darkhawk14, I’ve pulled all the info together into one thread. You’ll find everything you mentioned over the last two years right there.
So, what's the issue now? If surgery was involved... well, nobody can read your mind!
I can give you the same answers regarding complications or unsuccessful procedures as I did before.
Every case is unique. No two patients are the same, even if they show identical symptoms.
Just ask your question. I've been searching for answers for 35 years.
The thread includes diagrams of the disc and some graphic images that make things pretty easy to visualize. Was the procedure a laminotomy or a laminectomy?
A laminotomy is much less invasive since the lamina isn't removed.
Jamie Clark74 said:Cervical cancer? Is that something new?
You probably meant cervical cancer.
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The cervical cancer vaccine. It’s a big topic. Cervical cancer.Cervical cancer. Cervical cancer.(Cervical cancer)....this example shows a mix of English and American.
I've noticed several times that you tend to read or speak English by translating words directly from the original language.
I should have been clearer that I was referring specifically to women. That was my mistake. I ought to have put in the extra effort to use the correct terminology, which is cervical cancer, just as you noted. Dealing with cancer is heavy enough on its own, but being 38 and living here in the States adds another layer of difficulty. It’s also a bit disorienting when doctors mix medical terminology in English before switching back to a different language mid-sentence. It makes everything feel even more complicated.
As you probably already know, the cervical spine refers to the area of the neck.
Thanks for the heads-up. I actually thought someone would reply in English, and I was trying to drop a link to a photo, but I missed my window... the time difference caught me off guard.
P.S. Honestly, spelling varies depending on who’s doing the writing or reading... "Cervical Cancer - The Facts." It’s not the most thrilling title, but the main thing is that you now know help is on the way. Links: Cervical cancer.
I’m not a believer in alternative medicine. Over the last 35 years, I’ve wasted a ton of money on nothing—trying everything from various specialists and naturopaths to chiropractors and acupuncture.
If you don't have a neurological issue, the body usually heals itself within four to six weeks. If there is an actual injury, a chiropractor might actually make things worse.
Nowadays, there seem to be way too many "specialists" claiming they can cure anything just by using vitamins.
I’ve tried all of that over the years. It doesn't work. It’s easy to take credit for a recovery when someone has a minor injury that was going to heal on its own anyway; then, people just give all the credit to vitamins or some alternative method.
Why is it that a hundred years ago, people lived shorter lives and died from things like the plague or even a common cold? Where was the alternative medicine back then?
velvetmason35 said:I'm looking into lower back pain syndromes and physical therapy specifically for knee injuries.
If anyone has a solid link—something a bit more clinical or professional—I'd appreciate it. Or if you have files on your computer about this, please send them my way...
It's pretty urgent...!!!
Starting a new thread here: Lower back pain, disc protrusion, and herniated discs. I'll try to dig up my other posts and any links I've found before.
Boston made vaccine for cervical cancer is being described as The Medical breakthrough of The decade with doctors hoping to administer the first injection to girls as young as 10 next year.
Cervical cancer kills a quarter of a million Women globally every year , hundreds are American. The vaccine to prevent the disease has been trialled with amazing success with the potential to prevent 70 per cent of cervical cancers.
It prevents the onset of the human papilloma virus which is present in almost all cases of cervical cancer.
Researchers said the injection will be most effective by giving it to girls between 10 and 12 before they become sexually active.
At least two pharmaceutical companies are producing the vaccine, which will be available in the USA within Months and America next year.
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An injection against cervical cancer was created in Boston, USA. It's being called a major success this decade, and doctors hope to start using it on 10-year-old girls as early as next year.
Every year, about 250,000 women die from cervical cancer worldwide, and hundreds of those are American. The shot has shown incredible results in trials, potentially preventing about 70% of cases.
The injection protects against the papilloma virus, which is found in nearly every case of cervical cancer.
Researchers believe the best results will come from vaccinating girls between ages 10 and 12, before they become sexually active.
At least two pharmaceutical companies are working on these new shots, which should hit the USA in the coming months and America next year.
P.S.; Based on the news, the person who developed this injection will definitely be a candidate for the Nobel Prize.
April 25, 2003. Obesity can be defined as an excessive accumulation of body fat, occurring either through an increase in the number of fat cells or an increase in their size.
The first type, known as hypertrophic obesity, typically develops during early life stages. The second type, hyperplastic obesity, is more common in adulthood and usually stems from high caloric intake combined with physical inactivity.
