Womens Health

Women's Health Newsletters 10/4/98 - 11/15/98

 

***** Woman's Diagnostic Cyber Newsletter *****
                  November 15, 1998
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This week from Woman's Diagnostic Cyber
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. Chinese herbal rx for irritable bowel syndrome
2. Environmental chemicals that disrupt hormones
3. Family history of ovarian or other cancer
4. Skin changes with pregnancy and hormones
5. Purity of over-the-counter DHEA supplements
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. Chinese herbal rx for irritable bowel syndrome
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A recent randomized trial reported in Journal of 
American Medical Association notes a significant 
improvement of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) when 
treated with traditional Chinese herbal medicine 
treatment. Look for it at: 

Herbal treatment for irritable bowel syndrome

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2. Environmental chemicals that disrupt hormones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you are concerned that you may have suffered 
exposure to pesticides, sprays, detergents or 
anything that might be toxic, but you can't 
remember which are the bad chemicals, this site 
could lead you in the right direction. It is a 
page written by a UK environmental chemist, Dr 
Michael Warhurst,and although it is somewhat 
technical, it may be a good reference for you. 

Hormone disrupting chemicals

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3. Family history of ovarian or other cancer 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Does a family history of ovarian cancer doom you 
to possible cancer. Did you know a family history 
of breast cancer may increase your risk for 
ovarian cancer. What cancer (family) histories are 
important for ovarian cancer risk are discussed 
at this week's Woman'd Diagnostic Cyber News:

Hereditary ovarian cancer 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4. Skin changes with pregnancy and hormones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At the SkinCare Center, there is a set of FAQ's 
about changes that take place in the skin due to 
hormones (contraeptives and hormmone replacement) 
and the hormone increases in pregnancy. Topics 
included are: acne, pigmentation changes, skin 
drying and that vitamin C and E and zinc may help 
stretch marks in pregnancy. 

How hormones and pregnancy affect skin

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
5. Purity of over-the-counter DHEA supplements
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The content of 17 brands of DHEA purchased over-
the-counter ranged from 0-150% of the 
manufacturer's stated dose contents and in 3 of 17 
samples there was no DHEA at all or only trace 
amounts. This has happened because the FDA is 
prohibited from requiring certain quality control 
standards for vitamin and supplement products. The 
Journal of the American Medical Association 
reports on that this week. 

DHEA supplements

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
6. Humor is healthy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A minister was asked to dinner by one of his 
parishioners who he knew as being an unkempt 
housekeeper. When he sat down at the table, he 
noticed that the dishes were the dirtiest that he  
had ever seen in his life. 

"Were these dishes ever washed?" he asked his 
hostess, running his fingers over the grit and 
grime. 

She replied, "They're as clean as soap and water 
could get them". 

He felt a bit apprehensive, but blessed the food 
anyway and started eating. It was really delicious 
and he said so, despite the dirty dishes. 

When dinner was over, the hostess took the dishes 
outside and yelled, "Here Soap! Here Water! 

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



Back to top












***** Woman's Diagnostic Cyber Newsletter *****
                November 8, 1998
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This week from Woman's Diagnostic Cyber
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. Depression associated with death in older women
2. Teen sexuality
3. Health problems after pregnancy
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. Depression associated with death in older women
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Does depression  suppress the immune system so 
that women die of cancer more often? Not according 
to the study below in the Archives of Internal 
Medicine. It was interesting in that depressive 
symptoms were more often associated with 
cardiovascular and noncancer, noncardiovascular 
mortality but not cancer mortality in older women. 

Depression and death in older women

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2. Teen sexuality
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Coalition for Positive Sexuality has an 
excellent site for teen sex education. It covers 
topics such as: 

Should I have sex? 
What's Safe Sex? 
What about Birth Control? 
What if I'm gay? 
What about Pregnancy? 
What if I get a disease ("STDs")? 

It has very frank discussion about these topics at 
a teen's level of understanding. 

Teen sexuality

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3. Health concerns after pregnancy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What's normal after pregnancy? Does your libido 
come back quickly or take a long time. How long 
before you get back to your normal physical 
activity. Are emotional ups and downs usual or the 
exception? Maybe we really don't know what's 
normal after delivery. This is discussed at: 

Health concerns after pregnancy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
6. Humor is healthy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Over breakfast one morning, a woman said to her 
husband, "I bet you don't know what day this is."  

