Flu Shots are now available in the office. Pneumonia vaccine is also available. Please call before you stop by to make sure we are in the office. No appointments are necessary, but we do leave to do community clinics. These clinics are open to the public. Tell your friends who need flu vaccines. We can accept Medicare, cash or checks at our outside clinics. Medicaid, insurance or VISA must be done in the office. We can be found at the following locations on the following dates:
Century 21 Sterling Realty, Edwin Miller Blvd (263-2121) September 27, 3:00 PM (Thursday) (No Medicare at this clinic. Medicare won't pay until October 1)
Martinsburg Optical, Addition Street (263-3095) October 4, 9AM-12N (Thursday)
Sheila and Wayne's Restaurant, Rt. 11 (262-8060) October 11, 9-11 AM (Thursday)
St. John's Lutheran Church, Martin St. (263-9290) October 14, 9-11:30AM Church Basement (Sunday)
Martinsburg Optical, Addition Street (263-3095) October 18, 9AM-12N (Thursday)
Wall's Nursery, Route 9 (876-6505) October 20, 12-2 PM (Saturday)
Eastern Panhandle Federal Community Credit Union (263-2887), October 23, 8-12 AM (Tuesday)
Wall's Nursery, Route 9 (876-6505) October 27, 12-2 PM (Saturday)
Calvary United Methodist Church Burke St (267-4542) October 28, 9-11 AM (Sunday)
All Star Karate, Eagle School Road (262-9559) November 03, 2-4 PM (Saturday)
Safely Storing Pain Medications
1. Separate prescription pain medications from vitamins, aspirin and other over-the-counter medications to avoid confusion. 2. Keep prescription pain relievers in a locked and secured location. Medications are commonly stolen from desks, purses and homes. Report thefts immediately. Ask for a police report to share with your health care provider and file in your medical record. 3. Store in a cool, dry place unless instructions state otherwise. Bathroom medicine cabinets are warm and humid which can speed the breakdown of a drug, reducing its strength. Do not lock them in your car. 4. Do not carry your full supply with you unless traveling for a long period of time; keep only the amount necessary in a pill box or spare medicine container. If you are going on a trip, bring a list of all your medications as well as the name and number of your pharmacist and doctor. 5. Never use medication that has changed color, consistency or odor, regardless of the expiration date. 6. Make sure the bottle caps are tightly closed. Check the expiration date each time you take the medication if you don't take it daily.
Breast Cancer Awareness Website:
www.nbcam.com
http://www.medscape.com/partners/komen/public/komen click on the about breast cancer link. Lots of different information here.
Twelve Exercise Essentials
According to a survey of fitness professionals conducted by the American council on Exercise, the top 12 exercise essentials are:
1. Good shoes 2. Fun or appropriate music 3. Free weights 4. A positive attitude 5. Comfortable clothing 6. Lots of water 7. A supportive sports bra 8. Safe, well-made equipment 9. Weight-training gloves 10. Enough time 11. A workout partner 12. Fresh, clean air and/or sunshine
As always, if you wish to be deleted from the e-mails, please respond to drrydland@gmail.com. If you have a friend that would like to receive this newsletter, let us know the same way. Thanks!
Have a healthy fall!
Office Newsletter July 2006
By Dr. Rydland and Staff
Hello again from Dr. Rydland / LASERMED.
Welcome to the second of our newsletters. In this issue:
The Importance of Preconception Care Info on the HPV Vaccine Websites of the Month Summer Office Hours Diet Tips
Preconception Care The goal of preconception care is to reduce the risk of adverse effects for the woman and her baby. Folic acid supplementation starting at least one month before pregnancy can reduce the risk of birth defects. Diabetics with good sugar control before and during pregnancy have much healthier pregnancies. You should have any other medical conditions in good control before getting pregnant. Medications should be reviewed and changed if necessary. Some medications are harmful to a developing fetus. Other issues that should be addressed with your physician include immunization history, nutrition, smoking, substance use, occupational and environmental exposures, social issues, and mental health. A healthy Mom helps develop a healthy baby.
