Dr Anitha Varghese - Internist and Intensivist

Dr Anitha Varghese - Internist and Intensivist Dr Anitha Varghese has been practising medicine in some of the best institutions for over 15 years.

29/12/2024

With a heavy heart we bid adieu to Acharya Kunal Kishoreji. I had the great fortune to work under this great visionary. We have lost a gem today. I…

As a doctor, I don't really get an "off-day" but I was fortunate to have a feeling hours off. It was spent with some fri...
14/01/2024

As a doctor, I don't really get an "off-day" but I was fortunate to have a feeling hours off.
It was spent with some friends, lots of adrak chai, with my pets and practising gratitude with me looking inwards for perspective.
Happy Sunday!
Keep it light and simple!

Doctors prescription for Sundays! Celebrate your day off. Unwind , destress, meet friends, spend time with your friends,...
14/01/2024

Doctors prescription for Sundays! Celebrate your day off. Unwind , destress, meet friends, spend time with your friends, practice gratitude and look inwards..

Something I try to remind myself everyday .Kindness is rare these days, Humility frowned upon and Sincerity lost in the ...
07/01/2024

Something I try to remind myself everyday .

Kindness is rare these days, Humility frowned upon and Sincerity lost in the chaos.

As we inch towards the end of this year, we think about making resolutions for the new year. People are flocking to thei...
27/12/2023

As we inch towards the end of this year, we think about making resolutions for the new year. People are flocking to their physicians for the mandatory "end-of-the-year" check ups, with the hope to change things around this year.

Instead of promises or practises, let's make some changes in our lives that aren't necessarily lifestyle changes.

1. Be kind to yourself.

I have many patients who come in saying they are a mess, that they haven't done things right with regards to their health and that there is no hope. Mothers who feel like they have been doing everything wrong.
You ALWAYS need to be kind to yourself- kind to your body for all the resilience it has shown through the years and to your mind for all the pain it has borne.

2. Always choose to be kind to others.

Irrespective of how your day has been, the person in front of you probably needs a moment of understanding and kindness. Reach out to others, listen them out and offer a sincere ear. Sometimes that's all someone needs. Walking a mile in another shoes, is not just an act of kindness towards them, but also gives us perspective.

3. Always try to get back on the wagon.

Life always throws curveballs when we seem to be in control of things. I have patients tell me that they stopped exercising for months after going through an ailment. I just tell them, if they are better, they should start again.The key is to rise up, dust your shoulders, and start back again.

4. Prioritise your mental as well as your physical health.

Many of us have our gym memberships planned for this year but we hesitate to have a conversation about our mental health. Focus on practising mindfulness, living in the moment , having a gratitude journal and taking each day as it comes.
Patients usually hesitate at the mention of mental health and ask for some quick medication for anxiety rather than meeting a mental health professional about it. Let's not shy away from the needs of our minds.

5. Put your foot down when you need to.

I recently met a patient.whom I had met over 10 months ago. He said, " Doctor I did what you asked me to". I was at a loss for words; I couldn't remember what I had told him. He then told me - " I have started saying no." And that putting his foot down helped significantly reduce his stress and helped with his overall health. That brought a big smile on my face!

Resolutions are outdated.
Love , Kindness and Care are the need of the hour
Love towards others.
Kindness towards others and our selves.
Care for our minds and our bodies.
Every waking moment , on those long days and every new year.

After a tiring day at work, exhausted and a bit hungry, I scrolled down my phone as i headed back home. It was Doctor's ...
05/07/2023

After a tiring day at work, exhausted and a bit hungry, I scrolled down my phone as i headed back home. It was Doctor's Day in India and we had a lovely dinner at our hospital, and quite a busy OPD too.
This message popped up on my phone. Not someone who would post something like this online, but the back story is beautiful.

This patient walked into my opd feeling tired and having had mild fever at home. A quick assessment made realise something was really wrong as she had cold hands and was sweating profusely and her bp was a bit low. Admitted her and turned out that she was quite ill, with a severely significant urinary infection. 4 days in hospital and she went home much better.
What took me by surprise was that, she was someone who was meant to cross my path and the connection we formed went beyond doctor and patient. The coincidences were too many. The love she expressed towards me was overwhelming.

It was a reminder to me that, people always come into your life for a reason.
The reason may not present itself immediately, but with time, like peeling an onion, the reason has layers.
Layers and layers of emotions, truth and love.

PS - This is a picture of a white board that was on display at our hospital, where patients were asked to write a special message for their doctor. This photo was sent to me by the patient's family.

