It's a Revolution in Women's Health
by Catherine Morgan

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Last night I was invited (along with
Rachel Walden from Women's Health News, Pam from Well Soul, Christine Cupaiuolo of Our Bodies, Our Blog, and Denise from BlogHer and Flamingo House Happinings), to participate in a Revolution Health sponsored telephone conference with Dr. Sherry Marts of the Society for Women's Health Research. Wow, try saying that ten times fast.

You can listen to this one hour informative conference or read a transcript at Revolution Health.

For decades, there has been compelling evidence that biological sex differences are responsible for tremendous differences in the incidence, presentation, diagnosis and treatment of disease. This goes far beyond reproductive health, the areas of most obvious difference between the sexes. It affects cancer, heart disease, mental health, obesity – just about every major area of health. -- read full post from Well Soul

This was a great opportunity for each of us to address questions about women's health issues important to our readers.

I personally asked about how bloggers can convey information to their readers, such as on hormone therapy, when what is “right” seems to change constantly, and about priorities for research and how level or decreased funding at the National Institutes of Health will affect those priorities across the board. -- read full post by Rachel at Women's Health News

Some of the topics discussed with Dr. Sherry Marts were; medications prescribed to women that have not necessarily been tested on women, the confusion over hormone therapy, the connection between a woman's menstrual cycle and chronic pain, government funding for women's health, the HPV vaccine, and HIV medications for women. A lot of ground was covered under the direction of Cynthia Samuels, who did such a great job organizing this event for Revolution Health.

My first question was about women being prescribed medications that may not (probably not) have been tested ON women before they were approved. It wasn’t until like 1993 that the FDA mandated drugs be tested ON women. So those drugs you’re taking… well… you figure it out. read Denise's full post

These are the questions I was interested in getting more insight on from Dr. Marts...

My first question addressed the confusion over hormone therapy to treat symptoms of pre-menopause. There is always so much contradicting research and news on this Estrogen/Progesterone issue.

My second question was about the HPV vaccine and controversy. I was happy to hear that Dr. Sherry Marts shared some of my concerns, specifically the need to get the word out about the importance of continued PAP testing.

As soon as it is made available to me I will post a link to both the audio and the written transcript of last nights interview with Dr. Sherry Marts.

The conference was done in conjunction with the Revolution Health Online Health Fair. Revolution Health will be making a donation to each of the participating nonprofit groups participating in the fair. However, the donations will be based on the number of visitors to each group’s “online booth”. You can help these participating groups increase their donations simply by going to Revolution Health and clicking on the “booth”. At each booth you will also find a lot of important health information on topics ranging from Asthma and Autism to Kidney and Celiac Disease, just to name a few. So, go to the Health Fair to learn more about these non-profit health organizations, because just by being there you will be helping them raise money for their cause.

If you would like to listen to the one hour conference, click here.

This is what Madeleine Perry of EchoDitto posted on the Online Health Fair...

On June 18 RevolutionHealth.com, a free online health and medical website that combines expert content and online tools with the power of social networking, launched its first online health fair.

This is an amazing project: Revolution Health has partnered with ten national non-profit organizations, each of which has an online “booth” at the health fair. For each visitor to a booth, Revolution Health will make a donation to that partner for a total of up to $10,000.

Since the launch of the health fair, and EchoDitto’s recent work with Revolution Health, my interest in the online health community has grown. -- read full post

I just want to finish up here with a reminder to go to the Revolution Health Fair and support the non-profit organizations by clicking on their "booth"...It's a win win, because you will also get a lot of important information that you may not have been aware of.

Contributing Editor Catherine Morgan
also at Women 4 Hope and CatherineBlogs.com

Submitted by Catherine Morgan (view blog) on Tue, 06/26/2007 - 13:17

Comments

 

Good review Catherine

It was an interesting hour and I appreciated the opportunity to talk to Dr Marks and hear the questions that were on other women's minds.

(I also blogged it at Fast Times in relation to talking to teen daughters about taking control of their health.)

~Denise
Fast Times @ Homeschool High & Flamingo House Happenings

Submitted by Denise on Tue, 06/26/2007 - 12:09
 

Thanks Denise

Thanks Denise. I agree, it was great to have the opportunity to be part of the conference.

I thought the post you did on your blog Flamingo House Happenings was great.

Contributing Editor Catherine Morgan
also at Women 4 Hope and CatherineBlogs.com

Submitted by Catherine Morgan on Tue, 06/26/2007 - 12:34
 

Women are hysterical

I think that some doctors have been indoctrinated in the idea that women are too emotional and suffer from hysteria often. I had a bad experience that supports my line of thinking twenty years ago, but I'm sure some doctors still misdiagnose women because they don't believe them. I was misdiagnosed at a hospital in Charlottesville, Va., when I was in my twenties. I went in with symptoms of hand tremor, hair falling out, eyes bulging, and rapid weight loss. Several times I took the tests a young doctor prescribed. He couldn't figure it out so he decided to terrify me, suggesting that I have a psychosis and the only thing that would help me would be to see a psychiatrist.

I called my mother up, frustrated. She told me not to worry, but come home at her expense. She said, "I know what's wrong with you and if you go to Oscher Hospital, they'll diagnose your properly."

I flew down and went to Oshner in New Orleans. When the doctor came into examine me, he said after greeting me, "I don't even have to a test. Look up Graves' Disease in any first year medical student's book, and there's your picture." Graves' Disease runs in my family. He was convinced that was my problem but tested me anyway.

The amount of iodine in my blood had reached toxic levels, he said. He also said that if I hadn't come in, I would've been dead in about two months.

Those are just my thoughts on problems with women and our health care system, Catherine. As always I find your posts educational.

"Love is liquid. Brew and be drunkards!" ~~Nordette. And here's a link to the blog.

Submitted by Nordette on Wed, 06/27/2007 - 11:50
 

Do men EVER get told their symptoms are due
to anxiety?

Hi Nordette -- I agree with you 100%.

I think that some doctors have been indoctrinated in the idea that women are too emotional and suffer from hysteria often. I had a bad experience that supports my line of thinking twenty years ago, but I'm sure some doctors still misdiagnose women because they don't believe them.

I can personally attest to the fact that this bias behavior by doctors still exists. And I hear this all the time on my Living with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome blog.

The even more aggravating thing about this is...I have never heard of a man being told their symptoms are due to anxiety, before ruling out all other possible causes. The opposite is true when it comes to women. I wish I could say I see signs of this bias treatment changing, but I honestly don't even see 'baby-steps' being taken in that direction.

Thanks for your comment Nordette, and for sharing your personal experience.

Contributing Editor Catherine Morgan
also at Women 4 Hope and CatherineBlogs.com

Submitted by Catherine Morgan on Wed, 06/27/2007 - 12:20