Wednesday, August 31, 2016

THE TEST FOUND WHAT?! And that, too, and that, and that?


Since I took RETHINKING AGING... out of the library, headlines on overtreatment have been catching my eye.

Twitter led me to this one.
WSJ
When a Medical Test Leads to Another, and Another

 Yes, it opens up the argument- should patients be told of unexpected things that pop up during X-rays and other tests - things that may be nothings?  Things that may not be dangerous?

The two researcher authors feel we're over the line and giving too much information.

A sidebar gives us some info and a few percentages of what is turning up unexpectedly lately.  Lumbar spine MRI's for instance.  I already knew that my lumbar spine MRI showed a bunch of arthritis that I'm still dealing with.  Or dealing with more often.  Interestingly - it was a 2nd-opinion pain expert who told me about the arthritis.  The spine surgeon never mentioned it.

Also, you might be surprised by the many extra findings during diagnostic tests for colon cancer.

A lot of mention is given to unexpected kidney findings, and how urgent they could become if left for later.

This patient was reading fast, looking for the part where they would mention "immune system.."  Since Prolia arrived in my life, my immune system is on my mind.  Didn't find a mention of it.

Nothing has been solved here, but I am always glad when anyone pokes a stick into over-treatment and keeps it in the spotlight.

I wish you health.

Saturday, August 13, 2016

Twitter tonight --article on IORT (surgery including radiation) in San Diego area, CA

An MRI visual of a breast with breast cancer opens this article on interoperative radiation treatment.

Can't tell if the short article suggests this may be a newer form of IORT.  I wish I had all my other IORT text and refs at my fingertips, but tonight I don't.  I supposedly can't ever have a second lumpectomy because I already had too much radiation with The Boost. Whether that would include my other breast, I don't know.

So this may be info you already have.  But the text is clear and easy to read.

Copy or type this in your browser line and have a look.


https://timesofsandiego.com/tech/2016/08/12/tri-city-medical-center-offers-new-treatment-for-breast-cancer/

I wish you health.

Tuesday, August 2, 2016

CAR T Coffee break

On Twitter today, Sloan Kettering offers info on CAR T therapy - may be new addition to earlier NYT article.

Monday, August 1, 2016

My New CC Dental Boot Camp - Do I have this straight? Can I keep at it?

Just saw a tweet from woman who lost a tooth from chemo.  She reminded me that I recently broke another tooth mysteriously (my only "chemo" - Tamoxifen,  but I also take the "jaw scary" Prolia for osteoporosis.)

Being a cheese addict, I love the part of the Cleveland Clinic regimen that tells me to end a meal with cheese.  The part I ignore is how much cheese.   My cheese addiction results make it a bit scary to get on the scales.

Don't have a pal at Cleveland Clinic to ask questions like:  After breakfast, Do I rinse before the cheese, since there is acid in the daily blueberries in my plain oatmeal?  Or do I just pop the cheese in first before the blueberries do me in?  Or do my teeth in?

Dental Floss should come packaged with a CD of favorite songs.  I still have GERD, so I try for four small meals instead of 3 big ones.  And I still remember the L.A. periodontist's instructions to floss after every meal.  So, floss.  Floss.  And floss.  That, of course, does not happen after my Saturday multi--grain bagel at Starbucks. Yet.

ONE bright light - I secretly think the tea they insist on makes my gums feel better.  Wishful thinking?

The secret seems to learn and do as much as we can of these preventives.  I haven't ever lost a tooth that shows (the dentist did fix the edge of that front one.)  I want to keep the rest of these teeth. Having a big gap in the front would mess up my mind more than I can tell you, and convince me I'm e______.

I wish you health.