Will You "Cervive" in 2015?

Is 2015 the year you finally truly prioritize YOUR health? The majority of Americans include weight loss and possibly exercise in their New Year's Resolutions each year...and do really well on their strict diets for a few days or maybe even a few weeks. While I absolutely applaud attention to weight and activity levels, I want to encourage you to think beyond diet and exercise for your 2015 health resolutions. (And I will spend time in future blogs this month talking more about what diets work best, but today I want to shift the focus...)

January happens to be Cervical Cancer Awareness month, so women- how about starting your 2015 Resolution list with scheduling your "annual" exam, especially if your last "annual" was way more than a year ago? The GOOD news is that screening recommendations have changed quite a bit, so women no longer need to have Pap tests every year. Current guidelines tell us for young women to have their FIRST Pap test at age 21, then (assuming tests do not show a problem) every 3 years between 21-29, and then after age 30, testing can actually occur simply every 5 years (by using both the Pap test and a specific HPV test combined).

In the United States, cervical cancer is still diagnosed in over  12,000 women per year, and tragically, still causes over 4000 deaths per year. We can do better! The vast majority of women with cervical cancer have little to NO symptoms- this is a silent killer. While prevention (with the HPV vaccine) is optimal, early detection absolutely saves lives- so do NOT put off getting your Pap test.

While most of us have run 5K's or worn PINK for breast cancer awareness, few people know or talk about their diagnosis of cervical cancer. Tamika Felder, a now 13 year survivor of cervical cancer, is leading the charge to increase personal and community support for cervical cancer. For my fellow AUSTINITES- if you or someone you love has been diagnosed with cervical cancer (whether that diagnosis was recent or many years ago), please let them know about CERVIVOR SCHOOL- a four day learning, connecting and revitalizing retreat NEXT WEEK, starting Thursday evening, 1/15/15 through Sunday afternoon.

BOTTOM LINE: Women, if you are due for a Pap test, please move that to the top of your 2015 Resolution list! 

An AGGIE Wearing ORANGE? Join Tamika and the Fight Against Cervical Cancer

This week I am talking about HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) and the diseases it causes. The most serious consequence of HPV infection is CANCER, and there are roughly 12,000 American women diagnosed with cervical cancer (caused by HPV) each year.
A couple weeks ago, while I was a guest on a Doctor Radio show that focused on cervical cancer, I met an amazing woman: Tamika Felder.
Tamika was diagnosed with cervical cancer at the very young age of 25, just as she was beginning to enjoy a successful career as a television producer in our nation's capitol. Her treatment included not only chemo and radiation, but also a complete hysterectomy. While friends were planning weddings and baby showers, Tamika was fighting for her life and giving up the dream of having children.
Lucky for the rest of us, Tamika's amazing spirit and talents emerged through her therapy, as she created a nonprofit organization to increase awareness about HPV and cervical cancer. In addition to public speaking, Tamika & Friends offer an online support group for women diagnosed with cervical cancer. Her mission is to spare those women newly diagnosed the shame and isolation that she endured over a decade ago. Click on her website: TamikaandFriends.org and read all the amazing survivor stories! Women from all backgrounds have bonded together to help other women face this challenge.
So why ORANGE? Every cancer seems to have its own color now, and Tamika wanted a color that reflected hope and positive energy, like a sunburst. Why not wear some orange this week, and pass on Tamika's message?
BOTTOM LINE: Cervical cancer is a very serious disease, and PREVENTION plus EARLY DETECTION are key! Remind your girlfriends to SCHEDULE their PAP TEST and get vaccinated against HPV!

Does PAP = "Pelvic" ?

You may be aware that in 2010, the recommendations for Pap smears (to detect cervical cancer) have changed. Many women grew up being told that they should have a Pap smear once they started menstruating, or perhaps before they head off to college. It turns out, what MATTERS is simply whether or not you have had sex.

Cervical cancer is caused by a virus- the human papilloma virus, or HPV for short. We know that the vast majority of people who have sex will at some point in their life be infected with HPV. Certainly, the more partners you have, the higher the risk of contracting it. If two people are together, and neither has ever had their clothes off and been intimate with anyone else, there should be no risk of HPV. Otherwise, even if only one partner has had previous intimate contact with another person, there is risk, and most of the time this is a silent disease.

The GOOD news is that most people who are infected never develop adverse consequences. The BAD news is that over a million Americans see their doctors for genital warts each year, and that 12,000 women per year develop cervical cancer (not to mention the other cancers also caused by HPV.) More GOOD news, though- we have vaccines that can help. Gardasil protects against the strains that cause 90% of genital warts (types 6 & 11) and those that cause 70% of cervical cancers (types 16 & 18). Cevarix protects against the cancer causing strains as well.

So, back to the Pap smear. Yes, we recommend them, and the timing has changed (first Pap now recommended at age 21.) However- this is ONLY the recommendation for PAP SMEARS that screen for cervical cancer. If you wait several years to get ANY pelvic exam, and you have had new sexual partners, you risk developing complications from numerous other sexually transmitted diseases such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomonas, syphilis, HIV and herpes.

BOTTOM LINE: MOST SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES can be SILENT, so do not wait till it's time for your Pap smear to get a pelvic exam and/or get tested (which may only be a urine and blood sample)!

Myth#6 "Normal Pap" = Disease-Free

Okay, the next myth surrounding sexually transmitted infections is that a "normal" report after a Pap smear means you are disease-free. Pap smears are wonderful- we are detecting cervical cancer earlier and curing it more easily. BUT- a Pap smear ONLY TESTS for cervical cancer, and possibly HPV (the human papilloma virus, which is the cause of both cervical cancers and genital warts.) Pap smears do NOT test for gonorrhea, chlamydia, HIV, herpes, etc.
Many women believe that they are automatically tested for all STDs when they have their "annual" exam. Certainly, this is a terrific time to be tested, but it is not a given. If you have had a new sexual partner since you were last tested for sexually transmitted diseases, PLEASE ASK your doctor to test you for all STDs.
Guys, you're not off the hook here. When you have YOUR physical exams, a "normal" report does not mean you are disease-free either, UNLESS you have asked your doctor to test you for STDs. The good news is that blood and urine tests together will do the trick- no swabbing necessarily needed.
BOTTOM LINE: Don't ASSUME you're being tested for STDs unless you specifically ask- and even then, make sure you know exactly which diseases were checked.