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Doctorspeak - common medical abbreviations


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Hi

 

The following is a list of common abbreviations used within the medical profession and/or at BenzoBuddies. If there are some omissions, please reply to this post and we will add them to the list.

 

  • AC Before meals
  • b.i.d.  two times per day
  • CBC  Complete Blood Count
  • CNS Central Nervous System
  • c/o  crossover
  • c/t  cold turkey*
  • d/c discontinue
  • DP depersonalization
  • DR derealization
  • dx  diagnosis
  • GTT Drops
  • HS At bedtime
  • hx  history
  • PCG  Primary Caregiver
  • PCP  Primary Care Physician
  • PRN  as needed
  • pt  patient
  • q  every
  • q.4.h  every 4 hours
  • q.d.  once a day
  • q.h.  every hour
  • q.h.s.  Every night
  • q.i.d.  four times a day
  • rx  prescribe
  • script  prescription
  • SOB  Short Of Breath
  • sx  symptom
  • t.i.d.  three times per day
  • t.d.s. three times per day (less common alternative to t.i.d.)
  • tx  treatment
  • w/d  withdrawal
  • X times

 

Abbreviations are best avoided, but repeatedly using whole words and phrases can become tiresome. If you are using a medical term several times within a post, it it would be better to write something like this:

 

*We always advise against a c/t (cold turkey) withdrawal as it can be dangerous and counter productive. Unfortunately many come here having already attempted a c/t withdrawal.

 

Simply, explain the abbreviation the first time you use it within a post. ;)

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I had to retrieve this from the previous abbreviation thread. It is a perfect demonstartion of how not to make a post using abbreviations. Thanks Bluemoth - it's a gem! :laugh:

 

So here is my story in a nutshell:  I was in a car accident. my PCP did a dx and rx 5mg valium q.d., q.n.  Boy, did i feel better.  After two years of tx I thought i could just ct.  When I did, the PCG (who really is an SOB), x-ed my rx, said I was not in benzo withdrawals and advised me to see a Pdoc.  Boy, was that new guy nuts.  As a new pt, he rx 5 mg valium b.i.d. which eventually went up to 15mg taken q.n.  Wish I had known about benzobuddies, because after detox tx I was in a world of hurt.  When I got home, the pdoc rx 10 mg t.i.d or prn.  shook his head and said that much valium never hurt anyone.  After I discovered Benzobuddies, got a new PCG who did a CBC and even though I am always SOB, said I was fine but wanted to rx me an SSRI.  "No thanks", I exclaimed.  Now I am down to 1 mg q.d and 1 1/2 mg q.n. and boy, do I feel so much better!

 

TC

XXXXX

Christine/BlueMoth

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Colin, can we add to it ourselves? S/E- side effect isn't there.

 

Sorry, I've changed it from I to 'we will add them to the list'. Of course you can!

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Oh, I'm not sure if you can modify one of my posts - I think the forum software will not allow it. If so, just reply with any additions and I will add them.
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Oh, I'm not sure if you can modify one of my posts - I think the forum software will not allow it. If so, just reply with any additions and I will add them.

 

Well Colin, just as an experiment, I went into your abbreviation post, and deleted the comma after your "Hi". And it worked.  :laugh:

 

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

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Oh, I'm not sure if you can modify one of my posts - I think the forum software will not allow it. If so, just reply with any additions and I will add them.

 

Well Colin, just as an experiment, I went into your abbreviation post, and deleted the comma after your "Hi". And it worked.  :laugh:

 

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

 

Put it back, you minx! :laugh:

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Oh, I'm not sure if you can modify one of my posts - I think the forum software will not allow it. If so, just reply with any additions and I will add them.

 

Well Colin, just as an experiment, I went into your abbreviation post, and deleted the comma after your "Hi". And it worked.  :laugh:

 

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

 

Put it back, you minx! :laugh:

 

:2funny:

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all the acronyms used on this site should be easily accessible - i have a vague knowledge of medical abbreviations for dosage because i worked for health care financing for yrs - but this site has its own stuff i am not aware of.

 

to deal with side effects on a governmental level would of been considered political - we only dealt with drugging people.

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  • 10 months later...

Hi

 

The following is a list of common abbreviations used within the medical profession and at BenzoBuddies. If there are some omissions, please reply to this post and we will add them to the list.

 

  • b.i.d.  two times per day
  • CBC  Complete Blood Count
  • c/o  crossover
  • c/t  cold turkey
  • d/c discontinue
  • dx  diagnosis
  • hx  history
  • PCG  Primary Caregiver
  • PCP  Primary Care Physician
  • PRN  as needed
  • pt  patient

  • q  every
  • q.d.  once a day
  • q.h.  every hour
  • q.i.d.  every four hours (sometimes 'four times a day')
  • q.n.  Every night
  • rx  prescribe
  • script  prescription
  • SOB  Short Of Breath
  • sx  symptom
  • t.i.d.  three times per day
  • tx  treatment
  • w/d  withdrawal

 

Abbreviations are best avoided, but repeatedly using whole words and phrases can sometime be tiresome. If you are using a medical term several times within a post, it it would be better to write something like this:

 

We always advise against a c/t (cold turkey) withdrawal as it can be dangerous and counter productive. Unfortunately many come here having already attempted a c/t withdrawal.

 

Simply, explain the abbreviation the first time you use it within a post. ;)

 

They all look good to me except "every night". That is usually written as  "qhs".

Hope everyone is doing well. I am still hanging in there. I have visited this site a lot and has helped me quite a bit. Honestly, if it wasn't for this site I would have been in the mental hospital because all my friendS (which are either RN's, FNP's or MD's) have NO CLUE about protracted withdrawl symptoms from benzo's. My PCP told me on such a small dose that I would be fine in 1-2 weeks!!

Thank God for benzo buddies!

 

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Not sure. Good question. All I know that in my 15 years of nursing here and in Canada I have never encountered qn as every night. Just qhs. :)

 

Ditto for me. In the US, that is.  ;)

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  • 11 months later...

Hello,

 

I know its not an abbrevitation, but can someone explain to me what "windows" means?

 

Appreciate,

 

Lizzie

 

It's when you are feeling somewhat normal, without symptoms. A window (an opening) of normalcy. Hope I've helped, maybe someone else can explain it better.  :)

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Maybe we should write up a similar sticky for commonly used phrases used on this forum. What do you all think?

 

I think that's a great idea! It would help a lot.  :)

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Maybe we should write up a similar sticky for commonly used phrases used on this forum. What do you all think?

 

I think that's a great idea! It would help a lot.  :)

 

Okay who wants to explain cog fog and benzo belly?  :laugh:

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Maybe we should write up a similar sticky for commonly used phrases used on this forum. What do you all think?

 

I think that's a great idea! It would help a lot.  :)

 

Okay who wants to explain cog fog and benzo belly?  :laugh:

 

:laugh:  I'll leave that up to the wordsmiths.  :laugh:  It will some creative writing that's for sure.

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Hey,

 

Start a new thread, asking for contributions, and we can sticky the thread.

 

I think it should include any commonly used terms on this forum.

 

"Cold turkey"

"Window"

"Thread"

"Sticky"

"shout" (and shoutbox)

"PM" (Personal Message)

 

Just a few suggestions.

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