Are you thinking about having cataract or eyelid surgery? Well, this is the episode for you. Today on MediTalk we speak with Consultant Ophthalmologist Dr Olivia Macvie who very kindly answers common questions that may be on your mind when considering or preparing for cataract or eyelid surgery. Dr Macvie consults and operates from St John of God Hospital in Subiaco. A big thank you to Dr Macvie for sharing her knowledge with us today on MediTalk. To learn more about Dr Macvie and St...

Peri-menopause and menopause can cause women to feel emotions & changes in their body that can significantly impact their quality of life. Sadly in medicine & in society we don’t talk as honestly and openly about perimenopause & menopause as much as what we should. I was very blessed to have the opportunity to discuss this health topic with Women’s Health General Practitioner - Dr Sunita Chelva. Dr Chelva works as a General GP at Third Ave Surgery and as a Women's Health GP with...

On this episode of Meditalk we speak with Dr Michael Gannon who very kindly answered frequently asked questions on ‘induction’. Dr Gannon is a Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at St John of God Hospital in Subiaco. I would like to thank the wonderful women who provided questions to ask Dr Gannon about 'induction' via SJOGH Subiaco facebook and instagram pages, I greatly appreciate you taking the time and showing your support. Thank you Dr Michael Gannon for sharing his time...

According to Diabetes Australia, Gestational diabetes is the fastest growing type of diabetes affecting thousands of pregnant women every year. So today on Meditalk, I speak with Dr Richard Murphy a Specialist Obstetrician and Gynaecologist from St John of God Hospital in Subiaco who answers all our questions about ‘gestational diabetes’. A big thank you to Dr Murphy for sharing his time & knowledge on gestational diabetes. To learn more about Dr Murphy and SJOG Subiaco visit:...

With summer fast approaching, the thought of having to take off our winter coats to wear bathers can make us feel a little self-conscious about our varicose veins. There are not only cosmetic reasons why some people may reach out for a specialist opinion from a Vascular / Endovascular Surgeon to discuss options to remove them but, also varicose veins can actually cause people a lot of pain making standing and moving our bodies very uncomfortable. So today I speak with St John of God...

This year during the flu season while we are still battling with COVID have you found yourself asking questions such as; - How would you know if you are suffering from the flu or from COVID-19? - How are these two viruses the same and different? - Is it safe to have both the flu and COVID vaccination? - Should women who are pregnant have both vaccinations? I am hoping by having some of these common questions answered by St John of God Hospital Subiaco, Respiratory and Infectious...

Having a baby can be a time of profound joy & great upheaval for parents involving significant physical and mental challenges that require mums and dads to adjust to dramatic changes in routines, sleep patterns and roles. So today we speak with St John of God Hospital Subiaco consultant Psychiatrist Dr Beate Harrison who specialises in Perinatal and Infant psychiatry to talk about perinatal mental health. We cover the big questions; What is perinatal mental health? What are some...

Did you know - that men are at greatest risk of suicide but, are less likely to ask for help. According to the Black Dog Institute, an estimated 72% of men will not seek help for a mental health disorder. So why are our brothers, dads, sons, uncles, nephews, mates suffering in silence from mental health conditions and not feeling able to seek help from others when they need it the most? Today on MediTalk I speak with Jon Marginis who is a Counselling Psychology Registrar practicing...

According to the Cancer Council, Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer diagnosed in Australian men. And it is the third most common cause of cancer death. In fact, 1 in 6 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer by the age of 85. Today on Meditalk we speak with a Reconstructive Urological Surgeon Dr David Sofield to provide us with an update on ‘Prostate Cancer’. A big thank you to Dr Sofield for sharing his knowledge with us today on Meditalk. To learn more about Dr Sofield...

Attending a traumatic event are often life or death situations & many of us we do our best to avoid. However, when you are a first responder you have made life and death events your livelihood or past time. Post-traumatic stress disorder is commonly referred to as PTSD and is a type of anxiety disorder. Approximately, 10% of emergency workers suffer from PTSD in comparison to 4% in the general population. But, what happens to our first responder heros that greatly serve and care for...

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a very common hormonal condition that approximately 12–21% of women of reproductive age are diagnosed with however; what is most concerning is that up to 70% of women remain undiagnosed. For this reason it is important as women to increase our awareness and knowledge on PCOS. So, today on Meditalk I speak with Gynaecologist, Obstetrician and Advanced Laparoscopic surgeon Dr Rose McDonnell from St John of God Hospital in Subiaco about PCOS. A big thank you...

According to ABS statistics, it is estimated that approximately 4 million Australians suffer back problems and between 70-90% of people will experience lower back pain at some point in their life. Unfortuately back and neck pain can cause significant physical disability as well as, cost individuals and families their livelihood. Today on Meditalk we speak with Spinal Surgeon, Dr Greg Cunningham from Neurospine Institute and SJOGH in Subiaco about spinal surgery & spinal health in...

