Seattle Women’s News
Apr 26, 2013

Dr. Irene Piekarksi, our much esteemed colleague at Seattle Women’s, recently announced her retirement after 40 years of practice. She will be greatly missed by patients and staff alike. We at Seattle Women’s wish her a happy and healthy retirement. Both Dr. Kroll and Susan Vendeland, ARNP will be available to assume care for Dr. Piekarski’s patients.

At this time, Robin Kroll, MD, FACOG, NCMP, is accepting new patients. In addition to her special expertise in Menopause, Female Sexual Dysfunction and Vulvar Disorders, Dr. Kroll sees patients for annual exams and general women’s health care issues. She maintains daily office hours and additionally offers Saturday hours for your convenience.

Seattle Women’s currently has research studies that are recruiting both women and men, including our migraine, acne and overactive bladder studies. We are recruiting women only for our endometriosis, contraception gel, hot flash and other studies. Please visit our current studies page for a complete list: Current Studies . For more information about research studies, contact our recruitment department at 206-522-3330 x2 or email research@seattlewomens.com.

Unique Medical Research Study Evaluating an Investigational Medication for Weight Loss
Sep 27, 2012

One of the biggest public health issues in the United States today is obesity. Affecting 93 million Americans, obesity has reached epidemic proportions. It not only increases the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, but also some types of cancer, sleep apnea and potentially a variety of other conditions. Medical research suggests that losing just 5 percent of your body weight can significantly improve your health and quality of life. However, many people cannot achieve this type of weight loss with diet and exercise alone, and few safe and effective medications are currently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the long-term management of weight loss.

Seattle Women’s recently began enrolling patients in the Light Study, a unique medical research study evaluating an investigational drug that has been shown to help people lose weight, keep it off for one year, and improve measures of health and well-being including losing inches from their waistlines, improving their cholesterol numbers, and making significant improvements in their blood sugar levels.

You may qualify for the Light Study if you are a man age 45 or older, or a woman age 50 or older, need to lose weight, and have heart disease and/or type 2 diabetes with certain heart risk factors.

Those who qualify and choose to participate in the Light Study will take part in an innovative, comprehensive weight management program called WeightMate™. Delivered through an internet-based platform by accredited health and fitness professionals, WeightMate provides a convenient, progressive nutrition and exercise program with goal setting and tracking tools.

“Obesity requires a comprehensive medical approach, and many people who are obese need medical intervention to get the help they need to achieve their healthy weight,” said Dr. Robin Kroll, an investigator in the Light Study. “However, options are currently limited, and new weight loss management approaches are needed. Those who have struggled to find success in losing weight and sustaining it may benefit from enrolling in the Light Study.”

Individuals interested in learning about the Light Study can contact Seattle Women’s at 206-522-3330 x2. If you participate in the Light Study you may also have the opportunity to receive the investigational medication. There is no guarantee that the study medication will cause you to lose weight.

“V” is for Vulva and the Vagina
Jun 13, 2012

[From Seattle Women's Newsletter Dec 2010]

Yeast infections. Pap smears Birth control prescriptions. We all know who to call when we need advice about these issues. But who do we call about pain with intercourse, a freckle on your vaginal lips, or a pain “down there”?

There’s more to women’s health than vaginal issues – there are vulvar conditions of the skin as well as pelvic and sexual pain. All these specialized issues are of particular interest to us at Seattle Women’s. Dr. Robin Kroll and I recently attended the ISSVD (International Society for the Study of Vulvovaginal Disease) meeting in Chicago to hear the most recent research about common vaginal and vulvar conditions.

Let’s review your anatomy. Women’s sexual organs are both internal and external. We all know the internal one- the vagina, completely hidden from view, the passageway from the uterus to the outside world. In contrast, the vulva is the area between the legs, totally external, consisting of (from front to back) the clitoris, the labia majora and minora, and the vestibule. The clitoris is an organ whose only purpose is sexual pleasure. The labia majora and minora help lubricate and guide the penis during intercourse. The vestibule is actually the gateway to the vagina, which has lubricating glands and musculature to aid in sexual contact. Women, young and old, sexually active or not, can experience a variety of disorders of both the vulva and vagina. Not everything that stings or burns is a yeast infection! Melanomas, skin cancers, and other serious conditions can occur on the vuvlar skin.

There are excellent books and websites, written for non-professionals, that you can turn to for more detailed information. The V Book by Elizabeth Stewart, MD and National Vulvadynia Association (nva.org) both discuss normal vulvovaginal anatomy and common conditions. Take care of your vulva and vagina and let us be partners in your efforts.

Irene Piekarski, MD

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