Topic: Controversy Grows over Journal Article on Pain Treatment

Topic: Controversy Grows over Journal Article on Pain Treatment

It’s not uncommon for colleagues in the medical profession to disagree. Egos and different medical backgrounds can sometimes lead to heated discussions about the best way to treat patients. But those arguments are usually kept private. That is why it is so unusual for a prominent pain physician to publicly call for another doctor to resign or be fired from her faculty position at a prestigious medical school.

“I believe she should resign her academic post,” says Forest Tennant, MD, referring to Jane Ballantyne, MD, a professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine, who recently co-authored a controversial article in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) that said reducing pain intensity should not be the goal of doctors who treat chronic pain patients. The article also suggests that patients should learn to accept their pain and move on with their lives.

“For somebody in her position as a professor at a university to call for physicians to quit treating pain – or pain intensity – whether acute, chronic, whether rich, poor, disabled or what have you, is totally inappropriate. And it’s an insult to the physicians of the world and an insult to patients. And frankly, she should not be a professor.” Tennant told Pain News Network.

“To suggest that physicians should no longer treat pain intensity and let patients suffer goes beyond any sort of decency or concern for humanity.”



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Hello Everyone! It's Me, again... Karla

If you're a member of our main website, come and join in on our Discussion Blog. We are sharing our experiences with Fibromyalgia...

Here is the link for the Discussion Blog:

http://www.chronicintractablepainandyou.net/apps/blog/show/43665506-your-fibromyalgia

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*If you're not a member of our main website and want to become a one, please click this link to register!

http://www.chronicintractablepainandyou.net/apps/auth/signup

Hope you will come and join us! Have a happy low pain evening!

Karla Rabel Lpn-vp​ (Dr. Patty's Vice President @ Dr. Pattys Chronic-Intractable Pain and You Sites, Inc.).

YOUR FIBROMYALGIA

YOUR FIBROMYALGIA

Topic: Tale of Two Suicides; Lessons for Opioid Public Policy

Topic: Tale of Two Suicides; Lessons for Opioid Public Policy

For one it was the best of times, for the other, the worst. At no time did the paths of their lives cross, but they shared the same fate, one most would consider a tragedy. Their legacies, for pain and public policy, could not have been more different…

I knew one, only heard of the other; both dramatically affected my life.

Bob was a marine. He had valiantly served his country, and he was proud of it. His identity was so tied to his service that he could not handle the thought of being any less of a marine, a warrior… a man, whatever that means. His back injury robbed him of that identity, and he struggled in a futile attempt to regain that which he no longer was, or, at least thought he was. Perception is reality, and his perception was that he was no longer what he wanted to be, needed to be.

Surgeries and elixers, therapies traditional and non-traditional. All tried in a vain attempt to rid himself his pain. All failed. Some made his pain worse. He used pain meds to numb the pain, but they couldn’t restore his manhood. In desperation, he kept taking more and more. After a while, he gave up the hope for a cure. He was a broken man, not just physically, but also mentally and spiritually. The meds became a temporary reprieve from his painful reality. I was his doctor. I never really saw that brave marine. Rather, I saw a broken, staggering man, subservient to the world his pain had created for him. Our goal for any treatment is to improve one’s function. For many, opioids accomplish that. Not for Bob.

To Read More, please click this link:

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Topic: Medical Researchers Analyze Social Media to Understand Side Effects of Pain Meds

Medical Researchers Analyze Social Media to Understand Side Effects of Pain Meds

Harnessing the power of social media, medical researchers have sifted through more than two billion tweets and online posts to study the harmful side effects of narcotics medication taken for chronic pain. The research team, led by the Cedars-Sinai Center for Outcomes Research and Education, reviewed a vast collection of patient entries on Twitter and social media forums such as askapatient.com and patientslikeme.com.

The unfiltered sentiments posted on these sites revealed details not often captured by physicians or traditional clinical research about the gastrointestinal side effects of narcotics medication. In online messages, for example, some patients described experiencing severe constipation that was even more debilitating than their underlying illnesses.

The researchers believe the study is the first of its kind to analyze social media data related to gastrointestinal side effects from narcotics. “Social media can be used as a huge epidemiological database, a treasure-trove of insights from patients about their illness experiences, their treatments, and their attitudes and beliefs about health and disease,” said Brennan Spiegel, MD, MSHS, director of Cedars-Sinai Health Services Research and director of the Center for Outcomes Research and Education.

The study appears online in the Journal of Opioid Management. 

To Read More, please click this link:

http://www.chronicintractablepainandyou.net/apps/forums/topics/show/13278570-medical-researchers-analyze-social-media-to-understand-side-effects-of-pain-meds

Topic: Opioids Saved My Life

Topic: Opioids Saved My Life

My new life of chronic pain started in May of 2005. After being diagnosed with degenerative disc disease, I was given a series of 3 epidural steroid injections with a corticosteroid made by Pfizer called Depo-Medrol. I had no relief from the first two injections, but my doctor insisted that I try a third one. He struggled to get the needle into the epidural space, probably because of scar tissue in my back caused by a prior back surgery, a laminectomy.

