BK virus is a part of the polyoma virus family. About 80% of people carry the virus. People usually get this virus as children. It can stay inactive in your body without causing harm for many years. It can become active if you are immunocompromised (your immune system is weak). People who have had a kidney transplant and are taking immunosuppressive medications (medications that suppress [lower] your immune system) are at risk of infection from the virus. This pamphlet explains the symptoms of …
When you are sick and have diabetes, your body can make hormones that break down fat for energy. This can make ketones. Ketones raise the acid levels in your blood. This can cause you to get very sick with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). Usually when you have ketones, your blood glucose is high. You may also have ketones when your blood glucose is not high. DKA can happen in a person with diabetes who is sick or does not take enough insulin. It is important to check both your glucose and your keto…
Falls are the most common cause of minor injury during pregnancy. The weight of your growing belly can affect your balance. Pregnancy hormones relax your joints and ligaments to get your body ready for birth. This can also affect the way you move and walk. You might feel a bit clumsy. This is common. You may have low blood sugar and/or low blood pressure when you are pregnant. This can sometimes make you feel faint or dizzy. Tips to help lower your risk of falls are provided.
Cancer affects more than your body. It impacts many areas of your life. Many people with cancer find that talking with a Psychosocial Oncology health care professional can be helpful. Psychosocial Oncology health care professionals provide psychotherapy, counselling, and other supports for individuals dealing with cancer. You can access services on your own, or with members of your family or other support persons. Services may be offered in person, on the phone or by virtual care. This pamphlet…
Rocaltrol® is a medication with the active ingredient calcitriol. This is a form of vitamin D that can be used by the body. Calcitriol helps your body control your calcium and phosphate levels. Calcium and phosphate are needed to build healthy bones. People get vitamin D from sunlight, and from eating oily fish and milk products. People with kidney disease cannot change enough vitamin D into calcitriol. This can cause low calcium levels in the blood and weaker bones. Rocaltrol raises the amoun…
Your eyes are filled with a fluid made by the ciliary body. This fluid flows through the pupil, in front of the lens, and then out through a drain called the trabecular meshwork. Glaucoma is a disease where increased pressure in the eye damages the optic nerve. It usually happens when the trabecular meshwork (drain) does not work and fluid cannot drain from the eye. Fluid buildup in the front part of the eye increases pressure in your eye, damaging the optic nerve. This damage may at first caus…
Sevelamer (se-VEL-a-mer) is a medication that lowers the amount of phosphorus (a mineral that builds strong bones and teeth) in your blood. Sevelamer binds (attaches) to the phosphorus in the foods you eat and stops your body from taking it in. A person with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is less able to remove phosphorus from their body. When there is too much phosphorus in your blood, it pushes calcium out of your bones. This makes your bones weaker. Hemodialysis can remove some of the extra ph…
Dehydration means that your body does not have enough fluid. This pamphlet explains the causes and signs of dehydration, and tips for staying hydrated. A list of symptoms that require medical care right away are listed.
The most common side effect from radiation therapy treatment is a skin reaction. No matter what area of the body is being treated, most patients will have a skin reaction. This pamphlet explains what a skin reaction is, how long you will have a skin reaction, what creams and lotions may help, what to avoid, if it is OK to wash and bathe, and how to use a saline soak and take a sitz bath. Other topics include whether your markings will come off, if you need to wear any special clothing near the …
This pamphlet explains how stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR) for prostate cancer works, how to get ready for your treatment, what will happen during your treatment sessions, and what to expect after your treatments are finished.
A biopsy is when a small sample of tissue is taken from your body for testing. A stereotactic biopsy helps to diagnose and/or treat brain conditions (like movement disorders, pain syndromes, and tumours). This pamphlet explains how the biopsy is taken and what will happen during your surgery.
This pamphlet describes Stereotactic Body radiation therapy: how to prepare for treatment, what will happen during treatment, and what will happen after treatment.
Systemic therapy includes chemotherapy drugs, hormones, and biological therapies. This type of cancer treatment treats the whole body rather than one part of it. This pamphlet details how systemic therapy works, how it is given, how long the treatment can last, and the side effects.
This pamphlet lists medications you should not take if you get very sick with diarrhea (loose, watery poop), or you are vomiting (throwing up). These medications keep your blood pressure down, and protect your kidneys and heart. They can also harm you if you do not have enough fluids in your body. Diarrhea and vomiting can make you dehydrated (not have enough fluids in your body). Information about what to do if you have not taken your medication(s) for more than 1 day (24 hours) and/or cannot …
Therapeutic means a treatment, therapy, or drug. Apheresis (a-fe-ree-sis) is the process of removing blood from your body, filtering (removing) something out of the blood, and putting the filtered blood back into your body. Information about common types of apheresis, how apheresis is done, how to get ready for treatment, what will happen at your appointment, and what will happen after the treatment is given. A list of symptoms to watch for after you go home are provided.
Your surgeon will put an endovascular stent graft into your aorta. The aorta is the biggest artery in your body. Different diseases may affect your aorta. Your aorta needs to be repaired so it does not rupture (break) and cause severe (very bad) bleeding. This can lead to death. There are 2 ways to repair your aorta: TEVAR where the surgeon places a stent graft through a small incision in your groin, or through open repair where the surgeon makes a large incision through your breastbone and pot…
TTP stands for thrombotic thrombocytopenia purpura. In TTP, the linings of your blood vessels are damaged. Platelets stick to the damaged areas to prevent or stop bleeding. This causes very small clots to form. These clots can block the blood flow in your body. These blockages can cause problems in the affected organs, usually the brain and kidneys. Causes, symptoms, treatment options, and ways to prevent injury or bleeding problems are listed.
Le timbre contraceptif se place sur la peau une fois par semaine. Il contient deux hormones, de l’œstrogène et de la progestérone, qui sont absorbées par la peau. Il sert à prévenir la grossesse. Le livret explique comment le timbre fonctionne, son efficacité, ses avantages et ses inconvénients, les effets secondaires possibles (de même que les effets secondaires graves qu’il faut connaître), il indique les personnes qui ne devraient pas s’en servir, et il explique enfin la manière de s’en serv…
Vos yeux sont remplis d'un liquide fabriqué par le corps ciliaire. Ce liquide s'écoule à travers la pupille, devant le cristallin, puis sort par un drain appelé trabéculum. Le glaucome est une maladie dans laquelle une pression accrue dans l'œil endommage le nerf optique. Il survient généralement lorsque le trabéculum (drain) ne fonctionne pas et que le liquide ne peut pas s'écouler de l'œil. L'accumulation de liquide dans la partie avant de l'œil augmente la pression dans l'œil, ce qui endomma…
Kayexalate® is a medication that treats high potassium levels in the body. High potassium levels can be dangerous if you have kidney disease. This pamphlet explains why you may need this medication, how to take it, side effects, and how to store it.