Hormone Therapy

Organ specific cancer treatments

Certain advanced cancer hospitals manage cancer in an organ specific way, and accordingly oncologists are reserved for treating cancers affecting specific organs only. Accordingly, oncologists have successfully treated breast cancer, head and neck cancer, gynecological cancer, orthopedic cancer, lung cancer, neuro cancer, and liver cancer.

Understanding each organ specific cancer and the treatment available for it

Breast Cancer

It is the commonest of cancers affecting women, and it is believed to be the cancer that has caused the most mortality among women next to lung cancer. The mortality has been the highest among women whose ages were between 45 and 55. Breast cancer is curable if it is diagnosed at an early stage, and if the necessary treatments are carried out immediately following its detection. Breast cancer is growth of breast cells in an uncontrolled manner.

Breast cancer diagnosis

Abnormal presence of a lump

This diagnosis can be carried out by the patient, and the doctor too looks for the presence of abnormally looking lumps through physical breast examinations. Other than a lump, the changes in the breast that doctors look forward to finding is skin dimpling, unusual changes in the size, and or shape of the breast, pulled in nipples as against it being pointed outward when normal, and discoloration of the breast's skin.

Mammography

Radiologists use mammograms to seek out abnormalities in the breasts. Mammograms are x-ray photographs of the breast that are usually taken by keeping the breasts in a compressed position.

Ultrasound imaging of breasts

Ultrasound imaging is used to examine the breasts, and this technique of using sound waves helps in distinguishing whether a lump that has been noticed in a breast is either a cyst filled with fluid, or a solid one.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging, or MRI

The MRI of a breast is taken using a strong magnetic field. MRI of the breast becomes necessary in certain situations to properly diagnose breast cancer.

Biopsy

The biopsy of the breast becomes necessary when the oncologist has a strong suspicion of cancer being present. A core needle biopsy is performed on the suspect area of the breast to either confirm the disease, or rule it out.

The benefit of early breast cancer detection

Detection of breast cancer can be made at an early stage through screening. Screening refers to the various tests and examinations that are carried out on the breasts of a person to detect the disease at the earliest, even before the actual symptoms of the disease starts to show. Usually breast cancers that can be felt and detected are cancers that have grown larger in size and that which in usual cases has spread to regions outside the breast. The treatment in such cases is very complex. Breast cancers can be treated successfully if it is detected very early, and before the actual cancer symptoms starts to show.

Breast cancer treatment

Breast cancer is treated either through local treatment or systemic treatment.

Local treatment of breast cancer involves removal, destruction, or controlling the growth of cancerous cells in the breast. Local treatment by surgery is also known by the names mastectomy, and it is also referred to as lumpectomy. This is a breast preserving therapy. The other local treatment is the use of radiation therapy. Radiation therapy involves use of a high energy radiation beam to destroy the cancer cells. Advanced equipment like LINAC helps in focusing the radiation beam on to the cancer cells, and minimizes, or avoids causing damage to the surrounding healthy cells.

Systemic treatment becomes necessary if the breast cancer has spread to other parts of the body. This treatment is therefore used to control and destroy cancer cells across the body. The various therapies that are used in this treatment include chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and biological therapy.

Chemotherapy involves the use of drugs to kill or control cancer cells. Hormone therapy involves use of certain drugs that inhibit production of certain hormones in the body, like estrogen, which can aid in the revival of cancerous breast cells that manage to remain in the body post the surgery of the breast. Biological therapy involves use of the body's immune system in fighting and destroying cancerous cells.

Thus cancer hospitals that offer breast cancer treatments are equipped with a robust team of breast surgeons, plastic surgeons, medical oncologists and other associated staff, they have with them advanced machinery for diagnosis and treatment, and they also have the facilities of advanced ICUs for apt patient management and recovery.

Lung cancer

Lung cancer is associated with uncontrolled growth of cells in either one, or both of the lungs. These cells do not develop into healthy lung tissue, but rather becomes abnormal cells which further continue to divide forming lumps of tissues which are identified as tumors.

Diagnosis

The symptom that is commonly associated with lung cancer is shortness of breath and presence of wheezing. Certain other symptoms like chest pain, fatigue, appetite loss, presence of blood in the sputum while coughing, persistent cough, unanticipated loss of weight, and coughing out blood, are also associated with lung cancer. Presence of these symptoms together with reports from many other procedures will be used by physicians in diagnosing the presence or absence of lung cancer. Imaging techniques like X-Rays of chest, bronchoscopy, MRI, CT, and PET scans, are also used to diagnose lung cancer. Further, the patient is also subject to a physical examination by the physician, and an analysis of the patient's sputum is also made. All these examinations and procedures will reveal the presence of lung cancer, and also the location of the tumor, and also information about the presence or absence of the disease anywhere else in the body.

Lung cancer treatment

There are many factors which influence lung cancer treatment, and the factors on which lung cancer treatment is dependent on includes, the type of the cancer, the stage or how far the cancer has spread, the age of the patient, his or her health status, and many other personal characteristics of the patient. There is no particular treatment for lung cancer, and patients often receive treatment which is a combination of palliative care and multiple therapies. The foremost of lung cancer treatment therapies include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. The patient will also be exposed to therapies that have been recently developed which include gene therapy, hormone therapy, and also immunotherapy.

The treating team comprises of radiation oncologists, thoracic surgeons, medical oncologists, onco medical social workers, and so forth.