After the 3rd steroid injection, I had a severe, instant headache, which was relieved somewhat when I laid down. The doctor had punctured my dura, the outer lining of the spinal cord, which caused a spinal leak. He was defensive when I told him about my headache pain, saying, “No way, there was no fluid in my syringe.” After an unsuccessful blood patch, I ended up in the ER a week later with the worst, throbbing headache I ever suffered. Every time I lifted my head I vomited violently. The doctor ordered numerous tests and he finally diagnosed me with too much STRESS! I knew something had gone wrong during the epidural steroid injection, yet my doctor blamed me for the harm he did to my spine. My pain worsened over time and it became so intense that I thought about suicide.



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Topic: Is Krill Oil 48 Times Better Than Fish Oil?

Topic: Is Krill Oil 48 Times Better Than Fish Oil?

Krill oil is made from krill, a small, shrimp-like crustacean that inhabits the cold ocean areas of the world. Despite their small size, krill make up the largest animal biomass on the planet. There are approximately 500 million tons of krill roaming around in northern seas.

Krill oil, like fish oil, contains omega-3 fats such as eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA). However, in fish oil, these omega-3 fats are found in the triglyceride form. In krill oil, they are found in a double-chain phospholipid structure. The fats in human cell walls are in the phospholipid form.

The phospholipid structure of the EPA and DHA in krill oil makes them much more absorbable. Krill oil also contains vitamin E, vitamin A, vitamin D, and canthaxanthin, which is a potent antioxidant.

The antioxidant potency of krill oil is, in terms of ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorptance Capacity) values, 48 times more potent than fish oil.

To Read More, please click this link:

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Topic: Specialist of In The News (Volunteer Position)

Specialist of In The News (Volunteer Position)

The Specialist (In the news) is a position for those who have specific knowledge of a specific pain In The News loves to post about their subject by posing articles, chats, videos, etc. This position reports directly to the Vice President (Karla Rabel) and to Dr. Patty.



The basic responsibilities of a Specialist (In the news) are:



• “Friend” Dr. Patty and all staff



• Customize your profile and put up a picture, it can be a tag or a pet or an avatar.



Check your private email daily as notifications and private messages are sometimes routed through general email (A CIPAY mailbox will be given to you for CIPAY business only).



•Check your CIPAY inbox daily for messages. We request that you respond to member’s comments and questions within 24 hours (at the most, 48 hours). If you are unable to answer the question, please ask another staff member to help.



Please make sure that you have read the petition and have signed it.



•You may choose the group that you wish to lead. It is your responsibility to monitor these groups for inappropriate actions, comments and questions.



•You will post one article a week to each of your groups. Your staff mentor will help you to learn how to complete the needed research and show you how to accurately post it to the group.



•Other duties as assigned

Topic: Specialist of Lupus (Volunteer Position)

Specialist of Lupus (Volunteer Position)

The Specialist (Lupus) is a position for those who have specific knowledge of a specific n loves to post about their subject by posing articles, chats, videos, etc. This position reports directly to the Vice President (Karla Rabel) and to Dr. Patty.

The basic responsibilities of a Specialist (Lupus) are:

• “Friend” Dr. Patty and all staff

• Customize your profile and put up a picture, it can be a tag or a pet or an avatar.

Check your private email daily as notifications and private messages are sometimes routed through general email (A CIPAY mailbox will be given to you for CIPAY business only).

•Check your CIPAY inbox daily for messages. We request that you respond to member’s comments and questions within 24 hours (at the most, 48 hours). If you are unable to answer the question, please ask another staff member to help.

Please make sure that you have read the petition and have signed it.

•You may choose the group that you wish to lead. It is your responsibility to monitor these groups for inappropriate actions, comments and questions.

•You will post one article a week to each of your groups. Your staff mentor will help you to learn how to complete the needed research and show you how to accurately post it to the group.

•Other duties as assigned

Topic: Specialist of Lupus (Volunteer Position)

Specialist of Lupus (Volunteer Position)

The Specialist (Lupus) is a position for those who have specific knowledge of a specific n loves to post about their subject by posing articles, chats, videos, etc. This position reports directly to the Vice President (Karla Rabel) and to Dr. Patty.

The basic responsibilities of a Specialist (Lupus) are:

• “Friend” Dr. Patty and all staff

• Customize your profile and put up a picture, it can be a tag or a pet or an avatar.

Check your private email daily as notifications and private messages are sometimes routed through general email (A CIPAY mailbox will be given to you for CIPAY business only).

•Check your CIPAY inbox daily for messages. We request that you respond to member’s comments and questions within 24 hours (at the most, 48 hours). If you are unable to answer the question, please ask another staff member to help.

Please make sure that you have read the petition and have signed it.

•You may choose the group that you wish to lead. It is your responsibility to monitor these groups for inappropriate actions, comments and questions.

•You will post one article a week to each of your groups. Your staff mentor will help you to learn how to complete the needed research and show you how to accurately post it to the group.

•Other duties as assigned

Topic: Specialist of Polls (Volunteer Position)

Specialist of Polls (Volunteer Position

The Specialist (Polls) is a position for those who have specific knowledge of a specific area of expertise and loves to post about their subject by posing articles, chats, videos, etc. This position reports directly to the Vice President (Karla Rabel) and to Dr. Patty.

The basic responsibilities of a Specialist (Polls) are:

• “Friend” Dr. Patty and all staff

• Customize your profile and put up a picture, it can be a tag or a pet or an avatar.

Check your private email daily as notifications and private messages are sometimes routed through general email (A CIPAY mailbox will be given to you for CIPAY business only).

