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Fluoroquinolone Antibiotics A Direct Cause Of Neuropathy Discuss!

Today's post from personalmedicare.com (see link below) is an impassioned plea for common sense regarding a subject that has been 'current' for years and yet seems to produce no concrete results or changes, despite the condemnation of the FDA. Fluoroquinolones are dangerous if you already suffer from neuropathy and just as dangerous if you don't, yet despite the mountain of evidence that backs up this opinion, doctors still prescribe them as antibiotics of choice for a host of bacterial infections. This article asks why and this blog supports that question 100%. If a personal plea as in this article doesn't persuade you and you need more scientific evidence; there are other articles here on the blog on this subject (use the search facility to the right of the page) but even if you don't do any more research, always ask your doctor if a fluoroquinolone antibiotic is the right choice and ask him or her to prove why!

NEW FDA WARNING for Cipro, Levaquin, Avelox-Permanent Peripheral Neuropathy- Mixed Emotions
February 17, 2016 admin

The FDA announced on August 15, 2013, that fluoroquinolone drugs such as Levaquin, Cipro and Avelox will be required to change packaging inserts to contain a warning for severe, permanent and disabling peripheral neuropathy. The FDA states that the damage may occur very soon into the administration of the drugs and the damage may be permanent.

If you as the reader, are not familiar with exactly what peripheral neuropathy is, here is the FDA’s description: Peripheral neuropathy is a nerve disorder occurring in the arms or legs. Symptoms include pain, burning, tingling, numbness, weakness, or a change in sensation to light touch, pain or temperature, or the sense of body position. It can occur at any time during treatment with fluoroquinolones and can last for months to years after the drug is stopped or be permanent. Permanent. Yes, forever. Never going to stop burning for the remainder of your life. It’s the feeling of spontaneous human combustion with out all the nasty fire and flames. Holy cow. How is this even acceptable?

I have very mixed emotions about the FDA’s announcement today. As a victim of Fluoroquinolone Toxicity and peripheral neuropathy, I am caught between being pleased and being angry. Very, very angry. Most victims, and I know thousands of them, will tell you that they told their doctor about their peripheral neuropathy as well as their other grocery list of horrific symptoms and doctors simply smirked and informed them “These drugs don’t cause that”. Patients were then recommended an anxiety drug, psychotropic drug or asked if someone at home was abusing them. I wonder where doctors get their information regarding drugs that they throw out like beads at a Mardi Gras parade? Some physicians are completely unaware of the Black Box warning placed on fluoroquinolones in 2008 for tendon tears and those who know about it never ask the tendon tear victim “Did you take a quinolone?”. Victims who themselves have become aware of fluoroquinolones and their resulting tears (God bless the internet) have informed their doctors. Not many victims report that their doctor informed THEM that they had a tear as a result/side effect of the drug. Doctors are in denial and they are in deep. There is also money. Yes sireeeee! Good old money. It’s always found where shady deals are done and pacts are made with the Devil. If you don’t believe me Google Dollars for Doctors, put in your physicians name and magically (God bless the internet, again), you are informed as to how much he/she made from drug companies this last year. You also get too see which drug companies are lining the pockets of the people we entrust with our lives to. It’s business. BIG business, so don’t kid yourself for a moment that it’s not.

My next thought is the FDA is covering it’s hiney and trying to cover it fast. Victims are becoming more and more vocal, gathering in groups on Facebook (God bless the internet, again), having Floxie meet ups, organizing in an underground network. If you as the reader are not familiar with the term “Floxie”, it is a darling colloquialism fashioned by author Stephen Freid in his best selling book Bitter Pills-Inside the Hazardous World of Legal Drugs . The term has probably stuck because” Floxie” is much cuter than “disabled” or “eternally suffering human being”. Websites devoted entirely to flouorquinolone victims abound. Google Cipro is Poison or Death by Levaquin or even just the drug names and you will get more than you can wrap your head around. These groups have initiated petitions, organized a lawsuit registry for a potential lawsuit and last May, marched on the Washington Capitol and met with legislators proclaiming the dangers and devastating side effects of these drugs. Victims will no longer take this sitting down. They are no longer being strong armed into believing they are the one in a million, the 1% or just genetically inferior. Lets not forget Medwatch, the FDA’s reporting system. Floxies are reporting in massive numbers and re-reporting each year that they are symptomatic from the drug. (To file a report go to www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/medwatch/). There is a lot of boat rocking going on in the Flox world these days and I think the FDA is feeling it.

