Book Description

Part inspirational cancer-survival story, part memoir-as-laugh-riot, CANCER SCHMANCER picks up where Fran's last book, Enter Whining, left off. After the publication of that book, Fran's life launched into a downward spiral. She separated from a long and complicated relationship, her TV series started to slip in the ratings, and her beloved dog Chester Drescher's health was in major decline. Then came the mysterious symptoms no doctor could adequately explain. With her trademark humor, Fran tells of her indefatigable search for answers and the cancer diagnosis that she ultimately beat. But not before a gold mine of humorous insights were revealed to her about what really matters most in life. ... Read more

Reviews (61)

Fran Drescher: an impatient patient lives to tell the tale
If justice delayed is justice denied, the same can probably be said for health care. Early diagnosis is the key to effective treatment of most diseases. In TV star Fran Drescher's case, an accurate diagnosis came just in time. Cancer Schmancer is Drescher's fascinating, first-person account of her two-year battle with uterine cancer.

If you are expecting a woe-is-me recitation of a celebrity's encounters with an uncaring and evil healthcare system, this is not the book for you. It is, instead, a medical case history told in a frank and wonderfully humorous style. And it is a call to arms to any woman or man who anticipates seeking medical care in the future.

Drescher describes her visits to a series of healthcare professionals in an attempt to deal with recurring gynecological symptoms. Good and competent doctors failed to screen her for uterine cancer because Drescher fell outside the statistical parameters for the disease ? she was too young and too slender to be at risk. Uterine cancer was finally identified after a relatively simple test.

Her encounter with cancer is placed in rich context, interwoven with stories about her close-knit family, her dissolving marriage, career challenges, a new romance, her beloved dog, and the comforts and importance of close friendships. This is important material. It's a reminder that context is important when dealing with disease. Anyone who has ever experienced the modern healthcare system knows that as patients, we are rarely viewed in context. Yet our life stories, our fears, our hunches and our observations are as important to effective diagnosis and care as the medications and surgical intervention we receive. Unless we learn all that we can about our bodies and advocate for ourselves, we may miss out on the genuine benefits that modern health technology has to offer.

In that sense, Cancer Schmancer is as much a book for health care providers as it is for patients and their families. It serves up a gentle but clear warning to medical professionals: pay attention to what your patients say; pay attention to what your patients know.

As writer of non-fiction, Drescher is no Joan Didion. But she is the ideal messenger for this sometimes-discomfiting subject. Over the past decade, she has managed to craft an accessible and self-deprecating image that belies her beauty and comic talent. With this book she has succeeded in producing an entertaining read from a traumatic and life-changing experience. Most important, Drescher has done some important homework for all of us. As future patients, we should all pay attention to what she has to say.

WHAT A BOOK!!!
I have been a big fan of the TV series "The Nanny" for many years. I recently picked up a copy of this book, "Cancer Schmancer" from Amazon.com's website -- and read the book in its entirety in 3 evenings. I could not put it down. This book is funny, moving, interesting, and even entertaining (to a point)! Fran Drescher is an excellent actress (not just with words but with facial expressions and body language) and I could just picture hell reciting the book as I was reading it. It never ceases to amaze me how so many healthcare professionals can be so stubbornly and blatantly wrong about diagnoses! You trust your lives with these people -- they should be thorough and meticulous, but many are not. It's hard to believe unless you've experienced it OR you read Fran Drescher's trials and travails as she details her extensive battle with the American healthcare system to find a cause, then a cure, for her medical problem. A great read for any fan of Fran Drescher's, "The Nanny", or anyone who has had or known someone who has had or has cancer.

I can't relate
I read the excerpt from this book and it's all I needed to see. I'm sorry, but this woman just doesn't speak to me. It seems to be one big brag about herself. She talks about her housekeepers, blah, blah, blah and her fancy schmancy house. Then she gets the call from her doctor. She claims this doctor assured her she did not have cancer. If a doctor told me this before he/she ran any tests, I'd leave. That is just downright irresponsible. Then, of course, the doctor had to backtrack after finding out that Fran did, indeed have cancer. She claims the doctor told her she could call if there was any problem--even if she just needed a hug. There were two possibilities here: 1) The doctor was trying to cover her backside by seeming to be sooo compassionate or 2) The doctor really did care about her patient. If the case was #1, Fran should've found a new doctor immediately. If the case was #2, then she should've thanked the doctor. She said she felt no need to thank the doctor (but she did anyway). Hmmmm...is she naive or is she just so caught up in herself she can't bring herself to be grateful? Sorry, but there is just too much narcissism in this book for me. Now, I will go prepare for my surgery without the help of servants. And I will certainly express my gratitude to my doctor for taking care of me.

