Medical Reviews

A variety of medication that blocks testosterone in a patient's body from converting into dihydrotestosterone, Propecia is used in the treatment of male pattern hair loss, which is a common condition that causes male patients to have a reduction in the amount of hair, regularly most visible on the forehead or scalp. A majority of patients develop a receding hairline and/or balding at the top of the head. Propecia tablets are coated prior to being packaged as a preventative measure to reduce the likelyness of accidentally coming into contact with the active ingredient in Propecia while handling Propecia tablets, although the coating will not have any effect if the tablets are broken or crushed. Propecia needs to be taken as directed in order for the medication to produce the greatest results. It is necessary for Propecia to be used for three months or longer before any significant improvements start to appear, and Propeica only works when used over a long period of time.

Proscar is regularly used for preventing testosterone from changing to DHT, an abbreviation for dihydrotestosterone. DHT is the main cause of the appearance of BPH(benign prostatic hyperplasia). Proscar is utilized for the treatment of BPH symptoms in male patients who have an enlarged prostate, although it could also be used for other purposes. Proscar is to be taken exactly as explained by your family doctor. Do not use Proscar in a larger dosage or for a longer period of time than needed. Due to both Propecia and Proscar medications able to be taken on an as needed basis, large numbers of people in North America use up a huge amount of both medications in short periods of time, contributing to Propecia and Proscar being in high demand, leading many people to buy Propecia online as well as buy Proscar online. For people who buy Propecia online lower pricing is a main attraction.

Levitra is a phosphodiesterase inhibitor, that is used to help relax muscles and increase blood flow to parts of the body. Levitra is mostly used to treat impotence, although it may also be used for other uses. Levitra can not be used along with any kind of nitrate drug to treat chest pain or heart problems. Levitra is a medication that is only needed to be taken once a day, and a minimum of 24 hours need to pass between doses. People over the age of 65 who take Levitra should use smaller doses. Levitra can be taken with or without water, as well as with or without food. Since Levitra is taken on an as needed basis, it is not needed to be on any kind of dosage schedule.

Propecia prevents testosterone from changing into dihydrotestosterone. Propecia is used for treating male pattern hair loss. Male pattern hair loss is a well-known condition which causes men experience thinning and/or a loss of hair on the scalp and often also results in a receding hairline and/or balding. Propecia is used for other purposes. To prevent any contact with the main ingredient in Propecia, all tablets are coated, and are safe to hold, provided that the tablets are handled properly and not broken or crushed. Propecia is to be taken in the exact dose and period of time as described to you by your doctor. To get the best results out of Propecia, it has to be taken regularly. Propecia may need to be used daily for approximately three months or longer before benefits start to appear. Both Propecia and Levitra are available at lower rates when you buy Propecia online and buy Levitra online. For many people who buy Propecia online, getting the best prices on Propecia is important.

Lindsey, 17 and unmarried, came out of the clinic just a little shaky after her abortion. “It really wasn't as bad as I expected,” she tells her friend who was waiting for her. Several days later, however, Lindsey began to have crying spells. She couldn't understand why. After all, she should be happy that she would not be saddled with an unwanted child at such a young age, right?

Joan, a 35-year old married woman, let her husband persuade her to terminate her recent pregnancy, stating that having a child at their age was not a wise choice. Afterward, not at all sure she had made the right decision, Joan resented her husband for weeks.

Since the abortion law reformations some 40 years ago, women have been seeking legal abortions across the nation. In the beginning, New York City was the only legal place to obtain an abortion, with more than half of its clients coming from out of state. Today, abortion clinics are located in nearly every state. The women mentioned above are just two of the thousands of high-school girls, young women with jobs, and married women of all ages who are experiencing unexpected emotional reactions before and after their pregnancies are ended by abortion.

