Sometimes The Body is Like a Well Sprung Spring & Other Times Not

Posted on February 21, 2019September 6, 2021 by Andrew Orr

Sometimes the body is like a well sprung spring, and over time the spring gets stretched, but , bounces back to its original shape, but overtime, one day, it will get to a point where it is slower to recoil to its original state, or, will no longer spring back to its original shape and have no more spring to recoil to its original state. No matter what you do to it, it just will not recoil and will in essence become to a state of non-repair.

As everyone knows, I always use a very integrative medicine/ multi-modality approach to treating people and getting the best for people’s health. I always believe that preventative medicine is the best approach to any health problems, but sometimes medical intervention, in the form of surgery, is needed for some acute complaints.

It is always hard when someone comes into the clinic and they are doubled over in acute pain from endometriosis, or an acute skeletal issue, and while I can help them, I know that the best thing for their long term health would be intervention in the form of surgery. That is not saying I cannot help and assist people with acute pain, but sometimes the best thing to do is get the person in for surgery to help with the acute pain, and then follow up with preventative and rehabilitation care.

Often it can take several months to help regulate hormonal issues and pain from conditions such as endometriosis, or pelvic inflammatory disease, with more conservative forms of treatments such as pharmaceutical medicines and hormones, complementary medicines, acupuncture, supplements etc. While the outcome after treatment is always great, is it really beneficial for people to endure constant pain for months, when surgery could produce a faster result, for the pain?

In saying that some of these conditions have a high rate of return, so that is where an integrative medicine/multi-modality approach can help post surgery.

I was talking to a medical specialist colleague recently, who promotes a holistic approach for all his patients, and he explains it to his patients like this;

“Sometimes the body is like a well sprung spring, and over time the spring gets stretched, but , bounces back to its original shape, but overtime, one day, it will get to a point where it is slower to recoil to its original state, or, will no longer spring back to its original shape and have no more spring to recoil to its original state. No matter what you do to it, it just will not recoil and will in essence become to a state of non-repair.”

I see people in my clinic just like this spring. Some are well oiled, and well sprung, and bounce back into shape very quickly. Some are showing the signs of starting to lose their spring, and then others have just pushed their body to the point or no spring, or worse still to the point of non-repair.

Obviously I like seeing people do the right things and use preventative health so that they stay well oiled and well sprung. I do like to see people coming into the clinic when they get the first signs of ill health and the spring is starting to recoil slowly.

The sooner you get onto any health complaint the easier it is to treat. Early intervention is the key to any disease state, or health issue. But, we all know people who push through pain and say “She’ll be right mate” and get to that point where they just can’t recoil anymore. Then we get the ones that have gone beyond that and unfortunately no matter what they do you will never be able to get them back to what they used to be like. So, please don’t ever let your body get to this point if you can.

The reason for this blog was to not only inform people to be proactive with their health but to also make sure people are covered if they do need surgery. It is always such a shame and I always feel sorry for people who need urgent medical attention, but they don’t have private health cover. I know that not everyone can afford it, and I am not pushing it either. But, it is worth considering for anyone who have a long term health issue, or especially for women trying to conceive.

Every woman is going to need to see a gynaecologist at some stage in their life and you don’t want to be relying on a failing public health system that could have you waiting months, or even years, for an appointment, or much needed surgical intervention. Those experiencing fertility issues will need some investigation at some stage so it’s almost necessary to be prepared and well covered.

I’ve seen so many people over the years that come into my clinic, for so many different ranges of acute conditions, that actually do require some sort of urgent surgical intervention, but only to find out they can’t get the necessary treatment they need because they aren’t covered.

The public health system is in such a mess at the moment and wait times are becoming increasingly long. If you have an acute condition, you don’t want to be waiting months, or years for treatment. The other issue is that you don’t get to see a surgeon of your choice and can then end up with the lucky dip of whomever is there on the day. The other issue is that this person may not specialise in the disease state, or issue you are there to have treated. This is what happens to many and this can then have long term health consequences if you aren’t given the right care that you need, or they actually miss crucial issues as well. It is a big issue.

Then when you finally get to having the surgical intervention, it may require multiple surgeries, and the first surgery may be just for investigation only. I’ll give you an example.

I had a friend, with acute period pain that got nausea, vomiting and even fainted, (from severe endometriosis) go on a 12 month wait list for surgery in the public system. Finally she got in for surgery only to wake up and find that the operation was one of many to come and the first one was only for investigation purposes only. She would need ‘three’ more surgeries spaced at months apart. So nothing was done with the first surgery, she was still in pain and now had to prepare for further surgeries.

Yet, a similar friend who had a private cover, got to chose the gynaecologist of her choice, got someone who specialised in her disease state, was an advanced trained excision surgeon, had no wait time, had not out of pocket expenses, had everything tidied up and the endometriosis removed on the first surgery. This same lady also saw me for assistance. There is a huge difference in the time, the surgeon who did this the surgery, the treatment and the amount of surgery needed.

As I said, it is a hard topic to talk about and is by no means a push for private health cover. I am only talking about this to educate people that sometimes it may be a necessary part of your overall health. It just distresses me seeing people who need desperate immediate help, not being able to get it. I know that not everyone can afford it and believe me you have to shop around when you do start looking at it. The big companies are usually the worst to deal with and the smaller companies are usually the best to deal with, and give you better rebates.

In saying that, private health is a sometimes necessary part of overall health care, especially for those with ongoing health concerns and especially those that may require some form of medical intervention. There are some great smaller funds out there that don’t cost that much and give you full hospital cover with an outlay of a couple of dollars per day. You can also look into having extra’s cover as well, which will cover part of the treatments with us also.

Again some of the smaller funds provide better rebates and the best thing would be to give us a call and we can tell you who those funds are. I hate talking about these sorts of things but at the end of the day I care when people aren’t getting the right help and am here to help people with every area of their overall health. It is a very important issue that we all need to consider and that we all need to discuss too.

If you do need help with pain, or a women’s health condition, help having a baby, or just need someone who cares and can help you get the right advice and health management, please give my clinic staff a call and find out how I may be able to assist you.

