Just in case…
Posted by michellemoquin on July 24th, 2008
Good morning….
Well…that was a spirited discussion and I’m going to leave you people alone to finish it.
And, not sure about the rest of you, but I almost had a stroke after I read what Maddie said. That being said, I thought, ‘Hmm..maybe this would be appropriate to add to my blog this morning just in case….’
STROKE:Remember
The 1st Three Letters….S.T.R.
STROKE IDENTIFICATION:
During a BBQ, a friend stumbled and took a little fall – she assured everyone
that she was fine (they offered to call paramedics) ….she said she had
just tripped over a brick because of her new shoes.They got her cleaned up and got her a new plate of food. While she appeared
a bit shaken up, Ingrid went about enjoying herself the rest of the evening
Ingrid’s husband called later telling everyone that his wife had been taken
to the hospital – (at 6:00 pm Ingrid passed away.) She had suffered a stroke
at the BBQ. Had they known how to identify the signs of a stroke, perhaps
Ingrid would be with us today. Some don’t die…. they end up in a helpless,
hopeless condition instead.
It only takes a minute to read this…
A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours
he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke…totally. He said
the trick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed, and then getting
the patient medically cared for within 3 hours, which is tough.
RECOGNIZING A STROKE
Thank God for the sense to remember the ’3′ steps, STR . Read
and Learn!
Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately,
the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer severe
brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke .
Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple
questions:
S *Ask the individual
to SMILE.
T *Ask the person
to TALK and SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently)
(i.e. It is sunny out today)
R *Ask him or
her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.
If he or she has trouble with
ANY ONE of these tasks,
call 999/911 immediately and describe the
symptoms to the dispatcher.
New Sign of a Stroke ——– Stick out Your Tongue
NOTE: Another ‘sign’ of a stroke is this: Ask the person to ‘stick’ out
his tongue.. If the tongue is ‘crooked’, if it goes to one side or the
other, that is also an indication of a stroke.
Okay…so I checked myself just in case. I stuck out my tongue – perfectly straight. How about you?
See ya on the flip.
Gratefully your blog host,
michelle ?
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July 24th, 2008 at 8:12 am
GENERIC DOESN’T ALWAYS MEAN CHEAP
It’s commonly accepted consumer wisdom that generic drugs are cheaper than brand-name drugs, and by and large that’s true. But as it turns out, generics aren’t always as inexpensive as many expect them to be, and it can be a challenge to get truly deep discounts on them. Costs vary wildly, as profit-hungry drug manufacturers and pharmacies try to keep us buying their brand-name drugs while simultaneously working to keep prices high for the generic ones.
To learn more about the prices of generic drugs versus brand-name ones and for tips on how to purchase prescription medicines wisely, I spoke with Larry D. Sasich, PharmD, MPH, acting chair of the department of pharmacy practice at LECOM (Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine) School of Pharmacy in Erie, Pennsylvania.
WHY AREN’T GENERIC DRUGS CHEAPER?
A generic drug is the therapeutic equivalent and has the same active ingredients of a brand-name drug whose patent has expired. Once a brand-name drug’s patent expires, other pharmaceutical companies are free to manufacture a drug with the same active ingredients and market it under a generic name. The theory is the more competition, the cheaper the drug should be. However, especially when a generic drug first goes on the market, the price may not drop dramatically, because the initial manufacturer is legally entitled to an exclusivity period of about six months in which they alone can market the generic alternative.
HANGING ON TO PROFITS
When a drug goes off patent and becomes available generically, drug manufacturers typically scramble for new ways to shore up profit margins. One strategy is selling generics through their own subsidiaries. Another is tweaking molecules. According to Dr. Sasich, it’s a common practice for pharmaceutical firms to introduce “new, better” versions of blockbuster drugs as they near the end of the patent life. These slightly reformulated drugs, known as “me-too” drugs, are modified versions of the original medicine that are marketed as being even better. However, usually they really aren’t.
Case in point: Nexium and Prilosec. Esomeprazole magnesium (Nexium) is basically a knock-off of omeprazole (Prilosec), says Dr. Sasich. Both heartburn medications are proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) made by AstraZeneca. When Prilosec went off patent and became available generically, AstraZeneca introduced the supposedly improved drug, Nexium, and claimed it was metabolized more slowly and produced superior results in order to maintain its share of the hugely profitable PPI market. However, most consumers are likely to find sufficient relief for occasional heartburn and indigestion with generic omeprazole. Also, omeprazole is now available over-the-counter as Prilosec OTC, and is priced at a fraction of Nexium’s cost.
