H1N1 Super Crossword

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LEMONADE

Eliminate Your Weight Loss Confusion

Excess fat is linked to heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer. But that does not mean we need to eliminate fats from our diets.
Let me repeat that statement again: Excess fat is linked to heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer. But that does NOT mean we need to eliminate fats from our diets.
What we need to learn is how to make our bodies burn fat more efficiently. Read Dr. Atkins’ New Diet Revolution, Revised Edition

Dr Atkins had it right!

Conventional diets have it all wrong. The way to burn fat is to turn your bodies own metabolic switch to FAT! It is as simple as that. Learn how to teach your body to burn fat naturally. Dr. Atkins’ New Diet Revolution, Revised Edition

ERCP?

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is the most accurate diagnostic test for stones in the biliary system and an excellent tool for direct visualization of the biliary tract.

ERCP is both diagnostic and therapeutic because you can remove stones with the procedure.

Asplenia?

Condition of not having a spleen. Either due to trauma or some other disease.

People without a spleen (asplenic people) are at risk for certain types of infections (overwhelming post-splenectomy infection (OPSI)) that can become very serious.

Asplenic individuals should always recieve pneumococcus, haemophilus influenzae, and meningococcus vaccines.

Smoking, Medical School and Chantix

It was about 1994 and I was sitting listening to
another lecture during medical school. I was
immediately put to sleep as the instructor
talked and talked for what seemed like an
eternity. (I was never good a listening to lectures.)

But then he made a statement that the number
one thing any person can do to improve their health
is to quit smoking. I immediately perked-up. He
repeated the statement: “The number one thing
anyone can do to immediately improve their health
is to quit smoking.”

That stayed with me of all the things I learned during
medical school and since then I have always been
interested in helping people quit smoking.

So I was thrilled when I heard about Chantix and
immediately learned everything I could about this
drug and hence this report CLICK HERE.

It is a compilation of questions, side effects and
symptoms commonly experienced with Chantix.

It is based on the product insert provided by
Pfizer, some reader provided testimonials and
my personal experience with patients and other
physicians who have used Chantix.

Wish you success in your attempt to quit smoking.

The (real) Cost of Smoking

A pianist and two other musicians played
in a number of local bars in Long Beach,
California for about $90 per week in
the 1930s.

The band, a hit with locals, was just
barely making it.

Occasionally, the piano player would sing to
the delight of his audience who loved his
baritone voice.

As customers demanded to hear more vocals
pieces, the piano player reluctantly sang to
accomodate his audience.

Soon the trio and the singing pianist where a
huge sensation and the band began having
greater success.

A few years later the band recorded a number
one hit, the pianist name was Nat King Cole and
the song “Mona Lisa”.

The 80/20 rule tell us the that 80 percent of
our success comes from 20 percent of what we do.

The trio and their music was were 80 percent but
Nat King Cole’s voice was the 20 percent that
made the difference and propelled the group into
stardom.

The point of the story is that we always try to just do
the 80 percent because it is what is easy, what we are
comfortable doing, what everybody else is doing at
the time. And we are reluctant to do the 20 percent
that would make a real difference.

If you watch what you eat, exercise regularly, and
otherwise take care of your health but you smoke
then you are ignoring the 20 percent that matters.

Quitting smoking is the number one thing anyone
can do to improve their health and the health of
those around them.

Cigarette smoking causes 87 percent of lung cancer
deaths. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death
in both men and women.

According to the 2004 British Study in the Journal
of Epidemiology and Health a smoker’s life is
shorten by an average of 10 years.

Here is a partial list of people who would probably
still be with us if they had quit smoking:

*ABC anchorman Peter Jennings.

*Renaldo “Obie” Benson, member of the Four Tops.

*Comedian Alan King.

*Author Stephen Ambrose.

*Singer Rosemary Clooney.

*Baseball’s Cal Ripken Sr.

*Baseball’s Joe DiMaggio.

*Actor Vincent Price.

*Actor Chuck Connors.

*Jazz singer Sarah Vaughan.

*Big band performer and Actor Desi Arnaz.

*Actor Yul Brynner.

*Jesse Owens, Olympic gold medalist.

*Jazz great Duke Ellington.

*Nat King Cole.
The could have given society another
movie or another song, or read the news
for us one more time, etc but instead they
died of lung cancer (a preventable
disease).

Yes, smoking affects us all.

