Category: TOXIC TALES

BLURKER ADDICTION AND BLOGGER BEHAVIOR BLURKER ANONYMOUS SCREENING AND CONFIRMATION – NEED A PROFESSIONAL?

http://theglutengal.com/autismadhd/transitioning-to-the-gluten-free-casein-free-diet/ BLURKER ANONYMOUS SCREENING (CAGE)

  • Have you ever thought you ought to involuntarily Cut down on your blog entries or blurking?
  • Do you feel Annoyed at criticism of your blog writing or blurking?
  • Do you feel Guilty about your blog writing or blurking?
  • Do you ever take an Early-morning look (eye-opener) at your latest blog favorite or use blogging or blurking upon awakening  (“a little hair of the dog that bit you”) to start the day or to feel better?

IF YOU ANSWERED ONE OR MORE “YES” TO THE  ABOVE SCREENING TEST – CONTINUE TO THIS CONFIRMATORY EVALUATION . 

BLURKER ADDICTION CONFIRMATION SYSTEM ®

Eating meals alone while blurking or blogging

Rereading your blog or your latest entries

Rereading your favorite blogs

Trying to stop reading blogs

Considering group meetings for bloggers

Realizing your world is centered on your favorite blogs

Wondering repeatedly what writing an entry would be like

Time with family and friends are limited

Sneaking away to check your favorite blogs

Do you check your blog stats over once per day

Do you wonder in moments of calm who might be seeing your blog

Not owning up to the problem of the continuous blurker

Family members want to call a “confrontation” meeting

Limited showers and shaving while eating at the computer

Occasional outbursts of solo-laughter discussed by others in your life

Anxiety and panic arrive when you cannot blurk

Anxiety and panic arrive when you cannot hit “submit”

Anxiety and panic heightens when reading the submit “verify code” letters

Computer failure makes you go to the public library to “check out a book”

Computer server failure makes you just sit in disbelief

Now realizing you have blogger-buddies, you want a festive gathering to touch and appreciate them  

Your children ask your spouse or significant other who the stranger is while looking at you

Your complete social circle has changed

And your only means of conversation must be in blog format. 

GRADING SYSTEM 

0 – 2                             LOW RISK

3 – 5                             MOD RISK

6 – 10                           HIGH RISH

11 – 15                         EXTREME RISK

> 15                         COUNSEL/INPATIENT  
         

www.blurkeranonymous.com

castmd.com turns first anniversary

 

Thanks to all readers, thinkers, blogophiliacs, brainiacs, and compulsory castMD critics.  Just as we remember the days, we remember moments. 

happy valentine's day from www.castMD.com

castMD.com will continue to decipher the elusive probability from the oh so common possibility in the world of risk on the blogosphere…

vote hillary – intowin or INTOSPIN

FIBER — ADDING SOLUBLE FIBER — DIETARY FIBER SAVING YOUR HEALTH AND YOUR MONEY PREVENTATIVE MEDICINE OR DISEASE ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE OR THE ALTERNATIVE

Traditional paradigms in health care continue to treat the disease after it is diagnosed.  Many times preventative models are refused payments by health insurance companies.  Meanwhile, the life insurance companies understand the decreased "risk" of preventative modalities, such as reduced smoking, reduced sugar intake, reduced weight, increased exercise, and other health producing activities.  Our system still continues to focus on reacting to the disease, rather than preventing the disease.  Some major players have made a dent, such as Andrew Weil at the University of Arizona.  In other words, should everyone have a full-body CT and 4 body-area ultrasound for screening.

Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine, taught that the highest priority of treating a patient's disease is to "do no harm." By not having the disease in the first place, little or no harm can be done…and it is cheaper.

The costs of treating disease is much greater than the cost of preventing it. Think how much cheaper it is to keep from having a heart problem than from paying the costs of coronary care.

Soluble fiber can help prevention models.  Proven benefits of increasing fiber in your diet follows:

Lipid control and improvement

Diabetes control

Weight management

Hypertension control

Coronary heart disease improvement

Cancer prevention assistance

Gastrointestinal and motility improvements.

Fiber can assist in reducing constipation with better bowel regularity.  Hiatal hernia, food intolerances, and hemorrhoids can also benefit from high soluble fiber supplementation.

Limited but more so, almost no probability of risk exists with soluble fiber.  There are no blood tests to do.  No significant toxicity or bad reactions have been reported with fiber supplements when used properly.  No drug-drug interactions occur with soluble fiber.  However, delay of absorption can occur with fiber if take at the same time as your regular medications.  (Talk with your own doctor always before starting any herbal, supplement, new otc medicine or dietary plan.)  No significant side effects exist with fiber consumption.  No legal considerations are linked to fiber use.  Fiber complements alternative therapies to treating disease.