Info on the HPV Vaccine, continued The HPV (human papilloma virus) vaccine has been approved by the FDA and is now commercially available. This vaccine is indicated for girls ages 9-26 to prevent infection from the virus that causes cervical cancer, genital warts and abnormal cells on pap smears. It is not 100% effective, but greatly decreases the risk. This requires a series of three shots. The second shot is two months after the first. The third shot is four months after the second. The vaccine is not yet available at the health department. We are currently checking on pricing, availability and insurance coverage.
Websites of the Month: One of the top five ehealth projects in the world is www.sexualityandu.ca . It is a sexuality education and information website developed by the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada. The site offers comprehensive sexual health information provided by a team of experts and has tailored portals for teens, adults, parents, teachers and health professionals. The interactive site uses a wide range of games, quizzes, videos and animation to educate people on subjects such as contraception, STDs and sexual health.
Also check out www.knowmenopause.com . This web site is sponsored by a pharmaceutical company, but has some good information about menopause, symptoms and the recent WHI study concerning Estrogen, Progesterone and women.
Summer office hours now in effect: Monday 9-5 After hours, leave a message at 304-274-5950 Tuesday 9-1 or, for emergencies only, call Dr. Rydland Wednesday 9-5 at 304-264-6276. Thursday 9-1 * There is a charge for after hours calls Friday 9-1 that is not covered by insurance.
Regular office hours resume August 29, 2006 when Berkeley County Schools resume. We will be closed August 28 for the first day of school.
Diet Tips ?? Always have breakfast. It jump starts your metabolism. ?? Prepare for snacking. Have foods that won??t break your diet available. Try fruit, yogurt, nuts, and pretzels or cheese for example, depending on the type of diet you are on. ?? Ask yourself: Am I going to enjoy this food? If the answer is ??No??, then you might be bored or tired. Don??t eat because ??it??s time?? if you aren??t hungry. ?? Don??t forget to drink lots of fluid. Water helps fill up your stomach and remove the break down products from weight loss.
As always, if you wish to have your name removed from the list, please let us know. Also, let us know if you have someone else who would like to receive a copy of the newsletter. Have a healthy summer!!!!!
Office Newletter May 18, 2006
By Dr. Rydland and Staff
News from Dr. Rydland / LASERMED May 18, 2006
Welcome to the first edition of our e-mail newsletter. I hope to include topics that interest everyone. If you have any topics you would like to see included in future newsletters, please e-mail me at lasermed@gmail.com. Also let me know if you want to be deleted from this newsletter, if you would like to have someone added to the mailing list, or if you have any questions or comments.
In this issue: 1. Sunscreens and SPF factor 2. Vaccine to Prevent Cervical Cancer 3. I- Health Record 4. Warning About Contact Lens Solution 5. New office hours
1. SPF Factor: Do You Really Know What It Means?
The FDA requires sunscreen products to have a sun protection factor (SPF) rating on the label to quantify the degree of protection against burning that they offer. The higher the number, the higher the protective factor and the longer this protection will last. But SPF ratings on sunscreen products can be misleading. If you believe that your SPF 30 sunscreen is twice as potent as a bottle with an SPF of 15, you are mistaken. In fact, an SPF 15 sunscreen blocks 93% of the sun?s rays, but an SPF 30 only blocks 97% of them, a mere 4% more. The FDA is currently considering dropping SPF ratings in favor of terms such as ?moderate coverage? and ?high coverage?, but that will likely not happen for at least a few years. Until this happens, rest assured that your best protection comes from a broad spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15, as recommended for everyone by the ADA. Their recommendation is based on several studies that have shown that sun damage can occur in all types of skin, even darkly pigmented skin. The FDA?s recommendations for sun protection, however, are not as rigorous. They are based upon the type of skin you have and its tendency to sustain a sunburn: ? SPF 20-30: those who burn easily and tan only slightly ? SPF 12-20: those who burn easily and tan moderately ? SPF 8-12: those who burn only moderately and tan gradually ? SPF 4-8: those who burn minimally and tan well ? SPF 2-4: those who burn rarely and tan deeply ? No SPF for those who never burn Apply sunscreens 30 minutes to two hours before you go out in the sun. Reapply sunscreen after every two hours spent in the sun, after every 80 minutes spent in the water, as well as after any activity that causes heavy perspiring. Protective clothing and shelter from the sun during midday (noon to 3 p.m.), when the sun?s rays are strongest, will help protect against sunburn as well. --------from West Virginia MD news
