Generics - still controversial

December 19th, 2008

The generic manufacturers are allowed to compete with the companies that went through the research and development phase after the patents have expired. All these “dangerous” companies need to do is to wait a few years and then copy all the original research. That means the product is bioequivalent and, under normal circumstances, the regulatory authorities in each country routinely licence the import of the copied drugs which are sold at a big discount. The action I am about to discuss does not affect your ability to buy generic viagra online. Although some thirty drugs are affected, they are treatments for rather different conditions. These letters assert that Ranbaxy has not maintained proper manufacturing standards in two of its plants. Following the warnings, there is also an Import Alert that allows US customs officials to detain the finished drugs as they enter the US. These Warning Letters are somewhat controversial. There is no suggestion that the thirty drugs named on the list and manufactured in the identified plants are unsafe. This is, at best, a technical violation by the manufacturer. But the effect on Ranbaxy’s reputation has been quite chilling and its share price has fallen. To repeat, this does not affect the generic viagra manufactured by Ranbaxy. The politics of free trade are always complicated. When the interests of significant local industrial players are involved, there is always going to be a temptation to be protectionist. In this instance, the decision of the FDA looks suspect because it has not required a recall. By its own admission, there is nothing wrong with the generic drugs manufactured by Ranbaxy. They can be safely consumed by existing patients. But the FDA is nevertheless authorising customs to stop imports of new supplies. I suspect that if the FDA had tried to interfere with the import of generic viagra, there would have been am outcry. As it is, there has been little comment outside the financial press discussing the effect on share price.

Nothing but good to say about it

November 18th, 2008

There was then a lull until the 1990s when it was discovered that tramadol not only interacts with the opioid receptors, but also acts to inhibit the reuptake of serotonin and noradrenaline. In a hospital, tramadol is a part of the general panel of drugs and therapies used to relieve pain, particularly following surgery where pain may be acute. There is clear and continuing evidence of good pain relief when administered intravenously or by injection. However, its use as a part of the anesthetic is now reduced because it seems to allow some level of consciousness during the operation. Patients are able to recall some events during surgery.

There is also some evidence of breathing difficulties after surgery where large amounts of tramadol have been used. Although some patients experience nausea and, occasionally, vomiting, there are rarely any adverse effects when tramadol is used after surgery. This makes it the preferred choice as against the other narcotic painkillers because the risks of addiction are minimal. In different hospital contexts, tramadol is used for pain relief during labor without adverse reaction from either the mother or the child as it is born.

It has also established an excellent track record for relieving pain following a heart attack. However, the greatest strides have been made in the treatment of the pain from cancer. As the tumors become more aggressive, tramadol is recommended by the World Health Organization as the safest and most effective drug to use until the more advanced stages when morphine has to be used. In the home context, tramadol hcl in tablet form remains the staple drug for the relief of both acute and chronic pain.

Its key advantage over the more powerful opioid analgesics is that it is less likely to produce physical or psychological dependence. So long as the instructions given by the physician are followed, it should produce good relief from moderate to severe pain. Because it affects the serotonin and noradrenaline systems, it is also useful to reduce the risk of anxiety and depression without having to immediately resort to antidepressants.

What do the Chinese know that we don’t?

October 14th, 2008

Whereas the West relies on painkillers like Ultram to get results, TCM adopts a holistic approach to heal the whole person. Although pain comes with a physical component, the mind has a vital role to play. One of the oldest medical treatments in the world is acupuncture. As one of the cornerstones of Traditional Chinese Medicine practised for several thousand years, it works by stimulating specific points in the body using thin needles. In fact, millions of people in the U.S. use acupuncture and the FDA has almost no reports of problems other than those arising from the failure of sterilization procedures. So far, the use of painkillers like generic Ultram continues as the norm. But, as an alternative to or alongside physical therapy, there is an increasing acceptance of TCM by Americans. With the right practitioner to give you confidence, acupuncture is worth serious consideration. It’s applied to relieve pain arising from a wide number of causes and it has the key advantage that, unlike western medications, it has no adverse side effects so long as it is delivered by a trained professional. In the U.S. the FDA regulates the needles and specifies the manufacturing standards to be applied to produce sterile, non-toxic products.

What do you fear?