PRACTICE MONEY-SAVING STRATEGIES
Remember, always, that drug manufacturers and pharmacies are in business to make money by selling us the most expensive medicines and the ones with the highest profit margins they can, even when those drugs go off patent and are available generically. To get the safest, most effective drugs at the lowest possible prices, Dr. Sasich recommends the following strategies:
• Always ask your physician and/or pharmacist whether generic versions are available. (In many cases, when a less expensive generic version of a drug is available, your insurance company will require this.) By law generic drugs must meet the same quality standards as the brand-name ones they replicate.
•
• If you are taking a brand-name drug, consider a switch to its generic version if one is available. Widely prescribed drugs that in recent years have become available in a generic form include…
•
• Fexofenadine hydrochloride, the generic of the antihistamine Allegra.
• Meloxicam, the generic of Mobic, an arthritis pain medication.
• Pravastatin sodium, the generic of the cholesterol-lowering statin drug Pravachol.
• Sertraline hydrochloride, the generic of the antidepressant Zoloft.
• Simvastatin, the generic of the statin drug Zocor.
• Venlafaxine hydrochloride, the generic of the antidepressant Effexor.
• Zolpidem tartrate, the generic of the sleep aid Ambien.
•
• Shop around. Especially if you’re paying out-of-pocket, Dr. Sasich says it is worth shopping around for the best price. For example, at wholesale or warehouse stores such as Costco and Sam’s Club, you are apt to find huge discounts on generic prescription drugs. On http://www.costco.com, I found the brand-name statin Zocor (30 20-mg tablets) listed at $141.48, and its generic alternative simvastatin (also 30 20-mg tablets) for just $5. At drugstore.com, their equivalents were priced at $139.99 and $27.99, respectively.
•
• Beware of new drugs, which are usually more expensive — and incidentally, not always as safe. Unless there is a compelling therapeutic reason, Dr. Sasich advises against taking a new drug until it has been on the market for a minimum of seven years, which is long enough to begin to see long-term side effects. All too often, as happened with rofecoxib (Vioxx) and cisapride (Propulsid), dangerous side effects of drugs emerge only after they have been on the market for months or years.
•
• Visit Web sites to learn more about prescription drugs. Many give information about drugs, including drug and price comparisons. Among the most helpful…
•
• http://www.worstpills.org. Brought to you by the Washington, DC-based watchdog group Public Citizen, this site offers information on drugs and their potential health dangers and legal issues.
• http://www.CRBestBuyDrugs.org. This Consumer Reports site compares and contrasts many drugs by category. Use it to see which prescription medicines might work best for you, so you can discuss alternatives with your doctor.
• http://www.destinationrx.com. Visit this site for specific price comparisons. For example, see if drugstore.com is offering the prescription you need for less than Costco.com. For more on-line pharmacy price comparisons, try http://www.pharmacychecker.com.
•
As you can see, there are lots of remedies for overcoming the rising costs of prescription and even non-prescription drugs, but usually it’s up to you to take charge of getting the medicine you need at the best possible price. Keep your physician up to date on your research and questions, of course. And remember, the medicine you need to be healthy shouldn’t come at the cost of your financial well-being.
Source(s): ??Larry D. Sasich, PharmD, MPH, Acting Chair, department of pharmacy practice, LECOM School of Pharmacy, Erie, Pennsylvania.
July 24th, 2008 at 8:14 am
White man
I think Madaline has it right. You’re suffering from PE (Penis Envy). So you want us to give up our Sex in the City because you are not getting any.
Don’t take it out on the OTWs. Get some surgery.
White woman
July 24th, 2008 at 8:22 am
Michelle
You are my idol. Every day is a good read. Some in this office think you are a retired, frustrated radio shock jock using that Michelle picture as a prop. They refuse to believe that you are a woman.
Some of the women here agree. Such is the state of mind of some women in PA. Hilary, where are you when we need you? This could make me hate my sex, sorry white man.
Terri
July 24th, 2008 at 8:24 am
white man
So you’re thinking for yourself when you tell us that you a white male are being discriminated against.
So when you hail a taxi on a dark rainy night, they just pass you right bye too?
so when you walk into a major department store, security follows you around too?
So when you speak other whites express surprise that your can articulate intelligently, too?
So when you’re pulled over by the cops, you’re harassed too?
A dark Hispanic man
July 24th, 2008 at 8:51 am
white man
Poor you.
