Scleroderma And The Digestive System (part 2 of 2)

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How Is This Treated?

As of today, there is no known cause for scleroderma and because of that, diagnosis is mainly based on symptoms. Doctors can start off by giving a patient medication to help ease him or her of the symptoms. These medications are given in attempt to lessen acid production but if that does not do anything, then procedures that are specific to the affected area are done to relieve a patient of discomforting symptoms.

Medications however are only given to relieve a patient from the effects brought about by scleroderma and not to entirely remove scleroderma from a patient. The cause of scleroderma is unknown and with that, there is no known medicine. Treatment for scleroderma is patient-specific even when it comes to gastro-intestinal involvement. This however can be managed effectively with the help of medical procedures.

How Is This Diagnosed?

If medications do not work or if a patient would develop side effects, then that is where one should have medical procedures. If the esophagus is affected, some medical procedures that can help would be endoscopy, barium swallow and esophageal manometry.

If the stomach is affected, then the patient could also have barium swallow which is similar the one referring to esophageal involvement and a gastric emptying study of which a person eats small amounts of material followed by taking x-rays of their stomach.

Scleroderma And The Digestive System (part 1 of 2)

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Scleroderma is characterized by the toughening of the affected area, most commonly in the skin or in the organs which could lead to limitation of the organ’s function. This is quite rare as it only affects 14 out of every 1 million people worldwide. Scleroderma affects women more than it affects men and could develop somewhere between the ages of 30 to 50. It is also inherent in the Native American Choctaw tribe and in African-American women. Scleroderma is rarely found in children.

While cases of scleroderma that would only affect the skin would most likely not be fatal but could cripple the patient, the severe form of it which is called systemic scleroderma or is characterized by having scleroderma affect various parts of the body can be lethal and has been proven so in many cases. After the skin which is the most common case which would account for 95% to 100% of all cases, it is followed by gastro-intestinal involvement in scleroderma which would account for 70% to 90%

How Is The Digestive System Involved In Scleroderma?

Scleroderma is an autoimmune disease. Being that, it mainly interferes with the immune system and having them attack the body instead of protecting it. Scleroderma can affect all organs of the digestive system, either just one organ or the entire system at the same time. It start with the esophagus; if scleroderma is present in the esophagus, then peristalsis is more difficult as the food track is tighter making it less able to push food down.

Gastro-intestinal involvement in scleroderma usually starts off with the esophagus and gradually makes its way down lower into the large intestine. If it makes its way past the stomach, then the patient will start having problems with digesting food. This is because the stomach now lacks blood vessels because it has been limited by scleroderma. Worst case scenario of this is that everything from the esophagus to the rectum would be affected. Unfortunately, this is very possible.

Skipping Period Birth Control Pills Can Cause Mood Swings (part 2 of 2)

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Depo-Provera Shot
This is another progestin-only type of birth control, but instead of having to take pills you get a shot instead. They’re said to be 99.9% effective but if you miss your shot by a few days then their effectiveness decreases to 97%. Again, since this contains progestin, depo-provera shots may make you suffer from mood swings from time to time.

Patches
If smokers have nicotine patches then responsible women have progestin or estrogen patches. Naturally, if you choose the patch containing progestin, you’re immediately at risk of suffering from occasional mood swings.

For patches to work, they have to stay attached to your skin for three straight weeks. You are, however, able to take them off for the 4th week of the month without suffering any consequences. Patches are said to be 99% effective as well.

Diaphragms
Instead of working chemically to prevent contraception, birth control methods like diaphragms simply prevent you from conceiving by acting as a physical barrier. Since they do not use any hormones or even chemicals for birth control, they come with minimal, if any, side effects. They are not, however, as effective as the previous methods mentioned. At best, they offer 94% effectiveness but regular use could reduce its effectiveness to just 84%.

Nuva Ring
This is one of the lesser-known methods of birth control. It is inserted in a female’s vagina once a month. It releases progestin and estrogen to prevent contraception. Again, because of progestin, you are likely to suffer from mood swings if you use this inconsistently. Nuva rings are also not advisable for those with high blood pressure or are presently smoking.

Skipping Period Birth Control Pills Can Cause Mood Swings (part 1 of 2)

http://www.bromotravelindo.com

Taking birth control pills is one of the various ways you can act responsible in a relationship. Certain birth control methods, however, can have unwanted side effects. Oral contraceptives in particular are known to cause mood swings if you use them irregularly.

Birth Control Pills and Mood Swings
Studies show that mood swings are more likely to occur not because you’re using birth control pills but rather because of the irregularity of your use. In connection with that, not all oral contraceptives count mood swings as one of their possible side effects. Studies suggest that birth control pills containing progestin components are more likely to cause mood swings than other types of oral contraceptives.

The Different Types of Birth Control Methods
Upon choosing a new birth control method, it’s generally advised to give your preferred method a three month trial period. If your mood swings persist after that, consult your physician for a more effective contraceptive.

Progestin-Only Oral Birth Control Pill
This is said to be the kind of birth control method that’s most prone to inducing mood swings. Also known as mini-pill, they prevent contraception by increasing the thickness of your body’s cervical mucus membrane. They do not contain estrogen, which is good, but they do require however accurate timing: if you’re more than three hours late in taking your next pill, it’s best to take precautionary measures by taking a different birth control pill or method for the next 2 days.

Combined Oral Birth Control Pill
These pills contain a combination of progestin and estrogen. You take them twenty-one days each month, but you’re free not to use them for one week without having to suffer any consequences. Their rate of effectiveness is said to be 99%.