In the Ladies' Room with Dr. Donnica

The HealthyWomen 2021 Survey reveals that moms still feel pressured to 'do it all' and continue to deprioritize their mental health and well-being.  Ummmm. . .we needed a study to find that out?! In all seriousness, research shows that women are more likely to experience postpartum depression (PPD) if they receive little or no support from family, friends, or community after childbirth than women who receive appropriate support. With 1 in 8 mothers in the U.S. reporting experiencing symptoms of postpartum depression (PPD) each year, there is a need for greater fourth trimester (the 12 weeks following baby's arrival) planning and support. So what are we going to do about it?  Check on Mom https://www.mycheckonmom.com is a program to help new and expectant moms create a maternal mental wellness plan and designate a group of trusted friends and family who are empowered to help her through the postpartum period. The site also features ongoing inspirational content and helpful information and tips. Here to discuss this with us today is Dr. Kristina Deligiannidis, Director, Women's Behavioral Health of Northwell Health.  Dr. Deligiannidis is a national leader in the field of perinatal depression and novel therapeutics research. Her research program includes a focus in psychoneuroendocrinology, particularly neurosteroids and hormones, and neuroimaging in women's behavioral health. She has authored more than 50 peer-reviewed articles plus several textbook chapters and has given more than 170 scientific presentations.   Dr. Deligiannidis completed her undergraduate degrees in biology and psychology at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. As a recipient of predoctoral intramural research training awards, she trained in molecular neuroendocrinology research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). She received her medical degree from and completed her psychiatry residency and chief residency in psychopharmacology research at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. After residency, she completed a visiting fellowship and further training in multimodal neuroimaging at the Massachusetts General Hospital/Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging. Dr. Deligiannidis joined faculty at Zucker Hillside Hospital, the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research and the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell in September 2016. She is board certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and currently serves as the director of women's behavioral health at Zucker Hillside Hospital. As a reproductive psychiatrist, she has expertise in treating women with mood and anxiety disorders linked to the menstrual cycle, pregnancy/postpartum and perimenopause.

Here's an email I recently received: "I've had a hysterectomy due to cervical cancer diagnosis 3 yrs ago, had to use IVF to conceive my twins, experienced chemically induced menopause in my 20s related to endometriosis, all while on active duty so lots to share, LOL!!!  I'm also connected to a women's online "sexology" group talking about intimacy as we age."  So you know, we had to invite that woman to be a guest on our show!  She's Pamela Price, Deputy Director for The Balm In Gilead and with us today!   Pamela manages the various health initiatives of the organization.  Under her leadership, The Balm In Gilead provides support to faith-based and public health institutions in areas of program design, implementation, and evaluation, which strengthen their capacity to deliver programs and services that contribute to the elimination of health disparities.   Mrs. Price also serves as the Director for The National Brain Health Center for African-Americans.   In 2016, she co-developed a six-part educational curriculum for nurses and allied healthcare professionals aimed at addressing knowledge gaps related to Alzheimer's disease and other dementias affecting African Americans.  Mrs. Price has conducted numerous training sessions across the country with various nursing associations and healthcare organizations.  She also co-created and facilitates an accredited training for healthcare providers; aimed at increasing cultural competencies related to the screening, diagnosis, and treatment of dementia in African Americans.         Mrs. Price holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Health and has more than 20 years of experience in public health, epidemiology, and healthcare.  As a registered nurse, she has served as a member of the U.S. Army Nurse Corp.  Mrs. Price is also an experienced consultant and serves on various boards and steering committees, frequently conducting workshops and trainings across the country at various conferences and events in addition to providing technical assistance and capacity building services to community-based organizations.   