SOURCE:
American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts and Figures 2004.
Atlanta, GA: American Cancer Society, 2004.

Smoking and ED (erectile dysfunction)

drhowell

Getting young people and teens to quit
smoking is a tough enough. But here is
some ammo for young men who smoke.

Studies provide strong indirect evidence
that smoking may affect penile erection.
The study results were inferred from
data gathered from a retrospective chart
check from 860 male patients aged
between 18 and 44 visited during the
period January 1999 to December 2002.

Knowledge if this information may make young
men think twice about lighting up.

SOURCE:
*Natali A., et al. Heavy smoking is an important risk
factor for erectile dysfunction in young men.
International Journal of Impotence Research (2005) 17, 227–230.

*He, J., et al. Cigarette Smoking and Erectile Dysfunction among Chinese Men without Clinical Vascular Disease. American Journal of Epidemiology. 166(7):803-809, October 1, 2007.

Support Disaster Relief in Haiti

Opportunities to help some one who really is in need does not come often. The opportunity to help an entire nation heal is even rarer.

Anything you can give will be greatly appreciated. You may give any amount safely and easily with Amazon.com.

Mercy Corps: Haiti Earthquake Relief

Atkins Diet Works Wonders

My initial weight loss attempt in the fall failed. I was trying the traditional weight loss method of calorie restriction and low-fat diet and I almost immediately stalled and could not lose weight.

I have since replaced my weight loss method with the Atkin’s diet and I can hardly believe how well it is working for me. I have lost 9 lbs in 4 days and it has been so easy to do.

Dr. Atkins’ Diet was considered controversial to say the least when it was immediately proposed by Dr Atkins in 1972 but it has since been validated by several clinical trials and found to be better than the traditional calorie-restriction low fat diet alternative.

Chantix (varenicline) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

drhowell

This case is especially alarming since many combat veterans have a high incidence of mental issues and therefore are very vulnerable to the very risks the drug is alleged to increase–suicidal tendency.

The Senator contacted the VA to better understand the timeline of events and the guidelines governing notifications to patients. The VA is currently undergoing reforms to enhance communication with its participants, and Senator Grassley will continue to monitor this issue in Congress. [...]

http://drantoniohowell.com/get-help-quitting-tobacco/

Oxytocin – The Love Hormone

drhowell

Oxytocin is released in large amounts after distension of the cervix and vagina during labor, and after stimulation of the nipples, as an aid in birth and breastfeeding.

During mating, oxytocin is released during orgasm in both sexes.

Oxytocin is involved in social recognition and bonding, and might be involved in the formation of trust between people.

Plasma concentrations of oxytocin have been reported to be higher amongst people who claim to be falling in love.

Acne Prevention Advice

Acne is a localized inflammation of the skin on any part of the body. Acne is virtually universal during the teenage years and it is often both embarrassing and upsetting during those development years.

Acne is seen in all races and genders.

Treatment and prevention of acne involves understanding and avoiding the processes that spur its development.

1. Limit or Avoid Acne Causing Drugs For example it is know that certain drugs (steroids, contraceptives, iodides, etc) can induce acne.Avoiding the offending drug would avoid the acne problem.
2. Avoiding Occupational Hazards such as oils, chlorinated hydrocarbons, tars, etc. which are know to cause acne when they come in contact with the skin.
3. Avoiding Wearing Heavy and Occlusive Clothing which promotes trapping and accumulation of oils and sebaceous materials in pores that may lead to follicular papules and inflammation, especially in warm tropical climates.
4. Administration of Antibiotics to treat offending bacteria. It has been postulated that bacterial lipases of Propionibacterium acnes break down sebaceous oils, liberating highly irritating fatty acids resulting in inflammation that leads to acne.
5. Administration of 13-cis-retinoic acid a synthetic vitamin A derivative has been used successfully in cases of sever acne.

Normal physiologic hormonal variations(gonadotropins and testosterone) may also cause acne.

In these case once the hormone levels stabilize the acne should disappear. This is the reason some women prescribed birth control pills to control acne.

Acne is a complex condition that involves many parts of the body even though it shows up as an eruptions on the face and else where on your skin.  To clear acne it is not always possible to just do one thing and expect it to go away. But it may be possible to control your acne with a combination of things.

76F296-Simplify algebra expression?

drhowell

http://drantoniohowell.com/math-problem-solver/ (click here)

Math: What is a fraction?

