OT: differences between men’s health and women’s health

[lynninnj]

in one thread, we were discussing how a poster is having back pain with one type of mask versus another. I mentioned inflammation.

in another thread, we were having come to Jesus moments under the big tent, talking about the difference between men’s health and women’s health.

I believe that sleep apnea is very well-treated, and probably started out as mainly a man’s disease. I guess we should all be thankful for that.

I wanted to post a link to support what I said about information but I want you to also pay attention and what do you see?

Inflammation is associated with changes in neurocognition, mood, behavior, cardiovascular function and metabolism, as well as a host of related conditions including chronic kidney disease, erectile dysfunction, eye disease and cancer.

https://medicine.missouri.edu/news/obst ... ysfunction

mmmmhmmmm

[clownbell]

Interesting parallel with heart disease. Back in the day (say the 1970's), heart disease was generally perceived as predominantly a man's disease. Treatment and surgical protocols were initially geared toward male symptoms. As time went along, it was discovered that women present with different symptoms and require different approaches to treatment and surgery. It's about preconceived notions and what is learned going forward.

[colomom]

Perhaps, not that off topic in a CPAP forum. I’m guessing my antidotal experience as a woman who had to fight to get the docs to take my concerns about OSA seriously is likely shared by a number of other ladies on this forum. Although progress has been made sleep apnea is still dramatically under diagnosed in the female population.
https://www.forbes.com/health/body/slee ... -in-women/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5028797/

Of course if we want to go off topic lets talk about pregnancy, stirrups, and mammograms; men have no idea on how easy their doc appointments are compared to all we have to deal with!

[lynninnj]

Perhaps, not that off topic in a CPAP forum. I’m guessing my antidotal experience as a woman who had to fight to get the docs to take my concerns about OSA seriously is likely shared by a number of other ladies on this forum. Although progress has been made sleep apnea is still dramatically under diagnosed in the female population.
https://www.forbes.com/health/body/slee ... -in-women/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5028797/

Of course if we want to go off topic lets talk about pregnancy, stirrups, and mammograms; men have no idea on how easy their doc appointments are compared to all we have to deal with!

Excellent points!

If proctological exams involved a speculum all hell would break loose!

to be fair, I still think a Pap smear as minimally, invasive and worth the struggle.

[Rubicon]

If proctological exams involved a speculum all hell would break loose!

Just gimme that propofol and you can spelunk all you want.

[lazarus]

If proctological exams involved a speculum all hell would break loose!

Just gimme that propofol and you can spelunk all you want.

Why do I somehow hear a virtual Greek chorus singing "no thank you" somewhere in the back of this forum?

[Rubicon]

If proctological exams involved a speculum all hell would break loose!

Just gimme that propofol and you can spelunk all you want.

Why do I somehow hear a virtual Greek chorus singing "no thank you" somewhere in the back of this forum?

Sounds more like Alternate Universe Sam & Dave.

[lazarus]

I believe that many male docs would love to be more helpful to female patients; many have dearly loved mothers, sisters, wives, and daughters, after all.

My opinion (if a big ugly male is welcome to express one in a predominantly female thread) is that what is missing in modern times is the family support system and community support system that seemed to be available to some women in past centuries.

When a woman has daily close access to the collective wisdom and experience of Grandma and her sisters, to Mom and her sisters, and to extended female family members, she has a better idea what to expect in her family when it comes to knowing some history of how things go with puberty, childbirth, breastfeeding, child-rearing, older years, etc. She learns the tricks and what works in the context of the family history.

And when there is a local community of many women the same age, the wisdom and experience and camaraderie of that group experience can go a long way to dealing with life experiences in a practical way outside of what we now consider "medical" matters. Those days seem mostly gone for most of the women I know.

At least now there are forums.

My wife has had very little discomfort or inconvenience with getting older, but now our roles have switched in the battle of the thermostat. Used to be I was always too hot and she was always too cold. Now the opposite is true.

When my wife and I were searching for a new primary doc a few years ago, we wanted to both have the same doc. My wife polled her female friends for recommendations and heard about one with glowing reviews. That female doc makes my fairly shy wife very comfortable in all her dealings, which makes me very happy to see. And that doc has turned out to be absolutely amazing in every respect for both of us. She is a sort of medical director for a local system, so getting appointments isn't always easy. But it's well worth that inconvenience.

[lynninnj]

I believe that many male docs would love to be more helpful to female patients; many have dearly loved mothers, sisters, wives, and daughters, after all.

My opinion (if a big ugly male is welcome to express one in a predominantly female thread) is that what is missing in modern times is the family support system and community support system that seemed to be available to some women in past centuries.

