Nip Pain in the bud & let your Soul blossom: April 2015

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Tuesday-Newsday #190

NOTE: Sorry for another late post. I'm still having a bad pain flare-up, but I managed to pull together a full blog post this week...

Time for Tuesday-Newsday! The Featured Blog Posts this week are all related to dealing with negative thinkings.

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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~* ALERT: Rx RECALLS *~

Voluntary Nationwide Recall of Select Lots of Injectable Methotrexate, Gemcitabine, Carboplatin, and Cytarabine

Patients should contact their doctor if they have experienced any problems that may be related to using these medications or for more contact information, click HERE

*MEDICATION NEWS

FDA says Medtronic must stop most sales of Synchromed drug pumps

UC Davis Study On Painkillers—What’s It Saying?

Antibiotic Shortages On the Rise in U.S.

FDA to require new information for prescribing medications during pregnancy

FDA Weighs Tighter Regulation of Homeopathic Medicines: Critics say these natural remedies are ineffective, potentially dangerous

*COSTS OF MEDICATIONS SOARING

Pharmacist survey raises concerns for patient access to generic drugs

New Specialty Medicines Drive Up Drug Spending: Report finds costs are highest they've been in a decade

Some Arthritis Meds Cost Seniors Thousands Annually

Prices of Multiple Sclerosis Rx Soaring Even for Older Drugs, in Some Cases Rising More Than 700%

Pharmacies push pricier drugs to Tricare users

Feds to Probe Impact of Generic Drug Price Increases on Medicaid

Angry Over Drug Prices, More States Push Bills for Pharma to Disclose Costs

*CHRONIC PAIN NEWS

Less than a Month Remains To Comment on National Pain Strategy

Resilience to Chronic Pain – Can It Be Predicted?

New discovery could impact the study of chronic pain conditions

Ozone Therapy: Hope for Chronic Illnesses

*INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASES (IBD)

World IBD Day on May 19th: Video Campaign Already Ongoing

Chronic narcotic use is high among kids with IBD

Medical Marijuana Will Be Available to Treat IBD Patients in New York City

Pain Management in Patients with IBD: Individualizing Treatment Approaches

Kids With IBD Skip Drug Doses

Pediatric IBD Program Helps Children Cope with Disease

New JustLikeMeIBD.org Website For Kids And Teens With Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

'Yes' to Routine Colonoscopies in IBD

Researchers discover molecular trigger of inflammatory bowel disease

Viruses may play unexpected role in inflammatory bowel diseases

IBD Genes Are Passed From Parent To Child, But The Risk Of IBD Is Complicated

Can People With IBD Also Have IBS?

IBS Yields to Rifaximin -- Repeatedly

New class of drugs shows promise in treating chronic diarrhea

Drug options for IBS 'should be easier to navigate with new guideline'

Irritable Bowel Syndrome Defined by Symptoms, Relieved Through Trust and Patience

Link between depression, abnormal brain response to visceral pain in patients with IBS

Expert highlights research innovation and is optimistic about the future of IBS treatment

IBS: The Truth About Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Beware Claims That Activated Charcoal Can Cure Gut Troubles

Acupuncture Soothes Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

New Drug Mongersen for Crohn's Disease Shows Early Promise

Study Links Common Food Additives to Crohn's Disease, Colitis

Facing the Pain and Stigma of Crohn’s Disease

Yeast-devouring gut bacterium may provide new Crohn's treatments

Closing in on a Cure for Crohn's: MAP

New Home Test Kit Launched for Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis

Clinical data demonstrates safety and efficacy of Vedolizumab for adults with UC & CD

NICE recommends use of Humira on the NHS in adult patients with Ulcerative Colitis

Improving adherence to ulcerative colitis medications: an interview

Deleware restroom access law opens employee-only bathrooms to those with medical need such as Crohn’s, Colitis

Pin-Up Model With Crohn's Reboots Her Immune System

*FEATURED BLOG POSTS

Even if a Featured Blog Post is written specifically with emphasis on one chronic pain condition, it may still have information and ideas which can help people with any type of chronic pain/illness. I always select posts which I think can provide help for the widest audience.