2. Vaccine to Help Prevent Cervical Cancer
For many years, gynecologists have known that a virus called Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is associated with cervical cancer. Certain types of the virus cause warts, including venereal warts (condyloma). Some types of the virus are known to cause changes in the areas they infect that can lead to cancer. Dr. ?Pap? found changes in the cervical cells many years ago. We use these changes to help detect pre-cancerous cells before they have a chance to turn all the way to cancer. With modern advances in DNA technology, we have learned that these changes are caused by the HPV virus. Many women become infected with the HPV virus when they become sexually active. By age 50, 80% of women have been infected. Every year about 6.2 million people get HPV. Most women have no symptoms. Some women have external warts. Others have changes on their pap tests. It can be passed to a partner without knowing it. For years, scientists have been looking for a way to prevent women from ever getting the virus. Two companies will be releasing vaccines with in the next year or so. The vaccine will be given to teenagers to prevent infection. There would be three injections over 6 months. It is unknown at this time if or when boosters will be needed. One vaccine protects against the 2 types of HPV that cause 70% of cervical cancer. This is being tested in women. The other protects against 4 types of HPV, including the 2 that cause 70% of cervical cancer and two that cause most (90%) of genital warts. This is being tested in women and men. They would also protect against the precancerous cervical changes. Note that the viruses that cause 30% of the changes are not covered, so Pap smears will not be eliminated. The most serious side effect appears to be soreness at the injection site. The vaccine will probably be most effective if given before girls become sexually active. It is not yet known if it will be licensed for boys. Cost is unknown. Insurance will probably cover the vaccine. For further information, check out www.cdc.gov/std/hpv and www.cancer.gov/cancertopics
3. I-Health Record ? A Free, Portable, Computer Based Health Record
Our web host, Medem, now offers a free, portable, computer based health record. You need to register on the web site (no charge!) www.rydland-lasermed.medem.com. Click on the I-Health record icon on the home page. You can fill out as much or as little info as you want. Depending on your health history, it takes 20 minutes or longer. When I did mine, I had to fill in my doctors and pharmacies, and am still filling in medication doses and info about dates for some things. You can revise it any time. It is accessible from any computer, but password protected. You can also print a wallet version. Give it a try!
4. Important Warning about Contact Lens Solution
ReNu with MoistureLoc has been recalled by the company. It has been associated with fungal infections in the eye. Please be careful to wash your hands before handling your contacts, clean your lens cases and use fresh solution. Report any eye redness, pain, tearing or visual changes to your eye doctor!
5. New Office Hours for Your Convenience
Effective June 12, 2006 (the week after school gets out!) we will again be open every day!!!!!!! In the summer our first appointment is 9:30 a.m. Monday and Wednesday, we will be open until 5, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday until Noon.
Office Newsletter October 2006 "SHOTS AND STUFF"
By Dr. Rydland and Staff
Fall Newsletter from Dr. Rydland / Lasermed #3
SHOTS AND STUFF Flu shots Pap smear or not New Herpes Zoster Vaccine Fall hours New Contraceptive Implant Approved by the FDA Chemical Peel Special. Diet tips, continued
Flu Shots
It is almost flu shot time again. We anticipate the vaccine should be here on or about October 1. You are welcome to call us at 274-5950 and get on our list. As soon as the vaccine is available, we will call anyone who has called us. Vaccine can be given at your regularly scheduled annual visit. We will be happy to vaccinate the rest of your family. You do not have to be an established patient to get a vaccination. Appointments are not necessary, but you should call ahead to see if we have vaccine and personnel available, since we do go out to flu shot clinics. If your business or church is interested in having on site flu shots, please consider calling us. We accept Medicare part B as payment for flu shots. Otherwise, ask about pricing and payment. We also have pneumonia vaccine.
