Comments on: Ovarian Cancer http://www.drjohnhong.com/blog/2007/ovarian-cancer/ Real Medicine, Plain Talk Thu, 28 Aug 2008 01:28:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1 By: admin http://www.drjohnhong.com/blog/2007/ovarian-cancer/#comment-299 admin Thu, 19 Jul 2007 03:18:12 +0000 http://www.drjohnhong.com/blog/2007/ovarian-cancer/#comment-299 Dear Dr. Hong, My husband (75 and previously in good health) is finally coming home after two weeks at MJH and two weeks at Health South, after he contracted Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. It was not diagnosed quickly even though I kept telling folks we have ticks and he'd gotten a tick that was not discovered and removed promptly. We live out west of Foxfield. A younger (late 40's) friend of ours, who lives in Forest Lakes North also contracted RMSF sometime before my husband did. He was treated at the UVA hospital, was wiped out for a couple of days, and lost a week of work. Since you are the TV medical guy as well as a regular contributor, I would appreciate it if you would talk about tick-borne illnesses and caution people about things like saving ticks and symptoms to look for. No one should have to get as sick for as long as my husband. He lost 30 pounds during this ordeal. He did need to lose some weight, but not that much or that fast. Thank you for your consideration. Anne Dear Dr. Hong,

My husband (75 and previously in good health) is finally coming home after two weeks at MJH and two weeks at Health South, after he contracted Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. It was not diagnosed quickly even though I kept telling folks we have ticks and he’d gotten a tick that was not discovered and removed promptly. We live out west of Foxfield.

A younger (late 40’s) friend of ours, who lives in Forest Lakes North also contracted RMSF sometime before my husband did. He was treated at the UVA hospital, was wiped out for a couple of days, and lost a week of work.

Since you are the TV medical guy as well as a regular contributor, I would appreciate it if you would talk about tick-borne illnesses and caution people about things like saving ticks and symptoms to look for.

No one should have to get as sick for as long as my husband. He lost 30 pounds during this ordeal. He did need to lose some weight, but not that much or that fast.

Thank you for your consideration.

Anne

]]> By: admin http://www.drjohnhong.com/blog/2007/ovarian-cancer/#comment-300 admin Thu, 19 Jul 2007 03:18:47 +0000 http://www.drjohnhong.com/blog/2007/ovarian-cancer/#comment-300 I appreciate your letter and I just talked about RMSF on the news this morning. The Heath & Humor article will be printed in the next few weeks. maybe sooner. I appreciate your letter and I just talked about RMSF on the news this morning. The Heath & Humor article will be printed in the next few weeks. maybe sooner.

]]> By: Jonnie B http://www.drjohnhong.com/blog/2007/ovarian-cancer/#comment-354 Jonnie B Thu, 19 Jul 2007 22:03:59 +0000 http://www.drjohnhong.com/blog/2007/ovarian-cancer/#comment-354 Thanks for the informative article on ovarian cancer. I was surprised to learn that the Can 125 test had such low diagnostical percentages. Since I have had breast cancer and have a maternal first cousin who had ovarian cancer, should I encourage my two daughters to be tested for the BRCA 1 and 2 gene? Jonnie B. Thanks for the informative article on ovarian cancer. I was surprised to learn that the Can 125 test had such low diagnostical percentages. Since I have had breast cancer and have a maternal first cousin who had ovarian cancer, should I encourage my two daughters to be tested for the BRCA 1 and 2 gene?
Jonnie B.

]]> By: admin http://www.drjohnhong.com/blog/2007/ovarian-cancer/#comment-393 admin Sat, 21 Jul 2007 20:13:51 +0000 http://www.drjohnhong.com/blog/2007/ovarian-cancer/#comment-393 Dear Jonnie, That is a tough issue to decide - BRCA1 testing. Genetic couseling is mandatory before testing because it opens up a whole can of worms, becasue what if someone should test positive for BRCA? Also insurance will not generally cover genetic testing, and it the test comes back positive, it can make a person uninsurable in the future and if cancer should occur, it might not be covered as well. BRCA1and2 generally has both breast and ovarian cancer as well as colon cancer, so it is hard to know if a person with just one cancer has BRCA. Thanks for your question though it really brings up more questions than answers. JH Dear Jonnie, That is a tough issue to decide - BRCA1 testing. Genetic couseling is mandatory before testing because it opens up a whole can of worms, becasue what if someone should test positive for BRCA? Also insurance will not generally cover genetic testing, and it the test comes back positive, it can make a person uninsurable in the future and if cancer should occur, it might not be covered as well.
BRCA1and2 generally has both breast and ovarian cancer as well as colon cancer, so it is hard to know if a person with just one cancer has BRCA. Thanks for your question though it really brings up more questions than answers.
JH

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