Health Care Provider Directory & Health Care Reviews

Living with Crohns disease

Crohn’s disease is a chronic inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, particularly the lower intestines. People with Crohn’s disease may experience a number of symptoms, including: Diarrhea, abdominal cramps and pain, fever, rectal bleeding, and weight loss. It is estimated that over half a million Americans have Crohn’s disease.
Every Crohn’s patient’s condition is unique. Crohn’s symptoms can be frequent or rare, mild, or severe. For people with severe symptoms, the disease can be debilitating .Other people may experience no symptoms or very few symptoms.
But whatever your condition, there are things you can do to make your living with Crohn’s disease easier.
With regard to nutrition, make sure you eat a balance of foods from the four food groups:
* Meat (or alternative sources of protein). Include a source of protein at every meal.
* Dairy. Milk products are good sources of protein, calories, and minerals.
* Cereal and grains
* Fruits and vegetables
You should also reduce the amount of greasy foods, which may cause diarrhea and gas, eat smaller meals at frequent intervals, and decrease the amount of poorly digestible carbohydrates in your diet to decrease symptoms of gas, cramps, and diarrhea. It is also recommended to avoid carbonated beverages.
It is highly recommended for people living with Crohns disease to carefully plan their time away from home, so to avoid unexpectedly coping with the disease’s symptoms.
For example, attacks of diarrhea or abdominal pain may make people fearful of being in public places, but there is a simple way to avoid that. All you have to do is find out where the restrooms are in restaurants, shopping areas, and on public transportation. Carrying along extra underclothing and toilet paper is also a wise thing to do.
The medications that your doctor has prescribed you are aimed at reducing the intestinal inflammation, and although they get rid of the symptoms, you might occasionally suffer from diarrhea, cramping, nausea, and fever. Make sure to discuss with your doctor some good over the counter drugs that you can use for these conditions, and have those drugs available for you at all times.

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Laser eye surgery in Los Angeles

Laser eye surgery is a medical procedure involving the use of laser to reshape the surface of the eye. This is done to improve or correct myopia (short-sightedness), hypermetropia (long-sightedness) or astigmatism (uneven curvature of the eye’s surface). This procedure is not new: The first laser sculpting procedures were performed over 20 years ago.
The cornea is the transparent tissue that covers the front of the eye. During laser eye surgery, a computer-controlled laser is used to remove tiny amounts of tissue from the front surface of the eye . The aim is to restore normal eyesight, without the need for glasses.
In one of the available operations using the laser, the thin outer layer of the cornea is removed and the underlying layers are reshaped. This procedure is known as photorefractive keratectomy or PRK.
In another type of laser procedure, a thin flap of corneal tissue is created with a fine instrument known as a microkeratome or another type of laser, known as a femtosecond laser. This flap is then lifted . The laser reshapes the underlying tissue and the flap is replaced to cover the newly recontoured surface. This procedure is known as LASIK.
people usually consider laser eye surgery because they are unable or unwilling to wear eyeglasses or contact lenses, for aestethic, work or leasure related reasons.
However, prior to performing laser eye surgery, the following factors should be considered: candidates should be at least 20 years old ,The refractive error (prescription in glasses) should be stable, People with diabetes, uncontrolled rheumatic conditions, diseases of the immune system or a family history of keratoconus should be very careful in proceeding with laser eye surgery.
It should also be noted that Laser eye surgery carries extra risks if performed on patients with abnormally shaped or very thin corneas.
a laser eye surgery is a rather expensive procedure, usually not covered by health insurance.
this procedure requires a  reputable eye surgeon, with considerable of experience in this type of operations.
With regard to the procedure itself, it should be made clear that The laser used by the surgeon doesn’t burn tissue, but vaporizes small amounts of the cornea . The diameter of the laser beam and the number of pulses that are directed onto the cornea are carefully controlled, usually by a highly sophisticated computer.
The procedure is performed using a topical anaesthetic and only lasts about 5 to 10 minutes.
after the laser surgery is completed, the patient will be given specific instructions, which normally include using antibiotic and anti-inflammatory medication (in the form of drops) for a certain period of time, Using plastic shields over the operated eye  for several nights , and special care not to rub the operated eye.