Tools to Cope with the Stress of Chronic Pain & Manage Difficult Thinking

from Princess in the Tower

Comparisonitis Sucks! (AWAP Wednesday)

by Jenni Prokopy, editrix of ChronicBabe.com

3 Ways to Weather the Internal Storm of chronic Pain and Not Let it Define You

from Princess in the Tower

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Tuesday-Newsday #189

Note from Me:

Sorry for the late & brief post today. I’m having a really bad pain flare-up and just can’t do much work this week. I will do my best to have a full blog post up next Tuesday.

Time for Tuesday-Newsday! The Featured Blog Posts this week are all related to dealing with people who don’t believe you are in pain or sick and/or treat you badly because of your chronic condition.

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.

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~* Your Opinion is Vital *~

Have Your Say on How to Improve Chronic Pain Care: National Pain Strategy Comment Period Ends May 20

Go Here for Details on How to Send in Your Comments

*MEDICATION NEWS

FDA Warns on that Human Use of Topical Pain Creams Can Make Sicken or Kill Their Pets

Beware: Medical Marijuana is Toxic to Pets, Can Cause Illness or Even Death

US Senate Bill will Pressure FDA on Opioid Approvals

U.S. House Passes Bill to Address Patient Access to Prescription

DEA Administrator to Step Down

Survey Study Shows ADFs Served as ‘First Line of Defense’ Against Opioid Abuse

Opioids may not be the most harmful pain drugs after all, says Pain Specialist

I Cannot Even! -- Blogger is furious with video branding all pain patients as drug-seekers in the ER

*CHRONIC PAIN NEWS

National Pain Report Reader’s Survey on Chronic Pain

Babies May Be More Sensitive to Pain Than Adults

A3 adenosine receptor can activate 'off signals' for pain

Twitter and Chronic Pain–A Second Look

Real People Who Participated in Clinical Trials Research

*PATIENT NEWS

Fraudulent clinical trials known to FDA 'hidden from journals and public'

Most Clinical Trial Results Not Reported on Time to Government; Delays ion new treatments mean patients aren't informed

Unauthorized Breaches of Medical Records on the Rise

Are YOUR medical records safe? Experts warn 2015 will be 'year of the healthcare hack'

VeinViewer Means No More Poking People Relentlessly to Locate Veins

Pain-free blood tests

Comfortably Numb Device Cools Skin to Prevent Pain of Drug Injections

Groundbreaking map of human epigenomes could lead to personalised medicine

6 in 10 Americans Interested in Genetic Testing; But researchers wonder if everyone is adept at accurately interpreting test results

Nationwide survey reveals widespread use of mind and body practices

Loneliness and isolation are as dangerous as obesity, new study finds

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Tuesday-Newsday #188

Time for Tuesday-Newsday! The Featured Blog Posts this week are all related to making changes or acknowledging progress when living with chronic pain/illness.

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.

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~* ALERT: Rx May Be Linked to Dangerous Infections *~

Ingredient in Multiple Sclerosis, Psoriasis Drugs Linked to Two Deadly Brain Infections; But no cause/effect proved to the drugs Tecfidera, Psorinovo

*MEDICATION NEWS

Is The Media Missing The Point On Pain Medication Dispute?

Acetaminophen Reduces Both Pain & Pleasure, Very Small Study Finds

Pain Relief from Over-the-Counter Pain Medications

Newly identified compounds in spider venom could help treat chronic pain

Common cholesterol drug stimulates the same receptors as Marijuana and may help relieve pain

Arthritis Patients: Guidance for Help With Medication Cost Now Available

Biologics are revolutionizing care for some diseases, but they are very costly

*CHRONIC PAIN NEWS

Are Elected Officials Listening to Chronic Pain Patients?

Women Treated for Pain Differently

Light Therapy Helps Joint Pain and More, New Study Underway

Shift From IV to Oral Sedation for Pain Procedures?

These startups could completely change how we manage pain and treat cancer

Researchers probing potential power of meditation as therapy for migraines, pain

Change Through The Painful Truth: A Book and TV Documentary

Researchers Say 3D Printing with Animal Bone May Regenerate Human Bones, Manage Pain

Pfizer, Lilly to resume testing of experimental pain drug Tanezumab

*FIBROMYALGIA

Fibromyalgia Awareness Day 2015 is May 12th!