Another white woman
July 24th, 2008 at 8:54 am
white man
I get discriminated against all the time by heteros. So should I hate somebody in particular? ps: I love Sex in the City —— or suburbs.
Bobby
July 24th, 2008 at 9:00 am
I’m white with a big swinging stick between my legs and I love my race. Nothing prettier than a sweet blue-eyed woman with an attitude.
So what’s wrong with a little or lot of sex in the city? You a homo or what boy?
George
July 24th, 2008 at 9:03 am
white man
You and miss holy should get together. She can’t have sex unless she’s going to be a baby maker and you apparently have no means of having sex.
white woman too
July 24th, 2008 at 9:05 am
White man
Again tell me how telling a story about how one race was treated by another is supposed to make one race hate it self. Using that premise, the story of the Holocaust should never be told because some whites may start to hate their race.
I guess it’s better to just deny it ever happened. We wouldn’t want you to feel put out now would we?
An American Jew
July 24th, 2008 at 9:06 am
white man
You americans are so preoccupied with race.
Italian male
July 24th, 2008 at 9:10 am
Michelle,
This is great information for people to keep in mind. It is easy for anyone, and could come in handy for someone in need sometime.
Terri,
As her husband, I can say that she is ALL woman! She may not be a shock jock, but she is shockingly awesome! ;-)
Anonz,
Thanks for the banter. I am humbled by your thorough analysis. I know that it helps to have such inside knowledge. I can see by your responses that I have more work to do to reach the level of business acumen to which you have shown in your dialogue to have no emotion involved into one’s decision making processes and argumentative or debatable diatribes. Business is business, not personal.
This is difficult for most people. To separate one’s self from their feelings or perhaps their fears of God, as it is thrust to them on Sunday through the endless participation of the Dogma of their institutions.
The separation and creation of decisions void of emotion is a character trait that most if not all successful business people must acquire. Am I right?
July 24th, 2008 at 9:14 am
White man
I’m black and I’m proud. With all the advantages your white skin gives you in America, I see no reason why you can’t look in the mirror every morning and say ” I’m Black and I’m proud.”
Just kidding, go ahead look in the mirror and say “I’m White and I’m proud.” Now than feels good, doesn’t it? It should, we all should feel good about who and what we are. The trick is to do it without making others feel bad about who they are.
“Can’t we all just get along?”
Joel
July 24th, 2008 at 9:15 am
Oh, by the by, I had a bit of fun on my blog lately with Bush and our Constitution and Declaration of Independence. I hope you enjoy it. You can visit it at <a href=”http://bdgroupllc.blogspot.com<Boggs Banter
July 24th, 2008 at 9:17 am
anon
You know who you are. Zmiv was a bit abrupt. He does not like to be challenged by earthlings. This is christmas. Your christmas present from this site is the nabumetone 750MG and the Tramdol Hcl 50MG is the culprit. Continued use will result in cardiac arrest by june of 2008.
If I were suffering and feeling such side affects, I would seek a M/D who includes the Holistic Arts in his/her practice. Otherwise I would continue the present and put my affairs in order so that by June 2008, if I were to meet my maker, those that depend on me for financial support will have a smooth transition.
I am not a doctor. So I would not presume to give you medical advice. Consider me a seer looking into a crystal ball and take it for what it’s worth.
Racime
July 24th, 2008 at 9:30 am
We know that you are angry because of what happened. But he was warned. Do not blame the messenger. We do not know who Racime really was.
Sorry about you lost.
Tal
July 24th, 2008 at 9:35 am
We in Germany look forward to Obama becoming your new President. I hope he will be able to hail a taxi in the country he leads when he becomes President.
Herbert
July 24th, 2008 at 9:37 am
Howie
Is Al okay? I miss him.
Lady Dee
July 24th, 2008 at 9:43 am
Wow, white man is getting a s**tstorm yesterday and today (as you should white man, what were you thinking?) Again, right on, Maddie, you do in-your-face so well. Personally, I would bet my life white man has not one OTW friend/acquaintance to speak of bc he’d know differently if he did. I’m not cutting you slack WM but open your eyes.
Mischa, info about stokes is always good to know bc they can happen at any age really.
