dahlia in my garden: Rio Fuego in Coleus leaves

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Tuesday-Newsday #102


Time for Tuesday-Newsday! The Featured Blog Post this week is,Attitude is half the battle when you’re sick,” by Elaine Waples for www.kevinmd.com

Let Me Know: If you’d like me to watch for articles on your pain condition, just drop me a note in the comments section below. 

WARNING:  My goal is to provide the most up-to-date news I can, which you can then take to your personal doctor and debate the merits of before you try it. I do not endorse any of the docs, treatments, info, and meds in anything I post nor can I guarantee they are all effective, especially not for everyone. As is the case with any health info, ALWAYS get your doctor's opinion first!
====++++====++++====++++====++++====++++===


*MENINGITIS OUTBREAK NEWS 





*CHRONIC PAIN NEWS







*OSTEOPOROSIS

But the panel's recommendations apply to specific dosages and patients















*MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS















*PHANTOM LIMB PAIN




*LUPUS









*FEATURED BLOG POST

by Elaine Waples for www.kevinmd.com

Saturday, February 23, 2013

Dialing Up Your Future Healthcare


It’s amazing how far technology has come in the last fifty years - even more stunning is how fast it has been moving forward in just the last five. One device which has become ubiquitous in our society could be the true future of our healthcare: the smartphone. 

The simplest way we use our phones for more than calling is through all the great applications available to us. According to this article, “There are over 10,000 health apps in the iTunes app store, the number of Americans using smartphones for health information grew from 61 million to 75 million this year, and 88% of doctors would like patients to monitor their health at home.” Many people use apps for weight loss or fitness goals, but there others that give us, particularly as patients with chronic pain/illness, a chance to report in the moment when we are having pain, what it feels like, how and where it’s affecting us, and much more. The chronic pain management app I use is called Manage My Pain. It takes down my description of all those things, organizes any notes I’ve made, analyzes my responses to create graphs and stats, and makes it super easy to print out a complete report for my doctor. Having all this detailed information is particularly useful in determining how your treatment plan is working or whether it needs to be altered.

An app like mine can reveal so many specific details as opposed to the patient who vaguely tells the doctor their pain level is an “eleven and it hurts all the time”. There are also apps designed for particular conditions like migraines, arthritis, and diabetes as well as ones that focus entirely on chronic pain. (*See below for a few apps you can download to your smartphone to help manage your pain).


I’m not the only one who thinks this is a great option for tracking and treating pain. Just this week I discovered a study, Chronic Pain Sufferers Can Benefit from Smartphone Apps. This study divided 140 women into two groups, one with smartphones and one without. Researchers say the smartphone group reported less pain than the control group that didn’t use a smartphone app. Click on the name to read more about the results.

Before I move on, there is a free app I found which I want to feature: MediSafe Project. Taking your medication as prescribed and on schedule is vitally important for all patients. However, for some, like diabetics and heart patients, it can be a matter of life and death. A missed or delayed dose could have dire circumstances. An app called MediSafe Project was designed as the first-ever cloud-synced pillbox app that not only reminds you when it’s time to take your medication, but also sends your family, friends and caretakers alerts if you miss a dose, leveraging the power of your support system to keep you healthier. It’s a free app for iPhone and Android. I think this sounds like a great option, and I suggest you might want to make a note of it. Who knows if you, or a loved one, may have need of just such a helpful app in the future?

Technology keeps marching ahead, and though apps are fantastic, our smartphones are becoming even more useful for our health. Cardiologist Eric Topol, chief academic officer of Scripps Health, believes “the smart phone will be the hub of the future of medicine. And it will be your health-medical dashboard.” 

In an in-depth interview with NBC news, Dr. Topol talks about how wireless medicine via smartphone will make our healthcare better and cheaper. During the interview, he shows how his modified iphone makes it possible for him to take an instant cardiogram of a patient and do a portable ultrasound. Says Topol, 
     “You can take the phone and make a lab on a chip. You can do blood tests, saliva tests, urine tests, all kinds of things... through your phone. This is a powerful device.” 
I highly recommend that you watch this entire interview. It is mind-boggling to see just how much he can do with a smartphone and to hear him talk about what’s to come is incredible.

