ppp 11-02-09

Quote of the day:

This time, like all times,

is a very good one,

if we but know what to do with it.

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)

Once a year: Get an annual physical. Talk about diet, exercise, and drugs. Get you influenza vaccination. File your federal (and state) tax returns. Make your health plan selections (assuming you have a choice) based upon your best guesses for your health conditions for the coming year.

Every 6 months: Get those pearly whites buffed and shined. Pay your property taxes.

Every quarter: Check your 401K. Get your mail order prescriptions filled (you are using mail for your chronic meds aren’t you!?)

Every month: Pay the mortgage/rent. Breast exams (that means you men too,,, breast cancel kills 440 men per year in addition to the 40,000 women).

Every week: Meet with someone who really knows and loves you. Someone who knows why you needed that drastic haircut a few years ago or someone who knows that you love/hate Kit Kat bars or someone who knows your worst test or favorite teacher of all time. Find a someone with whom you can share just about any thought, deed or aspiration without fear… it will “recharge your batteries”. You might just help your friend as well. If you can’t meet face to face then a quick phone call will do. Email will work in a pinch if it goes both ways.

Also, once a week, go to worship. While not a physical two-way conversation, talk to the SOMEONE who knows all of your secrets, hopes, and dreams. While this conversation may only be one-way, the time spent will help ground you and make you remember who you are and who you want to be.

Daily: Smile. Be thankful for all of the little things in life: breathing on your own, ambulation, sight, hearing, speech, and even life itself. Any of these “privileges” can evaporate in a heart beat. Stay on schedule if you can.

ps. Best answer this week to the question "How are you?" was "I'm San-Fran-Tastic!" (someone on their way to a Nappa Valley vacation._

pps. Please note that some of the links may not be up for very long and that

FDA is peeved that Proctor & Gamble marketed 2 Vicks products containing vitamin C. The problem isn’t the ascorbic acid but that was promoted to treat common colds. The FDA found none of that pesky evidence stuff to support the company claims.

Intravenous Peramivir can now be used in the treatment of H1N1 influenza in hospitalized patients under an emergency FDA ruling. Potential prescribers need to register (follow links).

Darbepoetin increased the incidence of stroke in diabetic dialysis patients. Double the risk for no appreciable benefits = not MY choice. (I didn’t even mention that one weekly dose costs more than $500 ) Earlier this year the erythopoetin stimulating products took a major hit limiting there use to cancer and renal failure. Maybe the use will be ratcheted down further.

Tamiflu suspension for kids is in short supply due to the demand. The link below gives the formula for extemporaneous compounding from capsules. This has created another problem: there is now a national shortage of the commercially available liquid vehicle, Ora-Sweet SF. Cherry syrup and the other forms of Ora-Sweet are also hard to come by. Pharmacist are resourceful people… we’ll find something or make it from scratch.

Influenza vaccine protects the babies of pregnant recipients. Normally infants will receive immunities to all sorts of things from their mothers at birth. This immunity usually lasts for the first 6 months. This is the best “Two-fer” of the year.

Both the FDA and WebMD have been sharing content for some time but are now further committed to one another. This all stemmed from the speed with which MebMd was able to push critical safety information from the FDA to over 3 million of its subscribers. (read more)

Fourteen states and the D of C are suing both companies over the “over use” of Aranesp (see item No 3 above). Physician vacation junkets alleged.

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