What is a fraction? A fraction is a number just like any other number that is usually represented with one number written over another number. For example: one-fourth is 1/4  and it represents the number 0.25. Or one-eight  is 1/8 and represents the number 0.125.

http://drantoniohowell.com/math-problem-solver/ (click here)

Suffering From Body Acne?

Many people get body acne. Body acne commonly pops up on the chest and back.

To stop body acne and prevent it from coming back, you can wash your body daily with a salicylic acid based cleanser.

Shower daily and be sure to shower as soon as possible anytime you have been sweating

Body moisturizer that contain alfa-hydroxy acid will exfoliate skin and help prevent breakouts.

At bedtime you can apply an acne clearing gel or cream to the effected parts.

Have fun and be safe.

Chantix Testimonials

A: “Chantix (varenicline = quit smoking pill) is nothing less than a “Miracle.” It is an AWESOME product.”
-TheDale’s

My husband is 44yrs. old. He started sneaking and smoking when he was 5yrs old. He started smoking full time when he was 13yrs. old. He averaged smoking FIVE carton’s a month.

We were married six years ago, and the smoke and smell was killing me. I saw something on T.V. about Chantix, I asked my husband if he would try it since he has tried everything else and nothing seemed to work, and he said he would.

He went to our pharmacy to see if you needed a prescription for it, They hadn’t even heard of it.

So when my husband went to his physician for a check-up he asked about it. He told them I had heard about it on T.V. and researched and found it on the internet. His Dr. knew about it and wrote him a script, we went to the pharmacy and they had to special order it.

His insurance even paid some on it. They got it in the next day and he started it.

You are supposed to smoke during the first week while it gets into you system but he didn’t last a week after about three days he was finished and hasn’t smoked since.

He took it for two months just as a precautionary thing. He now tells everyone about it and says he could do a commercial and not tell a lie to sell the product.

He calls hisself the Chantix Poster Boy…He looks healthier. Can taste food better, breathe better. And can’t stand to be around anyone smoking or has been smoking he says it makes him sick.

He said I had no idea I stunk that bad. He tells everyone that if he can quit after 39 years ANYONE can Quit.

Thanks to whoever created Chantix. It is an AWESOME product. -TheDale’s

Chantix works great. We’ll be hearing alot about this drug as more people have success with it. I took it for 30 days total and quit smoking on day 10. -Tom

Ive been on Chantix for a month and it is great. It reduces the cravings. There are minor side effects but nothing that will ruin your day. -Nicki

I have to agree with the others that there some side effects (nausea right after taking the pill for a few minutes) but nothing to the point where I would stop taking it. -Jennifer

Success rates, side effects and cost of popular stop-smoking aids:

American Cancer Society officials say only about 5% of smokers who try to quit on their own are successful and remain smoke-free after a year.

* – Clinical trials did not directly compare Chantix with nicotine replacement therapies.Prices for prescription drugs vary by pharmacy. Zyban’s price range takes into account its generic form, bupropion.

Source: American Lung Association, Journal of the American Medical Association, Walgreens and CVS pharmacies

http://drantoniohowell.com/get-help-quitting-tobacco/

What is the Pavlik Harness Used for?

A: The Pavlik harness is often used as the initial treatment of hip dysplasia in infants, also know as developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH).[1]

What is the Pavlik Harness?

It is a soft dynamic brace that maintains the hip in flexion (knee up towards the head) and abduction (knee away from the centerline). This position maintains the proper position of the femoral head and allows for “tightening up” of the ligamentous structures as well as for stimulation of normal formation and deepening of the hip socket.[2]

Congenital Hip Dislocations…

True dislocation of the hips occurs in about 1 in 1,000 births although as many as 1 in 100 may have clicky hips. When screening was initiated the incidence was found to be about 3 times that previously suspected, suggesting that 2 in 3 recover spontaneously. As we do not know which 2 in 3 these are and the implications for the third that does not recover are serious, it is wise to treat all. Some early work, published in 1962, suggested that 1 in 60 had unstable hips at birth, 60% of these became stable by 1 month and 88% by 2 months, leaving just 1 baby in 500 with unstable hips after 2 months. Neonatal screening for CDH has been national policy in the UK since 1969.

