Plastic Surgery can be a frightening experience. On television, you see so many disaster stories that might make you not want to go under the knife. Every surgery contains a certain amount of risk.

The majority of horror stories that you see on television are rare because most of these surgery are not performed by board certified plastic surgeons. Instead, they are usually performed in either in third world countries (where their qualification and hygiene standards are considerably lower than richer countries) or unqualified surgeons.

The types of major complications that you have to be aware of are:

Blood Loss (or Hemorrhaging)

It is normal to bleed during surgery. Any opening of the skin can cause excessive bleeding if your surgeon is not careful. If you have previous history of excessive bleeding or how low hemoglobin levels (amount of blood per unit), please inform your surgeon before you operate.

Brain damage:

Brain damage can occur if either there is an excessive blood loss and therefore no nutrients to the brain or if the oxygen levels decreases to a very low level.

Blood Clot:

Whenever there is an injury to a body area, the immune system will react and try to fix and prevent that area from spreading. It does this by blocking or clotting the area. Sometimes, if the clot builds up, it can dislodge from its area and may get ‘stuck’ in different part of your circulation system. If the clot gets stuck in your brain – this can kill you or give you a major stroke.

Infections

Infections are common after surgery. Infections can be easily controlled if adequate infection control is implemented using penicillin or anti-biotic.

Airway Obstruction

If general anesthesia is performed, a tube is inserted through your throat and into your lungs. This may cause irritation of the linings of your throat and you may have difficulty in breathing as a result. Muscle spasm can occur in your vocal cords and can cause you to aspirate (vomit).

Malignant Hypothermia

In rare cases, the combination of your heart rate, blood pressure and body temperature unexpectantly rise up to extraordinary levels. If these levels are not reduced immediately, death can occur.

Decrease Blood Pressure

A decrease in blood pressure is expected during surgery. The loss of blood due to the surgery and general anesthetic medicine all contribute to your blood pressure. However, a sudden drop in your blood pressure may cause a heart attack.

In Summary, all these complication can be reduced if you follow your surgeon’s advice. For example, always eat a healthy diet, stop smoking and always exercise.

This is the first in a weekly series to help the average non-medical person understand the laboratory tests their physician orders, what kind of sample is required, what does the test measure and what conditions can be diagnosed based on the results.

The Complete Blood Count or CBC is one of the most common, useful and important laboratory tests available in medical diagnoses. It is routinely ordered in annual physicals and Emergency room visits.

The CBC is an automated group of parameters of red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets used in detecting leukemias, anemias, blood loss and infections among other diseases and disorders. It is general examination of blood.

The test sample for a CBC is either a blood sample taken from the arm or fingerstick for adults and children, and heelstick for newborns.

The different parameters available in the typical CBC include:

• White Blood Cell count (WBC)
This is an actual count of the amount of white blood cells per volume of blood. This is useful for the detection of possible infection, neutropenia and other disorders.

• Red Blood Cell count (RBC)
This is an actual count of the amount of red blood cells per volume of blood. Low amounts of rbc’s could be an indicator of an anemia.

• Hemoglobin
This is a protein that is contained inside the rbc. It measures the oxygen carrying capacity in the blood.

• Hematocrit
This represents the volume of rbc’s suspended in plasma in the person’s circulating blood. Both the hemoglobin and hematocrit are low in cases of blood loss.

• Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV)
This is a measurement of rbc size. Depending on whether the MCV is high or low could indicate certain conditions such as anemias or thalassemias.

• Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin (MCH)
This is a measure of the amount of hemoglobin in the individual rbc.

• Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration (MCHC)
This is the amount of hemoglobin in circulating rbc’s regardless of the size of the rbc.

• Red Cell Distribution Width (RDW)
This is a calculation of the variation in the size of the rbc’s.

• Platelets
This is the amount of platelets in a given amount of blood. Platelets are important in blood clotting.

