- Weight Loss, Women's HealthGeneral Page Tier 3BlogSeason three of the popular television drama This is Us recently premiered on NBC. During the first episode, one of the main characters, Kate, is diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. Commonly referred to as PCOS, this hormonal condition affects nearly 1 in 10 women of childbearing age. Timing of the health discovery is particularly important since Kate and her husband are trying to get pregnant. The show has also documented the character’s struggle with her weight since puberty as fans look on with empathy. Kate’s diagnosis now helps to explain her infertility struggles and obesity, as it does for many Americans. What is Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)? The exact cause of PCOS is not clear, but it is a set of symptoms caused by a problem with a woman’s hormones. It mainly affects the small organs that store a woman’s eggs, her ovaries. It can also affect the rest of the body. “Symptoms include irregular menstrual cycles, abnormal hair growth, acne and weight gain,” says Dr. Chason. “An evaluation may find higher levels of androgen hormones, glucose intolerance, and enlarged ovaries with a high number of small follicles (cysts). It can be difficult to diagnose because PCOS has a wide range of symptoms. Even professional societies debate the most accurate standards for diagnosis.” Understanding PCOS and fertility The hormonal imbalance contributes to the high levels of androgens, one type being testosterone. Higher than normal androgen levels can prevent ovulation. Ovulation happens when a mature egg is released from an ovary. This happens so it can be fertilized by a male sperm. “Most women with PCOS are not ovulating regularly or at all,” Dr. Chason says. An increase in testosterone causes eggs in the ovaries to never fully mature. The immature eggs then cause irregular ovulation, making it difficult to get pregnant. In most women, eggs that do not mature break down. In those with PCOS, the eggs stay trapped in the ovaries and begin to pile up. In addition, many women with PCOS have insulin resistance. The disorder can increase the risk of miscarriage as well as the risk of diabetes before or during pregnancy. The connection between excess weight and infertility Women with PCOS often have difficulties with metabolism. Though gaining weight does not happen to everyone, it is a common symptom. Excess weight interferes with ovulation. It’s also a risk factor for infertility and miscarriage apart from PCOS. This is because obesity changes the release of a key hormone called LH (luteinizing hormone) and also increases testosterone levels. Both contribute to hormone imbalance and immature eggs within the ovary. Dr. Doyle sees many women with PCOS come through her door. “Many of our female patients in the AAMC Metabolic and Weight Loss Surgery program suffer from PCOS as they begin their journey,” she says. “Almost 60 percent of women who suffer are obese. Similarly, half of sufferers have metabolic syndrome, a condition that increases the possibility of other health risks like diabetes and high blood pressure.” PCOS treatment and the odds of getting pregnant Lifestyle changes are the first line of therapy since exercise and weight loss can alter endocrine changes. This can’t cure PCOS, but it helps reduce symptoms and prevent some health problems. Often, losing weight decreases testosterone levels and regulates menstrual cycles. It also decreases a woman’s risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. A full set of treatment for PCOS depends on many things: age, how bad it is, general wellbeing, etc. Dr. Chason says that for women with PCOS who are not trying to get pregnant, birth control pills can normalize periods and decrease abnormal hair growth. The pill regulates testosterone. For women who would like to be pregnant, oral medications are available to induce ovulation. There is also in vitro fertilization (IVF), as Kate tries on the show. “Even with fertility treatment, a healthy weight is key to having a healthy pregnancy and delivery,” says Dr. Chason. “If a woman has irregular periods, a couple should find a specialist right away for an evaluation rather than keep trying on their own. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and seeking expert help can make a world of difference.” READ MORE: 7 tips for successful weight loss Weight loss surgery Another option to help PCOS sufferers become pregnant is weight loss surgery. “I’ve had many patients who had weight loss surgery,” Dr. Chason says. “All of them saw an improvement in their overall health, often stopping their blood pressure or diabetes medications. In addition, their periods became more regular. Some of them then got pregnant on their own. Others still needed help, but they responded more quickly and easily to fertility treatment.” Dr. Doyle says her team has helped hundreds of patients find a path to a healthier life. The nutrition planning and weight loss surgery relieves many of the symptoms related to PCOS. In fact, the rate of PCOS in weight loss surgery patients falls nearly 60 percent before surgery and another 7 percent after surgery. This success stems from patients both losing weight and maintaining their weight loss. “Almost 90 percent of PCOS patients resume normal menstrual cycles after surgery. Nearly 60 percent also report improvement in other PCOS symptoms, like less abnormal hair growth and better control of hormones.” Authors Have you recently been diagnosed with PCOS or are struggling to get pregnant? Find help today. Dr. Courtney Doyle has offices in Annapolis and Easton. To learn more and meet Dr. Doyle, register to attend a free weight loss surgery seminar as the first step. Call her office at 443-481-6699 or visit our website to sign up online. You can visit Dr. Rebecca Chason at the Shady Grove Fertility Center in Annapolis. To schedule a consultation, call 410-224-5500 today.0
- Women's Health, Uncategorized, Heart CareGeneral Page Tier 3BlogOn March 14, 2016, Kelly Huber suddenly felt strange. She had spent the day doing yard work when her symptoms hit: sore, tired arms and tight shoulders. “It wasn’t a normal hurt. It felt like I’d been hit by a truck,” says Kelly, who was just three days away from her 51st birthday. “My arms were exhausted. I could barely move them.” At first, Kelly tried to ignore the symptoms. She went inside and got her 8-year-old twin boys ready for bed. But she couldn’t get rid of the heavy feeling in her arms and shoulders, and began to feel extremely hot. She didn’t understand what was happening and became confused and concerned. Kelly’s husband insisted they go to AAMC’s emergency room near her home in Grasonville, Md. There, tests showed the last thing Kelly expected at her age: She was having a heart attack. Women and Heart Disease Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women in the U.S. Heart disease causes 1 in 3 women’s deaths every year. Source: The American Heart Association Heart Attack in the Making Kelly was no stranger to AAMC. When her twins were born three months early, she was by the boys’ side for seven long weeks in AAMC’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Teddy’s Place. Now it was her turn to be the patient. “The artery to the front of Kelly’s heart had a major blockage, which was causing her symptoms,” says Elizabeth Reineck, MD, interventional cardiologist with AAMC. Dr. Reineck reopened Kelly’s artery with a stent. To Kelly, the heart attack felt like it came out of nowhere. But in reality, it was years in the making. “If you looked at her 10-year risk of heart problems one month before she had her heart attack, it would have been very high,” says Kelley Sullivan, MD, Kelly’s post-operative cardiologist with AAMC. Kelly had high cholesterol and a family history of heart problems. Her father had triple bypass surgery before age 50, and her mother was diagnosed with severe heart disease. On top of that, in the span of seven years, Kelly gave birth to her boys prematurely, which left one of them blind; lost her mother; and became separated from her husband. “It was a lot to handle,” she says. A New Lease on Life Kelly’s heart attack was the icing on a bitter cake. “I was scared to death. I prayed, ‘I have little boys. Please let me make it so I can be here for them,’” she says. Her prayers were answered when she left the hospital three days later on her birthday. That was just the beginning of Kelly’s recovery story. Post-operative care would be a partnership between Kelly and her doctors. “Even if we can open up the blocked artery, you have to take medications for the rest of your life and follow up with a cardiologist regularly,” says Dr. Reineck. “As doctors, we can only do so much. To be successful moving forward, patients need to make positive lifestyle changes, too.” Kelly was determined to do whatever it took to succeed. For her, that meant taking prescribed medications, improving her diet and exercising more often. Because she was terrified of another heart attack, exercising was especially hard. “You worry,” she says. “Every little ping and pain feels like it’s your heart.” Fortunately, three months of cardiac rehab at AAMC helped her recover physically and emotionally. “Kelly came to us scared and nervous. She was afraid for her kids,” says cardiac nurse Shannon Adkins. Her therapy with Kelly included nutritional counseling and supervised exercise, such as walking on a treadmill while connected to a heart monitor. “Our goal was to make her feel better about doing things so that when she went back into the real world, she would feel more confident.” Kelly’s twins were by her side at most of her appointments. They supported her a few steps away from where she’d first supported them at their birth. “My boys are my little advocates. They are my biggest motivation for getting healthy,” Kelly says. “I’ve changed everything so I can be here to watch them grow up.” Find out how you can help bring cardiac surgery to AAMC. Contributors Elizabeth Reineck, MD, is an interventional cardiologist with AAMC. Kelley Sullivan, MD, is a cardiologist with AAMC.0
