Health information

QUESTION: I need to lose about fifty pounds
I’ve tried almost every type of
diet, but nothing has helped me lose the weight and keep it off
I have heard
about hypnosis that can help you shed pounds
Does it work?

ANSWER: Hypnosis by itself will not make you lose, but it can help motivate
you to stay on your diet, and make you want to improve your eating and
behavioral habits
Many obese people go on eating binges, not because they
are hungry, but because of tension, anxiety or boredom
Hypnosis may be
useful for relaxation, therefore preventing such binges
The most important
support offered by sessions with a physician who uses this technique is to
help you become truly committed to losing weight
This commitment must be
renewed daily with a self-hypnotic technique which you can easily learn
By
combining hypnosis with a sensible, well balanced eating plan, you could
indeed be on your way to a new and slimmer you
Just remember, it is still
you that must make this all work!

The material contained here is “FOR INFORMATION ONLY” and should not replace
the counsel and advice of your personal physician
Promptly consulting your
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
problem.

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QUESTION: I’m pregnant and have epilepsy
Though I am quite anxious, I would
like some direct answers to my questions
What sort of risks do I face? Is
my unborn baby in any danger?

ANSWER: I’ll do my best to tell it as it is without causing you any
additional worries
Epilepsy is the most common neurological problem among
pregnant women it occurs in .3 to .5% of all pregnancies
However, epileptic
patients do face increased risks during pregnancy.
First there are the risks that result just from having epilepsy
These
include a greater likelihood of spontaneous abortion, stillbirth, toxemia, and
preterm delivery
Epileptic women are also more likely to have labor induced
or to need medical intervention during delivery
Frequency of an epileptic
woman’s seizures may change during pregnancy too
The news is not all bad
here, though
Seizures can increase, come on for the first time, stay the
same, or decrease
Increased seizures are often the result of the woman’s
failing to take her anticonvulsant medication
They may also be due to her
changing metabolism or her weight gain both of which can affect the level of
medication in the body.
Sometimes epileptic women experience fewer seizures during pregnancy.
This is usually due to the fact that they are paying special attention to
taking their medicine
Women who experience seizures for the first time
during pregnancy are said to have gestational epilepsy
Usually these women
are put on an anticonvulsant drug
As for the baby, infants born to epileptic
mothers have a greater risk of premature birth
Even babies who are carried
for the full nine months often weigh less than the average newborn at birth.
Babies of epileptic mothers have a 4 to 5 percent risk of having congenital
abnormalities
If the mother is on anticonvulsants, the baby has a 6 to 11
percent risk
The most common abnormalities involve the facial cleft or the
heart, and are often accompanied by mental retardation
Because of the risks
involved, infants of epileptic mothers are generally monitored in an intensive
care nursery for at least 24 hours.
It is essential that you receive close medical attention during your
pregnancy to avoid as many of the problems and complications as possible
It
is the best way to deal with your understandable anxiety.

The material contained here is “FOR INFORMATION ONLY” and should not replace
the counsel and advice of your personal physician
Promptly consulting your
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
problem.

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QUESTION: I have been having chest pains on and off for the past year
My
doctor has done test after test to find out if I was on my way to having a
heart attack, but he found no cardiac origin for my problem
After more
testing he told me I have an esophageal spasm, and this was causing the chest
pain
Does this make any sense to you?

ANSWER: Yes, it does although the problem is not a common one
Esophageal
spasm has been documented as the cause of atypical chest pain in a number of
patients
The pain is atypical because it produces no characteristic pain,
and its symptoms vary far more than heart problems such as angina.
Esophageal pain is often described by patients as a “pressure,”
“constriction,” or “burning sensation.” The attacks are often related to
eating
Doctors are not 100% sure of why abnormal contractions in the body of
the esophagus produce chest pain.
The best way for a doctor to treat the problem is with reassurance that
the cause of your pain is not life-threatening
Various drugs have been used
to treat the pain such as calcium channel blockers, hydralazine, antacids or
nitrates, but the results have been less than dramatic
An operation which
surgically dissects the muscle of the esophagus is helpful to a very limited
number of patients with this condition.
You may find that the knowledge of the nature of the problem can reduce
your own natural anxiety about such pain, and may even reduce the frequency of
the attacks
Be careful in your use of pain medication, it is easy to get
hooked in situations such as yours.

The material contained here is “FOR INFORMATION ONLY” and should not replace
the counsel and advice of your personal physician
Promptly consulting your
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
problem.