Your doctor will use the CBC as a screening test to see your general health status like in an annual physical. It may also be ordered to rule out infections, fatigue or other patient complaints. It is an important first test in the discovery of serious diseases like anemias and many other blood disorders.

What is a “normal” or reference range? It is a set of values of some measurement that a physician or other health professional can use to interpret a set of results for a particular patient. You will see the reference ranges on the lab report next to your lab result. Your lab result will be either low, normal or high based on this range.

Anemia is a deficiency of the red blood cells required by the body to carry hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is necessary because it carries oxygen through the blood into all parts of the body keeping it alive. Hemoglobin levels should be higher than 15 grams or it is considered too low.

Low levels of red blood cells are quite common among premature babies, and many times preemies require a transfusion of red blood cells, especially premature babies under 1,000 grams. There are a many reasons why a premature baby may develop anemia. First of all, during the first few weeks of life premature babies’ bodies do not make many new red blood cells, and the red blood cells their bodies do have do not last as long as older children.

Blood loss is another reason that a premature baby can become anemic. Premature babies can have bleeding problems that can increase their risk of developing anemia, and one serious problem is Intraventricular Hemorrhage (IVH). A premature baby can also develop anemia if her blood is drawn too frequently.

Studies are being done on iron supplements for premature babies, and how they will be administered if they are found to be effective. Right now transfusions are the best and safest way to increase the iron in your premature baby’s blood. Symptoms of anemia (low iron in the blood) are pale skin, lethargy, poor feeding, tackypnea, and tackycardia.

The hemoglobin A1c test, often called the HbA1c, is the gold standard of all diabetes blood sugar testing. The HbA1c tests for a blood hemoglobin marker that gives a picture of your average blood sugar for the past three months. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends at least two of these tests each year, and more often if you are having difficulty maintaining your blood sugar level within your target range.

The International Diabetes Federation and American College of Endocrinology recommends the HbA1c level of diabetics be below 6.5 per cent. But is this the best goal? Let us look at some of the evidence and find out.

Studies have shown than a HbA1c level even below 6.0% shows there is an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, heart attack and stroke. Once the American Diabetes Association advised people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes they were considered to be under good control when their reading was under 7.0%. Now, new research shows the goal should be closer to 6.0% and even lower. The reading of a non-diabetic is 5.0% and less.

Studies of adults show those with a lower HbA1c level experience better levels of psychological well being including:

less anxiety less depression improved self-confidence and a better quality of life

Many health care providers set goals for their patients 1 per cent higher than normal. Do you know the average reading for a person with diabetes in the United States is 10.0%… this is far too high. The higher the HbA1c level the higher the risk of damage to your blood vessels… this is where diabetic complications start.

Set up your own personal goal for your HbA1c level in collaboration with your health care provider. This goal will be different for each person and probably different at various stages in your life. It can be difficult to maintain the same HbA1c level at times when you are coping with difficulties at home or work. Also ask your health care provider for the comparison between your proposed HbA1c level and blood sugar levels, as this gives you an idea of the relationship between this test and your blood sugar tests at home.

By competing with yourself and setting a realistic goal you will have a fair chance of avoiding or certainly delaying diabetic health complications.

B12 is a key vitamin for your health and well-being. This vitamin is water soluble and gives you more energy, helps maintain your blood and nervous systems and is even known to protect the heart. When you take it in pill or liquid form a lot of it’s potency is lost due to poor gut absorption. There is, however, a better method for absorption which doesn’t reduce any of the potency.

What is B12 and why is it so important?

Well, it is one of nature’s water soluble vitamins, unlike the vitamins A, D, E and K which are fat soluble. Vitamin B12 is a key player in helping your bone marrow create more red blood cells to help ward off conditions like anemia. It also keeps the nervous system in tip-top shape, helping you think more clearly, remember things better and improve physical sensations such as touch, vibration and spatial awareness.

B12 is a natural energy booster and definitely helps a great deal if you like to stay fit and physically active. It helps the body cope better with stress and has been associated with managing homocysteine levels in the body – keeping your heart safer. And in tandem with folate, B12 aids in preventing neural tube and other nervous system defects in unborn children.