Are you looking for the “Magic Pill” for Viral fever?Amidst a busy day at work, one of the many patients with a bad flu ...
12/03/2023

Are you looking for the “Magic Pill” for Viral fever?
Amidst a busy day at work, one of the many patients with a bad flu asked me a very recurring question – “Doctor, can you give me a magic pill? I need to feel fine by tomorrow.”
Do we really have a ‘Magic Bullet’ for flu?
‘Flu’ encompasses a constellation of symptoms including a running nose, sore throat, cough, fever and other constitutional symptoms like body aches and tiredness. The most common cause of this is a viral infection, seldom a bacterial infection. A myriad of viruses can be responsible for flu- like symptoms the common ones being rhinovirus, coronavirus, Influenza and RSV(respiratory syncytial virus).
Most patients presume antibiotics are their ‘ Magic pill’. Antibiotics help fight bacterial infections, and not viral infections. Most frequently we see azithromycin being conferred this prestigious title. A recent study has proven that Azithromycin is one of the most misused antibiotics in our country. Let me help debunk some of the myths surrounding azithromycin and other antibiotics when one is down with a flu.
Azithromycin is a superior antibiotic used for respiratory infections and is valuable for some specific bacterial infections, more than its counterparts. It also has some spectacular anti-inflammatory effects and hence probably helps patients feel better with regards to their symptoms which could be related to inflammation (and not the infection per se). A lot of patients purchase this or other antibiotics over the counter that are not only unnecessary, and make you susceptible to their side effects, but also contributes to the biggest healthcare crisis- Bacterial resistance.
With frequent misuse and abuse of antibiotics and emerging bacterial resistance, we doctors are left with lesser options of antibiotics for common infections. And no, it is not ‘you’, the human who becomes resistant to the antibiotic ( I have a large number of people tell me, this particular antibiotic doesn’t work for me ; I am resistant to it)!
It is the bacteria that becomes resistant to an antibiotic (predominantly gut and respiratory bacteria) and these resistant bacteria circulate and infect more and more people, leaving us doctors in a dilemma over antibiotic plan as we end up having very few choices. The global burden of antibiotic resistance has increased alarmingly over the last few years- an estimated 4.95 million deaths were associated with antibiotic resistance in the year 2019.So, do not self medicate and let your doctor decide whether you need an antibiotic or not.
Now you may ask if there is any specific medication for a viral fever. There are some anti-viral medications directed towards some viral infections, but the benefit of using them is usually in the first 24-48 hours of the infection and again, it boils down to whether your doctor deems it necessary for you.
So, is there a Magic bullet in this flu season that’s been taking us like a storm?
Not really.
But the key to recovery is good rest, adequate hydration and a nutritious diet, in addition to the medications prescribed by your doctor.
Sounds simple right?
So, lets stick with the basics and leave the not-so-basic stuff in the hands of your physician!

Happy Women's Day to all those Superwomen who are acing it at work and at home, supporting other women in their journey ...
08/03/2023

Happy Women's Day to all those Superwomen who are acing it at work and at home, supporting other women in their journey and changing the world with passion and compassion !
As Maya Angelou once said,
"How important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our heroes and she-roes!"

February 22nd is celebrated as World Thinking Day. The theme this year is "Our World, our peaceful future".Let's align o...
22/02/2023

February 22nd is celebrated as World Thinking Day. The theme this year is "Our World, our peaceful future".

Let's align our thoughts with our actions and focus on being kind and spreading love; and lending a helping hand to the less fortunate.
Let's build our peaceful future together ❤️

As we reach the end of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I would like to encourage women to Examine their breasts once a mo...
31/10/2022

As we reach the end of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I would like to encourage women to
Examine their breasts once a month at home,
Undergo a clinical breast examination with their physician once a year, and
Get an annual mammogram from the age of 40 years.

Other than a lump in the breast, women need to watch for the following -
Redness of the ni**le or the skin
Discharge from the ni**le
Lump in the underarm region
Localised pain
Dimpling of the skin

Attached is a pictorial representation of self breast examination for those of us who need to see this.

Self examination empowers every woman to take the wellbeing of their breasts in their own hands.
Start early and do not ignore your breasts!

Please reach out to me for any queries.

Picture courtesy - tamikolevansfoundation.org

Had a great time chairing a session at CANCON by MVR hospital. MVR Cancer Centre
07/09/2022

Had a great time chairing a session at CANCON by MVR hospital. MVR Cancer Centre

Address

Cura Hospital, Bethel Street, Kammanahalli
Bangalore
560043

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Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm

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