Who should be vaccinated? From Vaccinate Women from the Immunization Action Coalition, sponsored by the CDC and the American College of OB/GYN)
?. All outpatient and hospital healthcare personnel who have contact with patients. ?. All women who will be pregnant during the influenza season (December through March) during any trimester. ?. All persons age 50 years or older ?. All persons with chronic medical conditions (e.g., pulmonary/cardiovascular, diabetes) ?. All persons who live with a person who has a high risk condition and or all persons who are caretakers or household contacts of children ages birth to 5 years. ?. Any person who wishes to be protected against influenza.
Pap Smear ? Or Not? Do you know why you need regular pap smears and what they show? There are many myths about pap smears. To set them straight:
Myth Fact A pap test is a pelvic exam They are different parts of a routine gynecological exam. During the exam, your doctor looks at your external genitals, vagina and cervix, and feels your uterus, cervix and ovaries. The pap smear is when she collects a sample of cervical cells (or vaginal cells if you have had a hysterectomy) to test. Paps screen for all STDs Paps only test for cervical cell abnormalities which may be caused by human papillomavirus (HPV). This STD affects 80% of women by age 50. Most of the 100 or so different strains of HPV are not linked to cervical cancer. Pap tests can also test for the HPV virus. An abnormal pap test means I have cancer An abnormal pap may result from infection, yeast, herpes, or a low risk type of HPV virus. Your doctor may recommend follow up testing, medications or more frequent pap tests.
Herpes Zoster Vaccine
In May, 2006, the FDA licensed Zostavax to prevent shingles. This is a single dose vaccine for all persons age 50 or older. It reduces the risk of developing shingles by 51%. Shingles is caused by the chicken pox virus (Herpes zoster). The rash lasts several weeks, and some people have a persistent pain called post herpetic neuralgia that can last for months to years. You should not have the vaccine if you have a compromised immune system (cancer, HIV, active TB, steroids, immunosuppressive drugs).
Fall Hours now in effect
Now that the kids are back to school, we are here longer hours. We can be reached daily Monday through Friday at 8 AM!!!! Monday through Thursday we are here until 5 PM. We still take Friday afternoons off, leaving about 1 PM.
If Berkeley County Schools are closed, please call the office and check for availability. If you have a scheduled appointment on a scheduled day off of school, we are here. If the weather has forced a closing, it is probably safer for everyone to stay home. We will call you and reschedule as soon as we dig ourselves out of our driveways!
New Contraceptive Implant
A new single rod implant has been approved by the FDA. The implant which is effective for three years is called Implanon. It has been available overseas since 1998. The single rod replaces the six rod Norplant that was withdrawn from the US market in 2000. Expect it to hit the US market some time in late 2007.
Fall Peel Special
Now that the kids are back in school and everyone has had a chance to take a breath? We have a special on Chemical Peels. Take time to treat yourself! Bring a friend for a two for one special, or get a $50 discount on the 6 peel package. Chemical peels (also known as lunchtime peels) use the alpha hydroxyl acids formed from various natural products (ours is from sugar cane) to refresh your skin. A chemical peel will remove the superficial dead cells on your face, and stimulate the collagen and elastin fibers in the dermis under the skin. Your skin will look and feel younger. Great for fine lines, rough skin or even for treating acne. Call us if you have questions, for a free consult or to schedule an appointment.
Diet tips
Reasons you can?t lose weight: You aren?t sleeping enough. People overeat or eat the wrong food when tired. You aren?t combining diet & exercise. Exercise makes muscle. Cut calories, too. You?re stressed out. Same as sleep deprivation. You look at food as the enemy. Reduce calories by eating less of what you like. Eat after exercise to keep your metabolism burning. You haven?t tried a new approach. Try lots of small meals. Try lifting weights. Everyone has a different body. Sooner or later you will find the right combination.
We now have Gardasil (the cervical cancer vaccine) in stock. It is recommended for girls ages 9-26 to help prevent cervical cancer and vaginal warts caused by certain subtypes of HPV (human papilloma virus). Call the office to schedule an appointment or for more information, visit the web site at www.rydland-lasermed.medem.com or www.cdc.gov/std/hpv. Be sure to check your insurance coverage. Most insurance companies are covering this very important vaccination.
We still have some flu vaccine, and it?s not too late to get protected. We have reduced the price to try to encourage people to get their shots. Please consider getting a shot for a healthier winter.
