Charlotte Edition

By Kimberly Blend, MS, ARNP-BC – In 2011, American Pharmacists filled 264 million prescriptions for antidepressants, up more than 25 million since 2007. How did these drugs get so popular? The first antidepressants tricyclic and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MOAIs) were discovered by happenstance in the 1950’s, when doctors were looking for drugs to treat schizophrenia and tuberculosis. Doctors noted they …

By Yollo Wellness – The ALCAT test has been available for more than 25 years. The ALCAT Test identifies cellular reactions to over 350 foods, chemicals and herbs. These inflammatory reactions are linked to chronic health problems like obesity and diabetes, as well as skin, heart, joint, and digestive disorders. Common every day problems like migraines, achy joints, fatigue, gastrointestinal …

By Dr. Joseph Farag – New technologies are making our lives simpler and easier everyday and dentistry has certainly not been left behind. Thanks to a great new system called CEREC, you can now have a high-tech smile in a single visit. In days gone by, you may have needed to visit the dentist two or three times to have …

One year after introducing Bladeless Laser Cataract Surgery to southwest Florida, Dr. Jonathan Frantz is seeing a significant increase in the number of patients choosing to have laser cataract surgery over traditional cataract surgery. A cataract is the clouding of the natural lens inside the eye and the only way to treat cataracts is with surgery. The cataract is removed …

By Dr. Anne Lord-Tomas,Board-Certified Ob/Gyn – Nearly 50% of all pregnancies annually are unintended, and many occur while a patient is using a cur rent method of contraception. While there are many options for women desiring contraception, permanent birth control/sterilization is the most common choice for women age 35 and over. Reasons include easiness/good compliance on the patient’s part; a …

By Sharon C Sullivan, Clinic Director, New Beginnings hCG Clinics SW Florida – Part of Nova Medical SWF, Inc. – School is out for the summer and the seasonal crush of tourists and snowbirds has slowed. Summertime and the living is easy, at least it would be easy if you just weighed xxx less (you fill in the blank) pounds. …

By Myles Rubin Samotin, MD – Board Certified Orthopaedic Surgeon, Fellowship Trained in Foot and Ankle – Look down at your feet right now! Do they seem different from ten years ago? Does your foot arch look the same as it did, or are you imagining that it has changed? Does your arch seem flatter to you? Well, maybe it …

Riverchase Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery – Melanoma, the most dangerous type of skin cancer, develops in the cells that produce melanin — the pigment that gives your skin its color. This deadly form of skin cancer develops in a mole or appears suddenly as a new dark spot on the skin. Every year, more than 8,500 Americans (nearly one person …

By David Harris, M.D. – Q: My husband likes the option of treating erectile dysfunction with a pill because of the simplicity, but would that be dangerous after a coronary stent placement several months ago? A: Viagra, Cialis, and Levitra are PDE5 inhibitors that work by dilating blood vessels to increase penile blood flow. They are safe and effective but …

Spring cleaning is done and now it’s time to be ready for summer. What better way to prepare than to perform the same spring cleaning to your health and body. Throughout the year, we focus on so many other issues in our lives that the one thing that usually gets overlooked is our own body. Now is the time to …