Anecdote (“constipado”)

A Mexican patient dropped in 1 week after extensive polypectomy surgery.  He was doing well, didn’t need Vicodin anymore, but wanted more Colace that had been given for constipación.  In Mexicao & Central America, maybe elsewhere, constipación means “nasal congestion” (e.g. “estoy muy constipado”).  Their word for our “constipation” (common side effect of narcotics) is estreñimiento (“estoy estreñido”).

Colace for the nose?!?!