Am I Dying?!: A Complete Guide to Your Symptoms--and What to Do Next

by Christopher Kelly M.D., Marc Eisenberg M.D.

Overview

Featured on CBS This Morning, Men’s Health, The Washington Post, Buzzfeed, and The Dr. Oz Show

Two top doctors present a comprehensive, light-hearted guide for the hypochondriac in all of us.

Christopher Kelly, MD, and Marc Eisenberg, MD, FACC, are both highly accomplished physicians and health experts from UNC Health and Columbia University Medical Center. In Am I Dying?!, Dr. Kelly and Dr. Eisenberg walk you through common symptoms and medical myths to provide a helpful, conversational guide on what to do when you experience symptoms – offering advice on whether to chill out, make a doctor’s appointment, or go to the hospital.

Most new symptoms turn out to be minor. Most likely, a stuffy nose isn’t a sign of cancer. But sometimes a headache isn’t just a temporary nuisance and could be a sign of a serious condition. The internet can offer a wealth of data, but it can also be a source of harmful misinformation. So if you have a new symptom, how worried should you be?

This down-to-earth, humorous symptom guide covers over forty different symptoms, organized into eight body areas – including head/neck, chest/back, belly, skin, and more. Some examples include:

• Belly: When is bloating a sign of a serious problem? Why do some people feel nauseated all the time?
• Lady Parts:  How often do you really need a mammogram? When is a lump likely to be serious?
• Bathroom Trouble: Why do some people pee so often (and can a bladder explode from holding it)? 

Packed with practical information and organized in a fun, easy-to-access format, Am I Dying?! is a perfect gift, medical resource, and must-have addition to your home library.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062847607
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	12/31/2018
Pages:	128
Sales rank:	362,519
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.10(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

CHRISTOPHER KELLY, M.D., M.S., is a senior clinical fellow at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. He served as intern, resident, and chief resident at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, where he is currently completing his cardiology fellowship. He lives in New York City.

Marc Eisenberg, M.D., F.A.C.C., is an associate professor of medicine at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center and an attending physician at Columbia University Irving Medical Center/New York-Presbyterian Hospital. A fellow of the American College of Cardiology, he lives and works as a clinical cardiologist in New York City.

