Main | Next page »
 

Entry bubble Senator Kennedy dies from brain tumor

By: Jess | August 27, 2009 | Category: Health

My sincerest thoughts go out to the family of Senator Edward Kennedy who passed away Tuesday night after losing a battle with brain cancer. After spending five decades in Congress, it's hard not to be a little bit amazed by the length of his tenure, no matter what side of the political spectrum you land on.

And whether you agreed with his politics or not, seeing a man so dedicated to his job lose such a public battle with cancer, is tragic. Kennedy was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor last year.

Brain tumors aren't horribly uncommon in the United States. Cancer.gov says that each year 35,000 people are diagnosed with a new brain tumor. For those diagnosed, treatment options include surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, followed by rehabilitation with physical and occupational therapists.

The booklet What You Need to Know About Brain Tumors offers a lot of information on how tumors form, as well as treatment options and follow-up care.

In light of Senator Kennedy's passing, I think it's information worth sharing with friends and family.

To see more photos of Senator Kennedy, check out the slideshow on the White House blog. 

| View Comments [5] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: brain_tumor   cancer   jess   kennedy   senator_edward_kennedy   sick   ted_kennedy  

 

Entry bubble Thyroid Disease

By: Ginger | March 06, 2009 | Category: Health

Woman getting an ultrasound on her thyroidEarlier this year Oprah Winfrey did a show about her latest battle with weight gain.  She shared with her audience that the culprit of her latest increase in weight was diagnosed as resulting from a thyroid problem.  Millions of people in the U.S. have thyroid diseases. Most often thyroid diseases are diagnosed in women.

The thyroid controls a person’s metabolism, so when the thyroid becomes diseased it can affect a person’s ability to break down food for energy by either slowing it down (hypothyroidism) or making it happen more quickly than normal (hyperthyroidism)

Hyperthyroidism symptoms include:

  • Weight loss
  • Increased appetite
  • Nervousness
  • Restlessness
  • Heat intolerance
  • Increased sweating
  • Fatigue
  • Frequent bowel movements
  • Menstrual irregularities
  • Enlarged thyroid
  • Palpitations or irregular heartbeat

Hypothyroidism symptoms include:

  • Weakness
  • Fatigue
  • Cold intolerance
  • Constipation
  • Weight gain
  • Depression
  • Joint or muscle pain
  • Thin, brittle fingernails
  • Thin and brittle hair
  • Paleness

My sister was diagnosed with hypothyroidism several years ago and takes medicine every day for the problem.  Around the same time my sister was diagnosed with hypothyroidism, a friend of mine was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and had to undergo radioactive iodine therapy. She also must take thyroid medicine for the rest of her life.

For a while, I’ve been noticing what I think may be symptoms of thyroid disease, so I have scheduled a doctor’s appointment to get it checked out.  If you or a loved one suspects thyroid problems, you should do the same.  It is always better to be safe than sorry.  In the meantime, here are some helpful resources to read up on:

If you do get diagnosed with a thyroid disease be sure to ask you doctor about drug interactions before taking over the counter medicines.

| View Comments [4] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: cancer   ginger   hyperthyroidism   hypothyroidism   thyroid  

 

Entry bubble Cancer Treatment Scams

By: Colleen | October 22, 2008 | Category: Health

doctorBefore I dive into the serious stuff, I have to give a public shout-out to the Phillies, who are playing in their first World Series in fifteen years, starting tonight. Here we go Phils! "Why can't us?"

While baseball seems like the most important thing to me right now, Breast Cancer Awareness Month brings me back to reality, where we are all hard pressed to find anyone whose life hasn't been touched in one way or another by cancer. Personally, my maternal grandfather passed away due to cancer and by the young age of 20, I'd already had minor surgery to remove skin cancer cells.

When someone gets such devastating news, it is important to have an honest discussion with your doctor regarding the course of treatment that is best for you. Sadly, there is always someone out there looking to make a profit by being dishonest to consumers. Because of this, FTC recently launched a new site that encourages cancer patients who are curious about new treatments to ask their doctors first.

This site was developed in response to a group of companies who were selling fake cancer cures to cancer patients. FTC is suing 11 of these companies for false and deceptive claims. This site gives tips and advice to help people distinguish legit companies from scammers.

Always ask your doctor about any product you may have seen advertised, and do your research on the different treatments available to you.

How have you helped a loved one deal with a diagnosis of cancer?

| View Comments [4] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: cancer   cancer_treatment_scam   doctor   federal_trade_comission   ftc   phillies   scam   treatment  

 

Entry bubble Is it Mammogram Time?

By: Joanne | October 21, 2008 | Category: Health

a pink ribbon, symbol of breast cancer awarenessI hope you enjoyed the long National Mammogram Day weekend! OK, I guess National Mammogram Day just can’t compete with the 4th of July or Labor Day. No parades, no fireworks, no backyard barbecues. Mammogram Day isn’t a really exciting day (maybe they can make it more like Mardi Gras?) but when you consider it, early breast cancer detection just might save your life and that’s certainly worth celebrating.

Even though I try to do self exams monthly, my doctor recommended that I start having regular mammograms when I turned 40. I was a little afraid because I heard that the test is awful and uncomfortable and hurts. Sure, it was uncomfortable and I can think of a long list of things that I would rather be doing. Of course, my friends battling breast cancer can tell you that the momentary discomfort of a mammogram is nothing compared to having breast cancer.

October is breast cancer awareness month. Breast cancer kills tens of thousands of women in the U.S. each year, and a mammogram is currently the best method to detect breast cancer. With that in mind, get the facts and talk to your doctor about when it’s time for you to have your mammogram. The government funds local mammography programs, so if you don’t have the money for the test, look for free or low-cost mammograms in your area.

| View Comments [4] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: breast   cancer   joanne   mammogram  

 

Entry bubble Use Sunscreen, Don't Get Burned

By: Joanne | July 08, 2008 | Category: Health

In the past, I didn’t think too much about sun exposure; as long as I didn’t suffer a really terrible burn, I felt like everything was fine. Then a few years ago my father died of skin cancer and the reality of sun exposure and skin damage began to sink in. It’s summertime and we’re all spending more time outdoors – at the pool, the beach, the garden or just playing in the yard, so now’s a good time to be thinking about our skin.

The National Cancer Institute estimates that more than 60,000 Americans will be diagnosed with melanoma of the skin this year. That’s a lot of people and if you’re like me and don’t want to become a statistic, you’ve got to protect yourself every day.

There are lots of ways to protect your skin from the damaging UVA and UVB rays of the sun. The most obvious way to protect your skin is to apply sunscreen. Be sure to use a sunscreen with an appropriate SPF (sun protection factor) and be sure to apply it early and often. Sunscreen blocks the sun’s harmful rays. Other things you can do are cover your skin with clothing, wear a hat, and stay in the shade. And don’t forget to protect your eyes and wear sunglasses that filter UV rays.

So this summer when you’re heading outside, sing this little song and do the sunscreen dance.

| View Comments [3] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: burn   cancer   joanne   skin   sun   sunscreen  

Main | Next page »