Risk Factors…

• There are racial differences. In the USA it is found that native Americans andLaplanders have a high incidence whilst Chinese and African Americans have a low incidence.
• Positive family history of the condition increases the risk in a manner suggestive of multifactorial inheritance.
• About 80 to 85% are female.
• About 60% of cases are first-born, compared with about 40% of all babies.
• Breech presentation increases the risk of CDH. The extended breech position in which knees are extended is a higher risk than with knees flexed. Elective caesarian section reduces the risk compared with vaginal breech delivery but it remains higher than after a cephalic presentation.
• Restriction of movement as with oligohydramnios increases the risk.
• It is commoner with neuromuscular disorders, such as cerebral palsy, meningomyelocele and arthrogryposis.
• The left hip is dislocated more often than the right. This is thought to be due to the common position of the baby’s left hip against the mother’s sacrum, restricting movement.
• In cultures that use swaddling of babies, forcing the hips into extension and adduction, it is more common.[3]

The Pavlik Harness…

The Pavlik harness should be placed such that the chest strap is at the nipple line with 2 finger-breadths of space between the chest and strap. The anterior strap is at the midaxillary line and should be set such that the hips are flexed to 100-110°. Excessive hip flexion can lead to femoral nerve compression and inferior dislocations. Quadriceps function should be determined at all clinic visits. The posterior abduction strap should be at the level of the child’s scapula and adjusted to allow for comfortable abduction. This should prevent the hips from adducting to the extent that the hips dislocate. Excessive abduction should be avoided because of concern regarding the development of avascular necrosis. Fitting should then be checked clinically within the first week and then weekly thereafter. Carefully monitoring the patient to ensure the harness fits and the hips are reduced is important.

Ultrasonography…

Ultrasonography is an excellent means of documenting the reduction of the hip in the Pavlik harness and should be performed early in the course of treatment (Suzuki, 1993). If the hip is posteriorly subluxed, then the Pavlik harness therapy should be discontinued. Using the Pavlik harness for guided reduction, which occurs when the hip does not completely reduce initially but is pointed towards the triradiate cartilage, is controversial.[4]

The US Preventative Service Task Force (USPSTF)…

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recently concluded that evidence is insufficient to recommend routine screening for DDH in infants as a means to prevent adverse outcomes. Evidence shows that screening leads to earlier identification of DDH; however, the USPSTF concluded that 60 to 80 percent of the newborn hips identified by physical examination and more than 90 percent identified by ultrasonography as abnormal or as suspicious for DDH resolve spontaneously and require no intervention.

The long-term results of Pavlik harness treatment (e.g., nonoperative treatment) show a 95 percent success rate for acetabular dysplasia and subluxation.22,23 The success rate drops to 80 percent for frank dislocation.[5]

References:

1. Ramsey PL, Lasser S, MacEwen GD. Congenital dislocation of the hip. Use of the Pavlik harness in the child during the first six months of life. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1976Oct;58(7):1000-4.
2. http://www.massgeneral.org/ortho/Hip_Dysplasia.htm.
3. http://www.patient.co.uk/showdoc/40024965/
4. http://www.emedicine.com/orthoped/topic456.htm.
5. http://www.aafp.org/afp/20061015/1310.html

HOW A BONE MARROW BIOPSY IS DONE? (VIDEO)

Bone Marrow Biopsy Needle




Bone Marrow Biopsy Procedure.
Pt is usually given some sedation and some local anesthetic medicine.

After the Bone Marrow Procedure a Small Band Aid is left on the patient.
Why is a Bone Marrow Done?
Examination of the bone marrow is the most valuable diagnostic test to evaluate hematologic disorders. Bone marrow aspiration and biopsy also is used to stage lymphoproliferative disorders and for prognostic purposes in chronic lymphoproliferative disorders such as chronic lymphatic leukemia.

Bone marrow aspiration and biopsy also is useful in the diagnostic workup of fever of unknown origin (FUO). It may reveal infections, such as tuberculosis, Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare (MAI) infections, histoplasmosis, leishmaniasis, and other disseminated fungal infections. It may be useful in establishing the diagnosis of storage diseases, such as Niemann-Pick disease and Gaucher disease. Finally, it can be a valuable tool in diagnosing metastatic nonhemopoietic malignancies that have spread to the bone marrow when all other imaging and diagnostic modalities have failed or when a leucoerythroblastic peripheral blood picture is present.

