doctor.justin

04/08/2026

A new CDC study is the first of its kind to actually quantify how dangerous mold-related infections can be — and the numbers came back worse than doctors expected, especially for people who are immunocompromised.

Mold exposure has always been treated as a “maybe it’s an issue, maybe it isn’t” conversation, mostly focused on allergies and asthma. This study pushes it further: invasive mold infections in vulnerable patients carry real mortality risk, not just discomfort.

It doesn’t mean panic over a little bathroom mildew. It means taking chronic water damage seriously, especially in a household with anyone immunocompromised, elderly, or with lung disease.

Have you ever dealt with a mold problem at home that took longer to get resolved than it should have?

04/08/2026

Never thought my social media journey would lead me here, but today I’m launching Vital Signs Apparel Co.🫀

Over 30 original designs—some funny, some artistic—all inspired by medicine, anatomy, and a few of my favorite artists of all time (with a medical twist).

Let me know which design is your favorite?

🔗 Shop link in bio

03/08/2026

OZEMPIC FACE

Doctors are seeing a specific pattern in some GLP-1 patients: rapid fat loss in the temples, creating a sunken, hollow look at the sides of the forehead — nicknamed “temporal hollowing” or sometimes “Ozempic face.”

This isn’t really new information medically — fast weight loss has always affected facial fat first for a lot of people — but it’s getting more attention now because so many more people are on these medications long-term. It’s a good reminder that “weight loss” isn’t just about the scale number; it changes tissue everywhere, including places that affect how people feel about how they look.

If this happens, it’s usually manageable — slower dose titration, filler, or just time can help. Worth a conversation with your prescriber if it’s bothering you.
Has anyone noticed facial changes — good or bad — since starting a GLP-1?

03/08/2026

Too much candy led to a shocking discover of bugs in this young girl’s bladder on ultrasound.

31/07/2026

Foreign Body Friday. Beer bottle up the you-know-what.

31/07/2026

MYTH: “An MRI is always better than a CT scan because it doesn’t use radiation.”

FACT: Better depends entirely on what we’re looking for. CT is faster and often better for bones, acute bleeding, and trauma. MRI is better for soft tissue, ligaments, and the brain — but it’s slower, more expensive, and not always the right tool just because it skips radiation.

I see this misconception a lot: “no radiation” gets equated with “better,” when really it’s about matching the tool to the question being asked. A carpenter doesn’t use a wrench because it’s quieter than a hammer.

Did you know the choice between scans depends on what’s being evaluated, not just the tech itself?

30/07/2026

Dropping something BIG next week. Hint: zone 2 is the elimination zone.

30/07/2026

New data links GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro to a slight increase in hair loss risk in people with type 2 diabetes.

This isn’t a reason to panic or stop a medication that’s working for you — “slightly increased risk” in a large study often means a small number in absolute terms.

But it is a good reason to have an honest conversation with your prescriber about what to watch for, because rapid weight loss itself can also trigger temporary hair shedding, GLP-1 or not.

Every medication is a trade-off. The question isn’t “does it have any risk,” it’s “does the benefit still outweigh it for me.”

Has anyone here noticed hair changes after starting a GLP-1?

A large study suggests that GLP-1 drugs including Ozempic and Mounjaro may slightly increase the risk of hair loss in people with type 2 diabetes. Compared with two other common classes of diabetes medications, GLP-1 users had a significantly higher rate of alopecia, though the absolute risk was sti...

29/07/2026

Case of the Day: drug mule with ruptured packet

29/07/2026

Quick tip: Not all back pain needs an MRI.
If you throw out your back and it’s been less than 4-6 weeks, most doctors won’t rush you to imaging — because most back pain resolves on its own, and an MRI at that stage often just finds “normal for your age” changes that have nothing to do with your pain.

Imaging becomes the right call when there are red flags: numbness, weakness, loss of bladder/bowel control, unexplained weight loss, or pain that isn’t improving after several weeks of conservative treatment.

The MRI isn’t the fix — appropriate timing is.
Anyone here been told to “wait it out” before getting imaging for back pain? How’d that go?