Dr Human beats Dr Google

Last year a good doctor at Kaiser found the solution to my constipation. This year the same doctor found the solution to a much stranger problem.

In mid-June after a series of unexpected big stresses pushed anxiety high (same as last year) a rash started to appear on my thighs. It was forming flakes that itched like crazy. Soon it spread to legs and arms but not torso.

I checked with Dr Google and decided it was psoriasis. I started doing the “right things” for psoriasis and hoped the flare would go away. Finally it got worse, started swelling up the hands. I made an appointment to see the Kaiser doctor.

The appointment came on Wednesday. He took one look at it and knew it isn’t psoriasis. He is sure because he has psoriasis himself! Showed me his elbow for comparison. He is convinced it’s an allergic reaction (hives) of some sort. He took pictures of arms and legs and sent them to Kaiser’s skin specialists in Seattle, then discussed with them.

Late Friday he called and told me it’s most likely a delayed reaction to the lisinopril I’ve been taking for blood pressure since 2010. Apparently a delayed reaction is fairly common, triggered by stress or by nothing in particular. He told me to stop taking the lisinopril, and he will have their mail-order pharmacy send different blood pressure pills and some steroid cream.

As with last year’s Miralax, this is a slow-moving solution, unsatisfying to my panic and hypochondriac tendencies. Pain brings out my inner Karen. But the Miralax turned out to be a solid answer, so I TRUST HIM THIS TIME.

Trust is precious and irreplaceable.

Dr Human beats Dr Google and Dr AI every time. Google doesn’t have the experience of the disease, and Google doesn’t have eyes and hands on the patient!