Tag Archives: Dr K Thompson

Spoil Yourself – Enjoy the Pleasure of Essential Oils by Dr Kathleen Thompson

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Last month I wrote about Puressential essential oils – some of which are sold for therapeutic uses, to treat insomnia, head lice infestations and joint pains.

 

This month I was sent a lovely travel pack of Aromatherapy minis by Scentered which I am keen to share with you (well, not literally  – they’re mine, all mine, but I will share the experience with you until you get your own – which I would recommend.)

Essential oils are extracted from aromatic plants and it is believed that just smelling them can have positive effects on us, including changing our mood.  There have been a number of scientific studies, including EEG (brainwave) and imaging studies, which support this theory. So if you are feeling down, stressed, in need of inspiration or focus, why not give aromatherapy products a try? They may help and certainly smell amazing.

Scentered’s main products, which are 100% pure, are solid sticks of balm – a blend of moringa and shea butters to ensure a non-greasy finish, as well as long-lasting fragrance delivery. These are infused with different combinations of essential oils, in a handy twist-up container, which you can rub on pressure points such as the temples, neck and wrist.

Essential oils are often used to help sleep problems – the scourge of modern living. Scentered Sleep Essentials Set combines a balm stick, infused with Palmarosa, Lavender and Ylang ylang, with a silk eye-mask. Candles, scented with these and other relaxing plant oils are also available.

The first thing which hit me, when I opened the mini travel pack, was the amazing smell, which is quite addictive. The set, which is light and compact, contains five different balm sticks – each claiming to enhance your mood in different ways:

‘Be Happy’ for when you need a little cheering-up

‘De-stress’ – the clue’s in the title

‘Focus’ – to help concentration

‘Escape’ – for inspiration (I’m wearing it as I write this)

‘Sleep well’ – again, it speaks for itself

Scentered recommend you use these balms with breathing and mindfulness techniques for maximum benefit.

In this modern world of constant stimulation of 24 hour emails and social media, a little time out with yourself and some beautiful and powerful natural perfumes can do you more good than you may realise. Treat yourself.

By Dr K Thompson, author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7DM42Q

http://faitobooks.co,uk

Note: These articles express personal views. No warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of information given and you should always consult a doctor if you need medical advice.

 

 

Why Not Try Essential Oils For Some Common Medical Problems? by Dr Kathleen Thompson

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Some plants have therapeutic properties, and some modern medicines are derived from plants – for example digoxin, and anti-cancer drugs, such as taxotere and vincristine. Ayurvedic medicine draws on the many medicinal plants in the Indian rainforests and our grandmas all knew of herbal remedies, such as peppermint for an upset stomach and camomile for a good sleep.

If you have a serious illness you should consult your doctor. Modern medicines have been rigorously tested, and are formulated to deliver a consistent, safe and effective dose.

However, for some conditions you could consider essential oils as an alternative – and why not enjoy Mother Nature’s help, when it is safe to do so?

Puressential invited Frost to a lunch and presentation on their essential oils, which, importantly are high quality, natural and/or organic and are classified as botanically and biochemically defined (EOBBD)).  Some of their products are described below:

Purifying Air Spray

Purifying Air Spray contains 41 essential oils and, in a laboratory setting, kills various viruses, bacteria, fungi and mites. Although this testing doesn’t translate directly to the home, the spray could benefit room atmosphere. It certainly smells lovely and I would rather use this than a chemical-based home fragrance.

Rest and Relax Air Spray

I have used lavender sprays for jet-lag in the past.  The Rest and Relax Spray contains twelve essential oils, chosen to sooth, relax, and aid sleep. I tried my sample before bed and it I certainly felt well-rested the next day.

Anti-Lice and Lice-Repellant

If you’re reading this on the tube, this is the moment where you lift your head from the head-rest and sneak wary looks at your neighbours’ heads.

I remember the misery of having to coat my young children’s hair in a noxious-smelling chemical, for hours, only to find it often hadn’t even worked. And this is the problem – head lice develop resistance very quickly.

Puressential repellent spray contains ten essential/plant oils and no synthetic pesticides. It killed lice, larvae and the eggs during laboratory testing. It is necessary to use it with a ‘nit comb’ (supplied) for best effect. As with any lice treatment, there are no guarantees, but at least it is a natural, pleasant product, and an alternative worth considering.

Interestingly, ‘selfies’ are contributing to an increase. Lice only spread when heads are in close contact – just a gap of 6 cm seems to protect. Puressential sell a repellent spray, which, in laboratory tests, repelled 2/3 of lice by that critical 6cm, 95% of the time. The effect lasted up to 24 hours, so you could use as a daily protective spray for your kids’ hair, particularly when there is a school outbreak. It doesn’t give 100% protection, but may reduce infestation risk.

