Two days ago, I helped my twelve year old daughter pack for two weeks of overnight camp. We followed the suggested packing list that the camp provided, and when we got near the bottom of the list I realized there was one important thing that was not there that she needed—her medication and supplements. My […]
Symptoms of pain related to the bladder, urinary urgency and/or frequency affect up to 12 million Americans and can range from uncomfortable to extremely debilitating. These symptoms can affect both men and women, although they are more common in women. Although these symptoms can be difficult to treat because there is no particular treatment that […]
Endometriosis is a common disease, affecting up to 10% of women. It is characterized by the presence of tissue similar to the lining of the uterus (the endometrium) forming abnormal growths elsewhere in the body. Usually endometriosis growths/lesions are found in the pelvis, most commonly in the cul-de-sac (between the rectum and the back wall […]
Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS), also called Willis-Ekbom disease, is both a neurological and a sleep disorder that is common, but under-recognized. It is characterized by an irresistible urge to move the legs that is worse in the evening or at night. The sensation in the legs is often described as a creepy or crawly feeling […]
Almost a year ago, I had a surgery that was supposed to fix all of my health problems, not create a whole set of new ones. My endometriosis symptoms had become severe and debilitating—I was on medical leave from work, wasn’t much help to my family, and couldn’t go out with friends. I searched out […]
Heavy menstrual bleeding is a significant cause of poor health in women, and yet it is rarely discussed openly because of the widespread societal taboo against frank discussion about normal functions of women’s bodies. About 30 percent of women will experience heavy menstrual bleeding at some point in their reproductive lifetime. It can have a […]
Intracranial hypertension (IH) is a serious and potentially disabling neurological condition. This condition is also sometimes called by its older names, benign intracranial hypertension or pseudotumor cerebri. The link between progestin-containing birth control implants, such as Norplant, and IH, has been known for almost 20 years, but this issue started to receive more attention when […]
Menopause is defined as the time after a woman’s final menstrual period, and is confirmed after one year with no periods. For many women, this is a natural, gradual process, that begins with perimenopause: the four to eight years before the final period. The time through perimenopause, the final menstrual period, and a few years […]