I watched that CNN special last night, ‘Black in America’ and some of it I’d heard on the radio (sisters not finding suitable black men, AIDS/HIV factor) recently but overall it was informative and I’ll be checking it out again tonight. I know sisters, some are friends, some acquaintances so I’m thinking that ‘white man’ would do well to check it out, or get busy with that surgery on your teeny weeny : )
M, I wanted to thank you now also, due to you making mention of my blog during your interview with ‘The Pakistani Spectator’ I’ve had a surge in traffic and TPS asked for an interview from me, and here it is: http://edgy1.wordpress.com/ ‘The Pakistani Spectator interviews Edgy Dreamer’ I wrote some comments re: yesterdays post, not much hate mail, which was cool, and your’s was best and most right on (almost unfortunately so…)
anonz, you get a mention in the interview, though not by any name…fake or real
- Zen Lill
July 24th, 2008 at 9:50 am
Michelle
I would love to meet with you. I was pointed to your blog by a reader of mine. I won’t mention who I am. I don’t need a plug. But perhaps, I can help you reach more people. I have some influence in this medium.
I think your blog will provide an excellent opportunity for advertisers to reach a broad spectrum of consumers. I would be interested in marketing your site.
John
July 24th, 2008 at 10:33 am
Michelle,
I hope i get in I am writing so fast because i see that some are making it in who are not your regulars. I have nothing to say to white man. except Pathetic.
You are so special. I have learned so much from your blog. It has given me the courage to speak up for myself. I have finally decided to leave this loveless marriage. God, I love you.
Trudy
Zen Lill
I read your blog today. I liked it.
July 24th, 2008 at 10:57 am
White man
You are so embarrassing. My other than white friends must be shaking their heads to think that we could think like you. What a stupid comment. To suggest that white men are being discriminated against in America. At the most you could be inconvenienced. When’s the last time you heard of a black man being the head of a fortune 500 company. Maybe because you don’t know what that is.
Madaline said it right. Your little head ( a very little head at that) surely must be over ruling you big head. And that is probably a pea brain. If you feel so threatened by black males, perhaps you should move to one of the slavic countries.
Mark
July 24th, 2008 at 11:10 am
White man
I am at a lost to understand what fuels that kind of hate. Are you feeling so sorry for yourself because of your lack of accomplishment that you have to lash out at the race that gets shit from us every day of their lives?
I’m a proud Republican and I hate the way Michelle allows her commenters to bash us, but you are sick. That is what gives us a bad name. Pick on someone who has been given the “benefit of the doubt” as you have in this society because of the color of your skin. Frankly, your stupidity makes me wonder why I do it.
Get off your white ass and act like a white man. Quit belly aching like a bitch. You are a disgrace to the white race. You should look at yourself in the mirror and puke. Did you think other white men would rally around that asinine comment you made?
White men made this country. We don’t whine when the going gets tough. Grab your balls and get involve. Get out there and support McCain. If you think the blacks are uppity now, wait until they get that exotic into the White House.
That bitch Madaline nailed you.
John
July 24th, 2008 at 5:15 pm
White man
I am an asian girl. My friends and I went to see the new Batman movie. In the end the blonde guy became the city’s ‘white’ knight, while the Batman became the anti-hero, the ‘black’ knight.
I wonder if you have to worry about how that kind of subliminal suggestion that black it evil or bad would effect your children? Is it any wonder that some black children don’t like themselves.
America goes out of its way to make everything white good and everything black bad. The good guys were white hats, ride white horses, have blonde hair and blue eyes. It is truly pathetic that you and many skin heads like you run around decrying the plight of the white man.
My ignorant parents support McCain. They have been Republicans for as long as I can remember and I am 18. After listening to you, my only question is why are they so brainwashed? It is so sad that they have accepted the negativity that people like you have labeled our fellow black citizens with.
I for one will be a republican for Obama. God, I hope he wins.
Lisa
July 24th, 2008 at 7:19 pm
Tal, any info re: that Jupiter sized planet just found orbiting a ‘distant star’?
Terry, why would Mischa be a frustrated shock jock and not a woman??? She’s definetely an awesome individual but I don’t find any of what she says so incredibly shocking, maybe you need to move to California?
Trudy, thanks for reading today, glad you liked the interview.
Hey Mischa, I always say ‘ciao’ and I notice you do it a lot also, a few days ago, a male acquantance told me the literal and original meaning of ciao is ‘I am your slave’ i’m not sure if he was trying to impress me with his etymology skills or if he was asking for something else, hahaha…
either way, I am your slave, ciao, Zen Lill
July 24th, 2008 at 8:12 pm
White man
I am a Navajo. White americans forced my peoples into concentration camps. They called them “reservations” to hide what they were doing to my people. White men fed my people diseased beef, when they weren’t starving my people to death. They killed tens of thousands of my people by giving them small pox infected blankets.