Fantastic Insight, Answers, and Awareness. OUTSTANDING BOOK
Fran Drescher brings fantastic insight into the symptoms, proper treatment and diagnosis of cancer, as well as vital questions that you should ask your doctor if you are facing the challenge to overcome this physical one. A VITAL part of this book is how we MUST read, learn, and know as much as the doctor - so we can ask the most intelligent questions in order to receive the BEST treatment that is necessary for us individually. A LOT of it has to do with attitude, where NOTHING can stop you, and you CAN overcome the challenge before you. Written with truth, sincerity, dignity, and intelligence - exactly as I remember Fran to be when I worked with her on the set of 'The Nanny.' This book is just as fantastic as she is.
'Cancer Schmancer' is a tremendous inspiration, as well as a vital gift and contribution to all who need it.
Barbara Rose, author of 'Individual Power' and 'If God Was Like Man'

Sending a wrong message
I just briefly scanned through the book. I have to say I disagree with Fran that patients need to do their own research. It seems she is protecting the Doctors that should have known what diagnostic testing to do.

It seems there is no accountablity in the medical profession when physicans are not knowing what diagnostic test to perform.

I wonder if she pursued more than just a book. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Medical case studies can be fascinating to read, full of drama, heroism,and sometimes tragedy. Most doctors' tales take place in clinics orhospitals, but those pedestrian settings are not for Kenneth Kamler, whopractices medicine outside, patching people up with surprising successunder harrowing conditions. Surviving the Extremes starts withopen-air surgery in the steamy jungles of the Amazon River, moves todisturbingly detailed descriptions of the many ways humans can die atsea, and from there takes white-knuckled readers through the rest ofEarth's extreme environments. Krakauer fans will gasp at the book's bestchapter, covering the high-altitude medical feats Kamler has performedon Mt. Everest and other peaks. "No course in medical school taught methe proper mixture of oxygen, IV fluids, and Tibetan chants to treat asubdural hematoma in below-zero temperatures on a 3-mile-high glacier,"Kamler writes. Instead, he has learned the fine art of adventuredoctoring by doing it, and in the process, he's won fans among theworld's most prominent risk-takers. Through it all, Kamler remainsfascinated by the human body's ability to heal under horrificallydangerous conditions. His medical adventures are inspiring andthrilling, as well as occasionally bloody and disgusting. In short,perfect stories of human survival. --Therese Littleton ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Surviving the Extremes: A Doctor's Journey to the Limits of
Physiological constraints confine our bodies to less than one-fifth of the earth's surface. Beyond that fraction lie the extremes. What happens when we go to them?" "Dr. Kenneth Kamler has spent years observing exactly what happens. A vice president of the legendary Explorers Club, he has climbed, dived, sledded, floated, and trekked through some of the most treacherous and remote regions in the world. A consultant for NASA, Yale University, and the National Geographic Society, he has explored undersea caves, crossed the frozen Antarctic wastelands, and stitched a boy's hand back together while kneeling in knee-deep Amazonian mud." "The words extreme and survival have lost some of their value from overuse and media hype. By showing us what happens when life is at stake and the body's capacities are put to their greatest test, this book reminds us what these words truly mean. Divided into six sections - jungle, high seas, desert, underwater, high altitude, and outer space - Surviving the Extremes uses firsthand testimony and documented accounts to illustrate what goes on in environments where our instinctive survival strategies must become fully engaged. These stories reveal how infinitely complex are the workings of the human body - and also how heartbreakingly fragile. At the core of this book is a request for the source of our will to survive and the haunting question of why some can and others cannot summon its awesome and nearly mystical power at their moment of greatest need

Surprising reality attention grabber
I have to start off by saying I picked this up as a random purchase while at a CD/book sale at my company. pretty much an impulse buy after already getting a DVD that I sort of wanted, and cheap. Well...

I think this is the first book I've picked up in a while, and maybe the first non-fiction one in even longer. It is definitely amazing. The idea that it is all firsthand stories, most from specific life experiences, is great. The detail and accuracy (i'll have to assume being that I'm not a doctor) is killer, and makes you think about what you really are capable of. Also a great reminder that we're living an illusing within the safety of civilization's confines for the most part.

The best thing is how you can learn to cope with extremes that you otherwise might just overreact and die if you don't keep a cool head and have some knowledge such as what is touched on in here.

I just wish it wasn't so short, cause it was great to have something like this to read.

Fascinating book, misleading marketing
This is one of the most interesting books I have read in ages. I'll agree with the other reviewer that the jacket information is misleading. This isn't really a "thriller" as conventionally defined. The author shares some first person as well as historical anecdotes but this really is an incredible biology book, interweaving physiology with some evolutionary biology. A very thoughtful and well-written book! It leaves the reader with jaw-dropping respect for the human body and its ability to adapt to extreme situations. It also touches on the adaptations other animals have to routinely live in environments which are totally inhospitable to humans. It is just too bad that people are disappointed in it because it isn't what the jacket says it is. I have taught basic survival classes for teens and I'm really glad to have this book to recommend because it is a different slant compared to what is out there in survival literature. My teenage daughters read Into Thin Air in high school English and I just wish I had this book before the younger one did her paper last month on dehydration!

