Tuesday-Newsday #105

Time for Tuesday-Newsday! The Featured Blog Post this week is, "Being chronically ill or in pain can feel like a full-time job," by Toni Bernhard. 

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: CDC will update cases on 3/25/13

New information on PCR test for detecting fungal DNA in outbreak patients

*NEW CONTAMINATION RECALL

Visible mold forces recall of N.J. pharmacy injection drugs

“At least thirteen hospitals in Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania (are involved in this recall)...”

*MEDICATION NEWS

Nucynta ER approved for moderate to severe chronic pain control

Bill in U.S. Congress Aims to Curb Prescription Drug Abuse: The STOPP Act

note from Shannon: "They think they are doing a good thing with this bill. But to block access to any drug could prevent patients who cannot tolerate side effects or don’t have optimal results from the tamper-proof rx from from getting the relief they need and deserve."

Don’t expect quick action on painkillers, FDA tells lawmakers

Letter from U.S. FDA to All Opioid Prescribers

Supreme Court to hear arguments over generic drugmaker liability

The drug-dose gender gap in chronic pain patients

Steroid Shots Fail for Pain - Again - in Two Studies

Drugmakers and Interpol ramp up fight against fake drugs

Researchers develop medically safer hybrid grapefruit

*CHRONIC PAIN NEWS

Parenting With Chronic Pain: Chronic pain presents special challenges for parents

Can Increasing Opioid Dose Worsen Chronic Pain? Breaking down a study to really see the results

Ratings of Pain Intensity: A Numbers Game

Alcohol: The Elephant in the Pain Clinic

Balancing Act: Direct And Indirect Costs Of Managing Musculoskeletal Disorders

A Painful Yarn: A physical therapist experiences pain in the ER (part one)

Read part two HERE

*CENTRAL PAIN SYNDROME

CPS: The Rare Neurological Disease That Often Goes Undiagnosed, But It Is More Common than You Might Think

Watch a 25 minute in-depth video + patient interviews on CPS

*NEUROPATHY

Lasting Improvement In Neuropathic Pain Offered By Deep Brain Stimulation

Neuroscientists prove ultrasound can be tweaked to stimulate different sensations

Diabetic neuropathy can be relieved with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)

Survey Highlights Perception Differences Between Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy Patients and Healthcare Providers

Exercise May Slow Development of Diabetic Nerve Pain

New medication shows promise in treating diabetic neuropathy; patient being sought for Metanx study

*CANCER 

Doxepin Reduces Mucositis Pain

Zytiga relieves bone pain associated with metastatic prostate cancer

New drug Abstral will be available for breakthrough cancer pain in late 2013

Drug Shortages Costly to Cancer Patients

Cancer Pain Undertreated, Especially Among Minorities

Cancer Patients May Not Be Getting Adequate Care for Debilitating Fatigue

Easy, at-home exercise can relieve some cancer patients’ fatigue (R.E.S.T.)

Cancer Rehab Begins To Bridge A Gap To Reach Patients

‘Quality of Life’ Therapy Improves Health During Cancer Treatment

Cancer Survivors Report Lower Quality of Life

Choice of Anesthetic Affects Risk of Chronic Pain after Mastectomy

1 in 4 Breast Cancer Diagnoses May Spur PTSD: Women who are younger, black or Asian at highest risk for short-term symptoms of stress disorder

Pain Intensity May Help Differentiate 2 Skin Cancers

Ukraine: Breakthrough for Cancer Pain: Access to Oral Morphine Will Improve End-of-Life Care

*RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

DO YOU QUALIFY FOR $100 FROM CREAKYJOINTS BY TAKING A SURVEY?

You wouldn't just let a stranger into your house. So why a drug you don't know?...

There is an effort underway in many states to pass legislation to ensure that this does not happen. It will require you and your physician to be notified in order to substitute your biologic for a biosimilar. We believe we have the right know what medications we are taking. Do you live in one of these states and take a biologic? Do you want to help us ensure we know what drugs we are taking? If so, contact Allen Todd at: atodd@ghlf.org for info on how you can help. Read more about the legislation HERE.

Newer Rheumatoid Arthritis Drugs Don't Seem to Increase Risk of Shingles: But study finds that high doses of corticosteroids double the odds of developing painful skin disease

Are Opioids for RA Disappointing, Or What do Studies Really Show?

Salty Diet Might Help Trigger Rheumatoid Arthritis, MS

Smoking cigarettes, having diabetes raise likelihood of developing RA 

Rheumatoid Arthritis Can Be Costly: Study looked at direct health care spending, worker productivity

Rheumatism: Scientists Improve Arthritis Treatments

In freezing temperatures, a relief from pain

*FEATURED BLOG POST

Being chronically ill or in pain can feel like a full-time job

by Toni Bernhard