https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/re9kgm/krychmanfinal.mp3
EPISODE SUMMARY
Through his career as a board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist, a clinical sexual health counselor, an author, and more, Dr. Michael Krychman has spent years using his expertise to help patients overcome challenges involving their sexual health and have better and healthier sexual intimacy. In today’s episode, we sat down with Dr. Krychman to discuss survivorship medicine, developing your healthcare team, advocating for yourself during doctor’s appointments, and breast MRIs.
First, we asked Dr. Krychman to explain the concept of survivorship medicine and what it entails. He told us that the primary drive behind survivorship medicine is the prevention of disease progression and optimization of health when dealing with chronic conditions. As midlife women age, often times they will develop about 2-5 new diagnoses. From hypertension to high cholesterol, it’s important for women to find the right clinician and health plan that works for them. Through survivorship medicine, doctors strive to offer individualized care for a person’s specific needs, hoping to prevent illnesses from worsening or recurring through treatment plans. Having a supportive team of doctors by your side can be crucial in creating your treatment plan, but for many women, they have no idea where to find the right clinicians. When asked how to start, Dr. Krychman said that it’s vital that women become their own advocate when searching for a healthcare team. It’s okay to fire a clinician and find another if you feel you’re not being given proper care. On average, a clinician will interrupt a female patient only 11 seconds after she starts speaking, making her feel silenced and invalidated. It’s important to find a clinician that not only listens to you but hears you when you describe your struggles so they can offer the best care. You should also ensure that your doctors are communicating with each other. When dealing with multiple diagnoses, one doctor may prescribe a medicine without realizing it counteracts with another given by a different doctor. Keeping everyone on the same page and aware will help ensure you are receiving the most optimal treatment and taking care of your health.
Dr. Krychman also spoke to us about complex gynecology. He explained that through complex gynecology, doctors study the complexities of women and how their bodies change and are affected by diseases. When treating patients, these clinicians will look at a range of factors for disease prevention, including medication, environment, and stress levels. Stress deeply affects the body, and for menopausal women, can greatly influence sleep patterns. Menopausal women often do not have trouble falling asleep but rather staying asleep, and with added stress, they’re less likely to get the rest they need. Another issue menopausal women face is the choice of whether or not to start HRTs. Many women are hesitant to do so due to breast cancer risks, and Dr. Krychman explained that before starting any kind of treatment, it’s important to look at risk factors. For example, if people have active breast cancer, they should not be on systemic hormones. There are affective alternative forms of treatment, such as acupuncture and supplements. However, as every body is different, you have to look at each case with an individual lens. The same kind of individual attention should also be given to vaginal healthcare. While many people believe vaginal health only pertains to intimacy and sexuality, it actually encompasses a wide set of issues, including vaginal wellness and comfort. Women with breast cancer often suffer from vaginal awareness syndrome, which involves severe pain in the vagina that makes daily functioning more difficult. Through vaginal healthcare, they are given moisturizers and other alternative forms of treatment to help manage their symptoms.
With doctor’s appointments often only lasting about fifteen minutes at a time, it can be difficult to convey all of your concerns to your clinician in one meeting. For tips on how to better advocate for yourself during a healthcare visit, Dr. Krychman suggested choosing three issues you want to closely address before arriving to the appointment. That way, when the doctor enters, you can immediately tell them the top problems you want them to help with, rather than wasting minutes at the session itself trying to decide. Outside of doctor’s appointments, there are also other sources women can use to receive information on health and wellness. Dr Krychman spoke about how the North American Menopause Society, American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists all have websites with great resources. Dr. Krychman also has his own website, drkrychman.com, where patients can do research and contact him with any questions.
Finally, we spoke to Dr. Krychman about the importance of breast MRIs. He explained that while guidelines can be confusing and differ amongst professionals, to him, the best breast exam is a mammogram. For his own patients, he typically does a digital mammogram, and if necessary, will follow up with an MRI or ultrasound. MRIs are especially important if you have dense breasts, and you should be doing annual screenings to check on your breasts. However, each person is different, so it is crucial to find a plan that works best for you.
