Pneumonia: Breathe Easier Knowing You Are Vaccinated

Pneumonia is a common bacterial infection of the respiratory system that may be caused by allergies, the common cold, bronchitis and influenza. Pneumonia is more common in the elderly population and with patients that have other medical conditions that make them more prone to illness: Diabetes, Lung, Kidney and Liver Problems. Pneumonia can develop into a serious infection that requires hospitalization. Despite early treatment and hospitalization, thousands of seniors die each year from pneumonia.

Signs and symptoms of pneumonia are fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue and malaise (not feeling well). While many patients will try to treat these symptoms with home remedies, it is best to get prompt medical attention. Patients with these symptoms can be assessed with bloodwork and chest x-rays to diagnose pneumonia early. Patients with pneumonia can be treated with oral or intravenous antibiotics in the outpatient setting. Other patients may require hospitalization and some will require assistance breathing with a ventilator in the Intensive Care Unit. Despite all these efforts, many patients will die.

Like so many other illnesses common in the elderly population, PREVENTION is the key. The best prevention is to get a pneumonia vaccine, Pneumovax, when you reach the age of 65 or if you have other diseases that predispose you to illness. Once you get your initial pneumonia shot, a booster is given every 6 to 10 years. Unlike the flu vaccine that is given in the fall, the pneumonia vaccine can be given any time of the year.

You cannot get Pneumonia from the pneumonia vaccine. It is IMPOSSIBLE. The bacteria from the most common strains of pneumonia are attenuated, or killed. The bacterial proteins are used to make a vaccine that stimulates your immune system to make antibodies against a pneumonia infection.

There are many things you can do to PREVENT Pneumonia

1. Get an initial pneumonia shot at age 65 or if you have diabetes, breathing, liver or kidney problems. Get regular booster vaccines every 6 to 10 years.
2. Wash your hands often. Bacteria are spread by hand to hand transfer when one person coughs or sneezes into their hands and touches another person.
3. Avoid shaking hands with people during the fall and winter months because of hand to hand transfer.

If you have symptoms of pneumonia, do NOT try to treat it yourself. Go to see your Health Care Provider. Get early medical attention. Getting a pneumonia vaccination and preventing infection can save your life.

Flu Shot Myths

Take it from this Medical Student about the Myths of the Flu Shot.......great video......

Knock Out The Flu...Give It Your Best Shot

'Tis the Season

Flu season is upon us and there are many things you can do to prevent this contagious, dangerous and often fatal disease in the elderly. Diabetics and patients with lung, kidney and breathing problems are also more at risk for flu infection.

• Get a flu shot. It is absolutely IMPOSSIBLE to get the flu from a flu shot. The virus is attenuated, or KILLED and the immunization is made from the viral proteins. You need to get a flu shot each year in early fall. Mid October is just about right. If you get your flu shot before flu season starts, your body develops antibodies to protect you from the virus.
  

• Wash your hands. Many illnesses are transmitted as we wipe our nose or cough and spread germs to our hands. Wash your hands often. Using hand sanitizer helps too. The alcohol in the sanitizer kills germs.
  

• Stay away from sick people. If your grandchildren or other members of your family are ill, stay away. Keep your distance from known disease. Your family will understand.
  

• Don't shake hands. Germs are often spread through hand to hand contact. Reduce your risk by not shaking hands during flu season. People will not be offended, trust me.

• Get plenty of rest. Getting a good night's sleep keeps you healthier and better equipped to avoid disease. It is hard to "catch up" on lost sleep. The best idea is to devote 7-8 hours a night to sleep.

• Eat a healthy diet. A diet full of lean protein with fish and chicken, and lots of vegetables provides good nutrition to help your immune system ward off viruses.
  

But What If I Do Everything And Still Get Sick?

If you develop a fever or chills, have a cough, feel ill at all, get help early. If you go see your Provider early, within 24-48 hours of onset of illness, there are good treatments available. If you have the flu you may be given antiviral medications. If you go to your Provider later than 48 hours after becoming ill there are fewer things that can be done to make you feel better. You will have to "ride it out" with plenty of liquids, rest and Tylenol.

You want to avoid getting the flu. Thousands of elderly die each year from flu, despite early treatment and hospitalization. Your best bet is prevention.

Think Like a Boy Scout

Be prepared. Get your flu shot in mid October every year. Get plenty of rest and eat a good diet. At the first sign of illness, contact your provider. Play it safe.

Eating to Prevent Cancer

There are many things you can do to prevent all types of cancer. Eat well and take some tips from this great video.......

Medications: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly...

So Many Medicines

Many of us take medications every day. Some may be over the counter (OTC) medications including pain relievers, sleep aids, herbs, vitamins and minerals and many are prescription medications. Take a peek into most medicine cabinets and you will find a variety of medicines that we all take, and many times we take them for granted.