Most women have heard of fibroids—and most women will have them—so let's talk about Fibroid Facts!  Fibroids are the most common type of non-cancerous tumors in women.  But just because they aren't cancer doesn't mean they are "benign": they can be asymptomatic, but more often, they can cause a wide range of physical symptoms, including heavy menstrual bleeding and an overall reduced quality of life.     Uterine fibroids occur in more than 80% of African American women and nearly 70% of Caucasian women by the time they are 50 years old.  Fibroids are also the leading reason for hysterectomies performed in the U.S.   My guest today, Dr. Veronica Gillispie-Bell knows a lot about fibroids, both personally & professionally.  She is a practicing, Board-certified ob-gyn and section head of women's services at Ochsner Kenner in New Orleans. She is the Medical Director of programs with the LA Department of Health as well as an associate professor and director of the Center for Minimally Invasive Treatment of Uterine Fibroids.   She earned her medical degree from Meharry Medical College and completed her residency training at Ochsner Health System. She also earned a Master of Applied Science in Patient Safety and Healthcare Quality from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Additionally, she has received certification in Diversity and Inclusion from Cornell University.

Did you ever meet someone at a meeting & immediately decide that you want to get to know this person better?  That you want them to be on your team?  That's how I felt when I met Lisa Charles several years ago when we were both speakers at Olympian Joetta Clark Diggs' annual women's health conference.  It's no surprise that this inspirational speaker is known as "Coach Lisa".  She's the CEO of Embrace Your Fitness, a health & wellness consultancy.  She has walked the talk, having to overcome her own health & weight management challenges.  She's a life coach who has also had an incredible diversity of life experiences from being a state and federal prosecutor for more than a decade, becoming a jazz and opera singer and actor, and then changing lanes to focus on health & fitness.  She is the Research Coordinator for the Rutgers University Aging and Brain Health Alliance & today adds 2 new accolades to her resume:  she is a new author of the motivational book "Yes! Commit. Do. Live."  And she is my official new health & fitness trainer. 

In case anyone ever wondered if LinkedIn actually works, the answer is YES! I learned about today's guest through a LinkedIn post about Suzanne Sinatra being named to the Forbes 1000 List which recognizes bold and inspiring entrepreneurs on their way to breakthrough success.  And she is well on her way with the launch of her company "Private Packs".  I immediately invited her to join us In the Ladies' Room!    Private Packs is a consumer products company that makes wearable, reusable hot and cold packs to relieve pain, swelling, and discomfort in the lady parts on-the-go.   Suzanne is a pioneer in the SexTech and FemTech spaces.  In addition to making the Forbes 100 list, she has been honored by Yotpo's 2020 Amazing Women in E-Commerce. Through her exciting entrepreneurial journey, Suzanne was also forced to embark on a journey no one wants:  battling breast cancer. She now describes herself as a proud breast cancer survivor, who is committed to helping other women by sharing her story to raise awareness about women's health and sexual wellness.   Originally from Toronto, Suzanne served in the Royal Canadian Armed Forces where she was one of three women in Canada selected for a highly competitive Aircrew Search and Survival course.  She is also a skilled markswoman. 

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, we've been asking each of our guests to describe their personal and professional pandemic experiences.  Today's guest, Shari Wallack sums it up in the title of her new book, "From Hell To Challah".  As the founder of Buy The Sea, the largest and most decorated cruise and all-inclusive brokerage company in the industry, Shari experienced a mind-numbing professional crash in one day when cruise ships stopped sailings & her days became filled with arranging refunds for her clients rather than bookings.  Her adult children came home to roost & with increasing anxiety, depression and despair Shari just wanted to run away from home.  Unfortunately, the first stop on her journey was an involuntary commitment to a mental hospital.  The rest of the story—3 months of travel & cooking in far-flung kitchens-- is far more uplifting. 

