Indispensable Podcast

Yvette Anderson graduated from Charles Sturt University in 2005 and has progressed her pharmacist career with experience in community pharmacy, private hospital, aged care, consultancy, and public hospital practice. Yvette has qualifications in Mental Health First Aid, Asthma Management from Asthma Foundation of Victoria, Australian Association of Consultant Pharmacy, and is currently undertaking Graduate Certificate in Autism Studies with plans to move onto Masters of Autism in 2022. 

Yvette’s specialist area of interest is neurodevelopmental conditions and in 2020 launched The Spectrum Pharmacist. The Spectrum Pharmacist utilises Yvette’s professional knowledge and experience combined with her personal experiences as a mum to two boys on the spectrum to provide information, education, personal tips and experiences to help you individuals and families on their spectrum journey.

Episode 18 Neurodiversity | Navigating a diagnosis

Yvette shares her personal experiences with helping people with neurodiversity and some tips on how to navigate a diagnosis to get the best outcomes for your loved ones.

5 Indispensable Tips

1. Reach out to informed health professionals for accurate, up to date evidence-based advice. Be open and honest with them so they can provide optimal support and advice. 
2. Form a plan with your support team that aligns to goals you want to focus on. Ensure that everyone is aligned to that plan and that it is regularly monitored and tweaked. Be mindfiul that you may need to try and sometimes re-try practices to find the best fit. 
3. You are not alone, there are many fabulous support groups available, find your local group or look online. Again be careful of advice given
4. As a parent you are the best advocate for your child / loved one and you will know when something doesn’t feel right. Make sure you speak up so that your team are well informed of everyday reality and can appropriately support you
5. If medication is recommended talk to your local pharmacist as they are the medication experts or contact The Spectrum Pharmacist.

Links

Neurodiverse Squad booking: https://pharmonline.coviu.com/app/book/appointment

Contact

Yvette Anderson

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Kayla Lee is a practising community pharmacist and pharmacy owner at Capital Chemist Braidwood. After completing a Master of Pharmacy at the University of Canberra, Kayla went on to complete a Graduate Certificate in Mental Health Practice which fuelled her passion for mental health service delivery within a community pharmacy – and spreading awareness about the role a pharmacist can have in someone’s mental health journey. Kayla won the University of Technology  Sydney (UTS) Innovative Pharmacist of the Year award in 2017 for a pharmacist delivered mental health program she designed and implemented at Capital Chemist Wanniassa. Currently, Kayla is a pharmacist mentor on the PharMIbridge RCT, which aims to bridge the gap between mental and physical health.  

Episode 17 Mental Health | How are you, really?

Kayla shares her personal experiences with helping people with mental health and some tips on how to continually check in on others and yourself.

5 Indispensable Tips

1. Find your support circle – whether that’s friends, family, work colleagues, someone at the gym or local coffee shop, find them and build that trust.
2. Talk about mental health – good and not so good. Talking about it breaks the stigma and normalises the conversation around managing good and not so good mental health.
3. Be willing to give different treatments/therapies a go. You don’t know if it will work for you unless you try it!
4. It’s ok not to be ok. However, if you’re not ok, make sure you seek support and help to manage.
5. Always put aside time for self care. Work out what activities/hobbies bring you enjoyment and always make time for them.

Links

BeyondBlue guide to treatment for depression - https://resources.beyondblue.org.au/prism/file?token=BL/0556

Contact

Kayla Lee - [email protected]

Capital Chemist Braidwood - https://www.instagram.com/capitalchemistbraidwood/ 

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Tahnee Simpson is a community compounding pharmacist and owner of Keperra Compounding Pharmacy in Brisbane. Tahnee became a menopause pharmacist because she wanted to help women understand where they are at in their life stage, what’s happening with their hormones, and how it relates to how they are feeling. With many options available for treatment, wading through this on your own is overwhelming, and Tahnee helps to recommend the treatment that fits your needs.

