Health News resources and information

Divorce or separation. Like bereavement, divorce or separation has the potential for great psychological disruption to an individual’s life. Again, during this time, lifestyle requirements suffer as the need for health sinks lower in an individual’s hierarchy of needs. Again, the primary concern is to deal with the psychological anguish associated with the primary cause rather than attempt to impose yet another stressor on the individual. There are some indications that women cope with divorce or separation better than men. Because they often have better coping skills, it might be predicted, therefore, that a woman’s gain in body fatness after these periods may be less than that of a man’s, although there is little scientific evidence to support this.

Myth-information. ‘Fat-burning’ tablets are a figment of the marketers’ imagination. No tablets (especially those sold without prescription) will have a permanent, long term effect on fat loss, and many can be counter-productive.

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How long should I wait before resuming walking and tennis after having a hysterectomy?

Most women who have had a laparoscopic or vaginal hysterectomy can walk short distances within a week and longer distances after about three weeks. For abdominal hysterectomy, add a further two weeks. From then on, be guided by how you feel. By all means play tennis if this does not unduly distress or tire you.

I had a hysterectomy with removal of the uterus and cervix two years ago when I was twenty-eight Am I still ovulating? What is happening to the eggs?

The ovaries should not be affected by removal of the uterus and cervix and so they are probably still releasing eggs. These pass into the abdomen where they quickly disintegrate. It is, however, not possible to give a categorical answer about what is happening to your ovaries. Even though they have not been removed, they may have been adversely affected by the hysterectomy, perhaps because of adhesion formation or perhaps due to some disturbance to their blood supply. Ovarian sex hormone production and release of eggs may diminish and menopause may occur four or so years earlier than expected.

If I have an endometrial resection, will I still have heavy menstrual periods?

After this procedure about 25% of women have no periods afterwards, 60% are having light or normal periods a year later, and 15% continue to have heavy bleeding. Within four years of an endometrial resection about 20% of women experience heavy bleeding again. Many of these women go on to have a hysterectomy.

Will I still be fertile after an endometrial resection or ablation?

Pregnancy is unlikely. If it occurs, however, the risk of complications will be above average.

Is there an increased risk of uterine cancer after endometrial resection or ablation?

There is no evidence of any increased risk at this stage. Follow-up studies to date have been reassuring although they have been of relatively short duration (covering a period of four to six years since the operation). In order to watch for any pattern of adverse effects and to study the outcome of treatment, consideration should be given to the establishment of a national register in Australia of women who have had an endometrial resection or ablation.

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Pseudo insomniacs are healthy, and normal in all other aspects. They have just lost the confidence to sleep. Pseudo insomniacs are unable to operate the natural in-built mechanism inside their brains and so cannot switch off at night and fall asleep.

Chronic insomniacs are people who cannot shift from the waking mode to the THS. The cerebral cortex of the brain is too involved with uncontrolled thoughts and this prevents entry to the THS mode; hence the sleep centre cannot trigger sleep onset.

The THS was discussed in the previous chapter, and is the transitional state between waking and sleeping. This is an observed state in anyone falling asleep. However, this state can be artificially induced in ourselves when we are ready to fall asleep.

To enter the THS we must limit and control thought stimulation in the cerebral cortex. This is like making an imaginary surgical cut between the cerebral cortex and the sleep centre. Once we are in the THS, the level of arousal in the cerebral cortex will be minimal and the sleep centre will take over and trigger off natural sleep. This imaginary surgical cut involves the technique of thought control.

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