So here's a novel concept:  a new pharmaceutical company focused on women's health has launched with the strategy of actually LISTENING to women!  Their strategy is to put women at the center of everything they do—and not just their customers.  70% of their Board of Directors—including the Chairman of the Board—are women.    Another company leader, Organon's Head of Research & Development, Dr. Sandra Milligan is our guest today.  We have a broad agenda planned including talking about how she got here--& why she went to both medical and law school first.  We're also going to discuss Organon's "Here for Her Health" campaign & how you can share your voice; why a new kind of women's health pharmaceutical company is needed now; How our understanding and appreciation of wellness/healthcare has evolved in a near post-COVID world; and her perspective on Innovation in women's health – the current state of it and what's needed.  And because we're both women physicians of a certain age, we're going to discuss our own experiences with menopause, as well as some other women's health topics that remain overlooked, misunderstood, & undertreated ranging from post partum hemorrhage to endometriosis.    Before joining Organon, Dr. Milligan served as Merck's senior vice president and head of global regulatory affairs and clinical safety. Previously, she served as vice president of product development regulatory for Genentech, and prior to that, she was at Amgen for 10 years in positions across legal and regulatory affairs functions. She also proudly served in the U.S. Army Medical Corps for 7 years. Dr. Milligan has also served on the Board of Directors of the Drug Information Association (DIA) for several years, as well as serving as their Board Chairman. She is a graduate of both George Washington University School of Medicine and Georgetown University Law Center.

For more information: https://www.twirla.com/pdf/Twirla%20FINAL%20PI%20IFU%20PPI.pdf#page=24 Currently, an astonishing 45 percent of the 6 million pregnancies in the United States each year are unintended. Every year, 2.8 million American women, married and unmarried, young and not so young, are expecting an outcome they didn't expect. According to the Guttmacher Institute, another way to look at this data is that nearly 5% --or 5 in 100-- American women aged 15—44 have an unintended pregnancy each year. The Guttmacher Institute also reports that on average, U.S. women say they want to have two children. To accomplish that, a woman will spend close to three years pregnant, postpartum or attempting to become pregnant, and about three decades—more than three-quarters of her reproductive life—trying to avoid an unintended pregnancy. Here to discuss this & related issues is Dr. ALYSSA DWECK a practicing gynecologist in Westchester County, New York and a paid spokesperson for Twirla. She has delivered thousands of babies. . . and counseled thousands more women about how to prevent making babies when they don't want to. A graduate of Barnard College, she has a Master's Degree in Human Nutrition from Columbia University and a Medical Degree from Hahnemann University School of Medicine in Philadelphia. She has been voted a "Top Doctor" in New York Magazine and Westchester County. You may have read one or more of the 3 books she has co-authored: The Complete A to Z for your V, The Sexual Spark, and V is for Vagina. This episode of "In The Ladies' Room with Dr. Donnica" is sponsored by the makers of Twirla, the levonorgestrel and ethinyl estradiol transdermal system. Twirla is a weekly birth control patch for women with a body mass index, or BMI, less than 30 who can become pregnant. Twirla is less effective in women with a BMI of 25 or more. If you have BMI of 30 or more, please talk to your healthcare provider about which method of birth control is right for you. Please see boxed warnings regarding cardiovascular risks associated with smoking and with having a BMI over 30 as well as other safety information at the end of this podcast and linked above.

You've heard a lot of doctors—including your own—talk about the importance of diet & exercise from many different perspectives.  But today we're going to break down nutritional information into the particularly exciting area of cellular nutrition & preventing Age Associated Cellular Decline.  Today's guest has been dancing through life from a young age.  Dr. Noelle Reid is a board-certified Family Medicine physician who was a trained dancer prior to medical school. She bridged her love for dance through the practice of Yoga, Pilates, & movement, which she has creatively made into a focal point of her medical practice. Dr. Reid is a graduate of the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine & completed her residency at Harbor UCLA Medical Center.  She has also been a medical contributor for ABC/ Good Morning America, & a frequent guest on other shows including Fox Soul TV, Good Day LA/ Fox 11, and "The Doctors". This episode of "In the Ladies' Room with Dr. Donnica" is sponsored by Celltrient Cellular Nutrition, a new line of nutritional beverages and supplements from Nestle Health Science that are formulated with cellular nutrients that go to work deep within your cells to address key sources of Age-Associated Cellular Decline (AACD).

