A local doctor has a new way to detect and help prevent pancreatic cancer.  It’s an inexpensive screening program he says could save lives.

Dr. Gordon Hixson has been in radiology for more than 40 years.  He now hopes to use his experience in imaging to identify pancreatic cancer early.

Dr. Hixson spends most of his time looking carefully at ultrasounds.  He’s looking for any signs of cancer in the pancreas.  He says this is a new and unique way to detect it.  “You can simply use inexpensive ultrasound of the abdoman to target just the pancreas itself.”

Dr. Hixson says that specific view can show a block of the pancreatic duct that could be cancer.  It’s a terrifying image that Dr. Hixson noticed on his own ultrasound three years ago.  “It was much smaller than the usual pancreatic cancer and I didn’t have any symptoms.”

Just the year before he had travelled to Italy with his wife and was in perfect health.  but during a routine screening as a precaution, he spotted a small speck.  that turned out to be cancer, growing his pancreatic duct to 6 times the average.  He says if it weren’t for that early image, he would not have recovered.  “I would not be here now, had this not have happened, I think it may have been divine intervention.”

Dr. Hixson says that intervention involves passing on his technique to others, in a new low cost, early screening program for pancreatic cancer.  A disease that doesn’t have detection guidelines, and detection isn’t always covered by healthcare.  “We should be able to cut the death rate from 95 percent to 50 percent, I really do believe that.”

He hopes to use his own story of success to steer others toward a life saving screening.  “I like to help other people so this is one way to help a lot of people.”

The screenings just became available this year at the Women’s Diagnostic Center.  They’re being offered for both men and women over the age of about 60.

Praise for urology staff at Wycombe Hospital

4:04pm Thursday 15th September 2011

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a RETIRED businessman has paid tribute to staff at Wycombe Hospital who treated him for prostate cancer, and urged other pensioners to get themselves checked out.

Anthony Calladine, 66, was shocked to be diagnosed with the disease after taking a blood test on the advice of a friend.

He had no symptoms and had never even been to hospital before.

Wycombe Hospital has a specialist urology ward and after a ‘speedy and efficient’ series of tests , including a biopsy, ultrasound and bone scan, Mr Calladine, of new Road, High Wycombe, had his prostate removed last month.

He said: “I want to pay tribute to the consultant, Mr John Kelleher, and all the doctors and nurses who were exceptional in their duties.

“It’s not an easy department to work in and they’ve all got my sincerest respect.”

“Prostate cancer is a killer because many people are reluctant to take a test. I want to try and get people to do what I did.

“Please take my advice and have a blood test…it does not hurt or cost anything but if you don’t bother very serious problems can occur.”

I been feeling pain on my left upper abdominal , also pain on my back . Yellow stools floating . I had blood work , urine test , ultrasound , ct scan and all came up normal , but i still have the same symptoms. I am going to have a endoscop done on me this wedsday if that comes up normal too should i stop worring about my pancreas ? or have more test done on me? . all these test done on me have left me broke dont have insurance . if any one been through this or having the same symptoms plz email me at

I had the same issues for about 5 months, was misdiagnosed many, many times. Finally got gall bladder checked, and hit the jackpot. the gall bladder and pancreas are amazingly connected. Also, the gall bladder is very tricky about where it actually causes pain. it can mask the pain almost anywhere in the abdomen. I learned a lot while we went through all the tests. So, have that checked, then an easy surgery later, you will feel awesome, I do!

The doctors went from kidney stones to broken rib and many other maladies before we got there, so be careful, especially with no insurance.

Good Luck!!

BACKGROUND: A study was undertaken to identify the diagnostic approaches that primary care physicians and gynecologists undertake in women with symptoms associated with ovarian cancer.

METHODS: A vignette-based survey was mailed to 3200 primary care physicians from the American Medical Association Physician Masterfile. the vignette described a 55-year-old woman with symptoms associated with ovarian cancer, although ovarian cancer was never mentioned. the authors evaluated patient, physician, and practice characteristics associated with a workup that could detect ovarian cancer.

