RPM Campaigns Blog

Archive for the ‘Medicine’ Category

Physical therapy may involve walk training, range of motion, restorative therapy, therapeutic exercises, and home programs to improve strength and independence. Consider a boy named Marc. He injured his knee on a soccer game. He placed a cold icy compress to his injury immediately afterwards but the pain persisted. He visited his doctor and found out that he had torn his Anterior Cruciate Ligament, the tissue that connects the two major bones of the knees. He underwent surgery to treat his injury, yet after which Marc would still need a physical exercise home therapy program for full recovery. This shall help him rebuild his muscle strength and recover the range of motion in his injured knee, and so Marc could heal properly, and completely. Yet how does or should a physical exercise home therapy program work?

First is to look for the right physical therapist. The PT must have a master’s or doctoral degree in physical therapy and must be licensed by your state to practice. You should also know that physical therapists have specializations in different areas. A particular therapist may work mostly with sports injuries, for example, while others may be experts in head injuries, or in children, babies, the elderly, or those with particular illnesses. So you should find one who suits your case. The recommendation of a doctor may not be enough to earn your confidence so you should ask questions to your prospective PT. You should ask about his expertise in such conditions like yours, his therapy plan for you as well as needed physical therapy equipments, also ask how relevant are those in your case or are the equipments necessary to assist implementation of the program; finally ask the exact length of each therapy session and the frequency of the therapy exercises. You can also your school coach for physical therapist recommendations or contact your state’s physical therapy association for names of licensed PT’s in your area.

Now you’re ready for your physical exercise home therapy program, but not so easy. You should remember to stick to the plans of your physical exercise home therapy program. Follow your PT’s directions sternly. Listen to your PT to know your body so you’ll realize how an affected area functions so you can spot problems or avoid further injury in the future. And also talk to your PT; he’s always there to help, and to join you in celebrating your success.

Though recovery can feel frustrating and slow, take a moment to appreciate the difference that a physical exercise home therapy program can make. In time you’ll have increased strength, endurance, flexibility, better postural alignment, pain relief – and confidence.

Aloe vera has been known to benefit the circulatory system, lowering triglycerides and LDL and raising HDL. Sings and symptoms of coronary artery disease disappear when aloe vera is added to the diet. Even heart medications could be discontinued taken for chest pain, elevated blood pressure and keeping the blood sugar under control.

A study using 5,000 people diagnosed with coronary artery disease and angina indicated a lack of blood circulation to the heart muscles. Aloe vera was given and the results concluded with no more signs of angina or the development of heart attacks. Even though they were not cured, prescription drugs to control these symptoms were no longer needed.

When coronary arteries are blocked blood flow is slowed and when the body exerts itself, the need for more oxygen is also blocked, in essence starving the heart muscle. It becomes damaged and eventually will die; this is known as a heart attack.

Aloe vera relieves these symptoms, the same way aspirin and Plavix does. Platelets don’t stick and clots don’t form. Especially can this be damaging when the blood vessel walls are lined with too much plague.

The heart is not the only organ involved. The brain and the kidneys with hardening of the arteries are also affected and if one is diagnosed with diabetes, the damage is accelerated to these organs.

Platelet stickiness and the resultant inflammation are reduced by using aloe vera. The build up of plague becomes limited and hardening of the arteries may be reversed or even prevented.

If the title of this article caught your eye, perhaps you are surprised, or like me, deeply disturbed by the implications of this statement.

This recent CNN headline* illustrates just how total our society’s mass, lemming-like exodus from the truth has become. Major news channels deem “research” like this fit to print, blatantly insinuating that dietary supplements are dangerous and to be feared, despite the fact that tens of thousands Americans die every year from correctly prescribed drugs

Flaxseed – also know as linseed- comes from the flax plant (Linum usitatissimum). The seed contain lignans which are fiber-type ingredients. The seeds also contain omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.

Flaxseed may be ground into flour or meal. It is also available as capsules (1000 mg) and also as the oil which is generally taken as one to three tablespoons daily.

Flaxseed contains alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). ALA is a type of omega-3 fatty acid that is converted to eicosopentanoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) which are the active ingredients in fish oil. Because of the high lignan content, flaxseed is a good source of fiber.

While there are few conclusive studies confirming the beneficial effects of flaxseed in rheumatoid arthritis, it is known that omega-3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory properties. Several uncontrolled studies suggest that flaxseed is helpful in reducing the symptoms of joint stiffness and pain.

Flaxseed has anti-coagulant (blood thinning) properties so that patients taking blood thinners (Coumadin, heparin, Plavix, Lovenox) or non-steroidal-anti-inflammatory medicines.

Flaxseed should also be avoided if a patient has a history of uterine or breast cancer or prostate cancer.

Flaxseed may have cholesterol-lowering properties. Since this effect has not been well characterized, patients are advised to use caution if there is a history of hypercholesterolemia or there is concurrent use of cholesterol-lowering medicines.

There are also claims flaxseed may lower the risk for cardiovascular disease. This may make it more appealing for people who have inflammatory forms of arthritis such as rheumatoid arthritis where the incidence and risk of cardiovascular disease is increased.

The fiber in flaxseed also can block absorption of some medications.

Canadian prescriptions can save United States patients lots of money, especially if the cost savings are annualized. That is the short answer to the question. Let’s explore some of the details of that finding.