If it is performed early, abortion may be comparatively painless, swift, and routine, but it is also likely to give rise to complex emotional responses that can be painful, prolonged, and decidedly not routine. Women often aren't willing to discuss their abortion experience once it is over. Some say that they want to forget the whole thing as quickly as possible. Many never return to the hospital for their post-abortion counseling appointments, or, for that matter, for their four-week medical check-up. These factors make it very difficult at present to gather and collate information on how women adjust after their crisis is over. Studies in this area are not usually too valid because a woman sometimes wants to avoid a confrontation with her feelings and may deny any adverse reactions.

Despite the confusion and inadequacy of scientific data, talks with women who have recently undergone abortions – and information offered by social workers, private physicians, and hospital and clinic personnel – reveals definite impressions and reactions.

Naturally, each woman has her individual way of meeting problems. Her response will depend on her psychological makeup, emotional health, family background and a multitude of factors surrounding both the pregnancy and the actual abortion. Although abortion may be her escape, she may find herself with some of these responses:

RELIEF

“I feel as if I'd been rescued from drowning,” signs a mother of four. “Maybe now I can fill the needs of the children I've got.” And a 15-year-old wept, after her abortion, “At last I can see a future for myself.” Another woman, age 25 and facing life-threatening health issues, said, “I was so afraid that I would die if I tried to carry this baby. I wondered to myself, 'what will happen to my kids if I die? Who would care for them?' The fact that abortion was available to me was a real relief.”

Before the law on abortion was changed, a girl's anxiety was almost overwhelming. At that time she would often fall into the hands of the unskilled, unscrupulous abortionist. Or, she might have made dangerous attempts at self-abortion, or might even faced suicide as her only out. The word “abortion” itself was a clandestine, whispered, back-alley word. A girl today can feel relieved as well as comforted knowing that she will be in good hands, more so when she sees people are trying to help her rather than condemn her. This is not to say that condemnation does not still exist, but it is less today than it was 40 years ago.

INDECISION

At some hospitals, a one week “cooling off” period is advised if a woman comes in before the 10th week of her pregnancy. During this time a social worker helps her to explore her feelings and weigh her decision carefully. A woman who rushes to an abortion clinic after a fight with her husband may want to get an abortion immediately. Yet, after she has “cooled off”, she realizes that her decision had been made in haste and anger. There are times, too, when a girl is persuaded by her boyfriend or mother to “get rid of it” when actually she wants to keep her baby.

Decisions that are made against the woman's will can cause her unnecessary anguish. A widow in her late thirties with two adolescent children married a divorcee who also had older children. When she became pregnant, her husband was adamant about not wanting any more offspring and, as she later said, “he pushed me into an abortion.” Soon after, her husband died and the woman's depression was mixed with anger and bitterness. She said, “I wanted his baby so much. He took away what would have been mine and his, and now I have nothing of him.”

When women find others in the same boat, they are likely to share their feelings more openly. Their remarks reveal deep struggles and inner turmoil. They'll argue with themselves, that maybe they could have had their baby, got a sitter during the day, and went back to work. The unmarried woman will quickly add that it would ruin her life or ruin her career. A waitress who needs a job to support her ailing husband may say that she gave up her baby through abortion, when so many women can't have children at all.

Occasionally, a woman changes her mind and decides to go through with the pregnancy. This decision is more apt to occur between the 12th and 16th weeks of pregnancy, when gestation is too far advanced for a vacuum aspiration, or a “D and C” (dilation and curettage), but not advanced enough for a “salting out” (replacing amniotic fluid with saline solution to induce miscarriage). If a woman has already felt “life” within her, her decision to abort may be even more painful.

Whatever the decision, doubts always remain. Parents sometimes admit that an initially unplanned, unexpected or unwanted pregnancy has often turned out to be an especially loved child. However, if a woman is going to err in either direct ion, it is better that her err be in aborting. If she regrets the abortion, she can usually have a child at another time. But if she has regrets after the child is born, it can be damaging to both child and mother.

