Dr. Kim Valdez Internal Medicine Clinic

02/09/2025

Allergies can sometimes escalate into life-threatening situations. When your body reacts strongly, every second counts. Trust that our emergency care unit team is ready to give you the care you need, when you need it most.

18/08/2025

“Gaano karami ang asukal na iniinom mo?” 🤔

Ilang Kutsara ng Asukal ang Iniinom Mo? Tuklasin ang Asukal sa Paborito Mong Inumin. Maraming inumin ang may sobrang asukal!

Bawasan ang matatamis na inumin at pumili ng tubig, unsweetened tea, o infused water para mas healthy.

22/07/2025

Ang leptospirosis ay isang seryosong impeksiyon na dulot ng bakterya na tinatawag na Leptospira. Karaniwang nakukuha ito sa pamamagitan ng paglalakad o paglangoy sa tubig-baha na kontaminado ng ihi ng daga o iba pang hayop. Ang mga sintomas nito ay maaaring magsimula sa lagnat, pananakit ng ulo, pananakit ng katawan, pamumula ng mata, at pagsusuka. Kapag hindi naagapan, maaari itong magdulot ng komplikasyon tulad ng pagpalya ng atay, bato, o baga, at maaari ring ikamatay. Importante ang agarang gamutan at pag-iwas sa kontaminadong tubig, lalo na tuwing tag-ulan.

17/07/2025

Antibiotics do not treat viral infections such as colds and flu 🤧. Always seek advice from a qualified healthcare professional before taking antibiotics.

17/07/2025

More young adults are undergoing dialysis due to lifestyle-related diseases, particularly diabetes and hypertension, the National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI) said Friday.

Read the full story in the comment section below.

23/06/2025

🩸 “𝙒𝙝𝙮 𝘿𝙤 𝙒𝙚 𝙃𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙋𝙖𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝘽𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙄𝙩’𝙨 𝘿𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙁𝙧𝙚𝙚?” 🩸

A family member needs blood. You rush to the hospital. You call friends to donate. And then the hospital still charges you 1,800 per unit.

Why? It is a valid question, donors don’t earn from the donations but patients pay for it.

Are they profiting off kindness?

🛑 𝗡𝗼. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵:
You’re NOT paying for the blood.
You’re paying for the life-saving process that makes sure that blood won’t affect the person you’re trying to save.

💉 𝗘𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁 𝗴𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵:
🔬 Screening tests - HIV, Hepatitis B/C, malaria, syphilis
⚙️ Component separation - red cells, plasma, platelets
🧊 Storage & refrigeration
👩‍⚕️ Staffing - med techs, nurses, logistics, admin

Screening?
To prevent the transmission of blood-transmitted diseases like HIV, Hepatitis and others.

Component separation?
For the use of consumable supplies for the separation of blood products into platelets, red cells, etc.

Storage and Refrigeration?
To maintain the viability of the blood products, because if not kept in certain conditions these blood products may EXPIRE.

Staffing?
All of these procedures required trained and paid professionals we pay for their expertise.

All of these cost money, ensuring that the blood that the patient is receiving is safe for use, because not all blood units are compatible with every patient, two people may have the same blood types but may not be compatible.

Under Republic Act 7719 and DOH AO 2015‑0045, the ₱1,800 cap ensures you’re only paying to recoup costs, not to profit.

✅ Bottom Line

The ₱1,800 you pay isn’t for the blood itself it’s for the safe, regulated process of transforming donated blood into a usable, life-saving medical product.

It covers testing, processing, safe storage, qualified personnel, and quality control, all essential to prevent infections and ensure compatibility.

28/05/2025

To prevent the transmission of monkeypox, both personal and public health measures are important. Here’s what you can do:

1. Avoid Close Contact

- With Infected People: Do not touch the skin, rash, or bodily fluids of someone with suspected or confirmed monkeypox.

- With Contaminated Items: Avoid sharing bedding, towels, clothing, or utensils used by an infected person.

2. Practice Good Hygiene

- Wash your hands frequently with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

- Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces.

3. Use Protective Equipment

- If caring for someone with monkeypox, wear a mask, gloves, and possibly a gown to reduce risk of exposure.
- Healthcare workers should use appropriate PPE (personal protective equipment).

4. Avoid Contact with Wild Animals

- Especially in regions where monkeypox is endemic, avoid contact with rodents, primates, and animals that could carry the virus.

5. Safe Sexual Practices

- Monkeypox can spread through intimate contact. During outbreaks, limit sexual partners and consider temporary abstinence if there's a known risk.

6. Vaccination

- The JYNNEOS vaccine (also known as Imvamune or Imvanex) is approved in some countries to help prevent monkeypox, especially for people at high risk (e.g., healthcare workers, close contacts of cases, or those in outbreak areas).

7. Stay Informed During Outbreaks

- Follow public health advice and updates from reliable sources like the CDC or WHO to know if there's a risk in your area.

- Early identification, isolation of cases, and responsible health practices are key to stopping the spread of monkeypox.

Stay safe everyone!

Images from Department of Health (Philippines)

23/05/2025

Milk is not an alternative to TB management.

Philippine College of Physicians
Statement on Using Milk As Substitute For Tuberculosis Medication
23 May 2025

Amid misinformation about the health benefits of drinking milk to combat tuberculosis, the Philippine College of Physicians (P*P) and Philippine College of Chest Physicians (PCCP) Council on Tuberculosis would like to clarify that tuberculosis is a disease entity caused by: Mycobacterium tuberculosis, is transmitted through airborne droplets between people.

