Avery Dustin | Canyon View Medical

Pregnancy and COVID-19

Posted on December 20, 2020January 17, 2023 by Avery Dustin

While pregnancy can be a joyous time in your life, it can also bring nervousness and uncertainty. This is especially true during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Many pregnant women have questions about how COVID-19 may affect their pregnancy or their baby. The knowledge we have about coronavirus and pregnancy is continually evolving, and continuing research will bring us more information.

At the current time, there is no evidence being pregnant makes a woman more likely to get COVID-19. However, pregnant women should be aware that they are at higher risk of severe symptoms if infected. Compared to non-pregnant women, women who are pregnant and sick with the virus are more likely to be admitted to the hospital, put on a ventilator, or require additional life support. Some data shows that pregnant women who test positive for coronavirus may be at increased risk for blood clots. It is recommended that pregnant patients hospitalized with the virus use blood thinners. Some experts even suggest that all pregnant women with COVID-19 should take blood thinners, but more research is necessary on this topic. Pregnant women are also at higher risk of dying from COVID-19 than non-pregnant women, although this is rare.

While we do not have a lot of information about how the virus may affect your baby in the womb, some research has found that pregnant women with COVID-19 are more likely to have preterm labor and delivery. Current data shows that exposure to the virus does not increase the risk of birth defects. While it is unknown exactly how often the virus may be passed from mother to baby, there is likely a small risk of this happening if a mother is COVID-positive at the time of delivery. Most newborns who test positive for COVID-19 will have no or mild symptoms.

Due to these risks and unknowns, pregnant women should be extra careful about protecting themselves from the coronavirus. Wear a mask when you are in public areas, and practice social distancing with people who are not part of your household. Wash your hands frequently, limit travel, and avoid activities where it may be challenging to protect yourself. You may need to be creative about approaching your pregnancy, such as hosting virtual parties instead of standard baby showers and family events. You should also be aware that your hospital may require testing for COVID-19 before delivery and limit the number of people who can visit you and your baby at the hospital.

You should continue to receive prenatal care throughout your pregnancy according to your provider’s recommendations. If you develop symptoms of COVID-19 during pregnancy, such as a fever, cough, or loss of taste or smell, it is essential to let your healthcare provider know. They can give you more information about testing and treatment. While it may be a stressful time to be pregnant, know that we are here for you both during and after your pregnancy to answer your questions, and take care of you and your baby.

References:

CDC

“If You Are Pregnant, Breastfeeding, or Caring for Young Children.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 3 Nov. 2020, www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/pregnancy-breastfeeding.html.

Mayo Clinic

“Understand How COVID-19 Might Affect Your Pregnancy.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Clinic, 5 Nov. 2020, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/pregnancy-and-covid-19/art-20482639.

Understanding Diabetes

Posted on November 10, 2020January 17, 2023 by Avery Dustin

At the age of 11, my younger brother started to experience the three key symptoms of diabetes; excessive thirst, frequent urination, and extreme hunger. He was continually eating food and drinking water, but we thought he was going through a growth spurt.

However, he was later admitted to Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City and diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. I was 15 years old at the time of his diagnosis. I remember my parents telling me what was “wrong” with him, but I had no understanding of the disease or that it would be a life-long battle for him.

When my little brother stabilized and was getting closer to being discharged, we had to meet with the diabetes educator; this is where I learned that my brother would need to give himself a shot of insulin daily. I don’t know about you, but at 15, I had a strong dislike and fear of needles. Even with that fear, I had to help my family when I could and somehow got convinced into letting my little brother practice on me. I don’t remember much else from that day, but I won’t forget the shot he administered in my abdomen and him testing my blood sugar.

As I finished high school and started thinking about career options, I knew that I wanted to be a nurse. While in nursing school, I learned about different diabetes types, such as type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes. I already knew about type 1 diabetes because of my personal experience with the disease, and now I had to understand these different types. When I began my career as a bedside nurse, I quickly learned that I would be dealing more with type 2 diabetes than type 1. Type 2 diabetes is more common than type 1 diabetes because it directly correlates with obesity and living sedentary lifestyles.

