Med Article

A Drug By Any Other Name

By

B.D. Adams ©2016

   Not being someone who scrutinizes all items in her life, this tidbit managed to get my attention. This last week, I glimpsed something on a TV commercial that perked up my eyes!

   As most people who know me know, I had a hemorrhagic stroke many years ago that has made me somewhat disabled on my right side.

   No sympathy here, readers. This is part of this real story and just a fact.

 One morning several years ago, when I was watching the Today Show, Katie Couric was interviewing a doctor about Over the Counter (OTC) drugs that would cause very high blood pressure and could cause heart attacks and … yes … could cause strokes. Cerebral Vascular Accident (CVA) -- hemorrhagic strokes, bleeding in the brain!

   There were many OTC items shown on the table in front of Katie and the doctor. On the table, I saw there were a couple of things on the table that really made me take note of this interview. There were OTC diet pills. Supposedly, “safe” OTC diet pills, however they could cause very high blood pressure. The one brand I had taken was shown. It was made by the pharmaceutical house Novartis. I just wanted to lose a few pounds, so I bought and took this brand because I felt it would be all right. On the box and the sheet inside the box, nothing was listed about any horrible side effects like heart attack, stroke or death. If I would have seen that warning for this pill, I would not have taken it.

   As it goes … buyer beware! When something is sold in a grocery store, wouldn’t it be deemed as safe for the public? Those pills were proven to cause extremely high blood pressure!

   There was a trial, but the jury decided that the pill made by Novartis did not cause my stroke. There was testimony, by several medical witnesses, that showed the people at Novartis knew their pill was NOT safe. However, the jury believed the drug company.

   A few years after the trial, it became known to me that Novartis had bought the rights to Excedrin, an OTC pain med I had taken for many years. A tablet was even used by the defendant lawyer at the trial to show, possibly, that I was “confused,” couldn’t tell one pill from another. Well, I shot that hypothesis full of holes.

   The diet pill I had taken was very small and white, not cream colored. (It was proved a white pill had been made and distributed to the grocery store where I bought it.) The Excedrin tablet was much larger and had a green tint to it, like the green on the box. Since I had been a pro photographer before the stroke, I could see the subtle tints. I didn’t say what the defendant lawyer wanted me to say. She was flustered.

   I decided that I would never take a medication manufactured by Novartis ever again. Small endeavor, but this was my way to boycott that company. The only way I would take any of their medications would be if IT was the ONLY medication that would save my life. But even then, I would balk – want other opinions.     

   Because of my boycott, I was forced to take generic brands of Excedrin. Plus, I made sure the generic tablets were NOT manufactured by Novartis, as well. I was amazed at how many medications -- brand or generic -- were made by such a dishonest, disreputable company.

   Now, I read better all the items that might concern my health on WebMD or Google. Even with doctor prescribed medications. Like Estrogen, which I learned could cause stroke from blood clots. So, I declined the doctor.

   I had even refused a prescribed med because the manufacturer was -- you guessed it -- Novartis. Then the pharmacies made note – nothing made by that company for this customer.

   As I mentioned above, I noticed a television commercial about Excedrin recently. I had seen the new commercial only a couple times, but paid it no mind. Then, for whatever reason, I noticed a manufacturer’s logo in the upper right of the TV screen. It showed “GSK.” That meant GlaxoSmithKline pharmaceuticals, an English company. Novartis is European, but I have had no gripe with GSK.

   Well, I did my research to see if Excedrin was indeed now being made by GSK and not Novartis. My research showed that GSK and Novartis had merged, but it appeared to me that Novartis was being phased out, possibly from the OTC meds and others.

   If this is correct, I am elated! I can again take the Excedrin brand. I hope GSK is more honest and forthcoming than Novartis.

   This article is not to bury anyone or over praise anyone. It is to act as a warning to the unsuspecting person who wants to take a medicine or is taking a medicine. I didn’t get stroked by the first pill. I took three pills, then I was blind-sided one afternoon. No warning, my right side stopped working. I spent two months in the hospital’s rehab center, however, I have progressed over the 18 years. I have had no other major malady such as heart attack, cancer or another stroke.

   My advice to anyone is to research any medicine your doctor might prescribe or what is now being taken. Especially, if the side-effects have been more than “uncomfortable.”

   There are many sayings like “Buyer beware” and “Different strokes for different folks.” Yep – in the pharmaceutical world these are true.

Happiness

Happiness is …..

By

B.D. Adams ©2015

M

y life has been a roller-coaster of emotions and situations. I have been elated with situations, which most people would be, and devastated by situations in the same manner.

    My grandchildren have been a definite source of happiness. Unfortunately, they and their father (my son) live in the Los Angeles area. He is a firefighter and has been so for several years. We visit via Skype, so I have the happiness to see my grandbabies grow-up in real time, sort of.

            Since my stroke in 1998, I have kept progressing, going forward. I have attended all the physical therapy, occupational therapy and psychological sessions I could stand. And, to date, I truly believe I have succeeded to grab the horns of disability as a true survivor!