Dr. Erika Moseson is a pulmonary and critical care medicine physician aka a lung and ICU doctor. She's a graduate of Cornell Medical School. She's the founder of Air Health Our Health, an educational resource regarding the intersection of breathing healthy air and the well-being and weals of our communities. She hosts the Air Health Our Health podcast where she interviews experts on everything from tobacco and vaping to policy options to improve public health. She is one of the American Lung Association's Health Professionals for clear air and climate action.   Erika and Donnica talk about clean air. Erika believes in the motto "don't light things on fire and breathe them into your lungs". This pertains to tobacco, marijuana, diesel, fire, and more. When you light something on fire, the particles that are generated hang in the air. Even though you can't see them, they are there and you are breathing them in. This year we've seen an unprecedented number of wildfires in California. Californians are now having to check the air particles before they can walk outside to know if the air is safe to breathe. The particles that you inhale go into your blood veins and can stay there and lead to heart attacks, strokes, and other diseases.   Erika goes over what needs to be done policy-wise to create cleaner air. A lot of companies rely on transportation methods that are terrible for the environment and finding cleaner solutions are key to cleaner air. They discuss how smoking and tobacco sales should change to support the environment and people who are looking to quit smoking. Tobacco companies target lower-income communities and people of color in their advertising. This is directly impacting the health of those communities at a disproportionate rate. Now kids are being introduced to vaping, which has an insanely high amount of nicotine compared to smoking cigarettes for something that is flavored like bubblegum.

If you've watched an episode of Grey's Anatomy, you know organ transplant is a TV writer's dream for high drama. In real life, roughly 20 people on transplant lists die everyday while donors remain elusive. This gap is particularly significant in New York, which is home to approximately 10 percent of those waiting in the US for organs but has a lower donor registration rate than the national average. A single donor can save up to eight lives and aid up to 50 more through tissues like blood cells, bone, and corneas.   Dr. Amy L. Friedman is a transplant surgeon and the Chief Medical Officer/Executive Vice President of LiveOnNY, the non-profit that oversees transplant donations in the greater NYC area. She received her undergraduate degree in biology from Princeton University, her MD from Downstate Medical Center/SUNY in Brooklyn, her training in general surgery also at Downstate, and her training in transplant surgery at the University of Pennsylvania. She has been on the faculties of the University of Pennsylvania, the Yale University School of Medicine, and SUNY Upstate Medical University.   She talks about the importance of blood and organ donations. She goes through the life of a donated organ, which can include anything from a liver to a face. She also tells us about the effects of COVID on organ donations and transplants. You can be an organ donor living or dead, and it is absolutely essential to helping  other people get the organs they need to survive.

Like 3.4 million people in the U.S., Laine Richards has active epilepsy and faces the daily challenges of this commonly - but also misunderstood - condition. People living with epilepsy are in the constant state of the in-between - an anxious juggling game of seizure activity, recovery, and wondering when the next episode will occur. During a seizure, patients can experience a wide range of symptoms that can include loss of consciousness, inability to swallow, tremors, and rigid or tense muscles. Regardless of the severity of their disease, epilepsy can be incredibly frightening for patients and their caregivers.   Laine has been inspired to help others in her shoes. She has been to Capitol Hill to speak with members of Congress about the importance of epilepsy research and funding, and for the past four years, she has represented the state of Michigan with the Epilepsy Foundation of America's "Teens Speak Up!" program. She is a freshman at Grand Valley State University and plans to advocate for greater accessibility on campus while pursuing her dream of becoming a special education teacher.      Laine talks about her misdiagnosis with ADHD as a child and then finally getting the correct diagnosis of Epilepsy. There are numerous types of seizures that people can have, and they affect everyone differently so it's important to talk to your doctor and get a proper diagnosis. Laine opens up about explaining epilepsy to roommates and friends to create clear communications of what to expect in the case of a seizure.