Take care

Regards

Andrew Orr

-No Stone Left Unturned

-Women’s and Men’s Health Advocate

-The Women’s Health Experts

-The International Fertility Experts

-The Endometriosis Experts

The Importance of Following Through With Advice, Treatments & Change

Posted on February 19, 2019September 9, 2019 by Andrew Orr

I see so many people who have been ‘missed’ and ‘dismissed’ and who have suffered in silence with their disease state.

But the biggest shame is when those that are offered real help, then do nothing with that advice and continue on the vicious, merry-go-round cycle of their disease.

My motto is “No Stone Left Unturned” and I apply that to every patient that I see. My initial consults are usually 1-2 hours in length and I also do lots of preliminary work prior to see a patient as well. I make sure all my patients are now only sent health appraisal questionnaires, but are also evaluated with mood and stress questionnaires for their mental health too.

I really want to delve into every fine detail of a persons life to see what may be driving their disease state and symptoms. It is to also help with diagnosing those that have not been properly diagnosed either. I then write up a comprehensive report for all my patients, with everything they need to do, the changes they need to make, the medicines they need to take, the investigations and testing they need to have and all their step by step health management moving forward. It really is a matter of ‘No Stone Is Left Unturned’ as I mentioned before.

As I mention in this video blog is that the greatest shame is those that come to get the advice and help and then do nothing with it. Just remember that if you do not change anything, or do the work needed, then nothing changes. The key to real change is actually within you.

If you so need help with a particular health issue, or you just aren’t getting the right answers and care, then please book in a time to see me and let me be your guide to better health and getting your life back to normal.

Food additives and emulsifiers may increase inflammation and anxiety

Posted on January 29, 2019January 29, 2019 by Andrew Orr

A wide range of foods contain ingredients that we call emulsifiers. A new study has shown that these compounds can produce both physiological and behavioural changes.

Bread and many other common foods we eat daily contain emulsifiers and other additives.

Food additives have always generated a great deal of attention as they can lead to exacerbating many health conditions, or even be the cause of some health issues as well. Recently, emulsifiers have been drawing fire and rightfully so.

Manufacturers have been using these chemicals to alter food’s texture and extend its shelf life for years and they are not good for our health. These emulsifiers are found in many foods such as bread, chocolate, margarine, processed meats, and more.

Earlier studies have shown that emulsifiers can alter the microbiome of mice, causing low-grade inflammation and increasing the risk of obesity and metabolic disorders. But now a study in humans concluded that gut bacteria “can be directly impacted by these commonly used food additives, and these additives also subsequently drives intestinal inflammation.”

Recently, researchers from Georgia State University in Atlanta set out to see if these emulsifiers also influenced mental wellbeing. The focussed on two commonly used emulsifiers — carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and polysorbate-80 (P80).

The Microbiome and Psychological health

In many recent studies scientists have already described a clear pathway between the gut and the brain. These studies have shown that our gut health and the health of our gut bacteria can have a substantial influence on our mental well-being. Most of the studies concluded that lack of good bacteria in the gut and overuse of antibiotics could significantly alter the microbiome, anxiety levels, and social behaviour over the long-term.

This most recent study investigated whether P80 and CMC might alter our mental state. The team added CMC and P80 to the drinking water of recipients for 12 weeks. They then measured the changes in the microbiome, behaviour and other physiological changes as well. The results showed that these emulsifiers caused general systemic inflammation, which extended to the brain and to behavioural changes. The researchers published their findings in the journal Scientific Reports.

The impact of emulsifiers

The scientists showed that the emulsifiers did impact good gut bacteria, but in different ways for male and females. They also showed that the changes in behaviour were different between the sexes. Males tended to have an increase in anxiety, where the females tended to have a reduction in social behaviour.

While it is not known how these emulsifiers affect behaviour, it is speculated that the inflammation they produce affects signalling pathways in body tissue and parts of the brain. The gut also contains branches of the vagus nerve, which has a direct link to the brain. The researchers said that more research is needed into this very important area of medicine.

In recent years there have been increase levels of anxiety and mood disorders in our western society. While there are many other factors to the increase of anxiety and mood disorders, such as stress and lifestyle changes, the researchers have questioned if these additives may also be playing a part in this as well.

For now, the researchers recommend that we should really look at how these food additives impact our microbiome and gut bacteria and increase systemic inflammation in the body. It is great to see that science has now showing, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the microbiome plays a significant role in our overall health. Not just our physical health, but our mental and emotional health as well.

This is why I always recommend health diet and lifestyle changes for every condition I help with. This is also why I promote the use of healthy beneficial bacteria (probiotics) daily in our diet as well. Good health always starts with good diet. Good health always starts with a healthy gut/microbiome as well.

Take care

Regards

Dr Andrew Orr

-Women’s and Men’s Health Expert

-No Stone Left Unturned

Excess Body Fat Can Cause Gynaecological Conditions, Lead to Menstrual Irregularities and Also Lead to Infertility

Posted on October 22, 2018December 16, 2020 by Andrew Orr

When women come to see me for help with women’s health conditions, or couples who come to see me for help with having a baby, one of the first things I ask all of them to address is excess body fats and look at diet and lifestyle modifications.

Women, men, and couples who are underweight, need to look at this also, because being underweight can be just as bad as being overweight.

For the purposes of this post, we are going to look at how excess fats can not only interfere with fertility, but they can be a major driving factor in gynaecological and men’s health conditions that many face on a daily basis. Worse still, excess body fat can also lead to many cancers that both men and women get also.

One of my biggest challenges with men, women and couples is getting them to look at how excess body fat is playing a big part in their current health. It can also be challenging to show how excess body fats, or having too little body fat, can affect the gynaecological condition they have, or how it is affecting their fertility.

I always get all sorts of excuses from “My friend was overweight and he/she does not have my condition”, or “The next door neighbour is overweight and she has had 3 children” and all many of excuses that seem to be a big block in actually taking responsibility for one’s health. I get that it can be hard to get started and hard to make the steps for a better life, but at the end of the day, all these things I hear are just excuses really.

Yes, the next door neighbour may not have your health issue, but they may also have some other health issue, or be at risk of another health issue.

Yes, your friend might be overweight and has had a couple of children easily, but they may also be younger than you and many of the health issues they face because of their weight may not have caught up with them yet, but it will.

