Monday, November 7th,2011 on the Doctor Ira Breite Show on SiriusXM 81: Doctor Radio!

I hope everyone is having a good day. The American College of Gastroenterology Meetings are over. We have lots of new GI news to talk about from these meetings. This is also my first post on my new computer, with its new (improved?) keyboard and trackpad instead of a mouse. I'm not sure I like it better, but it does bring to mind how various workplace issues that seem minor can have a profound effect. And some of the topics we are talking about show the same thing in caring for patients with digestive disease.

Starting with music. When I do procedures such as colonoscopies, we often have music playing in the background. I often ask patients what they want to hear: their inevitable response is "whatever makes you work better!" But what if what made me work better was not something I particularly wanted to hear: what if it was, well, Mozart? Join me and Dr. David Wolf, a Gastroenterologist at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and Dr. Noelle O'Shea, A GI Fellow there, as we talk about their new study on the "Mozart Effect" and colonoscopy polyp detection.

What was going on in the room right before you had your colonoscopy? Call us at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a vexing problem for doctors and patient's alike. Its cause is unclear and it can be difficult to treat. Join me and Dr. Yuri Saito-Loftus of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, as we talk about her new study looking at the link between psychological issues, trauma and the development of IBS that she just presented at the ACG meeting. Dr. Saito-Loftus is a member of the Clinical Enteric Neuroscience Translational and Epidemiological Research (CENTER) Program at Mayo as well.

IBS? Call us with your questions at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

I don't "do" my nails. Heck, I have so little hair I hardly get it cut anymore. But are you at risk for infectious diseases from getting your nails done? Can you get hepatitis? Join me and former ACG President Dr. David Johnson as we talk about studies presented at the ACG talking about just that!

Call us with any questions about personal safety and beautification at 1-877-NYU-DOCS

We will end the show with Ask Doctor Ira, where you can ask me any questions on any medical topic at all give me a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS! Anything you forgot to ask your doctor: ask me!

Follow me on twitter at @doctorira

Monday, October 31st, 2011 on the Doctor Ira Breite Show on Sirius XM Doctor Radio: Channel 81

Happy Halloween! We have a show that should entertain, educate, and scare you a bit planned for tomorrow.

Starting with your kids. As a parent of teenagers, I'm probably more scared of them then they are of anything, but I do remember them being a bit creeped out by the "haunted apartment building" we went to when they were smaller. Join me and Dr. Stephen Garber, PhD of The Behavioral Institute of Atlanta and the author of Is Your Child Hyperactive?, Monsters Under The Bed and Other Childhood Fears as we talk about things that go bump in your children's minds during the night!

Kids with fears or phobias? Funny scared kid Halloween Story? ...let us know at 1-877-NYU-DOCS

After this we have Gastroenterology Update with a touch of Ask Doctor Ira thrown in for good measure. Anything you forgot to ask your doctor ask me at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

And what about chance Halloween exposures to snakes? Or Spiders? Join me and Dr. Sean Bush of the Loma Linda School of Medicine: ER doctor and herpephile. As is he really likes snakes. And lizards. You are not going to want to miss this.

Questions about the health issues in our cold blooded friends? Give us a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

Halloween usually brings a lull in Lyme Disease to New York City...we stop going to all those places with actual trees or brush so near our homes. But not today! Find out what Lyme disease may have had to do with the Salem Witch Trials with my guest, author MM Drymon.

Spooky.

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Monday, October 24th on The Doctor Ira Breite Show on SiriusXM 81

I am writing this at a hockey rink in Freeport, NY, where I am being tempted, in the stress before my son's game by the snack bar. And if the relatively minor stress of midget hockey makes me want to eat, imagine a real stressful event such as a loved one in the hospital. Keri Gans, RD, and author of "The Small Change Diet," will be joining me to talk about healthy eating in times of stress. Its not only the patient: caregivers need to take care of themselves as well!

Problems with stressful eating: give us a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

Then its time for Gastroenterology Update: post call edition! where I will you some of the latest and greatest news in digestive disease and you can call me with your digestion questions at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

Some topics we will be discussing include new treatment possibilities in hepatitis C, and the emergence of crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis as growing worldwide problems.

Speaking of digestive disease, Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome, Dr. David Fleisher of the University of Missouri will be back to talk about this difficult to manage condition.

Vomiting issues? Give us a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS

We will end the show with Ask Doctor Ira, where you can ask me any questions on any medical topic at all...anything you forgot to ask your doctor, ask me. Give us a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

Follow me on twitter at @DoctorIra

image source (a hospital cafeteria)

Monday, October 17th on the Doctor Ira Breite Show on Sirius XM 81: Doctor Radio

One of the funny (not funny ha ha, funny sad) sort of things about medicine is that people will often present to a doctor with abdominal pain, get an ultrasound, find out they have gallstones, get their gallbladder removed, and then (ha ha) still have pain. As I said, funny sad, not funny ha ha. Join me and Dr. Dr. Johnson L. Thistle of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN who just wrote an article about it in "Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology."