Fiber, especially soluble fiber, promises a preventative health care approach, shifting the traditional paradigm to proactive from reactive.  This shift is from treating disease to preventing disease – from illness to wellness.

In summary:

Traditional health care treats the disease after it shows up.

Changing treatment of disease to the prevention of disease is a paradigm shift in health care.

Dietary fiber supports the prevention of disease, paradigm shift from traditional health care.

How much soluble fiber and the co-existence of major diseases will be discussed in upcoming  www.castMD.com  blogcasts.  

Now, go and spread the fiber word….

 

SUPER BOWL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE — C.A.G.E. THIS HOP’S FOR YOU

THE DEBATE OF SUPER BOWL ASSOCIATED EVENTS RAGES ON.  THE DEBATE OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE RAGES ON.  WHERE AND WHEN THE TWO MEET IS CONTROVERSIAL.  EXAMINATION OF THE DATA IN MANY PLACES DOES NOT EQUATE TO A HIGHER RATE.  AGENDA AND POLITICAL ACTIVISM RAISES THE RELATIONSHIP MOSTLY.  HOWEVER…..

AND YEARS AGO, EVERYTHING WAS LINKED TO THE "FULL MOON CONSPIRACY" OF ILLNESS, INJURY, PSYCHIATRIC MALADIES, AND JUST PLAIN WEIRDNESS IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM…..AND SHOWN TO BE DATA INSUFFICIENT TO PROVE THE POINT…..CAN'T BLAME THE MOON THIS SUPERBOWL, AS THAT WAS A DAY OR TWO AGO….. 

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE DOES OCCUR AS WELL AS ALCOHOL OVERUSE AND ABUSE – ALL HAPPEN ON SUPER BOWL SUNDAY.  BUT THESE EVENTS HAPPEN ON NON-SUPER BOWL SUNDAYS ALSO, AND MONDAYS, AND TUESDAYS, AND WEDNESDAYS, AND THURSDAYS, AND FRIDAYS, AND SATURDAYS.  SO…..

WHAT MATTERS IS THAT ALL THOSE SUPERBOWL COMMMERCIALS SPONSORED BY THE BEER INDUSTRY CERTAINLY ENCOURAGE THE "FUN" OF THE ALCOHOL OVERUSE AND ABUSE.  WHAT THEY DO NOT ADVERTISE IS THE DARK SIDE OF THE ALOCHOL OVERUSE AND ABUSE…AND THE SUBSEQUENT POSSIBILITIES OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, CRIME, DUI, CHILD ABUSE, AND FAMILY DISCORD – NOT TO MENTION JOB LOSS, WORKPLACE INEFFICIENCY, FINANCIAL RUIN, AND HIGH PERSONAL RISK.  SO…..

TAKE THE TEST ON THIS SUPERBOWL SUNDAY:

Screening Test Questions:

  • Have you ever thought you ought to Cut down on your drinking or drug use?
  • Do you feel Annoyed at criticism of your drinking or drug use?
  • Do you feel Guilty about your drinking or drug use?
  • Do you ever take an Early-morning drink (eye-opener) or use drugs upon awakening  ("a little hair of the dog that bit you") to start the day or to feel better?

SOME SAY AT LEAST ONE-THIRD OF ALL WOMEN WILL BE INVOLVED IN SOME FORM OF DOMESTIC PARTNER VIOLENT BEHAVIOR IN THEIR LIFETIME.

AN ESTIMATED 5 MILLION INCIDENCES OCCUR ANNUALLY.

AN ESTIMATED 1500 WOMEN DIE YEARLY FROM DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.

EMPLOYEES MAY REPRESENT 20-25% OF VICTIMS OF THIS TYPE OF LIFESTYLE.

IMPACT ZONE:  INTERVENE WITH A FELLOW EMPLOYEE, ASSOCIATE, FRIEND IF YOU THINK THE QUESTION IS APPROPRIATE.   "ARE YOU SAFE?"  "CAN WE HELP?"  "HOW CAN WE HELP?"

FIELD BURNING REVISITED – ILLEGAL ON APPEAL * EPA TO STEP IN – AGAIN – WILL THE CDA TRIBE and THE ELECTED OFFICIALS STEP UP TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL “PATIENT ADVOCACY” PLATE?

