The Self-Care Advisor

Dr. Koop's Self-Care Advisor is one of the essentials in our house. It isn't a new book, but most diseases and medical conditions aren't new problems. One of its strongest points is the clear organization of symptoms for a fairly speedy diagnosis. I can just pick up the book whenever one of us is sick, and within a couple of minutes I can usually rule out the scariest possibilities that have been running through my mind. Then the book gives very good, common sense advice about what to do and when to see a doctor. I have tried several different home medical references, but nothing comes close to this one for ease of use and true dependability.

My dog just destroyed this book. I have had it for years and it has been so helpful that I am ordering a replacement even though it's from 1996 and now out of print. The book is broken down into categories of health conditions, the accompanying symptoms and how quickly you should get to the doctor. Of course it is no substitute for a doctor's care and you could get updated medical info online, but at 3am it is considerably easier to just pull out a book to help you make healthcare decisions. I have diagnosed my kids with everything from scarlet fever to influenza, known how quickly medical attention was needed AND several years ago, I actually diagnosed my husband with gallstones and pancreatitis (life threatening). I was able to get him to the hospital and insist on further testing from an ER doctor who wanted to send him home.