And the natural sources of B12?

The natural sources of B12 mainly consist of animal products such as meats, eggs, fish and so on. So vegetarians are at an increased risk of B12 deficiency and therefore must find other sources to supplement the lack. Other high risk profiles are vegans (for similar reasons), the elderly, diabetics who may be taking certain medications that interfere with B12 absorption and people with poor gut absorption. And, of course, people who do not eat a balanced diet.

Since most of the above people may not be getting enough via natural sources, alternative methods must be found. Normally pills or liquids are used but, again, if you’ve got low gut absorption then those are not going to help much right? People in this situation may then consider injections but those can be costly, painful and, as it turns out, unnecessary.

Why are injections and other methods unnecessary?

Sublingual B12. It’s the fastest, easiest and safest route to a B12-happy body. It is essentially a dissolvable tablet that can be placed under the tongue and will be immediately absorbed into the bloodstream. No going to an office for injections and no inefficient pills and liquids with little effect.

In fact, if you don’t like the taste of Sublingual B12 or just don’t want to wait for it to dissolve under your tongue then there is a spray you can use as well. You simply spray it onto the lining of the mouth and that’s it! You get plenty of B12, enough for your body’s various needs, absorbed right then and there – it’s even faster than Sublingual.

For your body to function properly, it needs a steady supply of oxygenated blood that is supplied by red blood cells. These blood cells carry oxygen from the lungs to different parts of the body to give you energy and keep the skin healthy.

But if the bone marrow makes too many red blood cells, the blood thickens and trouble begins. This is called polycythemia vera – a blood disorder that causes many health problems.

“Polycythemia vera – also called primary polycythemia – occurs most often in older adults. It’s rare in people younger than 20. Polycythemia vera usually develops very slowly. You may have it for years without noticing any signs or symptoms. Often, polycythemia vera is found during a blood test done for some other reason,” said the Mayo Clinic.

In the early stages, the disease has no symptoms. As it progresses, the patient may have headaches, dizziness, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing especially when lying down, chest pain, numbness and fatigue.

No one knows why people get polycythemia vera but it appears to be caused by a mutation in red blood cell production. The mutation is acquired but how this happens is a mystery. What we know if that the disease is common in older people, it affects more men than women and it appears to run in families.

“The problem with blood cell production associated with polycythemia vera is caused by a change, or mutation, to DNA in a single cell in your bone marrow. In polycythemia vera, researchers have found this mutation to be a change in a protein switch that tells the cells to grow. Specifically it’s a mutation in the protein JAK2 (the JAK2 V617F mutation),” explained the Mayo Clinic.

“More than 90 percent of patients with polycythemia vera, and about half of patients with other myeloproliferative disorders, have this mutation. Doctors and researchers don’t understand the full role of this mutation and its implications for treating the disease,” it added.

But don’t feel so bad if you have this condition since you can live with the disease in the absence of complications like a stroke, heart attack, an enlarged spleen and skin problems.

“Polycythemia vera causes your blood to be thicker than normal, which can slow the rate of blood flow through your veins and arteries. Increased blood thickness and decreased blood flow, as well as abnormalities in your platelets, increase your risk of blood clots. Blood clots can cause a stroke, a heart attack, or blockage of an artery in your lungs (pulmonary embolism) or in a vein deep within a muscle (deep vein thrombosis),” warned the Mayo Clinic.

Treatment is aimed at keeping the red blood cell level within a tolerable range. This can be done with the use of drugs, phlebotomy (removing blood) or low-dose aspirin to decrease clotting and reduce the chance of a stroke or heart attack.

To strengthen your body, take Immunitril – your first line of defense in maintaining a healthy immune system. For details, visit http://www.bodestore.com/immunitril.html.