The warning also states that this is only for injections or oral doses. Many victims report the same symptoms of fluorquinolone toxicity by IV and eye drops and the symptoms are exactly the same. My own mother was floxed with Zymaxid eye drops for cataract surgery. Zymaxid is the eye drop form of Gatifloxacin which was banned by the FDA in 2006 for severe hepatic failure as a result of the drug. It’s poison orally but go ahead and drop it in your eyes and it’s fine. HUH??? The reality is the results are the same. Children are also given these drops for pink eye and ear infections with regularity. The results are the same but young children are not fully capable of communicating their symptoms so many of the symptoms are unnoticed, blamed on behavior or the illness for which the drugs were prescribed. With the ear drops, the busted ear drum is the only obvious tell tale sign of a child’s severe reaction.

I tend to write very tongue -in-cheek when I write about these drugs. The reality is pretty horrific and terrifying. The day in and day out suffering of Fluoroquinolone Victims should be recognized by doctors, family members, husbands, wives, partners and society as a whole and yes, the FDA. So is a warning on packaging for drugs that steal lives seems almost trivial and somewhat of an insult. It also feels like redemption for victims that have been called crazy by family members or hypochondriac by doctors. I have mixed emotions. It’s a win but it feels like a “gimme”. Like the FDA is tossing a bread crumb and ignoring all the other disabling effects of these drugs. My only hope is that doctors will no longer use these drugs on high risk patients with known chronic diseases like diabetes, Crohns, ulcerative colitis and Lyme.

It looks like a win but it feels like a loss. One thing I do know it that it not GAME OVER. Not by any measure.

Find help here: Fluoroquinolone Victims Advocacy Network – sign the petition for a BLACK BOX WARNING for peripheral neuropathy.

About me, the author. My name is Erin Wilson and I am an advocate and peer counselor for victims of fluoroquinolone toxicity. A two time victim of Levaquin, I have lived it and seen it all. I now counsel victims in recovery and make the public aware of the devastating effects of these drugs. If you have been harmed by Cipro, Levaquin or Avelox or any fluoroquinolone drugs, there is help.

http://www.personalmedicare.com/new-fda-warning-for-cipro-levaquin-avelox-permanent-peripheral-neuropathy-mixed-emotions/

The Growing Problem Of Neuropathy And Cancer Vid

Today's post from livestrong.org (see link below) is directed at people living with neuropathy as a result of cancer treatment. Normally this blog prefers to address all neuropathy sufferers, irrespective of the cause but in this case, cancer has become such a pervasive problem in this day and age, that it can affect anybody with other health problems as well. There has to be space to address cancer-related neuropathy. Much of the information in this article also applies to other neuropathy patients but there is no doubt that cancer-related nerve damage is a growing problem as the cases of cancer rise (better diagnosis and risky  lifestyle habits). Such a shame that the current treatments of cancer can have such devastating side-effects - as if cancer alone wasn't a big enough problem - but we have to live with the cards we are dealt and until chemotherapy is refined to exclude nerve damage, then there is a real possibility that it will cause nerve damage too.
 

Neuropathy
2016 Livestrong


Neuropathy causes tingling or numbness, especially in the hands and feet. It affects about one to two percent of Americans and is caused by damage to a single or multiple nerves. There are different types, but peripheral neuropathy is the most common in those with cancer. 


Peripheral neuropathy may develop at any phase of the cancer journey, even some time after treatment is finished. Knowing what some of the causes are and being able to describe your symptoms to your health care team can help you manage neuropathy. Symptoms are often ignored by both patients and health care professionals. If you have symptoms of neuropathy, it is important to discuss this with your health care team as soon as possible.

Symptoms of Neuropathy

Peripheral neuropathy can affect the nerves that tell you the position of your hands or feet that let you sense hot or cold or that senses pain. You can experience a tingling or numbness in certain areas of the body, commonly the hands and feet. These sensations can range from mild to painful and are almost always greatest at night. 

Common signs and symptoms include:

Numbness or tingling, especially of the hands or feet.
Pain or cramping, especially of the hands, feet or calf muscles.
Sensitivity to touch or temperature.
Loss of reflexes.
Muscle wasting in the hands and feet.
Weakness, especially in the feet or hands.
Clumsiness.
Loss of balance, particularly in the dark.
Dizziness, especially when getting up from a bed or a chair.
Sexual dysfunction.

It’s not easy to deal with neuropathy. If you notice symptoms, talk to your health care team immediately.

Factors that Increase Risk of Neuropathy

Neuropathy may occur from cancer or the treatment received. Cancer types with higher risk of neuropathy include: lung, breast, ovarian, myeloma, lymphoma and Hodgkin's disease and testicular. 

Life factors that may increase the chances of developing neuropathy:

Advanced age.
A family history of neuropathy (such as with familial diabetes).
Malnourishment.
Excessive use of alcohol.
Having a preexisting medical condition such as diabetes or thyroid dysfunction.
Some medications (including chemotherapy medications) also increase risk.
Medications that may increase the risk of neuropathy:
Platinum compounds.
Taxanes.
Vinca alkaloids.
Thalidomide.
Velcade.
Cytosine arabinoside.
Misonidazole.
Interferon.

