Dr Feelgood Sunday 2nd February 2003
MEDICAL TESTS MADE EASY
UNDERSTANDING PAP SMEAR RESULTS
One of the hardest parts of Medical Practice is delivering bad news. People only tend to hear the first few words and may not remember the explanation at all.
Abnormal test results are not always really bad news but it a problem arises when people forget to come back or follow up their results. Of course in this situation we doctors need to try to track them down to inform them.
This isn't usually a problem - as long as the person has given us current contact details. But the WAY this news is delivered can cause problems because there are "degrees" of abnormality but people ALWAYS think the worst ! If you get a message that "the doctor wants to see you about your test results" ......you automatically think about who you'll leave your CD collection to !
Pap Smears are a good example of this - there are many reported findings that come back from the lab about a particular pap smear that do not indicate an imminent serious problem but do need action. Trying to communicate this over the phone or even in a letter is not always easy.
I will see a woman in my surgery who has received the call that I want to see them about a test result - they most likely have even been told that the result is nothing to worry about ......but they did anyway ( I probably would too !) ...... I have tried writing ..... but they still worry ......I have tried phoning myself with a brief explanation and a come in and see me for the full story ....they still worry !
So I think the best thing is to have some information set out clearly so you can understand what the different abnormalities may mean . I always say that information is power!
Professor Michael Quinn is a gynaecologist and he is a specialist in gynaecological cancers. He knows all about PAP SMEARS and the meaning of abnormal results - he'll be joining me in the studio today .
Some time ago I wrote an article on understanding Pap Smear results -
Click HERE to read my article on understanding Pap Smears
click HERE to see the Federal Government National Cervical Cancer Screening Strategy ( has some excellent links)
YOUTH OFF THE STREETS
Fr Chris Riley was NSW's nominee for this year's Australian of the Year . He is the founder of the Sydney based charity "Youth Off the Streets" . A man who can move mountains ! He couldn't join us last week as planned - but he'll be telling us about his work today
Father Riley has been instrumental in profoundly changing the lives of tens of thousands of kids whom everyone else had given up on.
click HERE to visit Youth Off the Streets
PROCEDURE OF THE WEEK
DENTAL IMPLANTS
Dr Stephen Gibbons is a facio-maxillary surgeon.
Click HERE to read an American Article on Dental Implants
click HERE to visit the Australian and New Zealand Association of Oral and Facio-maxillary Surgeons for more information about a surgeon near you
DEALING WITH DISASTERS
FIREBUGS
Bob Falconer - critical incident management & firebugs
BODY CLOCK AND MELATONIN
Professor
Roger Short is an expert in physiology and he is renowned for his passion for
interesting body function issues and is respected world wide for his knowledge
of reproductive biology of humans and animals. His book , Ever Since Adam and
Eve has been a run away success. In it the has catalogued the history of
sex.
He's also the person who made headlines with his findings that simple Lemon Juice may well be a great contraceptive agent and even help to prevent HIV spread ( his research is continuing) .
Roger is well known round the world for his research into our body's internal clock - he has done extensive work to explain Melatonin and its relationship to sleep regulation. He will join us today to explain our internal timing systems !
click HERE to read more about Roger Short in Bright Sparcs.
Click HERE to read a bio on Roger Short
Click HERE to find out more about Rogers book
HEALTHY HOLIDAYS
DAINTREE ECO LODGE AND SPA
110
kilometres north of Cairns, and 50 kilometres north of Port Douglas, the gateway
to the Great Barrier Reef. Daintree Eco Lodge & Spa is set in 30 acres of
lush ancient rainforest in the World Heritage Daintree National Park. Talk about
a healthy Holiday !
The Daintree Eco Lodge and Spa won the BEST luxury accommodation AND the BEST Ecotourism Operation categories at the 2002 Queensland Tourism Awards
Terry Maloney Daintree - from the Daintree Eco Lodge & Spa will join us to tell us about this healthy holiday option
Click HERE to find out more information about the Daintree Eco Lodge and Spa
PETS AS THERAPY
Dr
Harry Cooper, Australia's favourite Vet ,was my Celebrity Check Up in November -
we ran out of time due to all the phone calls he received and promised to come
back and talk about Pets as Therapy. Harry will be coming in to the studio today
! 
Harry's latest book, Stethoscopes and calving ropes has a very poignant story about Pets as Therapy
Harry has been in Melbourne all weekend attending the Melbourne Pet & Animal Expo . This annual event happens in several states - the next is Brisbane in March .
9th Sydney Pet &
Animal Expo December 6-8 2002, Rosehill Gardens Racecourse
3rd Melbourne Pet & Animal Expo Jan 31- Feb 2 2003 Melbourne Caulfield
Racecourse
8th Brisbane Pet & Animal Expo March 28-30 2003, Brisbane Convention Centre,
South Bank
click HERE to find out more about the pet and animal expo
click HERE to see when Harry Cooper was last on the program
GENEALOGY
Sue Macbeth is back with more family fact finding in her regular genealogy segment
click HERE to visit Sue's Home Page