The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals declared that the field burning practice since 1993 has been illegal.  The unanimous decision by the Court forces a reconsideration of events that allowed the practice to continue despite widespread opposition. The EPA federal laws overpower the lobbyist-generated state laws.  An environmental plea must go out to the owners of the lands where field burning is conducted.  www.castMD.com has been writing about this issue for months – where has the EPA been?  Where have the protectors of the land, water, and air been?  To lease or rent, knowingly for the practice, is like knowlingly leasing a house for meth making or meth distribution.  All the parties know that this practice pollutes.  All the parties know that this practice is unsafe for patients.  All the parties know this is harmful to the people of the earth.  Isn't it time for leadership by the elders, officials, elected few, and, as "Country Attorney" Jerry Spence would say:  "Faceless corporations?"   Which leaders will be strong, bold, and sincere to tell the truth AND do the right thing? It is time to "walk the environmental talk."

 

SEE PREVIOUS ENTRIES:

http://www.castmd.com/?p=53

http://www.castmd.com/?p=47

http://www.castmd.com/?p=46

http://www.castmd.com/?p=48

http://www.castmd.com/?p=24

http://www.castmd.com/?p=8

SUBLIMINAL EVIL LURKS IN BLOGOSPERE WWW.CASTMD COMES TO THE IMMEDIATE RESCUE “CAUTION: ENTERING THIS UN-SPUN ZONE”

 

Bloggers beware.

 

Bloggers beware

Of pen’s fiery flare.

Bloggers beware

Of hateful glare.

 

Bloggers beware

Of gifts they bear.

Bloggers beware

Of tempting dare.

 

 

Bloggers beware

Of laughter’s stare.

Bloggers beware

Of limited care.

 

Bloggers beware

Of  legal snare.

Bloggers beware

Of snake-eye pair.

 

Bloggers beware.

 

quit smoking – cessation by drug – nicotine blocker chantix – how good is it? side effects and risks?

 

The latest news on this new nicotine receptor blocker to assist you to quit smoking is good but not the great breakthrough. Research is getting hotter.  And we can help patients "shock" that habit with this new drug at a brain receptor level.

What castMD has been told is a reality of about 25 % of patients on this medicine (lest we forget…risks of medicine exist here also) continue to be smoke-free at about 3 months, and about 45 % are smoke-free at about 6 months.  This is the latest scoop on this as compared to previous numbers below.  As with all new drugs, the love affair of the honeymoon settles in to reveal the subsequent anniversaries and the baseline love still there.  Thus, as with new drugs…but this addiction research is approaching marvelous breakthroughs with the MRI, PET, 3D scanners and high tech computer software in the brain research world. 

Many patients have success with the gum, patch, or control device.  Yet many simply quit cold turkey…but often this is after "an event" such as a heart attack, stroke, pneumonia, emphysema attack…landing that patient in the hospital.

The "click of the heels" and make a wish still remains hard work, commitment, and desire to stop smoking.  Moral, family, and friend support must be involved to a level that they all qualify for an "Oscar" for best supporting role!

 

 

Journal of the AMA published an article in July, 2006 on the Chantix nicotine receptor blocker and its goal of stopping smoking:

44% of those on Chantix were not smoking at 12 weeks 
29.5%% of those on Zyban were not smoking at 12 weeks 
18% of those on a placebo were not smoking at 12 weeks 
22% of those on Chantix did not smoke from week 9 to 52 
16% of those on Zyban did not smoke from week 9 to 52 
8.4% of those on a placebo did not smoke from week 9 to 52

*****

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced approval of Chantix (varenicline tartrate) tablets, to help cigarette smokers stop smoking. The active ingredient in Chantix, varenicline tartrate, is a new molecular entity that received a priority FDA review because of its significant potential benefit to public health.

Chantix acts at sites in the brain affected by nicotine and may help those who wish to give up smoking in two ways: by providing some nicotine effects to ease the withdrawal symptoms and by blocking the effects of nicotine from cigarettes if they resume smoking.

"Tobacco use, particularly cigarette smoking, is the single most preventable cause of death in the United States and is responsible for a growing list of cancers as well as chronic diseases including those of the lung and heart," said Scott Gottlieb, MD, Deputy Commissioner for Medical and Scientific Affairs. "The agency is committed to helping facilitate the development of products to help people quit smoking and improve their overall quality of life."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 44.5 million adults in the United States smoke cigarettes and more than 8.6 million of them have at least one serious illness caused by smoking.

"Cigarette smoking is a very difficult habit to break due in large part to nicotine dependence or addiction" said Dr. Steven Galson, Director of FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. "Chantix therapy has proven to be effective in smokers motivated to quit and will provide another tool for physicians to use for the millions of smokers who want to quit."