Risks and Benefits

I am often asked, as a health care provider, about the side effects of many medicines I prescribe. The fact is that there is NO medication without a side effect. Too much aspirin can thin the blood and cause excess bleeding. Too much Tylenol can be fatal. There are risks of taking every medicine, as well as benefits. One has to measure the risks versus the benefits. We are more aware of the side effects of medicines today because of magazine and television ads. The FDA makes drug manufacturers spell out all the side effects of a drug, even if they are rare, to educate the public. You can get good information about risks and benefits of the medications you take from your health care provider, your pharmacist or a reliable online resource like WebMD.

Mixing Medications

Medication interactions make prescribing and taking medicines more complex. Many medications ramp up or ramp down the metabolism of another drug in the liver, causing serious consequences. Other drugs that do the same thing in the body, for example; thinning the blood, should not be taken together. When you are on Coumadin or Plavix, you should not take aspirin and OTC non-steroidal anti-inflammatories like Advil, Motrin and Aleve without your health care provider's knowledge.

Here's a Big NO-NO

Never take another person's medications. You don't know how you will react to them, since they are not prescribed for you. And you don't know how they will react with the other medications you take. Many patients have been taking strong pain medication for years and are used to the side effects. Other patients are drug naive and may have serious side effects from taking the same medications including dizziness and the risk of falling.

How Do You Wade Through The Confusion?

Be aware of what you are taking. Know the trade and generic names of all your medications and why they were prescribed for you. You can ask your health care provider and pharmacist about the drugs you take. You do not have to be a chemist to understand the basics of your drugs. Just know the basics.

Let's Face It; Medicines Are Part Of Our Lives

When medications are used properly, for the intent they are prescribed, they are very helpful to your basic health and well being. While it is true that you can drop your blood pressure and cholesterol with diet and exercise, sometimes your actions are not enough. You need some help with medicines. We need medications to keep our blood pressure and cholesterol low to prevent heart attack and stroke. We need drugs to help prevent ANOTHER stroke or heart attack. We need medicine to reduce the pain of arthritis so we can get out and be more active. Some of us may need medicines for overactive bladder to keep us out of the bathroom and get us back in the game of life. Medications truly have helped so many live better, longer, more active lives.

So What Can You Do To Take Medicines And Stay Safe?

First of all, keep the medicines in their original containers. Don't put your aspirin in an old vitamin bottle. Organize your daily medications with a weekly pill box. If you get medications with childproof lids, make sure you keep your medicines away from little ones. Many medicines that are safe for you can be fatal for children.

Shop at one pharmacy. Your pharmacist can point out medications that may have drug interactions with other prescription and OTC drugs. Let all your doctors know about medicines you take from other specialists.

Last but not least, bring ALL your medicines to your office visits. Your health care provider can look at the medicines and help you prevent drug to drug interactions and serious complications from taking some medicines together. He or she can help you streamline your drugs by prescribing new combo drugs. Some OTC and prescription medicines can be eliminated. And suggestions can be made to keep your drug costs low by prescribing safe, effective generic medications.

Take your medications seriously. Know what you are taking. Take them as prescribed. Don't try to play Doctor. Make medicine changes with your health care provider. Be an informed consumer.

Take Care Of The Skin You're In: Prevent Skin Cancer

Lazy Days In The Sun

The Sun gives out rays that are healthy for us. We know we need the sun for light and heat. We need sunshine to produce Vitamin D for proper calcium absorption to prevent osteoporosis. The sun's rays are absorbed by a gland in the brain that sets our circadian rhythm and tells us when its time to get up and go to bed. But like too many things in life, too much of a good thing can be bad for us.

Too Much Of A Good Thing

When many of us were younger, a glowing tan was a sign of health. We laid out in the natural sun for hours on end without any protection to get that healthy look, never realizing what we were doing to our skin. And to make matters worse, we can now get more sun exposure faster with the popularity of tanning beds. Many years later, skin lesions are cropping up and you wonder where they came from and what they are.

Skin Lesions

Precancerous lesions can be surgically removed or treated with liquid nitrogen. Other lesions can be treated with lotions and ointments. Cancerous lesions like basal cell carcinoma can be excised and further treatment may not be warranted. Other cancerous skin lesions like squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma need surgical excision and may need radiation or chemotherapy and can be life threatening. Your dermatologist can determine the type of skin cancer you have with a thorough examination and by taking necessary biopsies.

Not every skin lesion we get is a skin cancer. There are normal skin lesions that we get as we age. But there are many precancerous and cancerous lesions that can pop up. You need a dermatologist to identify and treat these skin lesions. A good rule of thumb is to report any new skin lesion, any lesion bigger than the size of a pencil eraser, a multicolored lesion, a lesion with irregular borders and any lesion that is changing.

Prevention

Stay out of the sun when possible. When you want to go out, protect yourself with a sunscreen with a high SPF, 45 or higher. Wear long sleeves and a wide brimmed hat. Sit under an umbrella at the beach. Limit your time in the sun and avoid exposure between 10am and 2 pm when the sun's rays are strongest.

Take Early Action

If you discover a suspicious skin lesion, tell your Health Care Provider. A referral to a Dermatologist may be necessary. Many of my patients have routine skin checks every six months. Be observant, take a long look at the skin you're in.