Introduction

B-12 has so many excellent uses. It is a water-soluble vitamin. B-12 is necessary for the proper function of the nervous system and helping your body to make blood. Vitamin b12 is known for the energy and vitality it imparts to individuals who take it. It is sometimes called Energy in a Bottle! The source of B-12 is chiefly from dairy products and meats.

B12 Deficiency

A deficiency may lead to anemia and problems with the sensation of vibration. Anemia can make one continually tired or fatigued and even crave things such as clay or ice. Your energy is depleted!

B-12 deficiency is also associated with dementia and mood disorders. A deficiency could possibly alter your pap smear results. Excessive alcohol intake, chronic stomach diseases, strict vegetarianism, or any chronic poor absorption states places one at increased risk for b12 deficiency. Also, recent research suggests that diabetics on a certain medication may be at increased risk for b12 deficiency. If you are a diabetic, discuss this very important issue with your health care provider. Finally, the older we get, the greater the risk of b12 deficiency. Individuals over the age of 65 may be at greatest risk.

Injection vs Oral

What is the best way to take this vitamin? Is B-12 best taken by swallowing, injection, or sublingual (dissolved under the tongue)? Injections for the most part are expensive and unnecessary unless there is inability to take oral and poor absorption. High dose oral can be as effective as injections. However, sublingual provides a very efficient and rapid restoration of B-12 levels. Sublingual gets around the issue of poor absorption in the gut.

Final Thoughts

My recommendation is sublingual b12. However, the final decision should be made in conversation with you and your health care provider. Obtain a quality sublingual product (or liquid if you prefer) from a provider of quality Nutrition Supplements: http://healthywize.com/4404908

Angiosarcoma is a rare and malignant neoplasm. The tumors typically arise from endothelial cells that are lining the walls of blood vessels. The disease normally takes many years to develop and affects several organs of the body (breast, spleen, liver, heart, and bone). The most common form is cutaneous angiosarcoma. The form with the worst prognosis is liver angiosarcoma.

Symptoms of Angiosarcoma differ according to tumor site. Typically, frequent pain on particular tumor site and significant amount of blood, lymph, other fluids are present. Few symptoms are obvious until the disease is already well-advanced. However, there are signs that identify directly to the part where tumor developed.

Skin. Angiosarcoma of the skin are characterized by an enlarged bruise (a blue-black nodule) and unhealed ulceration. There is pain and fluid discharges. Bone. Angiosarcoma of the bone causes the bones to weaken and more susceptible to breaking easily. The tumor may develop in multiple sites in bones. Signs may include swelling and pain or tenderness on the affected areas. Liver. Angiosarcoma of the liver is not shown in the early stage. At the later stage, signs of the disease will start showing: upper quadrant pain, weight loss, jaundice, and loss of appetite. Soft Tissues. Angiosarcoma of the abdomen can grow into a large size without detection. Enlargement of adjacent lymph nodes can go unnoticed, too. However, there are signs like anemia, hemorrhage, and gastrointestinal bleeding. Easier to diagnose are the angiosarcomas of the skin, bone, and soft tissues. Patients may show the following symptoms:

lump or swelling under the skin lesions on the skin pains on the bone dull or stabbing aches fatigue anemia (reduced red blood cells) Internal angiosarcomas are hard to diagnose but tumors develop rapidly. Treatments are ineffective because disease is well-advanced and at the final stage.

Learning the history of patients is important to get accurate diagnosis. Risk factors include: exposure to radiation, vinyl chloride, and arsenic.

Hemangiosarcoma is one type of angiosarcoma, where a tumor has blood vessels growing directly from it. Symptoms of angiosarcoma and other blood disorders will appear due to uncontrolled division of blood cells. Platelets depletion leads to excessive bleeding; low counts of red blood cells cause anemia.

Vitamin B12 is one of the eight B vitamins. It is also known as cobalamin. It plays a vital role in the proper functioning of the brain and the nervous system. It also helps in the formation of blood in our body. Mainly, its work is to form cells. This vitamin helps to make strong red blood cells.