Episode 16 Menopause | A back-firing car

A lack of the female hormone oestrogen contributes to bone loss, increased cardiovascular risks, reduced skin elasticity and lower libido. In this episode, Tahnee discusses the symptoms of menopause (described as a back-firing car!) and the options available, including MHT (menopause hormone therapy), to manage this hormone deficit. 

5 Indispensable tips

1. Knowledge is power – understanding where you are at in your life stage and what your hormones are doing goes a long way to understanding your symptoms.
2. Get rid of the stigma that women just need to “get through it” and stop complaining. We need to talk about this more - with our friends, with our mums, with our colleagues. Share our experiences, support one another, and get support from loved ones around us.
3. Get a mid-life health check – things can deteriorate post-menopause. Getting a health check and some base line information such as a mammogram, cervical screening, bone density scan, heart health check can give us a comparison point down the track.
4. Don’t suffer with the symptoms – there are treatments in the form of menopause hormonal treatment (for women in whom it is safe to take). Menopause hormonal therapy (also known as HRT) is safe for most women to use in the first 10 years post menopause.
5. Be kind to yourself – things are changing. Acknowledge that. The more you understand what’s happening to you, the more you know you aren’t going crazy!

Links

Jean Hailes - For women's health website: https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause 

Contact Tahnee here:

Keperra Compounding Pharmacy website: https://compoundingpharmacy.com.au/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TerryWhiteChemmartDallasParade/ 

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Nicolette Ellis is an Advanced Pharmacist Advisor for Queensland Health and senior clinical pharmacist for Beyond Pain, an interdisciplinary persistent pain videoconferencing program. A regular presenter and national trainer, she is passionate about improving access to multidisciplinary care for those living with persistent pain. She also runs 'The Rainbow Pharmacist', a content series featuring prominent influencers in pharmacy and exploring all the colours of the healthcare rainbow.

Episode 15 Chronic Pain | Relief, Mobility and the 'A' team

Nicolette shares her experience with helping people with persistent pain and reminds us to take power back from pain. It is important to recognise that there are a range of treatment options for chronic pain and you need an engaged team of health professionals to get the best results in your individual circumstances. Regularly review your personal goals and treatment and reach out for support whenever you need it.

5 Indispensable tips

1. When you have persistent pain, set goals for yourself and measure them.

2. Find support – whether that through family social, medical, community, online forums

3. The purpose of medication is to improve function, whether that’s improving sleep, mood, function or ability to work

4. Take the power back from pain

5. Aim for the “A” team - everyone in you care should be supporting you, helping to improve you self management strategies and assist with working towards your goals

Contact Nicolette here:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therainbowpharmacist/

Links:

To find pain programs/clinics - https://www.painaustralia.org.au/getting-help/pain-directory

For online pain programs - https://www.painaustralia.org.au/getting-help/pain-programs/programs

Beyond Pain - https://beyondpain.com.au/

Pain Calculator - https://pain-calculator.com/calculators/neuropathic-pain/

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Allie Xu was born and raised in a fourth-generation medical family in Shanghai, China, and moved to Australia when she was 15 years old. She's a registered pharmacist and holistic health and life coach specializing in emotional intelligence and the mind-body connection.

Allie is currently completing her master's of Chinese Medicine acupuncture. She is also the founder of the Global Pharmacy Entrepreneur Community and the host of Pharmacy Entrepreneur TV and podcast. Allie is passionate about showing pharmacists and the general public the connection between emotion, mind and body. Allie uses Eastern and Western Medicine philosophies and coaching methods to assist her clients to identify their emotional blocks and barriers to increase emotional intelligence.

Indispensable Episode 14

Allie shares her (recently award-winning!) Period Pride campaign, discussing the options available including moon/menstrual cups, period underwear and the difference in use of tampons between countries. If you own a uterus or know someone who has one, this ep is for you!