The effectiveness of Chantix in smoking cessation was demonstrated in six clinical trials, which included a total of 3659 chronic cigarette smokers who were treated with varenicline. Five of the six studies were randomized, controlled clinical trials in which Chantix was shown to be superior to placebo in helping people quit smoking.

The approved course of Chantix treatment is 12 weeks. Patients who successfully quit smoking during Chantix treatment may continue with an additional 12 weeks of Chantix treatment to further increase the likelihood of long-term smoking cessation.

In clinical trials, the most common adverse effects of Chantix were nausea, headache, vomiting, flatulence (gas), insomnia, abnormal dreams, and dysgeusia (change in taste perception).

Chantix is manufactured and distributed by Pfizer, Inc., New York, NY.

(adapted from FDA-AMA sources)

CYANIDE ANTIDOTE – FDA APPROVED RECENTLY – WILL IMPROVE FIRE AND POISONED VICTIMS’ CHANCES OF SURVIVAL WITH EARLY EMS AND KEY TO BIOTERRORISM MONITORING *** CYANOKIT (C)

Fire victims, EMS providers, methlab remediation teams, and firefighters will be greatly served by this medical advancement in the United States.  This cyanide antidote replaces the "lilly kit" that had been used for years, which used early, was lifesaving but medically cumbersome at best.  Three medicines quickly had to be given to these severely critical patients – and the antidote itself had poisoning problems itself.  This new antidote uses an extremely novel idea.  Vitamin B12, hydroxycobalamin, likes cyanide.  With a little molecular twist, the new antidote drug, hydroxocobalamin, simply exchanges a part of the drug and binds the cyanide with impressive results.  Dr. Steve Borron, well know to some of us, and definitely an international leader in this arena, has done significant and life changing research on this new antidote to get the approval through the FDA.  This antidote has been used in Europe for over a decade with great success.  Others like Dr. Hall in Denver has done work on the FDA project years ago.  Many have contributed to this landmark success of getting this drug in a workable form into the United States.  Congrats to all of them!

 

FDA News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
P06-205
December 15, 2006

Media Inquiries:
Press Office, 301-827-6242
Consumer Inquiries:
888-INFO-FDA

FDA Approves Drug to Treat Cyanide Poisoning

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today approved Cyanokit (containing the drug hydroxocobalamin, intravenous tubing and a sterile spike for reconstituting the drug product with saline) for the treatment of known or suspected cyanide poisoning.  The approval, which is based on evidence of the drug's effectiveness when tested in animals, improves the nation's ability to respond to emergencies, including a potential attack by terrorists.

"Cyanide is a potent poison and one of the substances that could be used in a chemical attack," said Dr. Steven Galson, Director of FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.  "Today's approval is yet another measure to counter the threat of terrorism, which is a critical component of FDA's public health mission."

Cyanokit received a priority review and was approved under the Animal Efficacy Rule, which  allows use of animal data for evidence of a drug's effectiveness for certain conditions when the drug cannot be ethically or feasibly tested in humans. 

In a controlled study in cyanide-poisoned adult dogs, the use of Cyanokit reduced whole blood cyanide concentration by approximately 55% by the end of the infusion, and significantly improved survival of the Cyanokit-treated dogs compared with dogs receiving placebo.

The safety, metabolism and excretion of Cyanokit were evaluated in 136 healthy adult humans.  At the proposed starting dose of 5 grams, the drug was found to be generally well tolerated with side effects that were mild to moderate.  The drug exits the body unchanged in the urine.  In the presence of cyanide, Cyanokit's active drug takes up the cyanide and becomes a form of vitamin B12.

The most frequently reported adverse reactions in the trial were red urine, skin redness (both from the drug's coloration itself), a temporary increase in blood pressure, headache, nausea and injection site reactions.  Allergic reactions were observed in a small number of individuals but were relatively mild and responded quickly to treatment.

Cyanokit is manufactured for EMD Pharmaceuticals, Inc by Merck Sante s.a.s. in Semoy, France and packaged by Dey Laboratories of Napa, California.

More information about FDA's efforts to counteract bioterrorism is available on FDA's website at http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/bioterrorism.html.

 

(photos courtesy: google images)

 

METH LABS — smurfing — AFTER THE CLEANUP IS RISK REAL? TOXIC TALE?