Not what I expected.
This is a book mostly on elementary anatomy. If you are looking for exciting and suspenseful stories, buy another book. There are a lot of fabricated scenarios and theories from past events rather than actual live experiences as indicated on the book jacket. This book was written in National Geographic style. The majority of the book describes the environment of each situation. I purchased the book to read about the real life threatening situations, not to read about the landscape or anatomy.

This is what "survival" really means!
I make my home in a place that can challenge the human body. Alaska is a land of extremes-altitude, cold, sheer geological scale. Human survival in the Alaskan outdoors is dependent upon proper clothing and equipment, careful planning, and physical conditioning. But even then, people make mistakes and end up in trouble. Sometimes, they end up dead.

How does the human body cope with the effects of exhaustion, the extremes of hunger or thirst, the crushing pressure of the ocean's depths, and the burning heat of the barren desert? Microsurgeon Kenneth Kamler, MD has forged a career out of understanding the body's reactions to these extremes, and the medical procedures that can help when things go wrong.

Dr. Kamler was on Everest in 1996 during the tragic climb profiled in the books INTO THIN AIR and THE CLIMB, and in his own 1998 book A DOCTOR ON EVEREST. He treated climber Beck Weathers, the climber left for dead near the summit who survived terrible frostbite to his hands and face. He has performed intricate hand surgery in the mud of a rainforest jungle, and has treated a patient in an underwater habitat on the ocean floor. In his new book SURVIVING THE EXTREMES: A DOCTOR'S JOURNEY TO THE LIMITS OF HUMAN ENDURANCE, Dr. Kamler writes compellingly of the mental and physiological elements that combine to determine who lives and who dies when the human body is faced with extremes of altitude, temperature, heat, cold and pressure.

This book is fascinating, compelling, and explains what the concept of "survival" really means within the context of the body's ability (and failure) to cope with extreme environments. Do not miss it! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Case studies on how to deal with chronic pain and suffering.
Harvard professor Arthur Kleinman has prepared and presented an excellent collection of case studies and analysis on the topic of suffering and dealing with chronic pain. This book is perfect for a physician who is trying to understand his patients or a patient who is trying to deal with a life of pain. Either way the book is a fascinating study of how to live life. ... Read more

Book Description

All who lived in the early 1950s remember the fear of polio and the elation felt when a successful vaccine was found. Now David Oshinsky tells the gripping story of the polio terror and of the intense effort to find a cure, from the March of Dimes to the discovery of the Salk and Sabin vaccines--and beyond.Here is a remarkable portrait of America in the early 1950s, using the widespread panic over polio to shed light on our national obsessions and fears. Drawing on newly available papers of Jonas Salk, Albert Sabin and other key players, Oshinsky paints a suspenseful portrait of the race for the cure, weaving a dramatic tale centered on the furious rivalry between Salk and Sabin. Indeed, the competition was marked by a deep-seated ill will among the researchers that remained with them until their deaths. The author also tells the story of Isabel Morgan, perhaps the most talented of all polio researchers, who might have beaten Salk to the prize if she had not retired to raise a family. As backdrop to this feverish research, Oshinsky offers an insightful look at the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, which was founded in the 1930s by FDR and Basil O'Connor. The National Foundation revolutionized fundraising and the perception of disease in America, using "poster children" and the famous March of Dimes to raise hundreds of millions of dollars from a vast army of contributors (instead of a few well-heeled benefactors), creating the largest research and rehabilitation network in the history of medicine. The polio experience also revolutionized the way in which the government licensed and tested new drugs before allowing them on the market, and the way in which the legal system dealt with manufacturers' liability for unsafe products. Finally, and perhaps most tellingly, Oshinsky reveals that polio was never the raging epidemic portrayed by the media, but in truth a relatively uncommon disease. But in baby-booming America--increasingly suburban, family-oriented, and hygiene-obsessed--the specter of polio, like the specter of the atomic bomb, soon became a cloud of terror over daily life.Both a gripping scientific suspense story and a provocative social and cultural history, Polio opens a fresh window onto postwar America. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Immunize yourself against historical ignorance of polio
As part of the generation of Americans who has grown up without the fear and/or experience of having contracted polio, I found Dr. Oshinsky's research into this epidemic a very enlightening read. Imagining what a world without vaccines was like is very chilling.