In the United States, approximately 1 in 10 people struggle with diabetes (CDC, 2019). Type 1 diabetes likely occurs after an environmental trigger occurs in a susceptible person. This environmental trigger initiates the immune system to destroy the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Once these cells are destroyed, your body can no longer make insulin to lower their blood sugar. Type 2 diabetes develops when insulin resistance occurs, and the liver produces too much glucose, or when insulin secretion from the pancreas becomes inadequate. Early within the disease process, the muscles, liver, and fat become resistant to insulin. This isn’t damaging to the body in the beginning because the pancreas will compensate for these systems. The pancreas notices the increase in blood sugar levels and will make more insulin to cover the needed amount. Eventually, the pancreas becomes overworked, and it stops producing enough insulin to compensate. When this happens, our blood sugar level remains elevated, and a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes occurs.

At this point, you may be asking yourself, “how do I know if this is happening to me?” The best way to know if you have type 2 diabetes or are prediabetic is to come to any provider at Canyon View Medical Group. Your provider can perform a lab test called Hemoglobin A1C. The lab result gives your provider your average blood glucose level for the last three months.

A normal A1C, meaning no diabetes, is less than 5.6%. An A1C that is concerning for prediabetes is represented by an A1C of 5.7% to 6.4%. A patient is considered diabetic if their A1C is greater than or equal to 6.5%.

If your provider informs you that you are prediabetic, they will provide counseling on the importance of changing your diet and initiating an exercise program. These two interventions are critical to lowering your A1C and preventing you from becoming a type 2 diabetic. If you have type 2 diabetes, your provider will stress the importance of lifestyle changes similar to what is done for prediabetic patients and will likely start you on medicines to lower your A1C. The medications your provider prescribes will work well at reducing your blood sugar level, but the best results come from a combination of drugs, diet, and exercise. Once you have type 2 diabetes, you will visit your healthcare provider every three months to check your A1C%. Most type 2 diabetics have an A1C goal of less than 7%.

The importance of maintaining an A1C of less than 7% is to prevent chronic complications of type 2 diabetes. These complications affect many organ systems and are responsible for most morbidity and mortality with the disease (Fauci et al., 2017, p. 2285). The complications associated with type 1 and type 2 diabetes include both vascular and nonvascular. The vascular complications, meaning the problem exists within the veins, include; issues with the eyes, nerves, kidneys, heart, arteries, and brain (Fauci et al., 2017, p. 2285). The nonvascular complications, which is when the problem occurs outside of the veins, include; slow gastric emptying, infections, and skin changes (Fauci et al., 2017, p. 2285).

Diabetes is a serious disease. Type 2 diabetes can be prevented or reversed by implementing lifestyle changes, like changing your diet and exercising. If you have more questions about diabetes or want to get tested for the disease, please call and make an appointment with your provider.

References

CDC. (2019, May 13). Diabetes. Retrieved October 11, 2020, from https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/basics/type2.html

Fauci, A. S., Braunwald, E., Kasper, D. L., Hauser, S. L., Longo, D. L., Jameson, J. L., & Loscalzo, J. (2017). Harrison’s principles of internal medicine (17th ed.). McGraw Hill Medical.

Utah COVID-19 Website Resources

Posted on October 25, 2020January 17, 2023 by Avery Dustin

Utah recently made changes to its Coronavirus website. You can learn more about those changes as well as other COVID-19 resources helpful in our community.

On October 15th the state of Utah changed from the color-coded risk categorization to instead a data-driven transmission index:

https://coronavirus.utah.gov/utah-health-guidance-levels/

This new methodology is based on specific metrics to track how much COVID is spreading within each county. Guidelines for behaviors for businesses and individuals in those counties are then dependent upon what level of transmission is currently happening in their area. This is a much more specific and quantifiable set of metrics than the previous color-coded system when the decision to move between one color and the other was not well defined. Currently, most of the state is experiencing high levels of transmission. Most concerning is the increase in hospitalizations. Canyon View has been overwhelmed with the amount of testing we have been doing in our Urgent Care at each of our Family Medicine locations, but when the hospitals and ICUs get overwhelmed there are much more dire consequences for patient safety and mortality.

The state provides a very useful Coronavirus Case Counts website:

https://coronavirus.utah.gov/case-counts/

This site lets you watch the trends of what is happening with people becoming infected with COVID-19.

To help you navigate the website you can watch their tutorial video:

The Utah County Health Department also maintains a website:

http://utahcounty.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=4e80b936cd764d7fb7c5cf5332c2dbaf

The site gives case counts on a city level basis. This is especially helpful to distinguish between cities that share zip codes.