Gallstone questions? Give us a call at 1-877-NYU DOCS!

And the digestive diseases don't end after the break! Join me for "Gastroenterology Update," where we'll talk about some of the latest news in Gastroenterology and digestive disease. Call for any questions: from polyps to heartburn to worse!

In our second hour, we are going to begin with a medical mystery. Imagine having severe symptoms, going to an emergency room, getting admitted to the hospital, having a ton of tests, and then being discharged...with no clear diagnosis. Hear Brian's Story. We will be joined by co-host on the Dr. Billy Goldberg Show Howard Greller, MD.

We'll end the show with "Ask Doctor Ira," where you can ask me any question on any medical topic at all: anything you forgot to ask your doctor (or that was a mystery to him or her) ask me!

Call us at 1`-877-NYU-DOCS

Follow me on Twitter at @DoctorIra
image source:

Monday, October 10th, 2011 on the Doctor Ira Breite Show on Sirius XM 81: Doctor Radio!

Happy Columbus Day! A holiday for many, but not here at Doctor Radio...there is too much to talk about! Starting with a medical mystery: what killed Christopher Columbus? Join me and Dr. Philip.Mackowiak, the author of "POST MORTEM: Solving History’s Great Medical Mysteries" as we try to figure out how Columbus died.

While Columbus may not have had gastrointestinal disease per se, it is possible that one of the maladies he did suffer from is related to Ulcerative Colitis. If you have any gastrointestinal questions, give us a buzz on GI update: call me at 1-877-NYU DOCS. We also will go over (time permitting)

• Barrett's esophagus and "low grade" dysplasia
• More biopsies may (or may not) be necessary to diagnose celiac disease
• Eosinophillic Esophagitis incidence (#EOE) does not seem to be related to race or gender

Speaking of gastroenterology and celiac disease...Craig Pinto, celiac patient and field goal kicker extraordinaire will be joining us to talk about his attempt (TODAY...go to @celiackicker to find out and donate) to kick the most field goals in a 24 hour period!

We will end the show with Ask Doctor Ira, where you can ask me any question on any medical topic at all...anything you forgot to ask your doctor ask me...give us a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

Follow me on twitter at @doctorira

Monday, October 4th on The Doctor Ira Breite Show on Sirius XM 81: Doctor Radio

How do you treat reflux?  There are several standard therapies for long term therapy, including the use of a proton pump inhibitor (an acid blocking drug such as Prilosec) and surgery.  There are also non-surgical procedures in use as well.  What works best?  Join me and Dr. Denish Moorthy as we talk about his new study from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) on GERD!

Reflux questions...give us a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

After this, we expand our GERD discussion to all of Gastroenterology!  During Gastroenterology Update, We'll update you on the latest GI news, and answer your questions about all things digestive!  From reflux, to ulcers to constipation give us a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS

Doctor's aren't perfect (insert your bad doctor and God joke here).  Join me and Joe and Terry Graedon, the authors of "Top Screwups Doctors Make and How to Avoid Them," as we talk abou, well, just that.  I'll try not to be too defensive.

Screw up questions?  Doctor missed something?  Let us know at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

We will end the show with Ask Doctor Ira, where you can ask me any questions on any medical topic at all and I will be glad to answer...give us call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

Monday, September 26th, 2011 on the Doctor Ira Breite Show on Sirius XM 81: Doctor Radio

We have a great show planned for tomorrow. Vonda Wright, MD, the author of Fitness After 40, will be joining us to talk about her new book "Dr. Vonda Wright's Guide to Thrive, Four Steps to Body, Brains and Bliss." Learn how to create a vision for your future, take action by doing the right things, have a great attitude and achieve your goals!

Call us with your fitness or diet questions at 1-877-NYU-DOCS.

you can tweet me directly at @doctorira as well!

After this, we have Gastroenterology Update, where I will let you know some of the big headlines in the world of Digestive Disease and answer your questions as well.

Some topics include proton pump inhibitors and the risk of hip fracture (!), the relationship between anxiety and Crohn's disease in young people, and easier medication dosing in Ulcerative Colitis.

This is not something that people like to mention publicly, but it is doubtless true that many people come to the doctor to ask why they smell bad. Join me and Dr. George Preti, PhD. of the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia as we talk about the genetic link in Fish Odor Syndrome.

Give us a call about any odor related question you may have at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!

We will end the show, as usual, with Ask Doctor Ira, where you can ask me any question on any medical problem at all and I will be happy to answer. I believe Dr. Marc Siegel will also be giving me my flu shot to end the show! Can't miss that!

Anything you forgot to ask your doctor ask me. Give me a call at 1-877-NYU-DOCS!