Coupled with then-constructions about people with disabilities and medical technology limitations, the specter of polio captured the imaginations and fears of whole communities. During the summer months, people were advised to be very careful about where they swam unless they too had wanted to end up with polio. The March of Dimes inadvertently helped to publicize people with disabilities even while the thrust of their founding campaign against Polio was eradication of the disease through a vaccine.

The development of that vaccine brings us into 1954, approximately 10 years after Roosevelt's own death. Jonas Salk made America's first polio vaccine using a killed-virus sample, and this product remained a virtual favorite for many years afterward. Although Albert Sabin's live-virus vaccination soon became the preferred model, it says a lot that the Salk product has reemerged to finally conquer polio once and for all.

Because society naturally has a tendency to anoint public figures and thus remove them from having any flaw, I actually did appreciate his research into the personal character traits of the scientists. Although these men ultimately helped to save America, they were personally imperfect. I feel this humanizing approach makes them more accessible figures to me and other readers.

Presidential action from FDR was instrumental in encouraging the eradication of polio in America.Now as this highly-readable book is released, the United Nations has set an equally ambitious goal of eradicating the world of polio by 2008.

Is it safe?Not hardly
Only the Bush administration could produce such a pack of lies.The Salk vaccine "safe?"Salk a genius?

The blunt facts are that pressure from the March of Times resulted in the Salk vaccine being marketed despite its contamination with simian virus.Moreover, as marketed by Cutter in the '50's it contained live virus and gave hundreds polio.

Sabin went on to develop the vaccine which gave me and millions of others protection--in Russia!The March of Times campaigned to forestall Sabin's performing the necessary research here at home.

Read the full-length book, no longer in print, you'll find at http://www.whale.to/vaccine/bayly.html

Social history plus medical history equals thriller
I was too young to live through the polio epidemic but those just a few years older know how it terrified their parents, and them, as much as the fear of nuclear war that also loomed over the 50s. David Oshinsky weaves a gripping story that tells us not just about the scientific race for the vaccine (which was a neck and neck contest between Jonas Salk and Albert Sabin), but also about the ways that the polio "crusade" changed American society, American medicine, and American philanthropy. For those who remember the polio years, this will bring them back vividly; for those like me to whom they're history, this tells us why our elders have never forgotten the euphoria they felt when the vaccine was announced. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (2)

A rare focus on the social and economic context
This is the only book-length exploration of the social and economic context of the the HIV/AIDS epidemics. What comes through is that the authors are not journalists who dashed off a book on AIDS, but longtime researchers, with world-ranging experience.

WHile well documented, it is readable. The next college level course I teach on contemporary issues will surely include this as required reading. My students will thank me for it.

The best comprehensive treatment of HIV/AIDS
Tony Barnett and Alan Whieside have done a fantastic job of placing the issue of HIV/AIDS within a comprehensive context. It is easy to read, well researched, thoughtful in it's analysis, and comprehensive - that is, it places the pandemic amidst the global forces that are affecting it and which must be understood if we're to successfully turn the tide. I am recommending it to many of my colleagues! It is the best book I have read to-date on the most challenging crisis facing the human family. ... Read more

Book Description

The third edition of this popular text continues to focus on themany factors and issues that influence clients and families dealing with chronicconditions. Chronic Illness, Third Edition shows how these individuals cope notonly with disease, but with managing their lives on a day-to-day basis, fromsociological, psychosocial, ethical, organizational, and financial perspectives. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

An up-to-date, serious, and effective overview and study
Now in a thoroughly updated and expanded fifth edition, Chronic Illness: Impact And Interventions is a study text especially intended for upper level undergraduate and graduate students in nursing, social work, and rehabilitation, but the information it offers is useful to all family members and survivors dealing with the psychological, ethical, organizational, and financial difficulties of ongoing illness. The collaborative effort of Ilene Morof Lubkin (Professor Emeritus, California State University - Hayward) and Pamala D. Larsen (Interim Director, School of Nursing College of Health and Human Services, University of North Carolina at Charlotte), Chronic Illness offers students new chapters on home care, long term care, and the role of the advanced practice nurse. An up-to-date, serious, and effective overview and study of this significant health issue, Chronic Illness is strongly recommended addition to Medical School library reference collections and Nursing Studies supplemental reading lists. ... Read more

Book Description

With more than 50,000 copies sold, this completely updated edition is one of the most essential and bestselling books on the subject

The Breast Cancer Survival Manual, third edition, is newly revised to contain all of the latest findings that women diagnosed with breast cancer need to participate in developing the most effective treatment plan. This new edition includes the most current advice on

- tamoxifen, herceptin, and other chemotherapy options
- the growing importance of Her-2 oncogene testing
- clinical research trials under way that could broaden treatment options
- the role of preventative drugs and prophylactics for those with genetic high risk for breast cancer
- Sentinal Lymph Node sampling, a new method of local cancer control