Methlabs continue to plague society. Costs continue to rise.  New laws embedded.  New techniques on how to get the drugs to help make meth continue, for example:

Typical mechanisms that the non-cartel methlab cooks get pseudoephedrine are: smurfing and shelf sweeping.  Individuals that “smurf” go to a large number of stores and buy amounts at each retailer of pseudoephedrine that are under the legal limit but in the aggregate are much more.  A less sophisticated version of smurfing involves sending many individuals into the same store to buy amounts of pseudoephedrine just below the legal limit.  “Shelf sweeping” occurs when an individual or a group goes into a store and remove all the pseudoephedrine on the shelf and then exit without paying.

 

 

photo courtesy srhd

 

 

Recently, radio listening to a report of the "significant" risks to persons entering into methlab areas that already have been cleaned up or decontaminated or remediated.  The report left me believing that any site with any amount of meth activity is the same.  Not true.

The report said after the cleanup process has occurred, the persons are still able to be "poisoned" and become "toxic" from being in the decontaminated room.  Not probable either.

The epidemic of methlabs across the country have spawned the entire "cleanup industry" making many companies extremely wealthy in the "abatement industry."  One operator told me, "If I just turn on the truck, the fee is $2500 dollars, then the bill goes up depending on what we do."

Most ingredients of methlabs are dangerous.  Some can be flammable.  Some have bombs or incindary devices. However, after the cleanup has occurred, risk is minimal, probably non-existent.

Do you clean out your garage or shed as a methlab decon project – the spaces that have been storage for such contaminants of lawn mower gasoline, oil, garden chemicals, camping or cooking supplies, glass cleaner, carburator fluids, drain cleaners, windshield washer fluids, antifreeze, and other highly toxic day to day chemicals of household use?

The risk of financial collapse for cleanup is hard hitting for any owner that needs to hire a "cleanup" company.  It is estimated that a methlab cleanup can cost from $1000 to hundreds of thousands, depending on cartel activity or the mom-pop variety.

Google "methlab cleanup companies" (remediation) and nearly 60,000 hits arrive at the "deal or no deal" option.

Searching and searching, little is found on "risk of after-cleanup toxicity."   Colleagues in this area have been surveyed.  An anwer is in waiting.  Thus far, experience has not shown me one person ill, sick, contaminated, physically harmed, toxic from a space declared "clean."

 

ERTALES FROM THIS ER DOC * hugs rule

The little boy was literally climbing up the pantleg of his mother.  "He's scared," she told me.  "He had a bad time at his doctor's last time," the anxious mom added.  Our eyes, the 5 year old's and mine, sized up each other –  man to man, muscle to muscle, universe to universe. There would now be an internal debate of trustworthiness – on each side – of this heavy weight moment in time.  His reluctance to be lifted on the exam table was obvious as the arms of safety were peeled by his mother from her neck.  I sat and watched.  Not a word.  Quiet. 

We drew our weapons.  His, a stare of cold steel; mine, a shiny ear scope.  Instead, as I sat, I asked to look at mom's ears. I did.  I asked to look in mom's mouth, and pretendingly did.  His evaluation of my performance was sharply etched in his mind's acute processor.  I drew my stethoscope to his mom's back to listen to lungs.  Then, I slowly, like the gunfight at the o-k corral, drew toward his watchful perched position of power, while me on the subordinate exam rollerstool.  

He said, "I have a dog!"  I said nothing, as it could be a ploy, a plot, a trojan horse comment to quickly surround me with ear piercing shrills and dashing speed to his circle of wagons, mom.   I waited.  My eye honed to his eye.  He said the dog's name.  I shook my head in approval. I drew my rollerstool closer and closer.  His eye honed to my eye.  Slowly, like the draw of the bow during the hunt, my otoscope entered his right ear.  Then the left.  The test of the tonsil lay in front of the medical warriors.  "Can you eat an elephant?," I asked.  He opened his mouth so wide I could see his appendix.  He held the tongue blade.  Not needed.  His lungs were listened to with the kid-size stethoscope.  No rash.  "Tonsillitis," I said to him as my stealthy roller steed backed away.  He looked at his support staff, his mom.  "You will take the medicine for your mom?" and he shook his head affirmatively.  The warriors were exhausted. 

Celebratory and coexistent now.  To the Tootsie Pop drawer, we went.  Hand in hand from the exam table battlefield, to the oasis of sweets.  His choice was deliberately selected with a keen appreciation for what was to be.

On the escort out of the exam area, with Tootsie Pop in hand, my leg became heavy.  The small warrior's arm was hugging around my leg, just above the knee.  Stride for stride, we were proudly successful.  I said, "Do you want to give me a hug?"  He put his arms up high, as I reached over to accept his offer of goodwill.  We hugged.  Mom smiled.   I said to my newly made battlefield-weary friend, "Hugs are good."  He said, "bye," as he secured his mother's hand to see the world.