Barb's Daily Dose

Robotic Surgery Part IV

Robotic Surgery:  An Innovation That Changes Everything

This changes everything.  How many times have you heard that and wondered if it was really true.  Well, in the case of Robotic Surgery, not only is it true, but it's transforming the way patients are getting treatments and recovering in days instead of weeks. Imagine the old-fashioned way, when as surgeon, Dr. Mary Kilkenny described, she had "Barbie Doll arms" and could only access areas of the body using the equivalent of "scissors on a stick".  You can see my interview with Dr. Kilkenny and Dr. Pisani and listen to what real women who had the procedure have to say.  

Disclosure: I'm thrilled to be working with El Camino Hospital to highlight some of the extraordinary ways that they do whatever it takes for patients. The more I learn about the innovations and cutting-edge use of technology in health care, the more impressed I am.

Robotic Surgery Part III

Wednesday, April 25th,  at 7:20 on CBS 5, KPIX in the San Francisco Bay Area, join me as I showcase the innovations with Robotic Surgery.

I wish that I could bring all of you along with  me to the Operating room and watch a surgery using the DaVinci Robot. Many people hear Robot and automatically think of something out of a Science Fiction movie. And yet, this is just another tool for surgeons to use. The surgeon is in complete control at all times.

Robotic Surgery Part II

Easier Recovery

During my nursing career, I've cared for many patients who are recovering from surgery. One of the most difficult aspects is the pain they have from the incision or opening in the skin and muscles. These cuts could extend for inches and didn't just leave permanent scars on the skin, the memory of the pain was something that people never forget. Immediately after surgery, coughing, deep breathing and getting up to walk were important, but with excruciating pain, it was often difficult to impossible to motivate people. 

Robotic Surgery Part I

Here's the First in the Series of 5 Blogs on Robotic Surgery

I was so excited when I was offered the opportunity to go with a patient, Kara*, into the Operating Room (OR) and watch her surgery. I was even more excited because unlike the past with an open procedure that meant 6 weeks of recovery, she opted instead to have her hysterectomy done by Robotic surgery. I had seen the brochures and watched a few videos prior to getting dressed in scrubs and heading for the OR, but I wasn't prepared for the simple elegance of what I saw there.

The Birth Control Pill Helps Women

After working in women's health for close to 25 years, I've prescribed thousands and thousands of birth control pills and the NuvaRing to patients for a variety of reasons. With the recent increased focus on the Birth Control Pill, I thought it might be a good idea to review a few facts. In addition to prevent ing accidental pregnancy, which is a good thing, there are a number of other reasons that we prescribe the pill. Before I get to that, let's just do a quick review of some of the hormones and biology that influences a woman's life each and every month. This is by no means an all-inclusive or comprehensive list.

Questions and Answers about Heavy Periods

How Do I Know if I Have Heavy Periods?

Although many women may feel as though they are the only ones experiencing heavy periods, women of all ages have heavy periods that interfere with their day-to-day lives. You may have heavy periods if your period:

• Lasts a long time
• Is so heavy that you need to change pads or tampons every 1 to 2 hours
• Is so heavy that you often have a tampon AND a pad for more protection, and
• Is so heavy that you have to change pads at night.

The Condom Broke! I Want to beTested for Everything!

If I had a nickel for every time I heard that, I would be taking more vacations to tropical beaches! When I hear this, what I also understand is that the person wants to be tested for every sexually transmitted disease/infection (STD) ever known. By the time, the person comes in to see me, I can offer up a few tests that will help them know if they contracted an infection.

Pap Smears Not Fun But Necessary

I haven't met one woman yet who looks forward with anticipation to her annual pap smear.  Most of us schedule the check up to obtain birth control advice, have a breast exam, review all of our health concerns and discuss ways to stay healthy.  We know from study after study that pap smears help detect abnormal cervical changes in the earliest stages before they become more ominous and lead to cervical cancer. 

Black Cohosh and Menopause

Here's the scoop on Black Cohosh

The studies done on Black Cohosh have not shown consistent results.  In a few, it is better than placebo, and in others, it's no better than placebo.  However, one thing I explain to my patients, is that with ANY menopause treatment, the placebo response can range from 30-50%, so if if works for you, then it works.

Part of the problem when looking at Black Cohosh, is that there are so many different formulations and it's available in different strengths.  It also seems that some women do very well with it, while others are left scratching their heads wondering what the big deal is.  

Pfizer Recalls 1 Million Birth-Control Packs After Mix-Up in Pill Dosages

NEWS ALERT

Featured on AANP Smart Brief

Pfizer Inc. (PFE), the world’s biggest drugmaker, recalled 1 million birth-control packs after discovering that pills were mixed up inside the packages, possibly putting women at risk for unintended pregnancies.

The company recalled 14 lots of Lo/Ovral-28 tablets and 14 lots of a generic version of the medicine, New York-based Pfizer said yesterday in an e-mail. About 1 million packs of 28 tablets were withdrawn, Grace Ann Arnold, a Pfizer spokeswoman, said in a separate e-mail.

Click here to read the rest.