Dr Richard Moccia-Retiring July 1, 2021 |
As previously published Dr Richard Moccia will be retiring from practice on June 30, 2021. We know that he has touched the lives of multiple generations of patients and their families throughout Rockland County. Please join us in wishing him many years of good health and happiness in his retirement. |
Women's Health- Common GI Issues |
Did you Know:
- Women may experience heartburn more than men because a woman’s GI tract is more sensitive than a man’s However, women generally have less damage from acid reflux than men do because the muscles in a woman’s esophagus are stronger, keeping acid and stomach juices out of the esophagus.
- Women experience nausea and bloating more frequently than men because their stomachs empty food slower than men’s stomachs.
- For various reasons, women tend to take NSAIDS (anti-inflammatory and pain relieving medication) more often than men. Frequent NSAID intake can cause Gastritis – inflammation of the stomach.
- Gallstones: Women are twice as likely to develop gallstones as men because, like their stomachs, women’s gallbladders empty slower than men’s
- Enzymes: The enzymes found in a woman’s liver and small intestine function slightly different than those found in a man’s This means medications are digested differently and may have different effects on a woman than a man.
- Women have a slower emptying of the large intestine than men.
- Constipation occurs more often in women than men, and tends to get worse with age.
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) occurs 2 to 6 times more often in women than in men.
-
Colon cancer is the number 3 cancer for women in the U.S. Women should be advised to follow current guidelines to be screened at age 45-50.
We are pleased to announce that Dr Janice Jang will be joining our core of dedicated health care professionals who anchor our Women's GI Health initatives. She will be a great addition to our staff which already includes Dr Viyada Sarabanchong, Debbie Caputo NP and Jennifer Poterbin NP.
|
C. Diff is short for Clostridioides difficile which is a type of germ that can infect your intestines and cause diarrhea. Most C.diff infections occur when or shortly after, you've taken antibiotics. Common complications of C.diff include serious diarrhea (watery stool 3 or more times a day), and dehydration. Some cases can result in sepsis (the body's extreme response to an infection)..
C.diff can come back even when treated with an antibiotic. in fact, C. diff comes back in about 1 out of 4 patients. You are at greater risk of getting C.diff again, if you have a weakened immune system, are over 65 years of age and have a kidney disease.
Washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds is the only way to prevent the spread of C. difficile from person to person. Hand sanitizers do not kill C. diff germs. Cleaning surfaces with a bleach solution can also help prevent the spread of C. difficile.
Treatment for recurrent disease may include Antibiotics. Antibiotic therapy for recurrence and may involve one or more courses of a medication. The effectiveness of antibiotic therapy can decline with each subsequent recurrence.
Fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) also known as a stool transplant is emerging as an alternative strategy for treating recurrent C. difficile infections. FMT restores healthy intestinal bacteria by placing another person's (donor's) stool in your colon through a colonoscope or nasogastric tube. Research has shown that FMT has a success rate higher than 85% for treating chronic C. difficile infections. Dr Yaron Langman has done many successful fecal transplant with donor stool over the past several years.
The role of probiotic products in C. difficile infection is unclear. Research hasn't consistently shown that currently available products are helpful in preventing or treating infections with C. difficile.
If you have any questions, please contact our office for an appointment.
|
|
To Schedule an Office Visit, Procedure or Virtual Appointment, Please Call (845) 354-3700 |
Dear Patients
On behalf of our patients and staff, I would like to thank Dr Richard Moccia for his many years of service to our practice and the Rockland County community.
He will be a tough act to follow! We will miss his great intellect, leadership, dedication, work ethic, compassion and his love for all our patients.
I know that Dr Moccia has been enjoying the outpouring of well wishes he has been receiving on a daily basis from his patients. I know that he will treasure all of your cards, notes and messages throughout his years of retirement.
So, please keep those cards and letters coming in folks! Dr. Moccia loves them!
Sincerely,
Elliot A Heller MD
|
Dr Elliot A Heller addressed the employees at Costco in Nanuet about Colon Cancer Awareness and Prevention on March 15,2021.
Dr Vipul Shah will be a guest panelist at the Mahwah Regional Chamber of Commerce's Health Panel Webinar on May 20, 2021
Dr Andrew Goldenberg and Dr. Yaron Langman did a virtual presentation on Colon Cancer Detection and Prevention on April 1, 2021 with the assistance of the Montefiore Nyack Hospital Community Relations staff. To listen to this webcast, please click on the following link:
Digestive Disease Associates continues to be recognized by the Cigna & Aetna Health Plans as high quality and cost-effective providers in their networks.
The DDAR Pathology Lab was recently survey by CAP, The College of Pathologist and was found to be in full compliance with all standards and guidelines.
|
|
May is Hepatitis Awareness Month |
May has been designated as Hepatitis Awareness Month. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in concert with all public and private healthcare providers, are working to shed light on this hidden epidemic by raising awareness of viral hepatitis and encouraging at risk populations to get tested.
Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver, most often caused by one of several viruses. In the United States, the most common types of viral hepatitis are Hepatitis A (HAV), Hepatitis B (HBV) and Hepatitis C (HCV), Unlike Hepatitis A, which does not cause a long-term infection, Hepatitis B and C can become chronic, lifelong infections. More than 4 Million Americans are living with Chronic Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C, but most do not know they are infected.
Chronic viral hepatitis can lead to serious liver problems, including liver cancer. According to the CDC, at least half of the new cases of liver cancer are from chronic Hepatitis C infection. Every year 15,000 Americans die from liver cancer or chronic liver disease associated with viral hepatitis. The number of new cases of liver cancer is highest amongst Asian and Pacific Islanders but is increasing among African Americans, baby boomers and men.
The CDC recommends that all baby boomers get tested for HCV infection. They also recommend testing for current or former injection drug users; persons treated for blood clotting problems before1987; persons who received blood transfusions before July 1992; persons with abnormal liver tests or liver disease; health care workers who are exposed to blood from a needlestick puncture and persons with HIV.
Once identified Hepatitis C is curable with treatment with a variety of new anti-viral agents at our physicians disposal.
|
|
|
|
Our Covid-19 Precautions : Covid Testing After Vaccination |
All patients who are scheduled for an Upper Endoscopy and/or Colonoscopy at our office will undergo a PCR Nasal Swab prior to their procedure. Recently, we have received many inquires from patients asking why they need to be tested for the virus if they are already vaccinated.
The simple answer is that even though you are vaccinated, a small percentage of people may still get infected after vaccination when exposed to any of the new Covid-19 variants that are spreading in our community. Consequently, we must continue to test all patients having procedures to insure that we continue to keep all patients and staff safe.
|
|
974 Route 45
Pomona, NY 10970
Phone: 845-354-3700
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