Feast Friendship and HOPE for Fibromyalgia Awareness 2015

New Criteria Would Double Fibromyalgia Cases

Fibromyalgia: A Real Medical Disease

Duloxetine response can vary in fibromyalgia patients based on subgroup classification

Pfizer pain drug Lyrica fails study in adolescents with fibromyalgia

2010 ACR adult FM criteria useful in screening for juvenile fibromyalgia

More than half of patients with fibromyalgia may have comorbidities

Fibromyalgia: Understand the diagnosis process

Symptoms of Fibromyalgia Infographic

Fibromyalgia Patients at Greater Risk for IBS

Sleep Apnea Relationship with Fibromyalgia

Poor Sleep Quality Linked to Increased Pain and Reduced Activity in Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia: Need to Nap Increases as Symptoms Worsen

Floatation therapy for pain relief, relaxation, and meditation

Fibromyalgia Flotation Project studying Flotation REST as a treatment for people suffering from fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia Pathophysiology and Treatment Implications

Patients with RA, fibromyalgia less likely to achieve remission, low disease activity

Patients with fibromyalgia had worse cognitive function than those with RA, in small study

Is fibromyalgia hereditary?

Suicidal ideation correlates strongly with depression in patients with fibromyalgia, small study finds

Fibromyalgia Symptoms Improve Following Parathyroidectomy, Says Study

Can Heat Therapy Reduce Fibromyalgia Pain?

Fibromyalgia Symptoms Predict Arthroplasty Outcomes

Can’t Work Because Of Fibro? New Ruling Gives Fibro Sufferers Disability Payments

Benefits of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Fibromyalgia

The Role of Spirituality in Healing

National Fibromyalgia & Chronic Pain Association (NfmCPA) newsletter - Advocate Voice Jan/Feb edition

Prohealth Fibromyalgia HealthWatch e-letter

First issue of new Fibromyalgia Aware magazine - winter 2015 issue

3 Levels of Fibromyalgia Limitations

Is Driving Safe with Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?

*CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME / M.E. / S.E.I.D.

Immune System Changes Tied to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic Fatigue 'Brain Fog' Clues in Spinal Fluid

Why exercise magnifies exhaustion for chronic fatigue syndrome patients

Exercise and chronic fatigue syndrome: an interview with Professor Trudie Chalder

The Role of Antiviral Therapy in Chronic Fatigue Treatment

A Disease Doctors Refuse to See: CFS Needs Effective Treatments

One doctor’s opinion: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Right Name, Real Treatments

opinion: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, ME, SEID & Other Names: Why I Use What I Use

Is Driving Safe with Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?

*FEATURED BLOG POSTS

It’s So Easy to Look Ahead, We Often Fail to Give Ourselves Credit For How Far We’ve Come (The Flawed Fibromyalgia Success Map)

by Sue Ingebretson

5 Ways You're Not 'Living' With Chronic Illness

by Ilana Jacqueline

How Can We Embrace Change? Get Curious! (AWAP Wednesday)

by Jenni Prokopy, editrix of ChronicBabe.com

Decisions to Change: Is Your Fibromyalgia Health Journey Like a Movie Plot?

by Sue Ingebretson

Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Tuesday-Newsday #187

Time for Tuesday-Newsday! The Featured Blog Posts this week are all related to humor and healing.

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.

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*MEDICATION NEWS

New rules make it easier to dispose of opioid painkillers

FDA Issues Final Guidance for Abuse-Deterrent Opioids

Opioid Misuse Study Questioned

Opioids for Chronic Pain: Guidelines discourage it, but clinicians find value for carefully selected and monitored patients

Veterans Lives, and All of our Lives, Made More Difficult and Painful Thanks to Government's War on Painkillers

DEA responds after patients denied prescription pain meds in Florida

Holy Grail: Pain Pills Without the High

Combining nortriptyline and morphine provides better pain relief than using either drug alone

FL bill to ban or more tightly control Kratom, sometimes used for chronic pain

New pain relief delivery method using a gel discovered may help avoid side effects of painkillers

Side Effects: When Silence Isn't Golden

*CHRONIC PAIN NEWS

Chronic Pain Patients: Stanford Wants To Hear What You Think

Make Time for Chronic Pain Relief

New Spinal Cord Stimulation Therapy Showing Promising Results

Researchers have a gut feeling - could chronic pain be caused by bacteria?

