Complete Guide to Symptoms, Illness & Surgery: Updated and Revised 6th Edition

This book is wonderful. I had the 4th edition and used it for years so I was already familar with the format of it. The new one includes a DVD which is even better. This book is easy enough to understand so that even people with minimal medical knowledge can still find the information they need. I like the way it is formatted so that once you do find the illness, you can find the surgery with the approx. care, medications, etc. that you can expect to go with it plus they also cross refrence any difference type of procedures that might be used. With patients having to be so much more informed these days, I take this book with me every time I go to the doctor.My former Dr. didn't like it but my new does and discusses anything thing I have questions about and shows me where to find it in the book. I also have the pill book put out by the same group.

I had a very old version (1990's) and this version is very complete, easy to follow and very informative

I think that this sympton book is the best that I have seen. It is very easy to use and gives information that is very valuable in determining if you should see a doctor and treatments that are usually used. I have several different books and my family and I always use this one first.

I once had a housekeeper who was sick for several months. Finally I made her sit down and tell me her symptoms. I consulted this book and couldn't tell from her symptoms what she had -- but I knew it was either gallstones, a bleeding ulcer, or pancreatitis. I made her leave my house and go to the doctor. A week later, she called me from the hospital. Her gallbladder had been removed, her bleeding ulcer had been repaired, and she was under treatment for pancreatitis. Every time I use this book, the results blow me away. I've had to stop telling doctors what rare disease I have because the opthamologist was so irate when I diagnosed my iritis before he did.

This book is a must for anyone that is at all curious about health-related problems. I drag this book out at least once a week to look up information for myself as well as others that are asking me about symptoms or illnesses. I have bought copies as gifts for other people, as well.