OT - FDA Approves New Opioid Addiction Treatment

FDA Approves New Opioid Addiction Treatment - National Pain Report
http://bit.ly/1oQMbPd

This isn't a new drug, just a new formulation of buprenorphine, but it's worth noting anyway.

Some of you may be wondering why I'm paying about an addiction treatment and it's a valid question. As pain patients, we are constantly grouped with addicts and we need to stay informed. Also, some PMs have prescribed Suboxone for pain, which is stupid because buprenorphine only treats pain with doses below 0.3mg/300mcg per day (Butrans is the only buprenorphine product capable of treating pain). The reason why doses above 2mg don't work for pain is that buprenorphine is a partial mu-opioid agonist (it acts like naloxone/Narcan and naltrexone at high doses and blocks opioids).

If we don't know the names of these addiction treatments, PMs can lie to to us.

SUBOXONE, BUNAVAIL, BUPRENEX, SUBUTEX, ZUBSOLV, AND ALL GENERIC BUPRENORPHINE PRODUCTS ARE FOR ADDICTION TREATMENT ONLY, DO NOT TAKE THEM FOR PAIN. Buprenorphine pills aren't for pain, only buprenorphine patches treat pain.

Steve

OT- Why Exercise Helps You Think Straight

Why Exercise Helps You Think Straight
http://bit.ly/1hak21c

Okay, this isn't related to chronic pain, but it is interesting, so I felt like I had to share it.

New Wireless System Could Power Medical Devices

New Wireless System Could Power Medical Devices- National Pain Report

http://bit.ly/1hagmfT

California Law Would Require Cops To Return Seized Pot If Charges Are Dropped

California Law Would Require Cops To Return Seized Pot If Charges Are Dropped
http://bit.ly/1gjfLNC

I'm all for returning medication to patients once charges are dropped, but I fear that this could discourage police & prosecutors from voluntarily dropping charges (especially if the cannabis has already been destroyed), which would hurt patients.

I'm against allowing police to destroy ANY evidence. Aside from the obvious consequences (especially ease of fabricating evidence), this would make it easier to prosecute cannabis offenders, which is just plain wrong.

Steve

Happy Mothers' Day!

I wanted to take a brief moment to wish all mothers out there a Happy Mothers' Day and remind you that you shouldn't be too hard on yourselves when your pain (or other medical issues) cause you to make the tough choices. Our children love us because we do our best, not because we are perfect because NO ONE IS PERFECT, including parents in perfect health.

Take a moment to remember that you're doing your best and that is all that anyone, including yourself, can ask of you.

Steve

Study Finds Chinese Herb More Effective in Treating Rheumatoid Arthritis - National Pain Report

Study Finds Chinese Herb More Effective in Treating Rheumatoid Arthritis - National Pain Report

http://bit.ly/1eXCmcB

The herb is more effective than methotrexate, but easier on the body. When combined, the herb & methotrexate are even more effective than either individually.

Steve

More evidence Obamacare is working to provide the health care people need

Daily Kos :: More evidence Obamacare is working to provide the health care people need
http://bit.ly/1eeH5vq

"Bang-up statistics for rates of insurance under Obamacare are one thing, but for the truly human benefit of the law, you have to look deeper. And here's an excellent example: Actual health care, in the form of prescription drugs, is getting to the people who need it."

The early data isn't showing a lot of birth control, instead it is showing treatment for life-threatening illnesses, like cancer, HIV/AIDS, intractable pain, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, other rheumatologic illnesses & autoimmune diseases, multiple sclerosis, and other neurological illnesses. Although inadequate (& wasteful, thanks to the Republican solution of including private insurers), the ACA has had meaningful impact on the lives of so many people.

So many more could be helped (for a lot less money) if we could switch to single payer and cut out the middle men. This would also avoid the complication and confusion that had plagued HeritageCare (aka ObamaCare).

Remember, HeritageCare (private insurers getting tax dollars to cover lie income people) was the Heritage Foundation's "solution" to single payer & the public option. They're fighting their own creation.

OT?- Obamacare Headline in Rural Arkansas- Daily Kos

Obamacare Headline in Rural Arkansas- Daily Kos
http://bit.ly/1eeDqxH

"In a real life example of how Obamacare is changing everything, our local newspaper ran an article about the closing of the 9th Street Ministry Medical Clinic.