"Of course I do," He indignantly answered, going 
out the door to the office. 

At 10 AM, the doorbell rang, and when the woman 
opened the door, she was handed a box containing a 
dozen long stemmed red roses. At 1 PM, a foil 
wrapped, two pound box of her favorite chocolates 
arrived. Later, a boutique delivered a designer 
dress. The woman couldn't wait for her husband to 
come home.  

"First the flowers then the chocolates, and then 
the dress!" she exclaimed. "I've never had a more 
wonderful Groundhog Day in my life!" 

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




Back to top









***** Woman's Diagnostic Cyber Newsletter *****
                  November 1, 1998
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This week from Woman's Diagnostic Cyber
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

2. Short interpregnancy interval increases risk
3. Signs and symptoms of vaginal yeast infections
4. Eye and eyelid diseases
5. Emotional intelligence
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.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2. Short interpregnancy interval increases risk
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A question that often comes up is how soon can a 
women attempt another pregnancy after a pregnancy 
that has just resulted in a miscarriage or  
stillborn or neonatal death. The desire to 
"quickly " replace that pregnancy loss can result 
in a pregnancy that also is at higher risk for a 
bad outcome. The study below in the American 
Journal of Epidemiology indicates that getting 
pregnant within 6 months of a previous pregnancy 
is associated with 50% to 80% increased risk of 
very low (<1.5 kg) birth weight delivery and a 30% 
to 90% increased risk of very preterm (<32 weeks) 
delivery. 


Pregnancy to pregnancy interval effect

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3. Signs and symptoms of vaginal yeast infections
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If a woman has symptoms of moderate vulvar itching 
or burning, what are the chances that a yeast 
infection is present. Would you believe 50%? If a 
woman has a white vaginal discharge, is that 
more likely than not to be a yeast vaginitis? No. 
This week's Woman's Diagnostic Cyber News looks at 
a study that examines what symptoms a woman 
complains of versus what the doctor finds on an 
exam versus cultures for yeast (candida) 
organisms.


Vulvovaginal candida infections

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4. Eye and eyelid diseases
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Have you ever had what you think are minor eye 
irritations or infections and you are not sure 
what the problem might be? Doctors have very fancy 
names (hordeolum, preseptal cellulitis, chalazion) 
for somthing you might call "swollen eyelids". 
While the site below is thick with unfathomable 
medical terminology, they have pictures and 
detailed descriptions of many eye problems. Be 
sure to bookmark the Handbook of Ocular Disease 
Management for that time when you need it: 


Ocular diseases and problems

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
5. Emotional intelligence		
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I came across some emotional intelligence and 
personality tests at Concerned Counseling, Inc. 
that I thought were interesting. The tests 
classify you as to your leadership and decision 
styles, lifestyle attitudes and self image. Some 
of our readers may be young enough to actually 
make constructive changes rather than just confirm 
years of acquired habits. 


Personality tests

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
6. Humor is healthy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you don't find this funny, you may smile that I 
find this educational. 

From: Dan Ames [email protected]
Subject: Why Beans Make Us Fart

Most of us squirm and pretend we smell nothing 
unusual. The less reputable among us blame it on 
the dog. The more reputable among us grin and lay 
the blame where it belongs: on the beans.  

The gaseous after-effects of baked beans aren't 
exactly the fault of the humble legume -- the 
dirty work is done by bacteria residing in your 
large intestine.  So why do beans produce lethal 
toots when, say, rice produces none? The secret 
lies in bacterial taste buds.  Beans, as well as 
such gassy goods as cabbage, soybeans, peas and 
onions, are naturally sweetened with a family of 
sugars called oligosaccharides. These sugars are 
big, clumsy molecules -- too big to slip into your 
body through the lining of the small intestine. 
Normally enzymes in the small intestine would rush 
in and snap these molecules apart like Legos. But 
due to a gross oversight, an anti-oligosaccharide 
enzyme is not standard equipment in a human being.  

So these complex sugars pass unmolested through 
the small intestine and enter the large intestine 
still bearing valuable nutrients. Unabashed at 
digging into leftovers, the less reputable 
bacteria among the 200 strains in your large-
intestine start to chow down. Their population 
grows as they divide into new generations to take 
advantage of the bounty. And as they gulp in the 
big sugars, they let out gas. In essence, your gut 
accumulates millions of wee bacterial farts.  

