Tuesday, July 20, 2010

DYSMENORRHEA


Abdominal pain, lower back pain, weakness and fatigue- these are all the things that I endure during my menstrual period.

So I’ve decided to consult an OBSTETRICIAN to know the underlying cause of my dysmenorrhea.


GOODLUCK WITH YOUR INTERNAL EXAMINATION

After the examination, the doctor told me that there are two types of dysmenorrhea- the primary and secondary dysmenorrhea.

PRIMARY DYSMENORRHEA is a severe cramp without an underlying illness, whereas SECONDARY DYSMENORRHEA is cramps caused by other medical problems such as endometriosis.

And since my OB can not determine what causes my painful menstruation, her diagnosis was primary dysmenorrhea.

She recommended that I have to take PILLS (oral contraceptives) to help me regulate my menstrual cycle, reduce premenstrual tension and help me relief from pain and excessive bleeding.

DOSAGE:

1 tablet daily, beginning on the first day of menstrual bleeding. Start the tablet corresponding to the day of the week. Take one tablet at about the same time everyday, preferably at the time of the evening meal. Take one tablet a day without interruption for 21 days, or as directed by a healthcare provider.

ADVERSE EFFECTS:

May experience side effects such as nausea, vomiting, chloasma (melasma) and other skin or hair changes, headache, water retention, slight weight change, breast tenderness, and changes in libido.


references:

http://familydoctor.co.uk/media/upload/image/hysterectomy/hysterectomy-9.jpg
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/795677-overview

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Total T4 (TT4)

There are two forms of thyroid hormones: the bound T4 (bound to Total Binding Globulin (TBG) and the free T4 (active form of thyroid hormone, present in small amounts). TT4 measures both the bound and free forms.

T3 Uptake

This measures the unbound thyroxine binding globulin (unsaturated with thyroid hormone). When TBG is increased, T3 uptake is decreased, and vice versa.

Free Thyroxine Index (FTI)

The FTI is obtained by multiplying the (Total T4) times (T3 Uptake) to obtain an index. The FTI is considered a more reliable indicator of thyroid status in the presence of abnormalities in plasma protein binding.


References:
http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/thyroid-hormone-tests
http://www.dundee.ac.uk/medther/tayendoweb/images/thyroid_function_tests.htm
http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/t3/test.html