"It was announced last week that 9th Street Ministries will be concluding their medical clinic mission, which had been ongoing monthly to offer free medical services to those in need since first starting in 1998. The final day for the medical clinic will be Thursday, April 24, and that will conclude the mission that has been in place for almost 16 years."

The article tells how the ministry has been operating once a month for years to give people healthcare on a first come, first served basis.  This care was provided by volunteers. My mother actually volunteered at the clinic and they would see as many as 300 a day.  Many of these people would wait all day for the chance to see a doctor.  Most of the patients were people who could not afford to see a doctor, but were not eligible for Medicaid or Medicare.  Why would they close this clinic down?

"We’ve gone from seeing around 300 people a month on a regular basis, but as people were enrolling in Obamacare, the numbers we were seeing have dropped. We were down to 80 people that came through the medical clinic in February, all the way down to three people at the medical clinic in March. Our services won’t be needed anymore, and this will conclude our mission.”

We live in one of the most conservative places in Arkansas.

The Repub's want to tell those people that once a month waiting all day for a chance to see a doctor was good enough.

Thankfully, President Obama did not think so."
~~~~~

The "Tip Jar" (comments) are worth reading too.

I see that MI has enrolled over 50K ...
... in Medicaid since it expanded on 4/1.   I think the "single payer" option that is Medicaid has been the most important effect of the whole ACA.  Red state Guvs and legislators who have been blocking expansion are going to be facing an enraged public all the way up until election day this November and they will pay a price.  Polling is showing incumbent Guvs in GA and Kansas behind in their reelections!  People love their Obamacare.

Apr 9, 7:16a- Reinvented Daddy

People find it difficult to believe that THEIR representatives would be out to hurt them. Then, after a while, they remember their daddy's razor strop and they ask whether those whippings really hurt daddy more than it hurt them.
After a while, some people don't deserve the benefit of the doubt."

Apr 9, 7:30a- Hannah

OT - Why Is a Florida Man Facing Life in Prison For Lending a Friend His Car and Going to Sleep? | The Nation

Why Is a Florida Man Facing Life in Prison For Lending a Friend His Car and Going to Sleep? | The Nation
http://bit.ly/O1RZbz

Totally off-topic, but injustice is injustice, whether felony murder rule or going after physicians who treat pain.

Happy Thanksgiving

I want to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving. While pain often has a very negative effect on holidays, we must remember not to pretend that we're not in pain and overdo it. Enjoy the holiday, leave the stress and work for the healthy people.

-Steve

OT- Banned4Life Project

The Banned4Life Project
www.banned4life.org

Even the Red Cross doesn't believe that a lifetime ban on blood donation for gay men is warranted, but the FDA refuses to look at the facts.

My best friend from middle school is gay and HIV+. He obviously should be banned from giving blood until we find a cure, but not every gay man is at high risk of HIV+, it's all about behavior and a more complex and accurate set of questions should determine deferral length or ban. Monogamous homosexual men are considered by the FDA to be a higher risk than heterosexual men who regularly engages in unprotected sex with multiple prostitutes.

The risks you take and the threat that you pose should determine your ability to donate DESPERATELY needed blood.

As someone who might need blood one day, it scares me that stereotypes will determine the quality of blood that I get, instead of the actual risk.

The petition:
Banned for Life- Causes
https://www.causes.com/posts/833577
http://bit.ly/B4Lpetition

Clonidine, again

So, thanks to the killer headache after my first dose of clonidine 0.1mg (100mcg), I decided to only take 0.05mg (50mcg) last night. No headache and it did help me sleep, but didn't hit me like a brick wall. Also, I noticed since I woke up today that my neuropathic leg pain is less severe than usual. Of course, this could be part of the natural fluctuation of pain, but I'm hoping that the medication is helping.

I'm about to take my third dose and I'm worried that I'll have another bad reaction. So, fingers crossed.

I hope everyone is doing well and in minimal pain.

-Steve

You've got to be kidding me

So, today is my 24th birthday, but instead of doing something fun, as I had planned, I'm spending my birthday in bed (not in the good way).

My throat is killing me!

