Womens Health

Women's Health Newsletters 8/16/98 - 9/27/98

 

 









***** Woman's Diagnostic Cyber Newsletter *****
                  September 27, 1998
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This week from Woman's Diagnostic Cyber
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

3. Prenatal genetic diagnosis
4. Pap smear tutorial
5. Myths, misconceptions and facts about the pill
6. Humor is healthy

Spread the word! Send a copy of this newsletter
to someone you know.

Note: Some of the long URLs may not wrap as a
hyperlink and you may need to cut and paste.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3. Prenatal genetic diagnosis
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What serves as cues that a pregnancy may be at 
risk for a birth defect? There are many thousands 
of anomalies and over a hundred tests.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4. Pap smear tutorial
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Abnormal Pap smears are difficult to understand 
even with the best of explanations. Sometimes 
images help. For a good tutorial on the Pap smear 
that includes images on normal, HPV, dysplasia and 
cancer see this University of Utah tutorial:


Pap smear tutorial

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
5. Myths, misconceptions and facts about the pill
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rumors and misconceptions about birth control 
pills can be interesting. Many of our newsletter 
readers are quite knowledgeable about women's 
health and are often called upon as resources 
by their friends. You may want to browse the facts 
(do that first) and then the myths and 
misconceptions about oral contraceptives. The 
source of the information is a UK pharmeceutical 
company that markets BC pills, so keep that in 
mind. It's still a good source. 


Pill myths and facts

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
6. Humor is healthy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Memory Lapse
   
An elderly couple, her name was Rose and his was 
Sam, were having problems remembering things. They 
decided to go to their doctor to be checked out to 
make sure nothing was wrong with them. When they 
arrived at the doctor's, they explained about the 
problems they were having with their memory. 
 
After checking the couple out, the doctor tells 
them that they were physically okay but might want 
to start writing things down and make notes to 
help them remember things. The couple thanked the 
doctor and left. 

Later that night while watching TV, Sam got up 
from his chair and Rose asks, "Where are you 
going?" He replies, "To the kitchen."  She asks, 
"Will you get me a bowl of ice cream?" He replies, 
"Sure."  
She then asks him, "Don't you think you should 
write it down so you can remember it?" He says, 
"No, I can remember that." 
 
She then says, "Well I also would like some 
strawberries on top. You had better write that 
down cause I know you'll forget that." He says, "I 
can remember that, you want a bowl of ice cream 
with strawberries." 

Rose replies, "Well I also would like whipped 
cream on top. I know you will  forget that so you 
better write it down." With irritation in his 
voice, Sam  says,  "I don't need to write that 
down I can remember that." He then fumes into the 
kitchen. After about 20 minutes he returns from 
the kitchen and  hands her a plate of bacon and 
eggs. He looks down at the paper in his hand with 
her name on it and says, uh.. Rose, I brought you 
this. 
 
She stares at the plate for a moment and says, 
"You forgot my toast." 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That's it for this time. We will bring you 
accurate women's health answers again soon.
Rick
Frederick R. Jelovsek MD 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



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***** Woman's Diagnostic Cyber Newsletter *****
                  September 20, 1998
+----------------------------------------------+
This week from Woman's Diagnostic Cyber
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

2. Personal health tracker
3. Hormone levels, bone fractures in older women
4. Contaminants in Asian herbal patent medicines
5. Prenatal and genetics fact sheets 
6. Humor is healthy

Spread the word! Send a copy of this newsletter
to someone you know.

Note: Some of the long URLs may not wrap as a
hyper link and you may need to cut and paste.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2. Personal health tracker
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At OnHealth.com there is a good list of general 
diseases and conditions. Also from the main page 
below, you can sign up for a personal health 
tracker that will send you email and collate 
topics on any health items you wish. If you wanted 
to follow high risk pregnancy or endometriosis you 
would just indicate that in your subject choices. 
The articles it pulls include many that are off 
target, but it is comprehensive. It might be quite 
good as a medical news and site alerter for 
relatively uncommon diseases or topics. 


On Health.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3. Hormone levels, bone fractures in older women
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Many women can't or don't take estrogens at older 
ages. Yet the rate of spontaneous fractures due to 
osteoporosis is related to a woman's endogenous 
estrogen levels. See our weekly news article that 
discusses how much lower doses of estrogen may be 
able to prevent fractures and how to assess risk 
for fractures when a woman is not on estrogens.


