If you’re gearing up for your first visit with a new doctor, prepare to bare more than your body, said Caroline Rudnick, MD, PhD, a Saint Louis University family physician.

“Having a good relationship with your doctor is important. You should be comfortable discussing your lifestyle and health history so your doctor can best address your health concerns and keep you healthy,” Dr. Rudnick said.

“Information is a powerful weapon, and if I’m armed, I can do a better job helping a patient fight to stay healthy.”

Here are the top five things Dr. Rudnick suggests you and your doctor should discuss during your first visit:

1. Your past medical history – “It sounds obvious, but it’s things some patients forget,” she said. Your doctor will ask what procedures you’ve had done, what illnesses you’ve had, whether you’ve been hospitalized and, if so, where and when. Write them down before you visit, and make sure the list is complete.
2. Medications you take – “Bring the bottles with you to the appointment so that you don’t have to worry about whether you’ve spelled the name of medicine correctly or remembered to include the dosage.” If you are allergic to any medicine, now’s the time to mention it.
3. Family history – Your doctor isn’t being nosy when she asks about the health problems of your siblings, parents, children, grandchildren and grandparents, and at what age they developed. “Certain cancers, heart disease, high cholesterol, mental illness, diabetes and hypertension – they all run in families. These are the biggies that are genetic and that I need to know about.” Talk to your parents and grandparents so they can help you compile as complete and accurate a profile as possible. Have them fill out a family medical history information sheet, which you can share with your new doctor.
4. Social history – Your lifestyle influences your health, so your doctor likely will ask who lives at your home, whether you have a pet (“having a dog is good for most people because it keeps you active”), what your diet is like, what your exercise routine is, how much sleep you get each night, whether you smoke or take drugs, and how often (if ever) you use alcohol. “As a family doctor, I tend to take care of Mom and Dad and the kids. The more I know about the family, the better I can do.”
5. Your doctor’s experience and practice philosophy – Sharing information is a two-way street, so get some answers, too. Ask where your doctor went to medical school, how long she’s been practicing, what her special interests are and whether she has a particular approach to treating patients. “For instance, I’ll be on their case to get everything done that they should get done – scheduled vaccinations for children, annual mammograms and Pap smears for women, prostate screenings for men, colon cancer screenings for those 50 and up, and cholesterol and diabetes screenings for those in their 30s and 40s,” she said. “I want my patients comfortable with asking me questions as well.”

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If you have any questions or concerns about switching doctors, please call us @: 1-866-732-0305 for more information or visit www.doctorsolve.com

DoctorSolve Healthcare Solutions Inc., a Canadian Internet-based pharmacy intermediary (license #BC X23), offers low cost, long-term prescription drugs. A professionally registered pharmacist fills all Canadian prescriptions. A certified member of the Canadian International Pharmacy Association, DoctorSolve is ranked as one of the best online Canadian pharmacies by PharmacyChecker.com.
For more information on how to order Canada drugs safely and securely call 1-866-732-0305 or visit http://www.doctorsolve.com/ – a trusted and reliable Canadian online pharmacy since 1999.

As the school year approaches the first set of mid-term examinations, DoctorSolve wants to offer parents some proven study methods to help your children do better in school.

The best way to learn
It’s back to school for reading, writing, and the most basic skills of all – how to study. Help your child do better in school by creating space to study at home in a supportive atmosphere.

“Just as you need space to work when you cook, work on the computer or think, your child needs space for learning,” said Don Bower, an Extension Service human development specialist with the University of Georgia College of Family and Consumer Sciences.

“How their study space is arranged, set up and used all affect good study habits,” he said.

Even in the early grades, Bower said, your child will benefit from having a quiet, well-lighted, comfortable place of his or her own away from the noise of family life.

Your kids may try to convince you that they study better with the TV or rock music blaring, Bower said. Don’t buy it. But don’t blindly insist on complete silence either.

“Recent research shows that while many students learn best when it’s quiet, others find that some background noise energizes their minds,” Bower said. “Soft music may also help cut down on distracting household noise.”

More and more students today have portable music players with earphones, he said. Using these can provide background music for the student using them and quiet for those around him.

“Building a family study library is a good idea and doesn’t have to cost a lot of money,” Bower said. The basics should include a good dictionary, U.S. map and world map or globe. If your family has a computer, these resources are likely available online.

A good substitute for having your own family library, he said, is to take your student to the public library.

DoctorSolve Healthcare Solutions Inc., a Canadian Internet-based pharmacy intermediary (license #BC X23), offers low cost, long-term prescription drugs. A professionally registered pharmacist fills all Canadian prescriptions. A certified member of the Canadian International Pharmacy Association, DoctorSolve is ranked as one of the best online Canadian pharmacies by PharmacyChecker.com.
For more information on how to order Canada drugs safely and securely call 1-866-732-0305 or visit http://www.doctorsolve.com/ – a trusted and reliable Canadian online pharmacy since 1999.

On October 23rd, members of the CIPA, IPA BC and MIPA met with members of Health Canada in Ottawa to discuss with the implementation of legislation and regulation that will affect the future of IPS practice. This meeting corresponded with recent media focus on the supply and distribution of Tamiflu.