Some weight control suggestions for the holiday season: 1. Decide in advance how you?ll make your weight control or loss program part of the celebration this year. 2. Make it about people and events, not about the food. 3. Do not allow big boxes of candy into your home. 4. Go outside and walk (or do some other physical activity) while you?re waiting for the turkey to cook. 5. If it?s not in your pantry, you won?t eat it. 6. Increase exercise wherever possible. Walk through the mall to find gifts. Find parking farther away from the store. Take a walk in the evening to de- stress. 7. Before you eat, ask yourself if you are eating because you are hungry, angry, lonely or tired, and adjust your behavior accordingly. 8. Make sure that what you?re eating tastes really good and is ?worth it? to you. 9. Do it one meal at a time, one day at a time, even one hour at a time. Celebrate every minute you stay on track. 10. Be the designated driver. Save your friends and your waistline at the same time. 11. Order club soda with a twist of lime or lemon at parties. It looks like an alcoholic drink but has far fewer calories than the real thing. 12. Don?t let families or friends pressure you into overindulging. 13. Be assertive. Refuse food and drinks if you don?t want them. 14. Keep your hands full of anything but food. Try being the designated photographer. Got cute pictures of the grandkids or puppies to share? How about helping the kids with crafts? Put your favorite activity here. 15. At a buffet, limit the number of choices on your plate. 16. Plan a guilt free event ? organize a dance party and serve a hearty buffet of veggies, low fat dips and other healthy, low cal munchies. 17. Deliver cards in person to your neighbors. Do it on foot to increase the activity. 18. At restaurants, skip the appetizer and the bread. Order a low fat soup to help fill you up before the higher calorie main meal. 19. Grab a quick snack like pretzels before you leave the office or before you leave for the party. You won?t arrive starved and ready to eat anything not nailed down. 20. Remember to eat more slowly. It takes your stomach a while to feel full. 21. High fiber foods fill you up faster. 22. ?Eat naked?. Fruits and veggies are good for you, but make sure they aren?t covered in sugar, fat or salt. Nuts should be unsalted and raw, not roasted. 23. Cut the soda. Drinking one less soda per day would help you lose 13 pounds in a year! 24. Eat Breakfast! Mom was right ? it is the most important meal of the day. It starts that metabolism going and burning calories. And don?t eat junk. Donuts won?t help you lose. 25. Frequent small meals will keep you from feeling really hungry and overeating when you do eat. 26. Make sure to include your favorite foods on occasion. If you deny yourself all the time, it?s an excuse to fall off the program.
If you slip a little on your weight control program, don?t dwell on it. That doesn?t solve anything and can ruin your Holiday. Just learn form the mistake, keep your sense of humor and start again.
Notice I don?t use the dreaded ?D? word (diet). This ?old lady? has learned that it?s a life long change, not a short program. I?ve learned a lot from putting this newsletter together. Some of it is review, too.
Wishing all of you a happy and healthy new year.
Danine A. Rydland, MD and Staff
Newsletter April-May 07 (07 Volume 2)
By Dr. Rydland and Staff
News and Notes from Lasermed ? Dr. Rydland April, 2007
Visit us on the web at www.rydland-lasermed.medem.com. To unsubscribe, or if you have questions or comments, e-mail drrydland@gmail.com or call us at 304-596-2310. We love to hear from you.
Book Exchange
We have restarted our book exchange. Stop by and pick up a used book. Bring in books that you have finished reading. It?s a great way to have books to read and to get rid of those piles of books you didn?t know what to do with.
What should you eat before a workout?
A high carbohydrate, moderate protein, low fat meal is best. Fats are hard to digest. Carbohydrates that are easily digestible are important for energy for the workout. Have your meal within 4 hours and a snack in the hour before. If the workout is less than an hour have a small snack. If it?s more than 2 hours, have a larger pre-exercise meal.
Don?t eat more than you burn. Drink fluids to replace the water that you sweated off, but watch the calories that are in those sports drinks. They can be more than the calories that you burned in your work-out! Watch the protein or ?sports? bars. Most have lots of calories with not much nutrition.