RESULTS: the survey response rate was 61.7%. after exclusions, 1532 physicians were included. Overall, 89.5% of physicians reported that they would recommend testing that can detect ovarian cancer (71.2% ultrasound; 25.4% pelvic computed tomography; 26.5% CA125). in adjusted analysis, the only patient factor associated with ovarian cancer testing was symptom type, genitourinary versus gastrointestinal (risk ratio, 1.07; 95% confidence interval, 1.03-1.11). Physician and practice characteristics associated with recommending of ovarian cancer testing included specialty (gynecologists > family physicians and internists); type of practice (group > solo); clinical teaching (yes > no); and within Census division, location of practice, with all Central (East, West, North, and South) and Atlantic (Middle and South) areas having a lower likelihood than New England.

CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of a vignette in which a woman reported symptoms associated with ovarian cancer, the majority of primary care physicians and gynecologists would not recommend CA125, but would recommend imaging of the pelvis. Gynecologists, physicians involved with clinical teaching, and those in group practices were significantly more likely to recommend testing that could lead to an ovarian cancer diagnosis.

See the full abstract here

ultrasound and there is nothing showing on that. I have no infections. I had d&c and also a biopsy done 2 weeks ago. I am going to the dr. this afternoon for the results of biopsy. What do you think is wrong?

but my ultrasound shows it isn't gallstones….anyone have any ideas of what it can be??

ONE WAY YOU CAN TELL IS CUT WAY BACK ON FATS & OILS FOR a WEEK TO 10 DAYS AND SEE IF YOU FEEL BETTER IF SO IT'S GALL BLADDER…….

If you have all the symptoms of gallstones I would suggest you cut out all fat from your diet and see if that helps the symptoms disappear. This will take several days to weeks before you see an improvement. I would also Suggest taking lecithin powder one to 2tsp. three times a day before eating. This will act like a soap and clean the gallbladder.

sometimes the gallstones don't show on an ultrasound because of being extremely small. I don't have an answer as to what other condition you could be having.

I just started birth control and I have been having leg pains, its in both legs, but at times it hurts really bad for like 2-3 minutes. I have started running agian and I hadnt stretched either, but im still worried, could I have a blood clot. please help!!! Im 19 and Im healthy never had any other problems, but im still scared!!!

i had the same problem too, your chances of getting a blood clot increases especially if you smoke….but anyways you'll feel pain, swelling, discoloration since its cutting circulation, and sometimes numbness. My pain lasted about 2 weeks, then it went away. but I would of gone to the doc, just never had the time to do so, but if you do it never hurts to find out and be safe…

When i had my first clot i was 18, very active and the only symptom i had was a cramp in my leg that lasted longer then a week, it became so painful that i was walking with a limp. I had an ultrasound done and they found out that a clot had formed.

clots don't run in the family and all they could put it down to was the contraceptive tablet. Ask your doctor

Good luck

Call your doctor and tell her whats going on. Sometimes you can see a blood clot and sometimes you can't, but I would call my doctor and tell them what's going on. Don't be scared, it could be just your muscles.

I may have gallstones, to be confirmed with a scan.I have had severe burning in my stomach, vomiting and retching lasting 24 hours.

I am left with a very painful stomach, feeling very bruised especially on the right. at the start, I also had a burning under my right shoulder.
Have you had an operation to remove the gallbladder?
I would love to hear from you if you have suffered this please!

I'm a nurse in a surgeon's office. we schedule people for gallbladder surgery all the time. Your symptoms sound pretty typical. An ultrasound or a hepatobiliary scan can confirm the presence of gallstones. however, you may not have any stones, but instead have a gallbladder that doesn't work well. again the hepatobiliary (Pipida) scan can find that out.
Surgery is actually pretty simple. Nowadays it is done laparoscopically 95% of the time. The surgeon makes 3-4 very small incisions on your abdomen to put in a camera to see what he is doing and instruments to remove the gallbladder. The incisions are closed with steri-strips (tape). most of the time no stitches or staples are needed to close the wounds.
The surgery is usually done outpatient. You will come into the hospital or surgery center in the morning, get surgery done and if all goes well, you will go home the same day. Our doctors tell patients that they can expect to resume normal activity in about 1 week. But some people do that a lot sooner.
If you find out it is not your gallbladder, you may need to have a scope done to see if you have an ulcer or gastritis (inflammation of the esophagus and stomach).