First off, just what kind of savings are available? My standard answer is up to 80%. But that really depends on which prescription drug you fill your order for. Most of the prescriptions I have priced over the years average at least 40%. Lets look at a real world example.

Let’s suppose that you are taking the blood thinner Plavix. I just shopped two of the best Canada pharmacies online. The first one returns a price of $279 for 84 tablets of the brand name and $141 for 90 tablets of the generic, Clopidogrel. Plavix is still covered by a patent in the United States, but, apparently, in Canada, the patent has expired. I did not realize this until I started writing this article.

So, with Canadian pharmacy #1, we can fill prescription in Canada for as little as $141. Canada pharmacy #2 charges $189.99 for 84 of the brand name Plavix and $134.99 for 120 of generic Plavix. Quite a difference in price there already just by pricing two pharmacies.

The two Canada pharmacies are located in different Canadian provinces, so that may explain the difference in the prices on the brand name prescription.

But finding the least expensive Canadian prescription is a task for another day. Today we are going to compare prescription drugs filled in Canada with those filled in American pharmacies.

Now let’s price the same prescription at two American chain drug store pharmacies, CVS and Walgreen’s. We’ll also price the same prescription at Wal-Mart. Keep in mind that the Average Wholesale Price of Plavix is $518.50 for 90 tablets. If you fill your prescription in the United States, you will pay more than Canadian prescription prices, even if the pharmacy sells it at wholesale!

The two chain stores return prices in the same range: $523.99 for 90 tablets at CVS and $384.69 for 90 tablets at Walgreens. The big surprise for me is that Wal-Mart is also in the same range at $516.78 for 90 Plavix tablets. I wish I could ask the Smiley Face what is up with that.

Actually, it is not the fault of the pharmacies themselves. Though there is no doubt a hefty margin of profit built into their prices, the wholesale price is almost three times the retail price at Canadian pharmacies. And the American pharmacy is unable to even stock the generic Plavix by law. Actually it is by court decree, but that would constitute a rant if we breach that subject.

So United States patients can save a lot of money by buying prescription drugs in Canada. Is this a safe practice?

Non-steroidal-anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) are anti-inflammatory pain relievers. Approximately twenty different NSAIDS are available by prescription. Three NSAIDS (ibuprofen, naproxen, and ketoprofen) are also available over-the-counter as Advil, Motrin IB, Aleve, and Orudis. Aspirin is also an NSAID. NSAIDS are also found in many common cold preparations such as Advil Cold and Sinus, Dimetapp Sinus, and Aleve Cold and Sinus.

The most common side effect associated with these drugs is stomach problems. These problems can range from mild stomach upset to ulcers and bleeding. NSAIDS cause this situation because the same mechanism that allows them to block inflammation also causes them to block the secretion of substances that protect the stomach lining.

The magnitude of this problem is enormous. Significant stomach side-effects from NSAIDS result in 103,000 hospitalizations and 16,500 deaths each year in the United States.

While anyone who takes an NSAID can be at risk for stomach problems, there are some high risk factors that significantly increase the chance of problems developing. These include:

o Age greater than 60

o History of previous ulcers

o Taking steroid medicines such as prednisone

o Using blood thinners like coumadin, Plavix, or heparin

o Regular alcohol consumption

o Taking higher than the recommended dosage of NSAID

o Taking more than one NSAID at the same time (such as taking an NSAID along with aspirin)

o Taking NSAID for a prolonged period of time

A 2003 survey revealed that about half of all Americans who took over-the-counter NSAIDS took more than the recommended dose. This can happen when the dose is taken before the recommended time for dosing, taking more than the recommended number of tablets, taking more than the recommended dosage per day, and taking more than one NSAID at a time.

Small amounts of over-the-counter NSAID including low-dose aspirin to prevent stroke, heart attack, and colon cancer also increase risk.

Warning signs that a significant problem may be occurring include:

o Stomach pain

o Tarry black stool or blood in the stool

o Vomiting up material that looks like coffee grounds

One unfortunate issue is that more than 80 per cent of people who have a life-threatening stomach problem have no warning symptoms. Symptoms can occur quickly also. Serious medical events have occurred in people taking NSAIDS for less than one week.

To reduce your risk:

o Check to see if you have risk factors.

o Discuss potential side-effects with your prescribing physician.

o Read the warning label and follow dosing instructions.

o Don’t use prescription NSAID and over-the-counter NSAID at the same time.

o When you see your doctor let him or her know about all the medicines, including nutritional supplements, you are taking.

o Limit your alcohol intake while on these medicines.

o Recognize that low dose aspirin is an NSAID.

o Let your physician know if you’re experiencing any symptoms that suggest a stomach problem.

o Ask about other medicines that might reduce your risk of a stomach side-effect. Medicines called proton pump inhibitors (PPIS) can reduce the risk of stomach side-effects. Examples of PPIS include Nexium, Protonix, Prilosec, and Axid.

Another medicine, Cytotec, may also protect your stomach. Sometimes using an analgesic that is not an NSAID can relieve arthritis symptoms sufficiently. Analgesics include Tylenol or Ultram (tramadol).

Cox-2 medicines such as Celebrex may also reduce your stomach risk. However, adding low dose aspirin to Celebrex apparently removes the protective effect of the Celebrex.