It is more than a gut feeling: You need a colonoscopy

Colon Cancer

Why Do I Need To Be Screened?

Colon Cancer can occur at any age, but the risk increases exponentially at age 50. So, when you turn 50 you have two things to look forward to; joining AARP and being screened for colon cancer. Seriously, an initial exam is important even if you have no symptoms. Silent polyps and tumors can exist in your colon without your knowledge and need thorough examination. And if you have symptoms; unintentional weight loss, chronic abdominal pain or rectal bleeding, you need a colonoscopy now, regardless of age.

What Are The Risk Factors?

Risk factors for Colon Cancer include :

• Age - over 50
• Heredity
  
• Tobacco Use of any kind
• Alcohol Abuse
• Eating highly processed foods that contain nitrates and nitrites
• A diet rich in smoked and charcoal grilled foods
  

How Do I Get Screened for Colon Cancer?

Your health care provider will refer you to a Gastroenterologist, a Doctor that specializes in the entire digestive system. You will be given an appointment to talk to the specialist and he/she will discuss the risks and benefits of a colonoscopy.

What Is A Colonoscopy And What Happens?

During a colonoscopy a small flexible scope is passed through the rectum and the entire large intestine. Your receive conscious sedation, what I call "happy juice", and are unaware of what is happening during the procedure and do not remember anything about it. Most patients wake up from the procedure and want to know when the test will happen and the Doctor is through with the procedure.

What Kind Of Preparation Do I Have To Do?

First of all, the colon has to be clean to visualize it. Some patients drink clear liquids only for three days and take an enema before the procedure. Other patients are given a laxative solution to drink the day before the procedure while they are drinking clear liquids only. Either way, the colon is emptied of its contents to allow the Doctor to see the lining of the gut during the procedure.

How Often Do I Need One?

The initial colonoscopy screen should be scheduled at age 50. Sequential screenings should be done every 5 to 10 years, or as prescribed by the Gastroenterologist. You may need closer follow up if you have colon polyps.

Colon Cancer Screening Can Save Your Life

Early and regular colon cancer screening can identify precancerous lesions that can be removed during the colonoscopy or surgically removed. Early detection and diagnosis gives you, the patient, the greatest chance of survival with early treatment. Modern medicine continues to advance with new treatments being developed virtually every day.

Taking Control Of Your Breast Health

Breast Cancer Is REAL

We are all afraid of it, the C word, CANCER. Some patients realize that breast cancer is a common occurrence and do all they can to prevent it, while others stick their heads in the sand. And the reason they do so is FEAR. Research has found many contributing factors including sex, heredity and estrogen therapy. There are other theories that exposure to ingredients in deodorants and cooking in aluminum pots contribute to a woman's risk. Breast Cancer is a top priority for cancer researchers.

Risks Of Breast Cancer

Many of my patients truly believe they are not at risk for breast cancer because their mothers, grandmothers and aunts didn't have it. Unfortunately, this is a false sense of security. Because we have breasts and are female, one out of 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. That being said........

What Can Be Done To Prevent Breast Cancer?

There are two important things that every woman can do to reduce their risk of breast cancer; monthly self breast exams and yearly mammography.

SBE - Self Breast Examination

Once a month, each woman should examine their breasts thoroughly. Just pick a day of the month to remind you, because you don't have your monthly menstrual period to remind you anymore. You can do it laying down on the bed or standing up in the shower. Make sure you examine the whole breast area, not just the round pointy part. The breast tissue includes the area from the collar bone to the bony ridge under the breast and from the breast bone to the underarm. In fact, most breast cancers are found in the area between the underarm and the outside corner of the breast to the nipple. You can go in circles, horizontal or vertical lines, it does not matter. Just make sure you check out the entire breast tissue.

Yearly Mammograms

From the age of 40 until the age of 85, women need to have an annual mammogram. Traditional mammograms and the new Digital mammograms help detect the majority of breast cancers. No test is fool proof. But annual mammograms greatly increase your chances of finding breast cancer at the earliest stage, when you have a much better chance for survival with early treatment. Fortunately this preventive test is covered by most insurance companies and Medicare, so cost is rarely a deterrent for most women. Women without insurance can get mammograms at reduced fees in clinics. Ask your health care provider where to go for discounted screening.

It Takes Both: Self Breast Exams And Mammograms

Women need to do all they can to prevent breast cancer by taking control of their health and screening. It takes a combination of monthly self breast exams and yearly mammograms to give women the best chance of detecting breast cancer at the earliest stage. When caught early, breast cancer can be treated and survival rates are at their highest.

Pick a day each month to do your self exam. Pick the first, the fifteenth, the date of your birthday, the day of your dog's birthday, the day the cable bill comes in; anything to remind you to do it every month. Keep up with your mammogram test dates. I advise my patients to get their mammograms during the month of their birthdays. It doesn't matter. Make a plan that works for YOU.

Be Proactive

Don't stick your head in the sand and ignore the real risk of breast cancer that we share as women. (Yes, men get breast cancer too, but it is rare.) Talk with your health care provider about self breast exams and mammography and how to make them a part of your routine health care screening.