GUILT

With abortion laws being liberalized across the United States, why do so many women undergoing abortion still experience such distressing guilt feelings? A woman often projects these feelings through typical remarks such as, “I felt that everyone on the street knew that I was going for an abortion,” or, “I'm just sure that my boss knows. What if he found out?” Sometimes a woman is certain that the obstetrician will turn her down at the last minute or scold that “You should never have become pregnant!”

These feelings of guilt are largely a built-in response. We live in the Western world with a value system based on Judeo-Christian beliefs that you destroy a life when you destroy a living sex cell. We have been brought up with this cultural and personal morality, and people cannot change a value system overnight, or even in one generation. Consciously, we may at times believe we are not bound by this moral system, yet our unconscious minds know better. As legal abortion becomes more widespread and more a matter of government policy, with diminishing relation to moral issues, the impact of guilt will perhaps decrease. Today's preoccupation with the dangers of overpopulation has already alleviated some of the guilt and has helped women to rationalize their decision. There will always be a degree of guilt for every woman, however, regardless of her reasoning.

ANXIETY AND FEARS

Fears of anesthesia, pain, bleeding, and infection are often expressed. At other times, anxiety and fears are reflected by strain and tension on a woman's face. Often a woman has read of gruesome abortions performed in a dirty and dark room, or she has heard of the occasional mishap that can occur in any surgical situation – including childbirth.

Many are frightened that having an abortion will affect their future ability to bear children. Women may wonder if they will die as a result of the procedure, or if they will become sterile. It is possible, through reassurance, to dispel a woman's fears. But obstetricians discourage repeated abortions. In Japan and other countries where abortion serves as an alternative form of birth control, some studies indicate a high incidence of premature births, with all its chances of mental and physical defects. Also, repeated abortions tend to weaken the cervix, contributing to possible miscarriages.

Despite the advice and information about contraceptives given to women following their abortions, many will again become pregnant, and again want an abortion. This woman, very likely unmarried, may have unconscious needs for continued self-punishment and self-injury, to atone for guilt feelings, possibly in connection with having had sexual relations. In addition, she may be discharging hostility not only toward herself but toward the unborn child, the father of the child, or even her own family.

The repeater may also suffer feelings of loneliness and emptiness. She then wants something inside her that seems to fill the void and make her feel comfortable. Or, the pregnancy may compensate for feelings of loss in her life. Her pregnancy may alleviate feelings of worthlessness. She feels now she can create and produce; she is valuable again. Unfortunately, as she notices the changes in her body, she suddenly realizes, “But I can't take care of myself, so how can I take care of a baby?” Then she wants to end her pregnant state again.

It is essential that such a woman receive psychiatric assistance to help her understand her behavior. It is useless to supply her with contraceptives, which she will use carelessly if at all, until she becomes aware of the significance of her actions. Deep-seated emotional problems that are related to, but not caused by, the abortion often surface at this time and can be treated.

DEPRESSION

A number of women who have evaluated their abortion experience admit that it was one of growth and maturation, but others admit to feelings of depression, tiredness and malaise, which last a few days or more. Some women worry about crying constantly, even though they can sleep through the night. Others may comment that they feel as if they have lost a part of themselves.

Surprisingly, even a woman who has a therapeutic abortion (performed for the sake of her health) often feels depressed afterwards. The let-down feeling, the sense of loss, is much like the 'blues' that mothers often experience a few days after their baby is born. The depressed feelings are a result of separation, which we all share when we lose anyone or anything close to us. And what is closer than a woman's relationship to the growing fetus? The longer she carries the fetus, the more difficult the parting. At times, the abortion revives unconscious memories of the loss of a loved one earlier in life. Finally, the abrupt hormonal changes can also cause symptoms of depression.

Women need gentle understanding to preserve their dignity and self-esteem during the abortion. In some locations, a humane approach to meeting a woman's emotional needs is provided. During the appointment, the prospective patient fills out a lengthy questionnaire that delves into her medical history and her feelings about the abortion. She is also given the chance to talk things over with a counselor or doctor's assistant, usually a woman who has had an abortion herself. The same assistant stays with the woman during the operation, talking to her, maybe even holding her hand. Afterward, the patient is provided with a doctor's “hotline” number to call should any medical or emotional problems arise when she returns home.