Hormone levels and fractures in older women

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4. Contaminants in Asian herbal patent medicines
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The California Department of Health Services, Food 
and Drug Branch, initiated a study to screen 
imported Asian patent medicines, purchased at 
California retail stores. Of the 260 products they 
investigated, at least 83 (32 percent) contained 
undeclared pharmaceuticals or heavy metals, and 23 
had more than one adulterant. If you are a user of 
any herbal medicine preparations that originate in 
Asia, you may want to read about this. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
5. Prenatal and genetics fact sheets 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The March of Dimes has always had some very 
accurate fact sheets about birth defects. They are 
now available on the web. Topics like Fifths 
disease, chicken pox, spinal cord defects and Down 
syndrome, among others, are included on the March of Dimes site.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
6. Humor is healthy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Things You Don't Want to Hear During Surgery:

Better save that. We'll need it for the autopsy.
Someone call the janitor - we're going to need a mop.
Wait a minute, if this is his spleen, then what's that?
Hand me that...uh...that uh.....thingie.
Oops! Hey, has anyone ever survived 500ml of this stuff before?
Rats, there go the lights again...
Everybody stand back! I lost my contact lens!
Could you stop that thing from beating? It's throwing my concentration off!
What's this doing here?
That's cool! now can you make his leg twitch?!
I wish I hadn't forgotten my glasses.
Well, folks, this will be an experiment for all of us.
Sterile, shcmeril. The floor's clean, right?
Anyone see where I left that scalpel?
Don't worry. I think it is sharp enough.
Nurse, did this patient sign the organ donation card?
She's gonna blow! Everyone take cover!!!
Rats! Page 47 of the manual is missing!
FIRE! FIRE! Everyone get out!


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That's it for this time. We will bring you 
accurate women's health answers again soon.
Rick
Frederick R. Jelovsek MD 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



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***** Woman's Diagnostic Cyber Newsletter *****
                  September 13, 1998
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This week from Woman's Diagnostic Cyber
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. Comparison of health megasites
2. Gender differences in smoking
3. Heart valve problems from diet pills
4. Treatment for recurrent herpes
5. Women and heart disease
6. Humor is healthy

Spread the word! Send a copy of this newsletter
to someone you know.

Note: Some of the long URLs may not wrap as a
hyper link and you may need to cut and paste.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1. Comparison of health megasites
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A group of medical librarians did an interesting 
comparison of health megasites in which they 
evaluated about 25 sites after narrowing down from 
50. They rated them on content and design. They 
ended up ranking a top 3 in design and a top 3 in 
content. It's interesting that they all are sites 
of links rather than original content. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2. Gender differences in smoking
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Did you realize that smoking is not only bad for 
women, but it's worse than it is for men? Women 
who smoke have an increased risk of cervical 
cancer; premature menopause; impaired fertility; 
and complications during pregnancy. They are more 
susceptible to carcinogens in tobacco than males 
are and get lung cancer at a higher rate. 


Gender differences in smoking

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3. Heart valve problems from diet pills
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Have you or a friend ever taken diet pills like 
fen-phen, Redux or Pondimin for 4 or more months 
while dieting? If so, there are recommendations 
that you may need to get an echocardiogram done to 
see if there are any permanent heart valve 
problems or damage. See this weeks Woman's 
Diagnostic Cyber News at:


Heart valve problems from diet pills

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4. Treatment for recurrent herpes
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The usual treatment for recurrent herpes genitalis 
is Acyclovir. There are some drugs available 
and apparently one, Famvir, is more effective. 

5. Women and heart disease
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The American Heart Association has created a web 
site for heart disease as it affects women. This 
is remarkable for the fact that for many years, 
heart disease has been predominantly a male 
problem. There hasn't always been much data or 
emphasis on heart disease in women because they 
have a very low incidence until menopause. While 
there is not much about the valvular disease 
associated with diet pills that is mentioned 
above, the following still has some facts worth 
knowing:


American Heart Assoc special section for women

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
6. Humor is healthy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Some years ago, a New Orleans lawyer sought a 
direct Veterans Administration loan for a client.  
He was told that the loan would be approved if he 
could provide  proof of clear title to the 
property offered as collateral.  The title for the 
property in question was complicated and he spent 
a considerable amount of time reviewing all 
pertinent documents back to 1803.  

Satisfied with the depth and expanse of his 
examination, he submitted the information to the 
VA. He soon received a reply from the VA.

