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Ask the
Experts
Q
Should everyone get
the pneumonia vaccine?
A
Like the flu, pneumonia can
make you very sick. It causes
the air sacs in your lungs to fill with
pus and liquid. That makes it hard for
oxygen to get into your bloodstream
and for your body’s cells to work
the way they should. In some
cases, pneumonia can lead to death.
Very young children and older
adults are at greatest risk of getting
pneumonia. People with chronic
health problems and weak immune
systems are also at great risk.
There are two pneumonia vaccines.
One is for children only. It protects
against the strains of bacteria that
cause the most severe infections in
kids and is given in four doses between
2 and 15 months old.
The second type is for adults,
including those who:
●
●
Are 65 years of age and older
●
●
Have long-term health problems,
such as heart or lung disease,
asthma, or diabetes
●
●
Would have a hard time
fighting an infection because of
illness or its treatment
●
●
Smoke
The pneumonia vaccine is
considered very
safe. Talk to
your doctor to
find out if you—
or your loved
ones—should get this
vaccination.
Q
I wake up tired with
a headache and sore
throat. What will a sleep
study tell me?
A
Sleep studies can help pinpoint
the source of your sleep
troubles and uncover disorders such
as sleep apnea. Some studies are
done during the day and measure
how sleepy you are or how well you
can stay awake and alert. Most sleep
studies, called polysomnograms,
usually require an overnight stay
at a sleep center. While you sleep,
sensors track your brain activity,
heart rate, breathing, oxygen
saturation and other key functions.
You might benefit from a
sleep study if you:
●
●
Are often fatigued during the day
even though you stay in bed long
enough to get a good night’s rest
●
●
Have trouble falling asleep, wake
up a lot during the night or are
waking too early in the morning
●
●
Have been told that you
snore loudly, snort, gasp, choke
or stop breathing for short
periods while you sleep
●
●
Experience tingling, crawling
sensations in your legs in the evening
or as you try to go to sleep
If you have these
or other sleep-
related problems,
talk to your doctor
or visit PeaceHealth
Southwest Medical
Group’s Sleep Center.
Q
Since menopause,
weight has been
creeping on. I don’t overeat—
why is belly fat my problem?
A
You are not alone! One of the
most common symptoms of
menopause is weight gain around the
abdomen, but excess pounds aren’t
inevitable. This weight gain is caused
by a shift in your hormones. You may
be eating and exercising exactly the
same as you always were but still can’t
seem to manage your weight. The
fluctuations in your body’s hormones
has a direct impact on your appetite,
metabolism and fat storage. Work
closely with your doctor to get those
hormones back under control and
stick to these weight-control basics:
●
●
Move more: 30 minutes of
physical activity daily and strength
training twice a week.
●
●
Eat less: 200 fewer calories a day
during your 50s. Choose more fruits,
vegetables, whole grains and lean
sources of protein.
●
●
Seek support: Surround yourself
with friends and loved ones who will
support your efforts to eat a healthy
diet and increase physical activity.
●
●
Consider a calorie assessment
with the MedGem
®
breath test.
Call PeaceHealth
Southwest’s
Center for Weight
Management at
360.514.4253 to
learn more or for
an appointment.
PNEUMONIA
WEIGHT
SLEEP
Adrian Bucerzan, MD
PeaceHealth Medical Group
Pulmonary and Critical Care
200 NE
Mother Joseph Place,
Suite 330
Vancouver, WA 98664
360.514.2990
Marilyn Darr, MD, PharmD
Family Medicine of Southwest
Washington
100 E 33rd St.
Vancouver, WA 98663
360.514.7550
Robin Virgin, MD
PeaceHealth Medical Group,
Fisher’s Landing
16811 SE McGillivray Blvd.
Vancouver, WA 98683
360.735.8100
MENOPAUSE 101:
RED HOT MAMAS
®
MENOPAUSE EDUCATION
Challenged by the Change?
There is help available. See
page 6 for scheduling details.
‘Not Tonight, Honey...’:
Managing Migraines
March 20
Women are five times more
likely to experience migraines
than men. And the likelihood
grows with age. Join other
Red Hot Mamas to be better
equipped to identify them
so they can be treated.
Presented by Tracy Sax,
MD, PeaceHealth Medical
Group Neurology.
Sleepless in
Menopause City
April 17
For many menopausal
women, sleeplessness is a
major problem that leads
to other problems, such as
irritability, fatigue, memory
loss, lack of concentration,
aches and pains, weight
gain, and serious chronic
conditions, such as heart
disease. Learn the facts
about sleep and sleep
disorders, especially how lack
of sleep can cause weight
gain. Presented by Marlene
Dietrich, MD, PeaceHealth
Medical Group Neurology.
Go to
swEvents.org
or
call 360.514.2190 to register.
Classes are free, and
space is limited! More at
swRedHotMamas.org
.
www.swmedicalcenter.org
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