I wanted to update you guys with something lighthearted and fun to lift the mood of this blog, but I can't think of anything at the moment because of this stupid sore throat. For that, I apologize.

I hope that all of you are doing well and having minimal pain.

-Steve

Adsense

As some of you may have noticed, I utilize Google Adsense on my blogs. As an OCD control freak, I keep track of my earnings. I've noticed that my earnings decreased and then SIGNIFICANTLY slowed. This tells me that Google's robot believes that there are "invalid clicks".

PLEASE DO NOT blindly click on links, it doesn't help me. If you see a link that you're legitimately interested in that's one thing, but opening multiple links in one session or opening a link every time that you're on my site can cause my site to get flagged by Adsense. Please remember that advertisers are trying to promote their business and it is unfair to them to click a link simply because you want to help the publisher.

Steve

OT- Cancer & Cannabis

Aside from helping with the pain and nausea, cannabis is extremely useful in the fight against primarily brain tumor, and all cancer really. It forces the cancer to kill itself and then eat itself.

Sources:
Cannabinoid action induces autophagy-mediated cell death through stimulation of ER stress in human glioma cells
http://1.usa.gov/ZIKz06

Delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) induces apoptosis in C6 glioma cells
http://1.usa.gov/128uuiF

A combined preclinical therapy of cannabinoids and temozolomide against glioma
http://1.usa.gov/ZIKGsP

OT- a bit of humor

Pacify the Shutdown

I know that this is somewhat political, but the vast majority of CP/IP patients rely on the federal government to survive (SNAP, Meals on Wheels, SSI, SSDI, Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, etcetera) and these services are threatened by the government shutdown. Anything that can be done to end this helps us and the standard petitions are being ignored.

*****
House Speaker John Boehner must act like an adult and stand up to tantrum-throwing, infantile Republicans to call a vote on a clean budget resolution and end the GOP shutdown. For every person who signs the petition, CREDO will send Boehner a pacifier. To read more and/or add your name now:

http://bit.ly/18WkWfX

Safe

I recently bought a new medication safe and I'm pretty happy with it, so I though I'd share it with you. It's not like those crappy lock boxes from Walmart that even I can open with my bare hands. It is a safe. It even has hardware to bolt it too the ground.

I got it for $30 (was $150), but the provide went up by $1.99.

Quarter Master 7825 Electronic/Digital Home Office Security Safe
http://bit.ly/18t5A2o (corrected link)
The current price is $51.99
You need coupon code AUTUMN10
To get it for ~$32 by checking out with Visa V.me mobile

It's a pretty nice digital combination safe that uses four AA batteries (included) and no one is opening it with their bare hands (like a Walmart lock box).

Outside dimensions: 13.75'' H x 9.75'' W x 9.75'' D.
Inside dimensions: 12 '' H x 8.75'' W x 8.5

Note: I am not an affiliate and do not benefit from your purchase, it's just a really good deal that I'd like to share.

OT- Today in History 9/21/2013

Today is Saturday, Sept. 21, the 264th day of 2013. There are 101 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On Sept. 21, 1912, magician Harry Houdini first publicly performed his so-called Chinese Water Torture Cell trick at the Circus Busch in Berlin, escaping after being immersed upside-down in a vertical water tank, his ankles secured in a set of stocks which made up the tank lid, which was locked into place.

On this date:

In 1792, the French National Convention voted to abolish the monarchy.

In 1893, one of America's first horseless carriages was taken for a short test drive in Springfield, Mass., by Frank Duryea, who had designed the vehicle with his brother, Charles.

In 1897, the New York Sun ran its famous editorial, written anonymously by Francis P. Church, which declared, "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus."

In 1912, legendary cartoon animator Chuck Jones was born in Spokane, Wash.

In 1937, "The Hobbit," by J.R.R. Tolkien, was first published by George Allen & Unwin Ltd. of London.

In 1938, a hurricane struck parts of New York and New England, causing widespread damage and claiming some 700 lives.

In 1948, Milton Berle made his debut as permanent host of "The Texaco Star Theater" on NBC-TV.

In 1962, "The Jack Paar Program," a weekly, prime-time show that followed Paar's stint on "The Tonight Show," began a three-year run.

In 1970, "NFL Monday Night Football" made its debut on ABC-TV as the Cleveland Browns defeated the visiting New York Jets, 31-21.