"We received your letter today enclosing 
application for a loan for your client, supported 
by abstract of title. The application forms are 
complete, but you have not cleared the title 
before the year 1803.  Therefore, before full 
review and possible approval can a be accorded the 
application, it will be necessary that the title 
be cleared back before that year." 

Annoyed, the lawyer wrote the V.A.

"Your letter regarding titles in case #9378329 
received.  I note that you wish titles extended 
further back than I have presented.  Your 
attention is invited to the following information 
to update your records for the property prior to 
1803. 

a) I was unaware that any educated person would 
not know that the United States gained clear title 
to Louisiana from France in 1803.  This title 
transfer was a result of a real estate transaction 
known as The Louisiana Purchase. 

b) France gained clear title to Louisiana by right 
of conquest from Spain under the Treaty of San 
Ildefonso (1800).  

c) The land came into the possession of Spain by 
right of discovery in 1492 by a sailor named 
Christopher Columbus.  He was acting on  behalf of 
Isabella, Queen of Spain, and had her permission 
to claim newly discovered lands for Spain. 

d) The good Queen, being a pious woman and careful 
about titles -almost as careful as the V.A. - took 
the precaution of securing the blessing of the 
Pope before authorizing the voyage. 

e) The Pope is a servant of God; God created the 
world. 

f) Therefore, I believe that it is safe to presume 
that God created title to that part of the world 
called Louisiana and thus was the original holder 
of the property in question. 


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That's it for this time. We will bring you 
accurate women's health answers again soon.
Rick
Frederick R. Jelovsek MD 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



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***** Woman's Diagnostic Cyber Newsletter *****
                  September 6, 1998
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This week from Woman's Diagnostic Cyber
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1. Low carbohydrate diets
2. Breast cancer on estrogens less aggressive
3. Androgen therapy in the menopause
4. Preeclampsia risk in women with hypertension
5. Symptoms of Eating disorders
6. Humor is healthy

Spread the word! Send a copy of this newsletter
to someone you know.

Note: Some of the long URLs may not wrap as a
hyperlink and you may need to cut and paste.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1. Low carbohydrate diets
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Low carbohydrate diets aren't only for diabetes. 
Women with polycystic ovarian disease and 
premenstrual syndrome benefit from that diet too. 
My thanks to one of our subscribers for bringing 
this to my attention. In fact please feel free to 
use our feedback on the site to suggest topics for 
this newsletter.

You might want to check out some low carbohydrate 
FAQ's to see what's involved at:


Low carbohydrate FAQ's

I also like the tutorial on obesity and dieting 


Adipose 101

There is even a Webring for low carbohydrate diets:


Low carbohydrate Webring

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2.  Breast cancer on estrogens less aggressive
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The concept that cancers that occur on estrogen 
therapy, e.g., endometrial cancer, are more well 
differentiated lesions, apparently applies to 
breast cancer also. In endometrial cancer, if 
progesterone was not taken, the cancer associated 
with estrogen therapy had a 90-95% survival. I 
haven't seen survival figures on breast cancer 
that occurs while taking estrogen therapy, but the 
article below suggests they are much less 
aggressive. It's possible that hormonal induction 
of breast and endometrial cancer just brings a 
preexisting tumor to detection sooner. What do you 
think? 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3. Androgen therapy in the menopause
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Use of androgens (testosterone) as a needed 
supplement for postmenopausal hormone replacement 
therapy has been available since the 1950's. What 
do we know about adding androgens? See our Woman's 
Diagnostic Cyber News at:


Androgen therapy in the menopause

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4. Preeclampsia risk in women with hypertension
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Women who have chronic hypertension have a higher 
incidence of preeclampsia (unique hypertension and 
possible seizures) in pregnancy. This study looked 
at what risk factors would predict an increased 
chance of preeclampsia in pregnancy. They found 
that if a woman had her hypertension for more than 
four years or had a history of preeclampsia in a 
previous pregnancy, her risk in the current 
pregnancy was increased by about 50%. Proteinuria 
didn't seem to increase the risk but it was 
associated with having to be delivered earlier if 
the protein was spilling in the urine early in 
pregnancy.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
5. Symptoms of Eating disorders
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Do you have any friends who seem unusually thin or 
some who seem to be compulsive eaters? I came 
across a good site for diagnosing eating disorders 
including anorexia nervosa, bulemia, and 
compulsive overeating. It gives the symptoms to 
look for.