The issue isn't just about the number on the scale; it’s about the various health complications that follow, such as diabetes and hypertension. A new study provides perhaps the strongest evidence yet that obesity significantly raises the risk of dying from cancer.
Cancer mortality isn't limited to the well-known links between high BMI and cancers like breast or colorectal cancer.
This research identifies several cancers previously not strongly associated with obesity, including stomach and prostate cancer in men, as well as multiple myeloma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and cancers of the cervix, ovaries, liver, and pancreas.
Most people aren't aware that obesity increases cancer risks, so this study might help raise much-needed awareness regarding these dangers.
In this massive study following 900,000 individuals over a 16-year period, researchers identified over 57,000 cancer cases. Notably, none of the participants had cancer when the study began 16 years ago.
Researchers found that obesity or increased body weight was linked to 14% of cancer deaths in men and 20% in women.
For nearly all types of cancer studied, the risk of death rose alongside BMI. In the study, the heaviest men faced a 52% higher risk of dying from cancer, while the heaviest women saw a 62% increased risk compared to those with a normal weight.
Experts note that obesity has emerged as the second most frequent cause of cancer in Western civilization, trailing only smoking. It’s a compelling reason to reconsider our lifestyles and dietary habits.
That said, doctors aren't particularly optimistic about how easily or quickly the general public will change their eating and lifestyle behaviors.
Current statistics show that rather than being resolved, the obesity epidemic is actually intensifying globally. Alongside depression, obesity has become one of the most prevalent health issues worldwide.
By: Strahimir Sučić, MD References: The New England Journal of Medicine, April 24, 2003.
For middle-aged men, belly fat—specifically abdominal obesity rather than just general weight gain—stands as its own independent risk factor for coronary heart disease, according to recent study findings.
Dr. Hanna-Maaria Lakka and her team at the University of Kuopio, Finland, tracked 1,346 men between the ages of 42 and 60 over an average period of 10.6 years. This long-term study focused on identifying various risk factors for heart disease, and notably, none of the participants had pre-existing heart conditions when the research began.
During the follow-up period, 123 acute coronary events occurred. Subsequent analysis revealed that waist-to-hip ratio, waist circumference, and BMI were all directly linked to the risk of these acute coronary incidents.
The researchers noted that standard metrics—like blood pressure, diabetes, fasting insulin levels, serum lipids, plasma fibrinogen, and uric acid—only partially explained why waist-to-hip ratio, waist circumference, and BMI correlate so strongly with coronary heart disease.
Even after adjusting for all those other variables, a powerful connection remained between coronary heart disease and the waist-to-hip ratio. In fact, the study showed that a waist-to-hip ratio greater than 0.91 nearly triples the risk of developing coronary heart disease.
Based on these results, physicians are concluding that abdominal thickness is an independent risk factor for coronary disease, often proving more significant than overall obesity alone.
Interestingly, the negative impact of abdominal fat was even more pronounced in smokers and men with low physical activity levels. This suggests that lifestyle changes really need to tackle all these risk factors simultaneously to be effective. Reference: EUR Heart j 2002;23:687-689,706-713.
While nearly one-sixth of the global population struggles with hunger, another massive segment faces the health challenges of obesity. In this article, Dr. Donatella Verbanac explains how obesity often serves as the gateway to various metabolic diseases.
Genetics can play a major role in obesity.
Obesity protein What actually causes excessive weight gain? It turns out, for some, it’s purely biological. Back in 1995, researchers at Rockefeller University in New York City conducted an extensive study proving that certain individuals have a defect in their cellular genetic structure. Here is the breakdown.
Most people experience a sense of fullness that signals when to stop eating. This feeling is triggered in the brain by a specific protein—often called "Ob protein," "obesity protein," or leptin. This protein is synthesized in fat cells and travels to the brain, where it binds to a specific receptor to signal satiety. However, due to a "genetic code" glitch, some individuals cannot instruct their bodies to produce this protein correctly. As a result, they simply don't feel full. In these cases, obesity is often passed down from parents to children.
The myth of miracle cures While we wait for medical breakthroughs—like drugs designed to mimic this protein and effectively "switch off" hunger—our best bet is adjusting our habits. This means managing portion sizes and swapping certain foods for ones that help burn fat more efficiently and keep us feeling satisfied longer. To be clear, there is no such thing as a "magic food" that melts fat away. You should never trust aggressive marketing claims promising "miracle products" that claim you can lose, say, 20 pounds in just two weeks while maintaining your usual diet.
