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Case Report: Sometimes A Cigar Is Just A Cigar, Zafar Y. Ibrahim, Md, Ellen F. Brooks, Md

Jefferson Journal of Psychiatry

This unusual case underscores the need for psychiatrists to consider treatable and curable causes of acute behavior changes even when historical data are not easily available. This case presentation invites physicians of mind (and body) to utilize simple and common-sense approaches while evaluating their patients.

Personality Disorder And The Recurrent Swallowing Of Foreign Bodies, Robert Jay Claire, M.D.

Jefferson Journal of Psychiatry

Psychiatrists are frequently asked to assist colleagues with the medical and surgical sequela of psychiatric disorders. The Consultation and Liaison Psychiatry service was consulted by the Surgical Service to evaluate a patient who repeatedly swallowed foreign bodies. The following is a case report, brief review of the literature and discussion.

Postpartum Depression In A Caretaking Grandmother: Case Report, Valerie D. Raskin, M.D.

Jefferson Journal of Psychiatry

Postpartum depression has only recently been understood to affect individuals other than the biological mother (1). In such cases, postpartum depression has been attributed to the enormous psychological and social stress of the caretaking role, with its demands to nurture in the face of what may be the sense of having been insufficiently nurtured oneself (2). A growing number of grandparents, especially maternal grandmothers, are being asked to serve as primary caretakers for their grandchildren, due to circumstances which include adolescent childbearing, single parent families and substance abuse. A case report of a new grandmother with significant caretaking functions who …

Psychosis In A Case Of Mycoplasma Pneumonia Encephalopathy, Alan Jay Cohen, Md

Jefferson Journal of Psychiatry

Mycoplasma pneumonia, a well known cause of acute respiratory infection in man, has been reported to frequently include central nervous system manifestations as part of its clinical course (1,2). The spectrum of neurologic syndromes associated with the disease is vast, ranging from direct invasion of brain and meninges by the organism to non-invasive parainfectious encephalopathy (3). This is a case report of an individual who presented to the emergency room in an acute psychotic state as the single manifestation of a parainfectious encephalopathy secondary to mycoplasma pneumonia infection of the lung.

Therapeutic Guitar-An Alternative Approach To The Treatment Of A Difficult Patient, Michael Buxbaum, Md

Jefferson Journal of Psychiatry

The case described in this article is one where an experimental technique was introduced largely because of the therapist's dissatisfaction with the patient's progress. Despite the likelihood of being criticized, I feel compelled to write about this patient. The progress he has made is beyond my expectations, which were admittedly minimal at the outset.

The Treatment Of A Borderline Patient Complicated By Involvement With A Charismatic Religious Cult: A Case Report, Mark Miller, Md

Jefferson Journal of Psychiatry

Introduction

Although much has been written about cults in recent years, many questions remain. Do cults recruit subjects by brainw ashing them or do individuals gravitate to cults to fulfill unmet needs? This paper will review some essential points of cult phenomena and discuss the treatment of one patient who was involved in a charismatic religious cult .

A 32 Year Old Man With Loss Of Consciousness, Dana Dana Critchell, Md

The Medicine Forum

A 32-year-old man with no past medical history presented to the emergency department after losing consciousness at the end of a half-marathon. The patient was in his usual state of good health until the last mile of the marathon when he began to feel unsteady on his feet and short of breath. At the end of the race, he collapsed and was found unresponsive by EMS. The patient had no memory of the subsequent events and could only recall waking up in the emergency department feeling “numb” and “confused” several hours later. The patient denied any palpitations, chest pain, nausea, …

Weakness In A Young Man, Steve C. Tsai Md, Pgy-3

The Medicine Forum

A 39 year-old African-American male with past medical
history significant for uncontrolled hypertension presents
with a sudden onset of weakness and numbness on the
left side of his face, left arm, left leg, and right leg while
watching television twenty hours prior to presentation.
At that time, the patient did have a mild headache. The
patient initially thought that it was positional, but soon
realized that he could not move the affected extremities
at all. He also began to have some difficulty swallowing
and minor difficulties with speech as well.

Cambodian Monk With Malaise, Aditi Satti Md, Pgy-3

The Medicine Forum

A 26 year-old Cambodian monk presents with complaints
of a three week history of fatigue and malaise. The patient
reports that four days prior to presentation he developed
fevers to 103F, chills and a severe headache. The patient
reports that he had returned from Cambodia one week
prior to initiation of symptoms. He denies any sick
contacts and denies any neck stiffness, photophobia,
visual changes or abdominal pain. The patient does report
diarrhea for one week with approximately 8-10 bowel
movements per day. The patient denies any risk factors
for HIV. The patient had been seen in the Emergency
Department …

Woman With Mental Status Change, Vanita Treat Md, Pgy-3

The Medicine Forum

An 83 year-old African-American female with a history
of hypertension, frequent urinary tract infections, atrial
fibrillation, and a cerebrovascular accident (CVA) on
Coumadin presented two days after a fall. A family
member stated she was walking normally and tripped on
uneven concrete, hitting her chin on a fence. Two days
after the incident, the patient was found at home
slumped over in a chair with blood oozing from her chin
wound. The patient was brought to the emergency
department where she was lethargic but responsive. The
patient denied any chest pain, shortness of breath,
lightheadedness, dizziness, blurry vision, weakness or …