Currently, newspaper, television and radio are incorrectly blaming current IPS practices for the alleged shortage of the Tamiflu anti-viral medication. Despite the fact that the Canadian government clearly states that a sufficient supply of Tamiflu for Canadians is already stockpiled, the CPHA, OPA and other organizations are using the media attention surrounding Tamiflu as a platform against the export of pharmaceuticals from Canada.

In spite of the Canadian government’s assertion that there is no shortage of Tamiflu for Canadians, DoctorSolve will no longer offer Tamiflu on our Web site. This show of good faith is the only way to demonstrate our commitment to a “Canadians First” policy.

In the future DoctorSolve may resume selling Tamiflu. Please check www.doctorsolve.com periodically for updates regarding the availability of Tamiflu.

DoctorSolve Healthcare Solutions Inc., a Canadian Internet-based pharmacy intermediary (license #BC X23), offers low cost, long-term prescription drugs. A professionally registered pharmacist fills all Canadian prescriptions. A certified member of the Canadian International Pharmacy Association, DoctorSolve is ranked as one of the best online Canadian pharmacies by PharmacyChecker.com.
For more information on how to order Canada drugs safely and securely call 1-866-732-0305 or visit http://www.doctorsolve.com/ – a trusted and reliable Canadian online pharmacy since 1999.

Is my family safe?

Currently, the number one health issue in the media is the possible Avian (commonly referred to as the Bird Flu) influenza pandemic. With all the worst-case scenarios and varying sources being quoted, it is hard to be sure if the facts you read are, in fact, accurate.

The Bird Flu, caused by the H5N1 virus, is an infectious disease in birds caused by type “A” strains of the flu virus. Currently this disease is not being transmitted by humans. While the disease is a veterinarian emergency, it is not a human pandemic. At this time, the flu strain is NOT circulating North America.

The reason experts fear that the Bird flu will become an international pandemic is the simple fact that the flu has the ability to change its gene structure. In layman’s terms, that means the virus can change and vaccines and or mitigating medications may no longer be effective.

That being said, as a result of Bird flu being the health industry “hot topic”, there is a lot of fear mongering in today’s media. Last year, over 500,000 people died from influenza. Only 100 people died as a result of the H5N1 virus. People hear the fatality rate of people infected with the H5N1 virus is as high as 50%. Unfortunately, this statistic is very misleading. While it is true that the virus was fatal for 50% of hospitalized people infected with the H5N1 virus, no one knows how many people were affected with minor symptoms and survived. There is no way to determine how many people assumed the contracted virus was simply the common flu, and treated the virus as if it were simply the flu.

How can I prevent contracting the virus?

The media also indicates that if the virus mutates so that it can be passed by humans, the transmission of the virus is unstoppable. This again is not true. Using many of the same techniques you use to prevent the transmission of the common influenza virus, you can significantly decrease your chances of contracting the H5N1 virus. Prevention techniques include:

• Spray disinfectant on doorknobs, counter tops, and appliance handles on a daily basis.
• Virus can jump from a surface to your hands and then from your hands to another surface. By wiping down high traffic areas, you will prevent the virus from transferring to other people.
• Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly.
• Use antiviral tissue to open and close doors. Antiviral tissues claim to kill 99.9% of cold and flu viruses.
• Try to stay healthy. Eat well and healthfully, get exercise, and reduce your stress. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle will keep your body strong, and help you fight off disease.

There are several more extreme prevention techniques that you may want to use, although the preceding techniques should help you prevent contracting the virus. More extreme techniques include:

• Use disposable toothbrushes
• Avoid using public washrooms
• Avoid using pay phones

What are the real dangers?

Although currently the disease cannot be passed human-to-human, and can be prevented with the same techniques as you attempt to prevent contracting the normal influenza virus, the World Health Organization (W.H.O.) warns that has the potential to acquire the ability to spread easily from human to human, and trigger a global pandemic. The W.H.O. believes the H5N1 virus could trigger a pandemic for the following reasons:

• The H5N1 virus is circulating more quickly than initially perceived
• Influenza pandemics are cyclical and therefore a pandemic is due
• Virtually no human would be immune to a new influenza virus derived from poultry
• The increase speed at which humans and products are moved across the world helps the virus spread even faster

There is NO vaccine for the H5N1 virus. At present, medication can only help you fight the Avian flu virus, not prevent contraction. The medication most often recommended by physicians and governments is the anti-viral drug, Tamiflu.

Some people suggest taking Tamiflu daily to ensure your body can fight off the H5N1 virus. The problem with daily ingestion is that the current supply of the drug is decreasing. The drug simply can not be created as fast as it is being consumed. It is more effective to purchase the Tamiflu, and if taken within the first (2) days of infection, Tamiflu will help your body mitigate the effects of the disease.

Currently there is a manufacturer shortage of Tamiflu. As a result, DoctorSolve can no longer fill patient orders for the drug. Please check the DoctorSolve web site periodically for updates on the availability of Tamiflu.

DoctorSolve Healthcare Solutions Inc., a Canadian Internet-based pharmacy intermediary (license #BC X23), offers low cost, long-term prescription drugs. A professionally registered pharmacist fills all Canadian prescriptions. A certified member of the Canadian International Pharmacy Association, DoctorSolve is ranked as one of the best online Canadian pharmacies by PharmacyChecker.com.
For more information on how to order Canada drugs safely and securely call 1-866-732-0305 or visit http://www.doctorsolve.com/ – a trusted and reliable Canadian online pharmacy since 1999.