Discuss all of these risks with your health care team. 

Treatments for Neuropathy

The peripheral nerves have a great ability to heal. Even though it may take months, recovery can occur. However, in some situations, symptoms of neuropathy may lessen but not completely go away. For example, nerve injury caused by radiation often does not recover well. Neuropathy caused by chemotherapy is also difficult to cure, and recovery may take 18 months to five years or longer. During recovery of platinum-induced neuropathy, patients may suffer increased symptoms.

Treatments for peripheral neuropathy depend on the cause. For instance: 
 
If it is related to nutritional deficiencies, supplements may help.
If the neuropathy is related to a medical condition, such as diabetes or thyroid dysfunction, treating the condition can sometimes reverse the neuropathic symptoms.
For neuropathy related to chemotherapy, most treatments are supportive and designed to improve symptoms and function.
If problems develop during treatment and you continue to receive chemotherapy, the neuropathy can get worse.
Clinical trials research shows promise in some treatments with medications that help peripheral nerves to heal and prevent the neuropathy associated with chemotherapy from occurring or being as severe.
Recovery may be helped by:
Good nutrition including foods rich in thiamine, protein and antioxidants.
Controlling and correcting contributing conditions such as diabetes or hypothyroidism.
Appropriate pain medications.
Physical and occupational therapy.

How Neuropathy Affects Your Life

Pain from neuropathy can greatly affect your daily activities and quality of life. Symptoms of neuropathy can range from mild to severe. Each survivor's experience will be different. However, with appropriate treatment, the effects of neuropathy can be limited. 

If you have neuropathy, you may have:
Difficulty standing for long periods or walking without assistance.
Problems with balance and an increased risk of falling.
Difficulty with activities like buttoning and tying laces or ties.
Sensitivity to heat or cold.
Numbness or lack of pain sensation.
Pain.

Survivors with temperature sensitivity should avoid extreme temperatures, and use protective clothing as needed. If there is numbness or an inability to feel pain, it is important to pay careful attention to the skin on the hands and feet because there could be an undetected wound or a break in the skin.

If there is pain, day-to-day activities such as putting on shoes or using covers over the feet at night can be difficult. Keep in mind that there are treatments that can lessen the pain. Talk with your health care team about potential treatments as soon as possible.

If neuropathy affects your ability to feel the foot pedals of a car, you should not drive unless your car is adapted for hand controls. Slowed reaction time in moving your foot from the accelerator to the brake pedal may cause an accident. If you lose the ability to drive, you may feel you are losing your independence. However, consider the increased risk to your safety and to the safety of others.

Ask your health care team to provide suggestions and special equipment to make daily tasks safe and easier to manage. The suggestions may include night lights, grab bars and other home safety measures to help reduce the risk of falling. Physical and occupational therapists can assist survivors with physical exercises that can help them maintain physical abilities.

For some, neuropathy can lead to physical and mental stress. Watch for signs of depression, and seek immediate help from your health care team. Together, you can deal with peripheral neuropathy.

https://www.livestrong.org/we-can-help/finishing-treatment/neuropathy

A Third Of HIV Patients Have Neuropathy

Today's post from hcplive.com (see link below) will not come as news to most people living with HIV. It has long been stated that between a quarter and a third of people with HIV also eventually develop neuropathic problems. However, this article doesn't really go into the question as to why this happens. The accepted view is that it's a consequence of antiretroviral medications (especially the older ones) but the number of people who suffer from neuropathy whilst being on modern HART drugs is growing. Other people think that the virus itself must play a role in attacking the nervous system, or a combination of both HIV and the drugs used to treat it. Either way, it is a significant side effect of living with HIV and one which shouldn't be underestimated. Whatever the cause, it's the treatment you should be concentrating on. Finding the right medication for you to be able to live best with the symptoms, is the key and what your specialists should concentrate on.
 

Peripheral Neuropathy in a Third of HIV Patients

By Rachel Lutz | August 30, 2014

Signs of peripheral neuropathy (PN) were detected in a third of men after almost 4 months of HIV, according to research published in the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes.

A multifaceted team of researchers studied 58 antiretroviral-naïve male patients with laboratory-confirmed HIV infections by examining blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Study participants were an average age of 36 years with a median CD4+ T-cell count of 575 cells per microliter, which was evaluated at 107 days post-HIV transmission (DPT).

Primary HIV infection (PHI) was used to measure baseline, and was defined as within the first 12 months after HIV transmission. The infection’s timeline was confirmed by observing antibody seroconversion, nucleic acid testing, or less sensitive enzyme immunoassay result. In other cases, DPT was defined by estimating the halfway point between the last negative and first positive HIV test.

Study participants were evaluated based on general medical, neurological, and psychological examinations, PN symptom testing, stricter symptomatic PN (SPN) testing, intravenous drug use, and laboratory assessments. The laboratory testing included blood and CSF testing, lumbar punctures, lymphocyte count measurements, and HIV RNA levels.