Lastly, the Nebo School District has a website:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vT1ZKCP8EAPvjAOQ1-93mvH5CXO2yJnga4f2fkHZtkymwKCbunheWHj71qavAwhzNZIAEUMlF1RBHww/pubhtml?gid=0&single=true&urp=gmail_link&gxids=7757)

The school district site showcases counts by school so you can monitor what is happening in your child’s school. We encourage you to utilize these resources to keep track of what is happening in your community.

Canyon View Medical Group is committed to Caring for our Community. We are doing all we can to keep up with the demand for COVID testing at our facilities. We have increased our staffing and the number of providers available to help while we are experiencing this surge. We have also been working to streamline our processes to make things more efficient. We acknowledge there are some times that our wait times get longer than we would like. We apologize for this. Please be patient with us as we try to take care of everyone’s healthcare needs whether it is for COVID-related items or regular healthcare needs.

At the beginning of the pandemic, there was a lot of fear of this new virus. This led to most people being willing to take extra precautions. However, as time has gone on, fear is being replaced by fatigue, and compliance with safety measures has waned. People are just sick of this. Unfortunately, this virus will only further exploit the fatigue and use our lack of vigilance to its advantage leading to further infection. Our public health officials tell they are seeing a significant rise in the number of cases coming from social gatherings. We encourage everyone to not let your guard down simply because you are with friends, neighbors, or extended family who you know and trust. Please remain vigilant about wearing a mask, washing your hands, and watching your distance. These are the most helpful things you can do to prevent the spread of infection.

Please visit https://coronavirus.utah.gov/protect-yourself/ for further information on what you can do to protect yourself and your family members from COVID-19.

You Can Be Certain In Uncertain Times – Mammograms Save Lives

Posted on October 13, 2020January 17, 2023 by Avery Dustin

2020 is shaping up to be one crazy year. I am proud of our local community for staying strong in the face of so many diverse challenges. As the world’s craziness swirls around us, I believe it is essential to focus on things we can control. Remember to take good care of ourselves and take time to refresh and renew.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. One critical way to take care of ourselves and focus on things we can control is to make sure we are up to date on our cancer screenings. For women over age 40, this includes getting regular mammograms done to screen for breast cancer.

As I discuss mammograms with my patients, I often hear variations of the following concerns:

“I am swamped and do not have time.”

You are busy. You have many demands on your time. Taking the time to take care of yourself helps keep you healthy and strong so you can stay on top of all the busy aspects of your life for many years into the future.

“I don’t want to know if I have cancer.”

Screening mammograms can find cancers 2-3 years before you or your healthcare provider would be able to feel the cancer lump. Those years make a big difference in improving your chance of cancer survival. Choosing to ignore cancer leads to a low probability of survival.

“I have been told mammograms cause more harm than good.”

Mammograms use low doses of radiation, similar to an x-ray. The amount of radiation in a mammogram is similar to the amount of radiation everyone is exposed to by living on earth for about seven weeks. There is no evidence that screening mammograms cause breast cancer. There is also no evidence that mammograms cause damage to breast tissue.

“I was told that mammograms do not save lives.”

Mammograms are the gold standard best tool we have to find breast cancer early and start treatment. Early breast cancer treatment is the best way to increase the chance of breast cancer survival. We know that screening mammograms reduce the risk of death from breast cancer at least 20%. More recent studies looking at the newer mammogram techniques show that the risk of death from breast cancer is reduced by more than 40% when women get screening mammograms.

I am well aware that there is a lot of misinformation around us. On any given day, your social media feed likely has a post from someone disparaging some healthcare system aspect. One frequent topic is to spread misinformation about mammograms. It is normal to wonder: What information can I trust? I cannot fight all the misinformation in the world that you may come across, but you can be confident in this time of uncertainty: Mammograms Save Lives. And they may save yours.

Here are links to reliable breast cancer information:

https://www.cancer.gov/types/breast

https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/cancer-org/cancer-control/en/booklets-flyers/breast-cancer-fact-sheet-patient-version.pdf

“Wilson!”