Believe it or not, the bulk of any given toot is 
unscented. Gas is composed mainly of unsmellable 
stuff like hydrogen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide.  
One-third of us regularly produce mildly offensive 
methane, while the rest do not. Sulfur compounds 
in very small concentrations are the most common 
cause of embarrassment. As you have no doubt 
observed, the exact ingredients of the meal 
determine the nuances of the final product.  

Cabbage, for instance, is high in sulfur, and 
sulfur is a key component in skunk perfume. 
Designer gases, produced as the bacteria process 
various foods, add subtleties to the bouquet. But 
avoiding the smelly foods won't necessarily save 
you from the terrible toots.  Gut bacteria don't 
turn up their noses at other offerings.  

Essentially, anything that arrives at the colon 
intact will appeal to the palate of one bug or 
another. Stress, for instance, can hurry a meal 
though your tubing and dump goodies into the large 
intestine you might have digested given more time.  
But there's hope for those who love beans, but not 
the results. Mold is blessed with the bean enzyme, 
one alpha-galactosidase. So AkPharma, Inc., a New 
Jersey company, extracts the enzyme from a species 
known to its friends as Aspergillus niger, and 
sells it to the easily-embarrassed under the brand 
name Beano. Sprinkle a few drops of enzyme on your 
beans and enjoy. The enzyme will snap apart those 
big sugars into handy little sugars, like sucrose, 
glucose and fructose, your body can use. The 
stinky bugs in your colon will go hungry. The 
breath-holding social pauses will go away. The dog 
will go unmaligned.  

Well, actually ... soybeans are a very common 
ingredient in dog food.  Maybe it was the dog! 

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



Back to top












***** Woman's Diagnostic Cyber Newsletter *****
                  October 25, 1998
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This week from Woman's Diagnostic Cyber
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. Museum of menstruation
3. Uterine anomalies
4. How to relieve vulvar pain and itching
5. Alternative health practices - what are they?
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. Museum of Menstruation
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To lighten your day, as long as you are not 
offended by frank discussion of menstruation, 
visit the Museum of Menstruation. There are great 
listings of uncommon books about menstruation and 
history, religion, odors (pheromones), synchrony, 
tampons and other menstrual products through the 
years. 


Museum of Menstruation

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3. Uterine anomalies
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This week's Woman's Diagnostic Cyber News shows 
you some uterine anomalies and discusses how they 
may play a role in infertility and how frequent 
these congenital defects are. 


Uterine anomalies

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4. How to relieve vulvar pain and itching
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What you can do at home to relieve vulvar pain and 
itching? What soaps or products should you use or 
not use? What types of pads are irritative? This 
subject is well described at the University of 
Michigan's Gynecology section: 


Vulvar pain and itching instructions

Their section on vulvar diseases includes 
explanations of lichen sclerosis, yeast 
infections, vulvar dysplasia, and medications 
often used for vulvar treatment. 


Vulvar diseases

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
5. Alternative health practices - what are they?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At Onhealth there is a section on alternative 
health practices such as: acupressure, 
acupuncture, aromatherapy, ayurvedic medicine, 
body work, chiropractic, herbal therapies, Chinese 
herbs, homeopathy, hydrotherapy, mind/body 
medicine, naturopathy, osteopathy. Not sure what 
the differences are? There are good descriptions 
of these at: 


Alternative health practices

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
6. Humor is healthy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Actual excerpts from letters sent to landlords...

1. The toilet is blocked and we cannot bathe the 
children until it is cleared. 

2. I want some repairs done to my stove as it has 
backfired and burnt my knob off. 

3. This is to let you know that there is a smell 
coming from the man next door. 

4. The toilet seat is cracked: where do I stand? 

5. I am writing on behalf of my sink, which is 
running away from the wall. 

6. I request your permission to remove my drawers 
in the kitchen. 

7. Our lavatory seat is broken in half and is now 
in three pieces. 


8. Could you please send someone to fix our bath 
tap? My wife got her toe stuck in it and it is 
very uncomfortable for us. 

9. Will you please send someone to mend our 
cracked sidewalk? Yesterday my wife tripped on it 
and is now pregnant. 

10. Our kitchen floor is very damp, we have two 
children and would like a third, so will you 
please send someone to do something about it. 