Bone Marrow Biopsy Technique

Proper technique is required to obtain an adequate sample and a suitable specimen for processing. The pathology request should contain all the pertinent clinical information and laboratory data. Obtaining informed consent and providing information regarding the procedure will minimize any apprehension that the patient may have, as will talking to the patient during each step of the bone marrow aspiration and biopsy.

Bone Marrow Biopsy Complications

Complications from a bone marrow aspiration and biopsy include infection and bleeding. With proper sterile atraumatic technique these complications are rare. Absolute contraindications to performing the procedure include hemophilia or related coagulation disorders and infection involving the biopsy area. Thrombocytopenia is not a contraindication, but take care to avoid trauma that is more significant than usual. Another very rare complication from the procedure is cardiac injury after a sternal bone marrow aspiration, which can be prevented with good technique and by using the guard provided with the bone marrow aspiration needle to avoid deep penetration.

Biopsies never should be obtained from the sternum; only aspiration is performed in that area. Iliac bone perforation and hemorrhage may occur because of improper technique and patient positioning.

Chronic pain at the site of the bone marrow aspiration and biopsy is very rare.

About the author:

Dr. Antonio Howell, M.D. is a health and wellness student who enjoys sharing information and ideas to enhance health http://drhowell.net.

Zerona Laser – Body Sculpting Video

Zerona Laser Hawaii, Non Invasive Body Sculpting – These bloopers are hilarious

What happens when you sprain an ankle?

An ankle sprain is one of the most common “boo-boos” seen in the ER. Did you know that 3 out of 4 ankle injuries are sprains?

What is a sprain?
A sprain is about injury to a ligament or group of ligaments.

What are ligaments?
Ligaments are strong tissue elements (fibrous connective tissue) that wraps around and stabilize a joint.

What is the most common ligament sprained?
More than 90% of ankle sprains involve the ligaments, which stabilize the later (outer) aspect of the ankle joint. Most commonly, the talofibular ligaments.

Can use of Lipitor (atorvastatin) reduce the risk of heart attacks?

Atorvastatin (or Lipitor – a statin drug)

Researchers from the Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome presented data  at the American College of Cardiology’s 56th Annual Scientific Session that shows that short-term pre-treatment with atorvastatin 80 mg and 40 mg reduced the risk of major cardiovascular events at 30 days by 88 percent compared with placebo when given to patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) prior to coronary angioplasty or stenting.

The ARMYDA-ACS (Atorvastatin for Reduction of MYocardial Damage during Angioplasty-Acute Coronary Syndromes) Randomized Trial is the first controlled trial of pre-treatment with statins before early intervention in patients with ACS. This study is published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

What You May Not Know About Skin Cancer?

Scenario 1

Susan spends much of her summer in Florida. She lives
in a mild climate and likes working out. She loves to
swim, mountain-bike and play volleyball. Susan knows
the dangers of the sun exposure so she choses to go to
tanning salons to get her tan while being sure to apply
sunscreen every day before going out.

Scenario 2.

Jack lives in a cooler, northern climate. The summers
can be very humid, but most of the year is mild or even
below freezing during the harshest winter months. The
beach has never been much of a draw for him and he
spends most of his time doing indoor activities or at
his job. Joseph doesn’t worry about sunscreen and only
had one sunburn that he can remember and that was when
he was a child.

Which of these scenarios do you most associate yourself
with? Did you know that they are both at risk of
developing skin cancer? We have all heard the warnings
about the dangers of sun exposure. We know all about
the importance of wearing sunscreen and hats.

Some Facts about tanning and skin cancer

Tanning Beds are NOT Safer than the Sun. 20 minutes of
exposure in a tanning bed is roughly equivalent to
four hours in the sun. Although sun beds use UVA
rather than UVB rays. UV-A penetrates more deeply into
the skin than UV-B, can cause skin cancer, and even may
suppress the immune system.

Wearing Sunscreen at the Beach is NOT enough
Protection. 85 percent of UV rays can even make it
through on cloudy days. That means you are equally at
risk in the car, walking the dog or letting your
children out to play at any time of year – even when
you’re not at the beach. Of course, you are usually
less attired at the beach and so covering up is
recommended even when wearing sunscreen. Sunscreen also
wears off with sweat and water and should always be
applied every two hours or after getting wet.

Taking Care Of Your Skin Now Will NOT completely
Protect You. Sadly, skin cancer can take 20 or more
years to develop. Most people receive about 80 percent
of their lifetime sun exposure before the age of 18.
Just one blistering sunburn in childhood is estimated
to double the risk of melanoma later in life. Taking
better care now will reduce the risk, but not eliminate
the damage already done.