- News & Press ReleasesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogAnne Arundel Medical Center’s (AAMC) Chief Information Officer Dave Lehr is among Modern Healthcare’s 2019 class of Top 25 Emerging Leaders (formerly Up and Comers). Modern Healthcare, the leader in healthcare business news, research and data, annually honors emerging leaders, all age 40 or under, who have made significant contributions in the areas of innovation, financial, operational and clinical excellence early in their careers. “We are very excited to announce this year’s Top 25 Emerging Leaders who are not letting moss grow under their feet. This next generation of healthcare leaders knows that the challenges facing every sector of the industry demand action now. Modern Healthcare’s Top 25 Emerging Leaders bring an entrepreneurial spirit to problem solving,” shared Aurora Aguilar, editor of Modern Healthcare. “We received hundreds of nominations for this year’s class of Emerging Leaders. The final 25 chosen by the editorial staff represent the positive force of change that’s coming to the industry. We applaud them for these executive’s efforts to improve patient care and create efficient and quality-driven teams.” Lehr joined AAMC in 2015 as executive director of analytics and was named chief information officer in 2017. He has responsibility for overall strategy and deployment of electronic information and technology services. READ MORE: Anne Arundel Medical Center named 2019 CHIME Healthcare’s Most Wired recipient He has led in the creation of a new Analytics Department for the organization, overseen the creation of new organizational data science capabilities and the development of an inter-facility architecture to share care alerts across organizations in Maryland. The care alert framework pioneered at AAMC has gone on to become part of the Maryland Health Services and Cost Review Commission’s CEO Checklist for all Maryland hospitals. As stated by Modern Healthcare, Lehr has also been a key figure locally and nationally in the battle against opioids. He co-chairs the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives’ Opioid Task Force, which aims to spread best practices for using technology to stem the crisis. At AAMC, he was a key leader in forming an opioid stewardship committee that helped cut opioid prescribing by 68 percent. This year’s honorees are profiled in the Oct. 14 issue of Modern Healthcare and online at www.modernhealthcare.com/awards/top-25-emerging-leaders-2019.0
- Giving, News & Press Releases, Women's HealthGeneral Page Tier 3BlogIn 1981, Tom Frank moved his family to Anne Arundel County and purchased Shady Oaks Marina in West River, dedicating the next three decades of his life to building the busiest boat dealership in the county. Now retired and living in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, Tom and his wife Nancy wanted to give back, but where and how were the real questions. “It was easier to earn the money than it was to figure out who to give my earnings to—who would use my gift to really make an impact,” says Tom. “There are a number of great institutions to choose from. We felt members of this community helped us build our business here, and our family has received great care at Anne Arundel Medical Center, so we decided we wanted to give back here.” Ultimately, the Frank family presented AAMC’s birth center with a $3 million donation that includes a cash donation and a future estate gift. “Anne Arundel Medical Center’s birth center has meaning to us. Our dear friends had children who received excellent treatment in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit–Teddy’s Place. We are delighted to be able to help AAMC continue to help children in the community. A child with a health problem is the most painful thing to my heart,” says Tom. Their generous donation will help fund services and technologies, such as an expanded neonatal nurse navigator program, a new inpatient maternal-fetal testing site for high-risk obstetrical patients, and other advancements designed to enhance the patient’s and family’s experience. As a result of the Franks’ generosity, the second and third floors of the Clatanoff Pavilion have been renamed The Thomas J. Frank Family Birth Center. “We are extremely grateful for the Frank family gift. As the second-busiest birthing center in Maryland and one that takes care of a large number of high-risk pregnancies, expanding care and services to include the latest in technology and diagnostic testing is essential,” says Henry Sobel, MD, AAMC’s chair of women’s and children’s services. Call the AAMC Foundation at 443-481-4747 or visit the Foundation website to learn how you can help.0