But abortion is not always the solution to an unwanted pregnancy. Sometimes an unmarried woman will go through with her pregnancy and then give up her child for adoption. And sometimes she wants and needs to keep her baby. She can do so and still earn a living providing she receives supportive community services, support from family or friends, and has a strong head on her shoulders.

Abortion should never be used as a substitute for contraception. Wise family planning is a necessary part of community education. Family life education and sex education should emphasize both the joys and the responsibilities of sex – responsibilities toward oneself, toward one's partner, and toward the future child.

Sources:

My experiences while volunteering in a family crisis center
Personal experience, specialization, and education in the field of Psychology
Personal experience, specialization, and education in personality analysis
Personal education, experience, and specialization in mental health
Personal education, experience, and specialization in social sciences
Personal education and experience in marriage and family relationships
Personal education and experience in anger management techniques
Personal education and experience in child development

Imagine your life on a daily basis, living with a medical condition that only gets worse the more you think about it. This is what millions of people living all over the world suffer with every day. The medical condition is called Hyperhidrosis and, while its name may imply a hyperactive or behavioral problem, the truth is that this disorder affects the body’s ability to sweat. 

While sweating is normal and it is true everyone sweats, those suffering with Hyperhidrosis sweat at a much higher rate than the average person. Since the body’s mechanism for cooling itself is overactive, Hyperhidrosis sufferers may sweat four or five times more than is necessary (Definition of Hyperhidrosis 1). Typically the average person sweats in situations such as warm temperatures, exercising, and emotional types of situations such as being nervous, angry, embarrassed, or scared (Medical Encyclopedia: Hyperhidrosis 1). However people with Hyperhidrosis sweat in all types of situations and much more in these specific circumstances. Just thinking about their sweaty hands condition makes those with Hyperhidrosis sweat even more, essentially amplifying the problem and making the situation worse. Primary Hyperhidrosis affects two to three percent of the American population, where the excessive sweating is primarily concentrated on the hands, feet, and armpits. Despite this fact, less than forty percent of those with this condition attempt to seek any medical remedy at all (Medical Encyclopedia: Hyperhidrosis 1). If excessive sweating occurs as an indirect result of a preexisting medical condition, it is called Secondary Hyperhidrosis. Some of the common medical conditions that result in Secondary Hyperhidrosis include: cancer, menopause, anxiety, and spinal cord injuries (Medical Encyclopedia: Hyperhidrosis 1). 

The term Hyperhidrosis dates back to ancient medicine, where the Greek physician Hippocrates used the term hidroa, which was translated from Greek to Latin and Latin to English to the word sudamina. Eventually, sudamina gave birth to the word hidrosis, which we use today (Eisenach 657). Hyper, which can be defined as an excess of some sort, is the prefix affixed to the term hidrosis to form the current medical term for excessive sweating, Hyperhidrosis. 

Ancient and historic medicine have long tried to define and understand what exactly is Hyperhidrosis and, from a medical standpoint, why this abnormality happens in a generally rare group of individuals. In 1911, Meachen authored three goals for the diagnosis and treatment of Hyperhidrosis: “To seek out the underlying cause for the increased sweating and endeavor to remove it; to check or modify the amount of secretion itself; and to relieve any secondary dermatitis or other complications that may arise” (Eisenach 657). While written in 1911, these goals are still the primary goals of dermatologists treating Hyperhidrosis today. With the advancement in medicines and technology, there are several treatment options in helping deal with or eliminate this condition all together including the following: antiperspirants, medication, iontophoresis, botox injections, and endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy, ETS for short (Medical Encyclopedia: Hyperhidrosis 2-3). 