•Check your CIPAY inbox daily for messages. We request that you respond to member’s comments and questions within 24 hours (at the most, 48 hours). If you are unable to answer the question, please ask another staff member to help.

Please make sure that you have read the petition and have signed it.

•You may choose the group that you wish to lead. It is your responsibility to monitor these groups for inappropriate actions, comments and questions.

•You will post one article a week to each of your groups. Your staff mentor will help you to learn how to complete the needed research and show you how to accurately post it to the group.

•Other duties as assigned

Poll Is There A Stigma Where You Live About Taking Opiates?

Poll Is There A Stigma Where You Live About Taking Opiates?

To vote, please click on this link:

http://www.chronicintractablepainandyou.net/chronic-pain-polls-1

Poll What Clothes are Worst for Fibromyalgia Pain?

Poll What Clothes are Worst for Fibromyalgia Pain?

To vote, please click on this link:
http://www.chronicintractablepainandyou.net/chronic-pain-polls-1

Poll What helps you when you are in pain?

Poll What helps you when you are in pain?

To vote, please click on this link:

http://www.chronicintractablepainandyou.net/chronic-pain-polls-1

Poll Do you ever experience aura with your migraine attacks?

Poll Do you ever experience aura with your migraine attacks?

To vote, please click on this link:
http://www.chronicintractablepainandyou.net/chronic-pain-polls-1

Poll Pain Patients: What is one thing you want your family, friends and others to understand or do?

Poll Pain Patients: What is one thing you want your family, friends and others to understand or do?

To vote, please click on this link:

http://www.chronicintractablepainandyou.net/chronic-pain-polls-1

Poll When are you most affected by pain?

Poll When are you most affected by pain?

To vote, please click on this link:

http://www.chronicintractablepainandyou.net/chronic-pain-polls-1

Topic: Specialist of Search Engine Optimizer (SEO) (Volunteer)

Topic: Specialist of Search Engine Optimizer (SEO) (Volunteer)

The Specialist (Search Engine Optimizer (SEO)) is a position for those who have specific knowledge of a specific area of expertise and loves to post about their subject by posting articles, chats, videos, etc. This position reports directly to the Vice President (Karla Rabel) and to Dr. Patty.

The basic responsibilities of a Specialist (Search Engine Optimizer (SEO)) are:

• “Friend” Dr. Patty and all staff (one time only)

• Customize your profile and put up a picture, it can be a tag or a pet or an avatar.(one time only)

Have knowledge of social media and make sure that our social media sites are up to date.

Check your private email daily as notifications and private messages are sometimes routed through general email (A CIPAY mailbox will be given to you for CIPAY business only).

•Check your CIPAY inbox daily for messages. We request that you respond to member’s comments and questions within 24 hours (at the most, 48 hours). If you are unable to answer the question, please ask another staff member to help.

•Other duties as assigned

If you are interested in this volunteer position, please click here:

http://www.chronicintractablepainandyou.net/apps/forums/topics/show/13013195-specialist-of-search-engine-optimizer-seo-volunteer-

Dr Patty's Chronic-Intractable Pain and You Main Site - Chronic Polls #3

Dr Patty's Chronic-Intractable Pain and You Main Site - Chronic Polls #3

What does your pharmacy require from you before filling your prescriptions ? Select all that apply

Script only

Confirmation call to my prescribing physician

Proof of medical condition (medical records)

Government issued identification (Drivers license or ID card)

Confirmation of prior approval and authorization from insurer

Other comment

To vote please click on this link:

http://www.chronicintractablepainandyou.net/chronic-polls-3

Dr Patty's Chronic-Intractable Pain and You Main Site - Ask Dr Patty

Dr Patty's Chronic-Intractable Pain and You Main Site - Ask Dr Patty



Polls: Does your current pharmacy have a policy that prohibits the filling of scripts for schedule II narcotics?

Please vote here: http://www.chronicintractablepainandyou.net/chronic-polls-3

Topic: Here's why you can skip the new insomnia drug, Belsomra

Topic: Here's why you can skip the new insomnia drug, Belsomra

A sleepless night or two can leave you so tired and miserable that it can be tempting to take a medication that promises to help you slip into slumber. But the truth is that sleeping pills like Ambien and Lunesta don’t actually improve your sleep much, according to a Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs analysis, and the newest insomnia medication, Belsomra (suvorexant), is no exception.



It might help you nod off a few minutes faster or stay asleep slightly longer. But that small benefit comes with some big safety concerns, such as being too drowsy to drive the next day or feeling like you can’t move or talk.



We were prompted to take a close look at Belsomra, which is made by Merck, because it’s a new type of sleeping pill called an orexin-receptor antagonist. It acts on the brain in a different way compared to older insomnia meds. The Food and Drug Administration initially rejected high doses of Belsomra—30 mg and 40 mg—because it said they posed a dangerous risk of next-day drowsiness that could lead to deadly auto crashes. 



To Read More, please click this link:

http://www.chronicintractablepainandyou.net/apps/forums/topics/show/13236029-here-s-why-you-can-skip-the-new-insomnia-drug-belsomra

Crohn's Disease, Colitis Tied to Anxiety in Study

People with inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis, have an increased risk for an anxiety disorder, especially women, a new study suggests. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a group of disorders that cause chronic inflammation of the digestive tract. "Patients with IBD face substantial chronic physical problems associated with the disease," lead author Esme Fuller-Thomson, a professor from the University of Toronto, said in a university news release. "The additional burden of anxiety disorders makes life much more challenging so this 'double jeopardy' must be addressed." The study authors looked at 269 Canadian adults who had been diagnosed with an inflammatory bowel disease. The researchers found that these patients were two times more likely to have had generalized anxiety disorder at some point in their lives than adults without Crohn's or colitis.