5 Indispensable tips

1. Record your cycle know when you are going to have your period, be prepared and also monitor your bleeding days and colour and quantity, size of clots each month. Use Apps to record your cycle.
2. Self-care time - Regular exercise such as walking, jogging, aerobics can help to soothe menstrual cramps. Adjust your emotions and mood. Do deep breathing to relax or activities to reduce stress and frustration. Have sufficient rest. Do not overwork. 
3. Avoid consumption of icy drinks, cold and raw food such as ice-cream, sashimi, especially prior and during your period. Try warm tea instead such as a) Rose or Jasmine Tea: Suitable for those who experience stress, frustration and bloating in the lower abdomen prior to the period. b) Ginger Tea: Suitable for those who feel cold especially during the period and those who felt better after applying a warm patch over the lower abdomen.
4. Be careful not to catch a cold, especially during your period. Keep yourself warm, especially your lower abdomen and legs, wear socks and avoid walking around bare feet. 
5. Massage – Gentle massage can help to reduce period pain. Apply heat packs or warm hands on your lower abdomen then apply circular movements 

You can connect with Allie here:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/allie-xu-b0486b89/

FB - https://www.facebook.com/allie.xu

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/allie_xu/ 

Pharmacy Entrepreneur TV - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUD4q4OiEJv67rWEqBs02Pw

Pharmacy Entrepreneur Podcast 

https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/pharmacy-entrepreneur-podcast/id1509751407

https://open.spotify.com/show/5NuCQkEpJyRmAEQtFfK2BP 

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Sam Keitaanpaa is a NT born, raised and educated pharmacist currently working in community pharmacy and undertaking his PhD in access to smoking cessation medicines and is the Chair of the Health Providers Alliance Northern Territory as well as the Vice President of the SA/NT Branch of the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia. Sam is a strong advocate for harm minimsation approaches and has delivered education to patients and health professionals around Codeine rescheduling, Medicinal Cannabis, Opioid Pharmacotherapy and supply programs, Performance and Image Enhancing Drugs and Culturally Safe practice. Sam has also sought to improve the access to medicines by Territorians living rough and those in residential rehabilitation and is currently working on a community naloxone awareness program.

Episode 13 Illicit | Substances in use

In this episode, Sam discusses illicit drugs that are being used in Australia right now, the potential harms from abusing prescriptions medications, the options available in pharmacy to deal with drug reliance (including naloxone) and where to get help when needed.

5 Indispensable Tips

1. Harm minimisation means exactly that, it's not abstinence, it's doing something in the least risky way
2. Know what is available, even if you don’t think you want to use it yet; its easier to access later if you want
3. Build relationships with services you are/might use for harm minimisation. Getting you know your GP/Pharmacist can make it a lot easier to engage later on things you feel less comfortable with
4. If you don’t feel you are being supported, say so. We are health professionals and if there is some personality clash, we won't take it personally
5. Small steps. Whether you are occasionally taking drugs or it’s an issue you want to tackle, just trying each time to do it a little safer, planning beforehand or replacing high risk activities with lower risk ones will eventually all add up.

Links

Alcohol and Drug Foundation: https://adf.org.au/

Australian Government Department of Health: https://www.health.gov.au/health-topics/drugs/about-drugs/how-to-reduce-or-quit-drugs

Alcohol and Other Drug hotline: 1800 250 015

Get in contact with Sam:

Twitter: @SKeitaanpaa

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Episode 12 Abortion | Medical Termination of pregnancy

In this episode, the Indispensable Pharmacist provides information about medical termination of pregnancy (MTOP) and what to expect. MTOP is a safe and effective procedure to end pregnancy (widely used in Australia since 2013 and for decades overseas).