Eating disorders

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
6. Humor is healthy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One summer evening during a violent thunderstorm, a 
young mother was tucking her small boy into bed.  
She was about to turn off the light when he asked, 
with a tremor in his voice, 

"Mommy, will you sleep with me tonight?" 

The mother smiled and gave him a reassuring hug.  

"I can't dear," she said. "I have to sleep in 
Daddy's room." 

A long silence was broken at last by a shaken 
little boy voice saying, 

"The big sissy." 


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That's it for this time. We will bring you 
accurate women's health answers again soon.
Rick
Frederick R. Jelovsek MD 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



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***** Woman's Diagnostic Cyber Newsletter *****
                  August 30, 1998
+----------------------------------------------+
This week from Woman's Diagnostic Cyber
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. New - FAQ Library at Woman's Diagnostic Cyber
2. Fibromyalgia
3. When is high blood pressure hypertension?
4. IVF - embryo transfer number
6. Humor is healthy - Settling a dispute

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to someone you know.

Note: Some of the long URLs may not wrap as a
hyper link and you may need to cut and paste.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1. New - FAQ Library at Woman's Diagnostic Cyber
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We taken some of the Message Board questions, 
edited them with a new look and categorized them 
for easier access. There are 17 categories with 
150 questions currently. We will add as we can 
to build this into one of the best resources for 
women's health on the Net. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2. Fibromyalgia
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Speaking of good FAQ's, Dr. David A. Nye has a 
great page on fibromyalgia covering FAQs and the 
diagnosis of it. It even includes a chart of the 
tender/painful points on physical exam that are 
needed to diagnose this unusual condition. The 
reason for you to know about this is that during 
estrogen deficiency of menopause or if estrogen 
replacement is not adequate, many women get muscle 
and joint pains that on first take, can mimic the 
symptoms of fibromyalgia. 


Fibromyalgia FAQs


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3. When is high blood pressure hypertension?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What if you blood pressure is 144/92, do you need 
drug therapy? What can you do to prevent 
hypertension? This is discussed in this week's 
Woman's Diagnostic Cyber News at 


Hypertension Categories


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4. IVF - embryo transfer number
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Women who undergo in vitro fertilization as 
infertility treatment are, of course, very 
anxious to get pregnant. Fertility specialists 
will often transfer more than one "test tube" 
fertilized embryo to the mother's uterus in order 
to improve the chances of getting pregnant on that 
cycle. Sometimes they put 2-5 or more embryos in. 
That increases the risk of twins, triplets etc. 
This recent study looking at the IVF experience in 
Great Britain indicates that after the transfer of 
two embryos, you don't get any significantly 
higher cycle success rate but the chance of a 
multiple pregnancy is increased. Therefore it 
seems best to transfer only up to two embryos. 
While at first glance it might seem that twins or 
triplets might be welcome by a woman who has been 
so far unsuccessful at getting pregnant, multiple 
births really do have an increased risk of 
prematurity and its complications for the babies.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
6. Humor is healthy - Settling a dispute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Americans and Russians at the height of the 
arms race realized that if they continued in the 
usual manner they were going to blow up the whole 
world. 

One day they sat down and decided to settle the 
whole dispute with one dog fight. They would have 
five years to breed the best fighting dog in the 
world and which ever side's dog won would be 
entitled to dominate the world. The losing side 
would have to lay down its arms. 

The Russians found the biggest meanest Doberman 
and Rottweiler bitches in the world and bred them 
with the biggest meanest Siberian wolves. They 
selected only the biggest and strongest puppy from 
each litter, removed his siblings which gave him 
all the milk. They used steroids and trainers and 
after five years came up with the biggest meanest 
dog the world had ever seen. Its cage needed steel 
bars that were five inches thick and nobody could 
get near it. 

When the day came for the dog fight, the Americans 
showed up with a strange animal. It was a nine 
foot long Dachshund. Everyone felt sorry for the 
Americans because they knew there was no way that 
this dog could possibly last ten seconds with the 
Russian dog. 

When the cages were opened up, the Dachshund came 
out of it's cage and slowly waddled over towards 
the Russian dog. The Russian dog snarled and 
leaped out of it's cage and charged the American 
dachshund. But, when it got close enough to bite 
the Dachshund's neck, the Dachshund opened it's 
mouth and consumed the Russian dog in one bite. 
There was nothing left at all of the Russian dog. 