Aricept
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QUESTION: We have tried unsuccessfully to have a child for 3 years now
I
have gone through all the tests, and now my husband realizes that he too must
be tested
What are the chances that the problem may be with him and how will
they discover it?

ANSWER: Infertility affects 15% of marriages, and studies estimate that a
“male factor” is responsible in one-third of these cases
Through careful,
sympathetic evaluation, the underlying causes can often be pinpointed and
corrected, leading to successful pregnancy for many of these couples.
First, the doctor must gather a complete sexual history of the couple,
noting any factors that may affect or inhibit pregnancy, such as the frequency
of sex and its timing in relation to the menstrual cycle
Lubricants, douches
or other substances used in conjunction with sex may have a spermicidal effect
and be preventing the sperm from reaching the uterus.
One factor that reduces fertility in the male is cryptorchidism in
childhood, the failure of one or both of the testes to descend into the
scrotum
If this condition remains uncorrected past the age of 5,
irreversible changes take place in the testes which reduce their fertility.
Mumps orchitis, an inflammation of the testes, also negatively affects their
reproductive ability; if both are infected, sterility may result.
Miscellaneous infections, emotional or physical stress, certain
medications and even the treatment of hernias can impair fertility
To get
the complete picture, it is necessary for the doctor to examine the genitals,
with an eye towards any physical abnormalities in the structure of the penis
or the scrotum.
Analysis of the semen itself yields the most important data regarding
fertility
Since semen takes 75 days to develop, at least two samples should
be taken at two to three-week intervals
The various characteristics of semen
(volume, shape and their degree of movement) can vary tremendously between
samples
Semen volume in an ejaculation is usually between one and a half and
five milliliters, while the density of spermatozoa present should be above 20
million per milliliter
Their degree of movement, or motility, should be
active in at least 60% of sperm observed under a microscope within two to
three hours of the sample being taken.
Oval sperm heads are considered normal in such an evaluation; large,
small, tapering, duplicated and amorphous heads may also be present
Fertile
semen contains 10% abnormal, and between 60 and 70% normal forms.
These tests may reveal the presence of azoospermia a deformation in the
testes preventing the creation of healthy sperm; while patients testing
abnormal in all these characteristics are likely to have varicocele a
collection of dilated veins in the spermatic cord, the most responsive to
surgery.
Hormones are less likely to play a role in infertility, but can be tested
if semen analysis fails to yield answers
A biopsy of testicular tissue is
reserved for isolated cases.
In unraveling these questions, emotional support from the spouse and
physician is critical in resolving the psychological and physical stress
resulting from infertility.

The material contained here is “FOR INFORMATION ONLY” and should not replace
the counsel and advice of your personal physician
Promptly consulting your
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
problem.

ActoPlus Met
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Actoplus Met (Pioglitazone/Metformin) is an oral diabetes medicine that helps control blood sugar levels.

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QUESTION: After consulting my physician about the lumps in my breast that
grow painful with each cycle, I have been diagnosed as having fiber lumps in
both breasts
Can you offer some suggestions on making the pain less intense?

ANSWER: You have fibrocystic breasts, which is a benign condition but one
that can be very uncomfortable
Your physician has probably reassured you
that you don’t have cancer, which is a relief, but it still leaves you with
breasts that are tender, lumpy and painful.
The discomfort of fibrocystic breasts changes with your cycle because
your body tends to retain fluid just before your period starts and then gets
rid of the excess fluid afterwards
The small cysts in your breast expand
with fluid and feel more tender as breast tissue is stretched.
There are three steps you can take to relieve the discomfort: you can
support your breasts better, take mild pain relievers, and reduce the amount
of fluid retention
First, find a type of bra that fits you well and gives
extra support
Wear one at night if you feel that it helps and always wear it
during exercise.
Second, on days that you have more pain, take a mild analgesic, such as
plain aspirin or Tylenol
Avoid pain relievers that contain caffeine.
You may also try cutting caffeine and two other chemicals, theobromide
and theophylline, out of your diet
Some women with fibrocystic breasts say
that this helps, though real scientific proof that this may be a cause is
lacking
Caffeine is found in coffee, tea, chocolate, and cola beverages.
Theobromine is in chocolate and theophylline is a medication used to treat
asthma and bronchitis.
Third, cut down on salt in your diet, especially in the two weeks before
your period
Salt increases fluid retention
Your physician may also offer
to prescribe a diuretic to help you get rid of excess fluid during these
painful episodes.
Another most important procedure for you is the self-examination of your
breasts once a month, about 2 or 3 days before your period
Most women with
fibrocystic breasts do not have an increased risk of cancer, but you have the
same risk as everyone else
Careful breast exams will help to detect any
unusual lump at the earliest possible moment.
Try these measures for a while and see if you get any relief
If you
don’t feel any reduction in the tenderness or pain, see your physician again.
There is a prescription drug called Danazol that may help a severe fibrocystic
condition, but it has side effects, including increased body hair growth and
loss of sex drive.