Table of Contents

Introduction xi

Part 1 Head and Neck

Headache 3

Fatigue 11

Insomnia 18

Quick Consult: Sleep Medications 24

Dizziness 27

Forgetfulness 34

Quick Consult: Do Crosswords Prevent Dementia? 38

Head Injury 41

Red or Painful Eyes 45

Hearing Loss and Ear Pain 53

Lump in Your Neck 61

Sore Throat 66

Quick Consult: A Flu Good Tips 68

Part 2 Chest and Back

Chest Pain 77

Fast or Irregular Heartbeat 82

Quick Consult: Slow Heartbeat 86

Shortness of Breath 91

Cough 98

Back Pain 104

Quick Consult: Pain Pills 110

Part 3 Belly

Belly Pain 117

Unintended Weight Loss 131

Quick Consult: Unintended Weight Gain 134

Bloating and Gas 138

Quick Consult: Should You Take Probiotics? 140

Nausea and Vomiting 146

Part 4 Lady Parts

Lump in Your Breast 157

Quick Consult: How Often Do You Need a Mammogram? 159

Nipple Discharge 161

Vaginal Bleeding and Discharge 166

Quick Consult: Vaginal Dryness and Painful Intercourse 168

Part 5 Gentleman Parts

Blood in Semen 177

Lump on Your Testicle 181

Quick Consult: Testicular Pain 183

Erectile Dysfunction 185

Quick Consult: You Just Can't Contain Yourself 189

Part 6 Bathroom Trouble

Blood in Your Urine 195

Quick Consult: Foul-Smelling Urine 200

Pain with Urination 203

Quick Consult: Should You Drink Cranberry Juice to Prevent UTIs? 207

Frequent Urination 208

Quick Consult: When the Tap Turns Off 210

Quick Consult: Can Your Bladder Explode from Holding Your Pee? 214

Diarrhea 215

Constipation 221

Quick Consult: You're Just Cleansing Your Wallet 224

Blood in Your Stool 227

Quick Consult: Your Colon's Hollywood Moment 232

Part 7 Arms and Legs

Leg Pain and Cramps 237

Swollen Feet 243

Tremor 247

Joint and Muscle Pain 252

Part 8 Skin and Hair

Excessive Sweating 265

Quick Consult: A Nagging Fever 268

Itchy Skin and Rash 273

Hair Loss 284

Quick Consult: Hair in a (Pill) Bottle 286

Excessive Bleeding or Bruising 291

Quick Consult: Your Blood Clots Too Easily 298

Postscript: Turns Out You're Fine 303

For Further Reading 307

Special Thanks 309

Index 311

Editorial Reviews

10/15/2018
This lively, reader-friendly, and useful guide addresses a question that Kelly and Eisenberg, both Columbia University Medical Center cardiologists, are commonly asked by patients: namely, “Am I dying?” The book is divided into eight main parts—“Head and Neck,” “Chest and Back,” “Belly,” “Lady Parts,” “Gentleman Parts,” “Bathroom Trouble,” “Arms and Legs,” and “Skin and Hair”—with each individual chapter including three subsections, “Take a Chill Pill,” “Make an Appointment,” and “Get to the E.R.,” to help one decide “whether to pour yourself a cocktail, pick up the phone to make an appointment, or hightail it to the emergency room.” Despite the authors’ penchant for jocularity, they issue stern warnings when required, such as that “even minor head injuries can have devastating consequences.” Each section considers the benign as well as the more serious scenarios: for example, a sore throat may be the result of having “raged at a football game last night” or a severe bacterial infection that urgently requires antibiotics. Readers will feel reassured by the authors’ medical expertise (and that some chapters are edited by additional physicians specializing in the topic at hand) and appreciative of the clear instructions and reassuring, amicable tone. (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly

[A] lively, reader-friendly, and useful guide. . . . [with] clear instructions and reassuring, amicable tone.”   — Publishers Weekly

“In this easy-to-understand guide, two Columbia University cardiologists double as medical experts and comedians…Expect solid information…presented in a lively, entertaining way.” — Booklist

“There’s this little thing called the internet that can be both a hypochondriac’s best friend and worst enemy. Now, cardiologists Christopher Kelly and Marc Eisenberg are offering an alternative. Their book, Am I Dying?!, is a guide to different symptoms, complete with tips.” — Bustle (6 Best Nonfiction Books Coming Out in December 2018)

“[Am I Dying] reviews dozens of symptoms and offers advice on when to chill out, make a doctor’s appointment or go to the hospital. Aka: It’s ideal for hypochondriacs.” — PureWow (8 Books We Can’t Wait to Read in December)

“For the hypochondriac in everyone, comes this indispensable guide from two Columbia University cardiologists.” — Furthermore from Equinox (5 Books High Performers Should Read This Month)

“Affable, authoritative authors present a readable, researched text.” — Library Journal

“Whether it’s a mark on your skin or a weird feeling in your chest, one of the most common things people want to know about their health problem is ‘Am I dying?’” — Men’s Health

“A troubleshooting guide to your health so you can stop freaking out every time your eyelid starts twitching.” — Buzzfeed (29 Things That Will Make 2019 Less of a Pain)

“Tempted to Google those symptoms? Let these Columbia University cardiologists soothe—and educate—your inner hypochondriac instead.” — People Health Issue

From the Publisher

There’s this little thing called the internet that can be both a hypochondriac’s best friend and worst enemy. Now, cardiologists Christopher Kelly and Marc Eisenberg are offering an alternative. Their book, Am I Dying?!, is a guide to different symptoms, complete with tips.

Bustle (6 Best Nonfiction Books Coming Out in December 2018)

Whether it’s a mark on your skin or a weird feeling in your chest, one of the most common things people want to know about their health problem is ‘Am I dying?’

Men’s Health

For the hypochondriac in everyone, comes this indispensable guide from two Columbia University cardiologists.

Furthermore from Equinox (5 Books High Performers Should Read This Month)

[Am I Dying] reviews dozens of symptoms and offers advice on when to chill out, make a doctor’s appointment or go to the hospital. Aka: It’s ideal for hypochondriacs.

PureWow (8 Books We Can’t Wait to Read in December)

Tempted to Google those symptoms? Let these Columbia University cardiologists soothe—and educate—your inner hypochondriac instead.

People Health Issue

In this easy-to-understand guide, two Columbia University cardiologists double as medical experts and comedians…Expect solid information…presented in a lively, entertaining way.

Booklist

A troubleshooting guide to your health so you can stop freaking out every time your eyelid starts twitching.

Buzzfeed (29 Things That Will Make 2019 Less of a Pain)

In this easy-to-understand guide, two Columbia University cardiologists double as medical experts and comedians…Expect solid information…presented in a lively, entertaining way.

Booklist