I always have to get people to stop focusing on others and get back to looking at themselves, because other people are different. Other people are not you. We are all different individuals with different weaknesses in the body and what may affect one person, may not affect another, but this does not mean we can sit back and just do nothing about our health, or keep comparing our life to another.

Looking at a person’s body fat is paramount for any health condition that the body faces and we need to look at the individual, not at the masses. Research shows us that excess body fat can lead to diabetes, heart disease, cardiovascular events, cancers, gynaecological issues, infertility, men’s health issues and many other complaints in the body. It can also lead to an early death too.

This is a fact and no matter how many excuses people want to make, nothing is going to change the fact that excess body fat is not good for us and it causes problems with our health and now costing the health systems dearly too.

Excess body fat produces excess estrogens in the body and we are now calling these “Obestrogens”. These excess estrogens can not only have an effect on testicular and ovarian function, but they also interfere with other hormones, increase inflammation in the body and then add as drivers for other health issues in the body.

These “Obestrogens’ can also interfere with your DNA and can also be passed on to your future offspring through the DNA of the sperm and eggs and also pass genetic conditions onto them as well.

Eating too many refined grains, refined sugars, alcohol and refined foods are a big cause of excess fats in the body. These foods lead to increased blood sugar levels, which in turn lead to excess insulin in the body.

This then leads to the body storing fat and also stopping the burning of fat. This then leads to high levels of inflammation in the body and a big driver behind many of the major health complaints in the body and even our leading causes of death, in both men and women.

When people ask me how refined foods and grains lead to excess fats I also ask them “How do we fatten up cattle and livestock?” The answer is we give them high amounts of grains which increase hormone levels, which then lead to excess growth and also lead to higher amounts of fats in their bodies.

How Excess Body Fats Affect Our Health

Excess body fats are a big contributing factor in PCOS, Endometriosis, Fibroids, Cysts, Polyps, Sperm quality issues, Prostate issues, Diabetes, Infertility, Cardiovascular disease, Heart disease and Cancers in both men and women

For women excess body fat can lead to menstrual irregularities and heavy periods too, without necessarily having a known gynaecological condition. These excess fats produce estrogens, which are needed to thicken the uterine lining.

But when there are too much circulating estrogens, the lining becomes too thick and unstable, eventually leading to bleeding. This can be unpredictable, and often very heavy, lasting a long period of time. These excess estrogens can then lead to, or be a driver of gynaecological conditions such as PCOS, Endometriosis, Fibroids etc. They can also be a big contributing driver of cancers in women.

These excess fats can also lead to men growing breasts, feminisation, having prostate cancers, prostate issues, sperm issues, diabetes, heart disease, infertility, erectile dysfunction, and many cancers that men face.

With many of the developed western countries have a population with over 70% of its people being overweight, or obese, now more than ever we need to look at ways of educating people about eating better, exercising more and looking after their health.

While we need governments to intervene, we also need people to take personal responsibility too. Here in Australia we do have healthy eating guidelines that is set by the government and while they are not perfect, they do tell us about the dangers of excess body fat.

With so much health information about the dangers of refined foods, processed foods, sugars, grains and alcohol, we really do have lots of resources that we never used to have available to us. There really is no excuse any longer. If you really do not know what a good diet is supposed to be, there are qualified health professionals, such as nutritionists etc, who can help you.

If you truly are eating a proper healthy diet and exercising, then you shouldn’t be overweight. If you are doing all the right things, then there could be other underlying issues that need to be addressed by an appropriate healthcare professional. But many times I find that what people think is a healthy diet, or appropriate exercise, is very far from what a healthy diet and appropriate exercise is. It is all about what people have been taught by their family and what their perception of a healthy lifestyle is.

If you do have a women’s health condition, have a men’s health issue, are having problem with fertility, or just need to get healthier, now is the time to act. We can no longer deny that excess fats are a major concern for the population and are causing so many health issues across the board.

Just so people know, it isn’t necessarily about weight and measuring yourself with scales. Scales do not show the amount of body fat we have and muscle weighs more than fat per cubic cm. We need people to get out the tape measure to truly see how much fat they have and start to look at waist measurement, rather than weight measurement.

A health male needs to have a waist measurement of 94cms or below and a woman needs to have a healthy waist measurement of 80cms or below. If a male has a waist measurement about 94cm or more, or a woman has a waist measurement of 80cms or more, both he and she are at increased risk of health issues. A measurement of above 102 cm (for men) or 88 cm (for women) is one of the components of Metabolic Syndrome, which puts you at increased risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancers.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is vital protection against many of the health issues we face. Regular exercise, limiting alcohol, non-smoking, a nutritious diet, reducing grains and refined foods and stress reduction are all important.

The lower GI diets (Primal, Paleo, Zone etc) have been shown to be much better than others for people who are overweight, obese and have excess body fats. Part of any of my treatment plans involve a healthy diet.

A healthy diet, along with other nutritional support, has been researched and shown to benefit health and longevity. It has also been shown to assist in increasing fertility and pregnancy rates and also assist with many health issues we all face.

Diet and lifestyle changes are a big part of my overall treatment and health management for everybody that comes to see me for help with reproductive and women’s health conditions.

When I assist people with weight issues I always say that I am there to help you, not judge you. It is about helping people help themselves have a better life and have better health and that is the main priority.

If you do need help with losing excess body fat, or increasing body mass, then please give my friendly staff a call and find out how I may be able to assist you.

Regards

Andrew Orr

-No Stone Left Unturned

-Women’s and Men’s Health Advocate

Expectation Versus Reality When It Comes To Hospital Emergency Departments

Posted on August 9, 2018September 7, 2019 by Andrew Orr

Before I start on this latest post, I do just want to say how amazing the people are who work in Accident and Emergency departments around the world. As someone who has a disease state that can be fatal, I know all to well how the amazing efforts at accident and emergency departments can save lives. I should know, because they have saved my life a few times I can tell you.

The reason for this post is that everyday I get messages from people in chronic disease state, such as endometriosis, and many of these messages often complain that they went to their local hospital emergency centre and they did nothing for them. Many of the messages are saying “I waited for hours in pain”, or “the emergency staff did nothing and then sent them home”, or messages such as “The didn’t fix me”

One of the things I always tell my patients is that if they are in pain, and it is after hours, or they cannot get a handle on their pain, then they should go to their nearest A&E (Accident & Emergency) and seek help. But I am also very clear with my patient’s expectation around what emergency centres are there for, or will do for them.