Posted on September 9, 2020January 17, 2023 by Avery Dustin

In the 2000 film Cast Away, the character Chuck, played by Tom Hanks, rushed to board a FedEx plane on Christmas Eve for a business trip. He kissed his love, Kelly, after exchanging gifts and headed to work, saying, “I’ll be right back.” His plane crashes somewhere in the Pacific Ocean, leaving him stranded and fighting for survival alone on a small island. First world comforts and busy schedules are pushed aside as necessities like food, water, and shelter become his main focus. Particular objects reminding him of his former life become instruments kept to desperately hold onto his sanity. Among them is a pocket watch with a picture of his girlfriend, Kelly, and a volleyball Chuck named “Wilson.”

This year, an extremely dangerous and contagious virus spread quickly worldwide, creating a global pandemic upending the economy of nearly every country. Much like in Cast Away, many in this country and others have been placed in a fight for survival. Basic needs have been pushed to the forefront as jobs have been lost or put on hold, and food or toiletries became more difficult to purchase at the grocery store. In an effort to contain or stop the virus, countries struggled with lockdowns and business closings. Hospitals and long-term care facilities adopted policies to keep their patients and residents safe such as visitor restrictions. Due to the effects the virus has on the elderly or medically at-risk persons, isolation quickly became the reality of so many of our most vulnerable. The very thing that, as humans, we desire and need has become dangerous – close physical contact and human interaction.

According to a study at Brigham Young University, a lack of social connection heightens health risks as much as smoking or having an alcohol use disorder. Loneliness and social isolation can be twice as harmful to physical and mental health as obesity (Perspectives on Psychological Science, Vol. 10, No. 2, 2015).

I have seen many friends and family members struggle with isolation and accompanying loneliness. My heart goes out to our family friend, who is hospitalized with severe and life-threatening conditions. She has been suffering her treatments alone in her hospital room without the presence of her husband or small children for months as their physical contact could prove to be too dangerous for her. I often think about and worry over patients who have closed themselves in their homes over the last few months, fearful of catching the virus.

Just as Chuck realized that he needed to get off that island to survive, those who are suffering in isolation need to escape their island. There are many safe ways to do this. The following are some common coping strategies that many healthcare workers and patients use across the country:

Physical activity/exercise
Counseling
Yoga
Religious or spiritual practices
Meditation
Virtual support groups

In Utah, we are fortunate to have many different outdoor activities available. I encourage you to explore the many miles of walking and hiking trails, ride a bike with your spouse or partner, or spend time at the lake fishing. Getting out of the house, exercising, and breathing some fresh air is vital to so many aspects of human health, and it can be done safely without risk of contracting COVID if current guidelines are followed. Recently our neighborhood held an event where our children drew some sidewalk chalk artwork. We then walked around and visited with one another, keeping an appropriate distance, and saw what others drew on their sidewalk. I thought this was an excellent idea to maintain current safety guidelines for disease prevention but still get some social interaction with neighbors that may have been hiding out fighting loneliness and isolation.

If you think you need to speak to a counselor or provider to help you through this time, please schedule an appointment. The important thing is to get out, build your raft, get off your island, and not lose hope.

“I know what I have to do now. I got to keep breathing because tomorrow the sun will rise. Who knows what the tide could bring?” Chuck Noland (Cast Away)

Back to School During COVID 19

Posted on September 2, 2020January 17, 2023 by Avery Dustin

This year has been anything but ordinary.

Usually, I would be writing a typical post about kids returning to school and the advice we might have in helping them transition back to school after a fun-filled summer. I would typically tell you to consider getting the kids a check-up, updating their immunizations, beginning to transition them back into a solid bedtime routine, and cutting back on electronic games and watching TV. I would generally encourage healthy meals and good hydration as we prepare the kids and teens to return to school.

Don’t get me wrong. These are all good things and great advice. And if you search for suitable resources like healthychildren.org, the American Academy of Pediatrics Parenting Website, and our canyonviewmedical.com website, you can find great information on any of these topics.

But again, this year has been anything but ordinary.

COVID-19 has taken us all on a wild ride. As health care providers, we try hard to be ready for the unexpected and prepared to help reduce suffering, provide information, offer emotional comfort, and help guide our community. Despite this, none of us were quite ready for a pandemic, even though we have studied them for years. Back at the beginning of 2020, just like families at home, we frantically tried to keep up with the constant changes and rapidly consumed all the information we could gather about this disease. We made policies that we then had to adjust every 2-3 days as new information and guidelines came forward.