That said, certain foods can certainly help kickstart your metabolism or provide a quicker sense of fullness. Incorporating these into your diet can be helpful if you're looking to shed a few pounds or simply want to "clean up" your system. Some foods help boost calorie burning, while others contain compounds that help you feel satiated faster.
How does fat breakdown work? Some people naturally have faster metabolisms, burning through fuel much more quickly. For those with a slower metabolism, choosing foods that stimulate metabolic processes can be a game-changer. These foods don't just speed up biochemical cycles; they act directly on adipose tissue, helping the body utilize and eliminate fat more effectively.
The process begins in the small intestine. After food passes through the stomach and is treated by gastric acid, bile helps break down fat droplets into tiny particles. This emulsification allows the enzyme lipase, produced by the pancreas, to work more effectively. Lipase breaks down triglycerides into components the body can use; its efficiency depends heavily on how well the bile has broken those large fat globules into manageable droplets.
If the liver isn't functioning optimally—perhaps due to a genetic issue or acquired condition affecting the liver-bile system—bile synthesis or secretion may fail, leaving fats unable to be properly emulsified. For efficient fat metabolism, maintaining hormonal balance and a healthy liver is essential. The liver is a powerhouse; it converts proteins and carbohydrates into fat, but it can also turn fat directly into energy. To keep your liver in peak condition, it's wise to include foods in your diet that offer hepatoprotective benefits, helping to protect and detoxify the organ.
If you integrate these foods into a balanced meal plan, they can definitely help speed up the elimination of stored fat. The main players are: - carrots (fresh or juiced); - chicory, dandelion, and radicchio (these contain flavonoids—bitter compounds that jumpstart your body's natural detoxification systems); - asparagus (both wild and cultivated varieties help support kidney function and flush out excess fluid); - strawberries—great for cleansing the liver and kidneys, plus they're good for skin regeneration (though they can occasionally trigger rashes in sensitive individuals); - eggplant—helps stimulate bile production; - plums—people used to think you had to eat them fresh to get any real benefit. However, recent studies have shown that dried plums are packed with high-value nutrients, and early research even suggests they might play a protective role against digestive tract cell issues; - spices and herbs—think red pepper, mustard, and rosemary; - tea and coffee—thanks to the caffeine and tannins, these help break down energy reserves and promote lipolysis (fat breakdown); - grapefruit—much like apples, it contains pectin, which helps you feel full faster;
Because of its fiber content, grapefruit can actually help reduce cholesterol and triglyceride absorption in the small intestine. It’s also high in potassium, making it a natural diuretic. If you struggle with water retention or edema, it's a solid choice. Plus, it's excellent for liver health by helping clear out the bile ducts.
James Newman4 said:I think "obese" might be the wrong term here; "individuals with excessive weight" would be more accurate... 😢
The mortality statistics don't lie—about half of all deaths are caused by cardiovascular disease (and that isn't something you catch like a cold). 😢
The primary culprit is Nicotine and smoking, which wreaks havoc on your arteries, not just your lungs. An average smoker with 20 to 30 years under their belt typically sees about 40-60% blockage. High blood pressure is also a direct consequence of smoking. is a byproduct of smoking.
That's not to say weight isn't a major factor... even in the US, our biggest issues remain alcohol, smoking, and poor diet. You see skinny people dealing with high blood pressure and cholesterol too—just look at Atherom, those fatty deposits in the arteries. It’s usually a combination of a bad diet and smoking.
By the time we start worrying about obesity, it’s often too late in the US... morning comes far too quickly.
I've been through several surgeries, including my most recent one where I had a two-level Laminectomy to deal with stenosis. About two weeks before the procedure, I had my pre-op appointments with the anesthesiologist and my primary physician. They were very clear about fasting—no food or water after midnight. I even made sure to note the instruction about not chewing gum on my checklist.
On the day of the surgery, things were running behind schedule. I was just sitting there in the waiting room at 10:00 AM when the anesthesiologist came out to check if I’d fasted properly. I told her I’d taken a few of my regular pills (I take about 25 to 30 daily). Then a nurse came by to ask if I’d chewed any gum. I said no, but she told me I’d be going in first because another patient had chewed gum, and they wouldn't operate on him for another 3 or 4 hours because of it. It’s crazy how much trouble a single piece of gum can cause. Generally speaking, I never deal with post-op nausea, but I can never seem to get the post-operative pain under control. I’m usually the first one up and moving during recovery, but even the pain management clinic can't help me much. For spinal surgeries, the first two days aren't too bad, but by the third and fourth day, the pain hits a 10/10, regardless of the injections. Then again, I’ve been using various narcotics for 30 years and lived on codeine for 25 years just to stay functional at work.