Insomnia tips
Having problems with sleep? Not uncommon. You should, of course, not use alcohol, nicotine or caffeine. Don?t exercise close to bedtime. Keep a regular sleep schedule. Tried all that? Some other things to try include:
1. Lower the light in your room - no more than 30-40 watts of indirect light when you?re trying to sleep. You could even try those eye shades. Expose yourself to bright light in the early morning to get the wake ? sleep cycle going. 2. Use the 20 minute rule. If you can?t fall asleep in 20 minutes or so, get up and do something else until you get drowsy. Don?t do something that stimulates your brain like video games, watching the news or even exercising. Try listening to music or reading. 3. Redo the bedroom to make it more sleep friendly. Make sure the noise level is low. Move the bed to a different wall if you need to. Replace those old pillows with more comfortable new ones. If necessary, get a new mattress. Adjust the thermostat. Most people sleep better at a slightly cool temperature. 4. Release the tension and worries. Try yoga, relaxation breathing. Do some deep breathing. Write down you list of deadlines or to-dos. Talk someone into giving you a massage. 5. zzzzzzz??.
Energy Drinks and Caffeine
What are you getting in that ?energy drink?? Mostly caffeine and sugar according to Experian Simmons Research. Some examples include:
Drink Grams sugar/8 oz Mg caffeine /8 oz Calories / 8 oz Red Bull 27 110 Rock Star 29 120 120 Monster 70 Coffee 95 ?regular cola? 27
Remember that most containers are 12-16 ounces. Excessive caffeine can increase the risk of high blood pressure and high blood sugar, decrease bone density, cause heart palpitations and elevations in heart rate. It also causes sleep problems.
To increase the ?potency? of their drinks, some companies have added other ingredients such as taurine (an amino acid) and guarana which either have an effect similar to caffeine or boost the effects of the stimulant. Many doctors call caffeine a performance enhancing drug. There have been hospitalizations for overdosages.
Some countries are requiring warning labels. Some schools in this country have banned the energy drinks. There is a push for regulation in this country.
So look at the label, think about the calories and caffeine before you drink, and watch what your kids are drinking!
Changes in Birth Control Pills
The first extended cycle regimen pill became available in 2003. This pill, called Seasonale, allowed women to have periods every 3 months. Other problems that many women still have are symptoms during the 7 day ?pill free week?. Several new pills have recently been developed to help eliminate those problems. They include Yaz and Loestrin 24 Fe ? both with monthly cycles and only 4 day pill free intervals ? and Seasonique ? an extended cycle pill with low dose estrogen during the entire ?pill free week?. Both of these regimens are thought to help eliminate the symptoms of headache, mood swings, abdominal cramping, bloating, breast tenderness, etc. that happen in the pill free interval. If you have these symptoms, it might be worth trying a different pill.
AFTER THOUGHTS: Optimism is a self fulfilling prophecy. - Jeanette Walls
Motherhood (fatherhood) is not for the faint of heart. Frogs, skinned knees, and the insults of teenage girls are not meant for the wimpy. - Danielle Steel
Newsletter February 2007 (2007 Volume 1)
By Dr. Rydland and Staff
Newsletter for February, 2007
FEBRUARY IS HEART MONTH - so here are some heart healthy thoughts and some things that have been sitting in my computer waiting to be sent out. As always, if you want to be deleted from this e-mail newsletter list, reply to lasermed@gmail.com. Also, feel free to send it on to friends or give us their addresses, review other newsletters or check out our web site at www.rydland-lasermed.medem.com. Hope your valentines day was all you expected. Take care of your heart! Warning signs of Heart Attack 1. Uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back. 2. Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw stomach. 3. Shortness of breath along with, or before, chest discomfort. 4. Other signs such as breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness. Warning signs of a Stroke: 1. Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body. 2. Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding 3. Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes 4. Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination 5. Sudden severe headache with no known cause. Know your cholesterol. Know your family history. TAKE CARE OF YOUR HEART.