Vitamin b12 is found in foods like meat, dairy products, shell fish and some vegetables. However, most people don’t have the need to worry about the furnishing of this vitamin inside their body but these must be taken to preserve a good health. It is very important for us to know about vitamin B12 and its advantages. These are as follows:

Function
Vitamin B12 is very necessary to form our genetic DNA along with healthy red blood cells and strong nerve cells. The acids present in our stomach discharges the B12 found in our food. Then it mixes with a protein known as intrinsic factor. After this process, it gets absorbed in our blood.

Time Frame
Our body can store up to one year’s value of B12 in the liver. Therefore you don’t need to worry about its availability inside your body. People, who are above 65 years of age, can suffer from its deficiency. To avoid such circumstances you must take foods like chicken/meat, eggs and raisins.

Benefits
This vitamin is must for those who suffer from megaloblastic anemia. Megaloblastic anemia is an ailment where red blood cells turn thick and stop functioning properly. If a person is having B12 deficiency, a number of neurological problems can occur in his body like vision problems, weakness in muscles, incontinence and dementia.

Another disease which is known as Pernicious anemia may occur in a person’s body if the B12 supply is insufficient. In this case the patient will be required to take B12 supplements for the rest of his life or else he might become the victim of tiredness and sleepiness.

Size
You must not take too much of B12 in your diet. Your body has the capability to store as much as it requires, and the rest will leave your body through urine.

Deficiency
The deficiency of vitamin B12 gives rise to B12 deficiency anemia. In this case, the body stops manufacturing enough red blood cells and the body may also suffer from lack of oxygen. This is a very serious condition and must be cured as early as possible.

Thanks to modern medicine many people are living longer and longer, but many Americans are developing Diabetes at an alarming rate. There are many risk factors for developing Diabetes including heredity, obesity, sedentary lifestyle and increased consumption of fast food. Diabetes was once common in people in their 60s and 70s but has rapidly become common in younger people in their teens and 20s.

Diabetes Mellitus, (DM), is a very common disease caused by insufficient production of the hormone Insulin by the pancreas. There are two types of diabetes: Type 1, Juvenile Diabetes also known as Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (IDDM) and Type 2, also known as Non-Insulin Diabetes Mellitus (NIDDM). Type 1 is caused by total failure of the pancreas to make adequate levels of insulin to lower blood sugars that may range from 200 to close to 1000. Type 1 is diagnosed in the pediatric and adolescent population and is a life threatening event. The cause of Type 1 remains unknown and is a topic of much research. Without insulin supplementation, these patients will die from Diabetes Ketoacidosis or Diabetic Coma. Fortunately, Type 1 is much less common than Type 2.

Type 2 Diabetes is much more common, affecting millions of Americans each year. The pancreas does not quit working, it just produces less insulin than the body demands to keep blood sugars normal. Poor diet, lack of exercise and obesity tax the pancreas to keep up with normal Insulin production. Blood sugars are constantly rising and lowering, thanks to the complexity of the pancreas and insulin production. Normal insulin levels range from 60 to 120 in the fasting non-diabetic patient. Blood sugars may rise after eating a meal to levels above 140 and are lowered by the production of insulin in the normal patient.

Many of us have normal fasting blood sugars, less than 126 mg/dl, but are still considered pre-diabetic because we do not produce enough insulin for our bodily demands. Screening for Diabetes includes measuring a random, non fasting blood sugar. If the blood sugar is higher than 126mg/dl on two occasions, the diagnosis of Diabetes is made. Other patients are diagnosed with a glucose tolerance test. But a relatively new test, the Hemoglobin A1C, HgbA1C, is now the gold standard for the diagnosis of Diabetes. A HgbA1C of 6.0 or higher is diagnostic of Diabetes Mellitus. You can ask your Health Care Provider to order this test the next time you are due for bloodwork.

