The hysterectomy and oophorectomy industry continues to flourish. There are over 600,000 hysterectomies every year. The oophorectomy rate is about 70% of the hysterectomy rate, some performed at the time of hysterectomy and others as separate surgeries. About 90% of these surgeries are for benign conditions (elective). These are merely estimates based on samples of […]
Every time I read about an environmental endocrine disrupting chemical, a medication or even sometimes actual endocrine research, I am amazed, dumbfounded by the lack of up-to-date information about how hormones and receptors work. Indeed, much of the research still operates on what is called the ‘classical’ view of hormone-receptor activity. And while, those functions […]
When I had a stroke at age 28, my doctors did some tests and found that I have a fairly common clotting disorder called Factor V Leiden. They told me that this, combined with birth control pills, are what caused me to have the cerebral venous thrombosis (stroke). It didn’t occur to me then to […]
Whether a hysterectomy will affect sexual function is a common concern amongst women considering the surgery, as well it should be. Sex is a vital part of life and the loss of sexual function can be devastating. Whether and how hysterectomy affects sexual function is not very clear, however, and depends upon a number of […]
“The doctor wouldn’t have given it to me if he thought it was dangerous, right?”My wife asked this salient question as we discussed the pros and cons of The Pill. It sent us both into deep reflection. Everything we read said The Pill was dangerous, but the doctor had acted like they should come in a Pez […]
Once upon a time, a 26-year-old woman went to her doctor and asked to be put on the new birth control pill that allowed women to only have four periods a year. She had seen it advertised on television. Four months later, 15 pounds heavier and suffering from mild depression, she returned to the doctor […]
The benefits of vitamin D3 garner a plethora of glowing press these days but little information has been reported about how this essential nutrient may be associated with thyroid disorders. An alarming number of Americans—over 25 million—suffer from thyroid disease. Women are four times more likely than men to develop a thyroid disorder. The thyroid, […]
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder which causes the body’s immune system to attack the joints, resulting in pain and swelling. About 1.3 million people in the United States have rheumatoid arthritis, and of these, nearly 75 percent are women. “In fact, 1–3 percent of women may get rheumatoid arthritis in their lifetime. The disease most […]