The researchers found 20 participants (35%) met criteria for PN after an average of 107 DPT. PN subjects tended to be older (median age 40 years) compared with no PN (NPN) patients (median age 34 years). SPN was found in 13 of those subjects (65%) and 6 patients (30%) had bilateral findings. Seven patients had unilateral findings, and in the remaining 7 subjects, the laterality was not specified.

There was no difference between median ages, days post HIV transmission, blood CD4 or CD8 counts, CSF or plasma HIV RNA levels, CSF white blood cell counts, CSF to blood albumin ratio, or neurological or psychological performances among PN subjects and NPN subjects. Typical symptoms of PN found in 13 PN subjects included “foot tingling and numbness.” No differences were distinguished between NPN and SPN subjects.

However, PN and SPN patients had elevated CSF neopterin, SF monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, and blood neopterin levels when compared to NPN subjects. PN subjects were found to have a higher percentage of activated phenotype CSF CD8+T lymphocytes than NPN study participants.

“PN is a frequent neurological disorder reported in HIV, classically in the setting of chronic untreated HIV infection or after exposure to certain antiretroviral medications,” the authors concluded. “However, we found that signs (35%), or signs and symptoms (22%), of PN were evident in a cohort of ART-naive subjects recruited to a neurological study at a median of 3.5 months after initial HIV transmission. We further examined mechanisms for peripheral nerve dysfunction identified during this stage, revealing that markers of systemic and central nervous system immune activation are elevated in subjects with signs of PN compared with those with NPN.”

http://www.hcplive.com/articles/Peripheral-Neuropathy-in-a-Third-of-HIV-Patients

Stages Of Pregnancy

Pregnancy Early Stages

Popular Posts. Mom Stages Kidnapping of 6-Year-Old Son to Teach Him a Lesson. Why Do I Feel Guilty About Wanting to Lose the Baby Weight? I Forced My Oldest Child to .Printables, coloring pages, recipes, crafts, and more from your child's favorite Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. shows..Find a unique combination of doctors' and patients' views at onhealth.com - Owned and Operated by WebMD.TODAY Parents is the premiere destination for parenting news, advice community. Find the latest parenting trends and tips for your kids and family on TODAY.com..Find information from BabyCenter on pregnancy, children's health, parenting more, including expert advice weekly newsletters that detail your child's development..CDC.gov feature articles are written by subject matter experts and health communicators, then edited to emphasize strong call-to-action messages and friendly .Timely and easy-to-read articles for consumers covering FDA regulated products..Pill nowadays is the most popular pregnancy termination option. Medical Pill - is a method of in early pregnancy 6-7 weeks .Do you really need to eat twice as much food dirung your pregnancy? Of course not! In fact, maintaining a healthy, balancedt is of utmost importance while .Credit Antonio Bolfo/Reportage for The New York Times . Andrew Pole had just started working as a statistician for Target in 2002, when two colleagues from .

Pregnancy Belly Stages

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Find information from BabyCenter on pregnancy, children's health, parenting more, including expert advice weekly newsletters that detail your child's development..TODAY Parents is the premiere destination for parenting news, advice community. Find the latest parenting trends and tips for your kids and family on TODAY.com..Printables, coloring pages, recipes, crafts, and more from your child's favorite Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. shows..CDC.gov feature articles are written by subject matter experts and health communicators, then edited to emphasize strong call-to-action messages and friendly . Do you really need to eat twice as much food dirung your pregnancy? Of course not! In fact, maintaining a healthy, balancedt is of utmost importance .Popular Posts. Mom Stages Kidnapping of 6-Year-Old Son to Teach Him a Lesson. Why Do I Feel Guilty About Wanting to Lose the Baby Weight? I Forced My Oldest Child to .Find a unique combination of doctors' and patients' views at onhealth.com - Owned and Operated by WebMD.Timely and easy-to-read articles for consumers covering FDA regulated products.. Credit Antonio Bolfo/Reportage for The New York Times . Andrew Pole had just started working as a statistician for Target in 2002, when two colleagues from .Pill nowadays is the most popular pregnancy termination option. Medical Pill - is a method of in early pregnancy 6-7 weeks .

The Importance Of Exercise With Neuropathy

Today's post from masteringtype2diabetes.com (see link below) may send you straight back to bed to snuggle under the covers because it's yet another call for neuropathy patients to exercise for their lives! Slight exaggeration of course but what people don't realise is that we all know we should exercise more and we know that it will help improve our neuropathy symptoms but it's so much easier said than done! The pain and discomfort of neuropathy strengthen our instincts to avoid exercise like the plague but maybe we just have to accept more pain through exercise, in order to achieve less pain in the long run. It's a good article and well-worth a read and we'll do ourselves a big favour if we take particular note of the warnings concerning the wrong forms of exercise for our condition!