Orthopedic cancer

Orthopedic cancer involves musculoskeletal tumors that affect the pelvis, limbs, and spine. Orthopedic cancerous tumors that are usually seen in children and adolescents are Ewings sarcoma and Osteosarcoma. Cancerous tumors that are more common among adults are chondrosarcoma, metastasis, and multiple myeloma. These tumors are considered to be rare, and the exact cause that leads to their formation has remained a mystery till date.

Patients who are affected with these tumors have persistent pain in their back or limbs, and this pain will not subside with medications or rest. Paralysis and hand or foot weaknesses are symptoms patients with spine tumors usually present with.

Orthopedic cancer diagnosis

Clinical examination by a specialist and further investigations becomes necessary to diagnose orthopedic cancer; mere physical examinations of bone and soft tissue swellings will never reveal the presence of orthopedic cancerous tumor. The investigations that are usually carried out include X-Ray, MRI, PET, CT, and Bone scan. Biopsy is necessary to confirm the diagnosis.

Orthopedic cancer treatment

Tumors like Ewings sarcoma and Osteosarcoma needs a combination of treatment therapies which starts with chemotherapy, which is then followed by surgery, and eventually involves radiotherapy. Surgical treatments become necessary to treat benign tumors, and tumors like chondrosarcoma. The quality of life of patients suffering from bone metastasis can be considerably improved by subjecting them to palliative surgeries. Procedures are customized in accordance with patients when limbs or arms need to be saved from amputation. Cancer hospitals make the necessary provisions for prosthetic substitutions when amputation surgeries become necessary.

There are no known methods to prevent the occurrence of musculoskeletal tumors, and these tumors are considerably rare. Since prevention is ruled out, early detection alone can lead to proper treatment. Further, advancements in technology in the recent times has brought forward the possibility of liberating patients from definite limb or arm amputations when they are affected with bone cancers. But, amputation can be avoided only when the cancer is detected at an early stage. Numerous patients have been treated and were rehabilitated, and they are now in a position to lead a normal life; these patients have benefited from the advancements made in technology, which has made complex surgeries simpler.

Cancer hospitals use advanced technologies for soft tissue sarcoma tumor excisions including Brachytherapy, and also use of LINAC for external radiation therapy.

The orthopedic cancer treatment team of cancer hospitals comprises of medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, physiotherapists, and so forth.

Patients seeking treatment for musculoskeletal tumors can also benefit from numerous services including, limb salvaging surgery while being treated for malignant tumors, benign bone tumor management, pelvic and spine tumor surgery, treatment for skin malignancy, soft tissue sarcoma treatment, and so forth.

Head and Neck Cancer

Head and Neck Cancer are cancers affecting the Upper Aero Digestive Tract, or UADT, cancers that affect the region between the collar-bone and the brain, and cancers that originate at glands like thyroid and parotid.

Diagnosis

A good physical examination under the hands of a competent oncologist will reveal the presence of head and neck cancer. Biopsy of the affected region will give an accurate confirmation. Lumps are explored by means of a Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology, or FNAC.

Head and Neck cancer treatment

The head and neck area is associated with the personality of a person. Further, the various important functional areas, which also involve a person's senses like sight, smell, auditory, taste, speech, and swallowing, are present in this region. Hence, the treatment of cancers affecting the head and neck area needs to be a balanced one, the treatment should not compromise the aesthetics, or the functions of the sensory organs, but concurrently the treatment should be effective in containing the cancer. Thus, the most advanced of head and neck cancer treatments that are carried out is aimed at preserving the functions of the sensory organs and simultaneously controlling cancer in an effective way. Either surgery or radiation therapy is sufficient during the early stages of the onset of head and neck cancer. But, surgery combined with radiation therapy becomes necessary during the advanced stages of head and neck cancer. Chemotherapy too is used along with radiotherapy to enhance the potentiality of radiotherapy.

Further, head and neck cancer treatments also benefits from the advancements made in the domain of reconstructive surgery. These advancements has made it possible to preserve the functionality of vital sensory organs, and thereby improving the quality of life of the affected individual. Some of the surgery advancements that have aided head and neck cancer treatments include micro vascular tissue transfer, functional neck surgery, jaw preserving surgery, and so forth. Further, advanced machinery for external radiotherapy like LINACs has made it possible to deliver high intensity radiations in a precise way to tumors that are deep-seated, and also sparing vital anatomy in the vicinity of the tumor. LINACs have greatly reduced the treatment duration too.

The additional conservative services that a patient can also benefit from while being treated for head and neck cancer includes head and neck surgery, cosmetic and reconstructive surgery, preservation of voice, restoration of speech, micro-vascular regeneration, speech rehabilitation, faciomaxillary surgery, prosthodontic treatments, and so forth.

Liver Cancer

All cancers and tumors affecting the liver have come to be known as liver cancer, and this includes primary liver tumors, and secondary liver tumors also. Primary liver tumors are liver tumors that emanate within the liver, and secondary liver tumors are tumors that have spread to the liver from other cancer affected sites of the body.

Liver cancer diagnosis

Imaging techniques including ultrasound, PET, and, or CT scan is required. Biopsy will or will not be required to establish liver cancer.