Many Type 2 Diabetics can be controlled with diet alone. Reducing the total number of calories taken in can reduce insulin levels. Sugars are not the only foods that raise insulin levels. Carbohydrates, such as bread, potatoes, pasta and rice, and bad fats increase levels of insulin. Many diabetics eat out at Mom and Pop Diners or eat fast food. These foods are full of fat and carbohydrates. A Diabetic friendly meal consists of one serving of lean protein, one serving of carbohydrate, and two or more servings of fresh vegetables. Exercise also plays an important part in keeping insulin levels low. Exercise helps the body move insulin from the blood stream into the muscle where it can be used as energy.

When diet and exercise alone are not enough to control sugar levels, there are many by mouth medications that can be prescribed by your Health Care Provider. Diet and Exercise are still important. Medicines can’t do it all. But medications can keep blood sugars in check. If the Diabetes is no longer controlled with diet, exercise and by mouth medications, Insulin and other medications administered under the skin are added to keep blood sugars normal. Many Type 2 Diabetics end up taking Insulin because the supply of insulin producing cells in the pancreas dwindles after years of overuse. The key is to preserve the pancreas function as long as possible with diet, exercise, controlling weight and if needed, medications.

But what is the big deal about high blood sugars? Many of my Diabetic patients say they feel just fine, even when their sugars are high. I use this analogy when teaching my patients about blood sugars. If the blood sugar is too high, it gets too thick, just like maple syrup is thicker than water alone. This thicker consistency of the blood makes it more sluggish and more difficult to flow through large and small blood vessels that feed the organs of the body. Long term high blood sugars can affect the eyes, leading to blindness. Many patients on dialysis are being treated because their kidneys were damaged from elevated blood sugars. Sugar enriched blood flows slower to the brain and heart leading to an increase in heart attacks and strokes. Blood that is thick with sugar cannot properly flow to legs, feet and hands and many poorly controlled Diabetics have to have amputations to treat a local major infection (gangrene) and to prevent the risk of a total body infection (sepsis).

But Diabetes doesn’t run in my family! Do I need to worry? Yes, you do. Because blood sugars rise gradually over time, you may not feel bad. Some symptoms that lead to suspicion of Diabetes are fatigue, frequent eating, frequent liquid consumption and frequent urination. Some patients may have extremely high blood sugars, greater than 300 mg/dl, and have fruity or acetone smelling breath and are at risk of Diabetic Ketoacidosis and Diabetic Coma.

So what can you do to lessen your chance of becoming a Diabetic? Well, you can’t change your genetics. But even patients with a family history of Diabetes can prevent the disease. All patients can greatly reduce the risk of developing Diabetes with improving their diet. Include lean meat, less beef and pork, more fish and chicken, less bad fats like lard and fatback, and more good fats like nuts and olive oil in your diet. We all need to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. Try to eat foods in their original state, less processed. Instead of drinking orange juice, eat an orange. You will get all the juice, plus the pulp that is fiber. When fresh fruits and vegetables are not available, try frozen varieties over canned ones. Canned foods have less nutrients and more additives like salt. Eat less processed foods like chips, soda, candy, and sweets. When you go to the grocery store concentrate on buying food from the perimeter of the store, the fresh fruit, vegetables, meat and dairy. Try to stay away from the center of the store where the processed foods are located.

Get moving! Exercise greatly reduces your risk of developing Diabetes and helps you control Diabetes if you have it. You should exercise for at least 30 minutes a day, 4 to 5 times a week. Choose something you enjoy doing. Walk, run, hike, play golf, play tennis, garden, surf, rollerblade, snowski, waterski, play with your grandchildren.

Get closer to your ideal body weight. You don’t have to get back down to the size you were when you married. And a few extra pounds will not hurt you as you get older. But you cannot afford to be obese. Calculate you BMI by using the formula provided by the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute at http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi. Your Health Care Provider can help you calculate your ideal body weight at the office.

You can find out more about Diabetes from talking with your Health Care Provider. He or she can provide you with pamphlets or reliable internet sites. And you can visit the American Diabetes Association at http://www.diabetes.org.