Having a Tan does NOT Means You’re More Protected.
Dark skinned individuals are less likely to develop
cancer, but tanned skin is actually damaged skin.
Repeated tanning injures the skin and increases the
risk of skin cancer.

You Can’t get Burned on Overcast Days. Just because
the sun is hidden by some cloud does not mean that
you don’t need protection from the harmful effects of
the suns rays.

Limit exposure to the sun – especially for infants.

Examine your skin for early signs of damage.

Use a sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher and apply it at
least 30 minutes before exposure and every two hours
after that.

Teach your children good safety habits and be sure you
and they are covered up when outdoors.

Have fun and be safe.

Q: Why was the Composix Kugel Mesh Patch Recalled

A: The Composix Kugel Mesh Patch was recalled by the FDA because the memory recoil ring which opens the patch can break causing serious and potentially fatal complications.
The Composix Kugel Mesh Patch was removed from the U.S. market on December 22, 2005. If you had a hernia surgically repaired before this date contact your doctor to learn if you had this mesh placed.
What is a hernia?

A hernia is a weakness or defect in the lining of the abdominal cavity. The abdominal cavity among its many functions acts as a “housing” for our bodies internal organs. Any part of this housing that is weak or defective represents a hernia.
Complications if a Hernia is not Treated?

There exist many types of hernia. The problem is not the hernia by itself but what can happen with an hernia. Imagine a hole in the middle of a playground with children playing in it. Unless the hole is repaired someone is going to fall in and get hurt, maybe even seriously hurt. In the case of a hernia an organ like a portion of intestine can potrude into the hernia and cause problems. If the piece of bowel is trapped (encarcerated) its blood supply can be compromised (ischemia) an ischemic bowel is in danger of perforating (a very serious problem).
Goal of Hernia Repair?

In order to prevent this problem doctors try to repair hernias as soon as they are identified. A common practice is to bring the edges of the hernias together. Bringing the edges together places a lot of tension on the hernia repair. And, since the hernia is by definition a weakened part of the abdominal cavity it usually has poor tensile strength and cannot hold sutures and the hernia re-occurs. Another approach involves placing a piece of mesh in the repair. Essentially creating a “patch” for the hernia. A hernia patch is usually performed in a way were very little tension is created. These types of repairs have a lower recurrence rate.
The Kugel Mesh Patch?

The Kugel Patch has a ring around the edges of the patch. Reasonably the ring was designed to create a better covering on inguinal hernias (a specific type of hernia). The ring in the patch was prone to break thus creating a sharp edge that had the potential of perforating the bowel (exactly what doctors wanted to avoid from happening in the first place). Therefore this particular hernia patch has been recalled by the FDA.

What is chemotherapy?

Chemotherapy is the treatment of cancer with drugs that kill cells, specifically cancer cells. One of the principles of chemotherapy is that cancer cells are rapidly dividing and therefore drugs are tailored to attack cell division in hope of killing mostly cancer cells. Unfortunately, chemotherapy also kills normal cells.

How can you take care of yourself during chemotherapy?

• You can eat the right foods to build up your strength.
• Stay away from people who have colds or the flu.
• Get the rest you need and pace yourself.
• Talk about your feelings to deal with any sadness, anger, or fear you may have.
• Work as a team with your health care providers.

Knowing how to help yourself can make you feel more in control. These are just a few of the ways that you can help yourself and begin to feel in control again.

This information is designed to help you become an informed partner in your care, but it is only a guide.

Self-help can never take the place of professional health care. Ask your doctor and nurse any questions you may have about chemotherapy. Also don’t hesitate to tell them about any side effects you may have. They want and need to know.

How Chemotherapy Works

Chemotherapy is designed to kill cancer cells.

Chemotherapy can be administered through a vein, injected into a body cavity, or delivered orally in the form of a pill, depending on which drug is used.

Chemotherapy works by destroying cancer cells; unfortunately, it cannot tell the difference between a cancer cell and some healthy cells.

So chemotherapy eliminates not only the fast-growing cancer cells but also other fast-growing cells in your body, including, hair and blood cells.

Some cancer cells grow slowly while others grow rapidly. As a result, different types of chemotherapy drugs target the growth patterns of specific types of cancer cells.