Liver cancer treatment

When liver cancer is detected in the early stage, it is usually treated by surgically removing the tumor, or destroying the tumor cells using targeted chemotherapy, which is also known as TACE, or by liver transplantation. There are numerous other factors which also determines the treatment that needs to be undertaken including the condition of the liver, the size of the liver, location, tumor count, the age of the affected person, and the person's overall health. Further, the risks and the benefits associated with a particular mode of treatment is also dependent on the extension the tumor has achieved, the condition of the liver, and also the health condition of the affected person. In the usual cases, a treatment plan is tailor-made in accordance with the condition of the person being treated.

Patients undergoing liver cancer treatment at advanced cancer hospitals have the benefit of receiving chemotherapy, surgery, and radiotherapy under one roof. Further, these cancer hospitals have liver transplantation programs, and in accordance with these programs certain patients affected with liver cancer have the benefit of undergoing a liver transplant at the hospital they are being treated.

The cancer hospitals treating liver cancer have doctors in their team from various disciplines including hepatobiliary surgery, radiology, oncology, hepatology, pathology, and so forth. The entire team is well-trained and experienced in liver cancer management, and they work in unison at solving complex liver cancer problems.

Gynecological Cancer

Cancers affecting the female reproductive organs have been grouped under gynecological cancer. The cancers included under gynecological cancer include cervical cancer, vaginal cancer, ovarian cancer, vulvar cancer, and uterian cancer.

Gynecological cancer diagnosis

The symptoms that are usually associated with gynecological cancer includes vaginal bleeding that is not normal, swelling or bloating that is persistent in the abdominal region, gain in weight or loss that is questionable, persistent diarrhea, or constipation. Gynecological cancer is diagnosed only after thorough gynecological and clinical examinations. Imaging techniques like ultrasound, CT, and PET/CT scans are also used for accurate diagnosis. Biopsy may or may not be used in the diagnosis procedure.

Gynecological cancer treatment

The treatment is based on the extent of the spread of the cancer, and also on the type of cancer present. The treatment is usually a combination of surgery, chemotherapy, and may or may not use radiotherapy. Surgery involves excision of cancerous cells from the affected area. Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to stop, or control the growth of cancer cells in the affected area. The drugs are administered into the body either in the form of pills, or through Intra Venous, or IV injections. Radiotherapy involves the use of high energy radiation beams to kill the cancer cells, or preventing them from spreading further.

Gynecological cancer treatment which spares fertility have been successfully carried out. Ovarian choriocarcinoma which was in stage IV has been successfully treated by sparing fertility using a combination of surgery and chemotherapy.

The services and treatments patients can expect for Gynecological cancer from cancer hospitals includes

繚 Diagnostic services like hysteroscopy, biopsy, laproscopy, colposcopy, and so forth,

繚 Ultra-radical and radical surgeries like Wertheim's hysterectomy, radical vagino-abdominal surgery, and Japanese radical surgery for cancer at stage II B, are carried out to treat uterine cervix cancer. Para-aortic and pelvic lymphadenectomy are also carried out as part of the procedure.

繚 Intraperitoneal chemotherapy,

繚 Cytoreductive surgery for ovarian tumor management is done, and this also involves hysterectomy, omentectomy, lymphadenectomy, and diaphragmatic stripping. Intraperitoneal chemotherapy is offered to patients requiring chemotherapy, and this has a good survival rate.

繚 Typel hysterecotmy is used in treating endometrial cancer. Pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy is also used. Progesterone therapy in high doses in undertaken to treat certain cases when fertility sparing becomes necessary.

繚 Radical vulvectomy, partial vaginectomy, and also partial urethrectomy with dissection of groin node is carried out in the treatment of vulval cancer.

繚 Surgical treatments are done to treat vaginal cancer and also fallopian tube cancers.

繚 Chemotherapy and hysterectomy is used in treatment of choriocarcinoma. Fertility sparing tumor excisions are also carried out in certain cases.

繚 Neo-vagina creation, urethral stricture treatment, vaginal dryness treatment, and so forth

繚 Adjuvant radiotherapy, and chemotherapy too is provided on a patient basis, as need be.

Neuro Cancer

Tumors affecting the brain, spinal cord, and the peripheral nerves are treated as Neuro cancers. Abnormal growth of cells in the brain leads to brain tumor. Likewise, abnormal cell growth in the spinal cord, and peripheral nerves leads to spinal cord tumors and peripheral nerve tumors, respectively.

Symptoms

Blurred vision, neurological defects, vomiting, persistent headaches, seizures, and so forth, are symptoms associated with brain tumors.

Back pain, disturbances in the bowels and bladder, pain in the limbs and arms, weakness associated with limbs and arms, and so forth are some of the symptoms associated with spinal cord cancer.

Swelling, feeling of weakness, pain, and so forth are symptoms associated with peripheral nerve tumors.

Neuro cancer diagnosis and treatment

Imaging techniques including CT, MRI, PET/CT scans are used for diagnosis.

The foremost technique of tackling neuro cancers is surgery. Tumors of the brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves are surgically removed. A thorough histological diagnosis can be achieved of the tumor, as a result of this surgical intervention. Further, physical removal of the tumor also relieves the affected person of the cancer symptoms. The surgery also paves the way for a brisk recovery. The surgery can be followed by other treatment methods such as chemotherapy, and radiotherapy.

Any person affected with neuro cancer becomes eligible for neuro cancer treatment. But, early detection of neuro cancer helps annihilate the disease entirely. Tumors of the brain, spinal cord, or the peripheral nerves need immediate treatment, and if they are left untreated they can become life threatening at a later date. With advancements in technology, neuro cancer treatment has become significantly safe and manageable. Further, the treatment time, and thereby the required days of stay in the hospital has been considerably reduced.