MRI Predicts if Whiplash Will Evolve into Chronic Pain

How important is the name of a disease? Do names influence treatment?

Read Pain Pathways online magazine spring issue

Even through pain out comes the sun, says celebrity Mariel Hemingway

*AMPUTEE (PHANTOM) PAIN

DoD Funded Amputee Chronic Pain Study for both for Veterans & Civilians

Phantom Limb Pain: The Pain that Lingers

Visual Feedback Effective Option for Phantom Limb Pain

Limb Transplant Gel: Saving Hands, Feet and Faces

*MILITARY VETERANS’ PAIN

Tricare to No Longer Cover Some Prescription Pain Killers

Widespread Reports Surface of Veterans Denied Pain Meds if They Use Cannabis

'Culture of Fear': VA Eyes Pain-Pill Problems at Wisconsin Hospital

New federal restrictions on painkillers separate wounded veterans from needed treatment with bureaucratic chasms

Complementary and alternative medicine for veterans and military personnel -- update from Medical Care

Two-step treatment improved function, decreased pain severity in veterans

Madigan Army Medical Center receives $1M to study alternative pain therapies

Veteran cites years of pain under VA health care in saying system yet to be fixed

Disfigured soldier speaks out in Las Vegas for veterans suffering pain, injuries

Veterans in Vegas have found a way to get medical care, with or without the VA

Vets turning to yoga for comfort

Cost of providing medical marijuana for Canadian vets jumps to $4.3 million — 10 times more than last year

Gulf War Syndrome Patients Treated With Experimental Light Therapy To Ease Cognitive Dysfunction, Pain

Mixed Results for Pot to treat PTSD

PTSD May Raise Women's Risk for Diabetes

Wounded Warrior Project 2015 priorities

Veterans’ health records lost in VA-Department of Defense divide

Is VA Misleading Veterans About ‘My HealtheVet’ Medical Records?

Study finds nearly one 1 in 10 veterans in under 65 chooses a non-family as next of kin; but state laws may trump their choice, possibly leading to care delays

Horse power: Wounded warriors receive healing, support through Academy’s equine-assisted therapy

*FEATURED BLOG POSTS

Healing Through Humor: Laughter Therapy is an Effective Pain Reducer

by Darisse Smith for National Pain Report

Living with Chronic Pain Isn’t Fun . . . But it Can Be Funny!

by Lisa Copen, founder of Rest Ministries

Humor Heals: Science proves Laughter is good medicine

by Shannon of Nip Pain in the Bud & Let Your Soul Blossom

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Tuesday-Newsday #186

Time for Tuesday-Newsday! The Featured Blog Posts this week are all related to serious coping issues.

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.

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*MEDICATION NEWS

Congress Pressures FDA to Finalize Opioid Guidance, in order to avoid a $20 million cut in salaries and expenses

Federal Government Increasing Opioid Scrutiny

Are Pain Patients Being Heard On Impact Of DEA Ruling?

Complexities of Opioid-Induced Hyperalgesia Poorly Understood

Movantik (Naloxegol) launches in the U.S. for opioid-induced constipation in non-cancer pain patients

What Makes an Opioid Stronger or Weaker Than Morphine? CDC classification of stronger, weaker, and morphine-equivalent opioids is confusing

Opioid-induced constipation significant in pain patients, small study finds

3 States considering legislation to require locking caps for all opioid pill bottles

FL pill mill crackdown makes getting meds difficult for 'legitimate pain' patients

MT Pain advocates support outspoken Pain Doctor fighting to reverse a decision sanctioning for over prescribing narcotic pain medications

Russian cancer patients are killing themselves because they can’t get narcotic painkillers

opinion: You Make the Call: Risk or Opiophobia?