Each drug has a different way of working and is effective at a specific time in the life cycle of the cell it targets.

Your doctor will determine the chemotherapy drug that is right for you.

To understand more about the different ways chemotherapy is given, read about how people receive chemotherapy.

Discussing the Effectiveness of Cancer Treatment

Understand the goals and risks of each treatment option so you can work with your doctor to decide which treatment is best for you.

Balance potential benefits against the risks of treatment.

Some risks of cancer treatments may include time away from family and friends, uncomfortable side effects, or long-term complications.

Cancer treatment may be inconvenient, prolonged, or unavailable close to home. These are important considerations when evaluating treatment options, but they are not typically mentioned in medical journals reporting the results and benefits of new treatments.

Once you and your doctor have decided on a treatment plan, talk with your doctor about all you can do to make sure you get the full dose of your cancer treatment on schedule.

You can make note of subjects to discuss and questions to ask.

Importance of Full Dose on Schedule

Studies show that for certain types of cancer, chemotherapy produces the best long-term results when patients receive the full dose on time, every time.

Zyban Does Not Curb Smoking In Patients With ADHD

“Given that children with ADHD are at very high risk for the development of nicotine dependence, the development of successful smoking prevention programs in this population will address a serious public health issue,” Dr. Michael C. Monuteaux told Reuters Health. [1]

The high risk of smoking among young people with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is not reduced by treatment with the antidepressant bupropion, according to a report in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. However, stimulants do seem to cut the likelihood of smoking.

Bupropion is sold under the trade name Zyban when it’s prescribed to help people stop smoking, and under the name Wellbutrin when it’s prescribed to treat depression or seasonal affective disorder.

1.http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSKRA97411120070829

The Asbestos Virginity Test?

Mesothelioma is a devastating disease with a low survival rate.

Mesothelioma is a primary cancerous tumor that arises from the mesothelium of the pleura and it is very rare.

So rare in fact that people who get this rare cancer it turns out are usually exposed to asbestos, a know carcinogen.

The almost direct cause and effect of asbestos exposure to mesothelioma even carries onto the family members of individuals who are exposed. (Asbestos is carried into the home by fibers sticking to the clothing of the worker).

This secondary exposure may cause mesothelioma to develop years later in family members of those individuals. It is estimated that all mesothelioma tumors are associated with asbestos exposure in at least
80% of the cases. Soon after this direct cause and effect relationship became widely know mesothelioma lawyers around the world are signing up patients who develop mesothelioma with the intention of getting a nice court settlement for their pain and suffering.

All the lawyers need to do is dig around the person’s past and they will eventually find asbestos exposure somewhere (in at least 80% of the cases) and presto they have a plaintiff and a defendant they can sue.

This defedant is usually a large manufacturing company with deep pockets and lots of insurance, in a nutshell a personal injury attorney’s dream.

But what about the approximately 20% of those who have the disease but no evidence of asbestos exposure?

Are some people “encouraged” to make something up so as not to miss out on the large money settlements?

The feeling is that they might be “misremembering” (as Roger Clements puts it). But how to prove this?

The sued companies have found a way to fight back, to prove who is real and who is not in a effort to stop the bleeding a “new test” was recently described in the New England Journal of Medicine.[1]

Serum osteopontin levels can be used to distinguish persons with cancer who were not exposed to asbestos, and patients with pleural mesothelioma who were exposed to asbestos. The serum osteopontin test would effectively “discourage” people with the disease from claiming exposure to asbestos if they did not have it. And by so doing limit the millions of dollars paid by the defendants.

Source
1.NEJM.October 13, 2005.Number 15.Volume 353:1564-1573.

Q:When Do The Symptoms Of Mesothelioma Appear For The First Time?

A: The first symptoms of MESOTHELIOMA rarely appear less than 10 years after exposure. [1]

What is mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma (cancer of the mesothelium) is a disease in which cells of the mesothelium become abnormal and divide without control or order. They can invade and damage nearby tissues and organs. Cancer cells can also metastasize (spread) from their original site to other parts of the body. Most cases of mesothelioma begin in the pleura or peritoneum.[2]

Malignant mesothelioma?

Malignant mesothelioma is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells are found in the pleura (the thin layer of tissue that lines the chest cavity and covers the lungs) or the peritoneum (the thin layer of tissue that lines the abdomen and covers most of the organs in the abdomen). This summary is about malignant mesothelioma of the pleura.