Type 2 Diabetes and Peripheral Neuropathy: To Walk or Not to Walk?
March 10, 2015 By Milt Bedingfield
 
It is now well known that engaging in light to moderate physical activity on a regular basis is of significant value for most people that have either type 1 or type 2 diabetes. In fact the American Diabetes Association recommends that people with diabetes should get a minimum of 150 minutes of light to moderate exercise per week including aerobic and resistance training.

What the ADA says…

It has also been recommended that people with peripheral diabetic neuropathy that have reduced or absent feeling in their feet should not engage in any form of weight bearing exercise activity. The American Diabetes Association recommends that people with diabetes related peripheral neuropathy should limit the amount of weight-bearing physical activity they perform due to their increased risk of foot ulcers and amputation (1,2). This is based on the fact that with peripheral neuropathy there is either a decreased ability or total inability in the feet to feel pain or discomfort.

As an example standing barefoot on hot asphalt maybe in a parking lot in the middle of the summer would be very uncomfortable for someone with normal sensation in their feet, however go unnoticed for someone with peripheral neuropathy. Similarly the person with peripheral neuropathy may develop a painful nickel sized blister after walking too far or when wearing new shoes and not even feel it. Without daily inspection of the ankles and feet (which a lot of people do not do) this blister could go unnoticed for days resulting in a potentially infected, slow to heal, or non-healing wound. In the worst case this could lead to an amputation. All of this is the result of losing what is called the protective sensation in the feet.

In the absence of peripheral neuropathy whenever there is insult to the foot or feet such as a blister, a cut or scrape or stepping on a small piece of glass or nail, there would be pain which would cause you to notice the injury and hopefully treat the wound accordingly.

There are also painful stages of neuropathy that can precede lack of sensation which are characterized by frequent but intermittent pain in the feet throughout the day, having pain only in the evening while in bed to constant pain. This stage of neuropathy can result in changing the way you walk, that is your stride length, which part of your feet you strike the ground with first and ultimately what part of your feet support your body weight.

Because of everything I have just mentioned above this leads to the unfortunately recommendation that discourages walking for a great many people with diabetes.

To Walk or Not to Walk?

So where does that leave us? Exercise is arguably the best treatment there is, particularly in controlling type 2 diabetes, and preventing diabetes related complications, such as peripheral neuropathy, however once you have peripheral neuropathy in your feet you should avoid doing any weight bearing exercise.

I have wrestled with the dilemma for years about how to guide my patients that would benefit immensely from starting to exercise or increasing their exercise however have various stages of neuropathy.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, from 2000–2002, approximately 60% of lower-extremity amputations in the United States were diabetes-related, with the majority of those amputations being preceded by a foot ulcer (3). Almost all diabetic foot ulcers occur in those people that have lost feeling in their feet due to diabetic peripheral neuropathy (4,5).

On the other hand poorly controlled blood glucose control contributes greatly to peripheral neuropathy.

Eight-year cardiovascular mortality is 34% lower among people with diabetes who walk 2 hours per week compared with non-walkers (6).
Feet First Randomized Controlled Trial

The Feet First Randomized Controlled Trial was designed to look at the effect of weight-bearing activity on foot ulcer incidence in people with diabetic peripheral neuropathy. The study, conducted over a 12 month period by Lemaster and colleagues, showed that participants in the Feet First intervention group achieved a modest increase in activity, with no increase in foot lesions, compared with those in the control group. The group also recommended additional research be conducted in this area to investigate the current guidelines and close supervision for patients with diabetes and peripheral neuropathy (7).

Tuttle and colleagues found that people with type 2 diabetes and peripheral neuropathy experienced no negative consequences when performing moderate-intensity, weight-bearing exercise in their study (2).

Dr. Sheri Colberg reports in her article, Exercising with Peripheral Neuropathy, that recent descriptive studies suggest that patients with a lack of feeling in their feet who participate in daily weight-bearing activity are at decreased risk of foot ulceration compared with those who are less active (8,9), especially if their daily routine is very similar with little variation from day to day regarding their physical activity (9,10).

As a result of the above information, I am going to continue evaluating each of my class participants on a case by case basis, however, for those patients with peripheral neuropathy that I believe will be prudent in checking their feet and following the recommended foot care guidelines and stand to gain significant benefit from performing some weight bearing exercise, I will be more likely to recommend it to them.

References:

1. Singh, N., D. G. Armstrong, and B. A. Lipsky: Preventing foot ulcers in patients with diabetes. JAMA 293 (2):217–228, 2005

2. Tuttle, L. J., M. K. Hastings, and M. J. Mueller: A moderate-intensity weight-bearing exercise program for a person with type 2
diabetes and peripheral neuropathy. Phys Ther 92 (1):133–141, 2012

3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. History of foot ulcer among persons with diabetes—United States, 2000–2002.
MMWR. 2003;52:1098–1102. Medline

4. Pham H, Armstrong DG, Harvey C, et al. Screening techniques to identify people at high risk for diabetic foot ulceration: a
prospective multicenter trial. Diabetes Care. 2000;23:606–611.