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



Back to top




***** Woman's Diagnostic Cyber Newsletter *****
                  October 18, 1998
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This week from Woman's Diagnostic Cyber
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1. Pelvic pain quiz
2. Normal laboratory values
3. Low back pain - When is imaging needed?
4. Herbal remedies for menopause
5. Melanoma patients' information page
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. Pelvic pain diagnosis quiz
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

While surfing, I came across a quiz at the Omega 
Institute of Health  that helps to diagnose pelvic 
pain. It covers diagnoses such as endometriosis, 
post surgical adhesions, pelvic infection, 
varicose veins of the pelvis, tumors of pelvic 
organs, uterine prolapse and other problems such 
as bowel or bladder. 


Pelvic pain  quiz

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2. Normal laboratory values
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sometimes it's handy to have an authoritative 
reference for what are normal values for a given 
laboratory test. While there are differences in 
different labs according to the technique used, 
many lab tests now have standardized units. Also, 
it is sometimes necessary to convert to, or 
backcalculate from the Systeme International 
d'Unites (SI units), which are used in 
international journals to provide standards across 
countries. The following listing is from the New 
England Journal of Medicine and includes the 
normal values for lab tests in their case records 
reports at Massachusetts General Hospital. It 
includes conversion factors to SI units. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3. Low back pain - When is imaging needed?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Low back pain frustrates most of us at sometime. 
It takes awhile to go away, interferes with work, 
leisure activity and even sexual relationships. 
When is it time to get an x-ray to make sure 
nothing serious is wrong? This is discussed this 
week in a news article at:


Low back pain

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4. Herbal remedies for menopause	
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Although not recent (June 1998), there was an 
interesting article in Science News about 
researchers analyzing some of the herbal 
formulations that claim activity to help 
menopause. Licorice, dang gui, blue cohosh and 
hops (yes like in beer) showed estrogen activities 
in the assays. Black cohosh also had some 
estrogen-like uterine stimulation activity. 


Herbal remedies for hot flashes

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
5.  Melanoma patients' information page
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Do you think the mole you have on your skin might 
be malignant? Check out this tutorial: 


Be an expert at diagnosing melanoma

It is just one of the links at another site worth 
visiting. This site was put together in memory of 
a sister-in-law who died from malignant melanoma. 
It has a lot of diagnostic information and links 
about melanoma.

I especially like the medical dictionary tool and 
the glossary tool that gives definitions for terms 
of medical jargon. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
6. Humor is healthy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
HMO Question & Answer Humor

Q. What does "HMO" really stand for?
A. The popular idea that "HMO" stands for 
   "horrible medical organization" is untrue. 

Q. Do all diagnostic procedures require pre-
   certification? 
A. No, only the ones you need.

Q. I just joined a new HMO. How difficult will it 
   be to choose the doctor I want? 

A. Just slightly more difficult than choosing your 
   parents. HMO will provide you with a book 
   listing all the doctors that were participating 
   in the plan at the time the information was 
   gathered several years ago. Aside from those 
   doctors who have died, retired or left the 
   state, the listings should fall into one of two 
   categories: those doctors who are no longer 
   accepting new patients and those who will see 
   you but are no longer part of the plan. You 
   should call your HMO voice mail for further 
   instructions. 

Q. What are pre-existing conditions?
A. This is a phrase used by the grammatically 
   challenged when they want to talk about 
   existing conditions. Unfortunately, we appear 
   to be pre-stuck with it. 

Q. Well, can I get coverage for my pre-existing 
   conditions? 
A. Certainly, as long as they don't require any 
   treatment. 

Q. What happens if I want to try alternative forms 
   of medicine? 
A. You will have to find alternative forms of 
   payment. 

Q. My pharmacy plan covers only generic drugs, but 
   I need the name brand. I tried the generic 
   medication but it gives me a stomach ache. What 
   should I do? 
A. Poke yourself in the eye.

Q. What should I do if I get sick while 
   traveling away from home?
A. You really shouldn't do that. You'll have a 
   hard time seeing your primary care physician. 
   It's best to wait until you return, and then 
   get sick. 
   
Q. I think I need a specialist, but my gatekeeper 
   doctor insists he can handle my problem. Can a 
   GP really perform a heart transplant right in 
   his office? 
A. Hard to say, but considering that all you're 
   risking is the $10 co-payment, there's no harm 
   giving him a shot at it. 

Q. Will HMO health care be any different in the 
   next century? 
A. No, but if you call right now, you might get an 
   appointment by then. 