October 4th, 2008

Perhaps you have a disease that makes it painful to move. Perhaps you were in an accident and injured your body. Human organism and human physiology is very predictable. People who are injured or have a condition like arthritis grow afraid to move. Every movement causes ultimate pain even very strong people can’t sustain. They fear that any movement will cause them pain. They prefer to avoid the pain so become increasingly static. Let’s work through the mental process. Pain is the body’s way of telling you that, if you carry on moving, you’re going to make the injury or damage worse. Well, if pain is a warning signal, you’d better heed the warning and stop moving. In fact, if you never moved at all (except to breathe and eliminate wastes) you could probably do without the Ultram altogether. As it is, taking the painkiller is a good preventative measure. But as your confidence reasserts itself, you should slowly use the painkiller less. You will not make any kind of recovery if you become dependent on painkillers. Now that really is something worth fearing!

Buying drugs online is better say researchers

September 27th, 2008

Shopping online is good because it’s very pleasant and your privacy is highly protected. Whether folks should be allowed to buy medications over the internet is more controversial. So the Mayo Clinic Proceedings has just published some research from Utah. One thousand men with erectile dysfunction were divided into two groups. The results of the research make interesting reading. The headline is that buying viagra online was “safer”. Combined with the more general introductory material available online, patients were better informed than those who went to see a physician. Amazingly less than half the patients who had a face-to-face discussion with their physician were given any instructions on how to use the medication safely. Obviously, both groups got the drug in its full strength version. There were no problems in delivery. The key advantage to buying online lay in “patient education”. People buying online received targeted email messages about the product and how to use it safely. It’s alarming that physicians should prove so bad at communicating with their patients.

Some allowances can be made because those in general practice are under great pressure to see patients quickly. But, not to give proper directions on safety. . . Well, everyone should make the change. It’s official. Buying cialisonline is better. This will reduce the list of patients asking for prescriptions and give physicians more time to do a better job.

Control the pain - improve the mood

September 20th, 2008

No matter how you exactly want to think about pain, there are several truths you can never escape. When you face it, you want to forget about it at once. Once you’ve experienced real pain, you fear its return. If it seems like it’s always there and always going to be there, it affects your mood. The mixture of fear and helplessness wears you down. The cause is irrelevant. It can be a problem in the joints or it can be non-specific. You must see your doctor for the possibility that this is very serious case. It’s at this time that some doctors suggest you take an antidepressant. You mustn’t think that this is judgement of you as a person. Some people may be weak, others strong. In the end, pain gets to them all. So, you’ve been taking a steady dose of Ultram to keep the pain within manageable limits. They also act like sedatives which helps you to sleep. When you are better rested, you have a more balanced view of your condition. Painkillers like Ultram can only treat the physical symptoms you feel as pain. Tramadol is not a cure. It just takes the strength of will to make it happen.

Wine, women and smoke

September 13th, 2008

When we are healthy, it never occurs to us that anything can go wrong with this wonderful machine we all live in. The human body gets involved in a myth of invincibility so we do many things we should not do at all, and do many things that are intrinsically not so dangerous to a dangerous excess. Taking cialis to maintain stamina over a long weekend of activity is safe. Other substances may be less helpful. That is what being young is all about. We all have to learn where our limits are. Of course, this includes sex and most will experiment both with conventional sex and sex in conjunction with recreational drugs.

Then, as we grow older, the body can start presenting us with the bills for our past excesses. Clinical studies have now established that about a quarter of all cases of erectile dysfunction are caused by smoking and/or substance abuse. Put another way, male smokers who have high blood pressure are 26 times more likely to suffer ED. Former smokers with high blood pressure are 11 times more likely to suffer ED than those who have never smoked. Smoking also accelerates arteriosclerosis and this can reduce the flow of blood into the penis. The combination of diabetes and smoking not only encourages ED but also increases the risk of strokes and heart attacks. Why does this happen? The problem is the inhaled carbon monoxide. It combines with the haemoglobin in the red blood cells and limits the capacity of the cells to carry oxygen around the circulatory system. Worse, it also contributes to a general loss of libido and a reduction in the sperm count. We all probably enjoy a little drink of alcohol from time to time. It tends to make social events go more smoothly. Alcohol increases blood pressure. In the short term, sexual performance may improve because we are less inhibited but, if this should tip into excess and alcoholism, ED usually results. The best answer is always prevention. Try to avoid cigarette smoke. It will prevent you from vessel damage. Similarly, never drinking excessively and then only drinking a little red wine every day, reduces the risks of heart disease. If we started to smoke, stopping immediately is the ideal. If there are signs of ED, taking cialis will probably be sufficient to restore full function. But if the damage is too great, then further medications may be required. Should you have reached the tipping point into alcoholism and a loss of libido, there are programs that help you to quit the alcohol, and always buy cialis to try to restore you interest in sex.

What’s in a word?