5 Indispensable tips

1. Ensure you are well informed of your options and what is involved in the medical termination of pregnancy (MTOP)
2. You need to take the medication for MTOP in the correct order and at the correct time to ensure it has the best chance of working
3. The side effects of MTOP are bleeding, cramps and feeling sick so use heat packs, pain relief such as ibuprofen and anti-nausea medication along with rest during the process
4. You need to have a follow up appointment with your treating doctor 2-3 weeks after taking MTOP to confirm termination
5. You need support during this time so talk to trusted friends/family and your health professionals

Links

Family Planning Alliance Australia: https://www.familyplanningallianceaustralia.org.au/services/

Children by Choice: https://www.childrenbychoice.org.au/

MTOP change of mind: Debbie Garratt [email protected]

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In this short bonus episode, you find out more about the Indispensable Pharmacist and how PharmOnline came to be.

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Nhan Do is a pharmacist from Perth, WA. He was born in
Vietnam, completed high school in Singapore and his pharmacy degree in Perth. He was a very active student during university as the president of the West Australian Pharmacy Student Association (WAPSA) and board member on the National Pharmacy Student Association (NAPSA). 

Nhan is very passionate about educating patients on general health information and hosts a podcast called Breaking The Capsule with his pharmacist friend Ishaan. He is very passionate about sleep apnoea as it is one of the most under-diagnosed conditions.

Episode 11 Sleep apnoea | Cutting through the noise

In this episode, Nhan discusses Obstructive Sleep Apnoea, Continuous Positive Air Pressure (CPAP) machines, complications and treatments for sleep apnoea.

5 Indispensable tips

1. There are many people have sleep apnoea and do not know about it but need to be diagnosed and managed
2. Sleep apnoea can lead to many complications if left untreated
3. STOP-BANG and EPWORTH are popular questionnaire to assess sleep apnoea. You can take these questionnaires to get an idea if you need to see a health professional here:
   https://www.sleepapnea.org/assets/files/pdf/ESS%20PDF%201990-97.pdf
   https://www.sleepmedicine.com/files/files/StopBang_Questionnaire.pdf
4. CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) is the gold standard
   treatment for sleep apnoea patients
5. A sleep study can be done at home too where you may be more comfortable

Links

Sleep Health Foundation: https://www.sleephealthfoundation.org.au/obstructive-sleep-apnea.html

Contact Nhan here:

LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/in/nhan-do-69197874

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Health---Wellness-Website/Breaking-the-Capsule-110257606996674/

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Dr Fei Sim is a Senior Lecturer and the Coordinator of International Engagement in the School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences at Curtin University, Western Australia. Fei holds a Doctoral degree in Pharmacy, is a practising pharmacist, a community pharmacy owner, a pharmacist immuniser and an Accredited Mental Health First Aid Instructor.

Fei has served as the WA State President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia since 2017. Fei serves on a number of profession and academic-related committees, and is fully committed to the pharmacy profession and is passionate about the future of the profession through growth of professional services to attain the highest level of contemporary pharmacist practice. Through her teaching and research activities as an academic, Fei is committed to motivating and inspiring students to become excellent and competent future pharmacists, and encouraging them to have the courage and aspiration to be future leaders in the primary healthcare team. Fei has led and is involved in a number of research projects and trials aiming to provide evidence to support the great contribution of pharmacists, including in the area of immunisation, mental health, minor ailments management and diabetes.

Her teaching awards, the 2018 PSA WA Early Career Pharmacist Award and the 2019 PSA Early Career Pharmacist of the Year Award are testimony to her commitment to patient care, learning and teaching, leadership in pharmacy, innovation and initiative in pharmacy service delivery, as well as peer and professional engagement.

Episode 10 Vaccination | Whooping Cough

In this episode, Fei discusses the pertussis (dTpa) vaccine and its benefits for at-risk individuals, including pregnant women and young children.

5 Indispensable tips

1. Make sure you are vaccinated
2. Encourage others to get vaccinated. Ask each other
3. Get up to date and current information. Speak to your pharmacist
4. If you experience any side effects from the vaccine, speak to your pharmacist
5. If you have whooping cough, you can help stop the disease spreading by staying away from childcare, school, work or other places where you could spread the infection. Cover you mouth and nose when you sneeze/cough and practise hand hygiene (wash your hands thoroughly and often!).

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