The Russians came up to the Americans shaking 
their heads in disbelief. "We don't understand how 
this could have happened. We had our best people 
working for five years with the meanest Doberman 
and Rottweiler bitches in the world and the 
biggest meanest Siberian wolves." 

"That's nothing", an American replied. "We had our 
best plastic surgeons working for five years to 
make an alligator look like a Dachshund." 


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That's it for this time. We will bring you 
accurate women's health answers again soon.
Rick
Frederick R. Jelovsek MD 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



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***** Woman's Diagnostic Cyber Newsletter *****
                  August 23, 1998
+----------------------------------------------+
This week from Woman's Diagnostic Cyber
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. Spermicide not effective for HIV, STDs
2. Antidepressant meds in pregnancy & nursing
3. Irritant vulvitis and yeast infections
4. Ultrasound measurements and capabilities
6. Naming twins

Spread the word! Send a copy of this newsletter
to someone you know.

Note: Some of the long URLs may not wrap as a
hyperlink and you may need to cut and paste.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1. Spermicide not effective for HIV, STDs
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A while back, advocates were saying that nonoxynol 
9, which is a spermicide in vaginal contraceptive 
foam, sponges and as a lubricant on condoms gave 
the user protection from HIV and other sexually 
transmitted diseases beyond the protection of the 
barrier (condom, diaphragm, sponge) itself. As you 
can imagine this is an extremely difficult claim 
to prove or disprove scientifically. It has been 
disproved in a study recently reported in the New 
England Journal of Medicine: A Controlled Trial of 
Nonoxynol 9 Film to Reduce Male-to-Female 
Transmission of Sexually Transmitted Diseases 

This was tested in women sex workers (prostitutes) 
in Cameroon. Nonoxynol 9 didn't protect against 
HIV or  diseases such as gonorrhea and chlamydia. 
In fact we learned that the attack rate per 100 
woman years (albeit very active sex), using 
condoms (reported use 90%), is: 

HIV       - 6.6 per 100 women years
Gonorrhea - 31-33 per 100 women years
Chlamydia - 20-22 per 100 women years

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2. Antidepressant meds in pregnancy & nursing
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Michael Block, a psychiatrist in Australia has 
some good web pages about the safety or hazards of 
certain antidepressants, anti-anxiety meds and 
other drugs prescribed for improved mental health 
during pregnancy and lactation. 

http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/2265/medication.html

Medication, Pregnancy and Lactation


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3. Irritant vulvitis and yeast infections
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Have you ever self-treated vulvar burning as a 
presumed yeast infection and had just as bad or 
worse burning after putting cream on the vulva? 
Irritant vulvitis with or without a secondary 
yeast infection may be almost as common as a 
primary yeast vulvovaginitis. See this week's 
Woman's Diagnostic Cyber News at: 

/npapvag.htm

Irritant vulvitis


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4. Ultrasound measurements and capabilities
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dr. Michael Applebaum has a web site focusing on 
ultrasound for ob, gyn, and infertility. It 
includes what some of the normal measurements are 
so if you get an ultrasound report you don't 
understand, you may want to look here. Some of it 
is fairly technical but I think generally 
understandable. There are some images here also. 

http://www.drapplebaum.com/art.htm

Ultrasound

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
6. Naming twins
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A man was taking his wife, who was pregnant with 
twins, to the hospital when his car went out of 
control and crashed. Upon regaining consciousness, 
he saw his brother, a relentless world-class 
practical joker, sitting at his bed side. 

He asked his brother how his wife was and his 
brother replied, "Don't worry, everybody is fine 
and you have a son and a daughter. But the 
hospital was in a real hurry to get the birth 
certificates filed and since both you and your 
wife were unconscious, I named them for you." 

The husband was thinking to himself, "Oh no, what 
has he done now?" and said with trepidation, "Well 
what did you name them?" 

The brother replied, "I named the little girl 
Denise." 

The husband, relieved, said, "That's a very pretty 
name! What did you come up with for my son?" 

The brother replied, "Denephew."


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That's it for this time. We will bring you 
accurate women's health answers again soon.
Rick
Frederick R. Jelovsek MD 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~




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***** Woman's Diagnostic Cyber Newsletter *****
                  August 16, 1998
+----------------------------------------------+
This week from Woman's Diagnostic Cyber
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

2. Sleep disorders cause impaired memory & anxiety
3. BC pills decrease hereditary ovarian cancer
4. Fish microbe causes unusual, temporary symptoms
5. Aging and reproduction
6. Humor is the best medicine

Spread the word! Send a copy of this newsletter
to someone you know.