You really have to take anesthesia seriously. Smokers are at risk, people struggling with alcohol are at risk, and weight is a major factor too.
May 16, 2005 Paying for Asbestos By Arlen Specter Washington
For more than twenty years, Congress has struggled to find a solution to the complex asbestos crisis. Now, as we prepare to pass legislation designed to help Americans hurt by asbestos without flooding the courts or creating unnecessary economic strain, Dick Armey—a Republican and the former House majority leader—has spearheaded a massive, deceptive ad campaign intended to kill the bill.
Last month, Senator Patrick J. Leahy, the ranking Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, and I introduced this bill with wide bipartisan backing. It proposes using a $140 billion trust fund to provide compensation to asbestos victims through a no-fault program, much like workers' compensation. Instead of fighting expensive legal battles to prove liability under current tort laws, workers exposed to asbestos would receive payments based on the severity of their injuries. This approach cuts out the staggering costs of litigation. Also, unlike our current system where people might seek compensation for potential future ailments, these damages can only be claimed once actual harm is proven. These terms come after forty intense negotiation sessions held over the past two years involving manufacturers, the AFL, insurance companies, and trial attorneys.
However, in radio spots currently airing in 15 states, Mr. Armey claims this bill would impose $140 billion in new taxes to build a federal trust fund. He’s being dishonest. The manufacturers responsible for asbestos injuries, along with their insurers, have actually offered to fund this $140 billion trust themselves to limit their future liability. The bill makes it perfectly clear: the federal government won't contribute a single cent to the fund.
Mr. Armey is also insisting that billions in tax dollars would be funneled to trial lawyers. In reality, the bill limits lawyer fees to just 5 percent, a far cry from the 33 percent contingent fees seen today.
What Mr. Armey failed to mention to his audience is that, according to the Washington newspaper Roll Call, the lobbying firm he represents has taken in nearly $1 million from Equitas, a British insurer working hard to block this legislation. Rather than acting as an impartial voice for the public, Mr. Armey is simply acting as a paid lobbyist peddling misinformation.
Right now, thousands of victims battling fatal diseases are left without help because the companies potentially liable for their injuries are insolvent. I am fully prepared to sit down with reasonable critics to iron out any lingering details. Every month, more companies file for bankruptcy, joining the over 70 that are already in the court system. These bankruptcies have hit the economy hard and cost thousands of jobs. If we can finalize this bill, we can achieve a "triple-win" for the victims, the companies facing insolvency, and the broader American economy.
Arlen Specter, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, is a Republican senator from Pennsylvania.
I’ve shared quite a bit regarding unknown. Whether you're overweight or thin, it's an issue—though it’s certainly more common among those carrying extra weight. That said, at 6'0" and 205 lbs, I wouldn't call my own weight a massive problem.
Sprays and nasal strips won't help if you're dealing with unknown... and surgeries often fail too. I know this firsthand because I undergo regular checkups for unknown and other lung issues related to asbestos exposure. I sleep with a machine in my room every night. Some people buy these incredibly expensive machines only to find they can't stand them; they aren't comfortable, and no mask feels perfect—they all leave marks on your nose, forehead, and under your eyes.
Plus, the air from the mask can blow right into your eyes, causing irritation. It's really only for the patient types who aren't bothered by every little discomfort. I know people who bought the equipment and just let it sit there. They even tried surgeries that didn't work.
My doctors told me plainly: if I don't wear the mask, I'm looking at a heart attack or a stroke. I haven't missed a single night. Even though I'm 63 and dealing with significant health issues, I still want to prevent what I can. If I could offer one tip, it would be this: sew a tennis ball into the middle of the back of your pajamas. It makes it impossible to sleep on your back without feeling uncomfortable.
Most people living with unknown have no idea how bad it is. Personally, my breathing stops between 350 and 500 times a night.
Before I started using the machine, I used to wake up gasping, sitting bolt upright in bed. I couldn't catch my breath and felt completely stiff. Since starting the machine, that hasn't happened once.
Keep in mind, not every case requires a machine; sometimes it's just snoring, not unknown.
One thing that causes relaxation and triggers snoring is sleeping pills—like those used for anxiety—as well as a few beers or alcohol.