In 1982, Amin Gemayel, brother of Lebanon's assassinated president-elect, Bashir Gemayel, was himself elected president. National Football League players began a 57-day strike, their first regular-season walkout.

In 1987, NFL players called a strike, mainly over the issue of free agency. (The 24-day walkout prompted football owners to hire replacement players.)

In 1989, Hurricane Hugo crashed into Charleston, S.C. (the storm was blamed for 26 directly caused U.S. deaths). Twenty-one students in Alton, Texas, died when their school bus, involved in a collision with a soft-drink delivery truck, careened into a water-filled pit.

Ten years ago: Former Citigroup CEO John S. Reed was named temporary head of the New York Stock Exchange. Paul Martin was elected by Canada's Liberal Party to succeed Jean Chretien (zhahn kreh-TYEN') as prime minister. NASA's aging Galileo spacecraft deliberately plunged into Jupiter's turbulent atmosphere, bringing a fiery conclusion to a 14-year exploration of the solar system's largest planet and its moons.

Five years ago: South African President Thabo Mbeki (TAH'-boh um-BEH'-kee) announced his resignation. "Mad Men" became the first basic-cable show to win the top series Emmy; "30 Rock" and its stars Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin won comedy awards. The United States took back the Ryder Cup with a 16 1/2-11 1/2 victory over Europe. Baseball said farewell to the original Yankee Stadium as the Bronx Bombers defeated the Baltimore Orioles 7-3.

One year ago: No one was injured when a plane carrying Ann Romney made an emergency landing in Denver after smoke filled the cabin. The wife of the Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney was traveling from Omaha, Neb., to Los Angeles, when an apparent electrical fire broke out. A man was bitten multiple times after leaping from a monorail into a tiger exhibit at the Bronx Zoo. People lined up to buy Apple's iPhone5 as it went on sale in the United States and several other countries.

Today's Birthdays: Poet-songwriter Leonard Cohen is 79. Author-comedian Fannie Flagg is 72. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer is 70. Musician Don Felder is 66. Author Stephen King is 66. Basketball Hall of Famer Artis Gilmore is 64. Actor-comedian Bill Murray is 63. Hall of Fame jockey Eddie Delahoussaye is 62. Rock musician Philthy Animal is 59. Former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is 56. Movie producer-writer Ethan Coen is 56. Actor-comedian Dave Coulier is 54. Actor David James Elliott is 53. Actress Serena Scott-Thomas is 52. Actress Nancy Travis is 52. Actor Rob Morrow is 51. Retired MLB All-Star Cecil Fielder is 50. Actress Cheryl Hines is 48. Country singer Faith Hill is 46. Rock musician Tyler Stewart (Barenaked Ladies) is 46. Country singer Ronna Reeves is 45. Actress-talk show host Ricki Lake is 45. Rapper Dave (De La Soul) is 45. Actor Rob Benedict is 43. Actor James Lesure is 42. Actor Alfonso Ribeiro is 42. Actor Luke Wilson is 42. Actor Paulo Costanzo is 35. Actor Bradford Anderson is 34. Actress Autumn Reeser is 33. TV personality Nicole Richie is 32. Actress Maggie Grace is 30. Actor Joseph Mazzello is 30. Rapper Wale (WAH'-lay) is 29. Actors Nikolas and Lorenzo Brino are 15.

Thought for Today: "The crisis of yesterday is the joke of tomorrow." — H.G. Wells, English author (born this day in 1866, died 1946).

Is a glass of water all that different from pain?

I received an email thatcan easily be used to explain how difficult living chronic pain can be...

A young lady confidently walked around the room with a raised glass of water while leading a seminar and explaining stress management to her  audience.

Everyone knew she was going to ask the ultimate question, 'half empty or half full?' She fooled them all. "How heavy is this glass of water?" she inquired with a smile.

Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. To 20 oz.

She replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter.  It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm.  If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance.  In each case it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes."

She continued, "and that's the way it is with stress.  If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on."

"As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again. When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden- holding stress longer and better each time practiced. So, as early in the evening as you can, put all your burdens down. Don't carry them through the evening and into the night. Pick them up again tomorrow if you must.

... many of us can handle acute pain without outside help beyond acetaminophen/paracetamol/Tylenol or ibuprofen/Advil/Motrin, but handling chronic pain of equal severity is a much more daunting task.