The MDA invites you to join us for our next public webinar titled Health Reform and You: An Opportunity to Have Your Questions Answered by Health Reform Experts. Some parts of the Health Reform Bill went into effect on September 23rd and to keep you informed about this legislation, the MDA is providing a a webinar for you.
Health care reform experts will be available to answer questions during the presentation; however, we encourage you to submit questions in advance here regarding the new law via e-mail by Tuesday, September 28.
Date and Time: September 29, 3 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time; 12 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time
Event address for attendees: https://mdaevents1.webex.com/mdaevents1/onstage/g.php?d=660537940&t=a
Event password: MDAWebEx2010
Call-in toll number: 866-205-4243
Teleconference Access code: 9710596
Log on using the event address link provided above. Once you are logged on, phone in by calling 866-205-4243 and enter the Access Code 9710596.
Information provided by the MDA.
Effective doctor to patient communication is vital to providing the best care. However, not many doctors, or patients know exactly how to communicate with each other. Dr. Robert G. Schwartz in Greenville gives the following ideas to help a patient clearly explain their symptoms and medical history. Robert G. Schwartz, M.D. suggests not to assume a doctor knows if you have a hearing problem unless he is told. Another assumption is that physicians automatically know a patient’s vision is impaired. This is not always true. Robert G. Schwartz, M.D. stresses the importance of full disclosure.
Robert G. Schwartz, M.D.’s Holistic Approach
Dr. Robert Schwartz’ Greenville based practice, Piedmont Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, takes a holistic approach to patient care. Robert G. Schwartz, M.D. and his staff support a joint decision making model for medical treatment to get rid of pain, numbness and weakness. At Piedmont Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Robert G. Schwartz, M.D. provides a number of breakthrough methods for understanding and dealing with unresolved, complex pain, including innovative procedures such as diagnostic ultrasound for musculoskeletal problems, prolotherapy to actually re-grow ligaments, and Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) for stem cell like regenerative medicine.
A Man With Many Credentials
A member of several regional and national medical associations, Dr. Robert Schwartz Greenville, is a part of The American Academy of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, The South Carolina Society of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, The American Pain Society, The American Medical Association, The International Association for the Study of Pain, and The Greenville County Medical Association.
Free flu shots are offered through the MDA (Muscular Dystrophy Association) at Walgreens for people affected with a neuromuscular disease. The flu can cause serious and even life threatening complications to people with Muscular Dystrophy. The flu shot is often the best defense against influenza so again this year the MDA is providing the funds to obtain them at Walgreens.
Please check with your doctor before getting a flu shot if you have any type of neuromuscular disease and if you are on immune suppressant medications. Those particularly at risk have a diagnosis of myasthenia gravis, polymyositis or dermatomyositis. The intranasal form of flu protection is not recommended for anyone with Muscular Dystrophy.
If your insurance does not cover the flu vaccine, the MDA’s Flu Shot Program partnered with Walgreens is providing vouchers for free flu shots. The flu shot voucher is available online or by phone at 1-800-572-1717
The 2010-2011 influenza vaccine will protect against H1N1, as well as the common influenza B virus and an H3N2 virus. So one shot this year will cover you. Thank you to the MDA and to Walgreens for providing flu shots for people with neuromuscular diseases.
Lymphedema is swelling the most often occurs in your arms or legs. Usually it occurs in one arm or leg but both can be affected at the same time and occasionally in other parts of the body. When there’s a blockage in you lymph nodes, fluid build up and causes the swelling. The affected body part part must be taken care of to prevent infection.
These are the symptoms of lymphedema:
- Skin tightness
- Swelling of a part of your arm or leg, or the whole arm or leg
- Difficulty moving your arm or leg (loss of range of motion)
- Feeling of heaviness in your arm or leg
- Hardening of your skin
- Difficulty fitting your limbs into your clothing
There are a number of causes of lymphedema, but they are broken down into primary, which means that it has occurred on its own or secondary, which means that another medical condition has caused it. Primary Lymphedema is very rare, but happens mainly in women. The causes of Primary Lymphedema include Milroy’s Disease, Meige’s Disease and Late-Onset Lymphedema.
The causes of Secondary Linclude surgery (lymph nodes or vessels are cut or removed), Radiation Treatment for Cancer, Cancer (tumors blocking the lymphatic system) and Infection which invades the lymph system.
Treatment of lymphedema varies according to the type and progression of the condition. Your doctor may prescribe exercises, massage, lymphedema garments or pneumatic compression. There is no cure for lymphedema, but treatment can reduce the pain and lessen the swelling.
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The MDA Quest Newsletter is reaching out to adults with nonspecific diagnoses of muscular dystrophy or myopathy for a phone study held by New York University and funded by Genzyme Corp. If you are 18 years old and older and have an unconfirmed or unclassified diagnosis of LGMD, myotonic dystrophy, Emery-Dreifuss MD, oculopharyngeal MD, distal MD, facioscapulohumeral MD, polymyositis, hyperthyroid myopathy, hypothyroid myopathy, mitochondrial myopathy, or another unclassified myopathy please consider taking part in this study.
The basis of the study is to learn if adults with non-specific MD diagnosis may actually have late-onset Pompe disease, which has symptoms similar to the diagnosis listed above. Since late-onset Pompe disease can be treated with enzyme therapy, the earlier a diagnosis is made, the better. Genzyme Corp. has developed enzyme replacement therapies for Pompe disease.
You’ll begin with a phone interview and if accepted, (and with your consent) a blood sample will be requested. A kit will be sent to your home so you can have the blood drawn at a lab close to you. There is no need for travel to New York City. You’ll also be asked to fill out a questionnaire, and provide medical records all at no cost to you.
If interested, please contact Edward Nunziato, research assistant in the Division of Neurogenetics at New York University School of Medicine at edward.nunziato@nyumc.org (preferred) or (212)263-5912.
For more information about this study, please see the article from the MDA Quest online.
My mom is elderly and has some health problems, but has fallen a few times. I want to keep her safe in her own home, where she wants to live, but I’ve been concerned to say the least. Her health issues are mainly age-related, but she was diagnosed with breast cancer last year. She’s doing very well, thank goodness.
She had minor surgery, finished radiation therapy and is on a cancer medication for 5 years. This drug has a lot of side effects including hot flashes and fatigue. Of course, she must remain on it. She also has breathing problems due to Emphysema and Asthma. When she gets anxious or upset, she gets short of breath quickly. The next thing that happens is that she becomes dizzy. When she’s fallen before that has been the cause.
The most recent time, she was outside without her portable phone. I’ve told her so many times to keep that with her! She was calling for help for about an hour in the hot sun until her next door neighbor heard her. Thanks to her, she helped my mom get up, brought her into the house and called me. Although she wasn’t seriously hurt, she was very frightened. This incident caused her to keep her phone with her, but I took it upon myself to get in touch with a medical alarm button company to be sure she was safe all of the time. When her device arrived, she agreed to use it. I’m so thankful that she is complying so she can live alone and be safe at home.
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