Advanced cancer hospitals use numerous top-notch techniques in the treatment of neuro cancers including stem cell therapy, cerebral micro dialysis, and so forth. Advanced cancer hospitals have the required technology to conduct microneurosurgery, neuro surgery using navigation, neuro surgery that is guided by endoscopy, neuro surgery that is guided by imagery, and so forth.

Further, advanced cancer hospitals are also equipped with advanced top-notch operation theaters that are designed to handle neuro cancer cases, they also have advanced neuro ICUs and other associated infrastructure that helps a neuro cancer patient recover in a safe and monitored environment.

My advice is, proceed with caution and ask the team who are looking after you.

To get the treatment right for bipolar disorder and find a regime which suits you, may have taken many years. You do not want to upset this delicate balance.

Equally, the symptoms of the menopause can be severe and there is some evidence that the change in hormone levels may make your bipolar disorder worse and you may experience a worsening especially of depression symptoms.

How oestrogen affects you mood is not completely understood, although it does appear that oestrogen tends to make people feel 'brighter'. On the other hand, life events such as children leaving home, divorce, change in social circumstances may be the contributor to your low mood rather than hormone changes.

HRT (hormonal replacement therapy) is synthetic oestrogen +/- synthetic progesterone. Each of these hormones or combinations may have different psychological effects in different people and even the route - whether transdermal (patches and body cream/gel) or tablets have different influences on mood.

Topical oestrogen (cream, gels) can be applied to directly to the vagina, which can help local symptoms of vaginal dryness and urinary problems and it is not absorbed well therefore should not upset your psychological state.

Herbal remedies are often suggested - phytoestrogens (plant-based oestrogen-like compounds) are found in soya, however the effects of either soya supplements or high intakes of soya foods are not available on bipolar disorder. The same goes for red clover and the other herbal remedies, so once again I would suggest you speak to your doctor.

There is very little controlled research on the use of HRT in patients with bipolar disorder, therefore I think it will be hard to predict how your bodies will react to HRT so you need to think carefully.

If you are really well on your medications and your symptoms of hot flushes etc are not that bad, then why upset a good thing! However, if you are experiencing menopausal symptoms or even a worsening in your psychological state, it may be worth a supervised trial.

http://www.healthyhedgehogs.co.uk

HGH or human growth hormone is the primary hormone in your body which is secreted by the pituitary gland located in your brain. As the name suggests growth hormone is responsible for all the growth in your body. The production of growth hormone peaks during adolescence but it begins declining after the age of 30. This impairs your body's ability to repair cell damage taking place due to various factors and this makes you get old.

However, it is now known that growth hormone replacement therapy can help enhance the levels of HGH and help fight age effects. It can also reverse age effects and this is why it is often called the Fountain of Youth.

Growth hormone comes in the form of shots or injections, oral sprays and supplements.

Injections or Supplements?

Growth hormone injections produce the fastest results but they are not considered viable because of two reasons. First of all they can be quite expensive and can make you spend over $15000 a year and secondly they can have serious side effects. These side effects occur because of excess of growth hormone being injected into your body. Since your body does not have any control over this external growth hormone being injected into your body it responds by slowing down it's own production or even shutting down the pituitary system. This can lead to serious complications.

Growth hormone supplements are also called Releasers which are supposed to be the safest form of HGH. These supplements do not have any side effects since they are not a replacement therapy. They help stimulate your pituitary gland to increase it's own production and secretion of growth hormone so that you can get through the glandular system exactly the way you did in your younger years.

Growth hormone supplements can provide a complete makeover for your body by improving all the faculties. However, before buying one make sure it is clinically approved and recommended by doctors and is manufactured in a GMP certified facility.

Check out the Best Growth Hormone Supplements that are not just clinically approved and recommended by doctors but also come with extra bonuses and discounts so that you can get the best value for your money in present hard economic times.

Diagnosis & Treatment of Thyroid Disease In The UK Limited By Restrictive Guidelines.

Thyroid Disease although perhaps more widely known is the US also affects many patients in the United Kingdom and unfortunately it seems the British medical establishment is making things even harder for UK sufferers to access the treatment they deserve, they may well be making it even harder for those same people to get a correct diagnosis in the first place.

Diagnosis is often not as quick as perhaps it should be due to the nature of many of the symptoms and the fact that they replicate many other conditions if considered individually.

My own experience with the diagnosis of my Thyroid condition led to me being misdiagnosed and treated incorrectly for several weeks prior to even being tested for the possibility of my having a thyroid disorder.

The fact that British Thyroid bodies are now making the diagnosis and treatment of Thyroid Disease harder seems to be unfathomable.

Within the profession this is the very same medical body, which already has a reputation for operating a seemingly intolerant and very outdated approach to thyroid disease.

Only ONE course of medication

This latest setback comes about following the release of guidelines from the Royal College of Physicians (RCP), in which they state that "thyroxine is the only treatment that should be given" for hypothyroidism.

These latest guidelines are considered a backward step in the level and effectiveness of Thyroid diagnosis and treatment for patients in the UK.

Unfortunately it appears that they've gained the support of many of the big players currently operating in the field of thyroid care in the UK.

These include the Society for Endocrinology, the British Thyroid Association, the British Thyroid Foundation Patient Support Group, and the British Society of Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes.

