7 Search Results for "alcohol"

• jcrrosie2008

  • Views: 4
  • Since: 1 month ago

• Chaplain_John

  • Views: 130
  • Since: 10 months ago

• Krystalia

  • Views: 126
  • Since: 1 year ago

• Zone O24 Fibro Newsletter Vol

  • From: geekygranny
  • Description:

     

         

         1 year ago

  • Views: 168
  • Forum: Fibromaylgi...

• Fibromyalgia and Weight Gain

  • From: geekygranny
  • Description:

    by Karen Lee Richards , ChronicPainConnection Expert

    A particularly frustrating problem for many fibromyalgia patients is the tendency to gain weight. We eat less but notice little, if any, difference. And it’s difficult to exercise more because of the pain. According to Mark Pellegrino, MD, in his book Fibromyalgia: Up Close and Personal , it’s not unusual for someone to gain 25 – 30 pounds the first year after developing fibromyalgia.
    
    The Link Between FM and Weight Gain

    Why does fibromyalgia trigger weight gain in so many people? There are a number of contributing factors:

    • Lack of leep. One of the primary symptoms of FM is the inability to get the deep, stage 4 restorative sleep we need. Recent studies have shown that people who do not get adequate amounts of sleep are more likely to gain weight. Lack of sleep causes a reduction metabolism and an increase in appetite, particularly a craving for high-carb and high-sugar foods.
      
      
    • Neuroendocrine Abnormalities. Research has revealed several hormone deficiencies in fibromyalgia, such as serotonin, growth hormone, cortisol and thyroid, which can contribute to decreasing the body’s metabolism. There may also be an increased sensitivity to insulin, causing the body to go into a fat-storing mode.
      
      
    • Decreased Activity. Because of their level of pain, most FM patients are not able to increase their exercise to the levels needed to increase metabolism rates and burn the calories required for significant weight loss.
      
      
    • Medication . A number of medications commonly given to treat the symptoms of FM –– particularly antidepressants –– have the side effect of weight gain.

    Weight-loss Strategies
    
    Since our pain makes it difficult for us to increase our exercise enough to burn more calories and our slow metabolism means eating less doesn’t usually help much, what can we do to lose weight? Dr. Pellegrino has developed a food plan designed to improve our metabolism and calorie-burning abilities by providing us with the right “quality” of food. He recommends:

    • Eat a High-protein, Low-carbohydrate Diet. Focus on good proteins like lean meats, eggs, dairy products, tofu, soy meat substitutes and legumes. Limit carbohydrate intake to vegetables and fresh fruits. Include good fats, such as plant oils, fish oils, almonds and avocados. If you need a sweetener, use either a natural sweetener like Stevia or Xylitol or one of the artificial sweeteners on the market. Avoid sugar and other sweets, breads and pastas, rice, potatoes, partially hydrogenated oils, carbonated drinks, and alcohol except in moderation.
      
      
    • Eat Proteins First. Never eat carbohydrates –– even good carbs –– by themselves. Always eat a protein first. When you eat a protein first, the protein digestive enzymes are activated, which then slows the absorption of carbohydrates.
      
      
    • Eat Until You’re Full. At meals, eat until you’re full, but not stuffed. Eat slowly, chewing your food well. You should eat five or six times a day. It can be three regular meals and two small snacks, three small meals and two larger snacks, or five small meals. Experiment and see what works best for you. If you have irritable bowel syndrome, you may find that you do better eating small portions more frequently.
      
      
    • Give Yourself a Break. Follow this diet strictly Monday through Friday, then allow yourself to splurge a little on the weekends. Knowing you can indulge a little on weekends should make it easier to stick to the diet through the week.
      

    Check With Your Doctor

    Before starting any new diet or exercise program, it is always a good idea to check with your doctor. You might also want to talk with your doctor about testing you for things like thyroid, yeast or fungal overgrowth (Candida), hypoglycemia, and hormone deficiencies, since these things can also contribute to weight gain.

    ____________
    Source:
    Pellegrino, M (2005). Fibromyalgia: Up Close & Personal. Anadem Publishing.
    Kase, L (2007, October). Magic Power of Sleep. Reader's Digest, 110-115.

    ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

    Get the benefits of Social Security Disability survival experience! Join The Disability Digest

    

    ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
    

    Mary :o) aka GG

    ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
    Earth is my home and animals are my family. Life is my religion and love is my example. Peace and freedom belong to us all.

  • Blog post
  • 1 year ago
  • Views: 190

• The Lupus Osteoporosis Link

  • From: gottitravel
  • Description:

    Osteoporosis

    What Is Osteoporosis?