Accident and Emergency Centres at hospitals are there for exactly that; Accidents and Emergencies. They are there to help with people who have been in accidents, the critically ill, the dying, and those that require emergency assistance. Emergency departments are trained to assess who needs help now and who doesn’t.

There is a scale of who requires immediate help and who doesn’t. People who have been in near fatal accidents, people with open wounds, close to death, people having heart attacks, asthma attacks and anyone who could possible die from their suffering, will always be attended to first and if need be with be admitted and monitored accordingly. For the rest of the people it is simply this.

How bad is your pain?
How long have you had it for?
and could it possibly kill you if we leave it too long for you to receive care?

If the answer is that it isn’t going to kill you, but you are definitely in a lot of pain, you will receive treatment. When and how long that takes, compared to critical patients, all depends on how busy the emergency department is that night, or day.

What I do need to reiterate is that emergency departments jobs are to basically assess if your condition could kill you, then administer appropriate treatment, get you out of pain and then either send you home, or admit you if it is absolutely necessary. That is it really.

They are not there to fix your chronic condition. They are there to ease your pain, administer appropriate treatment, save your life if necessary, and then work out if they send you home, or send you to intensive care for critical monitoring, or admit you to the general wards.

If you are assessed properly and your pain etc, has been controlled and then sent home, what should happen then is that you should be given medications to control your condition when you get home, given an action plan and also a referral to your local GP, or healthcare professional to help you in managing your disease state, or pain state, properly. This is to ensure you get proper care. Sometimes you may even be referred back to the hospital you have just been to but to an appropriate department for your condition, or disease state.

But does this always happen like this?

Well, not always and it just depends how busy the emergency centre was and how far down their emergency scale you were. If you weren’t dying, it may seem like they are saying to you “we fixed you up, we helped your pain and then sent you on your way with no help”.

But in reality they have got you out of pain and then have administered appropriate care and treatment, but it may not just be in way your expectation was. Please just remember that A&E’s are there to help you get out of pain and then basically send you home, or admit you if needed. That is it really.

If your pain levels have escalated, or become acute, more often than not it is because your condition isn’t being managed properly, or as well as it could be.

Maybe the healthcare practitioner managing you just isn’t as educated on your disease state as you thought.
Maybe your medications are wrong.
Maybe you haven’t been taking your medications properly.
Maybe you have been self-prescribing too long and need to see someone for better care.

There could be many factors to why your disease state has flared

Could you flare up be due to stress, or emotional factors?
Are you sleeping properly?
Are you eating a proper balanced nutritional diet?
Have you been drinking too much alcohol?
Are you drinking enough water?
Are you exercising enough and moving the body enough?
Are you taking your medications properly?
Could you need surgical intervention?

There are so many reasons why disease states can flare, or pain cycles can start. Sometimes there is no answer to your pain, or disease state flaring.

As I have stated before, places such as the A&E (Accident and Emergency) are there to help people in chronic, or acute pain states and assess you properly to make sure everything is ruled out and then control your pain and have you managed accordingly.

Most of the time, if things are not critical they will send you home, but usually after making sure you are managed properly first. If this doesn’t happen, then you need to ask the questions as to why, and then ask questions of the powers that would be, if necessary. If you are truly in pain, then you should not go home and you need to voice your concerns as to why you need to be looked at further. Sometimes it really is “He/She who cries out loudest, gets heard”

If you do have a diagnosed condition such as endometriosis, it may be best not to let some A&E’s know you have this condition, due to them probably not going to fully understand your condition, and put you in the period pain basket, and probably not take you seriously.

I am not saying this happens all the time, but it does happen and I hear this often. But, just remember that A&E departments are specialised in some disease states such as endometriosis either, so you need to take that into consideration.

But they need to take into consideration that you are in pain and that it isnt just simple period pain, or you are being dramatic. If you weren’t in real pain, you wouldn’t be there.

So, just a precautionary word… don’t tell them you have endometriosis, if that is what your are there for. Let them do a proper assessment and control your pain first and if they work that out, then they have done their job anyway. If they don’t work that out, they will at least manage your pain and then try and work on why you are in pain. If necessary, they will admit you until they can work it out, so win win situation.

But, even after all this, if your pain, or disease state has reached its peak point, it means that you aren’t being managed properly, you need proper management, or you may in fact need surgical intervention, along with appropriate treatments and clinical management moving forward.

Once this is addressed then the following may assist you also:

Eat a healthy low inflammatory based diet
Make sure you address the emotional aspect of your health
Address stress levels
Make lifestyle changes
Address weight and body fat (lose or gain weight/body fat)
Drink adequate water and electrolytes to stay properly hydrated
Exercise and move your body to promote blood flow and circulation
Acupuncture may assist with pain
Herbal medicines and nutritional supplements may assist pain
Chiropractic care, or osteopathy care may assist
Do a mindfulness course, or learn some meditation
Get at least an hour of “You Time” daily
Take your medications as prescribed
Book in with your healthcare practitioner and get a proper pain management, or disease state management protocol going
Improved your gut health and microbiome
Be positive and look at positive words and affirmations
Stay away from negativity and negative people
See a pain management specialist if need be
See a counsellor, or psychologist
If something isn’t working, then change it. This may also mean changing the person you are seeing. It may also mean changing self, or self-beliefs.

Lastly, never self prescribe, or try to manage your own disease state. Nobody can manage their own disease state properly, no matter how much they know, or how hard they try. Always seek proper help and clinical management from a properly trained healthcare professional who specialises in your disease state

I hope this has helped everyone understand a little more about what emergency departments do, or are supposed to do, when it comes to pain and critical care.

We really do need to be aware of expectation, versus reality for this type of care and what emergency centres actually do. I also want people to know what they can do also need to be proactive in their disease states and helping manage their disease state and symptoms properly. With proper care and proper management, you truly can reduce symptoms, reduce pain, reduce flare ups and also live a fairly normal life as well.

Lastly, when pain does get too bad, or your are unable to control your disease sate properly, it means you need to get proper help and this also means seeing an appropriately trained healthcare professional to assist you in every aspect of your disease. Please do not try to do it yourself, or google it, or ask friends for advice.