Are you sick of false information circulating in the news and social media about important health care topics from COVID 19 to vaccines to what we should eat to what undies we should wear? Well, so am I and so is today's guest Dr. Nina Shapiro, a graduate of Harvard Medical School. She is the Director of Pediatric Ear, Nose, and Throat at the Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA and Professor of Head and Neck Surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. With more than two decades of experience in clinical and academic medicine, she's a trusted expert whom her patients and the media rely on to set the record straight about health fads and misconceptions. Her book "HYPE: A Doctor's Guide to Medical Myths, Exaggerated Claims, and Bad Advice - How to Tell What's Real and What's Not" addresses these myths.   Today in the ladies' room, Dr. Donnica and Dr. Shaprio go through some of the big hype that we hear about medical issues and figure out what is true and what isn't. There are so many products and trends about our health, but it's important to remember to get the medical information as opposed to the hype about medical treatments. She also talks about the importance of risk. Every day there is a certain amount of risk we face, but how do we factor in risk when it comes to medical procedures? And they talk about the celebrities who try to sell dangerous, overpriced products to women.

You may know today's guest Terri Cheney from Amazon Prime's "Modern Love. Her struggle with bipolar disorder was portrayed by Anne Hathaway, who wrote that "Terri Cheney's unflinching commitment to telling her own truth on her own terms moved me into a new place of compassion. Hers is an unparalleled—and deeply necessary voice." Terris is a New York Times bestselling author of "Manic". She now has a new book "Modern Madness: An Owner's Manual". Publicly, Terri was an entertainment attorney, but she struggled with managing bipolar disorder behind the scenes. Terri's writings and commentary about bipolar disorder have also been featured in the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, the Huffington Post, NPR, PsychologyToday.com, and countless articles and blogs. She is a member of the Board of Directors of the Saks Institute for Mental Health Law, Policy, and Ethics at USC; the Honorary Board of Directors of the International Bipolar Foundation; and the Board of Directors of Project Return Peer Support Network. She also founded and facilitates a weekly mental health support group at UCLA's Neuropsychiatric Institute.   Terri joins Dr. Donnica to open up about her experience with depression and feeling manic. Terri talks about how to communicate with your friends and family who have bipolar disorder in a way that is understanding and encouraging. She talks about the importance of creating clear communication with your loved ones so you know how to talk about cycling between moods. Terri makes the connection between mental and physical health that are often treated as two separate things.

Dr. Carol Balthazar is an Internal Medicine physician specializing in aesthetic medicine, the co-founder and medical director of Longevity Medical Spa, and the co-founder of TheraPearl reusable hot and cold packs. She is a married mother of 3, and her oldest son has Autism Spectrum Disorder. She is an appointed member of the Maryland Behavioral Analyst and Advisory Committee and a member of the Howard County Autism Society. Her passion for advocacy in the Autism community led her to create The Autism Mom MD Podcast. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for topics you'd like to hear on her podcast, you can connect with Dr. Balthazar on Instagram @austim_mom_md or on Facebook @AustimMomMD.   Carol talks about what the spectrum of Autism means and how it affects different people. With her son, she suspected that he had Autism Spectrum Disorder based on his behavior as a young child. It was then confirmed when her son was in fifth grade. For a long time, people had dismissed his behavior as "oh he's just being a boy" or "he'll grow out of this". So Carol had to take charge and get her son tested. Once her son was diagnosed, she then had to keep pushing his teachers to keep believing in him. Carol also discusses the importance of getting vaccinated and getting your children vaccinated. Dr. Donnica and Dr. Balthazar address the false information that vaccines can lead to Autism.

Tracy Tutor is the first and only female star of Bravo's hit show "Million Dollar Listing: Los Angeles", a Wall Street Journal Best-Selling author of "Fear is Just a Four-Letter Word", and a multi-million dollar real-estate mogul. She is a divorced mother of two teenage daughters. During the painful time after her divorce, Tracy turned to fitness as a way to cope with the changes within her family. She encouraged her fans to put themselves first and take care of their bodies and their minds.   She steps into the ladies' room today to tell us about her journey into falling in love with fitness and falling in love because of fitness. She talks about how she was able to make fitness a part of her everyday routine and something that she actually looks forward too! She believes that it's important to keep trying new things. No one has it all figured out. So facing your fears is the thing that will keep pushing you to be better and achieve more.