    Osteoporosis is a condition in which the bones become less dense and more likely to fracture. Fractures from osteoporosis can result in significant pain and disability. Osteoporosis is a major health threat for an estimated 44 million Americans, 68 percent of whom are women.

    Risk factors for developing osteoporosis include:

    • having a family history of the disease
    • for women, being postmenopausal, having an early menopause, or not having menstrual periods (amenorrhea)
    • using certain medications, such as glucocorticoids
    • not getting enough calcium
    • not getting enough physical activity
    • smoking
    • drinking too much alcohol.

    Osteoporosis is a silent disease that can often be prevented. However, if undetected, it can progress for many years without symptoms until a fracture occurs.

    The Lupus – Osteoporosis Link

    Studies have found an increase in bone loss and fracture in individuals with SLE. In fact, women with lupus may be nearly five times more likely to experience a fracture from osteoporosis.

    Individuals with lupus are at increased risk for osteoporosis for many reasons. To begin with, the glucocorticoid medications often prescribed to treat SLE can trigger significant bone loss.

    In addition, pain and fatigue caused by the disease can result in inactivity, further increasing osteoporosis risk. Studies also show that bone loss in lupus may occur as a direct result of the disease. Of concern is the fact that 90 percent of the individuals affected with lupus are women, a group already at increased osteoporosis risk.

    Osteoporosis Management Strategies

    Strategies for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis in people with lupus are not significantly different from the strategies for those who do not have the disease.

    Nutrition: A diet rich in calcium and vitamin D is important for healthy bones. Good sources of calcium include low-fat dairy products; dark green, leafy vegetables; and calcium-fortified foods and beverages. Also, supplements can help ensure that the calcium requirement is met each day.

    Vitamin D plays an important role in calcium absorption and bone health. It is synthesized in the skin through exposure to sunlight. While many people are able to obtain enough vitamin D naturally, excessive sun exposure can trigger flares in some people with lupus. These individuals may require vitamin D supplements in order to ensure an adequate daily intake.

    Exercise: Like muscle, bone is living tissue that responds to exercise by becoming stronger. The best exercise for your bones is weight-bearing exercise that forces you to work against gravity. Some examples include walking, climbing stairs, weight lifting, and dancing.

    Exercising can be challenging for people with lupus who are affected by joint pain and inflammation, muscle pain, and fatigue. However, regular exercises such as walking can help prevent bone loss and provide many other health benefits.

    Healthy lifestyle: Smoking is bad for bones as well as the heart and lungs. Women who smoke tend to go through menopause earlier, triggering earlier bone loss. In addition, smokers may absorb less calcium from their diets. Alcohol can also negatively affect bone health. Those who drink heavily are more prone to bone loss and fracture, both because of poor nutrition and an increased risk of falling.

    Bone density test: Specialized tests known as bone mineral density (BMD) tests measure bone density at various sites of the body. These tests can detect osteoporosis before a fracture occurs and predict one’s chances of fracturing in the future. Lupus patients, particularly those receiving glucocorticoid therapy for 2 months or more, should talk to their doctors about whether they might be candidates for a bone density test.

    Medication: Like lupus, osteoporosis is a disease with no cure. However, there are medications available to prevent and treat osteoporosis. Several medications (alendronate, risedronate, ibandronate, raloxifene, calcitonin, teriparatide, and estrogen/hormone therapy) are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the prevention and/or treatment of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. Alendronate is also approved for use in men. For people with lupus who develop or may develop glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis, alendronate has been approved to treat this condition and risedronate has been approved to treat and prevent it.

    Resources

    For additional information on osteoporosis, visit the National Resource Center Web site at www.niams.nih.gov/bone or call 1-800-624-2663.

    Brought to you by the Lupus Foundation of America.

  • Blog post
  • 1 year ago
  • Views: 171
  • Not yet rated

• FDA Has Approved Cymbalta for

  • From: geekygranny
  • Description:

    ImmuneSupport.com Treatment & Research Information
    

    FDA Approves Cymbalta (Duloxetine) for Fibromyalgia 06-16-2008 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Cymbalta R (duloxetine) as a prescription drug for treatment of Fibromyalgia pain , according to an announcement today by the Indianapolis-based drug maker Eli Lilly & Co. It is only the second drug approved explicitly for treatment of Fibromyalgia. The first, the anticonvulsant and pain drug Lyrica R (pregabalin), gained FDA approval in June 2007. Both drugs come with serious safety information. Duloxetine is a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (elevator), previously approved to manage major depressive disorder, general anxiety disorder, and diabetic peripheral nerve pain. Serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain and spinal cord (central nervous system) are believed to mediate core mood symptoms and help regulate the perception of pain. Fibromyalgia is generally considered a disorder of increased CNS sensitivity to pain characterized by chronic widespread pain and other symptoms. To view a series of slides on how Cymbalta is thought to work, click here. By comparison, Lyrica is thought to work by controlling excessive release of several neurotransmitters, "reducing the number of 'extra' electrical signals that are sent out from overexcited nerves in your body." See "Lyrica: Mechanism of Action." _____________________________ ___________ The Initial Eli Lilly Press Release, including safety information, is as follows. INDIANAPOLIS, June 16, 20 - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Cymbalta® (duloxetine HCl) for the management of fibromyalgia, a chronic widespread pain disorder. Cymbalta is the first serotonin- norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor with proven efficacy for reducing pain in patients with fibromyalgia. The fibromyalgia indication represents the second FDA-approved use for Cymbalta for a pain disorder, demonstrating the medication's analgesic effect. "The approval of Cymbalta is important because it provides physicians and patients with a new treatment option shown to help reduce pain and improve functioning in this difficult-to-treat disorder," said Madelaine Wohlreich, M.D., medical advisor and research physician at Lilly. The cause of fibromyalgia remains unknown; however, scientists believe it may be related to some combination of changes in brain and spinal cord chemistry,(i) genetics(ii) and stress(iii). Some researchers believe fibromyalgia is a disorder of increased sensitivity to pain. Although the way Cymbalta works in people is not fully known, medical experts believe it increases the activity of two naturally occurring substances called serotonin and norepinephrine. These substances aid communication in many areas of the brain and spinal cord that affect emotion. Research also suggests that these substances are part of the body's natural pain-suppressing system. "The FDA approval of Cymbalta for the management of fibromyalgia is another important step in the efforts to ensure that people with fibromyalgia will have the availability of effective medications to help reduce the chronic, widespread pain of this life-altering disorder," said Lynne Matallana, president of the National Fibromyalgia Association and a fibromyalgia patient. Fibromyalgia is estimated to affect 2 percent of the U.S. population - approximately 5 million people - the majority of those diagnosed being women.(iv),(v) The disorder is characterized by chronic widespread pain and tenderness. Some patients may have additional symptoms.(i) Although there is no known cure for fibromyalgia, some physicians recommend a comprehensive care plan that can include education, medication, and lifestyle changes to help manage the symptoms of the disorder.(i) "In fibromyalgia, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to managing the disorder," said Dan Clauw, M.D., professor of medicine in the University of Michigan's Division of Rheumatology and director of the Chronic Pain and Fatigue Research Center at the University of Michigan. The approval marks the fourth disorder that the FDA has approved for Cymbalta. In addition to fibromyalgia, Cymbalta is approved for the management of diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain (DPNP) and the treatment of major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, all in adults age 18 years and older. Additional important changes have been made to the Cymbalta prescribing information, including updates to the Warnings and Precautions section. Full prescribing information can be found at http://www.cymbalta.com. Data Highlights Lilly established the efficacy of Cymbalta in two pivotal three-month clinical trials involving 874 patients with fibromyalgia. In both studies, Cymbalta reduced pain at study endpoint compared with placebo as measured by the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) 24-hour average pain scale.(vi),(vii) The BPI is a scale that measures the severity of pain. Significant improvement in pain for Cymbalta vs. placebo was observed in the first week of each study. Fifty-one percent and 55 percent of patients on Cymbalta had a 30 percent improvement on the BPI at endpoint (clinically meaningful relief is considered at least 30 percent pain reduction(viii)). In addition, 65 percent and 66 percent of patients taking Cymbalta 60 mg daily reported feeling better at endpoint as measured by the Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I). The PGI-I is a patient-rated scale that evaluates how much improvement has occurred since beginning treatment. Cymbalta 60 mg was superior to placebo on the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) Total Score. The FIQ is a scale that is used to assess and evaluate the impact of fibromyalgia on aspects of health and functioning believed to be most affected by the disorder. In four pooled studies, the most commonly observed adverse events in Cymbalta-treated patients with fibromyalgia (greater than or equal to 5 percent and at least twice placebo) were nausea (29 percent), dry mouth (18 percent), constipation (15 percent), decreased appetite (11 percent), sleepiness (11 percent), increased sweating (7 percent) and agitation (6 percent). In the placebo-controlled clinical trials, the overall discontinuation rates due to adverse events for Cymbalta vs. placebo were 20 percent and 12 percent, respectively.