Comments on: Placebo Power

By: SeaSpray

SeaSpray — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 19:44:32 +0000

i missed this one – VERY Funny!

Clever too.

By: Becca

Becca — Wed, 26 May 2010 01:26:45 +0000

You can certainly tell them that this is a treatment that is very often as effective or more effective than *insert drug name here* and has a much lower profile of side effects than most medications: common ones would be a little pain at the injection site and slight increase in frequency of needing to go to the bathroom. Cos that’s what fluid does, natch.

Wikipedia suggests some excellent alternative names: Dihydrogen monoxide
Hydroxylic acid
Hydrogen monoxide
Hydrogen hydroxide
R-718
Oxidane
Oxygen (di-)hydride

I genuinely wish it were possible for me to participate in a proper controlled trial for placebo – I have major long-term pain due to a progressive condition which is mostly well managed with prolonged-release morphine but I’m hyper-aware of the potential interactions with psychy stuff around the experience of and fear of pain etc. It’s fascinating.

By: DefendUSA

DefendUSA — Mon, 24 May 2010 14:40:05 +0000

Ha. I love this and have done it with my Grandfather. At 72, they cracked him open for a triple bypass. A year later, he was complaining where they cracked him open, it still hurt. I asked him if he was aching or burning. Burning, he said and he would not take medicine or “drugs”. I said no problem, this was a natural remedy. Calcium carbonate in “pill” form. Heh.

About twenty minutes later, he felt better and I left him a ziploc bag labeled:
calcium carbonate, take one or two for burning. No more than 4 per day. Like magic. He’s alive and kicking at 97 and takes no meds other than an aspirin or calcium carbonate!!

By: Haven’t I Seen You Before? | WhiteCoat's Call Room

Haven’t I Seen You Before? | WhiteCoat's Call Room — Mon, 24 May 2010 12:56:27 +0000

[...] « Placebo Power [...]

By: Steve

Steve — Sun, 23 May 2010 23:42:45 +0000

As far as legally…The key would be to keep it TECHNICALLY honest. Giving Tylenol…number 3…would probably fly…claiming the normal saline (no matter how its pronounced) would help your pain probably wouldn’t

Now ethically…another story…but that was still a wildly entertaining post…

By: Albinoblackbear

Albinoblackbear — Sun, 23 May 2010 11:09:09 +0000

When PRN orders have maxed out I’ve hung mini-bag piggybacks of norMAL saLINE with similar effect, letting the patient know it would run in more slowly and give longer relief that just an injection.

Everyone is a little dehydrated, no?

Isotonic hydration makes you feel better, no?

By: BinkRN

BinkRN — Sun, 23 May 2010 06:05:26 +0000

What are the legalities on placebo? I know we have a few patients whom we are certain this approach would work on in our ED, but no one will do it for fear of legal issues. Wondering if you or another reader has insight on this.