Being exposed to asbestos?

Many people with malignant mesothelioma have worked or lived in places where they inhaled or swallowed asbestos. After being exposed to asbestos, it usually takes a long time for malignant mesothelioma to occur. Other risk factors for malignant mesothelioma include the following:

* Living with a person who works near asbestos.
* Being exposed to a certain virus.[3]

Signs and symptoms of mesothelioma?

Signs and symptoms of mesothelioma vary depending on where the cancer occurs.

Pleural mesothelioma signs and symptoms may include:

* Shortness of breath
* Painful breathing
* Chest pain under the rib cage
* Unusual lumps of tissue under the skin on your chest
* Unexplained weight loss
* Dry (nonproductive) cough

Peritoneal mesothelioma signs and symptoms may include:

* Abdominal pain
* Abdominal swelling
* A change in your bowel habits, such as more frequent diarrhea or constipation
* Lumps of tissue in the abdomen
* Unexplained weight loss

Signs and symptoms of pericardial mesothelioma and mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis are unclear. These forms are so rare that not much information is available.

Mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis may be first detected as a mass on a testicle.

Pericardial mesothelioma signs and symptoms may include difficulty breathing and fever.

Signs and symptoms of mesothelioma that has spread to other parts of the body:

* Pain in the area where cancer has spread
* Difficulty swallowing
* Swelling in the neck and face. [4]

Mesothelioma deaths in Great Britain?

Mesothelioma deaths in Great Britain continue to increase annually both for males and females. Statistical modelling of male mesothelioma deaths can be used to produce an estimate of the future peak number of mesothelioma deaths to males and females. Based on this methodology, the annual total number of mesothelioma deaths in Great Britain is estimated to peak at around 1950 to 2450 deaths some time between 2011 and 2015. [5]

Bibliography:

1.Eur Respir J. 1996 Jun;9(6):1206-10. Malignant pleural mesothelioma from nonoccupational asbestos exposure in Metsovo (north-west Greece): slow end of an epidemic? Sakellariou K, et al. Dept of Pulmonary Medicine, University of Ioannina, Medical School, Greece.

2.http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Sites-Types/mesothelioma

3.http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/malignantmesothelioma/patient

4.http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/mesothelioma/DS00779/DSECTION=2

5.http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/causdis/proj6801.pdf

Q:Chantix most common side effects?

A: Up to one third of the study participants complained of either nausea or vomiting while using Champix (Chantix). [1]

On September 2006, Pfizer issued a press release announcing European Commission approval of Champix, its new quit smoking pill. It boasts that “after one year, approximately one-in-five patients who received the 12-week course of varenicline [Champix] remained smoke-free.”

Smoking is a chronic relapsing medical condition that typically involves a physical and psychological addiction to nicotine. In Europe alone, more than 1.2 million people die each year from smoking-related diseases.

In addition to the human toll, there is a significant social and economic cost associated with smoking.

By 2010, the World Health Organization predicts the annual global cost of tobacco-related illness will be approximately $500 billion, with Europe accounting for up to $165 billion of this sum.

How Chantix/Champix works?

By reducing the smoker’s craving for nicotine by binding to receptors in the brain and reduces the symptoms of withdrawal. And it reduces the satisfaction a smoker receives when smoking a cigarette.Clinical trials to date have shown that Champix is more effective than currently available oral antismoking prescription medicines.

In trials, 44% of the group treated with Champix had stopped smoking after being treated for 12 weeks, as opposed to 11% of smokers taking the placebo.

Over the same duration, it was also shown to be twice as effective as Zyban (bupropion), the other main anti-smoking drug treatment.

Uninsured? Need help paying for medicine?

Pfizer has programs that can help, no matter your age or income. You may even qualify for free Pfizer medicines. Call 1-866-706-2400. Or click here for more info www.pfizerhelpfulanswers.com.

What is the most important information I should know about Chantix?

Use this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not use it in larger amounts or for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label.

If you miss a dose, use the medication as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and wait until your next regularly scheduled dose. Do not use extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

“I was a heavy smoker, and quitting was the most difficult personal challenge I ever faced. After I quit, I worked with a team of Pfizer scientist to develop Chantix specifically to help smokers quit.”  -Dr. Jotham Coe, Pfizer scientist.

1.Varenicline for Smoking Cessation: Definite Promise, But No Panacea. Klesges et al. JAMA.2006; 296: 94-95.