May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month in Maine

Lyme disease is preventable. Maine CDC recommends following the “No Ticks 4 ME” approach which includes:

• Wear protective clothing
• Use insect repellent
• Perform daily tick checks
• Use caution in tick habitats

• Ticks must be attached for 24-48 hours before the bacteria can be transmitted, so prompt removal of ticks is extremely important. 

• Anyone with a known tick bite or who has been in a tick habitat should watch for symptoms for at least 30 days after the exposure. If symptoms develop, call your physician.

• The most common early symptom of Lyme disease is an expanding red rash (erythema migrans) that occurs 3-30 days after being bitten. Fever, joint and muscle pains may also occur.  

Prophylaxis after a tick bite is not routinely recommended, but can be considered under specific circumstances (tick has been identified as an engorged deer tick that has been attached for over 24 hours, and prophylaxis can be started within 72 hours. 

• Even if prophylaxis is used, monitoring for symptoms for 30 days is recommended. 

 

 Check out the Maine CDC website at http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/mecdc/press-release.shtml?id=524456 for more information.

Beginning in March, Dr. Charlebois has relocated his practice to Inland Family Care 74 Water St. in Oakland.  If you wish to follow him to his new practice location, you can call his office at 465-7342 to schedule an appointment.  If you wish to remain a patient of Three Rivers Family Practice, please contact Three Rivers at 873-3753 or let us know during your next appointment.

Amanda Doody has joined our front office staff, making your experience with both our Waterville and Augusta locations as friendly and efficient as possible.  Please welcome her!

Spring is right around the corner, a time of renewal.  This is a great time of year to get more active and improve your health.  Take advantage of the snow and explore the trails behind Inland or at Quarry Rd. with your snowshoes or cross country skis.  As the snow melts, get out and walk for at least 30 minutes, 5 days a week.  If you live in the Augusta area, the Rail Trail is a great place to walk, and in Waterville and Oakland the trail system is a great way to enjoy nature.  Many gyms offer discounted membership rates this time of year.  You can join Planet Fitness for as little as $10 /month.  Fairfield and Augusta also have 24 hr fitness centers for those of you with hectic schedules (no more excuses!)  Whatever activity you may enjoy, be more active! Exercise is one of the best things you can do for yourself and has been shown to help combat a multitude of health problems including obesity, hypertension, diabetes, insomnia, depression, anxiety, fibromyalgia and back pain.  If you're not sure what type of exercise is right for you, discuss it with your health care provider.

Please note: Both offices are closed Monday January 21, 2013.

We've moved!

Our Augusta office has relocated from Middle St. to 77 Sewall St.  Parking is located behind the building.  Follow the signs to find us right on the ground floor through the back entrance.

Our Waterville location has not changed.

Our friendly Augusta staff look forward to welcoming you to our newly renovated office.

DIRECTIONS

View Three River Family Practice Offices in a larger map

We hope the Holidays were safe and enjoyable for everyone!

Our offices will be closed Monday January 21, 2013 in observance of Martin Luther King Day.

We look forward to re-locating our Augusta office to 77 Sewall St. in Augusta in the coming weeks.  If you have an appointment in our Augusta location in the coming weeks, we will confirm with you whether or not we have moved when confirming your appointment.  Donna Sonner, FNP is a new member of our team seeing patients in our Augusta location 5 days per week.

Virginia Smith-Dunwoody, FNP is seeing patients in both Augusta and Waterville and Marie Mason, PA is seeing patients in Waterville.  Their hard work allows us to provide you with more appointment options and availability to better meet your needs.

Vitamins, supplements and probiotics continue to be available through Balance Rx in both Waterville and Augusta.  Check with the office for available supplements and pricing.

Happy Holidays 

The staff at Three Rivers wish you a safe and happy Holiday Season.

Important Notice:

Our offices will be closing at noon on Monday December 24.  We will not re-open until Thursday December 27 at our usual business hours.  We will be closed December 25 and December 26.

We will also close at noon on Monday December 31 and will be closed  Wednesday January 1.  An on-call physician is always available when our office is closed, and can be reached by calling our office number.

Please plan ahead for refills so your requests can be fulfilled during business hours.

We've recently had two new additions to our Three Rivers team.  Virginia Smith-Dunwoody NP is seeing established and new patients at both our Waterville and Augusta locations.

Donna Sonner NP brings her years of experience to us all the way from Oaklahoma.  We welcome her to our Augusta location, where she too is seeing both established and new patients.

Happy Holidays from our staff here at Three Rivers.
As a reminder, our office will be closed Thursday November 22 and Friday November 23 to observe the Thanksgiving Holiday.  Please plan your medication refills and other requests accordingly.

We wish Jenn Deane PA the best as she begins her new job at the LaHey Clinic.  We welcome our new providers, Marie Mason, PA and Virginia Smith-Dunwoody, NP to our staff.  Both are available for both acute and follow-up appointments, and Virginia is also accepting new patients in both our Waterville and Augusta locations.

Three Rivers at Walk for Hope October 13, 2012

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  If you are a woman over 50, please make sure you have had your mammogram this year.  If you are a woman over 40, talk to your doctor about screening recommendations.

Our Flu Clinics have passed, but flu shots are still available.  Call for your appointment.

Welcome two new members to our team.  Marie Mason, P.A. and Virginia Smith-Dunwoody F.N.P.

Pertussis or Whooping Cough incidence in the community is on the rise.  There have already been 571 reported cases of Pertussis in 2012, an increase from 142 cases at this time in 2011.  Talk to your Doctor about the Tdap vaccine for adults, teens and pre-teens and Dtap for infants and pre-school children.  Pertussis vaccination is especially important in households with new babies.  For more information: What you need to know about pertussis.

For your convenience, Balance Rx offers vitamin and probiotic supplements at both office locations.  These include vitamin D, fish oil, B vitamins and probiotics.  Talk to your Doctor to see if vitamin supplements are right for you.