5. Reiber GE, Smith DG, Wallace C, et al. Effect of therapeutic footwear on foot reulceration in patients with diabetes: a randomized
controlled trial. JAMA. 2002;287:2552–2558. CrossRefMedline

6. Gregg EW, Gerzoff RB, Caspersen CJ, et al. Relationship of walking to mortality among US adults with diabetes. Arch Intern Med.
2003;163:1440–1447. CrossRefMedline

7. Lemaster, J. W., M. J. Mueller, G. E. Reiber, D. R. Mehr, R. W. Madsen, and V. S. Conn: Effect of weight-bearing activity on
foot ulcer incidence in people with diabetic peripheral neuropathy: feet first randomized controlled trial. Phys Ther 88 (11):1385
–1398, 2008

8. Richerson, S., and K. Rosendale: Does tai chi improve plantar sensory ability? A pilot study. Diabetes Technol Ther 9 (3):276–286,
2007

9. Ko, S. U., S. Stenholm, C. W. Chia, E. M. Simonsick, and L. Ferrucci: Gait pattern alterations in older adults associated with type 2
diabetes in the absence of peripheral neuropathy–results from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. Gait Posture 34 (4):548
–552, 2011

10. Kanade, R. V., R. W. van Deursen, K. Harding, and P. Price: Walking performance in people with diabetic neuropathy: benefits and
threats. Diabetologia 49 (8):1747–1754, 2006

http://www.masteringtype2diabetes.com/type-2-diabetes-and-peripheral-neuropathy-to-walk-or-not-to-walk/

Months Of Pregnancy

Pregnancy Stages Week By Months

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Tonto Dikeh And Her Baby

Jennifer Love Hewitt

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New Compound To Tackle Certain Forms Of Neuropathic Pain

Today's post from fiercebiotechresearch.com (see link below) looks at the development of a new compound designed to inhibit nitrous oxide production (thought to be responsible for maintaining nerve inflammation after an injury). It's important to note that this applies to neuropathies brought about by direct injuries and not those from other causes. The article is a little complex and may be difficult for the casual reader to understand but it does highlight the advances being made in research labs as more and more attention is being paid to nerve damage and that can only be a good thing.

UC Davis researchers identify new compound that takes aim at neuropathic pain 
 February 10, 2015

(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) --A new compound discovered by a team of UC Davis investigators has potent actions against production of a chemical that which is implicated in the development of chronic pain following a peripheral nerve injury in the spinal cord.

The compound, a molecule named 6-chloro-8-(glycinyl)-amino-β-carbolin, or 8-Gly carb, provides an important new avenue of research for developing drugs to prevent the severe pain that sometimes remains long after an injury or infection has healed.

The findings are published in The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.

"We have discovered a new compound that is 43 times more potent in inhibiting nitrous oxide production than the current reference compound known to have this action," said Fredric Gorin, professor and chair of the UC Davis Department of Neurology and co-principal investigator for the study. "That makes 8-Gly carb a potentially very fruitful focus for new drug development against neuropathic pain syndromes."

Neuropathic pain is a disorder characterized by often severe pain that sometimes develops following nerve damage resulting from conditions such as shingles, injury, amputation, autoimmune inflammation and cancer. Months or even years after the initial trauma, the area can remain extremely painful, a condition believed to result from the brain misinterpreting nerve signals from the area. The pain can be completely spontaneous or triggered by something normally as innocuous as a light touch or temperature change. Traditional pain treatment with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and even opioids such as morphine is usually ineffective.

The condition is believed to develop from immune cells called microglia, a type of macrophage that resides in the spinal cord and provides an important defense against injury and infection. Following a trauma to a peripheral nerve, microglia release a host of chemicals, among them cytokines that are important for recovery, and nitrous oxide, which is believed to be a key factor in initiating and sustaining inflammation associated with the establishment of neuropathic pain. Inhibiting the production of nitrous oxide at the time of a nerve injury may be an important mechanism to prevent the later development of a chronic pain syndrome, Gorin said.

The class of drug to which 8-Gly carb belongs is known as β-carbolines, a large group of natural and synthetic organic compounds, some of which are known to reduce nitrous oxide production. Previously characterized β-carbolines block a precursor -- tumor necrosis factor α -- in the nitrous oxide production pathway, also resulting in the reduction of the expression of the cytokine interleukin -1β; however, experiments show that 8-Gly carb does not reduce levels of tumor necrosis factor α or the cytokine. The exact mechanism of nitrous oxide by the new compound is poorly understood and will be a focus of future research, according to Gorin.