Out of the 25 pills I take, about five actually make my unknown worse, but I can't function without them, so I stick faithfully to my machine.
Nasal sprays are for congestion, not snoring. I see people selling all sorts of things here to clear airways or dental mouthguards, but honestly, it's mostly a waste of money.
The worst part is for your partner. They have to listen to all the noise, and if they're a light sleeper, it's brutal.
Try the tennis ball trick... lose some weight... and as I mentioned, avoid alcohol or sedatives unless absolutely necessary.
trebor said:Jamie Clark74, come on, please tell me what you meant by putting NBC in the title? I nearly choked laughing when I saw CBS mentioned alongside menopause, hysterectomies, and osteoporosis...😁 😁 😉
In this context, NBC means: She went straight to Hormone Replacement Therapy; back then, we could get an implant every six months... she also immediately started taking Coltrate, 1,200mg daily, along with a calcium supplement.😉
Before anyone starts jumping to conclusions—here we go again, someone pretending to be a woman!!! Please, just read the whole thing first.😂
I believe it’s vital for men, especially today, to understand what their wives are going through. From menstrual issues and menopause... oh boy... all the way to hysterectomies and everything involving Replacement Therapy. A man should stay informed so he can actually be there for his wife.
I’m writing this because my 67-year-old wife just had a DEX scan for Osteoporosis.
To go back a bit, since the early 1970s, I’ve been right there with her at gynecologist appointments because she’s always dealt with health struggles. In 1974, we had another son... I went ahead and had a vasectomy so she wouldn't have to deal with more hormone pills. Then in 1982, she had a hysterectomy. It really took a toll on her physically; recovery was a long road. I stayed by her side through it all, even taking time off work when she came home from the hospital.
She started Replacement Therapy immediately. Back then, we could afford the implants every six months... she also started a regular prescription of Coltrate, 1.200mg daily, along with calcium supplements. As she aged, she struggled with vaginal issues—even before the hysterectomy—dealing with itching and unbearable pain. She saw about ten different specialists. Eventually, I spoke with a pharmacist who suggested something called Daaf (before Diflucan was as common as it is now), which helped a little.
Over the years, she just learned to live with the discomfort. I couldn't get a doctor to address it properly until I wondered if it might be "dermatitis"... yet none of those specialists ever considered that.
It hasn't been cured, and it likely never will be. She has to mix four different creams four times a day, poor woman... and she has to be careful because one of them is a steroid. A specialist once mentioned she shouldn't over-clean after using the bathroom because it wipes out all the good bacteria. Fortunately, taking acidophilus yogurt helps with the bacterial balance, but it’s never a permanent fix.
We can't afford the natural versions of Replacement Therapy, but I truly believe there's nothing wrong with the patches—it feels like people just fear them like they do any recent pill. We've spoken with several specialists who confirmed the risks are very low for specific women.
I also read online that Vitamin D is better when taken with calcium, so she’s been doing that for four years now. Both of us suffer from severe spinal degeneration; I've actually had two surgeries myself.
After talking with my chiropractor, we found out the clinic had been testing Glucosamine & Chondroitin and found it helpful, provided you take at least 1,500 mg a day. You need to give it at least three months to see results. Our bodies produce these things naturally, but the supplement helps most people.
We'll see... this is our last attempt with a natural product, as we've been pretty disappointed with others in the past.
And finally, back to the Osteoporosis... my wife is about 5'7" or 5'8"—depending on how you measure the spine, haha. In 2000, she was 63 and weighed 128 lbs, and her results were fantastic. Today, she's 67, the same height, but weighs 136 lbs. She was told today that her bone density looks like she's a young girl again... maybe those extra few pounds are helping, though she isn't thrilled about it. She'd give anything to be 24 again!
I hope someone finds this helpful.
Wishing you the best in 2005... yours, Jamie Clark74.
Matthew Morris28 said:Yeah, I'm curious about this twitching during sleep. It’s when the person next to you is sleeping, but they jerk every few minutes while still staying asleep. Is that a disorder? What's actually happening there?
As for me, I wake up every couple of hours. Sometimes I can't drift off, other times I just snap awake in the middle of the night. I dream about real-life situations quite often—scenes that feel indistinguishable from reality where I'm actively thinking and making decisions. It isn't just some random "movie" playing in my head; I'm genuinely living through it. Honestly, work and a lot of other stuff in my daily life have been weighing on me lately.
I need to dig into this more. I think I've already posted about it three times, if not more, on the Health forums!