Always see a healthcare professional who is trained to deal with your disease properly and administer appropriate care, treatment and management moving forward. If your current healthcare professional isn’t assisting your properly, I am the first person to tell people the value of a second, or tenth opinion.

If you do need help with a women’s health condition and are not being managed properly, then please give my friendly staff a call and find out how I am may be able to assist you.

Take care

Regards

Andrew Orr

– No Stone Left Unturned

– Women’s and Men’s Health Advocate

-The Endometriosis Experts

-The Women’s Health Experts

No matter what you do, some days are just going to be bad days and that is OK

Posted on July 27, 2018September 7, 2019 by Andrew Orr

The one thing I have learn about life and having to live with a chronic disease is that no matter what you do sometimes, some days are just going to be bad days and that is OK

You can have the best diet in the world, you can have the best emotional outlook, you can exercise, and you can have the best support, but some days “Shit Happens”

Some days the disease state just flares up, or your immune system just doesn’t work as well as it should, or the body just wants to take a break and those are the days when you sit there wondering what you have done, or ask yourself “why is this happening?”

This week I had one of those weeks. I am sure many people can relate. My lung capacity was at half of what it should be and I was really struggling to get on top of it all. I had to work really hard to get back to a state of normalcy and it was really concerning me and also frustrating me. The whole week was a struggle and then by the end of the week, I was starting to feel back to normal again. But, it took some really hard work to start to feel normal again.

“Why?” I kept asking. My diet is good and I am taking my medicines and trying to stay positive and I have been getting to be early, so why is this happening?

Well the truth is that sometimes, when you are living with a chronic disease, no matter what you do, you are just going to have bad days. People can say what they want, or try to justify it being this, or that, but some days there is just no reason why.

But, the main thing is that even though you have bad days, as long as the good outweigh the bad, then you are moving forward and probably in a better place than you previously were. We aren’t invincible.

We are humans. We get sick. We get tired. We get stressed. We cannot expect to be in perfect health all the time and sometimes we just have to realise this. Then, if you have a chronic disease state, there is more chance of having some bad days and again, that is OK.

Having said that, if you do all of a sudden have a flare up of symptoms, it is good to do the system check and evaluate what may be causing you to have a flare up, or have a bad day, or not feel so great, or feel so tired etc.

The things you need to ask yourself are:

Have you been eating well?
Have you been eating too many bad foods?
Have you been stressed?
Do you have negative people impacting you and your health?
Are you exercising and moving the body to keep fit?
How is your emotional outlook?
When was your last holiday?
When was the last time you took some time out for you?
Have you been taking you medications? (if needed)
Have you been following the advice from your healthcare practitioner?
When was the last time you had a health check-up?
Have you been drinking enough water?
Have you been drinking too much alcohol?
Have you been getting enough sleep?
Have you had a virus, or a cold, or a flu, or some other illness recently?

All these things you need to ask yourself and are some of the things I asked myself recently. If you aren’t getting enough sleep, stressing too much, not exercising, not eating well, aren’t being positive, aren’t drinking enough water, not taking your medications, not following healthcare advice etc, and then all these things can lead to a flare of symptoms.

Sometimes it is just a bit of everything that builds up and causes you to feel poorly, or have a flare of symptoms. Sometimes it may just be one thing alone. No matter what it is, you need to do a check and see if there is anything that needs to be changed in order for you to feel better.

Some of the things you can do to feel better:

Eat health whole foods and no refined foods
Go and do some exercise, or go for a nice walk in the fresh air
Drink more water
Take your medicines
Take some time out for self
Do some mindfulness training
Do some meditation
Book in with your counsellor
Book into see your healthcare practitioner
Get some acupuncture
Do some yoga
Get a massage
Go for a swim
Read a book
Get a funny movie out and have some laughs
Be supported by friends
Make love
Get cuddles
Be positive

There are many other things you can do to make yourself feel better and help get your health back on track.

As I said, we are humans and we aren’t perfect, but we also need to sometimes stop and take check of our lives and look at what may be causing our health to suffer, or our disease states to be exacerbated and flare symptoms. It is about being proactive and being honest with one’s self and then making the necessary changes to help yourself get better. There is no “try” there is only “do”.

Lastly, just remember to not be harsh on yourself. Be kind to yourself. Just remember that you are human and it is OK to have a bad day. If those bad days continue, it just means you need to get some help and get back on top of your health again and that is OK. Never be scared to ask for help when you need it and ask for support from those around you.

Now, off you go, and be the best version of you and go and have a good day.

If you do need help with a women’s or men’s health condition, please give my friendly staff a call and find out how I may be able to assist you.

Take care

Regards

Andrew Orr

-No Stone Left Unturned

-Women’s and Men’s Health Advocate

-The Women’s Health Experts

But what do I do and who is going to help me?

Posted on June 28, 2018September 23, 2019 by Andrew Orr

Many years ago I was asking this same question, “But what do I do?” and “Who is going to help me?”

Like so many others, I know all too well about having a chronic health condition and living with that daily.

Yes, I too have a chronic disease state and I also know what it is like to live in that chronic disease state. That is why I understand what many of you go through daily. I may not know what it is like to live with your disease state, but I know what it feels like to live in chronic disease state and have to live with the consequences of that disease.

I also know what it is like sitting there thinking that nobody seems to be able to help me and one seems to be getting nowhere with this. Then the vicious cycle of then doing nothing, because one believes that nothing works and nobody can help, and then nothing gets done and the symptoms continue and then you get even more and more frustrated.

Yes, I have been there too. This is why I do what I do now and why I want to help others get out of their rut, and help them overcome their disease and learn to manage their disease better to then have a better life.

But unlike many others, I do know the power of positivity and know that once I put my mind to something and commit to it, then I’ll do as best I can and it also helps get the process going. I also know that in order for something to change, that I also had to be proactive and make things change. It is that old saying “If you don’t change anything, then nothing changes”

So one day I sat down and said “Right, let’s just forget about whom I have been seeing, forget the blame game etc and let’s just really look at this objectively. What do (I) need to do to create a change?” and “Can I do all these changes on my own?”

Sometimes asking these sorts of questions about yourself can be quite confronting and when you do, you also need to be completely honest with yourself and have those around you be honest with you also.