Antiperspirants are usually the first option when the signs and symptoms of excessive sweating are first noticed. These products work by essentially plugging the sweat ducts, eliminating sweating by stopping it at the source, using 10 to 15 percent aluminum chloride hexahydrate as the chemical compound contained in these strong antiperspirant products. Some of the side effects of this treatment include skin irritation and damaged clothing (Medical Encyclopedia: Hyperhidrosis 2). While ideal in the treatment of underarm sweating, antiperspirants are not practical for facial and hand sweating. 

If antiperspirants are ineffective or the excessive sweating is bothersome in places other than under the arms, medication is the next popular treatment option used. Specifically, anticholinergics drugs are used to assist in the prevention of frequent and overactive sweat gland stimulation. Glycopyrrolate is a common medication which can be prescribed under names such as Robinul and Robinul-Forte, with side effects including dry mouth, dizziness, and urination problems (Medical Encyclopedia: Hyperhidrosis 2). The effectiveness of these drugs is in question, although some patients report success in the reduction of their excessive sweating, as these drugs have not been studied as scientifically as other treatments. 

If prescription medication fails to alleviate excessive sweating, the next treatment option available is an FDA-approved procedure called iontophoresis. Using electricity to temporarily turn off sweat glands wherever the device is applied, it is usually most effective for treating excessive sweating in the hands and feet. The therapy is conducted by inserting the hands or feet into water and by using a gentle current of electricity, the electricity is gradually increased until a light tingly sensation is felt. This process usually takes 10 to 20 minutes and must be done over several sessions for optimal results, with the side effects being skin cracking and blisters, although rare (Medical Encyclopedia: Hyperhidrosis 2). This is generally the last topical treatment available for the treatment of Hyperhidrosis, with several medically intensive treatments available if symptoms continue to persist. 

Botulinum toxin type A, or botox for short, is a recently approved FDA drug for the treatment of primary auxiliary Hyperhidrosis. The treatment consists of small amounts of purified Botulinum being injected the areas of severe sweating which temporarily blocks the sweat stimulating nerves, with the side effects being injection-site pain and flu-like symptoms, although if used for the treatment of sweating of the palms, mild, temporary weakness and intense pain may result (Medical Encyclopedia: Hyperhidrosis 2). Due to the fact that botox is also used in cosmetic surgery, many insurance companies consider botox injections cosmetic rather than medically necessary and will not pay for the usually expensive costs of botox injections, which means this treatment option is out of reach for many Hyperhidrosis sufferers. 

The last treatment option currently available to Hyperhidrosis sufferers is a medical procedure called endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy, or ETS for short. Usually reserved for patients with severe cases of Hyperhidrosis, this surgical procedure is preformed by a specially trained doctor who makes 2-3 cuts in the patient’s underarm. The patient is asleep under general anesthesia with a lung collapsed by the doctor to allow more room to work. The cuts are used to guide in an endoscope camera to the nerve associated with the overactive gland. Once the nerve is properly identified, it is clamped or cut and removed, with the identical procedure done on the other side of the body. This is a very risky procedure with risks including artery damage, nerve damage, and increased sweating, which occurs in 50% of post-surgery patients (Medical Encyclopedia: Hyperhidrosis 3). For Hyperhidrosis sufferers, some believe the potential benefits outweigh the risks with success reported by many and excessive compensatory sweating reported in others. As reported by forum user fmurphy00, “The CS was really bad that I have to change my lifestyle. Its like a sauna like sweating specially summer time” (CTSNet Forums: Hyperhidrosis Thread#176682). Life-altering excessive compensatory sweating is a risk that must be considered when contemplating this medical procedure. This procedure is reversible however surgery will again be required and depending on the method used to originally remove the nerve associated with the overactive gland, nerve transplant may be necessary with no guarantees the compensatory sweating or other side effects as a result of the ETS procedure will be cured. With this treatment, eliminating sweating in certain parts of the body only to have extreme sweating in other parts of the body that were not an issue before the procedure is a reality that many who have undertaken this procedure must deal with on a daily basis. 

