Неврозы – Neuroses

You may have pins and needles and some pain or discomfort in your chest for a few days. Any numbness or tingling’ sensation under your arm may last several weeks or months. If you have had a mastectomy or auxiliary lymph glands removed, your shoulder will probably also be stiff. The exercises explained above will help you to regain the movement in your arm, and apart from doing these regularly, you should try to use your arm normally as much as possible. However, heavy housework and lifting should be avoided for about 6 weeks, and you should use your other arm to carry shopping etc.

Depression

You are likely to feel tired for at least a few days, and may find you become easily depressed. Many women experience a sense of elation immediately after their operation which then gives way to lethargy and exhaustion as the anxiety they have been feeling starts to be relieved. Mood swings are common, ranging from elation to depression and anger. This is a normal reaction which should settle down in time.

If you have problems sleeping, waking in the night and worrying so that you are exhausted during the day, your GP should be able to prescribe a light sedative which you can take for a few nights. Even three good nights’ sleep can help you to cope again, and stop the cycle of tiredness and anxiety.

If your appetite is poor, it will improve in time, and you should eat what you want when you want until it does so.

Although you should take things easy and rest when you need to for the first few days you are at home, it is important to try to get out and about as much as possible and to return to your normal life as soon as you feel able to do so.

Some women worry that they will be less attractive to their partners, or will be unable to find a partner, after a breast operation, but in the majority of cases these fears are unfounded.

Telling children about cancer

Young children can only understand very simple*’explanations about why their mothers have to go into hospital. By the age of 10, most children can grasp quite complicated details, and it is better to be honest rather than let their imaginations dream up something much worse than the reality. However, it is probably better to give them a little information at a time and gradually build up the whole picture, taking your cue from your children about how much they want to know. All children need reassurance, and a chance to express their own fears and to talk about things if they want to. Older children may find their anxieties difficult to cope with and to express or understand. They should be encouraged to talk about their fears, but not pushed into doing so before they are ready.

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A definite diagnosis of endometriosis is one made when a gynecologist has actually observed endometrial implants or cysts in your pelvic cavity during a laparoscopy (a minor surgical operation using a laparoscope) or, occasionally, a laparotomy (major abdominal surgery).

In general, a laparoscopy is the preferred method of diagnosing endometriosis because it is a simpler and shorter operation and the use of the laparoscope enables better detection of small implants as it magnifies them to several times their actual size.

Classical endometrial implants and cysts can usually be easily recognized and diagnosed by a gynecologist during a laparoscopy. However, atypical implants and microscopic endometriosis can be missed if the gynecologist relies only on a visual impression. An increasing number of gynecologists are using biopsies to diagnose endometriosis in doubtful cases. This involves removing a sample of tissue, known as a biopsy, from any area that the gynecologist thinks may be the site of an endometrial implant for examination and diagnosis under a microscope.

A definite diagnosis is extremely important as it enables an accurate assessment of the severity and extent of the disease to be made and provides a guide as to the likely effect of the condition on your fertility. This is essential information if you are to think about and make informed decisions regarding the management of your endometriosis.

The Commonwealth Department of Community Services and Health, which administers the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, will not subsidize the cost of some of the drugs used in the treatment of endometriosis unless a definite diagnosis has been made.

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Studies in East Africa in the 1930s found that diabetes was rare. Nowadays there are diabetic clinics in all town hospitals.

Diabetes is undoubtedly an ancient disease and Galen, who lived in the second century and was the greatest medical authority in the Roman Empire, certainly described it. What most people do not realize is that he only saw two cases! The condition was further described in the seventeenth century in Europe, but it was rare until the eighteenth century, when it became a common disease among the English aristocracy. Obesity and diabetes emerged together as societies became affluent and ate more fat, oil, sugar, meat, wine and beer, together with refined cereals. In 1971 one researcher reviewing diabetes in the tropics wrote that, ‘The incidence of diabetes is likely to increase with urbanization or as the complexity of civilization takes hold of any racial group.’

Diabetes is not one simple condition, but a family of conditions. There are, however, two common types. The first (now called Type I diabetes) most commonly first occurs in children but can affect people of any age. Such people need insulin by injection – usually for life. This is a very rare condition among the children of many tropical communities and is also rare in Japanese children. Type II diabetes is the adult-onset type that usually, but not always, occurs in the obese (usually women). In both types genetic and environmental factors are important.

The cause of diabetes is as yet unknown but it has recently been suggested that a high intake of foods rich in high-fibre starch is protective and might even be a good treatment for diabetes. Trials have now shown that slimming on a high-fibre diet can ‘cure’ many cases of adult-onset diabetes completely. Other studies have shown that eating a high-fibre diet can reduce the need for insulin in Type 1 diabetes, and in certain trials patients have been able to stop taking insulin completely when eating the correct diet rich in unrefined starches. Obviously this all has to be done under the watchful eye of a doctor who is expert in diabetes-it is not a do-it-yourself treatment for diabetics.

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Shereen Tate discovered that eating a salad before she hit the party circuit put the brakes on her holiday overeating—and her inevitable 5- to 10-pound weight gain at holiday time.

Normally, the 32-year-old Niskayuna, New York, resident maintained good eating and exercise habits. She limited junk food, made sure she ate lots of fruits and vegetables, and worked out regularly. Even when’ her last pregnancy left her with 20 pounds of «baby fat,» she was able to take off the weight within a year, thanks to her healthy lifestyle.

Still, Shereen couldn’t seem to get through the holidays without picking up a few unwanted pounds. Every year was the same: At holiday soirees, in the presence of savory appetizers, tempting high-fat desserts, and sparkling champagne, Shereen would feel her willpower wane. By the time the New Year arrived, Shereen found herself toting around some of weight she had once worked so hard to lose.

Shereen was able to take off the extra pounds, but she hated having to do it year after year. As yet another holiday season approached, she knew she had to find a way to stop herself from overindulging. Then it hit her: Since she was most likely to eat too much when her stomach was empty, she’d make sure that her stomach was full before she started celebrating.

Shereen got into the habit of eating a pre-party plate of ro-maine lettuce or green leaf lettuce topped with carrots, cucumbers, and a splash of balsamic vinegar. She would leave her home with her tummy politely full. Once at the party, instead of lingering by the buffet table, she’d mingle with other guests. She’d sample a treat or two, but she didn’t feel the urge to overindulge, as she had before.

Shereen’s strategy worked like a charm. She survived that holiday season and seasons afterward without gaining a pound. Now that’s a cause for celebration!

WINNING ACTION

Start social celebrations with a private mini-meal. Before heading to a party, help yourself to a snack to take the edge off your hunger. I like to grab a V8 before party time. It’s easy, it’s quick, and I pick it up at a convenience store on the way. Other good choices include a piece of fruit, yogurt, or even a small plate of pasta.

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