New survey shows Americans prefer education over restricted access for OTC pain medications

Risks of Acetaminophen have been 'underestimated'

NSAID Painkillers May Lower Colon Cancer Risk for Some

*CHRONIC PAIN NEWS

The Search for a Better Definition of Pain: Proactive patients work with researchers for a more precise way to explain how they feel physically

Patients seek pain relief with magnetic pulse therapy

Neurolumen: Mother invents new device to help her pain-stricken daughter

Pain sufferers find relief in treatments without using drugs: Neurolumen

Pain diaries may slow patient recovery, small study shows

Coordination of Care Matters Most to Patients With Chronic Pain

Become a U.S. Pain Foundation Ambassador

Scientists Find Way to Turn Off Pain in Mice: Could Lead to New Treatments

Fibromyalgia Life & Chronic Pain magazine - Spring 2015 issue

*NECK PAIN

Study Finds the Best Way to Treat Neck Pain

Altering visual cues can impact chronic neck pain

Meditation can reduce chronic neck pain

Too much texting can be a pain in the neck

Tablet use: significance of usage position, potential for neck damage

*OSTEPOROSIS

Scientists explore a new parameter of bone quality that measures strength instead of density

Denosumab reverses bone loss, lowers wrist fracture rates in women with osteoporosis

New guidance to prevent bisphosphonate-related atypical femoral fractures

Male smokers at higher risk than females for osteoporosis, fractures

Sleep apnea may be an unrecognized cause of some cases of osteoporosis

Balancing bone formation and degradation

Strong association between menopausal symptoms, bone health

Life Satisfaction Linked to Bone Health in Older Women

When bone density is good, no repeat tests needed for younger postmenopausal women

Baby boomers and scoliosis: Osteoporosis a risk factor

Paralyzed patients have weaker bones, higher risk of fractures than expected

Eczema Tied to Bone Fracture Risk in Study

Weight loss of 10 percent or more in seniors significantly raises hip fracture risk

Both weight loss and weight gain linked with increased fracture risk

Why popular antacids may increase chance of bone fractures

Research finds potassium salts aid bone health and limit osteoporosis risk

*SJOGREN'S SYNDROME

2015 National Patient Conference: "Learning to Thrive with Sjögren’s" in Tampa FL on April 17-18

April is Sjögren’s Syndrome Awareness Month

Hydroxychloroquine, a common Rx for treating Sjögren’s, may be ineffective and not relieve symptoms like pain and fatigue

Patent Awarded for Sjögren’s Test Which Can Diagnose the Syndrome Earlier Than Ever Before

Advances in the Understanding and Treatment of Systemic Complications in Sjögren's Syndrome

Disease Activity Predicts Death in Sjogren's

Women with Sjögren's syndrome more likely to experience sexual dysfunction very small study finds

Increased Cardiovascular Risk in Sjögren's Syndrome

Sjögren's Syndrome Increases Risk For Stroke And Heart Attack Within First Year Of Diagnosis

Advances in the Understanding and Treatment of Systemic Complications in Sjögren's Syndrome

Disease Activity Predicts Death in Sjögren's

Women with Sjögren's syndrome more likely to experience sexual dysfunction very small study finds

Increased Cardiovascular Risk in Sjögren's Syndrome

Sjögren's Syndrome Increases Risk For Stroke And Heart Attack Within First Year Of Diagnosis

First humanized mouse model of Sjögren’s syndrome opens door to study other autoimmune diseases

*FEATURED BLOG POSTS

Chronic pain and suicide: Why one arthritis patient didn’t kill herself as planned

by Sandi's Ow of Creaky Joints

3 Warning Signs That You're Using Your Chronic Illness As an Excuse to Fail

by Lorrie Ryan of LottieRyan.com

13 Ways to Successfully Move Through Difficult Transitions

by Rakel Sosa

The Loneliness of Illness and Pain

by Wayne Connell, founder & president of Invisible Disabilities Association

"A good Garden may have some Weeds."

I like to think of Life as a Garden... with the blossoming flowers as our souls fed by the happiness we cultivate.

Chronic Pain is like a persistent weed that threatens to take over our garden when we have chronic pain/illness.

Although we may not be able to stop the invasion of weeds, we can find ways lessen their impact in our lives: to remove the weeds we can, to obstruct their growth by treating them, or to step over them & choose instead to focus on 'stopping to smell the roses'.

This blog is about living a joyful life despite chronic pain: by being educated on your pain condition, becoming a smart patient, finding inspiration, and then opening yourself up & finding creative ways to experience life.