I've never had a choley (short for choleycystectomy), my sister did, but what did you want to know about it? I can tell you.

And as far as your question about symptoms, yes, other people with choleycystitis experience these symptoms.

Weakness in the legs is a common sciatica symptom often linked to a spinal abnormality, such as a bulging intervertebral disc or an osteoarthritis condition in the lumbar or lumbo-sacral regions. Weakness is a neurological symptom which is deemed quite serious by most back pain care providers, as it raises the possibility of nerve compression issues in the lower back, such as those typically caused by spinal stenosis, foraminal stenosis or even cauda equina syndrome.

Frustration can be a common emotion for many people experiencing these symptoms because many doctors have trouble finding an accurate diagnosis. even extensive testing such as medical imaging, colonoscopy, ultrasound, heart scan, blood tests, urine tests and stool tests may all come out normal. the use of massage can be used for suffers of lower back pain. If using massage for lower back pain it is essential that you check the credentials of the person giving the massage to ensure that he is qualified. any massage done by an untrained person may do more harm than good.

Therapies can be divided into two categories: active and passive. Therapists will usually utilize both types. Generally speaking, the goals of physical therapy are to relieve pain, improve function, and to provide instruction on a maintenance plan to prevent further back pain episodes. Many adults below 50 years of age in the US suffer from back pain. And yes it have been noted that back pain is the second most frequent explanation given to the employer for remaining absent in the office. Back pains might be constant or abnormal and mild to severe. you may also want to try out heat therapy which is an effective treatment in relieving muscle aches and pain. you simply have to apply heat to the affected body part and it should help treat the pain. due to the technological advancement of today’s modern world, heat therapy products have been made to fit the needs of an individual. Nerve damage can signal a more severe back problems. Nerve damage can be caused by an accident or a herniated disc or a damaged muscle pressing against a nerve root. In the lower back nerve problems usually means the sciatic nerve. When it comes to pregnancy, women everywhere understand the neck pain and back pain associated with this condition. Being pregnant is normally a very exciting time for a woman and her family, except when the pain due to the weight gain and carrying the child causes it to be dampened.She has come over to practice with me from time to time over the last year, and finds that she gets immediate relief from her chronic back pain from doing yoga. this was a pleasant surprise to me. I expected yoga to help her, and tailored our sessions to poses that I thought would stretch her upper back/shoulder area, but I was amazed by the immediate relief she experienced.

There are several lower back pain exercises that may increase muscular strength for back pain sufferers and help provide more of a structural support for the spine. A primary strengthening exercise is the squat. the squat is important for a couple reasons.

Davidspark – About the Author:

