have new-ish ones you can read for free.

I'm also encouraged by reading scientific journal articles in medical fields (research is exciting).

Other stuff: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks isn't about a doctor, but it's about a patient and the HeLa cell line that's been so important to medicine. My decision to go into medicine was affected by The Plague, a novel by Albert Camus about a plague-stricken city. (Main character is a doctor, though not exactly a modern MD.)

I would start with textbooks then move to reviews then to original research (but you probably won't get that far until actually in the job.)

Perhaps go by system if you want and look at the relevant basic sciences (anatomy/physiology/biochem/pharm etc), clinical medicine/surgery and then clinical skills (history taking/examination/procedural skills etc) for the major systems eg CVS, resp, endo, GI, gen surgery, neuro. I've linked an example textbook I used.

It's pretty tough to teach yourself the material to be honest so focus on the patient not the underlying science, go through cases (such as those featured in NEJM) to get a picture of the ambiguity involved in medicine. Visit websites such as almostadoctor, handwrittentutorials, trickcyclists, geekymedics123, DoctorNajeeb, teachmeanatomy, become familiar with the language and the feel of medicine as well as establishing some knowledge foundations. It's knowledge, skills and attitude that make a professional not just knowledge.

Interesting - I was reading about this just today

Fever production has a postive effect on the course of infection. However, for every 1 degree celsius rise in temperature, there is a 13% increase in resting metabolic rate and oxygen consumption. Fever therefore leads to increased energy requirements at a time when anorexia (caused by the release of cytokines in the body's immunological response to pathogens - bacteria or virus') leads to decreased food intake. The normal compensatory mechanisms in starvation (e.g mobilization of fat stores) are inhibited in acute infections. this leads to an increase in skeletal muscle break-down releasing amino-acids, which, via gluconeogensis are used to provide energy.

Source (page 87)

Honestly, get an NCLEX prep book and study for all your tests off it. It will probably keep you in the A range and the NCLEX will be a breeze. Getting used to the questions is the second worse part, the first is having confidence that you can pass it!

For medications, the truth is you won't remember much about them until you use them every day. It takes time. You can however just brute force them. There's also a Mosby's drug flash cards: basically they are pharmacology cards with pictures and mnemonics on them for drug classes, names, and method of action and side effects.

Here's a link:
http://www.amazon.com/Mosbys-Pharmacology-Memory-NoteCards-Mnemonic/dp/0323054064/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1311948172&sr=8-1

Not to many people know they exist but I love them.

Here are all the local Amazon links I could find:


amazon.co.uk

amazon.ca

amazon.com.au

amazon.in

amazon.com.mx

amazon.de

amazon.it

amazon.es

amazon.com.br

amazon.nl

amazon.co.jp

amazon.fr

Beep bloop. I'm a bot to convert Amazon ebook links to local Amazon sites.
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Via eBook method. All you have to do is go into the kindle ebook store here, and find ebooks with the "Give as a gift" option on the right side of the page like this book. You send these ebooks to my Amazon email (k.orias@hotmail.com) and once I receive them, I PayPal you the money. Smooth and simple :)

Thank you. Also look up Joanne Zeis : here’s the link.
https://www.amazon.com/Essential-Guide-Behcets-Disease-Joanne/dp/0965840352
She has Behcets and wrote a very helpful book for sufferers. You can also find her on facebook and she’s probably got a website. Lovely helpful lady. Xx

Definitely worth looking into mast cell and histamine issues if Zyrtec helps you. Have a read of this https://www.amazon.com/Never-Bet-Against-Occam-Activation/dp/0997319615 and check out his YT video if you want to learn about MC disorders.

> I learned that the original "patient zero" (the origin of the term!) was exonerated of the label when we found out that HIV had been active in the US since at least the 1960's, and it's estimated that the disease jumped from chimps to humans as early as the 1910's.

