It is VERY important that you keep a medical ID card with you at all times. In the event of an emergency, emergency responders (even doctors/nurses!) need to know how to treat you and/or your symptoms. By providing them with an easy to read ID card they will have a list of your medications, medical history, allergies and your emergency contacts right at their finger tips.
CLICK HERE TO START YOUR MEDICAL ID CARD
Follow the link above to make your ID card. When you are finished, print out the card then give it to me (Sharlotte) and I will laminate it for you!
Wednesday, July 29, 2015
Thursday, July 23, 2015
Monday, July 20, 2015
PLEASE READ: Painkiller Warning
New Painkiller Warning: What Does It Mean For You?
Ten years ago, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned that the widely used nonaspirin painkillers ibuprofen and naproxen — including over-the-counter brands such as Advil, Motrin and Aleve — may increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.
But new evidence has convinced the agency that the warning on these nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) needs to be tougher. The FDA is now strengthening the wording to say that NSAIDs increase the chance of a heart attack or stroke, even when used short term.
This seemingly slight change in wording — from saying that NSAIDs “may” cause an increase in risk to saying they do cause one — has been confusing to many patients, doctors say. Why the change?
The FDA says the risks from these drugs are greater than originally believed, especially in the higher prescription doses and if consumers inadvertently take too much of the over-the-counter medicines. Now theFDA will require manufacturers of prescription NSAIDs to update their labels with more specific information about heart attack and stroke risks, and will ask makers of over-the-counter NSAIDs to update the risk information in their Drug Facts labeling.
The revised warning does not apply to aspirin.
The new warning will point out that an increased risk can occur even within the first few weeks of taking an NSAID, and that the risk might rise with high doses taken for an extended period of time. Those with a history of heart problems are at the highest risk of problems, the agency said in an announcement.
Here are some answers to frequently asked questions.
Should I stop taking NSAIDs for pain relief?
Most people who occasionally take ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve) for infrequent headaches or pain don’t have to worry, as long as they follow the dosage directions on the bottle, Richard Chazal, M.D., president-elect of the American College of Cardiology, told HealthDay.
Cleveland Clinic cardiologist Steven Nissen agreed: “If you are someone with a low risk of heart disease, and you have back pain or arthritis pain and need these drugs to function, it’s reasonable to take them.”
Even the FDA reassured consumers that they can still take the drugs, but they should stick to “the lowest effective dose for the shortest amount of time possible,” said Karen Mahoney, M.D., deputy director of the FDA’s Division of Nonprescription Drug Products.
Then who should be worried about taking NSAIDs?
Those with high blood pressure or heart disease, particularly those who have recently had a heart attack or cardiac bypass surgery, are at the highest risk, the FDA said.
Those with chronic pain problems who take NSAIDs on a regular basis, especially at high doses, should be concerned as well. The risk increases even within the first few weeks of taking the drugs, the FDA warned, so taking them on a short-term basis is also worrisome.
Those older than 65 with a history of heart disease should be particularly careful, experts said.
Are some NSAIDs less risky than others?
Previous studies had suggested that naproxen might be a safer choice than other NSAIDs, but an FDA advisory panel that reviewed new research found the evidence too weak to tell for certain if one type was better than another, Sanjay Kaul, a panel member and cardiologist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, told the New York Times.
Kaul said that more conclusive answers may come from a large ongoing trial that is comparing the rate of heart problems among patients with high cardiovascular risk who are taking ibuprofen (Motrin IB), naproxen (Aleve) or celecoxib (Celebrex).
How much does the risk of heart problems increase?
The estimates varied widely in the studies the panel reviewed, depending on dose and the drug tested, but panel member Peter Wilson, M.D., a professor of medicine and public health at Emory University in Atlanta, gave the Times this rule of thumb:
- Over-the-counter medications, which have the lowest doses, probably increase risk by about 10 percent.
- Low-dose prescription medications are likely to increase the risk by about 20 percent.
- Higher-dose prescription medications may increase the risk by about 50 percent.
So what should I do?
Be careful not to take more than one product that contains an NSAID at a time, said the FDA’s Mahoney. Some over-the-counter cough and cold medications contain NSAIDs, so check the ingredients.
If you take low-dose aspirin for protection against heart attack and stroke, be aware that some NSAIDs, including ibuprofen and naproxen, can interfere with that protective effect.
Take the lowest effective dose, and limit the length of time you take the drug.
Talk to your doctor or health care provider about your risks.
Wednesday, July 8, 2015
Travel Day -> Denmark
CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT DENMARK
CLICK HERE FOR RANDOM FACTS ABOUT DENMARK
CLICK HERE FOR MORE FUN FACTS ABOUT DENMARK
CLICK HERE FOR A SLIDESHOW OF DENMARK
CLICK HERE TO LEARN ABOUT THE RUBJERG KNUDE LIGHTHOUSE
CLICK HERE FOR IMAGES OF THE RUBJERG LIGHTHOUSE
CLICK HERE TO LEARN ABOUT AN UNDERWATER BRIDGE
The Sand-Covered Church (Danish: Den Tilsandede Kirke, also translated as The Buried Church, and also known as Old Skagen Church) is the name given to a late 14th-century church dedicated to Saint Lawrence of Rome. It was a brick church of considerable size, located 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) southwest of the town centre of Skagen, Denmark. During the last half of the 18th century the church was partially buried by sand from nearby dunes; the congregation had to dig out the entrance each time a service was to be held. The struggle to keep the church free of sand lasted until 1795, when it was abandoned. The church was demolished, leaving the tower with crow-stepped gable as the only part of the original structure still standing.
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE WILD HORSES OF DENMARK
CLICK HERE TO LEARN ABOUT COPENHAGEN
CLICK HERE FOR A SLIDESHOW OF COPENHAGEN
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