Weight loss tips 1. Keep track of what you eat. Writing down each item will help you think twice about whether it?s worth it. 2. Weigh weekly. 1- 2 pounds weekly is an ideal goal. 3. Do exercise you enjoy. 90% of people that keep weight off use exercise as one of their weight loss strategies. Exercise raises your metabolism, which burns calories. 4. Forget fads. A healthy food plan that doesn?t leave you hungry and leaves room for the occasional treat is easier to make a long term commitment to. 5. Treat yourself. It?s important to have occasional treats. And if you?ve been successful, why not pamper yourself with an occasional non-food indulgence. Set aside some money for every pound you lose or every day you stick to your plan then buy that outfit you loved, have a facial, or get yourself flowers. You deserve it! 6. Set realistic fitness goals. If you haven?t been exercising, don?t expect to be able to get up every morning and work out for an hour a day. Start easy and work up to it! 7. Name your dream goal then figure out what steps you need to get to that goal. 8. Celebrate your progress! Be proud of all the work you have done!
Can we stop talking about shots already?
Did you know that: 1. Pertussis vaccine is recommended for everyone ages 13-64? 2. Meningococcal vaccine is recommended before high school for those not previously immunized and for others at high risk? 3. HPV vaccine is recommended for all girls ages 9-26.
Recommendations from ACOG about HPV vaccinations: 1. Girls should be vaccinated at ages 11-12 2. The vaccine is approved for ages 9-26 3. Adolescents should make a ?reproductive health care visit? (not a pap smear) at age 13-15. Vaccine status should be checked at this time. 4. The vaccine is 3 doses over a 6 month period. 5. While a prenatal visit is a good time to discuss the fact that the HPV virus is linked with cervical cancer, the HPV vaccine is NOT approved for use during pregnancy, 6. Screening for cervical cancer (pap smears) should begin approximately 3 years after the onset of sexual activity, but no later than age 21 years and should be done annually thereafter for women younger than 30 years of age.
Management of Chronic Pain
1 in 6 Americans suffer from arthritis 25 million Americans suffer from migraines 4 million Americans suffer from fibromyalgia 70 percent of those with cancer have significant pain during their illness.
Before beginning treatment for chronic pain, a comprehensive assessment is important. Is the goal to make a diagnosis and eliminate the source of the pain? Or is the goal to allow the patient to live more comfortably with the pain? Once the cause is determined, options can be determined. Doctors use a pain scale from 0 to 10, with 10 being the worst pain you can imagine. Treatment options include topical agents such as Lidoderm (topical anesthetic), biofreeze (menthol) or capcasin. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories like Aleve or Motrin or their prescription cousins are a next step. Physical therapy, relaxation therapy, chiropractic, accupuncture and occupational therapy all can play a roll.
Other medications can include antidepressants, muscle relaxants and even anticonvulsants. Some patients find that the weight loss side effects from some of these drugs help take the stress off some of those joints. The last step should be chronic narcotic use. Most doctors will make a patient sign a pain management agreement and monitor these medications closely because of the potential for abuse. Long acting medications can help pain management patients have a relatively pain free day without the roller coaster highs and lows that short acting narcotics cause. Used properly, there is a place for them in the management of chronic pain.
Other bits and pieces that I have gathered up recently:
1. All women who might become pregnant should take 0.4 mg folic acid daily to help prevent birth defects. Women who have already had a child with a spine or skull defect should take 4 milligrams daily. 2. CDC now recommends that everyone be routinely tested for HIV once.
1. Sitting in a waiting room, I watched a woman helping her son finish a crossword puzzle. ?Mom,? he asked, ?what fits here?? ?It?s man?s best friend,? she hinted. The boy thought for a second then guessed, ?Duct tape?? 2. We rushed our four year old son, Ben, to the emergency room with a terrible cough, high fever and vomiting. The doctor did an exam, then asked Ben what bothered him the most. After thinking it over, Ben said hoarsely, ?I would have to say my little sister.?
Thought for the day:
People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. --- quoted by Maya Angelou
News and Notes from Dr. Rydland 8/07
By Dr. Rydland and Staff
News and Notes from Lasermed / Dr. Rydland 8/2007
Did you know ??
Two medical equipment companies are now marketing knee replacements designed ?just for women?? Orthopedists have found that women may have different knee shapes than men. These implants may make knee replacement surgery easier for women.