While much has been done medically, the social and mental affects of Hyperhidrosis are still somewhat of a mystery, nearly 100 years after Meachen created the three goals for the physical treatment of Hyperhidrosis. Socially, sweating is generally frowned upon unless exercising or participating in athletic activities. The lack of awareness and grave misconceptions of the uncontrollable nature of the excess sweating leads many to pass judgment and initiate negative criticism. Society has yet to recognize excessive sweating as an accepted medical condition. For example, those who would not dare insult or criticize people with Parkinson’s disease for their uncontrollable shaking would easily insult people with Hyperhidrosis for their excessive sweating. Whether just made light of or ill-intended, comments on a person’s excessive sweating cause immeasurable mental damage that may change a person’s daily life. For example, a person’s Hyperhidrosis may lead them to avoid wearing certain light colors which easily show sweat stains or marks. Heavy socks must be worn at all times to absorb the sweating of the feet. Certain types of deodorants and antiperspirants must be used as only the strongest products can effectively counter the effects of Hyperhidrosis. Certain lifestyle choices must be made as well, such as in a person’s career or place of residence as hot or humid environments are not ideal for Hyperhidrosis sufferers. 

Excessive perspiration interferes with even life’s most trivial of tasks, such as working with hand tools, operating an automobile, and writing in schoolwork. Imagine frantically trying to take notes as the teacher is lecturing about important class material only to go back later and find out your notes are nothing more than wrinkled pieces of scraps from the sweat that dripped all over the paper. For those diagnosed with Hyperhidrosis, this is not just a bad day; rather this is life on a daily basis. 

Psychologically, those with this genetic disorder must endure relentless fear of ridicule and embarrassment their excess sweating potentially may bring. Constantly worrying over sweating means there is little else to think about other than how sweaty their hands might be or already are. In business and in life, our society is based around the “handshake” and psychologically, Hyperhidrosis sufferers fear the “handshake” in places such as job interviews and business meetings. Some people have this belief that a man can be judged by his handshake. Hyperhidrosis sufferers detest this ideology, and feel that their sweaty handshakes can be a huge detriment to their personality and overall likeness.
Hyperhidrosis sufferers especially struggle with romantic and intimate types of situations. Given that the showing of one’s feelings for another involves heavy physical contact, not to mention the fact how nervous and emotional these circumstances can be, it is no secret why Hyperhidrosis sufferers have psychological issues with physical contact. In relationships with Hyperhidrosis sufferers, partners who don’t have Hyperhidrosis may claim to offer acceptance and understanding of this socially embarrassing disorder; however, their subconscious cues such as wiping sweat off their body after physical contact with their partner tells a different story. These subconscious actions have long lasting and deep psychological affect on those with the uncontrollable excessive sweating. 

Children are another example where the psychological impacts of Hyperhidrosis have not been fully studied or fully understood. Given how much physical contact children participate in on a daily basis for an early age, excessive sweating, with its socially embarrassing connotation, causes awkwardness in physical contact with other children. Playing intense video games, for example, can lead to excessive sweating which leads into embarrassing situations with other children when taking turns playing with the same controller. 

Hyperhidrosis suffers from a lack of general public awareness and education and a misconception that is as detrimental to the general scientific community studying Hyperhidrosis as it is to those who have it. Perhaps the socially trendy botox injections with its ties to the treatment of Hyperhidrosis will elevate this disorder to a higher level? Ultimately, this misunderstood genetic disorder must be continued to be scientifically studied and evaluated in order for society as a whole to fully recognize and understand the detrimental social, physical, and psychological affects Hyperhidrosis can have on those who suffer with the embarrassment of uncontrollable, excessive sweating on a daily basis. More needs to be done to get the message out that there is help and with continued scientific study, one day those who do not suffer with excessive sweating will understand that Hyperhidrosis is more than just a little bit of extra sweat.