Dr. Michael Krychman
An accredited expert in sexual medicine, Dr. Michael Krychman’s impressive career has allowed him to aide hundreds of patients in overcoming sexual health issues and having a high quality of physical intimacy in their lives. He is a board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist, a clinical sexual counselor, and has gained over two decades of experience collaborating with businesses and pharmaceutical companies to provide consultive services. Dr. Krychman also provides life coaching and care plans to patients with chronic illnesses or cancer to help improve their health and wellness. Along with treating patients, Dr. Krychman has written several books to help readers worldwide with their health, including The Sexual Spark, Questions & Answers About Human Papilloma Virus, and 100 Questions & Answers About Cervical Cancer.
In this episode, we discuss…
- [0:01] Bossa Bars
- [0:47] Guest Introduction
- [5:36] Start of Interview
- [6:00] Survivorship Medicine
- [7:38] Developing Your Healthcare Team
- [16:09] HRTs and Breast Cancer
- [21:21] Advocating for Yourself During Doctor’s Appointments
- [24:24] Websites and Resources for Menopausal Women
- [25:36] Breast MRIs
- [28:34] Closing Thoughts
- [29:16] Outro
Useful Resources:
Dr. Krychman’s Website I [https://drkrychman.com/]
Dr. Krychman’s LinkedIn I [https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-krychman-5ab6895/]
Dr. Krychman’s Books
The Sexual Spark I [https://www.amazon.com/Sexual-Spark-Michael-Krychman-MD/dp/136505392X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=KS9WZQDTDEZ6&keywords=the+sexual+spark&qid=1648657873&sprefix=the+sexual+spark%2Caps%2C115&sr=8-1]
Dx/Rx: Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) I [https://www.amazon.com/Dx-Rx-Papilloma-Bartlett-Learning-ebook/dp/B00A8N94BU/ref=sr_1_9?crid=3PQW8XA2VYMHQ&keywords=krychman+books&qid=1648212444&sprefix=krychman+books,aps,100&sr=8-9]
Questions & Answers About Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) I [https://www.amazon.com/Questions-Answers-About-Human-Papilloma/dp/0763781622/ref=sr_1_6?crid=3PQW8XA2VYMHQ&keywords=krychman+books&qid=1648212405&sprefix=krychman+books,aps,100&sr=8-6]
100 Questions & Answers About Women’s Sexual Wellness and Vitality I [https://www.amazon.com/Questions-Answers-Womens-Wellness-Vitality-ebook/dp/B003PPCSNY/ref=sr_1_1?crid=WX97JPWCYSED&keywords=100+Questions+and+Answers+for+Women+Sexual+Wellness+and+Vitality&qid=1648657385&sprefix=100+questions+and+answers+for+women+sexual+]
100 Questions & Answers for Women Living with Cancer I [https://www.amazon.com/Questions-Answers-Women-Living-Cancer/dp/0763739243/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3LLQFQK27TSG7&keywords=100+Questions+%26+Answers+for+Women+Living+with+Cancer%3A+A+Practical+Guide+for+Survivorship&qid=1648657587&sprefix=100+questions+%26+answers]
100 Questions & Answers About Cervical Cancer I [https://www.amazon.com/Questions-Answers-About-Cervical-Cancer/dp/0763754471/ref=sr_1_1?crid=Z7SAT8IR2QAS&keywords=100+Questions+and+Answers+about+Cervical+Cancer&qid=1648657508&sprefix=100+questions+and+answers+about+cervical+cancer%2Caps%2C336&sr=8-1]
TRY BOSSA BARS FOR MENOPAUSE AND USE CODE “HOTCOOL10” FOR 10% OFF AT https://bossabars.com/ !
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