Updated information on the nature and biology of breast cancer, choosing a treatment team, managing side effects, and optimizing medication are also included. The Breast Cancer Survival Manual continues to be a must-have for any woman seeking honest, accurate, and easily understandable information about managing breast cancer today.
... Read more

Reviews (12)

A must read for newly diagnosed patients and their families.
As a personal trainer and post-rehabilitation specialist I have worked with many breast cancer patients. This book is an easy to understand, comprehensive compilation of information that patients and their families NEED to know. Particularly refreshing were the sections on seeking additional diagnosis opinions and participating fully in your treatment plans. Too often the patient is left out of the loop and ends of a "victim" of their treatment. The author explains what you should and shouldn't be included in, and why.

I found this a quick and simple read. Perfect for the spouse, parents or children of the patient. I read it in an afternoon and then referred back to it as needed. I bought it for a client and am now recommending it to all my breast cancer clients. Great book!

This should be REQUIRED reading for women.
A breast cancer diagnosis puts a woman's life into a free-fall. Dr. Link explains how to take charge of a situation over which you feel you have no control. He has offered a concise, up-to-date compilation of information necessary for a pro-active role in breast cancer treatment. He lets women know in understandable language that there are options available and helps sort throught the facts in order to make intelligent, informed decisions.

I discovered Dr. Link's book AFTER I had been diagnosed and had already received a second opinion on my own. He helped me sort throught the maze of chemotherapy treatments, and gave me the confidence I needed to make the right choices for me. I was so impressed with his book that I have donated copies to our local hospital to be given to women at the time of initial diagnosis.

If you are facing this nightmare of a journey, take this book with you...

Convinced me to get a second opinion
I aggree with most of the other reviews: you or your partner must read this book when breast cancer is diagnosed. It gives your clear information about you chances and options. For me, it convinced me to make a girl friend ask for a second opinion, which led to another treatment with better chances. And it gives a lot of information about the drug Tamoxifen, which is used quit offen in treating breast cancer.

For women with newly-diagnosed breast cancer
Dr. Link has written exactly what his title promises: a manual that will educate women on how to survive a diagnosis of breast cancer. He teaches us how to pick a team of specialists, how to make adjuvant therapy choices, management of side effects, diet. etc. Dr. Link is a practicing internist and oncologist, founder of the Breast Center in Long Beach, California, and also director of the Pacific Coast Breast Center in Torrance, California.

The author treats women with breast cancer, rather than having survived the disease himself, so the 'Survival Manual' is a less personalized account than, say, "The Breast Cancer Companion" by Kathy Latour. It is written with one degree of separation, and teaches rather than consoles.

For example, he writes, "I think it is helpful to understand the mechanism of hair loss with these drugs so you realize its true temporary quality," rather than, "When our hair starts to fall out, it is yet another violation of our bodies and one that most women felt was much more visible and hard to conceal than the loss of a breast." (quoted from "The Breast Cancer Companion" by Kathy Latour.)

Dr. Link's writing style is very much exemplified by his introductory quotation: "Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood---Marie Curie."

This is a very direct, honest book that can help women with newly-diagnosed breast cancer, "understand their situation and develop a plan to optimize a cure." It contains questions at the end of each chapter (called 'checkpoints') that women should ask themselves during each stage of diagnosis and treatment, e.g. "Who is in charge of my surveillance after the end of treatment?" at the end of the chapter entitled, "Fear of Recurrence."

There is a good list of further breast cancer resources at book's end, including an Internet site with Dr. Link's continuing updates to this manual (breastlinkcare).

A very good manual - most useful for the details
This small book packs a lot of punch. No other books go into as much detail on how chemotherapy medicines work, or why medicines are combined the way they are. This book is meant to empower women through the tough decisions, and throughout the entire treatment cycle. Not much time is wasted on outdated statistics or information, and the book recognizes the limits of printed paper and recommends worthwhile websites.

The chapters on side effects, menopause, and nutrition are especially cogent. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Book Description

University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City. Second edition of an extensive text on the maintenance of the health, performance, and safety of those who fly in air and space. For clinicians and students in general medicine, aviation, or the space program. Previous edition 1986. 51 contributors, 48 U.S. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The authority
This textbook is largely considered the authority in Aerospace Medicine in the United States. If one wants to become familiar with Aerospace Medicine, they must read this text. It moves from history to the many aspects of medicine, which effect the aviator. It is fairly well written, and up-to-date. It is not written with just the FAA or any one military service in mind, but can be generalized to all. Space medicine is also covered. If you need info on this subject this is a good text to purchase. ... Read more

Book Description

Extensively revised and updated, the new edition of AIDS and Other Manifestations of HIV Infection is an essential reference resource providing a comprehensive overview of the biological properties of this etiologic viral agent, its clinicopathological manifestations, the epidemiology of its infection, and present and future therapeutic options.

