October is nationally recognised as defibrillator awareness month.

Shocktober is organised by the Cardiac Arrest Survival Foundation to raise awareness and encourage everyone to install defibrillators in workplaces, at schools, sporting centres, shopping centres and on public transport.

Defibrillators (also known as AED) are used in the event of cardiac arrest. Cardiac arrest kills up to 33,000 Australians per year. The quicker someone is defibrillated, the better their chance of survivial. But every minute that passes without a heartbeat reduces your chance of surviving by 10 per cent. This is why we need to encourage all public places to install defibrillators, because every minute counts, and the ambulance may not make it in time.

Automated External Defibrillators (AED) provided automated heart rate analysis, voice commands to the person performing CPR and deliver a shock to the heart to try to get it back into normal beating rhythm.

To help educate and raise awareness your workplace can hold a Shocktober event, visit Shocktober’s Website for more information.

Endometriosis is a chronic condition that affects a woman’s reproductive organs. It happens when the lining cells (the endometrium) of the uterus grow outside of it. Often it is found on, and around, the pelvic and abdominal organs, including the ovaries. About 10% of women (around 176 million worldwide) are affected.

The symptoms vary from woman to woman. Some have many symptoms where severe pain occurs, others have no symptoms.

Don’t delay as early diagnosis and treatment may reduce the severity of the disease. Many women do not get a correct diagnosis for up to 7-10 years, often because the symptoms can be different between women and can change over time.

If you think you have endometriosis, make an appointment with your GP to discuss options and investigations.

For more information about Endometriosis, visit the Jean Hailes women’s health website.

Women are born with about a million eggs in each ovary. At puberty approximately 300,000 eggs remain, and by menopause there are no active eggs left.

On average, a woman in Australia will have 400-500 periods in her lifetime. From about 35-40 years of age, the number of eggs left in your ovaries decrease quickly and you ovulate (release an egg from the ovary) less regularly until your periods stop.

Most women reach menopause at between 45-55 years of age, and the average age of menopause for women in Australia is 51-52 years. Menopause will sometimes occur earlier than expected as a result of cancer treatment, surgery or unknown causes.

When to see your doctor

• If you are troubled by shortened cycles
• If you are worried about heavy bleeding
• If you have increased PMS pain
• If you have some of the symptoms of menopause like hot flushes that interfere with your daily life

Call 8038 1070 to make an appointment today to discuss menopause with your GP.

The ‘Stroke Foundation’ of Australia have come up with an memorable way to help us identify if someone is having a stroke.

How do you know if someone is having a stroke? Think FAST
• FACE– check the FACE. Has the mouth drooped? Can the person smile?
• ARMS– Can the person lift both ARMS and keep them there?
• SPEECH– Is the SPEECH slurred? Can the person speak clearly and understand what you say?
• TIME– TIME is critical. If you see any of these signs call 000 immediately!

Regarding the signs discuss with your GP or book an appointment with GP at Waitara Medical  02 8038 1070 or visit www.waitaramedical.com.au to book an appointment.

The main symptom of Idiopathic Hypersomnia (IH) is feeling sleepy during the day. There are two forms of IH. In one, the person has a normal amount of sleep at night (i.e. up to 9 hours). In the other, they sleep for longer than usual at night (e.g. 12-14 hours). In both forms, people also sleep during the day, usually in long naps of 1-2 hours. However these naps are not refreshing and they wake up still feeling tired. Many people with IH also have a lot of trouble waking up in the morning. They may feel quite groggy as they surface from being asleep.

If you are always feeling sleepy and cannot explain why, you should talk to your doctor (see excessive daytime sleepiness). You probably don’t have IH if you feel tired or fatigued without the urge to sleep during the day. If you wake up refreshed after having a long sleep, then you probably don’t have IH.

If your GP feels you may have a sleep problem you will be referred to a sleep specialist. Many patients have IH for many years without knowing it. To determine if you have IH or another sleep disorder (e.g. narcolepsy), you may have a “Multiple Sleep Latency Test” in a clinic that does sleep studies.

For more information visit Sleep Health Foundation’s website.

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) is a term used for a spectrum of conditions caused by fetal alcohol exposure. Each condition and its diagnosis is based on the presentation of characteristic features which are unique to the individual and may be physical, developmental and/ or neurobehavioural.

The primary conditions common to FASD last a lifetime and may include the following which vary from person to person:

• learning difficulties
• impulsiveness
• difficulty relating actions to consequences
• social relationships
• attention/hyperactivity
• memory
• developmental delays
• major organ damage

NOFASD Australia is an independent not-for-profit charitable organisation. Their vision is the prevention of alcohol exposed pregnancies in Australia and an improved quality of life for those living with FASD.  Visit the NOFASD website for more information.

The Childhood Cancer Association is one of Australia’s key childhood cancer support organisations, dedicated to supporting children living with cancer, and their families.

Support is tailored to meet the needs of every individual family.  Key services and support include: professional counselling, daily hospital visits, sibling support, accommodation for country/interstate families, respite accommodation for all families, financial assistance, education support via home tutoring and bereavement support.

The Childhood Cancer Association relies solely on the generous support of the community, to enable it to continue to provide vital services and support to families in need. You can make a donation, help fundraise,  buy an Elliot – Childhood Cancer Association’s mascot and friend to children living with cancer.

For further details about services and support provided by the Childhood Cancer Association, visit their website.

‘Connect, communicate, care’ is the theme of the 2016 World Suicide Prevention Day.

The World Health Organization estimates that over 800,000 people die by suicide each year – that’s one person every 40 seconds. Up to 25 times as many again make a suicide attempt. In Australia more than 2500 people die each year with latest figures (2014) telling us that 2,864 Australians took their own life. Research also tells us that some 65,000 think about attempting suicide each year. The tragic ripple effect means that there are many, many more people who have been bereaved by suicide or have been close to someone who has tried to take his or her own life, as well as those struggling to manage suicidal ideation.

Make an appointment with your GP to discuss your concerns and feelings, or cal lifeline on 131 114 for confidential support. Visit the World Suicide Prevention Day website for information about fundraising and events.

If your gut says something’s not quite right with someone, chances are that they might need a bit of extra support from the people around them. They might be acting a bit differently, seem to have a lot on their plate, or simply aren’t themselves. Don’t ignore those signs but instead take some time to start a conversation.

One of the great things about asking “are you ok?” is you don’t have to know the answers to a mate’s problems. Nor do you have to be ok yourself. Or feel particularly strong. As long as you feel up to listening, not judging and just talking through stuff you have found useful in the past, you’ve everything it takes to have a meaningful conversation to support a mate in need.

For confidential advice and support call a crisis support line – such as Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467. Visit the RUOK website for more information.