"A compound like 8-Gly carb that selectively targets nitrous oxide production and does not block cytokine expression makes a promising candidate for drug development aimed at preventing a neuropathic pain syndrome without interfering with recovery," Gorin said. "We look forward to extending this research by developing and testing this compound and related ones in the laboratory and eventually in clinical trials."

Gorin noted that this research resulted from a fruitful collaboration between the UC Davis Schools of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, as well as with the University of Louisville, Kentucky. Pamela Lein, professor in the Department of Molecular Biosciences of the UC Davis Veterinary School of Medicine, is co-principal investigator and another study author.
 
 http://www.fiercebiotechresearch.com/press-releases/uc-davis-researchers-identify-new-compound-takes-aim-neuropathic-pain

First Week Of Pregnancy

Swollenaer Week 47 By Brugmedia B V Issuu

Accurate, unbiased women's health information. Questions and answers on PMS, pregnancy, breastfeeding, birth control, weight, wellness, menopause and more..Printables, coloring pages, recipes, crafts, and more from your child's favorite Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. shows..TODAY Parents is the premiere destination for parenting news, advice community. Find the latest parenting trends and tips for your kids and family on TODAY.com..Jpop Jrock news, lyrics, charts, and music videos.Pill nowadays is the most popular pregnancy termination option. Medical Pill - is a method of in early pregnancy 6-7 weeks .

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Overcoming The Limitations Of Neuropathy

Today's post from neuropathy.org (see link below) is the personal story of someone who was extremely fit, loved sports and was then confronted with strange and unpleasant, life-changing feelings that turned out to be neuropathy and in particular Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease which on further examination became chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy.
She sought help at the Neuropathy Association and after a long struggle found her own ways of getting back to doing the things she loved. It highlights what's possible for some people with the necessary strength of mind and many people may be inspired by her efforts.

My Second Neuropathy Diagnosis Came With A Silver Lining
By Rosina Johnson

The onset of neuropathy was like someone had flipped a switch and all the electricity containing those very important messages flowing from my brain to the muscles in my arms and legs stopped. Just like that, the lights were dimming, the motor was shutting down…

2001: Getting a neuropathy diagnosis...




Rosina cross-country skiing in Bear
Brook State Park
Rosina (left, in picture) at the top
of Mount Liberty
Rosina participating in the Century
Ride Hanover

The neuropathy symptoms had been coming on for a few months and I had been doing my best to manage them, to hide them, and even to make excuses for them. I could no longer ride my bike, or stay upright on a pair of skis, or even walk up a small incline without assistance. I held on to the belief that the fault was with my bike (I took it into the shop to change out the cassettes after failing to complete a century ride) and my skis (I invested in a new pair of skis and some refresher lessons. I had convinced myself that I’d simply forgotten how to ski…very strange logic coming from a former cross-country ski instructor!). It never entered my mind that something was wrong with my nerves, my muscles, and my body.

Although I sensed something was wrong, I had never heard of neuropathy and I was not familiar with its symptoms. I thought the numbness and weakness I was experiencing was a result of poor circulation and aging. I was sure it was temporary and it would soon resolve itself on its own. But, it didn’t...

I soon found myself discussing these annoying symptoms with my primary care physician. He sent me for an x-ray to check the structure of my knee and referred me to a neurologist for a nerve conduction velocity (NCV) test to measure how fast electrical signals were moving through the peripheral nerves in my right leg. The neurologist conducted an NCV and an electromyogram (EMG), and asked me about the high arches of my feet … she was intrigued to hear that my feet were very much like my mother's. Then she shared her findings with me in a hurried conversation that took place while standing in the doorway of the examining room. “You have Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease – CMT,” she said. “A hereditary neuropathy that is progressive, degenerative, and for which there is no treatment or cure. Oh, there’s something else going on too, but I don't know what it is. We won’t be able to handle it here … you'll have to go to Boston,” she continued. I asked who in Boston I should see, expecting a recommendation but she didn't have one. She suggested I go back to my primary care physician, explaining she would send all the test results along.

What seems so outrageous to me now when I think about this experience is that I was given no written information, no fact-sheet about the disease, no brochure with the names of resources and support groups … not even a scrap of paper with the words “Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease” scratched across it. As I crossed the parking lot to my car, I was having a hard time remembering the long and unusual name of the neuropathy that I was diagnosed with. By the time I arrived home, I could not remember the name, let alone how to spell it. However, I did remember the acronym “CMT” -- which if you Google it, as I did, you will discover is also the acronym for “Country Music Television.”

In hindsight, why had no one suggested I reach out to the Neuropathy Association?