New to this Edition:
* Expanded section on clinical manifestations includes new chapters on cardiovascular, renal and dermatologic manifestations of HIV infection
* Additional chapters on molecular diagnostic techniques, the role of host genetic variation in HIV infection and its manifestations, the discovery and development of new HIV medicines, analysis of HIV dynamics using mathematical models, toxicities of antiretroviral therapy, HIV drug susceptibility testing, practical therapeutics and the global impact of HIV and AIDS ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Family practice review
This is a very good book which gives an overall review of family medicine. Would recommend it for medical students and family practice residents ... Read more

Book Description

Environmental Health has established itself as the most succinct and comprehensive textbook on the subject. This extensively revised and rewritten third edition continues this tradition by incorporating new developments and by adding timely coverage of topics such as environmental economics and terrorism.

As in previous volumes, the new edition presents balanced assessments of environmental problems, examining their local and global implications, their short- and long-range impacts, and their importance in both developed and less developed countries of the world. The Third Edition also addresses emerging issues such as environmental justice, deforestation, the protection of endangered species, multiple chemical sensitivity, and the application of the threshold concept in evaluating the effects of toxic and radioactive materials.

Whether discussing acid rain, ozone depletion, global warming, or more traditional subjects such as the management and control of air, water, and food, Dade Moeller emphasizes the need for a systems approach. As with previous volumes, Environmental Health, Third Edition, offers a depth of understanding that is without peer. While it covers technical details, it is also a book that anyone with an interest in the environment can pick up and browse at random.

Book Description

This handbook assembles a team of experts to review the special problems faced by women with epilepsy. Epilepsy treatments affect fertility and can cause pregnancy complications and birth defects, but most of the available drugs have been tested on men.Moreover, hormone effects on seizures are of particular concern to women at puberty, at menopause, and over the menstrual cycle. Many health-care providers are not informed about the unique issues facing women with epilepsy. This book, published in association with the Epilepsy Foundation of America, fills that gap and provides women with epilepsy with the information they need to be effective self-advocates. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A must for anybody interested in Tropical Medicine
I have been reading most books on Tropical Medicine. This is the the best book I have seen so far. It is a must have for anybody seriously interested in Tropical Medicine.

very useful
The first truly comprehensive guide to tropical infectious diseases, compiled by the leading authorities in the field. Of enormous use and benefit. ... Read more

Book Description

The original edition of this classic survival manual offered the first comprehensive patient guide for managing these conditions. Its extensive set of healing tools included targeted bodywork for painful trigger points and strategies to helpccope with chronic pain and sleep problems and the numbing effects of fibrofog. More than 75 percent of the second edition is new or updated material, including coverage of promising new research on the causes of fibromyalgia, evaluation of new treatments, complete discussions of special issues for women and men, and the latest information on medication. An update of the first edition's popular provider index helps sufferers select those practitioners who will take their complaints seriously and offer knowledgeable treatment advice. ... Read more

Reviews (74)

The most comprehensive fibromyalgia book available
I would recommend this book to anyone who suffers from fibromyalgia or mps, is seriously affected by the disease, and who has a pretty good ability to deal with details and medical information. For those with fibromyalgia who are looking for a less overwhelming book, there are other good ones out there for you. That being said, if you do have a serious case of fibromyalgia or mps and want to be a good advocate for yourself within the medical system, this is the book to have.

In detailed and comprehensive terms the authors explain what these conditions are, what they aren't, how they are diagnosed, other common symptoms (this is the section that you will most like if you have fibromyalgia or mps--who knew about mosquitos being drawn to us!) and several great sections on coping, keeping journals, how to cope with the dreaded "fibrofog," medicines, and how to work out home, work, and travel issues.

If you have fibromyalgia or mps you will constantly refer to this book, and will be glad you made the purchase.

A Lifesaver....
Until I read this book I felt totally hopeless. I have chronic pain from some obvious sources, but also have other "unexplained" pain. My pain got worse and I got more depressed. Then one day I read the symptoms of Fibromyalgia. I went to the library, found and checked out "Fibromyalgia and Chronic Myofascial Pain Syndrome", and it changed my life! On page after page I found validation and explanations for my weird pains. Once my Orthp Dr saw how many correlations there were, he had no choice but to formally diagnose me with FMS/CMP syndrome. I understand so much more now about my body thanks to this book. This truly IS a survival manual. If you are in pain, and want answers, buy this book. The text is easy to understand, NOT overly technical,and the many diagrams are very helpful too. The author knows first-hand how we suffer, as she also has this condition. Thanks Dr. Starlanyl!