To read more, please click here: http://members.webs.com/MembersB/editAppPage.jsp?app=forums&pageID=301394226#forums/topics/show/13228063-crohn-s-disease-colitis-tied-to-anxiety-in

Study Reveals Brain Mechanism Behind Chronic Pain's Sapping of Motivation

Chronic pain is among the most abundant of all medical afflictions in the developed world. It differs from a short-term episode of pain not only in its duration, but also in triggering in its sufferers a psychic exhaustion best described by the question, “Why bother?” A new study in mice, conducted by investigators at the Stanford University School of Medicine, has identified a set of changes in key parts of the brain that may explain chronic pain’s capacity to stifle motivation. The discovery could lead to entirely new classes of treatment for this damaging psychological consequence of chronic pain.



To read more, please click here: http://members.webs.com/MembersB/editAppPage.jsp?app=forums&pageID=301394226#forums/topics/show/13228054-study-reveals-brain-mechanism-behind-chronic-pain-s-sapping-of

How to File for Social Security Disability

If you're eligible for Social Security disability (as opposed to SSI), you can file your application online. It used to be that, to file for disability, a Social Security or SSI disability claimant had to call the SSA (Social Security Administration), request that an application be taken for disability benefits, and then wait to be interviewed, either over the phone at a later date, or in person at the Social Security office. To file for disability today, these options still apply. In fact, for many individuals who need to file for disability, a phone interview is convenient and, to others, an office interview may be more comfortable. Many applicants like to have the assistance of an SSA field representative to fill out the application. However, a third option does exist today for the individual who needs to file an SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance) claim: to file for disability benefits online.



To read more, please click here: http://members.webs.com/MembersB/editAppPage.jsp?app=forums&pageID=301394226#forums/topics/show/13228042-how-to-file-for-social-security

Chronic Pain in Recovery

When people are dealing with chronic pain, it can greatly reduce the extent to which they enjoy their own life. The discomfort can impact almost every aspect of their day-to-day experiences. It can lead to depression and thoughts of giving up. Some people who escape addiction may have to deal with chronic pain in their recovery. This can be a challenge. Some may be tempted to revert back to their old maladaptive behaviors in order to hide from the discomfort. This is always a great pity, because there is usually an effective solution for chronic pain. It is almost always possible for such an individual to build a satisfying pain-free life away from addiction.



To read more, please click here: http://members.webs.com/MembersB/editAppPage.jsp?app=forums&pageID=301394226#forums/topics/show/13228026-chronic-pain-in

Apitherapy

Apitherapy, or bee therapy, is the use of products of the common honeybee for therapeutic purposes. (The term comes from the Latin apis, which means “bee.” Honeybee venom, bee pollen, raw honey, royal jelly, and propolis are the products generally considered to have medicinal effects. These products are said to be effective against a wide range of ailments, from arthritis and chronic pain to multiple sclerosis and cancer, although few scientific studies have as yet proved their benefits. The history of apitherapy extends back to ancient Egypt, Greece, and China. Even Hippocrates, the Greek physician known as the “father of medicine,” used bee venom to treat arthritis and other joint problems. Austrian physician Phillip Terc initiated the modern study of bee venom and intentional bee stings when he published his article “Report about a Peculiar Connection Between the Beestings and Rheumatism” in 1888. The late beekeeper Charles Mraz of Middlebury, Vermont, is credited with popularizing bee venom therapy over the past 60 years in the United States. Today, thousands of medical professionals and lay practitioners use apitherapy throughout the world.



To read more, please click here: http://members.webs.com/MembersB/editAppPage.jsp?app=forums&pageID=301394226#forums/topics/show/13228006

A Holistic Approach To Pain Management

Helping to alleviate chronic pain in people involves more than just prescribing pills for them to pop or giving them a shot. Pain management, or algiatry, is the medical specialty of preventing, evaluating, treating, and rehabilitating persons in pain. Chronic pain may have originated with an injury or infection or there may be an ongoing cause of pain. Some people suffer chronic pain in the absence of any past injury or evidence of body damage. Whatever the cause of the pain, its management and relief should take a multidisciplinary and holistic approach.



To read more, please click here: http://members.webs.com/MembersB/editAppPage.jsp?app=forums&pageID=301394226#forums/topics/show/13227986-a-holistic-approach-to-pain

Childhood Bad Behavior Linked to Adult Chronic Pain

Researchers have found a significant link between childhood behavioral problems and chronic pain in adulthood. Dr. Dong Pang of Aberdeen University, UK, and colleagues explain that chronic widespread pain affects about 12 percent of adults and can cause disability. It has previously been linked to major events in childhood such as hospitalization after a road accident and separation from mothers. The team used a group of 19,478 participants who were born in a single week in 1958, and followed them through childhood and adulthood.