Then you have to take that advice, listen to what people are saying and then go about finding someone to help you and then actually make the necessary changes that are needed. But, finding someone to help can be really hard too.

Like every other profession, or industry, or workplace etc, there are good and bad people in what they do. Unfortunately finding the good people to help can often be hard, but it doesn’t mean they are not out there.

There are good people out there, and people who are excellent at what they do, but it also means not being sceptical and also having an open mind, otherwise you will just give up and not do anything again. Then you end up being in the vicious ‘poor me’ cycle again and that isn’t going to help anyone. This is where a good counsellor or psychologist can help and be impartial and be objective in what you need to do to move forward.

Then I also learnt that I had to stop the blame game and had to learn to stop making excuses. I know all too well that it was much as it is easy to blame others and blame things for not working, but at the end of the day we are all in charge of our own health, our own lives and what happens to our body too.

Well, to a point anyway. I do know that sometimes you just can’t help genetics and hereditary disease, but at the same time, these disease states can be managed “If” you get proper care.

I remember a good friend sitting me down and talking to me about what I should do and also some of the questions this friend asked me. Some of the things he said to me and insights he shared with me were things like these.

“Are the people you are seeing good at what they do?”
“Have you noticed any changes after the treatments they have prescribed?”
“How long have you been seeing these people for?”
“What are your expectations around the treatments they have prescribed for you?”
“Have you actually been doing the treatments they have prescribed”
“Have you been taking the prescribed treatments and advice seriously and doing it properly?”

This friend of mine said to sit there for a minute or so and really reflect on what he was asking and be completely honest with myself.

He said to me “You know how some people come to see you and then they go away and then don’t take on any of the recommended changes and don’t do the treatments and then expect for things to miraculously changes and you to somehow just fix them without them having to do anything….. are you one of those people too?”

Not something I wanted to hear, but I did appreciate the honesty. I could relate to what he was saying because if one doesn’t do the necessary recommendation, or do the treatment, then one isn’t going to get better and then you can’t blame the person you are seeing if it all goes pear shaped.

Then he said to me “You can’t keep doing the same thing over and over again. If it isn’t working, you can’t then expect a different outcome each time, or just hope that all of a sudden it works.”

He then went on to say “I’ll put it to you this way. If you keep running into a brick wall and then it hurts and you fall over and then get back up again and try to do it again thinking it might not hurt this time, and expect a different outcome, when you know it is going to hurt, then you need to start asking yourself some serious questions”

Then he said to me “Let’s really look at expectation versus reality. You have had this disease state for a really long time, but in your own mind you want it fixed straight away, or after a few days, or after a few weeks. The thing is… it isn’t going to happen.”

He then continued “You know all too well that if you have had a disease state for years it isn’t going to fix overnight and that it is going to take months, or may even take a year or more to fully get on top of it, depending on the severity and what is going on”

This friend also said to me “Sometimes pain levels and symptom and all a matter of expectation versus reality too. Sometimes you think you aren’t getting better, when in fact you actually are. If someone where monitoring you properly you may have started out at 10/10 pain and may now be 5/10, which is an improvement. But, because you are still in pain, you won’t see it as such until someone points out the difference. It is all relative to what you believe versus what is actually happening ”

Lastly he then put it rather bluntly to me “Who the bloody hell have you been seeing and are they any good?” then he added “Because we all know there are people out there you wouldn’t send your dog to and the good ones are few and far between. Btw, who sent you there in the first place?”

He then added one more thing in “You can’t try and do this yourself, or try and treat yourself because that isn’t going to work and this is not your area of expertise. Go and see someone for advice and help and don’t be like many others and try and (Dr Google), or try and self-manage your own disease. That will end in tears”

So, after my brutally honest, but helpful, conversation with my friend, I did have a big conversation with myself and realised some things. These same things I now share with my own patients.

Not everyone you see is good at what they do and if someone isn’t helping you, then you need to find someone that will. This is why now I always say to people that never underestimate the power of a second, or tenth opinion. Never give up until you find someone who will listen and then really help you.
When you get a referral to someone, do your research and make sure the person you are seeing is well qualified to be helping you and your condition. You need to ask them the big questions and don’t be scared in asking the big questions. If they don’t seem qualified to help you, then find someone else. Also make sure your surgeon is advanced trained, if one is needed and also specialises in your disease state.
Look at who is referring you. Look at what their knowledge of the area you need help with. It is your friend referring that may have no idea? Is it mum, or dad referring? Make sure the person referring you has a good knowledge base of the person they are referring to and also has a good understanding of your disease. Sometimes the people referring you have no idea and then refer you to someone mediocre. It is all about perception and sometimes perception of who is good and who isn’t might be a little distorted.
Look at how long you have had a disease for and look at what your expectations are around how long it may take to see some changes? Then ask the person you are seeing for an honest opinion about how long they would expect to see some changes happening. No long term health issues fixes overnight and the longer you have a disease for, the longer it is going to take to help it and see some real changes.
If you are asking to make changes and do a certain treatment and management plan, then make sure you do it 100%. For changes to happen you have to follow the advice given and stick to it.Forget what Dr Google says. If a professional with years of training tells you to follow their advice, then make sure you give it a chance and actually do it.
You also need regular follow-up consultations and regular management to oversee those changes and also talk about any concerns and also talk about changes as they happen. You need to document changes and actually be managed properly.

If a treatment isn’t helping, or you perceive it isn’t helping, then have a chat with your healthcare practitioner about this.

