[LanaBanana]

I'm researching for a discussion thread for my A&P class. If someone has one of those symptom finder programs or can help with this, I'd appreciate it. A patient has these symptoms: dizziness polyurea polydipsia headaches what would be possible dx's? My first instinct was diabetes but I'm not sure.
I like these questions he give us because it makes us think, but most of us in the class aren't nurses yet (I've barely started nursing school!) so I'm not sure how we're supposed to know this.

[EricEnfermero]

I think you're on the right track! Here's a link to WebMD's Symptom Checker. Seems neat, but I haven't really used it.

http://www.webmd.com/diseases_and_co...om_checker.htm

[Daytonite]

Ah, Eric beat me to it. I was trying to think where I had seen a database of symptoms and I couldn't put my finger on it right away. While you're at the WebMD site, check out the link for the A to Z guide to medical tests. It lists just about everything and the explanations for each test are pretty thorough.

[EricEnfermero]

Originally Posted by Daytonite

Ah, Eric beat me to it.

Don't worry. Doesn't happen often. You're a repository of information.

To the OP: Good luck with your research. Sometimes it does seem like instructors push us beyond what we should reasonably be expected to know, but in the end I think it will benefit you to learn to probe into new information like this.

[LanaBanana]

That's a pretty cool website! Thanks! Is there a way to differentiate between type 1 or type 2 diabetes with just this info? The symptoms seem to fit both.

[Daytonite]

Originally Posted by LanaBanana

That's a pretty cool website! Thanks! Is there a way to differentiate between type 1 or type 2 diabetes with just this info? The symptoms seem to fit both.

My answer would be "no" there is no way to distinquish between type I and type II diabetes based on the symptoms given. However, I think I might put the label of hyperglycemia on those symptoms rather than diabetes. Hyperglycemia is a more broader based medical term and would include both types of diabetes.

Another possibility exists here that I think you need to consider. That is diabetes insipidus. The dizziness, polyurea and polydipsia fit. The headaches could be the result of an unwitnessed head trauma or undiagnosed pituitary tumor which is the cause of diabetes insipidus in about 50% of the cases (according to my source).