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



Back to top




***** Woman's Diagnostic Cyber Newsletter *****
                  October 11, 1998
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This week from Woman's Diagnostic Cyber
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


2. Should ovaries be removed for breast cancer
3. Natural progression of abnormal Pap Smears
4. Nutrition in pregnancy
5. National Cancer Institute cancer treatment
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.

For our FAQ Library, 

The private site is:

Library of FAQs at Woman's Diagnostic Cyber


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2. Should ovaries be removed for breast cancer
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In premenopausal women, the ovaries used to be 
almost routinely removed whenever breast cancer 
was diagnosed. Since about 1985, anti estrogen 
medical therapy (Tamoxifen) has frequently been 
used. The Cochrane Database reviews randomized 
studies in medicine. The review below looked at 
the efficacy of either removing the ovaries by 
surgery or radiating them to be non-functional (no 
estrogen production). They concluded there was a 
significant improvement in survival in only women 
under 50 with early breast cancer. What surprised 
me, however, is that the improvement was only from 
46% 15 year survival to 52% 15 year survival. 
That's not very much and now that antiestrogen 
medical therapy is being used, that explains why 
not as many ovaries are being removed even though 
survival is improved. 


Ovarian ablation in early breast cancer

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3. Natural progression of abnormal Pap Smears
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How serious is an abnormal Pap smear such as ASCUS 
or low grade dysplasia? If you left it alone would 
it get better or worse? See the discussion in this 
week's news at:


Progression of abnormal Pap smears

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4. Nutrition in pregnancy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It's hard to find information about nutrition in 
pregnancy that isn't just the same old "eat a well 
balanced diet". Among other things, the article 
below from the British Nutrition Foundation 
includes advice about eating to avoid Listeriosis, 
toxoplasmosis and salmonella during pregnancy, 
each of which can have serious fetal consequences. 


Facts about nutrition in pregnancy

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
5. National Cancer Institute cancer treatment
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For the most current consensus treatment for over 
85 varieties of cancer, including the different 
treatments for each different stage of the cancer, 
see the fact sheets at: 


NCI Cancer treatment fact sheets

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
6. Humor is healthy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The following is from the book 
"And How Are We Feeling Today?" by Kathryn Hammer 
(copyright 1993, Contemporary Books.)   
 available at most bookstores in U.S., Canada, England; 
and online at Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.com 


EXERCISES TO PREPARE FOR YOUR HOSPITAL EXPERIENCE:

1. Lay nude on the front lawn and ask the weed man 
to probe you with his applicator. 

2. Drink a quart of Sherwin-Williams Eggshell One-
Coat Coverage Interior Flat White #2. Then have 
your child stuff his slinky down your throat. 

3. Put a real estate agent's 'Open House' sign on 
your front yard and lie on your bed dressed in a 
paper napkin with straws stuck up your nose. 

4. Put your hand down the garbage disposal while 
practicing your smile and repeating: "mild 
discomfort". 

5. Set your alarm to go off every ten minutes from 
ten PM to seven AM, at which times you will 
alternately puncture your wrist with a Craftsman 
(squarehead) screwdriver and stab yourself with a 
knitting needle. 

6. Remove all actual food from the house.

7. With several strands of Christmas lights strung 
from a coat tree and onto yourself, walk slowly up 
and down the hall. 

8.  Urinate into an empty lipstick tube.

The above is from the book 
"And How Are We Feeling Today?" by Kathryn Hammer 
(copyright 1993, Contemporary Books.)   
 available at most bookstores in U.S., Canada, England; 
and online at Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.com 

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



Back to top




***** Woman's Diagnostic Cyber Newsletter *****
                  October 4, 1998
+----------------------------------------------+
This week from Woman's Diagnostic Cyber
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. Combo estrogen and progesterone skin patch
2. Healthiest body weight
3. Vulvar diseases in young girls
4. Health Ezines
5. Alternatives to hysterectomy
6. Humor - George Washington as a kid today

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

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1. Combo estrogen and progesterone skin patch
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hormones are absorbed more consistently through 
the skin than from the gastrointestinal tract. If 
a woman needs hormone replacement therapy and has 
not had a hysterectomy, it is recommended that 
progestin is taken with the estrogen to prevent 
the possibility of endometrial cancer. Since 
progestin has not been available in patch form, 
that has meant taking both a patch and a pill. The 
FDA has just approved a combination patch with 
both estrogen and progesterone. Some women on 
estrogen and progestin replacement therapy may be 
interested in this. 



