Tuesday-Newsday #96

It’s time for our first Tuesday-Newsday in 2013! The featured blog post this week is, “A Fresh Start: The New Year means it's Resolution Time,” by Jan Sadler of PainSupport.co.uk

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!

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*MENINGITIS OUTBREAK NEWS

Current Count: 664 Cases, 40 Deaths, Joint Infections 28

Meningitis Outbreak Large, Attack Rate Low

FDA ponders new pharmacy rules after deadly outbreak

Pharmacy blames cleaners in fungal meningitis outbreak

Michigan hospital leads fight against deadly outbreak

Lucky phone call alerted CDC to fungal meningitis outbreak

*CHRONIC PAIN NEWS

Survey Reveals Causes of Winter Activity Pain

How Much Pain You Can Handle Is Determined By Your Genes

Stanford Researchers Report Progress In Quest To Create Objective Method Of Detecting Pain

Discovery could eventually help diagnose and treat chronic pain

*MEDICATION NEWS

If you use Opioids for Chronic Pain: Your comments are needed for FDA committee hearing which could affect access to your medication

New Opioid Zohydro Could Still Win FDA Approval, Analyst Says

Brain Imaging Shows Cannabis Only Brings Subjective Pain Relief

Hypertension Drugs Could Help Treat Chronic Pain Symptoms

Generic non-tamper resistant version of opioid painkiller Opana to hit U.S. market in January

Abuse Resistance an Issue with Opioid Generics

Inconsistency Seen in Safety Labeling for Generic Drugs: Although warnings are supposed to match brand-name equivalents, researchers found many variations

Drug information sheets which come with prescriptions are too complex and difficult for people to understand, study finds

Note from Shannon: It’s so important to know everything you can about your medications. I wrote a blog post last year about Be An Educated Patient: Understanding Your Meds. Click on that post title to read more details on how to protect yourself with information.

Long-Term Aspirin Use Linked With Vision Loss: But the risk doesn't outweigh the benefit of aspirin in preventing heart attacks and strokes, experts say

Long-term use of Aspirin by seniors may increase the risk of developing late age-related macular degeneration (AMD)

*PATIENT NEWS

Congress passes on chance to fix Medicare doctor pay

Contaminated human tissue implants produced at FL company prompt FDA warning

Four Sentenced in Nation's Largest Medical Fraud Case

We live 'longer but sicker' as chronic diseases rise

*CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME

FDA Panel Recommends Against 1st Drug for CFS: Safety of Ampligen was a concern, and only some patients got relief from the treatment

Petition to Give CFS Patients Access to the drug Ampligen Needs 2,000 Signatures - please help!

A petition to the FDA allows people with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome to register for an opportunity to try Ampligen - but can we raise the needed 2,000 signatures or more? The FDA will render a decision on Feb 2. Please sign the petition right now!

Catastrophizing and depression are the main predictors for pain in patients with CFS

*INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASES

FDA approves the drug Linzess To treat IBS and Chronic Constipation and Abdomenal Pain

Mind-body education helps irritable bowel syndrome

Symptoms of reflux and IBS overlap

Acupuncture Beats Drugs for Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Crohn's on the Radar: Testing for Crohns can be done fast and efficiently with diffusion-weight imaging

'Good' bug may have a role in bowel disease, study of children with Crohn’s finds

Humira Might Help Kids With Tough-to-Treat Crohn's Disease: 'Biologic' drug spurred remission for a third of patients 6 months into treatment

Ulcerative Colitis: New pill Tofacitinib relieved symptoms in short term, but effects over time not yet known

Colectomy fails to ease ulcerative colitis sick leave burden

Scientists Working Toward Pill for Celiac Disease

1 of every 100 U.S. Caucasians has celiac disease

*FEATURED BLOG POST

A Fresh Start: The New Year means it's Resolution Time

by Jan Sadler of PainSupport.co.uk