These new guidelines quite simply state and in-doing so restrict patients to just one kind of treatment when they say...

Hypothyroid Patients Will Be Limited to Synthetic T4 Only

It appears that Doctors on the NHS will be prevented from or at the very least limited in their ability to prescribe Armour Thyroid, Cytomel (T3), or any drug except for thyroxine (synthetic T4). Synthetic T4, Levothyroxine or Synthyroid becoming the only prescribed hormone replacement permitted for use in treating Thyroid disease. According to research and hence these guidelines, the following has been stated: There appears to be mounting evidence to support the use of Thyroxine (T4) alone in the treatment of hypothyroidism. Thyroxine is usually prescribed as levothyroxine.

The prescribing of additional Triiodothyronine (T3) in any presently available formulation, including Armour thyroid is not recommended, as it is inconsistent with normal physiology, has not been scientifically proven to be of any benefit to patients, and may be harmful.

There are potential risks from T3 therapy, using current preparations, on bone (eg osteoporosis) and the heart (eg arrhythmia).

It is noted that the extract marketed as Armour thyroid contains an excessive amount of T3 in relation to T4. Over-treatment with T4, when given alone, has similar risks... The College does not support the use of thyroid extracts or thyroxine and T3 combinations without further validated research published in peer-reviewed journals. Therefore, the inclusion of T3 in the treatment of hypothyroidism should be reserved for use by accredited endocrinologists in individual patients.

Just one test - Diagnosis of Hypothyroidism Relies Only on TSH and Free Thyroxine (Free T4)

"The only validated method of testing thyroid function is on blood, which must include serum TSH and a measure of free thyroxine (T4)... There is no indication for the prescription of T4 or any preparation containing thyroid hormones to patients with thyroid blood tests within the reference ranges. In patients with suspected primary hypothyroidism there is no indication for the prescription of T4 or any preparation containing thyroid hormones to patients with thyroid blood tests initially within the normal range.

Thus patients with normal T4 and TSH do not have primary hypothyroidism and even if they have symptoms which might suggest this should not be given thyroid hormone replacement therapy." In the UK, the reference range for the TSH test is .4 to 4.5, and TSH levels between 4.5 and 10.0 -- with Free T4 levels within the reference range -- are considered subclinical hypothyroidism. In the UK, only at levels above a 10.0 is a patient considered overtly hypothyroid. The decision to treat patients with a TSH under 10.0, therefore, is left to the practitioner.

Why is are these Guidelines wrong - No Proof

It is very difficult to begin here.

But here goes, there isn't any peer-reviewed research proving synthetic T4 therapy is safer or even any more effective than the combination T4/T3 synthetic treatment, or natural desiccated thyroid drugs like Armour often prescribed in the US. Nor is there peer-reviewed research that proves that proper management of hypothyroidism with thyroid medications that include T3 is dangerous to bone or heart health.

Restricted from relying on knowledge and experience

However without the benefit of conclusive research, the RCP and its fellow thyroid organizations have opted to restrict the methods of treatment practitioners are able to offer despite the fact many want to use these medications primarily based on their own previous experiences of treating this condition.

It is not however only a restriction on practitioners they are also drastically reducing the choices options open to patients, may of whom have been safely using these medications for years, or who given the opportunity to try might benefit from their use as their treatment progresses.

These new guidelines have also stated the diagnosis of thyroid disorders should be based purely on TSH and Free T4 tests only. The exclusion of thyroid antibody tests, does nothing but prevent practitioners from diagnosing symptomatic Hashimoto's disease. In some cases, symptoms develop when antibodies are elevated, without TSH reflecting the damage being done to the thyroid gland. Hypothyroidism treatment can relieve symptoms in such patients, and can in some cases stop the development of their condition to that of overt hypothyroidism. The guidelines offered here, as a result exclude treatment for the entire spectrum of Hashimoto's sufferers who have a TSH level under 10.

What is the reference range for testing, diagnosis and treatment

This brings us then to the subject of the "reference range" that the guidelines are based on. As noted, TSH levels under 4.5 are considered normal and within the reference range. Only TSH levels above 10.0 are considered overtly hypothyroid. Levels within 4.5 and 10.0 are, if Free T4 is normal -- considered "subclinical" and for patients that fall into that category, the decision to treat is left to the practitioner's discretion. Research experts in the U.S. are still discussing and exploring the following, however it seems to be widely accepted now that a TSH test indicating levels over 3.0 are in fact proof of hypothyroidism.

Until November 2002, doctors had relied on a normal TSH level ranging from 0.5 to 5.0 to diagnose and treat patients with a thyroid disorder who tested outside the boundaries of that range. Now AACE encourages doctors to consider treatment for patients who test outside the boundaries of a narrower margin based on a target TSH level of 0.3 to 3.0. AACE believes the new range will result in proper diagnosis for millions of Americans who suffer from a mild thyroid disorder, but have gone untreated until now. (Source: AACE Thyroid Awareness 2003)

It is also accepted that untreated subclinical hypothyroidism is a contributing factor in the increased risk of heart disease, obesity, infertility, miscarriage, and a host of other health problems.

A Backward Step

It seems then the United Kingdom is taking a backwards step, and seems to be determined to reduce the capabilities of its own physicians to practice medicine in the way they were initially trained.

