I have a couple of unusual conditions. They aren’t that odd in any particular specialty, but especially my liver and migraines can get doctors fighting over which meds are okay or not. If I like a resident, I will clue them in to why I take a particular combination of medications. If they are too pompous, I keep quiet and let them take the heat for suggesting a medication change that isn’t appropriate. Sigh. More than half don’t get any extra clues from me.

I sent the link to this post to several friends who are doctors, or who work with them. Maybe they will share some added insight.

I have a liver with high liver enzyme production (about 5-10 times normal) and when I first started recognizing the problem, I saw the residents at the specialist, before the doctor came in. I told them my liver hurt, at random times, and that it often woke me up at night. The two residents smirked at each other and said “Sounds like torpid liver to me.” They then winked and asked me how much alocohol I drank. Once they realized that it wasn’t an alcoholism problem, then we actually got around to dealing with the real problem.

So, I am guessing that “torpid liver” was pains in the abdominal area that happen when you drink too much.

With the reference to constipation, can we assume that these folks got the formula from Catherine Hurst?