Not all Medicare-type plans are equal? You can take just part D (for medications) or you can take the entire plan. This switches you off your regular Medicare and into an insurance plan with prior approvals, deductibles, out of network providers, and all the hassles of regular insurance. Your regular medical doctor, pharmacy, hospital, nursing home etc., may no longer be in your plan, or you may have significantly more out of pocket expenses. Read the fine print. For example, your flu shot may not be covered if you do not see a participating provider.
There is a new birth control pill called Lybrel that is available to take with no breaks, so a woman has no periods! There is also a chewable birth control pill.
HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) may also be tied to head and neck cancers. This may provide a reason in the future for vaccination of boys as well as girls with the new HPV vaccine.
We now have a massage therapist!!
Shelley Dickerson is currently working at the Woods Resort. She also is a trainer at the Berkeley Springs State Park. She has had a private practice in Berkeley Springs. Shelley trained in Utah. She has extensive training in sports work, including working with the United States Olympic Ski Team. She works with a wide range of problems including pregnancy, elderly, arthritis, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis and many other physical problems. Some of the different massage therapies that she will be offering by appointment include:
Swedish Massage Reflexology Sports Injury Reiki Deep Tissue Massage Hot Stone Massage Liposage
We now participate in the Vaccines For Children program (VFC)
This program is a state run program that helps pay for vaccines for infants and children. For our practice, it will pay for the HPV vaccine for patients under the age of 19 who have Medicaid, CHIPS, or NO INSURANCE (with a $12.50 co-pay). The shots are a series of 3 over 6 months. You do not have to have a pap smear here or be an established patient to take advantage of this program, though we do encourage regular health care visits. We may be able to obtain a limited amount of flu vaccine later in the flu season for the same clients.
High Speed Internet
High speed internet has finally reached this part of Falling Waters. You can expect much faster response to your e-mail communications because we no longer have to wait for that annoying dial up. For anyone who has switched from dial up to high speed, you know what I?m talking about. I will try to check every day in the morning. It will take me a while to get in the habit, and NEVER leave emergency or same day messages on the e-mail. General messages or questions only. It still may take 2-3 days.
For many years, gynecologists have known that a virus called Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is associated with cervical cancer. Certain types of the virus cause warts, including venereal warts (condyloma). Some types of the virus are known to cause changes in the areas they infect that can lead to cancer. Dr. ?Pap? found changes in the cervical cells many years ago. We use these changes to help detect pre-cancerous cells before they have a chance to advance into cervical cancer. With modern advances in DNA technology, we have learned that these changes are caused by the HPV virus. Many women become infected with the HPV virus when they become sexually active. By age 50, 80% of women have been infected. Every year about 6.2 million people get HPV. Most women have no symptoms. Some women have external warts. Others have changes on their pap tests. It can be passed to a partner without knowing it. For years, scientists have been looking for a way to prevent women from ever getting the virus. Two vaccines have undergone testing. One vaccine protects against the 2 types of HPV that cause 70% of cervical cancer. This is being tested in women. The other protects against 4 types of HPV, including the 2 that cause 70% of cervical cancer and two that cause most (90%) of genital warts. This is being tested in women and men. They would also protect against the precancerous cervical changes. Note that the viruses that cause 30% of the changes are not covered, so Pap smears will not be eliminated. One vaccine called Gardasil was approved by the FDA in June of 2006. It is to be given to girls ages 9-26 to prevent the infection. There would be three injections over 6 months. It is unknown at this time if or when boosters will be needed. Of course, no vaccine is 100% effective, so pap smears will still be needed, and condoms should still be used to prevent other STDs. Vaccine is available at the office at this time. You must schedule your appointment at least a week in advance (304-274-5950). Due to the cost of the vaccine, we do not always have it in stock, and must sometimes order it. Insurance coverage is not guaranteed at this time, so payment at the time of injection is required. We will be happy to submit your insurance for you, but you will be responsible for dealing with your insurance company. The most serious side effect appears to be soreness at the injection site. The vaccine will probably be most effective if given before girls become sexually active. It is not yet known if it will be licensed for boys. For further information, check out www.cdc.gov/std/hpv and www.cancer.gov/cancertopics