- Women's HealthGeneral Page Tier 3BlogWe sometimes assume that heavy periods, pelvic pain, or other troublesome symptoms are just part of being a woman. But in some cases, these symptoms can point to uterine fibroids. And many women who find out they have them, wish they’d known more, sooner. That’s why we’re sharing answers to some frequently asked questions about fibroids. What Is A Fibroid? Fibroids are benign muscular tumors that grow in and around the uterus. They can be tiny in size, barely visible to the human eye, or can grow to be the size of a grapefruit or larger. What Causes Fibroids? Medical researchers aren’t sure what causes fibroids to grow. But we do know they: Develop from an abnormal cell in muscle tissue May grow or shrink throughout your life May run in your family Seem to be connected to hormones and the menstrual cycle Are more common in African-American women Are Fibroids Dangerous? Fibroids are very common. And while they aren’t cancerous, they can significantly disrupt your day-to-day life, possibly requiring medication or surgery. They can also affect fertility and pregnancy. How Do Fibroids Impact Pregnancy? Depending on size and location, they can interfere with pregnancy by disrupting implantation and increasing risk for miscarriage. What Are the Symptoms? Since most fibroids don’t cause any symptoms, some women don’t realize they have them until a doctor sees signs during a routine pelvic exam. Other women, however, can experience intense symptoms, including: Abdominal or lower back pain Fullness or pressure in the lower stomach area Heavy or painful periods and bleeding between periods Pain during sex Pregnancy and labor complications Urinating more often or having trouble urinating How Are They Diagnosed? Fibroids can be diagnosed during a routine pelvic exam. They can also be diagnosed through imaging tests such as: Pelvic ultrasound (most common) Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) Hysteroscopy Saline sonogram Can Fibroids Go Away On Their Own? They can shrink on their own, which often happens after menopause. In fact, if you’re getting close to menopause and have fibroids, your doctor may recommend not treating them. Your doctor also might not recommend treatment if your fibroids are small or aren’t causing any symptoms. But your care team will continue to check during routine exams to make sure they haven’t grown. When Should I Call A Doctor About My Symptoms? If you’re experiencing enough pain or blood loss during your period that you can’t take part in your daily activities, talk to your provider. It’s always a good idea to check in when you have a concern about your body, and that includes when you have any of the symptoms we’ve mentioned. Your doctor may recommend special tests to check for fibroids. How Do I know If I Need Surgery? Treatment options depend on your symptoms, the size and location of your fibroids, and factors in your life such as if you’re thinking of becoming pregnant or nearing menopause. Many new technologies mean there are more treatment options than ever before, including non-surgical or minimally invasive treatments. Many of these options are also uterine-sparing, meaning that they do not require surgical removal of the uterus. Options include: Acessa, or laparoscopic radiofrequency ablation (lap-RFA), a minimally invasive procedure that uses targeted heat to shrink fibroids. Myomectomy, which is surgical removal of fibroids while leaving the uterus in place. Uterine fibroid embolization, which is a procedure to shrink the fibroid by blocking off its blood supply. Medications: Certain medications are also available to help manage fibroid symptoms in some patients. While fibroids don’t “grow back” once removed, new ones can still develop after surgery. So, some women choose to have a hysterectomy, surgery to remove the uterus, as a permanent solution. Here When You Need Us We know that any new diagnosis can feel overwhelming. But it’s important to remember you aren’t alone. Help is always just one conversation away, and there are many ways we can help ease the symptoms fibroids can cause. Authors Dr. Jonelle Samuel, Dr. Jessica Ton, and Dr. Rupen Baxi specialize in gynecologic surgery at Luminis Health.0
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