Active TB disease, with susceptible strains, can be cured by a combination of a 4-drug regimen: isoniazid, rifampin, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol given over a span of 6 months. Milk supplementation supports bone health but is not an alternative to TB management.

Delay of treatment can cause spread to other organs and other people and may even lead to death.

22/05/2025

28/04/2025

02/04/2025

How Not to Talk to Your Doctor (And What to Say Instead)
(a friendly guide for better healthcare conversations)

❌ (nagsend ng picture ng laboratory - walang context)
✅ “Doc, ito po yung results ng laboratory ko. Tanong ko lang po kung kelan ang availability niyo for consultation, ipapabasa ko po sana ito”
💡Hindi sapat na may lab results lang — kailangan itong i-connect sa nararamdaman ng pasyente. Kaya mahalaga pa rin ang consultation (interview at/o physical exam) para ma-interpret nang tama ang findings.

❌ “Doc, pa-reseta ng antibiotic.”
✅ “Doc, may ubo po ako. Magpapachek up po sana ako kung anong gamot ang kailangan ko"
💡Hindi lahat ng sakit ay kailangan ng antibiotic. Kung hindi bacterial ang pinanggagalingan, walang effect ang antibiotic. Tignan muna natin kung bacterial ang cause ng inyong sakit - magpa-consult for proper diagnosis and management.

❌“Doc, pa-reseta naman ng gamot sa sakit ng dibdib (or any single symptom)”
✅ “Doc, minsan sumasakit dibdib ko, magpapa-check up po sana ako”
💡Ang pag-rereseta ng gamot ay hindi lamang based sa iisang symptom. For example, ang sakit sa dibdib ay pwedeng maraming cause - GERD? Heart attack? At magka-iba ang gamot at management dyan.
💡Ang pag-reseta sa gamot ay individualized o natatangi para sa particular na pasyente. Nakadepende sa maraming factors at hindi ito basta-basta. Kailangang ng masinsinang usap sa pasyente para malaman ang maraming bagay tulad ng:
● Edad
● Kasarian
● Disposition noong oras ng konsulta
● Vital signs
● Uri ng sakit o karamdaman
● Iba pang sintomas
● Mga dati nang nainom na gamot
● Mga iniinom na gamot sa kasalukuyan
● Comorbidities o ibang sakit
● Allergies
● Physical examination
● Presyo ng gamot at kakayahan ng pasyente na bilin ito
● Availability ng gamot

❌ “Doc, pahingi ng medcert. Lagay niyo 2 days rest. Palagay nalang Migraine, tapos kahapon yung date ”
✅ “Doc, masama p**iramdam ko mula kahapon. Pwede po ba ako makahingi ng medcert kung kailangan?”
💡Ang medical certificate ay isang legal document. Kailangan muna naming ma-assess ang kalagayan niyo based sa interview and physical examination para makapag-bigay ng tama na:
- Diagnosis
- Management / Advice / Recommendation
- Days of rest
💡 Ang date ng medical certificate ay kung kelan kayo nagpa-check up.

❌ “Doc, urgent po! Reply asap!”
✅ “Doc, sorry to bother po. May concern lang ako (write concern), kung kailan po kayo available, okay lang kahit di agad.”
💡 Doctors want to help, pero hindi kami available 24/7. Hindi din lahat ng doctor ay tumatanggap ng online consultation. Respectful messages go a long way.
💡Kung emergency ang inyong concern, pumunta na agad sa emergency room para ma-assess agad.

❌ "Doc.."..
"Pwede magtanong?" ..
✅ "Good morning doc, tanong ko lang po (insert concern here). Thank you doc."
💡Kapag may context ang message (Anong tanong? Tungkol saan?) mas mabilis at maayos kaming makakasagot.
Hindi din lahat ng doctor ay open for online consultation so check your doctor's consultation availability first.

❌ “Doc, p**i reseta nga ng gamot na iniinom ng kapitbahay ko, effective daw eh.”
✅ “Doc, may narinig po akong gamot na iniinom ng kakilala ko para sa ganito. Pwede po ba ako magtanong kung bagay din siya sa akin?”
💡 Iba-iba ang katawan at kalagayan ng tao. Hindi porket effective sa iba, safe na rin sa’yo.
💡Para mabigyan ng tamang gamot, kailangan ng full consultation para makausap kayo nang maayos at mabigyan ng gamot at management na nararapat para sa inyo.

❌ (nagsend ng picture ng rash/signs/symptom - walang context)
✅ “Doc, pwede po ba makuha ang schedule niyo for consultation? May napansin po kasi akong rash, ipapacheck up ko po sana” (send picture for reference)
💡Hindi sapat ang isang picture para mag-diagnose at makapagbigay ng reseta. Kinakailangan ng full consultation para mabigyan ng tamang diagnosis at gamot.

❌ "Doc, pahingi naman ng lab request, yung para sa lahat na, tsaka na ko magpapa-consult pag may result na"
✅ "Doc, gusto ko sana malaman anong mga test ang kailangan ko gawin, kelan po pwede magpa-consult sa inyo?"
💡 Ang lab request ay hindi basta-basta na parang checklist.
Iba-iba ang tests na kailangan depende sa edad, sintomas, history ng sakit, lifestyle, at goals (halimbawa: annual check-up vs. may nararamdamang kakaiba).
Mas safe, mas sulit, at mas accurate ang lab tests kung may consultation muna para malaman kung alin ang kailangan talaga — at hindi lang "lahat na."

❤️ Tandaan: Mas nagiging epektibo ang gamutan kung open at malinaw ang usapan sa pagitan ng pasyente at doktor.

Salamat po! 😊