Laser eye surgery in Los Angeles and Laser eye Surgeons in LA

In the entire US it is estimated that over a million laser eye surgeries are done each year. It is believed that a few thousand laser eye surgeries are performed each year in and around LA.  A patient residing in the LA area has many reputable options of surgeons to choose from.  Since choosing an appropriate clinic is a major decision, the following list provides a handy summary of experienced laser eye surgeons in the LA area for your convenience:
- The Caster Eye Center, headed by Dr. Andrew Caster, in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles,. Dr. Caster is one of the few sub-specialists in the United States to dedicate his practice exclusively to Lasik laser vision correction. He is one of the most experienced and knowledgeable physicians in the United States in this field., and has over 150 surgeons in the Los Angeles area performing Lasik type of laser surgery. the Caster Eye Center offers three lasers: WaveLight Allegretto, Visx S4, and Ladarvision. These lasers use the wavefront custom cornea technology to achieve superior daytime and nighttime vision, frequently exceeding that achievable with glasses or contact lenses.
- The UCLA Laser Refractive Center ( Jules Stein Eye Institute ), at UCLA. it offers superior vision correction in a patient-centered environment. Access to established and pioneering technologies such as Los Angeles LASIK eye surgery for a wide range of refractive errors enables faculty doctors to optimize results by meeting each patient’s individual needs.  The Center was the first Laser eye surgery in Los Angeles to use an FDA-approved excimer laser to correct myopia (PRK and LASIK).
-For over 23 years, Laser Eye Center of Los Angeles and Orrnge County has proven experience as leaders in the field of refractive surgery. Among the largest refractive-surgery centers in California, this clinic has highly experienced surgeons and ophthalmologists, which have performed over 200,000 refractive surgeries. The Laser Eye Center has 15 locations conveniently situated throughout Los Angeles, Orange and Inland Empire counties.
- the Maloney vision institute, located at wilshare Blvd. Dr. Maloney has had many years of clinical experience correcting the vision of thousands of patients using a variety of techniques, and has personally performed over 45,000 LASIK procedures. Dr. Devgan is another prominent eye surgeon working at this clinic. has more than 10 years of experience in performing the full spectrum of eye surgery, including LASIK, Cataract Surgery, and Implantable Contact Lenses.

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Looking for an Abdominoplasty surgeon?

Some useful information about abdominoplasty plastic surgery

A tummy tuck surgery  (also known as abdominoplasty plastic surgery) is a major cosmetic plastic surgery that flattens the abdomen by removing extra fat and skin, and tightening muscles in the abdominal wall and as you probably understand it must be made by a professional abdominoplasty surgeon.

A tummy tuck is a hugely popular procedure: In 2007, 148,000 tummy tuck procedures were performed in the United States alone, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Tummy tucks were one of the top five cosmetic surgery procedures performed that year.

The abdominoplasty plastic surgery is not meant as a means of weight-loss. Rather, it helps reduce the appearance of loose, fat, and flabby skin around the abdomen by tightening stomach muscles and strengthening the abdominal walls.
Good candidates for this type of surgery include men and women who are in relatively good shape but are bothered by a large fat deposit or loose abdominal skin that does not respond well to diet or exercise.
Abdominoplasty can be performed as either an inpatient or outpatient procedure, and can be done with local anesthetic and a sedative, though usually a general anesthesia is preferred.
Candidates should be at least 18 and have a fairly stable weight.
A tummy tuck is not a cheap procedure: The national average surgeon fee is around  $5,000, but will range between $6,000 and $10,000 when anesthesia and facility fees are included.
Before deciding on a tummy tuck, be sure to discuss treatment options with a board-certified plastic surgeon. Plastic surgeons need to be certified by the country’s Board of Plastic Surgery. Such board certification ensures that your chosen surgeon has had extensive training and is up to date on new technology and techniques.
Once you have chosen a surgeon and scheduled your procedure, your doctor will give you a list of pre-operative instructions, which are  likely to include lab testing and a cardiac work-up, in cases involving  history of heart disease.
In the two weeks leading up to your tummy tuck, your plastic surgeon will probably  ask you to stop taking certain medications such as  aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and blood thinners, all of which can increase bleeding risk.
The tummy tuck surgery takes about two to five hours and can take less time - depends on your abdominoplasty surgeon.
A tummy tuck usually begins with a long incision across the abdomen, from hip bone to hip bone. The incision is shaped like a smile, with a flat bottom. The flat part of the smile occurs at the bottom point of the abdomen. The sides of the smile form a curve along the pelvis up to the hip bone. A second incision is made around the belly button in order to free it from the abdominal tissue. Afterwards, the patient’s skin is separated from the abdominal wall exposing the vertical abdominal muscles.  These muscles are then stitched into a new position, reducing the waistline. After the muscles have been repositioned and tightened, and excess skin is removed.
Tummy tuck is a major surgical procedure, hence, you can expect a considerable recovery time. Most people require one to three weeks before returning to work. With regard to the duration of overnight stay, some patients may not even need an overnight hospital stay, while others require up to two days. The abdomen will be swollen and sore for the first few days, and you will have to take pain killers, as prescribed by your surgeon.
It is a good idea to exercise after surgery, but only after enough healing time has passed. Your surgeon will give you specific instructions on how and when to exercise. As a general guideline, tummy tuck patients can start light to moderate activity after four weeks. After six to eight weeks, most people can resume all exercise and activity.
The abdominal scars issue is worrying many patients who are considering undergoing the tummy tuck procedure. The abdominal scars will appear to worsen during the first three to six months and it may take nine months before they flatten and lighten in color. You should know that the scars never completely disappear, but are easily hid by proper clothing. There are also creams and ointments that can be used after you’ve completely healed, to help with the scars. Make sure to ask your abdominoplasty surgeon about them.
As with any major surgery, the possibility of infection and an adverse reaction to the anesthetic are present.  Other complications include the following:
* Skin death
* Hematoma
* Belly button death
* Excessive scaring
* Excessive bleeding
* Ruptured stitches
But a full blown procedure, as described above, is not always needed. The good news is that today’s tummy tucks can be personalized. For example, if the problem is just loosing skin, the plastic surgeons can perform a “skin only” tummy tuck, which gets rid of excess skin. For women, if you have a small roll of loose skin and some muscle bulge from having children, you can have a smaller incision along your bikini line, have the muscle tightened, and remove the extra skin.  This operation is known as a mini tummy tuck.

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