Author: Emma Yasinski

Emma Yasinski

I am a freelance science and medical journalist, fascinated by how the scientific process leads to incredible discoveries, but also can lead to publication bias leaning toward positive findings and minimizing negatives. With a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience from Lafayette College and a Master’s in Science and Medical Journalism from Boston University, I’ve written about clinical trial transparency, organ donation, and basic molecular biology for publications like The Scientist, The Atlantic, Undark.org, Kaiser Health News, and more. At MedShadow, I research and write about the sometimes unexpected ways that medicines can affect us, and what we can do if and when it does.

After her first surgery for endometriosis, writer Kristina Kasparian learned that during surgery, surgeons had filled her abdomen with gas to make it easier to see her organs. But the gas didn’t escape her body right away, meaning that as she was recovering, the trapped gas caused her “tremendous discomfort, radiating into the ribs, and up to the collarbone.”  She was also surprised to find that anesthesia can continue affecting you for several days after the surgery, making you extra groggy.  Since then, Kasparian has had three more surgeries for endometriosis. The first was the most challenging to recover from,…

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When Pat (now 71) was in her 40s, her vaginal dryness became so severe that the vaginal tissue would flare with even a gentle wipe. She’d been exposed to a drug called DES (diethylstilbestrol) when she was in utero, which caused myriad health issues as she grew up, and was likely behind the dryness. For her, coconut oil made a huge difference. “If only I had known I was not alone with this personal issue,” she says. Vaginal dryness is likely more common than you think. It can affect women of any age, but is especially prevalent among those who…

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