If something really isn’t working, then you need to change something, or change the person you are seeing until you find someone who can help you.
Pain levels and symptoms and healing times can sometimes be distorted when you are in pain. When you are in pain, or have bad symptoms sometimes you don’t always realise you have had changes, because you are still in pain and have symptoms.As my friend mentioned to me, sometimes you may have started at 10/10 pain, or symptoms, but now you may actually be 5/10 pain and symptoms. That is actually a big change and means you are getting better, but because you are still in pain, or have symptoms, you may not be able to see this until it is pointed out.
As long as you are progressing and moving forward then this is good and something to give you hope that your treatment is working.
You are always going to have bad days. Even with the best treatments and best management, everyone will have bad days and these are the days you need to be careful about and not get negative about.Shit happens. Bad days happen for everyone and we all have to be aware that while the bad days will happen, as long as you are moving forward, even if it is step by step, then this is a good thing. Like they say “Two steps forward, one step back”, which still means you are one step ahead of where you were.
Don’t try and treat yourself. It is good to be educated and good to be informed etc, but relying on Dr Google, or friends advice etc, can be a bad thing too.We don’t try and cut our own hair, or fix our own car, or make our own medicines etc, so we shouldn’t try and fix ourselves either. We need someone who can be objective and someone who is actually qualified in the area that we need help with to get the best results.
Many disease states need a ‘team’ or multimodality approach to give you the best results possible. We know that despite the best medical treatments, that many people are still in pain etc and it isn’t until they incorporate other therapies, that they then start getting positive results. Be open to trying new therapies and new things that may help you.
If you do ever need to go to the emergency department for your disease, just remember that the emergency department isn’t there to fix your chronic disease. They are there to stabilise your pain and stabilise your symptoms and once that is done, they are more than likely to send you home, if you aren’t in any medical danger. If so they will admit you. But part of critical care should be making sure you are referred to someone who can manage you clinically moving forward. The reality is that sometimes this doesn’t always happen.
Never ever let the disease own you. You are not the disease and it does not own you and we need to be careful of not buying into the label and then letting the disease and the label consume us. Take back your power and be positive and use that to help you overcome the disease and being owned by the label.
Be kind to yourself. That means eating good foods, exercise, lifestyle changes and getting out into the sunshine daily. Many foods that we eat are inflammatory and only add to the inflammatory disease process you are dealing with already. Create good gut health to build up your reserves of health gut bacteria to help your body and help your immune system. Get the body moving and get the circulation and blood flow moving to nourish the body too.
Last but not least, never underestimate the power of the mind, or how emotions can be a big part of a disease state and some of those disease states symptoms.We check in our tax to the accountant, we check in our health with the GP, we check in our hair to the hair dresser, but when do we actually check in our emotions and our thought processes.
Never underestimate the power of talk therapy and seeing a counsellor etc. The body mind connection is a big part of many diseases. Never underestimate the power of stillness and mindfulness and bringing the body to rest and being mindful of your life and what may be needed to help your health. There are people who can help you with mindfulness and meditation and creating that positivity in your life

Having lived with a chronic disease state for most of my life, I do know how challenging it can be for people and to find that strength and courage to actually get up and do something about your health.

It can also be disheartening when the people you have seen have missed and dismissed your disease too. It all just compounds and adds to the daily burden of what you are going through.

But, never let those things stop you from finding someone who can help, or finding the strength to get up and make the necessary changes you need to make a better life for you.

I think that having a disease is sometimes like learning to ride a horse. You may fall off many times, but you need to just get straight back on again until you master the art of staying on and being a good rider and being in control. But even the best rider is going to fall of every now and again, and that is ok too.

Just remember that there is always help out there and there are people who will listen and who do specialise in the area you need help with.

Lastly, for you to get better, it also needs for you to be a big part of the driving force behind that and actually do the work needed. Don’t just sit there in ‘poor me’ mode. Get up and get yourself out there and do what you need to do for you.

If something isn’t working then change it. Just remember that in order for a change to take place, something has to change. Something that means you changing your belief and your thinking too. It might also mean changing the healthcare provider you are seeing too.

As someone who has been there, I hope this helps you all get the help you so desperately deserve. Just remember that if you don’t know what to do, or where to get help, please know I am here to help you as well. You can always book in a consult (in person, or via online) and I can help assist you with your health, and also point you in the right direction too.

Regards

Andrew Orr

-No Stone Left Unturned

-Women’s and Men’s Health Advocate

Asking the Right Questions about Period Pain & Gynaecological Issues.

Posted on November 23, 2017September 7, 2019 by Andrew Orr

All to often women have gynaecological disease states “missed” and “dismissed” because their healthcare practitioner was not asking the right questions about period pain and gynaecological issues.

I didn’t know how I was going to start this post, or begin to talk about what I am about to talk about, other than I got some inspiration after a text message, and a phone call later on, from my eldest daughter some time ago.

I will talk about that soon. But let’s talk about some of the phone calls and messages I get from people every day and how some of these messages gives me a heads up into what may be going on for these people and then getting them in for a proper consult and the right help.

Every day I get phone calls, emails, Facebook messages etc, from women (young and older) who are experiencing period pain, menstrual issues, and other related symptoms and nearly all of them have the same story.

“I have been to the GP and I have had blood tests and scans and they say that there is nothing wrong”. This is what I hear all so often.

It happens so often and it is like there is a script written for these poor women who just want to get out of pain and get some sort of normal life back. I get so annoyed when I hear this repetitious line. Not at the people telling me, but knowing that these poor women really haven’t been investigated properly at all and probably won’t be unless they come and see me.

I remember I got a text that I really wasn’t expecting, as it was from my eldest daughter.

It read “Hey Dad, is endometriosis hereditary?”

To which I replied “Yes it can be, why?”

I anxiously awaited the next reply and thankfully she was asking on behalf of a friend. But this poor friend had been experiencing really bad period pain and had basically had blood tests and scans and been told that everything was normal.

Apparently one of the scans showed some fluid in the Pouch of Douglas (POD), which can actually be a sign of endometriosis and inflammation. Worse still, this poor girl’s mother actually has endometriosis and nobody is putting two and two together and asking the question “I wonder if the daughter may have it too?”

Well, there is more than a good chance that she does have it and thank goodness my daughter actually knows the signs and knows that scans and bloods tests cannot diagnose many gynaecological issues, especially endometriosis.

Lucky my daughter also knows that you need to see an advanced trained laparoscopic surgeon who specialises in the excision of endometriosis and has done years of extra surgical training to specialise in these disease states. The good thing is that she knows that you cannot just see a regular gynaecologist to get this done.

But, not everyone is as fortunate as my daughter to know this and help her friend to come and see me to help her see my surgeon and then I can help her with management of the disease, if found (which is highly likely) after the surgery.

The other good thing is that my daughter knows there is no cure for endometriosis and that surgery isn’t going to fix the problem either. She knows it will help, and is needed, but after the surgery, the management post surgery is the most important, for disease states like endometriosis.

