Contacting your Medical Practitioner

When to Contact your Medical Practitioner

You should contact your Medical Practitioner if:

• You have a persistent, high fever that is above 103˚ Fahrenheit (39.4˚ Celsius) or a fever that lasts more than 3-days.
• Your cold becomes unusually bad, e.g., you have:
  • a severe cough that lingers more than two weeks;
  • a fever, muscle aches or other flu-like symptoms;
  • extreme difficulty swallowing, chest pain and shortness of breath; and/or,
  • difficulty keeping fluids and food down.
• You’ve suddenly lost weight and don’t know why (e.g., you have lost more than 10% your body weight in the last 6-months and are not obese.).
• You are short-of-breath or the symptoms come on suddenly and strongly without:
  • being at a high altitude;
  • doing strenuous exercise;
  • being obese; or;
  • being exposed to extreme temperature.
• You experience severe and ongoing chest, abdominal or pelvic pain, which could indicate conditions such as heart attack, gallstones, appendicitis or kidney infection.
• You have changes in your regular bowel or urination habits (e.g., bloody or black stools, diarrhea or constipation, or excessive urination).
• You experience sudden, bright flashes, which could be a sign of retinal detachment. This condition needs immediate medical attention. (Bright flashes and spots in the vision can also occur during migraine headaches.)
• You experience confusion or changes in your mood, which can occur with mental health issues and physical conditions (e.g., infection or drug interactions). Be alert for trouble thinking or focusing, irregular sleeping patterns, and feelings of anxiety or depression.
• You fell on your head or suffered a blow to it, and subsequently detect symptoms of concussion (e.g., difficulty concentrating, headache, irritability and change in sleep pattern).
• You develop unexpected symptoms after surgery, a procedure or starting a new medication.