(ix) About Cymbalta Serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain and spinal cord are believed to both mediate core mood symptoms and help regulate the perception of pain. Based on preclinical studies, Cymbalta is a balanced and potent reuptake inhibitor of serotonin and norepinephrine that is believed to potentiate the activity of these chemicals in the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). While the mechanism of action of Cymbalta is not fully known, scientists believe its effects on depression and anxiety symptoms, as well as its effect on pain perception, may be due to increasing the activity of serotonin and norepinephrine in the central nervous system. Cymbalta is approved in the United States for the acute and maintenance treatment of major depressive disorder, the acute treatment of generalized anxiety disorder, and the management of fibromyalgia and diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain in adults age 18 years and older. Cymbalta is not approved for use in pediatric patients. Important Safety Information Cymbalta is approved to treat major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, and to manage diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain and fibromyalgia. Antidepressants can increase suicidal thoughts and behaviors in children, adolescents, and young adults. Patients should call their doctor right away if they experience new or worsening depression symptoms, unusual changes in behavior, or thoughts of suicide. Be especially observant within the first few months of treatment or after a change in dose. Cymbalta is approved only for adults 18 and over. Cymbalta is not for everyone. Patients should not take Cymbalta if they have recently taken a type of antidepressant called a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI), are taking Mellaril® (thioridazine), or have uncontrolled glaucoma. Patients should speak with their doctor about any medical conditions they may have including kidney problems, glaucoma, or diabetes. Patients should talk to their doctor if they have itching, right upper belly pain, dark urine, yellow skin or eyes, or unexplained flu-like symptoms, which may be signs of liver problems. Severe liver problems, sometimes fatal, have been reported. They should also talk to their doctor about alcohol consumption. Patients should tell their doctor about all their medicines, including those for migraine, to avoid a potentially life-threatening condition. Taking Cymbalta with NSAID pain relievers, aspirin, or blood thinners may increase bleeding risk. Patients should consult with their doctor before stopping Cymbalta or changing the dose and if they are pregnant or nursing. Patients taking Cymbalta may experience dizziness or fainting upon standing. The most common side effects of Cymbalta include nausea, dry mouth, sleepiness, and constipation. This is not a complete list of side effects. If patients have any questions, they should talk to their doctor before taking Cymbalta. For full patient information, visit http://www.cymbalta.com. For prescribing information, including Boxed Warning and medication guide , see http://pi.lilly.com/us/cymbalta-pi.pdf. Note: This press release contains forward-looking statements about the potential of Cymbalta for the management of fibromyalgia, and reflects Lilly's current beliefs. However, as with any pharmaceutical product, there are substantial risks and uncertainties in the process of development and commercialization. There is no guarantee that the product will continue to be commercially successful. For further discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties, see Lilly's filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Lilly undertakes no duty to update forward-looking statements. Cited Sources: (i) Leventhal, LJ. "Management of fibromyalgia." Annals of Internal Medicine. 1999; 131: 850-858. (ii) Arnold, L, et al. "Family Study of Fibromyalgia." Arthritis & Rheumatism. 2004; 50(3): 944-952. (iii) Bennett, Robert M., et al. "An Internet Survey of 2,596 People with Fibromyalgia." BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders. March 9, 2007. 8:27. (iv) Lawrence, et al. "Estimates of the Prevalence of Arthritis and Other Rheumatic Conditions in the United States." Arthritis and Rheumatism. 2008; 58(1):31. (v) Wolfe, F, et al. "The Prevalence and Characteristics of Fibromyalgia in the General Population." Arthritis and Rheumatism. 1995; 38(1):19-28. (vi) Arnold, L. et al. "A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo Controlled Trial of Duloxetine in the Treatment of Women with Fibromyalgia With or Without Major Depressive Disorder." Pain. 2005; 119:14. (vii) Russell IJ, et al. "Efficacy and Safety of Duloxetine for Treatment of Fibromyalgia in Patients With or Without Major Depressive Disorder: Results From A Six-Month, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Fixed-Dose Trial," Pain. 2008: In Press. (viii) Farrar JT, JP Young Jr., L LaMoreaux, JL Werth, RM Poole. "Clinical Importance of Changes in Chronic Pain Intensity Measured on an 11-point Numerical Pain Rating Scale." Pain 2001; 94:149-158. (ix) Cymbalta Prescribing Information Source: Eli Lilly and Company ___ Note: This information has not been evaluated by the FDA. It is generic and is not meant to prevent, diagnose, treat or cure any disease. It is very important that you make no change in your healthcare plan or health support regimen without researching and discussing it in collaboration with your professional healthcare team.

  • Blog post
  • 1 year ago
  • Views: 161