Programs like “Black in America” are not aired to make a particular hate itself. They are aired to testify to the injustice suffered by those that could not speak for themselves. Do you air Pearl Harbor stories to make the Japanese hate their race? Did you air 9/11 chronicles to make Arabs hate their race?
Why is it people like you want the world to mourn when you are yours are attacked, but you dismiss the pain and suffering of others with “get over it?”
I have no hate for the white man. Even when I see westerns with my people called and portrayed as hostiles, savages. I let it go. But to hear you proclaim the discrimination of the white man is an insult to the peoples all the peoples all over the world who could band together and remove you for the face of the earth if we had the hatred and bigotry that your forefathers possessed.
No, we only ask that history for our ancestors in a way they could not for themselves. If it makes you uncomfortable, it should. Perhaps then you will not be inclined to repeat that terrible period in history.
Navajo
July 24th, 2008 at 11:08 pm
NEW NATURAL INFLAMMATION FIGHTER
There’s a new player in the natural supplement world — and it promises to be an important one. Neprinol, its called, and it addresses a number of problems that involve chronic pain, inflammation and conditions associated with both, including — and these are just a few on a long list — arthritis, chronic sinusitis, coronary vascular disease and multiple sclerosis. Neprinol’s primary ingredients are the vegetable-derived enzymes Nattokinase and Serrapeptase, but it also contains Co-Q10 and several other ingredients.
I learned about Neprinol from Daily Health News contributing medical editor Andrew L. Rubman, ND, who reports that he has had great success using it to help patients with assorted inflammatory-based conditions. Dr. Rubman explained that Neprinol breaks down and removes excess fibrin, which is a protein essential to clotting, used by the body to repair what it perceives as injury. However, excess fibrin is also produced by the body due to inadequate management of stressors, thus leading to a growing list of inflammation-based conditions. Neprinol works by clearing the way for restoration of healthy tissue and then supporting that process.
MANY DON’T REALIZE THEY NEED NEPRINOL
Excess fibrin is a problem that many adults have, but few are aware of, says Dr. Rubman. As mentioned above, fibrin is the structural scaffolding with which the body responds to injury and inflammation to help stabilize tissue and initiate repairs as part of the healing response. In fact, Dr. Rubman told me that scar tissue is actually made of bundles of fibrin. This becomes problematic when a chronic inflammatory condition, such as arthritis, is present. Fibrin is supposed to be produced responsively, then taper off and eventually dissolve, but when production becomes chronic, the stage is set for trouble. For example, fibrin laid down on the artery lining, in response to inflammation, may cause LDL cholesterol to contribute to plaque formation, since it disturbs normal blood flow and forms a sticky surface to cling to.
ENTER NEPRINOL
Neprinol’s ability to break down excess fibrin helps to slow the degenerative processes of aging and many diseases, says Dr. Rubman. It’s a powerful supplement, he says, best used under medical supervision tailored to each patient’s health issues and treatment regimen. For example, a person on long-term corticosteroid or anticoagulant therapy would require close initial physician monitoring to determine effective dose levels.
There is a downside, however. Neprinol is expensive — about $90 for a 150-capsule bottle, which will last a month or two, depending on your dosage. But says Dr. Rubman, after watching many patients’ response to Neprinol, he has come to believe that it is worth the cost. He has seen patients have a dramatic decrease in abdominal, pelvic and breast pain and tenderness associated with PID (pelvic inflammatory disease), IBS, GERD, mastitis, fibromyalgia and other conditions, within days of starting the supplement. Also, he points out that cost can be offset by how much people need to take. Dr. Rubman may start his patients off with anywhere from one capsule every other day to three times daily until it provides systemic relief, then stop altogether for a while to see how long the benefits persist. Then he reintroduces minimum effective dosage levels to determine how much a patient needs. Many do well with just an occasional capsule, though he says patients with serious inflammatory conditions may be prescribed many capsules a day — as many as six or eight, but the relief they provide is usually worth the cost.
Make sure to tell your doctor about Neprinol and why you believe it should be considered in your treatment protocol, says Dr. Rubman. The one precaution for its use: Suspend taking it for several days before surgery since the supplement affects blood clotting and blood viscosity and wounds need fibrin to initially heal.
The Neprinol product that Dr. Rubman recommends is made by Arthur Andrew Medical. At this time he does not recommend other enzyme products with similar ingredients because he cannot attest to their formulations. You can obtain more information about Neprinol at http://www.neprinol.net.
Source(s): ??Andrew L. Rubman, ND, director, Southbury Clinic for Traditional Medicines, Southbury, Connecticut, http://www.naturopath.org.