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| PATIENT EDUCATION |
| HEAVY MENSTRUAL BLEEDING |
| There is no need to suffer with heavy periods. An in-office procedure may be the right treatment to solve heavy menstrual periods for good. Learn more: |
Watch a video explanation from Dr. Fink on different treatment options: |
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See Dr. Fink on CBS-TV Health Watch discuss the in-office procedure: |
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| Visit the Website for HerOption, the office based procedure to treat heavy periods Website for HerOption |
| DO I NEED A HYSTERECTOMY? |
| A hysterectomy is the surgical removal of your uterus. Depending on your age and the circumstances, sometimes a hysterectomy might also require the removal of one or more of your ovaries. In the past, gynecologists would routinely recommend a hysterectomy for the treatment of many gynecologic maladies such as heavy bleeding, pain, and fibroids. Now, there are many less invasive options for treating these problems. Removing your uterus is usually a last resort, however, sometimes it is necessary. You may be a candidate for a minimally invasive type of hysterectomy. In the past, the surgery was often performed through an incision on your abdomen. There are other types of hysterectomies. |
| WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS FOR BIRTH CONTROL? |
| Short-term |
| Hormonal birth control is one of the most well-studied medications in the history of medical science. Birth control is safe & effective. There are many different forms available, and all are immediately reversible. If you stop your pill today, it is out of your system tomorrow. Therefore, if you are thinking about getting pregnant, take your pill up until the time you would like to start trying. It is a myth that you need to stop your pill for some period of time (i.e. three months) before getting pregnant. A birth control pill requires you to purchase the pack of pills monthly from the pharmacy, and to take your pill daily. Another option is the NuvaRing. You place this small plastic ring into your vagina, where it stays for 21 days. Rather than taking a pill, the hormone is absorbed directly into your bloodstream; not only do you no longer have to remember your pill, but the hormone dose is lower and the side effect profile better. These are web links to our top choices for short-term birth control, such as the pill: |
| LoEstrin 24 {www.shortperiod.com} |
| www.nuvaring.com |
| www.yaz.com |
| Long-term |
| Some women know that they will not want to get pregnant for a long time. If so, a longer-term birth control method makes the most sense. These longer-term methods are not only more effective than a birth control pill, but are considerably less expensive in the long run. |
| Implanon is a rod that goes superficially under the skin of your arm and can stay for up to 3 years. {www.implanon-usa.com} |
| There are 2 types of IUDs, or intrauterine devices. Mirena can be used for up to five years, and has the extra added benefit of decreasing the amount of menstrual bleeding you have by about 90%. It is FDA approved for women who have had a baby before. It works by treating the lining of your uterus with a low dose of hormone. {www.mirena.com} |
| The other IUD is Paragard, which can be used if you have not had a baby. There are o hormones in Paragard, which is appealing to many women. {www.paragard.com} |
| Permanent |
| If you are finished with growing your family and childbearing is no longer your desire, you may be wondering about better options than taking a birth control pill or just using a condom. Our best recommendation is the Essure procedure (www.essure.com). It used to be said that having your male partner undergo a vasectomy from a urologist was an easier method than a woman being sterilized. The vasectomy could be performed in the urologist’s office, while the woman required general anesthesia for a tubal ligation (“getting your tubes tied”). |
| The Essure procedure is performed quickly and comfortably in our office. It takes only a few minutes and has little down time. It is a giant step ahead for women, and truly has revolutionized permanent birth control for women. |
MY PAP SMEAR WAS ABNORMAL… NOW WHAT? |
| An abnormal Pap smear can be a scary, but it doesn’t need to be. We will be with you every step of the way. |
| Learn about understanding your abnormal results: http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp161.cfm |
| Learn about the HPV virus: http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp073.cfm |
| Learn about our next step, colposcopy: http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp135.cfm |
| WE CAN ANSWER ALL YOUR QUESTIONS! |
| Whether it is about fertility, sexuality, infections, pain, hormones, or about anything else you can imagine pertaining to women’s health, we are your experts. We encourage you to feel comfortable talking to us about anything. The internet can be daunting with so much information. However, there is one site (besides ours!) with accurate information on almost every topic. Most are even available in Spanish. Please click the following link for the extensive, free library of publications from the American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists: http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/ |