At night, we went through the same struggles and constant changes with our families – worries about our kids, our parents, our community, our personal health risks, and our jobs. It seemed like we were all a little discombobulated like we were spinning in circles while trying our best to continue walking in a straight line. Some days were better than others. And some days, anxiety was the prevailing emotion.

Unfortunately, living life and its constant changes have never really been good at soothing our anxieties. Life has always been unpredictable. Even before COVID-19, every day, the algorithm of life was uncontrollable. COVID-19 just brought the awareness of that unpredictability to all of us, almost universally, at the same time. We all collectively gasped, twisted our hands, and started to panic. We have had nearly six months to marinate in this worry, and now we are trying to pull ourselves together and help our kids go back to school.

School is so very important. Huge actually. It needs to be right, feel right, and do right. And starting the school year, in average years, is stressful. We are worried about getting the right teacher, the right classroom, the right clothes, and shoes. We still have all of these worries, just piled on top of the COVID ones. Somehow we need to tame our anxieties and be successful this year.

So my advice today stems from a joke – a cartoon I once saw.

A boss, sick with concern, asks his employee, “How will we achieve our goals this year?” The employee flippantly responds, “Set different goals.”

I recognize that we cannot entirely shift our worries and anxiety this year; it might not be wise to try. This year, I am trying to teach myself and my kids to acknowledge the unwanted companion named “fear,” “worry,” or “anxiety,” and then to adjust and modify our typical expectations so that we can better see our successes and build upon them.

Healthychildren.org recommends, “As kids return to school, it’s important to keep an eye out for stress and anxiety in your child that could be a result of these changes. This can take shape in many different ways, including an increase in physical symptoms, changes in sleep patterns, continually seeking reassurance despite already receiving an answer, and acting out.”

I would add that these are great warning signs for us as adults also.

The advice goes on, “It is important that adults manage their own emotions regarding the pandemic and remain calm, listen to their children’s concerns, speak kindly, and reassure them.”

When asked about the kids managing masks and the stresses of returning to school, I recently heard a pediatrician say something like, “The kids will do as well as their parents tell them they can. This has always been true.” Adults and parents managing their own emotions and remaining calm are a powerful influence on their kids.

The article continues, “To help support your child’s mental health about the changes at school as a result of COVID-19, parents should:

Encourage conversation about the new protocols and safety rules
Acknowledge and validate the child’s feelings if they are scared or anxious
Reassure the child that a lot of adults are working hard to keep everyone safe.”

It is important to remember that if your child’s anxious behaviors persist despite the above interventions, contact a trusted health care provider, mental health provider, or school counselor.

You can access a lot of great information on how to talk to your kids about mask-wearing, myth busters statements about masks, and why the American Academy of Pediatrics, “Strongly advocates that all policy considerations for the coming school year should start with a goal of having students physically present in school.”, on their education site at Healthychildren.org

So as the fall season blows in, and recess bells and school traffic zones come as a sliver of a return to normality, we will try to breathe deeply and slowly.

We will remind ourselves that the way we view things and talk about them significantly impacts our moods and our children’s moods.

We will remember that there is hope in the idea that having to rethink everything might bring about beautiful changes we didn’t even see that we needed.

We will rejoice in the idea that this group of kids and teens will be more flexible and resilient than they otherwise might have been and that they might value the “essential workers” with greater esteem than the generations before them.

We hope the kids and teens will become the wise leaders of the future because of the many lessons they have learned during the pandemic – struggles, anxieties, and resilience.

6 Things to Know Before Trying to Get Pregnant

Posted on August 25, 2020January 11, 2023 by Avery Dustin

Preparation is key to running a successful race. Getting pregnant is similar. Preparing for pregnancy is very beneficial to the outcome. Watch Canyon View Women’s Care provider, Kristen Wright, FNP to learn what can be done to be ready for the big event of pregnancy.

Rapunzel, Rapunzel, where is your hair?

Posted on July 28, 2020January 17, 2023 by Avery Dustin

Mother Gothel, from the Walt Disney Classic, Tangled, went to extreme lengths to get the hair that she wanted. She secretly discovered the anti-aging capability found in a magic flower that was transferred to the long, gorgeous locks of Princess Rapunzel. Gothel tried to take a piece of Rapunzel’s hair to steal the magic and remain young forever. Cutting Rapunzel’s beautiful blond hair was not the answer, because the magical anti-aging power disappeared when her hair was cut. Gothel was selfish and desperate. She abducted the newborn, brainwashed Rapunzel, and eventually locked her in a tower to “protect” her.

