***** 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
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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***** 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 djames01@snet.net
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
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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***** 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."
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That's it for this time. We will bring you
accurate women's health answers again soon.
Rick
Frederick R. Jelovsek MD
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
