While we can do flu shots on a drop-in basis, we’d prefer that you call the office to schedule so we can plan.  Flu shots do NOT require an office visit, and on most insurance plans do NOT have a co-pay.

• pregnant women
• persons who live with or provide care for infants aged <6 months (e.g., parents, siblings, and daycare providers)
• health-care and emergency medical services personnel
• persons aged 25–64 years who have medical conditions that put them at higher risk for influenza-related complications

We’ve seen a small number of people who have tested positive for Influenza A, although we do NOT know if they had the H1N1 strain.  We’re encouraging our patients who fall under any of the categories above to call the office and arrange a time to come in to get vaccinated.

We will begin giving the “regular” flu vaccine out on Tuesday, September 8th.  We currently have only a limited supply – 120 doses – so initially we will be vaccinating older patients, younger patients at risk due to underlying health problems, and patients who are healthcare workers or who are caretakers for the elderly or children.

While getting a flu shot does not require an office visit with one of our doctors, it DOES require an appointment, so call the office and we’ll get you on the schedule.

Julia and I will be hosting three events this month to introduce people to our weight loss program. We’re hosting events at our Ballston Spa office on Thursday, September 10th and Thursday, September 24th from 7:00PM until 8:00 PM. Our third Open House will be at Adirondack Aesthetic Arts Spa in Glens Falls on September 17th, at 6:00 PM. Come and meet us and find out why we’re different!

We’ll have samples of the weight loss products we use from Bariatrix Nutrition available to taste, too.

Click here or on “Events” under “About Our Practice” to sign up, or call Kristy or Michelle for more information.

I urge all of our patients and friends to do their homework and read as much as they can on this by both people you agree with as well as people you don’t agree with, and then weigh in with your elected officials and let them know how you feel.  My own opinion, after reading about 3/4 of the actual bill, is that this will be a disaster for our country.

The American Medical Association has come out in favor of this bill, and Dr. Steven Goldfein, MD has written an excellent article describing why, which I urge you to read.  Julia and I both very strongly disagree with the AMA on this issue.  Another excellent article by Michael Prell, a Canadian, appears here.

I also urge you to visit the Conservatives for Patients’ Rights website, regardless of whether you are Conservative or Liberal.   There’s information and a perspective there you will not see in the mainstream media.

Things are happening in Washington today that will directly affect the lives of every American for years to come.  Do not let them make your choices for you.

They satisfy a thirst for a refreshing, sweetened drink without the sugar and extra calories of soft drinks. Proti-15 Cold drinks are made from a mix of easily digested proteins suitable for all liquid diets. It’s a light, refreshing taste of summer in any season. Great frozen as popsicles! Only 70 calories.  15 grams of protein per serving.

Starting in June, we will be offering the IMPLANON^® contraceptive implant.  IMPLANON^® is a small, thin, implantable hormonal contraceptive inserted under the skin on the underside of the upper arm that is effective for up to three years. It was approved in July, 2006 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Some of the advantages of Implanon are:

• Effective – IMPLANON^® is more than 99% effective: the chance of getting pregnant is less than 1 pregnancy per 100 women who use IMPLANON^® for 1 year when IMPLANON^® is inserted correctly.

• Discreet - Most women can’t see IMPLANON^® after insertion.

• Long-acting – One IMPLANON^® provides up to 3 full years of contraceptive protection.

To find out more about Implanon, visit their website at http://www.implanon-usa.com, or schedule an appointment with one of our doctors.

We’ve had a number of patients call us, afraid that they might have contracted Influenza A.  The hospital Emergency Department, as well as local Urgent Care Centers have been overwhelmed with people requesting tests for Influenza, so starting Monday, May 4th, we will be testing for Influenza in our in-house lab.

If you have “flu-like symptoms”, including  fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue, and you suspect that you might have Influenza, you should call our office to make an appointment to be tested.  Generally with influenza the symptoms have a sudden onset, versus most colds which have a gradual onset.  If you test positive for Influenza A, and have risk factors for having contracted “Swine Flu”,  additional testing may be done to confirm or rule out “Swine Flu”.

You can find more information on the current Influenza outbreak at http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/