Posts Tagged ‘Understanding’

Understanding the Relationship Between Hyperthyroidism and Weight Gain

May 26th, 2011

The ailment known as hypothyroidism is something that more women than men experience and this is due to a hyper active thyroid gland. The reasons why a woman may suffer from hyperthyroidism may vary and some of these reasons often have certain symptoms that women find hard to cope with. Some women who have hyperthyroidism experience weight loss when they find that they have this ailment. But what is the relationship between weight gain and this problem? Is it true that some women do not lose weight with this problem but instead gain weight from it?

Weight Problems Due to Hyperthyroidism

While there are some women who claim that they gained weight due to hyperthyroidism, the more common occurrence in women who have this problem is weight loss. There are a few women who do claim that they gained considerable weight after they have been diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. Some women who suffer from this predicament actually suffer from hyperthyroidism due to what is called Graves’ Disease. While most women lose weight when they have this ailment, a few exhibit hypothyroidism symptoms like weight gain when they are diagnosed with this problem. It is not uncommon though and most of the women who do suffer from the weight gain that is brought about by a hyperactive thyroid gland are usually women who recently gave birth.

Weight Gain after Treatment

While there are some women who do gain weight when they first found out that they have hyperthyroidism and have yet to be treated for it, there are those who gain weight after or while they are being treated. Some women experience weight gain after they start treatment for Graves’ Disease or for hyperthyroidism and it is said that this is due to the effect the medication has on their metabolism. This can be attributed to the opposite ailment of hyperthyroidism called hypothyroidism. When a woman has hypothyroidism due to the settling action of the medication on her overactive thyroid glands, there is a tendency that the extreme happens and instead of simply returning thyroid activity to normal, thyroid activity becomes sluggish and underactive. This then has an effect on your metabolism and makes you gain weight and makes it harder to lose that extra weight.

Solutions for Weight Gain with Hyperthyroidism and Hypothyroidism

When you find yourself with weight problems during your battle with your thyroid gland’s irregular behavior, you may need to consult with your doctor about these problems before embarking on a specific diet plan. One thing that you should not do to lose weight is to drastically reduce your calorie intake without medical advice since this will only deprive your body of nutrients that you will need to battle this problem.

Some people who suffered from this weight gain had their adrenals checked to see if the problem lay there and received treatment and lost weight after doing so. Others followed a thyroid weight loss diet that their doctors and other medical experts suggested that they take and have been slowly losing the weight this way. Others also got themselves a second opinion about their hyperthyroidism and were surprised to find that they had hypothyroidism, which was why they were gaining weight.

Gynecological Exam: Before, During, and After Understanding the Examination

February 6th, 2011

Gynecological examination can be a routine checkup for women or an evaluation of a specific problem to get a diagnostic picture of an illness. Routine examinations are usually done annually on women who are in their childbearing years to foresee the possibility of having cervical cancer and other related ailments.

Going to an obstetrician or gynecologist is not only for pregnant women. Generally, women can go for gynecological exam as early as eighteen years old or as the need arises. A pelvic examination and a Pap smear is the typical tests once you make an appointment with a gynecologist, but it can also include the following:

1) Urine cultures
 
2) Wet mount
 
3) Mammogram

First Gynecological Exam

When girls are planning to have sex or have started having sex or even those who are not sexually active yet, they can start going for gynecological examination. Even when below eighteen, girls can also seek gynecological care if there are abnormal symptoms or discharges in the vaginal area. If going for an appointment for the first time, here are some important factors to take note:

Schedule the appointment during the middle part of the menstrual cycle to make sure that the uterus has not shed cells yet.
 
There should be no sexual intercourse or douching two days prior to the visit and nothing should be put to the vagina such as tampons or fingers to avoid abnormal result of Pap smear.
 
If there is a need for someone to be with you during the examination, make sure that you have properly informed the doctor so as not to violate existing  policies.
 
Write down questions you may want to ask and symptoms you may have been experieincing.

Before the Examination

Before the doctor starts the examination, you may be required to submit a urine sample to check for pregnancy or urinary tract infections. Having an empty bladder during the examination can avoid any feelings of discomfort along the process. The doctor may then start taking the medical history, which would include the family’s history of cancer, operations, hospitalizations, and past and current medications.

During the Examination

A thorough physical examination is the first thing that the doctor would do, including checking the breasts for any abnormality. Then you would be asked to lie down with both legs placed in thestirrups and knees opened. This is now the time for the examination of the vulva and the pelvic floor muscles. There are two more examinations that may be done:

a) Speculum Examination to collect cervical cells for the Pap smear.
 
b) Bimanual Examination to feel the size of the uterus, check the cervix for pain, the size of the ovaries, and look for abnormalities.

After the Examination

The doctor will now discuss the result of the examination including the tests that have immediate results. If there are infections or any serious conditions diagnosed, a prescribed treatment is then recommended and you may be asked to come back for examination.