***** 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
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. 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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