When a woman has daily close access to the collective wisdom and experience of Grandma and her sisters, to Mom and her sisters, and to extended female family members, she has a better idea what to expect in her family when it comes to knowing some history of how things go with puberty, childbirth, breastfeeding, child-rearing, older years, etc. She learns the tricks and what works in the context of the family history.

And when there is a local community of many women the same age, the wisdom and experience and camaraderie of that group experience can go a long way to dealing with life experiences in a practical way outside of what we now consider "medical" matters. Those days seem mostly gone for most of the women I know.

At least now there are forums.

My wife has had very little discomfort or inconvenience with getting older, but now our roles have switched in the battle of the thermostat. Used to be I was always too hot and she was always too cold. Now the opposite is true.

When my wife and I were searching for a new primary doc a few years ago, we wanted to both have the same doc. My wife polled her female friends for recommendations and heard about one with glowing reviews. That female doc makes my fairly shy wife very comfortable in all her dealings, which makes me very happy to see. And that doc has turned out to be absolutely amazing in every respect for both of us. She is a sort of medical director for a local system, so getting appointments isn't always easy. But it's well worth that inconvenience.

As soon as you open your mouth to sing you will never be ugly imo. I think what is inside a person, or not, is what makes them ugly or beautiful but thats just my humble.

JFTR I have three outstanding male docs I love. I would NEVER go to another male gyno ever again. The female practitioners I deal with are decent but truly the male docs are superb IMO. The problem as I see it isn't necessarily the practitioners as the system itself.

Being predisposed to having a cardiac event it really bothers me that the elusive "womens heart attack" has been so poorly studied and understood. When I take a walk, I have to look down due to eyesight and glasses issues. Plus I look down at work. Is the neck pain the start of a heart attack or blockage or something for my chiropractor to deal with? Is the jaw pain the TMJ or something else? Womens cancers are understood better than they ever were but when a woman gets a cancer-cut it out is one of the "best treatments". But for men, you can go in and get a PSA blood test that is minimally invasive. And like the other poster pointed out, OSA for women has probably been UNDERdiagnosed over the years.

Anyway, vent over.

It sucks.

(Fuq the patriarchy! OK I digress.)

[lazarus]

No question in the truth that there has been an unfair bias in the history of medical research, that "male issues" are better studied and documented. Not always nefarious in motivation (sometimes the "simpler" sex has been just plain easier to study) but still a historical wrong to be corrected, yes.

[babydinosnoreless]

My opinion (if a big ugly male is welcome to express one in a predominantly female thread) is that what is missing in modern times is the family support system and community support system that seemed to be available to some women in past centuries.

I think that support system is still there for many of us. The sisterhood is alive and well. The problem is with medicine itself. The system is irreparably broken. We need to dismantle it and start over. When doctors are refusing disabled patients because its too much work, when they don't listen to women, men, fat people, sick people pick your poison and instead rush us through like cattle then thats the problem right there. Most hate their jobs just like the rest of us. We turned medicine from a passion into just another dirty job someone has to do. If you hate it, you are going to be dismissive and in a hurry to get done. Its a really sad broken world we live in and I don't know how to fix it.

[chunkyfrog]

. . .
Why do I somehow hear a virtual Greek chorus singing "no thank you" somewhere in the back of this forum?

"Brekekekex, koax, koax" (Aristophanes, "the frogs")

[chunkyfrog]

So much for the non-invasive PSA test; the bullfrog's one weird one
was followed by a prostate biopsy, definitely with a speculum,
no anesthetic, and a device that sounded and felt like a stapler.
Not just one staple, but a couple dozen. He's still a smarta$$ . . .

[lazarus]

I think that support system is still there for many of us. The sisterhood is alive and well. The problem is with medicine itself. The system is irreparably broken. We need to dismantle it and start over.

Glad the sisterhood system is still there for some.

And it appears that the dismantling of maternity care has already begun:

36% of U.S. counties are maternity care deserts, places with no OBGYN doctors, hospitals providing obstetric care, birth centers or certified nurse midwives.
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/why-t ... ting-worse

[babydinosnoreless]

I think that support system is still there for many of us. The sisterhood is alive and well. The problem is with medicine itself. The system is irreparably broken. We need to dismantle it and start over.

Glad the sisterhood system is still there for some.

And it appears that the dismantling of maternity care has already begun:

36% of U.S. counties are maternity care deserts, places with no OBGYN doctors, hospitals providing obstetric care, birth centers or certified nurse midwives.
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/why-t ... ting-worse

Its not just maternity care there are vast areas of small-town USA that are health care deserts for all kinds of specialists. Part of the reason we moved back to the city is for health care. Would much prefer to retire in the middle of nowhere but access to medical is a necessity.