The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles that come together as tendons which help us to lift and rotate our arms. So, let’s take a minute to think about all the things we couldn’t do in our day if we were to injure or tear our rotator cuff such as; drive a car, put on a seatbelt, get dressed, lift and pick up our children & hang out washing. Rotator cuff injuries are extremely common particularly in people that enjoy sports such as; baseball, tennis, swimming or who work in jobs...

It is great to see many children are back at school! 2021 is a year we all are very hopeful will be better than 2020. For any parent or caregiver it is only normal to worry & want as much as possible for their child to enjoy their years at school and for them to do well both academically, socially and emotionally. This is particularly the case for when their child to transitioning from primary school to high school. Today on MediTalk we are speak with Naomi Terpsis who is a...

It is estimated 2 out of 3 Australian adults are classified as being overweight or obese and sadly this statistic is predicted to increase in the future. More and more people with BMI’s of over 40 are turning to weight loss surgery to help them fight their battle with their weight. Making an informed decision about undertaking any surgical procedure is paramount so, today on MediTalk we are speak with Dr Siva Sundararajan a General and Bariatric Surgeon at St John of God Hospital in...

Are you over 40? And perhaps like many Australians don’t mind a drink, enjoy a good meal & have put a little weight on over the years. Have you ever wondered how your liver is being affected by how much alcohol you drink, how much fat you eat and how much the extra weight we carry around is taking its toll on our liver? In fact, throughout the world consistent and over consumption of alcohol is now the leading cause of liver disease. Today on MediTalk we are speaking with Professor...

There are some very upsetting men’s mental health statistics that should encourage us all to advocate for much needed change & much greater dialogue to improve men's mental health. Globally, on average 1 man is dying, every minute, of every day from suicide (movember.com). What we need to remember when we often read or hear a health statistic - is that every number is representative of someone’s dad, son, grandson, uncle, best mate, husband, soul mate, brother that has lost their life...

I cannot imagine how frightening and shocking it must feel to be diagnosed with cancer. Not only are you needing to process your diagnosis but, then you are told by your specialist that the cancer treatment options available have the potential to often harm healthy tissue while treating a cancerous tumour. What I learnt recently from spending time with Crystal at Blue Dot Army is that there is a new type of radiation treatment available that can treat many types of tumours in the prostate,...

Her friends and family know her as Crystal but, to the charity she founded - Blue Dot Army she is known as Madam Butterfly. After surviving her own cancer journey Crystal was determined to advocate for positive service improvements for people undergoing cancer treatment. Blue Dot Army aims to support people through their cancer journey. Andy’s story touched Crystal and the Blue Dot Army were called into action. Andy while caring for a severely disabled loved one, found himself being...

As we age we are more likely to be at risk of losing our sight. In fact, was predicted by 2020 that over 800,000 Australians will suffer blindness or some degree of vision impairment. However, on a more positive note 90 per cent of vision loss is highly preventable or treatable. So today on MediTalk we speak with Dr Charlotte McKnight who is an Opthmalogist from St John of God Hospital in Subiaco as well as, Dr McKnight has public hospital appointments at both Royal Perth Hospital and St...

In preparing for this interview I was shocked to learn Preterm birth complications are the leading cause of death in children under 5 years of age. Today on MediTalk we are speaking with Dr Michael Gannon about preterm births & current research being conducted in Perth that has the potential to save babies lives around the world. Dr Gannon is a general obstetrician and gynaecologist in both private and public practice, with a special interest in medical problems in pregnancy and...

Did you know - Approximately 1 in 5 babies born in Australia will require specialised neonatal intensive care. Particularly, if a baby is born before 37 weeks or unwell they will most likely spend time in an intensive neonatal care unit to be provided every opportunity of surviving and becoming well enough to leave hospital and go home. Today on MediTalk we speak with Neonatologist Dr Jo Colvin to learn more about neonatal care. A big thank you to Dr Colvin for sharing her knowledge with...

Breast milk can provide all the nutrition a growing baby needs during the first six months of life. And research continues to show us how breast feeding greatly benefits the health of a baby & mother. But did you know, breast feeding is actually a learnt skill. AND despite us thinking breast feeding is simply a natural process of becoming a mum – what we actually need to breast feed successfully is great support, care, encouragement, patience and practice. So today we speak to...

Menorrhagia is the medical term for when menstrual periods are abnormally heavy or prolonged. As you can imagine suffering heavy periods can significantly impact one's quality of life and sadly many women will often tolerate them thinking that it is normal to suffer and be in pain when you are menstruating. Or women or young girls just do not feel comfortable to talk to their doctor about their period. Today's interview with specialist gynaecologist Dr Acton it's time for us to start the...