Ask Dr. Marie

Very few women (and most men for that matter) worry about the state of their bones until one day a simple slip causes a broken hip and months of recuperation and physical therapy. Or when their dentist tells them that they are about to lose their teeth because the bony part of their jaw has receded. Or when their vertebrae start to crumble like old chalk, leaving them shorter, hump-backed, and in constant severe pain.

The fall and early winter ushers in the flu season and a reminder for many of us to get our flu shots. (I am over 50 and a health care practitioner so dutifully received my flu shot already.) This is also a good time to see that you and your family are up-to-date on all your immunizations. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has updated the Recommended Adult Immunization Schedule for October 2007-September 2008 and can be found in English and Spanish at http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/schedules/adult-schedule.htm. You can also print out a helpful immunization tracking form for you and your family. Pediatricians and many family doctors are vigilant about keeping track of their patients, but many adults may not realize that they are not up-to-date or that something new is now available.

Many women have asked me about the meaning of the new report about heart disease and long-term use of birth control pills. I thought I would share my today’s HEALTHY DOSE column with you to address so many of the questions or concerns.

A recent study from Belgium suggested that long-term use of oral contraceptives or birth control pills may increase the chances of having artery plaque or “buildup” that can signal early heart disease. Even though the study is small and the details are not yet known, this is important because it is estimated that about 16 million American women currently take birth control pills and hundreds of millions have used them in the past.