Flawless Legs September 30, 2008

   Tonight’s health alert deals with a problem a lot of women have — varicose veins.  My grandmother suffers with these and she hates the way her legs look.  Plus, for her the veins are painful and seem to get worse over time.   We found two women, much younger than my grandmother, who were dealing with unsightly veins and wanted to get rid of them.  One woman was a good candidate for one procedure called injection therapy where a solution is put into the vein and it magically disappears.  The other women had a more serious condition and needed endovenous laser therapy. It requires a mild anesthetic and the vein is basically lasered shut. Both women saw instant results and were thrilled with them.  They did have to wear a real thick stocking for a few weeks while they healed and yes, there is maintenance with procedures like these. You may have to have additional treatments to make sure the veins don’t come back.

     So what causes these veins?  You can blame your Mom for most of it.  They are hereditary.  But if you are obese, pregnant, or on your feet all day you can get them too. They are common. One in five people have them so you’re certainly not alone.  I have the small spider looking ones around my ankle bones. They don’t hurt but I do often wish they’d go away!

    Like most elective procedures these are expensive and usually aren’t covered by insurance. But if you’ve been avoiding shorts or skirts because of varicose veins, these procedures might offer a solution for you.  And by doing it now, you would have plenty of time to recouperate and be ready to unveil those flawless legs by Spring.

Brain Attack September 23, 2008

   In this week’s health alert we feature a woman who had a stroke. That is not unusual. What is, however, was her age when she had it.  She was 17! Can you imagine? You are a healthy, active teenager, and bam! you are struck by something we usually associate with the elderly.  It started as a bad headache for her. One that just would not go away. She then got progressively worse, sick to her stomach, wasn’t able to hold up her head, couldn’t concentrate on anything. She was rushed to the emergency room where a cat scan confirmed she’d had a stroke.

     Here’s something that surprised me about the whole thing. One in 10 thousand children in this country have strokes every year. And many of them die. The young woman we talked with survived, but had many months of recovery and rehabilitation.  She had to re-learn how to walk and talk. Her memory will never be the same. She says her short term memory is unreliable and may never improve.

    Here are the signs of pediatric stroke: Weakness on one side of the body, loss of coordination, slurred speech, sudden onset of a severe headache, vomiting, and double or blurred vision. If your child has any of these signs, call your pediatrician or go to the emergency room immediately.

     The young woman who had the stroke at 17 is now 20. She has recovered enough to go to college and to share her story in hopes that other families are better able to spot the signs of stroke.

Uterine Fibroids September 16, 2008

   In tonight’s health alert we focus on uterine fibroids. Did you know some doctors estimate that 80 percent of the women in this country have them?  And most don’t know it.  We feature a woman who had painful fibroids and it made her periods uncomfortable and last forever.  One of the most common treatments for fibroids is a hysterectomy. But for this woman, that wasn’t an option, she wanted to have children. Northside Hospital in Atlanta offers an alternative — a robotic surgery that makes only one incision. removes the fibroids, and leaves the uterus better than new.  Robotic surgery isn’t new, but this procedure is, and Northside is the only place doing it in the Southeast. 

    Here’s the fun part of the story. The woman we featured made a quick recovery and became pregnant — with twins! Something that obviously would have been impossible had she opted for the hysterectomy. She’s healthy, the twins are healthy, and Northside continues to offer this treatment if it sounds like something that’s right for you.

    So how do you know you have fibroids? Here are some symptoms to look for: pain and discomfort in your pelvis, bleeding outside your menstrual cycle, frequent urination at night, bloating, and pain during intercourse. If you are experiencing any of these signs, you should probably talk with your doctor. If it’s fibroids, take comfort in the fact there are options out there for treatment. A full hysterectomy isn’t the only solution.

Pregnancy and Cancer September 9, 2008

   I feature an incredible woman in this week’s health alert.  You think you’ve had bad months, listen to this. September 2001, she learns her husband is laid off, then 9-11 hits and we all grieve, then she discoveres she’s pregnant (good news, right?) well, not so fast. During a routine exam when she’s about 11 weeks along, the doctor finds a lump in her breast. A significant one that has to be treated immediately. A lumpectomy didn’t get it so it was time for the next step, chemotherapy. Did you know a pregnant woman can be treated with chemotherapy? I didn’t. Honestly, her doctors weren’t entirely sure what was going to happen to the baby, but they knew they must try in order to save her life. Turns out, the molecules from the chemo treatment are too large to pass through the placenta, so the baby was protected.

  So this woman, who’s young mind you, 35, is mother to two children, pregnant with a third, her husband is not working, she’s getting chemo, losing her hair, and she just has the best attitude. The pictures she shared with us are of her always smiling, always hugging her family, just radiating happiness. She gives birth to a healthy baby boy, the cancer is wiped out, and this is the part that is truly amazing, she says she wouldn’t trade anything for the experience. She says it made her who she is, made her family who they are, and it was a journey of self-discovery she will never forget.

   Now, seven years later, she’s cancer free, her kids are healthy and happy, her husband’s back at work and she looks beautiful.  She taught me not only that it’s possible to treat cancer while you’re pregnant (I thought you would have to abort the pregnancy) but that attitude is everything — absolutely everything when faced with something this big.  She laughed, cried, and loved a lot during the experience and every time she sees that healthy six year old boy smile and every time she gets a clean bill of health, she knows it was worth every minute.

Skin Cancer September 3, 2008

   In this week’s health alert, there was a blurb about how people with a history of non-melanoma skin cancer face twice the risk of developing other malignancies.  In a recent study, researchers found the increased risk is greater in young people and suggests those who get less serious forms of skin cancer may be more cancer-prone in general.

   This concerns me.  First, like a lot of people my age (late 30’s), we spent most of our childhood summers with our skin unprotected.  Sunscreen was not part of life in the 70’s.  Therefore, I got burned.  And being fair skinned, I got burned a lot.  I’ve been fortunate never to have been diagnosed with skin cancer despite those earlier abuses. But this study makes me think about the importance of taking care of my skin and checking it for anything unusual.  One of the things I forget about is the sun my skin gets just walking outside to the car, to get the mail, or through the car window on the way to to work. It’s important to always wear sunscreen or a moisturizer with an SPF of 15 or higher.

   It also concerns me that a history of non-melanoma skin cancer doesn’t really guarantee that you’re out of the woods. That could lull people into a sense of complacency about their skin care figuring if the cancer hasn’t been malignant, then it never will be. That’s not the case, at least according to this latest research. Doctors say it’s imperative to take care of your skin your entire life, despite any previous diagnoses or damage done.

   It’s also scary to think this research holds true especially with young people, those among us most likely to be outside and unprotected. And that this history of non-melanoma skin cancer can signal a susceptibility to all cancers. It’s a reminder to, again, take care of your skin, no matter your age, and to watch it carefully for any changes. It’s a good rule of thumb for your complete health. Take care of yourself and listen to your body for any changes that may signal trouble.

   And wear your sunscreen.