To read more, please click here: http://members.webs.com/MembersB/editAppPage.jsp?app=forums&pageID=301394226#forums/topics/show/13227966-childhood-bad-behavior-linked-to-adult-chronic

Pain Management: Pacing and Goal Setting

Chronic pain can change the way that people live their lives and carry out their daily activities. For example many people found that they could no longer perform certain tasks without experiencing increased pain and fatigue. This could lead to them becoming increasingly inactive, or catching up on jobs when they had a good day, which then lead to a flare-up of pain and the need to rest up for a few days (see also 'Coping with flare-up'). Many of the people that we talked to had learnt techniques to manage their activities, minimise their pain and help prevent flare-ups. Usually these techniques had been learnt on NHS Pain Management Programmes through healthcare professionals, or support groups, but others had learnt through the Internet or books (see also 'Learning about pain management'; 'NHS pain management programmes').



To read more, please click here: http://members.webs.com/MembersB/editAppPage.jsp?app=forums&pageID=301394226#forums/topics/show/13227956-pain-management-pacing-and-goal

Don't Treat Me Like That: Chronic Pain Sufferers Fear Pharmacists Consider Them 'Drug Addicts'

It makes a lot of sense, but it’s an area that is a little-known truth: people who suffer from chronic pain have concerns about how they’ll be treated by their healthcare providers. A study by the National Pain Foundation found that more than half (52 percent) of chronic pain sufferers worry that their pharmacist will treat them like a “drug addict.” Another 29 percent expressed concerns that they’ll “be embarrassed by their pharmacist.” Nearly one in five (17 percent) said they’d been treated “poorly or very poorly” by their pharmacist. The survey results, posted on NationalPainReports.com, show that 319 people (80 percent female), completed the survey that was initially distributed to 3,000 chronic pain sufferers. Subjects experienced pain for a wide of reasons, although fibromyalgia was the most commonly reported pain.



To read more, please click here: http://members.webs.com/MembersB/editAppPage.jsp?app=forums&pageID=301394226#forums/topics/show/13227931-don-t-treat-me-like-that-chronic-pain-sufferers-fear-pharmacists-consider-them-drug-addicts

Fibromyalgia Now Considered As a Lifelong Central Nervous System Disorder

Fibromyalgia is the second most common rheumatic disorder behind osteoarthritis and, though still widely misunderstood, is now considered to be a lifelong central nervous system disorder, which is responsible for amplified pain that shoots through the body in those who suffer from it. Daniel Clauw, M.D., professor of anesthesiology, University of Michigan, analyzed the neurological basis for fibromyalgia in a plenary session address today at the American Pain Society Annual Scientific Meeting.



To read more, please click here: http://members.webs.com/MembersB/editAppPage.jsp?app=forums&pageID=301394226#forums/topics/show/13227908-fibromyalgia-now-considered-as-a-lifelong-central-nervous-system

Fibromyalgia Now Considered As a Lifelong Central Nervous System Disorder

Fibromyalgia is the second most common rheumatic disorder behind osteoarthritis and, though still widely misunderstood, is now considered to be a lifelong central nervous system disorder, which is responsible for amplified pain that shoots through the body in those who suffer from it. Daniel Clauw, M.D., professor of anesthesiology, University of Michigan, analyzed the neurological basis for fibromyalgia in a plenary session address today at the American Pain Society Annual Scientific Meeting.



To read more, please click here: http://members.webs.com/MembersB/editAppPage.jsp?app=forums&pageID=301394226#forums/topics/show/13227908-fibromyalgia-now-considered-as-a-lifelong-central-nervous-system

MARIJUANA: Guide To Illness And Pain Management (Medical Marijuana, Pain Management, Cannabis, Back Pain, Epilepsy, Cancer Treatment, Chronic Pain)

Medical Marijuana And Pain Free Living. You Don't Have To Suffer Anymore! Millions of America’s suffer from pain every day due to cancer, arthritis, back pain, accidents, neuropathy, autoimmune diseases, and so many other chronic illnesses. Pain relief is one of the most well recognized effects of medical marijuana, yet many still fear the drug. Do you or a loved one suffer from pain? Are you concerned about the pain medications you take? Do you fear addiction to pain medications? This book is for you! You No Longer Have To Fear Medical Marijuana! Are you afraid of medical marijuana? Have you heard horror stories or been told about bad experiences from the use of marijuana? Then this book is for you!

To read more, please click here: http://members.webs.com/MembersB/editAppPage.jsp?app=forums&pageID=301394226#forums/topics/show/13220374-marijuana-guide-to-illness-and-pain-management-medical-marijuana-pain-management-cannabis-back-pain-epilepsy-cancer-treatment-chronic-pain

Why Can't I Get Better? Solving the Mystery of Lyme and Chronic Disease

From one of the country's foremost doctors comes a ground-breaking book about diagnosing, treating and healing Lyme, and peeling away the layers that lead to chronic disease. You may not know that you have Lyme. It can mimic every disease process including Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, autoimmune conditions like MS, psychiatric conditions like depression and anxiety, and cause significant memory and concentration problems, mimicking early dementia. It is called the "Great Imitator," and inaccurate testing-combined with a fierce, ongoing debate that questions chronic infection-makes it difficult for sufferers to find effective care.

To read more, please click here: http://members.webs.com/MembersB/editAppPage.jsp?app=forums&pageID=301394226#forums/topics/show/13220350-why-can-t-i-get-better-solving-the-mystery-of-lyme-and-chronic

The Lupus Book: A Guide for Patients and Their Families

Lupus, a disease of the immune system, can be quite deadly, claiming the lives of thousands of patients yearly. Dr. Daniel J. Wallace is one of the world's leading authorities on this disorder, an eminent clinician who has treated over 3000 lupus patients, the largest such practice in America. His The Lupus Book, originally published in 1995, immediately established itself as the most readable and helpful book on the disease. Now Dr. Wallace has once again completely revised The Lupus Book, incorporating a wealth of new information. This Fifth Edition discusses new drug information and newly discovered information about the pathology of the disease--all laid out in user-friendly language that any patient could understand.

