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

Article: Fibromyalgia Mystery Finally Solved! Researchers Find Main Source of Pain in Blood Vessels

Fibromyalgia Mystery Finally Solved!
Researchers Find Main Source of Pain in Blood Vessels

http://bit.ly/1c4Q0yu

This is a more laymen-friendly version of an article from several months ago that explains that Fibromyalgia isn't Psychiatric, but neuropathic. The pain is the result of abnormal nerve fibers, which improperly manage the blood vessels. This article focuses on the fact that Fibromyalgia is not Psychiatric, but I'll repost the more in depth article later.

The worst part is that, thanks to the War on Drugs, War on Doctors, and the newest war, the War on Patients, Fibromyalgia patients will still be given useless SSRIs (Prozac/fluoxetine, Paxil/paroxetine, Zoloft/sertraline, etcetera), SSNRIs (Cymbalta/duloxetine, Effexor/venlafaxine, Pristiq/desvenlafaxine,  tramadol/Ultram/Ryzolt, Nucynta/tapentadol, Savella/milnacipran, etcetera), and mood stabilizers (antipsychotics & anti-epileptics; gabapentin/Neurontin/Gralise, Lyrica/pregabalin, Lamictal, Abilify/aripiprazole, Seroquel, etcetera). Unfortunately, antiopioid propaganda and the DEA are preventing most physicians from prescribing pain medications for pain. Opioids are the safest (especially in the longterm), most efficacious (with adequate dosing) solution for any chronic pain condition.

Remember, acetaminophen/paracetamol/Tylenol alone kills more people than all opioids combined. NSAIDs aren't as deadly as acetaminophen/paracetamol, but they're still more deadly than opioids. Actually, even diacetylmorphine/diamorphine/Heroin rarely kills on its own, drug abusers die from mixed drug toxicity (combining alcohol and/or sedatives with opioids). Of course, opioid related deaths are almost all drug abusers. The statistics are never deaths caused by opioids, they're "opioid related deaths" or "drug related deaths", meaning any death that occurs with a drug peripherally involved, even if it is completely unrelated to the actual cause of death.

Steve

I'm pissed...

I'm pissed! In an effort to minimize the use of controlled substances, especially in children, doctors like to prescribe powerful more stabilizers (Lamictal, risperidone/Risperdal, Seroquel, etcetera) for pain and sleep. I myself was a victim of this kind of inappropriate prescribing.

Now, I'm bombarded with reports that THESE MEDICATIONS (Risperdal/risperidone, Seroquel, Lyrica/pregabalin, and gabapentin/Neurontin/Gralise/Horizant) ACTUALLY CAUSE PAIN!!!

I've known for years that Risperdal/risperidone is responsible for the painful facial tics, but the idea that these medications are actually causing or exasperating the conditions that they treat. That's like prescribing high dose acetaminophen/paracetamol/Tylenol for the pain of liver failure!

Do I believe that Risperdal is responsible for 100% of my pain? No, but my doctors are constantly telling me that my tumor on it's own should not be causing the severe, crippling pain that I'm experiencing on a daily basis and there isn't a doubt in my mind that this illegally marketed drug is responsible.

Risperdal could have been replaced with the following safer, cheaper alternatives:
1) melatonin (OTC supplement)
2) Z-drugs- zolpidem/Ambien/Intermezzo, Sonata/zaleplon,eszopiclone/Lunesta, zopiclone/Imovane/Zimovane/Imrest (Rx, controlled substances)
3) benzodiazepines, like lorazepam/Ativan (Rx, C4)- ideal for stress induced insomnia where you can't quiet your brain (exactly what I experienced)

Rozerem (Rx, non-controlled substance) was not approved at the time, but is currently very useful.

So why was I given an antipsychotic? Because the manufacturer illegal advertised off-label use and bribed doctors into prescribing it.

That is why the anti-controlled substances environment that we are living in is so dangerous.

Steve

Here’s how GOP Obamacare hypocrisy backfires

Here’s how GOP Obamacare hypocrisy backfires
http://bit.ly/16i1NEC


I know that it is political, but the politics of healthcare effect us all, especially those of us on Medicare and/or Medicaid.

Steve

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