Puressentials make other products too, including for muscular pains – which can be found on their website http://www.puressentiel.com/uk/

By Dr K Thompson, author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7DM42Q

http://faitobooks.co,uk

Note: These articles express personal views. No warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of information given and you should always consult a doctor if you need medical advice

 

 

Do You Have to Lose Your Hair During Breast Cancer Treatment?

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breast cancer, hair loss,

Breast cancer, by its very nature, can challenge a woman’s perception of her femininity. Who wants people to think they have abnormal breasts? I didn’t. Breast surgery can also be psychologically traumatic, and radiotherapy can affect the appearance of the breast too.

Sometimes, as part of cancer treatment, chemotherapy drugs are used, and some of these cause hair-loss – another devastating blow to confidence and self-esteem. Even when hair regrows, it may be damaged, becoming delicate and curly (so-called chemo curl) for a long time afterwards.

So does your hair have to fall out or weaken? Well, chemotherapy tends to damage fast-growing cells, which is why it works against cancer. However, for the same reason, hair follicle cells are also sometimes affected.

Wearing ‘cold-caps’ during treatment can help by lowering scalp temperature. This reduces blood supply to hair-roots and thus local exposure to the chemo-drug. This can limit hair damage/loss in many people, but not all.

Recently, hairdresser and biochemist, Daniel Field, has developed products to protect hair during and after chemotherapy.

Daniel has a fascinating story. Whilst young, he hated the smell of his mother’s perming lotion, and decided to invent non-smelly products. They were so successful that he became a very young millionaire. He then opened several hairdressing salons and trained as a hairdresser himself.

Sadly he later had the heart-breaking experience of shaving his own mother’s hair when she started to lose it during treatment for ovarian cancer. He told me of the frustration he felt, as he tried his best to cut a nice style into a less than perfect wig for her.

This inspired him to use his biochemical expertise to develop natural products to protect hair during chemotherapy. They restore the alignment of hair amino acids, thus reversing damage and chemo-curl, improving texture and strengthening delicate hair. He also has hair-colour products which are so gentle that they can be used whilst having chemotherapy. His Hair Growth Active spray keeps hair in the growing phase, thus encouraging regrowth after hair-loss.

But breast cancer treatment affects hair in other ways too. Many women require anti-oestrogen treatment for years after diagnosis, such as tamoxifen or aromatase-inhibitors. These reduce natural oestrogens and thus can cause scalp irritation or dryness and dry/frizzy hair. The hair can thin, sometimes leading to male-pattern baldness. Daniel tells me that his products are able to help these problems too.

Daniel has recently opened a suite in central London where he provides hair-care services and advice. A wig service is also provided by Jane Whitfield, and Fiona Murphy, who has her own interesting story, provides beautician services specially for people going through cancer. Daniel’s hair products can also be ordered from his website and he offers fifteen minute free consultations.

So yes, some people will suffer hair loss or damage during their breast cancer treatment but it isn’t inevitable, and there are steps you can take which may help. Take care of yourself during this difficult time.

By Dr K Thompson, author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7DM42Q

http://faitobooks.co,uk

Note: This article expresses personal views. No warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of information given and you should always consult a doctor if you need medical advice.

Further Information:

http://www.breastcancer.org/tips/hair_skin_nails/cold-caps

http://danielfieldsuite.co.uk

http://www.sparklethroughchemo.co.uk

http://bit.ly/2d7Vn2l

 

 

Is This the Best Treatment for me Doctor? Statistics on a Postage Stamp by Dr Kathleen Thompson

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When we read about impressive new drugs, do we really understand what the percentages quoted mean?

You may need to make medicines-related choices—particularly for cancer, but other illnesses too. To make rational decisions you MUST understand the numbers your doctor quotes. He won’t deliberately mislead, but it is easy to misunderstand  statistical data.

So let me give you an inkling—not a maths lesson, just a few tips to help you ask the right questions.

Last week the BBC headlined: ‘Breast cancer: Taking hormone drugs for up to 15 years can reduce risk … cancer recurrence was cut by 34%’

Wow. Impressive. But let’s look closer: In that particular study, 95% of those who took the treatment for 15 years were cancer-free, compared to 91% who stopped at 10 years.

Hang on – 95% isn’t that different from 91%. How is that cutting risk by 34%?

Well (and this is important) improvement percentages quoted in newspapers, and by doctors and scientists, are often described in relation to the original risk.

In these patients, the original risk of cancer recurring was only 9%, so any improvement would appear large relative to 9%. If the original risk had been higher, the same benefit would have appeared less.

OK that’s the bottom line. But for the curious, another example:

Relative Risk Reduction (RRR) is a statistic often used to describe drug benefit. It is what it says—the reduction in risk (eg risk of death, or disease recurrence) relative to the original risk, ie the actual risk improvement divided by the original risk.

cancerriskreduction2

The Table shows an example. Patient A has a low risk of cancer returning (9%); Patient B’s cancer is more likely to recur (50%).