Two years ago, I started having issues with my heart. I wore a heart monitor for a week, but the problem I was having didn’t happen while I was wearing the monitor. I then had to wear a holter monitor for a whole month in order to make it possible to catch my heart acting up. It was uncomfortable, inconvenient, and expensive. Evident through Dr. Topol’s demonstration, I could have my smartphone handy and simply pull it out to record any episode when my heart rhythm was off and not have to be hooked up to a monitor all the time. I could then transmit the information instantly and if there was any life-threatening issue my doctor would be able to tell me what to do. That immediate connection to a medical professional proves, according to Dr. Topol, technology does not get in the way of the doctor/patient relationship. It may involve being face-to-face less often since a lot of office visits would be unnecessary by doing the screenings and tests remotely, saving money, time, and making diagnosis much more immediate. But he says it would be more intimate and bonded because the results of the tests are shared between doctor and patient in real time. 

I have to admit, I certainly look forward to this type of medicine with individualized screenings, remote testing, and instant connection. I never want to have to wear a heart monitor for a month again! Watching Dr. Topol talk about how wireless medicine is going to change our healthcare system really excites me. Who knows how much more technology will advance in another five years?

++==++==++==++==++==++==++

*Chronic Pain Applications plus one other app you might find useful

There are certainly more than three apps out there for chronic pain, but these are the ones I have heard good things about from other users besides the one I use myself. I also included one emergency app which sounds like a good idea for those of us with very serious medical conditions; it goes a few steps farther than a medical alert bracelet, though I always recommend having one of those no matter what. Consider using one of these apps to help improve your life by better managing your chronic pain:

~Manage My Pain (the one that I use)
This app has helped thousands of people better understand their symptoms and provide evidence of their pain for their doctors, insurance companies, or government agencies. It is the most effective pain management app to record, track, analyze, & share your pain. Manage My Pain is the only app that synchronizes your information in the cloud and across all your devices. Create and view your records anywhere, anytime, and from any device, while resting easy that your information will never be lost.

This app helps people with chronic pain conditions make daily health and wellness choices, so they can manage their pain smarter. From back pain to migraines, the app lets you record daily pain levels, export your pain history to PDF and email it to your doctor. You can also select doctor-approved goals from five lifestyle categories related to your pain condition(s): Food, Rest, Exercise, Mood, and Treatments, view ‘bite-sized’ tips matched with your goals and organized into the same five lifestyle categories, and read hundreds of articles, videos, slideshows and quizzes on pain management related to your condition.  Free.

Developed by a chronic pain patient and used by thousands to track chronic health conditions such as: Fibromyalgia , Headaches, Migraines, Back Pain, Rsd, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Osteoarthritis, Interstitial Cystitis, Herniated Disks, Endometriosis, Peripheral Neuropathy, Lupus, Ankylosing Spondylitis and dozens of others. All with one app! It provides you with a tool that is easy to use, empowering, and effective at tracking and recording your chronic pain, pain types, pain triggers, remedies, etc.

This app is a vital tool for unexpected situations and the easiest way to aggregate all of your most critical information. Store your blood type, allergies, medications, any notes, and emergency contacts — if your phone is found on you, emergency technicians will be able to view your vital stats in a heartbeat. A personalized large tile increases visibility on your start screen, while a personalized lock screen displays emergency contacts even if your phone is locked. Emergency Kit outperforms standard ICE (in case of emergency) kits because of the assortment of tools and educational information also included. Turn your phone into an SOS light beacon, send out an emergency text message or email with your GPS coordinates, or learn how to treat different injuries. Emergency Kit offers an added layer of preparedness for unpredictable situations.

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Tuesday-Newsday #101


Time for Tuesday-Newsday! The Featured Blog Post this week is, 38 Questions to Ask Your Surgeon Before Having Back Surgery,” by Stephanie Burke for Spine-Health.com. Although this article is written specifically for those who have spinal issues, the information provided could be helpful to patients who are facing any type of surgery. 

Let Me Know: If you’d like me to watch for articles on your pain condition, just drop me a note in the comments section below. 

WARNING:  My goal is to provide the most up-to-date news I can, which you can then take to your personal doctor and debate the merits of before you try it. I do not endorse any of the docs, treatments, info, and meds in anything I post nor can I guarantee they are all effective, especially not for everyone. As is the case with any health info, ALWAYS get your doctor's opinion first!
====++++====++++====++++====++++====++++===


*MENINGITIS OUTBREAK NEWS 

Current Count: 704 Cases, 46 Deaths, Joint Infections 32
(these numbers were not updated this week because of the holiday)




*MEDICATION NEWS

Researchers are calling for diclofenac to be removed from national essential medicines lists and to have its global marketing authorizations revoked.

