Thwing Medical Group

08/07/2025

Amen!
I was just counselling a new patient earlier today about the risks of the anticholinergic effects of Benedryl. The main ingredient in most OTC sleeping medications, diphenhydramine has significant anticholinergic effects along with it's sedative and antihistamine effects. Benedryl knocks about 15 IQ points off of you 12-14 hours after taking it.
If you take Sominex or some other OTC sleeping medication and notice mental dulling the following afternoon, it might very well be the diphenhydramine. This is especially dangerous in the elderly.
I have felt for quite some time that the FDA should remove it from our shelves.

In a new review, experts call for the removal of diphenhydramine from over-the-counter and prescription markets in the United States, saying it’s outdated, dangerous and eclipsed by safer alternatives.

07/23/2025

I have noticed that a couple of our best local doctors will be retiring - Greeneville will miss them!
Though I had gotten too full and had to close my panel to new patients for a while, Dr. Lindberg and I are happily accepting new patients right now if you need a doc!
Just call the front desk with your information, and we'll see if we can accommodate you and your family.
Dr. Lindberg sees all ages and especially enjoys taking care of babies and children. Dr. Thwing sees folks ages 4 and up.
(423) 639-0707

07/06/2025

You might wonder why I check Vit D levels. I often find them low (your Vit D level should be about 60, give or take) and then recommend supplementation, usually 1,000 to 5,000 units daily, depending on your numbers. Vit D is good for many things including bone strength, muscles pain & fibromyalgia, brain and cardiac health and possibly even depression.
Here is yet another reason to keep your levels up:
" Both animal and human studies have linked low vitamin D levels with a variety of gastrointestinal diseases (Ulcerative Colitis & Crohns Disease), including inflammatory bowel disease, diverticulitis, colon cancer, and liver disease."

Dr David Johnson discusses recent findings indicating that vitamin D deficiency may contribute to the development of various gastrointestinal diseases and explores strategies to mitigate this risk.

05/25/2025

Our office will be closed Monday for Memorial Day and open Tuesday at 8AM. I will, of course, be available to my patients via cellphone if you need me.
(My cellphone number is at the end of the message than plays when you call the office outside of regular hours)

04/19/2025

First sunburn (thankfully mild) of the season, and I am so glad to have an aloe plant!
I rubbed some fresh juice from the leaf onto my face and back of my neck, and it already feel SO MUCH better.
Publix sells aloe leaves (the bottled stuff is useless), and I have many aloes at my office to give away to my fair-skinned patients who might need the relief in this hot sun.

04/19/2025

I appreciate this comprehensive post by Dr. Hensley.
I have heard this baffling rumor from a handful of patients, and I agree with Theo that statins are on the whole somewhat *protective* as regards dementia risk.
Please, please don't take internet musings and chatter in the beauty parlor as gospel!
When you hear something unsettling, just ask your doctor about it. I promise that we have your best interests at heart, and we do not get any kind of kickback (not even a pen or pad of paper nowadays!) from drug companies.

04/18/2025

We are closed until Monday for Easter, but of course I am always available by cellphone to my patients.
Don't hesitate to text or call me if you need me.
Happy Easter!

Found on Google from amazon.com

02/26/2025

Michelle, my wonderful Medical Assistant, has taken an excellent job offer in middle Tennessee, so I am looking for a new nurse.
If you would like to work in a small medical office and like being busy and developing relationships with a slew of very nice patients, log on to the Summit website and submit an application ASAP.
Being able to draw blood well is a must, as is being friendly and professional.
I will teach you as much as you want to learn. Several of my previous MAs are now RNs. I'm very proud of how their careers have taken off, but now I'm hunting for a new assistant.

If you're interested, here's the application link

02/26/2025

I have had many patients ask me if they need an MMR (Measles/Mumps/Rubella) booster vaccine given the uptick in Measles and a probable case of Mumps in Abingdon.
There is not much guidance from the major medical organizations yet, but I have come to a preliminary conclusion:
Most people, even the elderly, do not at this time need an MMR vaccine booster. I doubt Medicare will pay for it in any event.
However, for certain high-risk patients I think that paying $135 for an MMR booster is probably a good idea.
There are no clear guidelines as to who exactly is "high risk", so I encourage my concerned patients to discuss their personal cases with me, and we can come to a decision together whether or not to re-vaccinate. Those on chemotherapy, with several medical problems, etc. are probably candidates.
The one patient I vaccinated last week reported no side effects at all from taking the MMR.

01/23/2025

I just this minute became aware of a 24-hour glucose monitor that not only is relatively affordable, but it does not require a prescription or insurance authorization!
It is made by the same folks who make the excellent Dexcom G7 monitor and looks very similar.
You wear the little patch on your arm and change it twice a month; it communicates with your smartphone so that you can simply glance and see what your sugar is running at any moment, and it makes a little graph so that you can see what times of day (or night while you're sleeping) that your sugar might be going out of control.
The 24-hour continuous glucose monitors have been a game-changer, but trying to get the prescription versions covered by insurance has been a nightmare.
The Stelo appears to be a *very* welcome product for many of my diabetic and pre-diabetic patients!
The cost is $99 for two sensors, but if you subscribe for monthly delivery, it's $89 or $84 if you get 6 at a time.

Start your journey to better glucose health and save 10% on Stelo Glucose Biosensor monthly subscription.

12/17/2024

I have an Alexa at my house - mostly to listen to music and ask what the weather is like outside - and on a whim I asked it to "Call LeAnne" which it promptly did.
The reason I'm posting this tidbit on my Medical Group page is a potentially very useful ability that Alexa could offer to my patients: namely "Alexa, call 911!"
If you have an elderly relative who won't use a "panic button" and has Wi-Fi, consider giving them an Alexa dot or two for their house. If they were to fall or have some other emergency, they could just holler for Alexa to call you or a neighbor or 911.
Once you're bought the Alexa Echo Dot or Pop (they are currently on sale at Amazon for about 20 bucks), it's free to use, and I didn't find it hard at all to set up.

11/29/2024

Also, I want my patients to know that, even though I won't be in the office tomorrow or until Monday, if you really need something that I can take care of with a phone call or text, I don't mind a bit doing what I can to keep you out of a line at an Urgent Care.
I won't be able to meet you at the office this weekend like I usually can (I'm recuperating from a knee arthroscopy), but I've got my phone and my computer.
Have a great Thanksgiving weekend!