The story depicts how Rapunzel eventually escaped, used the magic properties in her hair to heal a friend, and then discovered the truth….that she was the lost princess of the kingdom. Even though our hair doesn’t have magical anti-aging and healing properties like Rapunzel, our hair is significant. It represents our personality, adds to our style, and is part of our identity. Hair thinning, loss, or balding is very distressing. And it doesn’t just happen to men.

Alopecia, or hair loss, has many causative factors. It may have genetic roots or be the result of certain hair products or styling practices. It may be caused by a systemic health condition, be a reaction to stress, or stem from an autoimmune disorder. Hair loss can be diffuse or patchy, temporary, or permanent. The treatment is dependent upon the precipitating cause. Addressing the reason for hair loss more quickly tends to help decrease personal anguish, improve quality of life, and facilitate treatment outcomes.

Abrupt onset of overall hair loss and thinning can often stem from a specific, traumatic event. Telogen effluvium occurs when the hair’s growth phase is prematurely cut short and more hair than usual is forced into the telogen or “resting” phase. Hair is typically in the resting period two to four months before it falls out and is replaced by new hair. This means hair loss may not be very noticeable until two to four months after the precipitating event occurs. Telogen effluvium is characterized by clumps of hair that comes out in the shower or with brushing. It is usually self-limiting, and hair regrowth should be visible within two to six months. Since hair growth on the scalp is slow, hair may feel or look thinner for a while, but as the new hair comes in, fullness should be restored. Common causes of this type of loss include:

· Surgery

· Significant weight loss

· High fever or severe infection

· Emotional stress

· Extreme physical trauma

· Dietary changes, including iron deficiency

· Certain medications

· Abrupt hormonal changes

Classic telogen effluvium is noticeable in the postpartum period, about three to four months after giving birth. The trauma of delivery and significant hormonal changes sometimes leaves a woman wondering if she is going bald. Proper nutrition and time are typically all that is needed to recover from this situation. Most women will notice fullness returning within six to 12 months. Perimenopause is another classic time that women may see drastic thinning or loss. The decline in estrogen and progesterone at this time may slow hair growth and make shedding more pronounced. Increased androgens that may occur at this time also cause hair follicles to shrink and accentuate hair loss. This, too, should stabilize with time.

Telogen effluvium that occurs with hormonal changes should be differentiated from a familial condition called androgenic alopecia. This type of hair loss is gradual and progressive. Men have a classic balding pattern, which includes a receding hairline at the forehead and temporal regions on both sides. They also experience hair loss on the crown of the head. Women can experience similar progressive loss, which may start in their 20’s or 30’s. It is called female pattern hair loss and typically caused by elevated levels of DHEAS (indicating a high testosterone level). The pattern of loss is different compared to men. Women may see their part widening and notice a feeling of thinning at the top of the head. Minoxidil cream can be used by men and women to improve hair growth; however, hair loss recurs when treatment is discontinued.

Women are vulnerable to over-processing their hair with heat, styling products, or tight hairstyles. Pulling, bleaching, or chemicals may cause trichorrhexis nodosa. This is when the hair suddenly breaks from trauma and can happen at the root or anywhere along the hair shaft. Once the offending agent or practice is stopped, hair should recover and regrow.

Alopecia areata is hair loss that typically results in bald patches and stems from a problem with the immune system. It only affects a small percent of the population but is not limited to age or gender. A skin biopsy may be required to help diagnose this condition, and loss can be temporary or permanent. A high rate of spontaneous remission and hair growth can often be seen within one to three months; however, loss at this site may recur. Local steroid injections may be beneficial in suppressing inflammation and allow for regrowth.

Local skin infections, systemic conditions (i.e., thyroid disease), or metabolic disorders may contribute to hair loss. Psychiatric disorders, such as hair-pulling or trichotillomania, can also cause bald patches or diffuse thinning.

Chemotherapy is classically known to cause significant loss (called anagen effluvium). Regrowth typically begins within three to six weeks of finishing treatment; however, color or texture changes may occur in the new hair.

