Prescription for Well-Being

FDA Recommends Stronger Warning Label For Tamiflu

Personally, I’ve never been prescribed medication for a bout of the flu – I’ve always just ridden it out with a sick day on the couch, armed with Saltines, Ginger Ale and Tivoed Oprah. But many people – particularly those in Japan, where doctors usually prescribe drugs to treat flu symptoms – do take prescription drugs for the flu. And most of them are taking Tamiflu – the most widely prescribed drug for influenza in the world.

But a panel of experts at the FDA has recommended a stronger warning label for Tamiflu, citing some frightening psychiatric side effects experienced by a handful of patients - including delirium and self-injury. The label currently mentions these potential problems, but some of the experts think the label needs to specify that several have died as a result of these behaviors. Others on the panel, though, thought the label should also point out that similar deaths have occurred in patients with the flu who were not on Tamiflu or other flu medication.

Almost 600 psychiatric cases have been reported from patients taking Tamiflu, and five children in Japan died from falling from windows or running into traffic after taking the drug. 75% of the reported psychiatric cases from those taking Tamiflu have come from Japan.

Roche, the drug maker, presented their own study on Tuesday, saying that there is not link between Tamiful and psychiatric problems and that data shows that these issues are increasingly linked to the flu itself, not the medication.

Many Americans think of the flu as an unpleasant annoyance – often a 24-hour bug that’s not a barrel of laughs, but not really harmful, either – but whether these severe psychiatric issues are a result of the flu itself or drugs like Tamiflu that treat it, it’s important to be aware of potential problems as flu season gets underway.

Here’s the full article at the New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/28/health/policy/28fda.html?ref=health

 

 

Giving Thanks For A Healthy Holiday

If you’re anything like me, you love to eat - which lends itself to the flurry of holidays coming up right around the corner. Following the candy lovefest that is Halloween comes Thanksgiving (always good for gorging), then Christmas (party food abounds) and New Year’s (one word: booze) shortly thereafter. Each of these means loads and loads of calories packed into each delicious bite of turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, pumpkin pie and all the other mouth-watering dishes that line tables across the country on these glorious holidays.

Some of my favorite memories come from Thanksgiving meals with my mom and other family members. Mom would spend hours making a ham, lathering it in a spread of honey, mustard and brown sugar (trust me, it tastes better than it sounds) to create a sweet crust – and an explosion of different flavors as I bit into the sweet, juicy ham. Other times, we’d have a turkey. The turkey would be filled with stuffing that had absorbed the turkey juices as it roasted, making it one of my favorite parts of the meal.  After the meal, we’d also have leftovers with which to make delicious turkey sandwiches - with stuffing and mayonnaise of course - making Thanksgiving the holiday that fed you for days afterwards as well! Little did I know (or care) as a child, but now I realize that it’s important to pay attention to the types of foods you’re going to eat when you indulge in mega-meals on holidays - and the impact that they’ll have on your health once the holidays have passed.

According to one study, Thanksgiving dinner can often pack an extra 3,000 calories onto your frame by the end of the meal. For those of you keeping track at home, 3,500 calories equals a pound, but where those extra 3,000 calories come from could have additional health hazards. Traditional Thanksgiving dinner dishes contain a lot of sodium – which isn’t good for your health, either.

Thankfully (no pun intended), there are dozens of recipes out there to help you make Thanksgiving and other holiday meals a lot healthier-  while still allowing taste to be the priority for guests who make their way to your humble abode during the holiday season. While it’s always nice to indulge every once in a while, consider a few healthy options when you’re making your holiday meal plans by finding ways to cut down on fat and other bad-for-you ingredients that might make the holidays a little less jolly.

For more on how Thanksgiving dinner can pack on the pounds:

(http://www.newsnet5.com/health/3947798/detail.html)

For some healthy Thanksgiving recipe ideas:

(http://www.megaheart.com/kit_thanksgivingdinner.html)

Our New Plan Comparison Tool Can Help You With Medicare Part D!

It’s that time of year again – and no, I’m not talking about Thanksgiving, or the ridiculously early onset of holiday decorating. (I mean, Feliz Navidad was playing in the mall – before Halloween. Seriously?)

Nope, it’s time for… Medicare Part D Open Enrollment!

Did your eyes just glaze over after reading that sentence? Do you want to run for the hills when thinking about the complicated, time-consuming, downright maddening mess that is choosing and applying for a Medicare Part D plan (or helping your parents/grandparents/favorite great-aunt Dorothy sort through it all)?

The truth is, dealing with Medicare Part D is never going to be fun - but it doesn’t have to be quite so painful.

Sure, Part D’s main selling points – that it gives seniors a lot of options to choose from, and helps them take control over their prescription drug costs – seem like far-off fantasies when it’s practically impossible to even tell one Medicare Part D plan from another… let alone know which one choose.

But as daunting as it may seem, it’s really important for seniors (or the family members & friends who may be helping them) to do their research before selecting a Medicare Part D plan - or even before staying with their current plan instead of switching. Many seniors may not be in a plan that is the best fit for them in terms of cost, and could see significant savings by switching to a plan that is more suited to their needs.

Even seniors happy with the coverage offered during the past year by their current plan need to do their homework. Plan premiums and other associated costs could rise significantly this year – even for someone taking the exact same medications! That means that even if seniors do absolutely nothing, they could get hit with much higher costs.

We know that even with the best intentions and willingness to put time and effort into making an informed decision about Medicare Part D, it’s difficult to understand all the options. That’s why we created our Medicare Part D plan comparison tool. Through our new tool, you (or your loved one) will be able to see plan options & cost information based on your location and the prescription drugs you take – not just general plan & cost info. You can also compare plans side by side – and even apply online to a plan of your choice!

We’ve currently got a number of national and local plans for you to explore, compare and apply to, and we’re going to be adding more plans in the future. Open Enrollment ends Dec. 31, so take some time to explore your options now so that you’re not rushed into a decision as Open Enrollment draws to a close.

Then, with that pesky Medicare Part D stuff out of the way, you can focus on more fun pursuits. This week, I’m thinking that’s probably prepping for some turkey basting, potato mashing and pie baking. Or, if you’re one of those early birds, digging out those holiday decorations.   

Click here to check out our Medicare Part D plan comparison tool >>

It's Friday - Have A Piece of (Dark) Chocolate

Like most people, I enjoy chocolate. Noshing on a Snicker’s bar or a Hershey’s Kiss in between meals gives me a few joyful moments of bliss – but in the back of my mind, I’m well aware that what I’m doing is bad for my health. The empty calories, the unnecessary grams of fat that I’m adding to my already ample frame, and the mounds of sugar all add up to a delicious - but ultimately dangerous - treat.

But for fans of dark chocolate, there may be some good news. According to an article at www.immunesupport.com about chocolate and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, dark chocolate could have some health benefits - including reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, helping maintain healthy blood pressure and promoting blood flow, helping boost energy, decreasing anxiety and reducing pain. Everything in moderation, of course, but perhaps you should thinking about reaching for a piece of dark chocolate instead of milk or white next time…

http://www.immunesupport.com/library/showarticle.cfm/ID/3464/)