The material contained here is “FOR INFORMATION ONLY” and should not replace
the counsel and advice of your personal physician
Promptly consulting your
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
problem.

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QUESTION: I had a fever recently, which my doctor diagnosed as being caused
by a localized infection
In the course of treating me, he mentioned that it
is impossible to successfully uncover the source of a fever
Is he correct?

ANSWER: Unfortunately, your doctor is right
While most fevers are either
temporary or traceable to a specific ailment, there is a group referred to as
FUO fevers of unknown origin
To be included in this classification, the
fever must be present and have eluded normal attempts at diagnosis for at
least three weeks
The fever may fall into one of four patterns: a)
intermittent; where the temperature returns to a normal level on a daily
basis, b) remittent; the fever remains although the temperature subsides to a
lower level daily, c) a sustained, consistent fever, and d) a relapsing fever
that vanishes for days at a time, only to return.
Most of these fevers can eventually be diagnosed, but only with a
sustained investment of time and effort on the part of the doctor and
increased costs for the patient
The physician first constructs a complete
patient history, emphasizing recent travel, new pets or plants, work
environment, visits to sick friends or relatives, as well as other factors
that can help narrow the range of possible causes
A daily physical exam
paying close attention to subtle details (the base of nails, skin condition,
mucous membranes, the condition of lymph nodes or hidden rashes) is also a
must, together with repeated lab tests on blood, urine or stool samples.
Occasionally, x-ray studies, CT scanning, endoscopies or even biopsies may be
necessary.
In most cases, these procedures will eventually yield definitive answers.
Unfortunately, the majority of these fevers are caused by neoplasms abnormal
tissue growth including lymphoma, leukemia and solid tumors
Infections
account for one-third of FUO cases: system-wide infections are most often
traced back to fungal bacteria, while localized infections are generally
centered in the abdomen
A variety of other diseases account for almost all
the remaining fevers, including rheumatic fever, lupus erythematosus,
hepatitis and gout
However, some 10% of these mysterious fevers still defy
diagnosis, in spite of today’s advanced medical knowledge and technology.

The material contained here is “FOR INFORMATION ONLY” and should not replace
the counsel and advice of your personal physician
Promptly consulting your
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
problem.

Zanaflex
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Female Viagra
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QUESTION: It seems as though we all sit around much of the time and complain
about our stomachs
Why do elderly people have so many digestive disorders?
Are some gastrointestinal problems more common to us senior citizens than
others?

ANSWER: Elderly people suffer from digestive disorders because of many
different factors
Although the gastrointestinal (GI) tract does not usually
change very greatly due to the aging process, there are influences other than
aging that take their toll
Malnutrition, a reduction in exercise, or a
problem with any other part of the body may lead to digestive symptoms ranging
from abdominal pains to constipation to dysphagia (difficulty with
swallowing)
The number of cases of cancer somewhere in the digestive system
is very high among the elderly
Chromosomal instability is often the cause,
but other factors include a diet low in fiber and high in carcinogens or a
chronic inflammation of the lining of the stomach
Diverticular disease is
also common among the elderly
Again, a low fiber diet is one of the leading
causes of this painful problem in which pouches or sacs form in some part of
the digestive tract
A low fiber diet often causes constipation and this in
turn increases pressures in the colon promoting the formation of these sacs.
Ulcerations near the diverticula may then cause colonic hemorrhage,
complicating matters.
The incidence of gastric ulcers rises with age
In many cases, these
ulcers are found in people who must take aspirin and other kinds of
medications, as the elderly often do
Diseases of the mouth and esophagus are
also found more frequently among the elderly than among younger folk
Many of
the problems can be prevented with regular tooth brushing, gum massage and
flossing
Gallbladder problems develop in the elderly because as individuals
age, their bile contains fewer acids which break down the substances that
cause gallstones
But you can do more than talk about it
A change in diet,
a bit of exercise, a little prudence, can work wonders.

The material contained here is “FOR INFORMATION ONLY” and should not replace
the counsel and advice of your personal physician
Promptly consulting your
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
problem.