Rapunzel is a fairy tale. Even though our hair doesn’t magically heal our wounds or keep us young forever, we may feel or look older if we experience significant or early hair loss. Many causes of hair loss are self-limiting and reversible. It is essential to have an examination done, discuss your personal and family history with your provider, and do further testing to address hair loss adequately. Talk to your provider if you are concerned about your hair.

More information may be found at:

American Family Physician, Hair Loss: Common Causes and Treatment https://www.aafp.org/afp/2017/0915/p371.html#

Dr. Frandsen Farewell

Posted on July 21, 2020December 19, 2022 by Avery Dustin

After 34 years of dedicated service, Dr. Tracy Frandsen is retiring.

Unfortunately, the current pandemic will not allow us to host an Open House to express our appreciation for each other in person.

Instead, Dr. Frandsen created a Virtual Open House Video to share with you.

If you would like to share a memory with him, please add in the comments section of the YouTube video.

Canyon View Medical has not left any of Dr. Frandsen’s patients without medical coverage.

We are happy to introduce Dr. Steven Weatherspoon. Please click here to learn more about him.

Steven Weatherspoon, DO

We wish Dr. Frandsen the best in his next chapter of life. Thanks for all the years of caring for our community.

What A Cowboy Can Teach You About Your Colon

Posted on July 8, 2020January 17, 2023 by Avery Dustin

Almost twenty-one years ago, one of my favorite patients asked me about screening for colon cancer. He was a true cowboy. He grew up herding sheep in the Wasatch Mountains, and even though he was in his late 70’s, he was still regularly herding livestock on horseback. Talking about and potentially examining his colon wasn’t something for which he was looking forward. As a World War II veteran, when he was told that he was overdue for colon cancer screening, he looked like I was asking him to hit the beach again somewhere in the South Pacific. But he “cowboyed up” and agreed to be screened. When the results came back, we had found a small mass that turned out to be early cancer. After removing the mass, he lived another 18 years, cancer-free, spending time with his family, and having adventures in the mountains he loved. He worked on his horse well into his 90’s. That is real, non-Hollywood, Utah True Grit.

Colon cancer meets all criteria for cancer screening. It grows slowly and doesn’t spread until later in the disease. Meaning, there is a long period during which it can be detected and easily cured.

There are many options for screening. Most of my patients choose between a full colonoscopy, yearly stool testing, or newer stool-based tests every few years. Stool-based tests do not require any cleansing of the colon (also called “prep”), but if the test result is positive, a colonoscopy to examine the colon for masses or polyps is required.

During a colonoscopy, the colon is inflated with air and carefully examined. The removal of early cancers or pre-cancerous polyps found during the colonoscopy will often prevent a need for subsequent surgery. Patients are sedated during colonoscopies to lessen any discomfort. A “Virtual Colonoscopy” is also an option, but it still requires both the uncomfortable colon cleansing prep and the colon’s painful inflation. The “Virtual Colonoscopy” uses a CT x-ray machine to examine the inflated colon, but is performed without sedation and hasn’t been very popular.

Most of my patients who choose a colonoscopy describe the preparation as unpleasant, but the procedure itself is usually “no big deal.” I had mine at age 50 on a Monday morning three years ago. The evening before was honestly a bit eventful, but I honestly don’t remember anything other than counting backward from 10. I was back in the clinic, seeing patients after lunch.

If your colonoscopy is healthy, it only needs to be repeated every ten years. I was lucky and won’t have to do it again until 2027. Some of my patients also opt for a colonoscopy starting at age 50; others start stool-based testing at that same age. If you have a family history of colon cancer at a young age or a family history of many polyps, we should talk about possibly starting screening at an earlier age.

I have spent a few nights volunteering at the Fiesta Days Rodeo in Spanish Fork. My job was to ask the cowboys as they were limping back to the stands if they needed any help. Often, those cowboys were clearly injured, but would almost always shake their heads and mutter, “I’m OK, Doc.” They are some of the toughest people I know. My Utah cowboy patient taught me that tough guys on horses have the True Grit to get screened, and this screening can literally save their lives.

Colon cancer is one of the leading causes of death, but it doesn’t have to be. Be tough. Be as tough as a real Utah Cowboy or Utah Cowgirl. If you are due, get screened.

For more information:

https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/colorectal/