Unfortunately not many people know this and don’t have the disease managed properly post surgery. Women with endometriosis and some other inflammatory gynaecological issues will need a team approach, or a multimodality approach post surgery, because even with the best medical intervention, it really isn’t enough and why so many women have the disease and symptoms return, or may still be in pain and have other recurring symptoms.

There is never a one treatment, one pill, fix all approach to disease states such and endometriosis. This is where so many go wrong.

One of the main issues for women can be that they really have not seen the right healthcare professions, especially the right surgeon and unfortunately this is many of the women that have had surgical intervention. This one is so important.

Whenever I get messages from women in pain, or I consult with women who have period pain and all the other associated symptoms, there are some standard questions I ask, to know if they have been given the right information, been diagnosed properly, or seen the right surgeon.

I always ask “what tests have you had done?” – I know that if they have only had blood tests and some scans, then these women have not been investigated, or diagnosed properly.
Then I usually ask “Have you just seen your GP, or have you seen a specialist?”– Most of the time many women have not been referred onto a specialist and have only just been seen to by a GP. This is one of the biggest issues women face when it comes to gynaecological conditions. GP’s are just general practitioners. They are not gynaecologists and definitely not advanced trained laparoscopic surgeons. The best thing any woman can do is ask for a referral to a specialist and a good GP should know to do this anyway. This is one of the biggest reasons that women from all over the world take up to a decade to be diagnosed with disease states such as endometriosis. On a daily basis women are missed and dismissed and told there is nothing wrong, go on the pill, or that they have some inflammatory bowel condition, when in fact they have endometriosis, or adenomyosis, or some inflammatory gynaecological issue. Btw, this isn’t to put GP’s down, unfortunately this is what happens to so many women and why it often takes up to a decade for women to be diagnosed with diseases such as endometriosis. This is an unfortunate fact and it needs to change.
Then I ask “Have you had a laparoscopy?”– One of the most common responses is “What is a laparoscopy?” and that way I know they haven’t had one done. A laparoscopy is the gold standard investigation of the pelvis and the only way to properly diagnose disease states and causes of period pain, such as endometriosis.
If the woman has had surgery I then ask “was the surgery done publically, or privately?” – This will tell me a few things. It will let me know if it was just done be a public surgeon, who probably isn’t an advanced trained laparoscopic surgeon. The issue is that there really aren’t that many advanced trained laparoscopic surgeons that do public work, and even if you strike the jackpot and do happen to get one, there is a good chance they are only in a teaching role to instruct a trainee surgeon to do the surgery anyway. But mostly women do not get an advanced trained laparoscopic surgeon in the public system. It is sad, but true unfortunately. Many times the first surgery in the public sector is purely investigative too and no excision (disease removal) is performed. This means that the woman has to come back for further surgery, or surgeries.
If they the woman has had surgery done previously by a private specialist then I usually ask “Who was the surgeon that did your investigation and surgical procedure?” – Sometimes I can ask if the surgeon was an advanced trained laparoscopic surgeon and the patient usually will respond to not knowing, or even know what I was talking about. That usually gives me a clue that it most probably wasn’t, but then I can go and check the specialists qualifications online and see if they are, or most probably aren’t, an advanced trained laparoscopic surgeon who has done years of extra specialised surgical training.

All those 5 questions can tell me much about what some of these poor women have had done, or haven’t had done, and then I can formulate an appropriate treatment plan and management for these women moving forward.

It is always hard explaining to the ones that have had surgery before that they haven’t seen the right surgeon and that they are going to need further surgery. The hardest thing for me is seeing women on support pages about to have their first surgery and I always worry that they aren’t seeing the right surgeon and if they don’t, there is a good chance that they are still going to be going through the same issues, over and over again, until they find the right person to help them.

If only I could see all these women before they did anything, so that they can be given the right information and the facts and be managed properly.

The good thing is that when I do get to see women who chose to see me, I can explain to them the facts and the right information and then why and how with a proper surgeon, that it can make a huge difference to how they are feeling and their recovery and management post surgery.

I can also explain how surgery really is necessary, but is only a small part of their overall treatment and management of their disease moving forward. I can also explain the facts around their disease moving forward too and make sure that women under my care are given the right information, the right investigations and right management going forward.

This is why my initial consultations take about an hour and a half and we go over everything from their health history, medical history, hereditary issues, diet, lifestyle, surgical intervention, medications, natural medicines, blood tests, scans, investigations, sleep, sexual health, libido and everything that a woman needs to know about her particular issues.

It is also about listening to a woman’s concerns and complaints and really hearing what she has to say and is experiencing.

Then I formulate a treatment plan and management and 20 page report of findings for them for what we are going to be doing to help them moving forward.

I also give them a step by step treatment plan of treatments and medicines etc they will need too. That is why my motto is “No Stone Left Unturned”, because there is no stone left unturned and I also make sure they see the right people (surgeons and anyone else that they may need to see).

If there are things that I can’t do (surgery etc), I make sure that my patients only see the best people, in my trusted network, and then I can help manage their disease state alongside other specialists and medical interventions.

I wish I could see every woman before they went for any investigation, or surgery, so I can point them in the right direction and help them manage their gynaecological condition properly.

This is why I am so passionate about doing my posts on social media, or giving time for charity events to talk about women’s health issues and gynaecological issues such as endometriosis, adenomyosis and PCOS.

It is why I do healthcare practitioner education and seminars to help educate them better too, so that they can help their patients better and not miss and dismiss them.

I just hope that I can help those who have not been heard and that have been missed and dismissed. I also hope we can get people to listen to the things I have presented above and also help women get a voice, be heard and get government listening and get more education to younger women too.

Lastly, I cannot say it often enough….. Period Pain “IS NOT” normal and if you, or your daughter, or your sister, or your mother, or cousin, your best friend, or anyone you know has period pain, especially bad period pain and other symptoms, please, please, do not tell them that this is normal.

Period Pain is not normal and women who are experiencing period pain need to see someone who specialises in women’s health and gynaecological conditions, so that they can be investigated properly and have their issues managed properly too.

If you do need assistance with a women’s health issue, you can make a booking to have a consultation with me. Please call my friendly staff to find out more.

Regards

Andrew Orr

-No Stone Left Unturned

-Women’s and Men’s Health Care Advocate

-The Endometriosis Experts

-The Women’s Health Experts