V-Gel
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V-Gel is a herbal gel that is used for the treatment of vaginitis, cervicitis, leucorrhea.

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QUESTION: When a painful toe flared up and didn’t seem to get better after a
few days, I visited my physician
The diagnosis was gout, but I thought that
this was a condition that could only affect men
Isn’t that true?

ANSWER: You are correct, well, almost
95% of all people who suffer with
gout are men, so you’re unlucky enough to be in the minority here
Gout is a
type of arthritis that is caused by a build-up of crystals of monosodium urate
(which comes from uric acid) in the fluid of the joint
It commonly shows up
first as a painful, swollen big toe
In women, gout usually comes on after
menopause
Older women who are on diuretic therapy for hypertension or who
have poor kidney function appear to be at greater risk.
People once thought that gout was caused by high living and too much rich
food
Crystal formation (and thus swelling and pain) is increased if you eat
a diet high in a type of protein called purines, present in large quantities
in glandular type meat, such as liver
However present day medications are so
effective that your doctor may not require you to change your diet
You may
require different medications at different stages of the attack
First,
colchicine to deal with the acute attack, then medication to lower the levels
of uric acid in your blood, followed by medication (allopurinol) that helps
prevent the formation of uric acid and prevent future recurrences.

The material contained here is “FOR INFORMATION ONLY” and should not replace
the counsel and advice of your personal physician
Promptly consulting your
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
problem.

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QUESTION: My husband had a thyroid operation three years ago for an
overactive thyroid
When the bill came, they had diagnosed the problem as
Grave’s Disease
Can you tell us what the difference is between an overactive
thyroid and Grave’s Disease? Some say it is the same.

ANSWER: The technical name for an overactive thyroid is Hyperthyroidism,
which is one of a group of findings which are classified as Grave’s Disease.
In the diagnosis of Grave’s Disease, we find not only a hyperactive thyroid,
but also one or more of the following conditions; goiter, which is, in fact,
an enlarged thyroid; prominent eyes which seem to bulge (exophthalmos), and
swelling of the legs in the area around and above the ankle
The eyes take on
a staring look and sometimes the lids become swollen or retracted
The
patients may complain of excessive tearing or irritation, and are annoyed by
bright lights
The swelling in the leg area may be very itchy and red
Both
the eye condition and the skin condition can appear years before the actual
onset of the effects of the overactive thyroid
In other cases, they’re not
discovered until years later
At any rate, the operation certainly was
indicated, for even when too much of the thyroid is removed, doctors can
always replace the amount of thyroid hormone necessary for normal body
activity by prescribing synthetic thyroid hormone.

The material contained here is “FOR INFORMATION ONLY” and should not replace
the counsel and advice of your personal physician
Promptly consulting your
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
problem.

Gyne-Lotrimin
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Gyne-Lotrimin (Clotrimazole vaginal) is an antifungal agent used to treat vaginal yeast infections.

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QUESTION: I suffer from chronic halitosis and although I use all of the
advertised products to brush my teeth and rinse my mouth, the smell just won’t
disappear
Is it possible that I have some disease in my stomach which is
causing this condition?

ANSWER: The most common cause of halitosis or an unpleasant odor to the
breath may be related to eating certain foods, particularly garlic and onions.
It’s also possible that unpleasant odors can be caused by breathing certain
substances which are then excreted through the lungs
In most instances,
however, the odor comes from something in the mouth, diseases like gingivitis
or infections in the teeth
The odor can be created by the fermentation of
food particles caught between the teeth
Some liver diseases may affect
breath odor and the condition called “diabetic acidosis” will also provoke a
different or unpleasant odor to the breath
Certain conditions of the
esophagus, the tube which leads from the mouth to the stomach, such as an
infection or a tumor, can cause bad breath
Then there is the rare situation
when a sac-like structure grows out of the esophagus and traps food that
should pass on to the stomach, but instead becomes lodged in the sac, decays,
and creates unusual odors
A post nasal drip may provoke certain odors
carried in exhaled air, and perceived as halitosis.
One thing we can be sure of, bad breath odors do not reflect any stomach
diseases, nor do they depend upon your state of bowel function
Although you
are brushing teeth regularly and using mouthwash, your best action would be to
visit your family dentist first to be sure that you have checked out all the
possible causes that can occur in the mouth, then your physician if the
situation persists.

The material contained here is “FOR INFORMATION ONLY” and should not replace
the counsel and advice of your personal physician
Promptly consulting your
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
problem.

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Levothroid (Levothyroxine) treats hypothyroidism (low thyroid hormone).

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