An owner's handbook to a fibromyalgia suffering body
My title for this review should be the title of this book.

I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia in 1993 and I have felt I was fighting in the dark, usually having to teach my caregivers about the disease rather than the other way around. I read what I could but still did not understand why there seemed to be so many things wrong with me. This book has become the light in my darkness. It explains in clear and simple layperson terms exactly what fibromyalgia is and does and why it causes so many disparate symptoms. It also tells me ways of dealing with all the aspects of this disease. I wish I had this book years ago. It would have saved me much suffering and anxiety. I am buying copies for my caregivers and my relatives and my friends. Yahoo!

An Excellent Reference
I own many books on the subject of Fibromyalgia. This book, Fibromyalgia and Chronic Myofascial Pain: A Survival Manual (2nd Edition) by Devin J. Starlanyl and Mary Ellen Copeland is one I come back to time and time again for more information. I consider this a "Bible" of Fibromyalgia and Myofascial Pain. I find this book an excellent resource with helpful drawings of the myofascial trigger points, alternatives for treating the illness, as well as helpful sections on disability and every day coping. It does not give the reader false hopes of cures but instead gives the reader a realistic view of treatment options for a illness for which there is no cure. This book is a valuable asset for anyone suffering from Fibromyalgia or Myofascial Pain, or for anyone with a loved one who is suffering.

This is my Fibro Bible
Since being diagnosed with fibromyalgia, I have read several books. This book provides the basis and starting point to understand the problems and begin to find solutions. I found the personal applications touching - I laughed and cried as I read this book and began to see myself thru the pain and suffering of the author. I like the fact that she considers and recommends such a wide range of alternative treatments and therapies. The nutritional and diet information she gives has been the basis for my own treatment, based on her information on the yeast connection - something most medical texts on fibromyalgia do not discuss or consider. I recommend that any one with fibromyalgia/chronic myofascial pain/chronic fatigue get this book for their personal library. Read it first, take it all in, then follow her advice and start moving forward toward better health. ... Read more

Book Description

“Women today not only deserve but should expect a pain-free, active lifestyle, no matter their age, no matter their previous experience.”

Pain Free for Women

In his famed San Diego clinic, Pete Egoscue has taught women of all ages and from all walks of life how to use the Egoscue Method for safe, effective, and permanent relief from chronic pain without prescription painkillers, physical therapy, or invasive surgery. Now he shares his specially adapted “Pain Free” program for women to use at home.

Whether you suffer from back or neck pain, joint discomfort or sore knees, or need more stamina, improved balance, and extra strength, here is a revolutionary and proven approach to self-care that promises optimal health through a simple set of exercises that will transform the way you move and feel — forever!

Egoscue shows women how to take back their bodies by recovering and restoring a precious health asset — full, free, flexible motion — that he believes has been drastically reduced by our modern lifestyle.

As Egoscue explains, motion not only develops a woman’s body but also maintains and rejuvenates it. Yet as her motion-deprived muscles disengage and weaken, it is common for a woman’s body to lose alignment, leading to repetitive stress injuries, persistent pain, and general bad health. Even the simplest activities — how she sits, stands, walks, works, lifts, and sleeps — can trigger problems.

Focusing on proper alignment, posture, and muscle engagement, Egoscue provides simple but powerful techniques to restore flexibility and function while at the same time boosting energy, revving up the immune system, even raising the body’s metabolic rate.

The remarkable “E-cises” included within have also been linked to improved ability to fight disease, cope with aging, and recover from accidents and injuries. The “miracle” cure Egoscue offers is, simply, correct motion.

Organized by the seasons of a woman’s life, Pain Free for Women pays particular attention to age-specific concerns such as puberty, childbirth, and menopause, as well as special issues such as arthritis, PMS, and depression.

At the same time, Egoscue shows how women can build a framework of healthy movement that will prevent illness and maintain pain-free good health throughout the journey of life.

According to Egoscue, reversing the effects of poor musculoskeletal fitness provides astonishing benefits, including:

•Better balance, posture, and breathing, as well as increased resiliency
•Effective and safe weight management
•Healthy bone density and visual acuity
•Heightened sex drive
•Delayed symptoms of aging
•Peace of mind and general tranquility

Extensively illustrated to demonstrate proper placement, posture, and movement, Pain Free for Women offers women of every age the possibility of feeling better than ever before. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Are you Kidding? Egoscue is a Genius!!!
Over 3 years ago I had constant shoulder, back, and hip pain. I had already invested in over a dozen books and had come to the conclusion that nothing was ever going to help me - chronic pain was a part of growing older. I also had a difficult time doing the Taijiquan (a martial art) form I was working on because my back was overly curved. On the advice of a friend, I got Egoscue's first book, Pain Free.