These guidelines make diagnosing and treating thyroid disease a very precise if incorrect process not allowing for anything other than the results dictated in the guidelines be viewed as warranting treatment even if the practitioner feels differently.

Doctors who have until now used years of experience and practice to make there are now being expected to disregard all that knowledge and blindly follow these insanely restrictive guidelines.

It now seems more and more thyroid patients in the U.K. will be forced to go outside the National Health Service to seek private medical care in order to have their Thyroid conditions treated in a way, which provides a more balanced approach.

Even for Private Practitioners there is mounting pressure to comply with the guidelines specified, those who are not endocrinologists especially will face increased scrutiny and limitations in their ability to prescribe T3 medications to their patients.

It seems that once again medical science is refusing to look beyond what they first identify as the best and only treatment for a particular condition, refusing to accept other alternative and often-complimentary medicines are available.

This seems to be something, which is going to affect the Thyroid sufferers of the UK much more than those it would seem now luckily living elsewhere in the world.

High Intensity Focused Ultrasound has been used to treat prostate cancer for over a decade in Europe, and has been approved for treatment in Canada since 2003. It is not currently available in the U.S. The cure rate using HIFU is similar to the traditional treatment methods of surgery and radiation, but with fewer significant side effects and less negative effect on quality of life.

Who Can Benefit From HIFU?

HIFU therapy is recommended for patients with localized T1 and T2 stages of prostate cancer. It is frequently chosen over more traditional surgical or radiotherapy treatments due to its low complication rate and relatively small chance of significant side effects.

Where impotence and radiation burns are common side effects from traditional treatments, side effects from HIFU are less radical and there are fewer occurrences of impotency and incontinence.

High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU)

Ablatherm HIFU does not involve surgery but instead uses high intensity focused ultrasound waves to destroy cancerous prostate tissue. It is done on an out-patient basis so there is typically no hospital stay required.

A local spinal anesthetic is used in combination with sedation through intravenous. A probe is inserted into the patient's rectum and a focused beam of ultrasound waves is projected at the cancerous tissue on the prostate. The prostate is located in front of the rectum, so the computer guided probe can deliver the ultrasound waves through the rectal wall. A specially trained urological surgeon controls the procedure.

The prostate tissue targeted is heated to temperatures in excess of 85簞C destroying the cancerous cells. This process is repeated with a variable focal point until all of the cancerous material has been heated and destroyed. To treat the whole of the affected prostate area typically takes up to 3 hours.

Immediately after the treatment, swelling of the prostate is expected. A temporary urinary catheter is put into place until the swelling recedes. This usually takes up to 14 days depending on the patient.

Follow Up

The patient is discharged the day of the treatment with no dietary restrictions. The catheter can be removed roughly 14 days later. Antibiotics are prescribed for 2 weeks and PSA levels will be monitored for 3 months following the treatment.

Some complications that may occur are,

• Mild bleeding in the first stream when urinating


• Frequent and possibly an urgent need to urinate


• Urinary leakage upon physical exertion

Cure Rates

Prostate cancer is a condition where cells within the prostate grow uncontrollably, often creating multiple small tumors within the gland. Early detection of the disease is critical because the cure rate is in excess of 90% when the cancer is confined to the prostate gland.

One treatment option using HIFU therapy is to spare the nerve entering the prostate when no cancerous cells have been detected in the nerve. If PSA levels after treatment remain high, the treatment can be repeated.

In a 5 year study at the University of Regensburg, Ablatherm HIFU resulted in over 93% of patients with T1 or T2, that is, prostate confined cancer, showing no return of cancer cells 22 months after treatment.

Side effects recorded during this study were minimal for the most part.

• Death 0%


• Digestive complications 0%


• Mild to moderate urinary incontinence 5%


• Total urinary incontinence < 1%


• Blockage of the urethra 8%


• Sexual impotence with nerve-sparing procedure 20%


• Sexual impotence without nerve-sparing procedure 66%

Another positive result from this study was that none of the patients reported a decline in their quality of life after completion of the treatment.

The overall findings of this study and usage of this procedure since the study show that HIFU prostate cancer treatment can provide a cure of the disease if it is caught in its early stages.

Repeat Treatments

Because HIFU prostate cancer therapy is non invasive, it can be repeated or used as a follow-up to external beam radiation therapy. Patients showing a recurrence of the disease after treatment remain eligible for a repeat procedure or for surgery, radiotherapy or hormone therapy where required. HIFU therapy has proven itself to be an effective first treatment for early stage prostate cancer patients. Research is continuing to assess its effectiveness against more advanced cancers. For North American men, the Ablatherm HIFU treatment is currently only available at the Maple Leaf HIFU clinic in downtown Toronto.

Cystic Ovaries Are Different Then Having An Ovarian Cyst

If you have been diagnosed with a cystic ovary, you may be concerned about how this condition will affect you in the long run. A cystic ovary is a bit different from the occurrence of simple functional cyst and not nearly as common. Many women, who have PCOS, or Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, have a history of the condition in their families.

Polycystic Ovary syndrome is a set of symptoms that include a cystic ovary where a cluster of undeveloped follicles form cysts. This can occur when a woman does not ovulate regularly. In many cases, there aren't any symptoms and some women don't even know they have the condition unless the ovary becomes enlarged to the point that pain is being experienced or they have problems getting pregnant. When the doctor begins to run tests to determine the reason for their infertility, a PCOS diagnosis may be the answer.