Vioxx and Diclofenac: Why Are Two Heart Risky Pain Drugs Viewed Differently?

Patients who take Vicodin and other painkillers containing hydrocodone will not be able to get them refilled starting Saturday unless they go to their doctor for a new prescription








*CHRONIC PAIN NEWS




Although apologetic for disappointing fans and unable to continue performing (let alone just walk), with humor she gives her wheelchair a name



*PATIENT NEWS










*FOOT PAIN





*PEDIATRIC PAIN











*FEATURED BLOG POST

Although this article is aimed at those with spinal issues, the information could be helpful to people with other conditions who are facing any kind of surgery:

by Stephanie Burke for Spine-Health.com

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Tuesday-Newsday #100

Note: Sorry for the slightly late post. I have returned from my trip and am getting back into the swing of things.


Wow! This is my 100th post of Tuesday-Newsday! When I started this blog I never thought I'd make it this far. I hope you are finding the information & ideas on my blog educational and occasionally inspiring. Another landmark is coming up soon for me as well: my blog will celebrate its two-year anniversary on February 26th. I hope I can continue to maintain this blog far into the future and provide hope & help to many more people. I love to hear from those who read my blog, so if you feel inclined, please leave a comment.

The Featured Blog Post this week is, “How to Take the High Road (When Your Doctor is Mean)” by Lisa Copen of RestMinistries.com

Let Me Know: If you’d like me to watch for articles on your pain condition, just drop me a note in the comments section below. 

WARNING:  My goal is to provide the most up-to-date news I can, which you can then take to your personal doctor and debate the merits of before you try it. I do not endorse any of the docs, treatments, info, and meds in anything I post nor can I guarantee they are all effective, especially not for everyone. As is the case with any health info, ALWAYS get your doctor's opinion first!
====++++====++++====++++====++++====++++===



*MENINGITIS OUTBREAK NEWS 








*CHRONIC PAIN NEWS







*MEDICATION NEWS












*PATIENT NEWS









*AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES








*NECK PAIN






*FEATURED BLOG POST

by Lisa Copen of RestMinistries.com

Friday, February 1, 2013

ALERT: Tell the FDA How Your Life Will Be Impacted by Restrictive Rx Changes


A week ago an FDA panel voted to tighten restrictions on pain medications containing Hydrocodone, making the rules for getting it the same as for morphine and oxycodone. This includes medications such as Vicodin, Lortab and Norco. The FDA is also being lobbied by a physicians’ group to severely cap access to opioid medications (including a set maximum daily dose) for patients with chronic non-cancer pain. 

[For more details about these two important issues, see the email from the National Fibromyalgia & Chronic Pain Association (NFMCPA) linked HERE]

The FDA will be meeting this coming Monday, February 4 with regard to these matters. It is *vital* that you share your concerns and personal stories; they need to hear directly from people who are in chronic pain. They need to understand how the specific restrictions being considered will impact the quality of your daily life.

To make your voice heard before any decisions are made, please act quickly. Go to this PAGE and click on bar in the upper right hand corner that says “Comment Now!” Follow the instructions when you reach the new page and provide your story. Be as specific as possible as to how these proposed changes would impact you. Please take the time to do this, even if you only write a couple of paragraphs. 

I believe we all have the right to expect that what our doctor thinks is best for us should be allowed, and politicians and negative press should not dictate our medical care. We should not be allowed to suffer because there are addicts and criminals who abuse medications - we are not the cause of it nor will they stop if we are cut off from our legitimate prescriptions. It is unfair, unethical, and cruel to tell us that even though there are medications which can improve our lives and alleviate our pain, we are not allowed to have them.

PLEASE read the specifics about the FDA issues to be discussed at that meeting next week, and then tell them your story. 

The NFMCPA also requests that you send a copy of your story to them at info@fmcpaware.org to help combine our efforts with theirs.

We, as chronic pain patients, must now more than ever stand together.

==++==++==++==++==++==

Articles & editorials you should read on these FDA issues:



(from the Los Angeles Times)