You can see from the Table that Patient A’s risk will only decrease by 4% with Treatment X, whereas Patient B’s will decrease by 15%.

Knowing this, Patient B should be more inclined to take treatment X than Patient A.

However, if Patient A’s doctor describes the benefit as RRR (see Table), then Patient A’s risk appears to decrease by a massive 44%. Consequently Patient A may have wildly inaccurate expectations for the treatment. The doctor isn’t tricking him, RRR is scientifically valid, but you need to know what it means.

This example highlights another point. Sometimes we only know that a treatment works in most people. However sometimes there is more information about how much it works in different patients eg Patient B would respond to Treatment X more than Patient A.

If available, you need specific information on the benefit for YOU. This could influence your decision, particularly for a treatment which has significant side-effects.

So, in summary: 

If your doctor uses percentages to explain a treatment benefit, ask:

1. Exactly what do the numbers mean?

2. By how many percentage points should you improve on treatment?

3. Is there more specific information for your particular situation? 

Don’t be frightened to ask your doctor for more information—he wants you to understand and may not realise when you don’t.

By Dr K Thompson, author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7DM42Q

http://faitobooks.co,uk

Note: These articles express personal views. No warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of information given and you should always consult a doctor if you need medical advice

Further information:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-36455719

http://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJMoa1604700

http://scienceblog.cancerresearchuk.org/2013/03/15/absolute-versus-relative-risk-making-sense-of-media-stories/

http://www.breastcancer.org/risk/understand/abs_v_rel

http://www.nps.org.au/glossary/absolute-risk-reduction-arr

 

 

 

Inflammatory Breast Cancer by Dr Kathleen Thompson

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breast cancer, cancer, information on breast cancer, inflammatory breast cancer

Have you read Heidi Loughlin’s blog? Heidi is a young mother who has breast cancer.

She was pregnant when diagnosed, so treatment was started with chemotherapy drugs which were relatively safe for her unborn baby. The birth was to be brought forward, when she would switch to more effective drugs.

However her cancer progressed quickly, requiring an earlier delivery than planned, to allow Heidi to start Herceptin treatment sooner. Devastatingly, her baby daughter died shortly after the birth, just before this Christmas.

Heidi has inflammatory breast cancer (IBC). Although rare  (1-4% of all breast cancers), it is important for two reasons— (1) it grows and spreads rapidly and (2) the appearance may mimic infection or injury (often there is no lump), and so breast cancer may be overlooked and life-saving treatment delayed.

IBC invades the breast skin, and blocks the lymph vessels within it. It tends to spread in sheets, rather than forming a lump.

This results in an unusual picture. The lymph blockages cause fluid build-up, so the skin swells and discolours, and hair follicles enlarge, forming multiple pits. The resulting skin resembles that of an orange (and is called ‘peau d’orange’).

However this classical appearance isn’t always seen either.

The breast may become red, hot and swollen, resembling infection, and if ‘mastitis’ doesn’t respond to antibiotics, IBC should be considered urgently.

Sometimes the skin appears bruised, or ridges or welts appear. There may be ulceration. Sometimes the nipple inverts or leaks fluid/blood, and there may be enlarged lymph nodes in the armpit or collar bone area.

If any of these changes occur, you must see a doctor without delay.

Because there may be no lump, and because it often occurs in younger women, with denser breast tissue, it may not be picked up on a mammogram.

Biopsy of the affected skin is key to diagnosis. AS IBC spreads early, PET or CAT scans of the body, and bone scans will also be needed.

The outlook for IBC used to be very poor. It is still not as good as for other breast cancers, but with modern treatment it has improved, and recent genetic research has yielded potential new hope.

Chemotherapy is usually started before surgery. Afterwards a full mastectomy is generally needed, removing more body tissue than normal, including armpit lymph nodes. Breast reconstruction isn’t normally possible until later on.

Radiotherapy follows surgery, then often more chemotherapy. If the cancer is HER2 positive, Herceptin will be given. If it is sensitive to female hormones, anti-oestrogens, either tamoxifen or an aromatase-inhibitor, such as letrozole will be prescribed.

Treating any cancer during pregnancy involves balancing risks to baby and mother, and, as in Heidi’s case, can involve bitter disappointments.

If you notice any unusual and persistent changes in your breast—not necessarily a lump, you must see your doctor without delay. Unless there is a good explanation for the changes, you should be referred to a breast clinic. Do push for this if you are concerned.

By Dr K Thompson, author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q

Further information:

http://storminatitcup.blogspot.co.uk/2015_12_01_archive.html

http://www.cancer.gov/types/breast/ibc-fact-sheet

http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/type/breast-cancer/about/types/inflammatory-breast-cancer

http://jnci.oxfordjournals.org/content/101/19/1302.full

Note: These articles express personal views. No warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of information given and you should always consult a doctor if you need medical advice