            Unfortunately, as I have aged with my physical issues, it has become clearer to me that I need to accept the new changes with my body. Mostly my legs.

            Oh, boy … what else?

Daniel and I bought a scooter several years ago. A comfortably padded Pace Saver Plus III. A used one, but it has been a wonderful help as my legs have become less able to keep up with others. Assists mostly when we attend the large car shows that have acres of cars to see!

In the last year, or so, my legs have become … old. I had been able to walk our little dog, but then there has been more pain as I walk. And, I have hated that!

I began to take Sasha, our dog, for walks by using my scooter. She loves to ride on my scooter, but was a bit confused with this new “walking” method. However, it took no time for her to understand, as best as a dog can understand.

With the dog walking, the scooter was kept by the driveway. I would cautiously go down the few steps from our deck to the scooter.

Also, in that time, it has become harder just to walk in general. Like to walk from Daniel’s SUV into different stores like Walmart or Home Depot to access their scooters. So, with the help of a hitch-mounted scooter rack – on the SUV and the ’37 Plymouth Sedan – we take the scooter where we want. You learn how to adapt, improvise, overcome … like a Marine.

I never wanted to appear like a wimp! Independence has been paramount for me. I mean, what do we have if we don’t have our independence?

Well, as it goes, this last weekend, Daniel and a neighbor fellow built a ramp for my scooter to access our deck. It is a thing of beauty! They did a fabulous job.

Daniel rode the scooter up to the deck and let me take over. I rode it down and up a few times. This is my new usable toy, my independence.

Happiness is … whatever you want it to be.

To other disabled people, I would like to say:

“Keep progressing! Don’t give in to your disability – grab it by its horns and take it down. And, don’t hide from the outside! Who cares what others see. We have the pride that life does, indeed, go on. I can’t sing and dance, but I can write … and roll.

Photo by Dan Tourigny

Global ... What?! (A Personal Comment)

"Night of Promise" Part 2 will be posted in February.

Global ... What?!

by

B.D. Adams

©2014

            The Winter of 2013-14! Will I remember this winter with fondness? Will I remember it as an invigorating, fun time? Uh ... I don’t think so!

            I have had the opportunities of living in other global locations (mostly in the north) in my life; however, this has been one of the worst winters! Not being snowed in, but my car won’t start because it is even saying, “Heeey!! Too cold ... too cold!!” Thank goodness for Daniel’s SUV. Besides, it isn’t so much the actual temperature’s number, but the number of days with the mornings in the zero/sub-zero range! Talk about heavy air to breathe!

            I saw an article on the Yahoo! Homepage about the coldest city now. The article hinted that their temps had been like -49F. I believe this because Wikipedia showed that Yakutsk, the Siberian city in the article, had a record of -76F. That makes my teeth hurt to think of that cold. I’d move in with a bear to hibernate.

            And, dear readers, who will keep beating the drum about “global warming?!”

            Global Warming ... a catchy political phrase. Of course, there is warming around the world, especially in the colder regions. The populations in the colder regions can be considered because more fossil fuel is burned (it will take many more moons for that to change) and check the population flux. These places have become tourist havens, as well.

            Do I believe there is Global Warming? About as much as I believe in the Easter Bunny. Sorry, kids.

            I am always open to other solutions, other ideas, other arguments. I welcome enlightenment! However, wait until May after Lake Winnipesaukee thaws.

 

by Dan Tourigny 2014

In My Humble Opinion .....

This is my first Opinion for my blog. It is a bit personal for me, which is how all opinions should be!


So much hoopla has been pounded over the news media about Obama's idea of Health Care Reform. My question is ... what is really part of a "reform" and what part is just "lip-service" to the general public?

It seems to me that folks, who have good health insurance (especially retired folks), have been hollering about their insurance being cut or taken away! I would love to know where, on this green earth, they got those ideas! Then, for the folks with no insurance (or crappy little insurance), they really think they will be left out in the cold, as well! Which would probably make the well insured folks happy. You know ... the "Let them eat cake!" scenario.

Personally, I'm on Medicare. One group of folks feels I get too much money from my Disability Benefits, and the other folks think I should be glad with what I do get ... so, shut my trap. I am glad with what little I get, but if it's truly looked into, I fall into the category of "What Else Can I Be Legally Charged For That I Cannot Afford." There's got to be more I can do to better my health care problem (without cutting food from my monthly expenses), but I haven't been able to happen across anything else, just yet. See ... I'm pragmatic.

Mostly, I'm still just glad that I am alive! However, living and just "existing" are two very different scenarios. I have never meant to get rich or live luxuriously on Disability. Unfortunately, though, the government's idea of someone making it through any disability is just to keep you from dying ... forget any "quality of life." As I have just said ... glad to be alive!

Therefore, in my humble opinion ... less posturing is needed and some realistic reforms should be implanted to accommodate all citizens ... wealthy or no ... ALL citizens need reasonable health care programs!!