To read more, please click here: http://members.webs.com/MembersB/editAppPage.jsp?app=forums&pageID=301394226#forums/topics/show/13220336-the-lupus-book-a-guide-for-patients-and-their

The Migraine Brain: Your Breakthrough Guide to Fewer Headaches, Better Health

A comprehensive book that explains how to cope with migraines by an esteemed neurologist. You know that your migraine isn't just a headache. But you may not know that migraine actually is a neurological disease. Affecting one in five women, one in twenty men, and one in twenty children, it's a debilitating, complex, and chronic condition that manifests in a combination of symptoms that can include excruciating head pain as well as other distinctive physical and emotional effects. Yet it's also a disease that you can get control of, improve, and manage, as Dr. Carolyn Bernstein has discovered in her seventeen years as a Harvard Medical School faculty member and practicing neurologist.

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Key 10: Find New Meaning

One of the greatest challenges of chronic illness is coming to terms with grief. While grief is usually associated with the death of a loved one, it can occur after any loss. And chronic illness brings with it many serious losses. We may be forced to give up our job, may lose friends and feel abandoned by family, and may experience loss of control over our bodies and our lives. In sum, we experience the loss of the person we used to be. The pervasiveness of loss presents us with one of our biggest tasks: finding meaning when so much has been taken from us. Working through our grief can produce a double benefit. Not only are we resolving a psychological issue in chronic illness by facing our losses, we may be helping ourselves physically as well. Grieving is associated with the flare-up of symptoms, so resolving feelings of loss can help control symptoms. It may produce even more dramatic effects as well. A recent study of HIV-positive men who had lost a close friend to AIDS found that those men who were able to find meaning in the loss had a significantly lower risk of dying of AIDS themselves in the following several years.



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Experts: Screen Chronic Pain Patients For Anger

National Harbor, Md—Significantly higher levels of acute and chronic anger have been found in patients with chronic pain compared with non-pain patients and pain patients in the general community, prompting researchers to call for anger screening in all patients with chronic pain. The results of the new study also show that these patients have significantly higher levels of acute and chronic anger than do patients with acute pain. “This is important because anger leads to acting out, which leads to violence,” stressed lead investigator David A. Fishbain, MD, professor (tenured) of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, and adjunct professor, Department of Neurological Surgery and Department of Anesthesiology, University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, and a Pain Medicine News editorial board member.



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Reiki

Reiki is a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing. It is administered by "laying on hands" and is based on the idea that an unseen "life force energy" flows through us and is what causes us to be alive. If one's "life force energy" is low, then we are more likely to get sick or feel stress, and if it is high, we are more capable of being happy and healthy.

The word Reiki is made of two Japanese words - Rei which means "God's Wisdom or the Higher Power" and Ki which is "life force energy". So Reiki is actually "spiritually guided life force energy."

A treatment feels like a wonderful glowing radiance that flows through and around you. Reiki treats the whole person including body, emotions, mind and spirit creating many beneficial effects that include relaxation and feelings of peace, security and wellbeing. Many have reported miraculous results.

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When Lyme Disease Lasts and Lasts

Chronic Lyme disease is a highly controversial catch-all term for a host of long-lasting symptoms that may or may not stem from prior infection with the bacterium that causes acute Lyme disease. Often misdiagnosed and mistreated, chronic Lyme disease leaves thousands of people physically and mentally debilitated and without a medically established recourse. Mary Rasenberger, 51, a New York lawyer, experienced “a series of ailments going back 10 years.” She was finally given a diagnosis of chronic Lyme disease last summer after having been told that she had multiple sclerosis. Her long-term symptoms were “aching joints, headaches and indescribable fatigue” that made her miserable and unable to exercise. In the last few years, two additional symptoms developed: neuropathy in her limbs and face, and vision problems. In an interview, she said she “woke up every day feeling sick”; if she became overheated, she felt as if she had the flu. Yet a test for Lyme disease came back negative. 



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Are We Close to Solving the Mystery of IBS?

MRI technology opens the new door to a new understanding of irritable bowel syndrome and dietary changes that may help IBS sufferers. Doctors today have to rely on X-ray scans and patients' descriptions of their symptoms to diagnose irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). But scientists at the University of Nottingham’s Digestive Diseases Centre in the U.K. have discovered a new way of investigating the illness using MRIs, which could affect how doctors diagnose and treat IBS in the future. IBS is a functional gastrointestinal disorder caused by changes in how the GI tract works. The most common symptoms are diarrhea, constipation, gas, bloating, and chronic abdominal pain. IBS can be diagnosed if a patient experiences one or more of these symptoms at least three times a month for a period of three months or longer, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. However, because the causes and symptoms of IBS vary from person to person, it can be difficult for doctors to treat.