In addition to the symptom of a cystic ovary, women with PCOS also experience a hormone imbalance. Approximately 4% to 10% of women during their reproductive years are diagnosed with PCOS, which is actually a metabolic dysfunction.

Symptoms And Treatment Methods You Can Expect

Some of the symptoms include infertility, persistent acne, obesity and an inability to lose weight, irregular periods, excessive body hair, thinning hair and a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and breast or uterine cancer.

Traditional medical treatment for PCOS is usually determined based on the symptoms that present. Prescription hormone therapy is often recommended to help regulate and correct hormone levels. If diabetes is present, for example, it will be treated with insulin or diet.

It is important to understand that you can have a cystic ovary and not have Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. Studies have been done that have shown that many women with polycystic ovaries have no fertility problems whatsoever. Many women do not show any of the other signs of PCOS and see improvement when they make lifestyle changes that help balance their hormone levels.

Hormones Levels, Diet And Stress Can Lead To Cystic Ovaries

Hormone levels in women fluctuate throughout the monthly cycle and are very susceptible to outside influences. Stress can have a negative impact on hormone balance for example. Women who are experiencing high levels of stress may develop a cystic ovary as a result. Making an effort to eliminate stress and the negative impact it has on the body may help the cysts to dissolve.

Other factors, such as diet, have an enormous impact on hormone levels as well. Studies have revealed that women who are obese have a much higher likelihood of developing all types of ovarian cysts. It only makes sense that losing weight would be a first step to take if you find yourself with a cystic ovary.

Food choices are also an important factor. Foods high in sugar, white flour, preservatives, etc. all have a negative influence on hormone levels. Our bodies function much more efficiently when our diet consists of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and lean protein. Some research suggests that a diet high in meat and cheese is more likely to result in a cystic ovary.

Natural Treatment Methods Work Well In Getting Back To Better Health

A vitamin and mineral supplement is also often suggested in a natural treatment for a cystic ovary. It may help to boost the immune system and balance hormones. Herbalists suggest a variety of herbs as a treatment for the underlying hormonal imbalance and use them for their detoxifying properties.

If you have been diagnosed with a cystic ovary, be sure and follow your physician's recommendations. You may want to discuss a holistic approach. One type of treatment does not exclude the other and a natural remedy may be all you need.

Many women have asked the question, can bioidentical therapy help me look younger, feel better and live longer?

If you listen to Oprah and the actor, Suzanne Somers, the answer is a definite "yes."

In fact, in her book, Ageless, Suzanne said. "Bioidentical estrogen has numerous benefits. First and foremost, your menopausal symptoms go away. Your sex drive comes back and your memory and mood improve. Your fatigue dissipates, and your skin elasticity improves. You have a reduced risk of heart disease and bone loss. Your depression is relieved, and estrogen supports your immune function."

Does this mean that bioidentical therapy in the form of bioidentical estrogen will do the same thing for you?

The answer to this is a definite maybe.

Many women have switched to this natural form of estrogen and have seen these same results. However, at this point, there is no scientific study proving that all women who switch to bioidentical estrogen would see these same changes.

In other words, at this time, the answer to the question can bioidentical therapy help me look younger, feel better and live longer is anecdotal.

Why might bioidentical hormone replacement therapy be better than conventional therapy?

Conventional hormone replacement therapy relies on synthetic hormones. In fact, the popular synthetic hormone, Premarin, is actually made from the urine of a pregnant mare.

Why is bioidentical hormones more natural?

It's because a bioidentical hormone such as bioidentical estrogen is molecularly identical to your own hormones.

Almost all bioidentical estrogen begins life as a wild yam plant. It goes through four conversions in the laboratory before it emerges as all-natural estrogen.

You can buy bioidentical estrogen online but many women prefer to get a prescription from their healthcare provide and then take it to a compounding pharmacist. These pharmacists are licensed just like normal pharmacists but have also been trained in herbs and herbal supplements and how they can be compounded to fit a person's specific needs.

The final answer to the question, can bioidentical therapy help me look younger, feel better and live longer? is that it has for many women.

Short Bowel Syndrome or SBS is known by another name. Short Gut Syndrome or simply short gut is used interchangeably with SBS. It is a malabsorption disorder: a state arising from the abnormality in digestion or absorption of food nutrients across the GI (gastrointestinal) tract. SBS can be caused by internal or external factors.

Internally, some children are born with congenital short bowels which leave them with only 1/3 of the normal length of their small intestines. Necrotizing enterocolitis or NEC is also a medical condition that is primarily seen in premature infants, where portions of the bowel undergo tissue death or necrosis, which often results in SBS. In some rare cases, SBS is caused by the complete dysfunction of a large segment of the bowel; and this usually occurs only when the individual has reached puberty and thereafter.

Externally, especially with cases of cancer, SBS can be caused by the surgical removal of the small intestine. Some drastic methods to reduce food intake by incising parts of the bowel as a dieting tool are also causing SBS. Surgical practices for various diseases like Crohn's disease, injury or trauma to the small intestine, tumors of the small intestine, Volvulus, or any surgery to remove diseases or damaged portions of the small intestines often results to SBS as well.

Some of the generalized symptoms of SBS include: abdominal pain, fatigue, fluid retention, frequent diarrhea then steatorrhea (oily or foul smelling stool,) severe weight loss and malnutrition. Complications to this medical condition may also include deficiencies in vitamin and mineral intake resulting to anemia, easy bruising, painful muscle spasms, pain felt in the bones, poor blood clotting, and scaling of the skin.