After doing the exercises (30 minutes each day) for a few months, wonder of wonder, my curved back relaxed and I was able to sink into the Taijiquan postures I'd been trying to achieve for ten years. But best of all - the pain disappeared. For the first time in years, I didn't wake up to daily pain in my joints!!!

Unfortunately, almost a year ago, I got into a car accident that is still causing me a great deal of pain in my neck and back. I had been doing those same Pain Free exercises from before, but they didn't seem to be doing much.

I decided to purchase this newer book anyway - since it was written specifically for women. I actually didn't think it would help much and prepared myself for disappointment.

Oh MY!! After just a few weeks, once again, I was amazed at the difference. The exercises in this book (and yes, they do take much longer than the simple Pain Free book) were so helpful that I was able to change from a narcotic pain reliever to a non-narcotic pain reliever. Believe me, for someone trying to function- that is a BIG difference.

Egoscue is a genius. I have seen many doctors, including so-called pain specialists, and the only thing that has significantly helped me so far is Egoscue exercises. I now do them every day, and can feel the difference in my neck, back, shoulders, hips, knees, ankles, and feet.

Even better - this book explains in much more detail than the Pain Free book exactly what's going on in my muscles and body - so that I can really tell why the exercises are working (or not). Now that I can feel the difference, I can tell when to stop doing one phase and move on to the next.

I felt compelled to write this review because I noticed a few negative reviews. The only thing that I can postulate is that

1. The people writing were not committed to the exercises for long enough for them to work, or...

2. The people did not really have chronic pain to begin with and therefore no motivation, or....

3. The people have something personal against Peter Egoscue (I have never met him, so I wouldn't know).

All I can say is -- this book changed my life. I only wish I had read it BEFORE my accident - I suspect that I wouldn't have gotten so hurt had I been in better "functional" shape prior to getting rear-ended.

This book is about prevention, about taking control of your body and making it work the way it was designed to work. If you are a women in chronic pain - believe me - if you do these exercises, you will change your life for the better. Don't let others disuade you from doing the most that you can for yourself.

Can you spare about 3 hours every day?
You are suposed to do a minimum of 12 exercises every day. The Egoscue method is totally spoiled by two these exercises because they are very time consuming. One called the "supine groin stretch" requires one and a half hours(45 minutes for each leg); the "static back" requires 30 minutes. The others take about 5 minutes each with the exception of the "air bench" which takes 3 minutes but is so hard to perform. Total: 3 hours every morning. What time do you have to get up for work?
(I bought the Egoscue video cassette fron their website but I was totally disappointed: only 3 of the exercises are demonstrated
and the quality is very poor).

It worked for me
I had been a suffered of sporadic lower back pain that usually came on when I was asleep. It was so painful that it would wake me up and I would be afraid to move because I knew the pain would be agonizing. I thought that lack of muscle strength was the problem and so I faithfully did abdominal crunches and lower back extensions, but that didn't help. Rather desperately, I went searching for other answers and stumbled across this book. Pete's discussion of posture struck a chord in me, so I worked on that and added his restoration exercises. The first phase was too mild to help me, but I noticed an improvement in my pain as I moved on to the second phase. My back pain completely vanished as I moved into the third phase and has not come back. I am truly grateful to be restored to normality. The exercises don't sound very intensive, but they worked wonders for me - stretching, release, and balance is what I needed, not mere muscle. I would recommend that you *try* these exercises, not just read the reviews or sit in a chair and read the book. Once again, it worked for me, and I'm so grateful. I hope it will work for you.

Return to function.....Take charge of your health
This is a real back to the basics book. Move like a child...feel like a child. Women can do anything!

bad book
This book lacks consistancy. With all its un-understandable advanced medical terms I began to think it was a medical textbook. Pete Egoscuevery did a very poor job writing this book. ... Read more

Book Description

Comprehensive and highly illustrated -- and now completelyrevised, updated, and expanded -- this important text delineates thespectrum of changes that may be present throughout the entiregastrointestinal tract. In one single, convenient source the readerwill find anatomy, infectious diseases, clinical manifestations,radiology, and pathologic analysis represented through gross andmicroscopic photographs, line drawings, radiographs, and electronmicrographs. The book is organized so that each anatomical section --esophagus, stomach, small intestine, appendix, colon, and anus -- isdivided into three chapters covering normal antomy, non-neoplasticconditions, and neoplasms involving that site. Other chapters coverInflammatory Bowel Disease, Polyposis Syndromes, Malignant Lymphomasand Hematologic Malignancies, Mesenchymal Neoplasms, and Cytology ofthe Gastrointestinal Tract. New in this edition: / 30% expandedcoverage, including many new illustrations / pathophysiologic concepts/ more pediatric pathology / molecular biologic information / newchapters on AIDS and motility disorders. ... Read more