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The Common Threads of Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

More than half of people diagnosed with fibromyalgia fit the bill for chronic fatigue syndrome, too. Are they really just the same disease?       Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) are both illnesses characterized by extreme amounts of fatigue. In fact, the conditions seem to be so intertwined that the medical community continues to debate whether fibromyalgia fatigue is simply a different expression of the same disorder that causes CFS. Statistically, fibromyalgia fatigue occurs in more Americans than chronic fatigue syndrome. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention believes there are about 5 million people in the United States with fibromyalgia, compared with a little over 1 million people with chronic fatigue syndrome. Still, research has found that the line between fibromyalgia fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome is a very thin one. The Arthritis Foundation estimates that 50 to 70 percent of people with fibromyalgia also fit the criteria of chronic fatigue syndrome. 



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Topic: Specialist of Polls (Volunteer)

Specialist of Polls (Volunteer)

The Specialist (Polls) is a position for those who have specific knowledge of a specific area of expertise and loves to post about their subject by posing articles, chats, videos, etc. This position reports directly to the Vice President (Karla Rabel) and to Dr. Patty.

The basic responsibilities of a Specialist (Polls) are:

• “Friend” Dr. Patty and all staff

• Customize your profile and put up a picture, it can be a tag or a pet or an avatar.

Check your private email daily as notifications and private messages are sometimes routed through general email (A CIPAY mailbox will be given to you for CIPAY business only).

•Check your CIPAY inbox daily for messages. We request that you respond to member’s comments and questions within 24 hours (at the most, 48 hours). If you are unable to answer the question, please ask another staff member to help.

Please make sure that you have read the petition and have signed it.

•You may choose the group that you wish to lead. It is your responsibility to monitor these groups for inappropriate actions, comments and questions.

•You will post one article a week to each of your groups. Your staff mentor will help you to learn how to complete the needed research and show you how to accurately post it to the group.

•Other duties as assigned

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Topic: 10 Key Questions About Migraines (Part 3)

10 Key Questions About Migraines (Part 3)

Do Other Medical Conditions Increase Your Migraine Risk? 

Though many people who have migraines also have co-existing health issues, it has not been established that having other conditions causes migraines. Nor has it been established that having migraines leads to other medical problems.

Two conditions found to exist in a high proportion of people who have migraines are depression and anxiety, though the reason for this is unclear. Doctors have also observed that in people who have cardiovascular disease, there is a slightly increased incidence of migraine. Also, many people who have conditions with nasal and sinus inflammation appear to have migraines as well.

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Topic: 10 Key Questions About Migraines (Part 2)

10 Key Questions About Migraines (Part 2)

Besides the categories of migraine with or without aura, migraines also occur in other forms, such as:

Hemiplegic migraine: Marked by temporary paralysis on one side of the body (hemiplegia), impaired vision and vertigo

Ophthalmologic migraine: The pain of this rare type of headache is localized around the eye; the headache may be accompanied by a droopy eyelid and vision problems. It is now thought that this may not actually be migraine, but another neurologic condition entirely

Basilar artery migraine: Occurs mostly in adolescent and young women. It results from a spasm to the basilar artery, a major blood vessel at the base of the brain. Symptoms can include vertigo, impaired vision, poor motor coordination, difficulty speaking or hearing, and altered consciousness.

Benign exertional headache: A type of vascular headache triggered by physical exertion, such as running, bending and lifting, or even coughing or sneezing. This headache rarely lasts more than several minutes.

Status migrainosus: A rare, sustained and extremely severe type of migraine with pain and nausea so intense that the person may have to be hospitalized.

Headache-free migraine: A condition characterized by migraine symptoms, such as visual impairment, nausea, vomiting, constipation or diarrhea, but no headache.

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Topic: 10 Key Questions About Migraines

10 Key Questions About Migraines (Part 1)

What Is a Migraine?

Migraine is a type of headache that is often localized in a certain area of the head and is sometimes accompanied by a pronounced sensitivity to light and sound. Other common migraine symptoms include nausea and vomiting. Migraines are usually gradual in onset, progressively more painful and then undergo a gradual resolution. When migraines are mild to moderate, they are usually described as being dull, deep and steady. When severe, migraines are throbbing or pulsating.

Some migraines are worsened by head motion, sneezing, straining or physical exertion. Since many patients also become sensitive to light and sound, some migraine sufferers will lie down in a darkened and quiet room to relieve symptoms.

More common in women than in men, migraine is a chronic condition, and migraine headaches may occur infrequently or as often as several times a week. Although migraines can begin at any time, the most common time is in the early morning. While migraines can begin during sleep, this is uncommon and must be evaluated to rule out other conditions.

The onset of migraine usually occurs between the ages of 5 and 35.

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Topic: Safe Prescribing Tools for Health Care Providers

Safe Prescribing Tools for Health Care Providers

Reversing the epidemic requires changing the way opioids are prescribed.

For more than 20 years, the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC’s Injury Center) has been the nation’s leading public health authority on violence and injury prevention. CDC’s Injury Center uses evidence-based practices to create real-world solutions to prevent prescription opioid overdose, while ensuring people have access to safe and effective pain treatment. 

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Topic: FDA Drug Safety Communication: FDA strengthens warning that non-aspirin nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can cause heart attacks or strokes.

FDA Drug Safety Communication: FDA strengthens warning that non-aspirin nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can cause heart attacks or strokes.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is strengthening an existing label warning that non-aspirin nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) increase the chance of a heart attack or stroke. Based on our comprehensive review of new safety information, we are requiring updates to the drug labels of all prescription NSAIDs. As is the case with current prescription NSAID labels, the Drug Facts labels of over-the-counter (OTC) non-aspirin NSAIDs already contain information on heart attack and stroke risk. We will also request updates to the OTC non-aspirin NSAID Drug Facts labels.