Note: Some of the long URLs may not wrap as a
hyperlink and you may need to cut and paste.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2. Sleep disorders cause impaired memory & anxiety
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Did you know that besides sleepiness, the main 
symptoms of insomnia are anxiety, impaired 
concentration, impaired memory and irritability? 
Have you ever heard of restless legs syndrome? I 
hadn't. I was impressed at the number of links for 
sleeping disorders found at: 
 
http://www.sleepnet.com/index.shtml

Sleepnet
 
but especially the diagnostic information on 
Insomnia, Narcolepsy, Sleep Apnea, and Restless 
Legs Syndrome at: 
 
http://www.sleepnet.com/disorder.htm

Sleep disorders

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3. BC pills decrease hereditary ovarian cancer
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We've known oral contraceptives decrease ovarian 
cancer risk by 50%, but does that also apply to 
women who have the hereditary cancer genes? 
Apparently it does. Check our cancer news at: 

/ncancer.htm

Oral contraceptives reduce hereditary ovarian cancer

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4. Fish microbe causes unusual, temporary symptoms
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A microbe that kills fish also produces strange 
health symptoms. Pfiesteria piscicida was reported 
in Lancet among 26 affected people as causing a 
temporary symdrome which includes impaired memory, 
disorientation learning difficulties, skin lesions 
and skin that burns in contact with water. This is 
important to know about because it represents a 
new venue for health problems. Contaminated rivers 
and bays can give us illness through leisure 
activities and possibly the fish, crab, shrimp 
etc., that we eat. For doctors, this becomes a new 
question to ask, for women, this is a new source 
of health problem to avoid. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
5. Aging and reproduction
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I came across an interesting article on the web, 
Aging and Reproduction by Randy S. Morris, M.D. 
Not only does infertility and risk of birth 
anomalies go up with age but also miscarriage 
rates. Apparently it has to do with aging of the 
egg, not the uterus. If women in their 40's have 
egg donation by a younger donor, the rate of 
pregnancy is as high as with a younger woman. 
 
http://www.coolware.com/health/medical_reporter/aging.html
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
6. Humor is the best medicine
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

At a recent computer expo (COMDEX), Bill Gates 
reportedly compared the computer industry with the 
auto industry and stated, "If G.M. had kept up 
with technology like the computer industry has, we 
would all be driving twenty-five dollar cars that 
got one-thousand miles to the gallon." 

In response to Bill's comments, General Motors 
issued a press release stating, "If G.M. had 
developed technology like Microsoft, we would all 
be driving cars with the following 
characteristics: 

1. For no reason whatsoever, your car would crash twice a day.
2. Every time they repainted the lines on the road you would have to buy a new car.
3. Occasionally, your car would die on the freeway for no reason, and you would just accept this, restart, and drive on.
4. Occasionally, executing a manner such as a left turn, would cause your car to shut down and refuse to restart, in which case you would have to reinstall the engine.
5. Only one person at a time could use the car, unless you bought "Car95" or "CarNT." But then you would have to buy more seats.
6. Macintosh would make a car that was powered by the sun, reliable, five times as fast, and twice as easy to drive, but would but would only run on five percent of the roads.
7. The oil, water temperature, and alternator warning lights would be replaced by a single "general car default" warning light.
8. New seats would force everyone to have the same size butt.
9. The airbag system would say "Are you sure?" before going off.
10. Occasionally for no reason whatsoever, your car would lock you out and refuse to let you in until you simultaneously lifted the door handle, turned the key, and grabbed hold of the radio antenna.
11. G.M. would require all car buyers to also purchase a deluxe set of Rand McNally road maps (now a G.M. subsidiary), even though they neither need them nor want them. Attempting to delete this option would immediately cause the car's performance to diminish by fifty percent or more. Moreover, G.M. would become a target for investigation by the Justice Department.
12. Every time G.M. introduced a new model, car buyers would have to learn how to drive all over again because none of the controls would operate in the same manner as the old car.
13. You'd press the "start" button to shut off the engine. 


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That's it for this time. We will bring you 
accurate women's health answers again soon.
Rick
Frederick R. Jelovsek MD 
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