You should read The Origins of AIDS, by Dr. Jacques Pepin. It is generally believed that there may have been instances of HIV/AIDS in the US in the mid 1960's, but the vast majority of (and only traceable) infections are likely the result of one individual who got HIV in Haiti and brought it to the US around 1969. There is a case from Norway from 1966, and some well documented cases in the Congo as early as 1959. Genetic studies seem to indicate that the "ancestor" of HIV could date as far back as 1910 though, as you said.

Hey u/excogito_ergo_sum, you should definitely look into mast cell activation syndrome based on symptoms and what meds have helped you. I highly, HIGHLY recommend reading this book about MCAS. Yes, it's $20 and not available in most libraries, but it is SERIOUSLY life changing. Best book I have read since I've been sick because it explains so. many. things. about mysterious symptoms and why the medications you're on are helping. Quite specifically, H1/H2 receptors are what Dr. Afrin (the author of the book and leading expert on mast cell activation syndrome) uses first in treatment - you are already on Zyrtec which is one of them. Next step is hydroxyzine, which you are already also on.

I decided to be extra, and went to Amazon Deutschland. This is all English Language, American Medicine. Your practice likely will have some subtle differences.

Washington Manual:

https://www.amazon.de/Washington-Manual-Medical-Therapeutics-Paperback/dp/1975113489/ref=sr_1_1?__mk_de_DE=%C3%85M%C3%85%C5%BD%C3%95%C3%91&crid=1WTILRB0WLCUP&keywords=washington+manual+internal+medicine&qid=1564359495&s=gateway&sprefix=washington+manual%2Caps%2C223&sr=8-1

Pocket Medicine, 7th Edition (man, I'm now so many editions behind):

https://www.amazon.de/Pocket-Medicine-Massachusetts-Hospital-Handbook/dp/1975142373/ref=sr_1_3?__mk_de_DE=%C3%85M%C3%85%C5%BD%C3%95%C3%91&crid=2ZPC8XFN2EVIV&keywords=pocket+medicine+the+massachusetts+general+hospital&qid=1564359554&s=gateway&sprefix=pocket+medicine%2Caps%2C232&sr=8-3

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And, I'm ID. So...

Sanford

https://www.amazon.de/Sanford-Guide-Antimicrobial-Therapy-2019/dp/1944272097/ref=sr_1_1?__mk_de_DE=%C3%85M%C3%85%C5%BD%C3%95%C3%91&keywords=sanford+therapy&qid=1564359652&s=gateway&sr=8-1

Tried to find the Johns Hopkins for ID and couldn't.

Those are more reference than than anything else, but are helpful.

I found some of his books while browsing Pinterest astronomy Pins. Someone had posted screenshots of his book "The Stargazer's Guide to the Night Sky" and captioned it "Creationist resources for homeschooling moms." I find this concerning, so I did some research and dug up more of his works:

Ultimate Proof of Creation

Taking Back Astronomy: The Heavens Declare Creation

Old Earth Creationism on Trial: The Verdict Is In

Big Problems with the Big Bang

Exposing Progressive Creation: Serious Biblical & Scientific Errors That Promote Billions Of Years (Co-written with Ken Ham

And here is a link to a discussion of his paper where he attempts to resolve the starlight problem, and rationalizes (very poorly I might add) the issue of stars being billions of light years away in a purportedly 6000 year old universe. The best quote from his paper: "The overwhelming majority of old-earth, or old-universe arguments are fallacious because they are based on faulty, unbiblical initial conditions." It doesn't seem like he's studied the Bible or physics.

I just finished my IM residency. I know it's more than ten complaints, but take a look at the ones they chose to cover in this book for clerkship: https://www.amazon.ca/Case-Files-Internal-Medicine-Fourth/dp/0071761721

I personally found that the topics were really well selected and I found it really helpful to read around some of these cases/topics in preparation for starting residency a few years back. The content they cover in the book is more at the med student level so use it as a guide, not a comprehensive text.

