I’m Down with the Flu - Some Tips for You

It got me - again. I wrote this post the last time it got me - back in 2009. Not a bad run for someone who has her head down sick people’s throats all day this time of year. But, contrary to popular belief, even we medical people get sick sometimes and I am down - SO down - with the flu again.

I followed all my own advice (which I posted here before flu season). But as a Nurse Practitioner, 6 to 8 of the patients I see every day are sick this time of year. Catching the flu is just an occupational hazard in my line of work.

Read this for tips on how to take care of yourself if you get sick, too. It will tell you when you need to see a health professional and give you some tips on how to keep yourself out of the hospital.

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Adult Immunizations for 2012 - Questions & Answers

It’s flu shot time and when the subject of flu (and pneumonia vaccines) come up every year it always leads my patients ask me questions about what other vaccines they might need. In this post I will answer those questions. What vaccinations and tests are currently recommended for adults by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)? Read on.

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Flu and Pneumonia Shots 2012 – Questions & Answers

It’s getting to be that time of year. Time to think about getting your flu shot and (for some) updating your pneumonia vaccination. I always get a lot of questions from patients this time of year. Do I need a flu shot? (The answer is “yes”.) When should I get it? Do I need a pneumonia shot? How often?

In this post I’ve answered those questions according to the CDC’s (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) current 2012 recommendations.

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Democrats and Republicans Should All Be Mavericks about Health

Four years ago, before the last presidential election, I wrote this post. I think it’s worth revisiting again. The media branded the last Republican presidential candidate a “maverick” and it made the word suddenly popular and in vogue. But the politics obscured its meaning - as politics so often do. Being a maverick means a lot more than simply not always voting with one’s own political party.

Being a maverick means you make up your own mind about everything, you don’t “run with the herd”, you determine your plan of action and you then have the guts to follow through on your plan. Maverick Health was founded on these principles. Here are some thoughts on why – whether you are a Democrat or a Republican – you should absolutely be a maverick about your health.

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Do You Take Omega 3 Fish Oils? Are You Taking Enough?

The American Heart Association recommends that patients with elevated triglycerides take 2 to 4 grams (that’s 2000 to 4000 mgs) of omega 3 fish oils a day. In my practice, I recommend 4 grams per day for almost everyone – particularly those people with abnormal cholesterol profiles, Metabolic Syndrome, diabetes, and/or cardiovascular disease.

That’s the dose I take myself - for prevention - even though my cholesterol profile is normal. But when I ask my patients how much they take, most of the time they say “one a day” – and that is not enough. Read here why more omega 3s are better than not enough.

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The Vytorin Controversy: What’s a Patient to Do?

Note; This post was originally published on May 15, 2008 and updated updated on January 16, 2009. Click here to read the update. This has remained one of the most frequently read posts on this blog.

When all the controversy about Vytorin hit the popular press in January 2008, patients immediately began calling my office for more information. They are asking a lot of good questions. They want to know whether they should stay on the drug or stop it; whether it is doing them any good – or more importantly, whether it is doing them any harm. I’m going to try to explain what the controversy is all about and give you some information that will help you figure out what to do.

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The Vytorin Controversy One Year Later - An Update

On January 8, 2009, the FDA issued the following safety review of Vytorin and concluded: “patients should not stop taking Vytorin or other cholesterol lowering medications and should talk to their [health provider] if they have any questions about these medications.”

Dear patient, you have been drawn into a medical slugfest that is being fought among leading cardiologists, so what are you to do? Read my prior post to get some background on the Vytorin controversy and then read this post to see where we are one year later.

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Why NPs Need Full Practice and Prescriptive Authority

The following is an article I wrote for NP World News in June of 2009. The topic becomes more and more relevant with every passing day so I have dusted it off and brought it forward for everyone to reread and reconsider.

The Affordable Care Act has been upheld by the Supreme Court but organized medicine and lawmakers continue to hold NPs down. Not a shred of evidence has ever been brought forward to show that NP care is not safe, sound and well liked by millions of American patients. So why have these archaic restrictions not been lifted? Why aren’t health care consumers allowed to decide for themselves? Hmmmm?

Click “Read Full Post” to learn more.

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Osteoporosis Risk: Keeping Bones Dense

Are you confused about osteopenia and osteoporosis - what are they and what’s the difference? Do you wonder whether you are at risk for a fracture? Do you want to know what steps you can take to prevent it? And whether you need medication?

Note: This post was updated with new information on November, 21 2008. After reading this, click here, for more information about medicaions and how long you should take them.

This is a picture of osteoporetic bone. See how thin and fragile it is? This bone would fracture easily if enough force were exerted, from a fall for example. But there are steps you can take to prevent this so read on.

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About Bisphosphonates - When to Stop Them

Medical treatments are continually studied and recommendations to medical professionals are regularly revised. In this post I will update you on the latest recommendations related to the drugs used to treat osteoporosis and osteopenia (pre-osteoporosis). Click here if you would like to review an my post about the risk factors, detection and prevention of these conditions.

If you take Fosamax, Atelvia, Actonel, Boniva or Reclast (or if your health professional has recommended you take one of them) read this post to learn how get the most benefit from them.

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