Brittany's new book "Instant Loss On A Budget" features delicious, crowd-pleasing meals that are friendly to both your wallet and waistline. She believes healthy eating is for everyone. She is the bestselling author of "Instant Loss Cookbook" and "Instant Loss: Eat Real, Lose Weight". For years, she struggled with obesity, hypothyroidism, yo-yo dieting, and chronic fatigue before she changed her relationship with food. She started cursing out processed food and takeout and replacing them with healthier meals. Through her diet, she was about to lose 125 pounds and keep it off. Now she has been able to improve her health and the health of her young daughter, who was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in 2016.   When she started dating her husband, her eyes were open to a world of more than the cheapest white bread on the shelf. She and her husband started watching nutrition documentaries together, and she started her journey into health. When her husband got her an Instant Pot, she got excited to learn new healthy recipes that were fast. She talks about how her health issues informed her pregnancies.

Dr. Shikha Jain is not only at the summit amongst women in medicine, but she is the chair of the Women in Medicine Summit, a national conference focused on gender equity. She is a board-certified hematology and oncology physician on faculty at the University of Illinois Medical Center with a focus on Gastrointestinal malignancies and a special interest in neuroendocrine tumors, precision oncology, immunotherapy, genomics, colorectal and pancreatic cancers, hepatocellular carcinoma, and advances in cancer therapy. She is also the host of the podcast "The Oncology Overdrive" as well as the co-founder and COO of the group Impact4HC. Recently, she was listed as Medscape's Top 25 Rising Stars in Medicine.   Today, she enters the ladies' room to talk debunk a lot of information that is being spread about the COVID vaccine. Dr. Jain is ready to get the vaccine as soon as possible and encourages others to get vaccinated and be smart about where they are getting their information. Dr. Donnica calls out physicians in the spotlight who are spreading false information on the coronavirus that can be dangerous to people who are at risk. Science is based on facts, not opinions. There aren't alternative facts when it comes to medicine.   They dive into what exactly "anecdotal evidence" is and how to process anecdotal evidence when you hear about it. Just because something works for one person, that doesn't mean that it is a medical study that applies to the general population.

Chaunte Lowe is a four-time Olympian (2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016) high jumper. She won the Bronze medal in the 2008 Olympics. She's the American recorder holder in the women's high jump in indoors and outdoors. In 2018, she found a small lump in her breast at the age of 34. When the doctors told her everything was fine, she knew that something was still wrong. After a second opinion, she was diagnosed with Stage 1 breast cancer. Her life was turned upside down when she underwent a double mastectomy and chemotherapy.   Her first instinct was to blame herself for something she thought she did wrong. Dr. Donnica talks about all of the things that can be out of our control. Her tumor was triple negative, which affects mostly African American women. Roughly 10% of people with breast cancer have triple-negative cancer, meaning that there's less research for it. Chaunte also had the rude awakening that Black Women are more likely to die from a cancer diagnosis than White Women.   Chaunte Lowe is now partnering with Stand Up to Cancer to encourage people to go to the doctor and get regular examinations as well as listening to their bodies. She is dedicated to making more people aware of the risk of cancer and how getting an annual examination can save your life. So she trained for the 2020 Olympics throughout chemotherapy and her double mastectomy. While she was disappointed that the Olympics were postponed to 2021, she is finding the silver lining and getting inspired to train harder.

In 2018, entrepreneur and former professional baker, Frances Tang was inspired by a spatula and cake batter to break into the $20.6 billion feminine hygiene industry. While scooping the excess batter from her kitchen aid, she thought, "Why can't clean up after sex be this easy?" After several awkward conversations with friends, family, and eventually investors, Frances launches her company Awkward Essentials. It's a direct to consumer brand with the purpose of creating solutions for life's embarrassing problems.   Instead of a CEO, Frances calls herself "Captain Awkward". She talks about her journey into creating the sex clean up sponge. Many women don't have all of the information on women's health and sex. She's been using this opportunity to teach women all of the taboo's that people don't like talking about!   You can check out her website and get your own DripStick here: https://awkwardessentials.com/