Another thing that just came to my mind: you don't coincidentally happen to speak german? Otherwise I would have suggested this book: http://www.amazon.de/Störungen-Schilddrüse-Ursachen-Heilbehandlung-jodiertem/dp/3891890621/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1290802417&sr=1-1

I know other books by this author so I guess his solution will be to just eat a diet based solely on whole, unprocessed, organic foods, including freshly ground grains that have been soaked overnight and to avoid iodine.

But there must be lots of other books out there too. So my usual approach would be to just read as much on this topic as possible. You will after a while be most likely be better informed than most of the doctors that you will find.

First of all, I'm sorry that you don't feel very good.

But there exist diseases which can lead to the array symptoms that you describe. Here are the ones I know of:

1. Mast cell disorders. Mast cells are a particular type of immune cell that cause multi-system problems if activated inappropriately.
   
   This includes Mastocytosis, which is well established. There is also Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS). Unfortunately, this it has only been described very recently (first consensus definitions in 2011) and is hard to diagnose. For more on this, see the book aptly titled ["Never bet against Occam's Razor"][1] by LB Afrin. And finally, there is [Hereditary alpha-tryptasemia][2], which has only been discovered 4 months ago.
   
   In all cases, the most relevant diagnostic marker is "Tryptase". It can be measured from a simple blood sample.
   
   Note that of the symptoms that you describe, osteoporosis stands out as oddball. A mast cell disease can, however, account for it.
   
   
2. Celiac disease. This is an immune reaction to gluten, which is contained in wheat.
   
   Some forms of celiac disease are known to cause epilepsy. I have also seen a case of depression that improved dramatically on a wheat-free diet.
   
   For some cases of epilepsy, the ketogenic diet can yield dramatical improvement. It seems reasonable that some of this can be attributed to celiac disease.
   
   A wheat-free diet is something that a patient can try immediately. However, do note that in order to diagnose celiac disease reliably, a blood test is performed while eating gluten. If somebody pursues this route, I always strongly recommend to first get tested and then leave out gluten, not the other way round.
   
   [2]: https://www.niaid.nih.gov/research/hereditary-alpha-tryptasemia-faq
   [1]: https://www.amazon.de/dp/0997319615
   

I ended up getting an atlas

It was recommended for our path class (but not required). I picked it up because it was cheap. So far I really like it.

I also have [flashcards] (http://www.amazon.com/Rubins-Pathology-Flash-Cards-Raphael/dp/1608311821/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1346767244&sr=1-1&keywords=Rubin%27s+pathology+cards), which so far are good for when I want to study, but not really.

If you have access to The Archaeology of Disease (even my podunk university library has a copy), it explains some of it alongside photos. It's a really interesting book besides, and well-written- still understandable if you're not a doctor or archaeologist. I'm neither. :)

Looking for a PDF of the following:

* First Aid for the Wards, Fifth Edition (Amazon Link)

My only caveat: the original formatting & page number of the book MUST be intact. No converted epubs.

Will pay via Paypal. Thanks.

Two books recommended in pre-clinical for revision were this and this. They cover the basics but also go into detail about physiology and the main disease processes

Check out Mast Cell Activation Disorder and a book by Dr. Lawrence Afrin:

https://www.amazon.com/Never-Bet-Against-Occam-Activation/dp/0997319615

I don't know if that is what you have, but it might be worth a look into this.

First Aid for the Wards is good for this (https://www.amazon.com/First-Aid-Wards-Fifth/dp/0071768513).

But agree with the above, no one knows this stuff when they're starting out. You'll learn it as you go. Just expect to feel confused and useless early on - everyone does and it's ok.

Don't forget about Dugway.
https://www.amazon.com/Extremely-Unfortunate-Skull-Valley-Incident/dp/1553695542

The "Case Files" frequently read for Shelves and Step 2 prep, are those the Lange Case Files? Thank-you.

https://www.amazon.com/Files-Internal-Medicine-Fourth-LANGE/dp/0071761721

literally, case files series.

here's IM as a preview: http://www.amazon.com/Files-Internal-Medicine-Fourth-Edition/dp/0071761721

The Sanford Guide to Antimicrobial Therapy 2019: 50 Years: 1969-2019 https://www.amazon.com/dp/1944272097/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_VC9xDbX23W3FH

The diseases are actually quite old. They're both zoonoses, or diseases transmitted from animals to people. In the case of HIV from chimps, and in the case of Ebola we don't know the reservoir species. Maybe bats. From there, these diseases are able to transmit directly from human to human. HIV turned out to be quite well adapted for this, perhaps because SIV was in chimps for so long and also because unlike Ebola, HIV takes awhile to cause symptoms, and symptoms aren't as scary at least for awhile.