I made an appointment with my primary care doctor as I was anxious to get some answers and to begin to move the process of diagnosis and treatment along. It turned out that the neurologist had not yet sent the results of my tests to my primary care doctor. My doctor was a bit confused about why I had been sent back to him … he made a call to the neurologist’s office only to learn that she was on vacation and would not be available for another two weeks. He was very apologetic and suggested we wait for the test results. “The hell I will!” I thought. My neuropathy was progressing, my feet were beyond numb -- they had no sensation at all. I felt as if I was walking with two giant pillows strapped to my feet. My movements had become so wooden that I was beginning to resemble Pinocchio, especially when attempting to get up a flight of stairs. Simple things like buttoning a shirt or zipping a jacket were becoming more difficult with each passing day.

The time for action had come. I left my primary care doctor’s office with a clear understanding that I needed to take charge. After all, wasn't the responsibility of my health and well-being ultimately mine?

I went back to the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) website that I had stumbled upon while doing my initial research a few weeks earlier. I reached out to them and for the first time since this ordeal began, and spoke with a knowledgeable person who shared resources I could tap into. I now had an appointment at a CMT Clinic at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, NH. Even though the appointment was a month away, I was anxious about meeting with a neurologist who specializes in neuromuscular diseases and CMT, a social worker, a physical therapist, and a mental health counselor ... I was relieved and scared to death at the same time!

2002: Finding out I also had CIDP was a mixed blessing!



Rosina receives monthly IVIG
treatments.

After my test reports from my first neurology consult were received by the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, I received a call from Dr. Jeffrey Cohen who suggested waiting for the clinic day (which was almost a month away) wasn't wise and asked if I could come in sooner. I had an appointment with Dr. Cohen on my birthday, March 12th. Dr. Cohen asked many questions and paid close attention to my answers. It felt so good to finally have someone who listened…who understood what I was going through. Dr. Cohen ordered a battery of tests, including a lumbar puncture, and by the end of the week we knew “what else was going on.” I was diagnosed with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (or CIDP, an autoimmune form of neuropathy). Dr. Cohen explained what this meant and what the treatment options were … and the more he talked the more hopeful and excited I became. He did not understand my excitement, until I explained it, “This may be my second neuropathy diagnosis, but you’re telling me there are treatment options for this -- several life-saving treatment options. How can I not be excited?”

Ten days later, I started my first five-day course of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) treatment. I also joined a water aerobics class at a local college. I started noticing that my weakened muscles were slowly gaining strength. It wasn’t long before I was able to get back on my bicycle. Four months after my second five-day course of IVIG, I was back to hiking.



Rosina and Hannah at the top of
Mt. Washington

My daughter Hannah was graduating from High School in June. We had been planning for almost a year to celebrate this milestone by climbing in the White Mountains of New Hampshire (just before the neuropathy symptoms developed and had started progressing). I knew I wasn’t strong enough yet, but I had promised. So, I bought a pair of sturdy trekking poles and we set out. It was the toughest hike of my life. I fell repeatedly and Hannah spent a lot of time helping me. At the end of the hike, my trekking poles were bent and both my ankles were swollen … but we made it to the top of Mt. Washington, the highest mountain in the Northeast.

Life had dealt me a severe blow -- two blows, really; but it also opened my eyes to the importance of being fully engaged in the act of living and advocating for myself. Since my diagnosis in 2002, I have accomplished feats that I was told would be impossible for someone with CMT and/or CIDP: hiking, cycling, and rock and ice climbing all over the world.

The CIDP diagnosis and the IVIG treatments had given me my life back -- this was the silver lining I had been looking for. My passion for adventure had not changed with the devastating diagnoses and now 21st century medicine was giving me a second chance!

Fast forward to 2013: My most recent milestone – climbing Mount Kilimanjaro – and many more to come!



Rosina climbs Mt. Kilimanjaro

This past June, my adventurous spirit brought me to the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak, in the crazy hope of standing on the 19,341 foot summit. I wanted to show the world that people with neuropathy are up to the challenge of climbing both the metaphorical and physical mountains in our lives. I had been preparing for this climb for months. I worried about my strength, the altitude, my feet...everything that might impact my climb. I pushed forward, knowing I was as prepared as I could be, given the circumstances...

On June 29th 2013 at 8:10 am, after seven demanding days, I made it to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro -- my hope had become reality! I was humbled and overwhelmed to be in the presence of such majestic beauty and grateful to have the strength and courage to put one numb foot in front of the other…

Today, I am thankful I finally found the Neuropathy Association whose resources I wish I knew of when I was starting my neuropathy journey. My life with neuropathy is more stable and a little easier now. There were setbacks (after all, this is a chronic disease with relapses) and I’m sure there will be a few more. But through them all I will continue to fight, ask questions, seek out answers, and stay strong with the support of my family and friends and my team of health care professionals. I know I have a lot more people to thank, particularly all the plasma donors and people involved in making my IVIG treatments … I think of them during my infusions. I am not alone in this fight … none of us are! I hope my story will inspire others in our community to be brave, fight hard, and live boldly.

http://www.neuropathy.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=8544&news_iv_ctrl=1101