Category Archives: digestive/gastrointestinal

Meet the ‘magic man’: Surgeon’s demeanor, outlook help patient beat slim odds

Posted on May 14, 2018 by

BY AMBER SMITH Melanoma of the rectum is rare and aggressive, and its prognosis is poor. The majority of people with the diagnosis don’t survive more than 24 months. To Jeri Bem, MD, that’s no reason to give up. A … Continue reading →

Posted in cancer, digestive/gastrointestinal, health care, HealthLink on Air, surgery | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Secrets of a good bowel prep

Posted on February 5, 2018 by

It may be unpleasant, but preparing properly for your colonoscopy is so important, says Upstate Gastroenterology nurse administrator Michelle Henry. Here’s what she tells patients: 1. Remember, the prep is only for one day. You can do just about anything for … Continue reading →

Posted in cancer, digestive/gastrointestinal | Tagged , , ,

Their team of doctors offered expertise — and hope

Posted on November 27, 2017 by

BY AMBER SMITH Orlando Barrera worked his whole life in construction. He was strong and relatively healthy – until May 2015, when stomach pains forced him to seek medical care. The Syracuse man underwent emergency surgery to remove his gallbladder. … Continue reading →

Posted in cancer, digestive/gastrointestinal, health care, infectious disease, liver/ gallbladder/ pancreas, organ donation/transplant, surgery | Tagged , , , , ,

Setting an example: Pediatric gastroenterologist/amateur cook eats lots of vegetables, grains

Posted on April 14, 2017 by

  BY AMBER SMITH As a child growing up in Kashmir, India, Prateek Wali ate mostly locally grown vegetables and farm-raised animals. In the snowy winters, his family dined on kidney beans, turnips, hearty grains and other foods that stored … Continue reading →

Posted in diet/nutrition, digestive/gastrointestinal, health care, recipe, Upstate Golisano Children's Hospital/pediatrics | Tagged , , , , , , , ,

Young brothers battle cystic fibrosis together

Posted on March 31, 2017 by

  BY AMBER SMITH The day after Trevor Delaney turned 6, his mother took him for an appointment with his pulmonologist, Zafer Soultan, MD. The division chief of pediatric pulmonary medicine at Upstate was eager for Trevor to start taking … Continue reading →

Posted in digestive/gastrointestinal, drugs/medications/pharmacy, illness, lung/pulmonary, patient story, Upstate Golisano Children's Hospital/pediatrics | Tagged , , ,

Navigating through a cancer diagnosis

Posted on December 13, 2016 by

BY AMBER SMITH While each person’s cancer journey is unique, patients are likely to encounter similar  services and treatment options along the way. Holly Briere, a nurse navigator specializing in cancers of the liver, gallbladder and pancreas, guides us through what the experience … Continue reading →

Posted in cancer, digestive/gastrointestinal, drugs/medications/pharmacy, health care, illness, liver/ gallbladder/ pancreas, medical imaging/radiology, palliative care, pancreas/liver/gallbladder/bile ducts, surgery, technology | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Where cancer patients can find advice for eating right

Posted on December 8, 2016 by

Upstate registered dietitian nutritionist Maria Erdman recommends these resources for help eating well during and after cancer treatment. She also sees patients who are referred by physicians. Reach her at 315-464-3607. — The National Cancer Institute makes the booklet “Eating Hints: … Continue reading →

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A digestive disorder: Gastroparesis a life changer for Liverpool woman

Posted on October 11, 2016 by

BY JIM HOWE Most people can eat a snack or a meal without thinking about it beforehand or feeling sick afterward. Not Rhonda Ferry, for whom eating usually means a liquid dietary supplement or a quarter cup of a low-fiber, … Continue reading →

Posted in diabetes/endocrine/metabolism, diet/nutrition, digestive/gastrointestinal, disability, health care, HealthLink on Air, illness, patient story | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

To avoid withdrawal, she nearly died: Former addict warns of the dangers of antidiarrheal drug

Posted on October 3, 2016 by

BY JIM HOWE Katharine “Kate” Rayland never intended to become addicted to – and nearly die from – an over-the-counter drug designed to prevent diarrhea. She developed a potentially fatal heart problem and landed in the intensive care unit at … Continue reading →

Posted in addiction, adolescents, brain/neurology, community, digestive/gastrointestinal, drugs/medications/pharmacy, emergency medicine/trauma, health care, HealthLink on Air, heart/cardiovascular, illness, patient story, poison center/toxicology, public health, research | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,

13 things I learned from the fall issue of Upstate Health

Posted on September 29, 2016 by

The pages of the fall 2016 Upstate Health magazine are loaded with important information and a few surprises. If you’re not on our mailing list, you should be. Send an email with your name and mailing address to magazine@upstate.edu with “Upstate … Continue reading →

Posted in addiction, adolescents, aging/geriatrics, Alzheimer's/dementia, brain/neurology, digestive/gastrointestinal, emergency medicine/trauma, health care, organ donation/transplant, poison center/toxicology, public health, stroke, technology