availability

availability

Psychiatry
The presence of a resource (e.g., support group) that may be needed by an individual or group.

Suicidology
See Availability of means.

availability

(ă-vāl″ă-bĭl′ĭ-tē)

In nutrition, the extent to which a nutrient is present in a form that can be absorbed and used by the body.

availability

the proportion of a specific nutrient or chemical in soil or in animal feed that is available for absorption by plants or by animals that eat the plants. The overall availability of each chemical may vary from time to time in a plant depending on its chemical composition. Represented most simply as the amount of the ingested material not recoverable in the feces. In soil it is the proportion of the content that is eluted by a weak acid.

Patient discussion about availability

Q. When will a generic brand of insulin be available? The cost of insulin seems to be way too high... And with the ever rising population of diabetics, you'd think some other companies would jump unto the bandwagon with a cheaper insulin... what's up with that?

A. Unfortunately, as long as Eli Lilly has an effective monopoly on the American market and docs continue to perscribe the latest "flavor" of insulin, the situation is unlikely to change. Personally, I refuse to use Lilly's products (use Novo Nordisk insulin instead) and am still using the regular and NPH I was using 20 years ago... Also, because Type I diabetes tends to affect children, parents are naturally always seeking the next new thing. Doesn't make for an environment conducive to cheaper alternatives, which is a real shame for us all.

Q. what treatment is available for a bad knee? my knee is very swallowed and i suffer from great pain while i'm banding and doing physical work and i put weight on it ... what can i do? what is it ? by the way i played a lot of basketball when i was young , any relation ?

A. If your knee is "very" swallowed it will be difficult to retrieve it unless you kill whatever it is that swallowed it. I can see it would be painful to move around in order to band birds if part of your leg has been "swallowed". Do you drag around the offender instead of having an operation in order to removed the miscreant. Perhaps this is just a figment of your imagination. I dont see how playing basketball in your youth has done anything to encourage this fantasy of having your knee swallowed.

Q. Is their a drug available to regain my energy back from having hypothyrodiam? I was diagnosed three years ago with Hypothyroidism. I have been using medication to level out my thyroid level. The lack of energy and weakness I am experiencing at the age of 42 is maddening. I want my life back the way it was. I am tired of feeling tired and zombie like.

A. Hormone replacement has to be continued throughout your life; Zoe is probably right: you may need a higher dose. Talk to your doctor about the fatigue, you should have regular check-ups again to monitor your hormone levels to get the right dosage.

You can always ask for more information about your condition: whether it's primary or secondary hypothyroidism and what may/may not have caused it, or what you can do to improve your symptoms.