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Topic: U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division Disability Rights Section ADA 2010 Revised Requirements Service Animals

The Department of Justice published revised final regulations implementing the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) for title II (State and local government services) and title III (public accommodations and commercial facilities) on September 15, 2010, in the Federal Register. These requirements, or rules, clarify and refine issues that have arisen over the past 20 years and contain new, and updated, requirements, including the 2010 Standards for Accessible Design (2010 Standards).



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Adhesion Disorder Patients Suffer Invisible Pain

Ashley Killeen calls herself "one of the lucky ones." It's been about four years since an obstetrician opened her belly to seek the source of her chronic abdominal pain. He discovered her uterus had stuck to her bladder, the result of excessive scar tissue from two cesarean sections. At 23, the Browns Mills, N.J., mother of two little boys had a hysterectomy. Nearly a year later, the pain returned. This time, it became her constant companion.

 

"I'm in pain every day," she acknowledged of her condition, Adhesion Related Disorder. "It hurts just to do normal, everyday things. I can't pick up my children. I can't run. I can't jump. I can walk. Some days, I can't even do that. I'm 27 years old, and some days I can't dress myself," Killeen added. "My organs are literally tugging and pulling on each other every day."

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Acid Reflux

What is acid reflux?



Also called acid regurgitation, acid reflux is a common condition in which stomach acid flows backward up the esophagus (the tube carries food from the mouth to the stomach), causing symptoms such as a burning feeling in the chest (heartburn) and a bitter or sour taste in the mouth. These symptoms usually last a few hours after a meal and then go away. Most people experience acid reflux from time to time, usually after eating certain foods. Acid reflux that occurs more than twice a week is called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). This is a more serious condition that, left untreated, can lead to problems such as inflammation of the esophagus (esophagitis) and a precancerous condition called Barrett's esophagus. GERD can also worsen asthma, chronic cough, insomnia, and pulmonary fibrosis.



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Chronic Pain Sufferers May Benefit from Stress Management

A new study finds that for some chronic pain sufferers, avoiding the harmful effects of stress may be key to managing their condition. As such, stress management techniques and relaxation or meditation training is highly recommended for individuals with chronic pain. In a study that appears in the journal Brain, University of Montreal researchers say stress management is particularly important for people with a smaller-than-average hippocampus, as these individuals seem to be particularly vulnerable to stress.



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Four Tips for Successfully Managing Chronic Pain

Whether a veteran has been wounded in combat, has experienced a non-battle injury or is currently working through a recovery, chronic physical pain has the potential to play a significant role in his or her rehabilitation and reintegration process. Managing the psychological and emotional effects of chronic pain can be just as challenging as the pain itself. This article will give you a better understanding of how chronic pain and psychological health are inter-related and provide you with four tips to help you successfully manage chronic pain and improve your psychological well-being.



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A Message From Dr. Patty PsyD

A Message From Dr. Patty PsyD,

President and Founder of Dr. Patty's Chronic-Intractable Pain and You Sites, Inc.

My name is Dr. Patty Verdugo, PsyD.  I am the president and founder of Dr. Patty's Chronic-Intractable Pain and You Sites, Inc.  I wanted to invite you to our website.  I take pride in allowing our members and staff to discuss their pain and every topic that surrounds pain.  Because I am a psychotherapist and intractable pain sufferer, I have dedicated the rest of my life to help pain sufferers learn, educate, empower and advocate for those individuals whose lives have changed due to chronic and/or intractable pain.  My goal is to raise public and professional awareness for those who are unfamiliar with chronic pain about the factors that often result in having chronic pain and the need for ongoing medical care and research for new methods/medications for the treatment of chronic pain for themselves.  We have been doing a lot of work on the site and thought you would be interested in taking a look.  Please make sure to set up your member account so that you can see the members only information.  To join, please click the link below.

www.chronicintractablepainandyou.net

Topic: An Accidental Discovery (Ketamine)

An Accidental Discovery (Ketamine)

Until about 15 years ago, patients with unsuccessful management of CRPS pain had few options. However, an accidental discovery at a hospital in Germany led to an experimental treatment that is giving some CRPS patients their lives back.

At the German hospital, a man was admitted with pain so horrible that nothing the doctors tried could reduce it. Not knowing what else to do, they gave him anesthesia to put him to sleep for a few days. When he emerged five or six days later, his pain was dramatically improved. One of the anesthetic drugs the doctors used was ketamine.



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Topic: What Is CRPS?

What Is CRPS?

CRPS is a chronic pain condition that usually affects one of the body’s extremities (an arm, leg, hand or foot) and is caused by a malfunction in the nervous system, usually as the result of an injury.

James North, MD, a board-certified anesthesiologist and pain medicine specialist, explains it this way:

“The nerves in the body communicate with one another through neurotransmitters. So, if you experience a minor stimulant, like the wind blowing on you, it might trigger the release of one neurotransmitter to one receptor. However, a more intense stimulant, like smashing your toe, could release hundreds of neurotransmitters into hundreds of receptors. Unfortunately, for people with CRPS, one neurotransmitter can bind to hundreds of receptors. As a result, their pain response doesn’t match up with the stimulation; there is an amplified response. The wind on their skin could cause as much pain as a smashed toe.”

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