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2.  Healthiest body weight
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Body mass index (BMI) is now considered the best 
way to calculate if a person is at a healthy 
weight, or overweight. A recent article: 

Brown WJ, Dobson AJ, Mishra G
What is a healthy weight for middle aged women?
Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 1998 Jun;22(6):520-8 

has confirmed that the least medical problems and 
symptoms of tiredness and body discomfort occur 
when the BMI appears to be about 19-24 kg/m2. From 
a public health perspective this study provides 
strong support for the recommended BMI range of 
20-25 as an appropriate target for the promotion 
of healthy weight in middle aged (40-45 y.o.) 
women. (Note -- many medical studies use a BMI of 
27 or more as a definition of obesity.

Another study:
Fontaine KR, Faith MS, Allison DB, Cheskin LJ
Body weight and health care among women in the general population.
Arch Fam Med 1998 Jul-Aug;7(4):381-4 

shows that obese women (BMI of 35) were more 
likely than nonobese women (BMI of 25) to delay 
clinical breast examinations, gynecologic 
examinations and Pap smears. The BMI was not 
significantly related to delays in mammography. 
This implies obese women don't utilize preventive 
health care services which involve a physician 
visit. This may explain some of the increased 
health risks of obesity. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3. Vulvar diseases in young girls
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Young girls from infancy to just before onset of 
menses can have some of the same and some 
different vulvar infections or skin lesions than 
do older, reproductive age women. Our Woman's 
Diagnostic Cyber News this week looks at the 
different vulvar problems a female child may 
experience.


Premenarchal vulvar problems

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4. Health Ezines
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm not sure if this Email Newsletter is 
considered an "E'zine" or not but there are 
getting to be a few you might also be interested 
in. The following web site lists over 75 health 
related ezines:
 

Ezine title search

A few samples include:
World Wide Wounds
Write Eating Weekly Newsletter
Vista Health Report
Telephone Nursing Telezine
Theory and Review in Psychology
Turfseer's Alternative Health and Business Opportunities
Pediatrics for Parents
Online Birth Center News
Obesity Meds and Research News
Journeywoman Online E-zine
Health Advocate Magazine
Herbs for Health
The Health Informer
Healthy Times
Health Direct
FitnessLink
DietCoach
dailylung.com
Lifeline-2000
Health Services Research Journal
Chet's Health Tip
Be Your Own Therapist Newsletter
All About Weight Loss, Health, & Fitness


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
5. Alternatives to hysterectomy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A web site I was made aware of from the Sans 
Uteri Newsletter has some helpful information and 
FAQ's on avoiding hysterectomy. The site is by 
Michael E. Toaff, MD, MSc and you can find it at:


 
Alternatives to hysterectomy 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
6. Humor - George Washington as a kid today
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From Walt Stander

Subject: What if George Washington had been a kid today

"George, did YOU chop down the cherry tree?"

"No, Dad."

"I think you are lying."

"No, no, no!  I swear I did NOT chop down the 
cherry tree." 

"Son, I saw you out here with your axe.  Your 
punishment will be much worse for you if you lie.  
Now, tell me the truth!" 

"Dad, I answered your question truthfully.  Still, 
I must take complete responsibility for all my 
actions.  While my answer was legally accurate, I 
did not volunteer information. 

"Indeed, Dad, I did cause the cherry tree to be 
lying on the ground.  To do this was wrong.  It 
constituted a critical lapse in judgment and a 
personal failure on my part for which I am solely 
and completely responsible. 

"I know my answer to you gave a false impression.  
I misled you, my own father.  I deeply regret 
that. 

"I can only tell you I was motivated by many 
factors. First, by a desire to protect myself from 
the embarrassment of my own conduct. 

"I was also very concerned about protecting Mom 
from this shock. 

"What I did, Dad, was use a saw to cause the 
cherry tree to fall.  Only after the tree was 
already down did I go get my axe to chop off 
individual branches. 

So, I chopped off branches, but sawed down the 
tree.  Look at the saw cut on the stump and the 
axe cuts on the branches.  Therefore, according to 
the definition of chop as I understand it, I told 
the truth. 

"I ask you to turn away from the spectacle of this 
fallen tree and to return our attention to a solid 
family relationship." 

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



Back to top

Login to comment
(0 Comments)

Post a comment