Read about treatment of depression

Most expectant parents spend the nine months of pregnancy looking forward to many things —  the first cry, first steps, first words. Jenica and Andrew Fry of Elkhart just wanted a few moments with their son. Weeks would be better, but as the baby Jenica carried was so very, very ill, they knew that was asking a lot. And though they wanted Kollin Andrew Fry to draw breath, they didn’t want him to suffer. “I don’t want to put him through anything,” Jenica said on Tuesday morning, the same day she had a doctor’s appointment. Jenica had a lingering feeling the news from that appointment might not be good. “It’s just a feeling,” she said. “He’s not moving as much as he used to.” her maternal instincts were correct. “After our OB appointment on Tuesday afternoon, we were told that Kollin no longer had a heartbeat,” Jenica wrote later in an e-mail. “We went to the hospital and had labor induced on Wednesday evening. Kollin was born asleep into Heaven at 1:33 a.m. on Thursday.” The journey the Frys found out via ultrasound on Oct. 31 — at 21 weeks gestation — that their first child was a boy and that the baby had some health problems. Doctors believed Kollin’s intestines were growing outside his abdomen, a defect called omphalocele. At that point, the Frys were more excited that they were having a boy than terrified at the news. Omphalocele after all, is treatable. “We were like ‘Yay, it’s a boy,’” Jenica, a 2000 Goshen High School graduate, said. “Kollin was the one name out of all of them that we could agree on.” Kollin’s middle name is Edward after Andrew’s late father and Jenica’s uncle. that middle name would be prophetic. After more tests and specialists and then a second opinion at Riley Children’s Hospital, the Frys learned Kollin had the chromosomal defect Trisomy 18. the disease is also known as Edward’s Syndrome and occurs when there are three chromosomes in the 18th position instead of the normal two. Trisomy 18 occurs in about one in 3,000 live births. Unlike down syndrome (Trisomy 21), Trisomy 18 is usually fatal, with most of the babies dying before birth. those who do make it to birth typically live only a few days, according to the Trisomy 18 Foundation. however, a small number of babies (10 percent) live at least one year. As with down Syndrome, the severity of symptoms vary considerably. Kollin was on the more severe end of the spectrum. along with the omphalocele, Kollin had a cleft palate and a large hole in his heart. “Every doctor said they were surprised he made it this far,” Jenica said. Living with the news Jenica has a medical background, something that has helped her at times to remain calm and somewhat clinical during Kollin’s diagnosis. She’s an emergency medical technician with Osolo Township fire Department and a medical assistant with Visiting Physicians, though she has been unable to work since Jan. 1. She also worked in a level one trauma center that had a neonatal intensive care unit. “I knew all the weird things that can happen,” Jenica said. As the couple researched Trisomy 18 further after Kollin’s diagnosis, reality set in that this in no way was going to be a normal pregnancy and a happy ending was unlikely. Still, doctors encouraged the couple to act like parents — to read Kollin bedtime stories and treat themselves like mom and dad. “We do that,” Andrew said Tuesday, “but we usually end up crying afterward.” the couple had a photographer take pictures for a baby book and put together a specific birth plan. What they also did that most soon-to-be parents do not, is plan their son’s funeral. but Jenica is a “planner” and that helped her to keep from having a complete breakdown. “I plan and keep planning so I’m not thinking about the other,” Jenica said. “it will catch up to me, but that’s what I do to cope.” the couple realized — though they have received a tremendous amount of support — that it was also difficult for other people to know how to treat them during the pregnancy. Jenica has an outgoing personality and tried to stay optimistic in public. “What else are you going to do?,” she said. “There’s nothing you can do. believe me, I have meltdowns, but I have them in private. And I have good days and bad days. Last night was not a good night.” that was Monday night, the evening before they learned Kollin had passed away. some friends also questioned whether the couple should have put themselves through the eight-month ordeal knowing what the end would be. “some people asked why we didn’t just have the doctors take him,” Jenica said. “they asked why we would go through this — that we shouldn’t have to.” “(Abortion),” Andrew said, “was never an option for us.” Support system one way the Frys shared their pregnancy journey was through Facebook, which became a surprisingly helpful support system. “Through Facebook, I met people that had (Trisomy 18) babies who were stillborn, who lived two hours, two years, 45 days,” Jenica said. Facebook also garnered the couple well-wishes and support from friends from around the country and even around the world. the couple said they have also been blessed with support from many people locally. while Andrew’s employers at Midwest Gun Exchange in Mishawaka have been great about the time off he needed, he doesn’t have health insurance. Friends knew the medical bills would be mounting and they are planning a Pampered Chef kitchen show to benefit the couple Feb. 12 at 1 p.m. at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 411 W. Vistula St., Bristol. Osolo EMS is sponsoring a bake sale and car wash for donations Feb. 27 from 1 to 4 p.m. There will also be raffles of various items. the EMS station is located at 25600 C.R. 4, Elkhart, between C.R.s 9 and 11. An account for Kollin is also set up at all TCU credit union locations. the plans were all made before Kollin passed away, but the couple plans to be at the benefits “tears and all,” Jenica said. both Andrew and Jenica are very open to talking about Kollin and Trisomy 18. creating an understanding of the disorder and it’s affect on people’s lives was one of the reasons the couple were willing to go public with their story. “Our approach,” Andrew said, “is that if anyone can learn anything from this, that’s great.”