Usually, SBS is treated by prescription medicines, directed at one or two specific symptoms. Anti-diarrheal medicines like codeine and loperamide are given for the diarrhea; lactase supplements to help lessen abdominal bloating and diarrhea associated with lactose intolerance, proton pump inhibitors to reduce stomach acid that may be causing the abdominal pains, and supplements for the vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

For more extreme cases, there is always the option of surgery that may (depending on each medical condition) include intestinal lengthening, intestinal tapering and even organ transplant. Individuals who suffer from the later stages of malnutrition are given parenteral nutrition (PN) or nutrition administered through intravenous line; and / or nutrition administered through gastronomy tube.

Currently, medical researchers are setting their sights on the possible benefits of treating some of the effects caused by Short Bowel Syndrome with human growth hormones. Human growth hormone treatments cannot alleviate all the painful symptoms of SBS. It is however, helpful in reducing some of the discomforts brought about by this medical condition.

Human growth hormones help in the regeneration of cells necessary for healing. It helps develop bone and muscle mass faster than usual. Severe weight loss often exhibited with individuals with SBS leads to muscle atrophy.

For many women, the prospect of facing menopause brings great fear and apprehension. It is a time in life where reproduction ends, and for some women, leaves them with no way of identifying what their future life's purpose will be. Many women recall with not so fond memories the experiences of their mothers and grandmothers as they faced menopause with few of the hormone replacement help methods, which are available to females today. We have all heard the horror stories of hormone imbalance: night sweats, mood swings, etc. and are certainly not looking forward to the time when we too will be facing these unpleasant hormone deficiency side effects that often go hand in hand with perimenopause and menopause.

However, countless women today are seeking new ways to cope with the unpleasant hormonal changes, which so often accompany the onset of menopause. In the past, women have relied upon synthetic hormone replacement treatments which have been rather hit or miss in terms of their effectiveness. With the release of the Women's Health Initiative study, proving some synthetic hormones to be more harmful than good, women feared hormone replacement therapy all together. What most women didn't realize was that the WHI study neglected to disclose that their researchers did not use bio-identical hormones but only synthetic hormones. Although initial confusion about HRT was created, women are now searching for alternatives to hormone replacement and discovering a new safer solution which is bio-identical hormone replacement therapy or BHRT.

Although BHRT is an age old remedy, countless doctors and their patients are just learning of this option. If you are wondering why doctors are just learning of BHRT, there is a simple answer. Bio-identical hormones aren't patentable because they are in their natural form, thus pharmaceutical companies don't do studies on them. However, BHRT is in the forefront of anti-aging treatment and for many doctors the newest method for helping cure much that ails the menopausal woman. Different from conventional methods of hormone replacement therapy, which seeks to have women ingest synthetic or chemically altered versions of naturally occurring hormones, BHRT offers a more natural fit for the body. BHRT offers women plant based hormones that have the exact chemical and molecular structure as hormones that are produced in the human body. Unlike synthetic hormones, BHRT isn't alien to our body thus BHRT is received well with virtually no side effects.

BHRT is allowing many women to address the multiple concerns and health issues which rapidly face women who are actively going through the stages of menopause. The doses of BHRT are designed for each individual patient and are not a one-size fits all recipe. With bio-identical hormone replacement therapy, there is the recognition that each woman is different, therefore, her hormone treatment must be individualized to meet her very specific needs. Physicians who are advancing the use of bio-idientical hormone replacement therapies for their patients will first work with a woman to discover if she is actively in the perimenopause / menopause stage. Not only will the doctor need a complete physical history, but he or she will also need a patient's most up-to-date medical information which will in turn aid her in determining the specifics of each individual woman's case. At this point physicians who use bio-identical hormone replacement therapy will take blood, and from the blood results, can determine in which hormonal areas the female patient may be struggling.

Bio-identical hormone replacement therapy then calls for each hormone supplement to be compounded and dispensed in a manner which will be most effective in treating the specific hormone levels of the female patient involved. This type of customization of medicine ensures that an individual's specific concerns are addressed and that the menopause symptoms, the ones that are most bothersome to the patient, will be actively treated and brought under control.

There are many who are vocally singing the praises of BHRT. Numerous followers in the healthcare profession, particularly those who deal with women's health and their concerns, are ecstatic over these remarkable developments in the treatment of menopause. Many are finding their patients happier and healthier than they have seen them in years; furthermore, they like that bio-identical hormone replacement therapy has virtually no known side effects unlike synthetic hormones. BHRT seems to reduce the risks of blood clots and strokes, which can be so prevalent with the use of traditional hormone replacement therapy, and there are fewer concerns over cancer rates. Actually, in well known medical journals, researchers have reported that the bio-identical hormones, estrogen and testosterone, are not only safe but also have a positive impact on some diseases like osteoporosis and prostate cancer.

While many healthcare providers are still citing the lack of FDA approval, BHRT seems to be making quite a mark in the world of women's healthcare. For too long, women have been subjected to the toils and troubles that menopause can bring. With the advent of bio-identical hormone replacement therapy, the many concerns of patients and doctors are disappearing, as the hormone treatment continues to produce positive results and prove itself effective with even more patients. Numerous women are now able to approach this new stage of their lives feeling healthy and happy, ready to conquer the many unique and rewarding challenges and dreams that will come in the remainder of their adult life.