It's new patterns of population and travel that have amplified them (and a bit of bad luck). A great book on this for HIV is [Jacques Pepin's The Origin of AIDS] (http://www.amazon.com/The-Origins-AIDS-Jacques-Pepin/dp/0521186374). Essentially we can see based on historic biological samples and the pace of genetic viral mutation that HIV has crossed into humans from chimps multiple times and among primates as well. What changed was that HIV managed to infect a bush meat hunter then make it into a city with a lot of men and few women and then perhaps into a sex worker and . . . away we go. Whereas infecting one bush hunter who then infects his wife and she goes on to have an infected baby - well they all just die out, end of "epidemic."

[Laurie Garrett's The Coming Plague] (http://www.amazon.com/Coming-Plague-Emerging-Diseases-Balance/dp/0140250913/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1407301527&sr=1-1&keywords=the+coming+plague) and [David Quammen's Spillover] (http://www.amazon.com/Spillover-Animal-Infections-Human-Pandemic/dp/0393346617/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1407301582&sr=1-3&keywords=the+coming+plague) also address this question well.

1. Broken Promises: How the AIDS Establishment has Betrayed the Developing World. By Edward C. Green. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1611321123/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1506457150&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=broken+promise+edward+c+green&dpPl=1&dpID=51XHYGY52WL&ref=plSrch
   
   
2. The Wisdom of Whores By Elizabeth Pisani. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0393337650/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1506457277&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=the+wisdom+of+whores&dpPl=1&dpID=51e5bRcm0DL&ref=plSrch
   
   
3. The Invisible Cure: Why we are Losing the Fight Against AIDS in Africa.. By Helen Epstein. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0312427727/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1506457333&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=the+invisible+cure&dpPl=1&dpID=41PaOG%2BmQ1L&ref=plSrch
   
   
4. The Origins of AIDS. By Jacques Pepin. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0521186374/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1506457438&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=the+origins+of+aids
   
   
5. No Time to Lose: A Life in Pursuit of Deadly Viruses.. By Peter Piot. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0393345513/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1506457493&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=peter+piot
   
   
6. Anything by Laurie Garrett!

I was diagnosed and treated by Dr. Afrin after some of my other doctors learned of and began to suspect MCAS.

Regarding where to start, Afrin would be an excellent choice, but I hear he has a waiting list over a year long for new patients. I have some physicians in my family, and most of the diagnosis-searching was done by them, I was not very involved with the process. My primary symptoms are depression and severe fatigue (though the two can become difficult to separate), and during this time (~1-2 years ago) I was mostly too exhausted to do anything other than lay in bed 24 hours a day listening to audiobooks and sometimes watching netflix when I had the energy. I can try to find out about other doctors that might be able to diagnose it.

The price I see on amazon is $14.99 for the kindle version, so either I'm out of touch with the reality of book prices or it's being sold expensively elsewhere.
If you can't afford it, I'd advise trying to find somewhere to pirate it from, the purpose of the book is to spread awareness of MCAS, profit is probably a secondary objective.

Anywayway I hope what I've written makes sense, I took a bunch of supposedly non-psycoactive industrial hemp extract a while ago from what has just turned out to be one of those less-than-reputable online vendors I talked about in another comment because I ran out of CBD from my usual source today and needed these until I could get some more and they came on while i was writing this and I am now high as fuck. I'll edit my top level comment tomorrow with some additional information and try to get back to everyone over the next few days (my fatigue is better but far from gone, can't say how long this will take), I didn't expect this much of a response!