September 8th, 2008

So, you’ve finally decided that your problem is something you need to solve with your doctor. You now accept that, for the vast majority of all men who suffer from ED, the only real choice about treatment will be whether to take Levitra, Cialis or Viagra - perhaps on its own or in combination with other treatment. Given that almost all men can get relief from erectile dysfunction (ED) quickly and easily, there is no reason to delay getting help.

A doctor has years of education and training and can give you a proper examination, apply scientific tests to arrive at a definitive diagnosis, and prescribe appropriate medication. In most countries only registered physicians or, sometimes, pharmacists are allowed to prescribe regulated medications. Unqualified individuals can only refer you on to qualified specialists or hospitals for full diagnostic testing or treatment. Seeing anyone other than a medically qualified individual can be a dangerous waste of money. If you attend a “clinic” and there is any doubt in your mind as to whether the individual proposing to treat you is a doctor, ask for proof of accreditation.

In other words, some people would always want to discuss this particular condition with a new doctor.
If your usual doctor is a woman, you may find the idea of a physical examination too embarrassing and therefore prefer to consult a male doctor. Alternatively, you may prefer a complete stranger. Some men value their image and reputation highly, and feel that they will lose face by disclosing this particular condition to someone who knows them.

Before going further, we offer the simple clarification that in all these articles, we use the words “doctor” and “physician” interchangeably to mean anyone who holds a medical degree and is licensed to practice medicine. So, for example, the American Medical Association uses physician to describe its members, whereas the Association of Viagra Users uses doctor to describe its members.

Why should you go to see a doctor? There seem to be private clinics around that offer a confidential service. By clinic, we mean an organisation that provides health care and advice in the community rather than as a part of a hospital. There are also clinics run by corporations with no formally qualified medical staff in place.

However you might want to deny it, ED is a medical condition and it can be the symptom of quite serious diseases and disorders. If you do not go to consult a person who is licensed by your country to practice as a doctor/physician, you are risking your health. The person you see may well be very pleasant and reassuring but, without detailed knowledge and access to a laboratory where sophisticated tests can be performed, you may not get a proper diagnosis. All that may happen is that you pay money for words of comfort that later prove to be worthless.

You may prefer the idea of going directly to an expert in sexual dysfunction, often a urologist or genitourinary specialist. The motive may be to save expense. Rather than having two consultations, one with a general practitioner and then a referral to a specialist, you cut out the first stage. You can ask a “friend” to recommend someone or use the directory services of state or local medical associations to pull a name from a list of people by specialism.

So now that you know who to consult, we will next look at what can you expect when you get there.

Through a glass clearly.

September 8th, 2008

We know that sometimes a problem seems less serious when viewed through the bottom of an empty glass (except, for these purposes, remember that excessive drinking can be a cause of your erectile dysfunction). But you don’t need extreme courage to get you through this door for your first consultation. We are

Now let’s try to stay calm. It’s a problem of time and fairness. The practice administrators who schedule appointments guess how much time each patient is likely to need with the physician. This may be as little as five minutes for what appear to be routine matters. When you booked your appointment, just what did you say was wrong with you? We’re not telling you to be completely honest with whoever makes the appointments. But that does not let you off the hook. Even though you do not give a reason, you need to tell them that you are going to need real time with the physician. If you booked half an hour, there is not going to be a problem. You can take that time and get all the answers you need.

There is one other small matter to mention. The practice administrators have years of experience. When patients do not say exactly what is wrong, there is a short list of likely problems. Get over it. No-one employed there really knows you or is likely to have a reason for wanting further information. They’ve all got more important things to worry about. Even before you make an appointment, anyone employed in a responsible position in the practice could access your medical records for a number of legitimate reasons. No system is absolutely secure but the risks of disclosure are very small.

You have to trust the system to protect you and find you the best treatment. In most cases, this will simply be a prescription for Viagra, Cialis or Levitra. Hey, wait a minute. That means going to a pharmacy. If you find that trip to the pharmacy a bridge too far, there is always an online pharmacy where you can buy online. In some things, there can be the appearance of greater privacy. But who are these people in the online pharmacy? And will the delivery guy not suspect what is in the plain package?

Paranoia about reputation, particularly as it affects sexual performance, is understandable. But you have to live your life with your eye on the most important truths. In this case, the treatment for ED is usually very simple and straightforward. Do not allow your fears to hold you back from getting access to that treatment. Control of fear brings relief.

But, if you said nothing when making the booking, the physician will think of all the other patients waiting in the queue. You need time and space to explore the problem and make the necessary emotional adjustments. You deserve a proper explanation of what causes ED and how it can be treated. Equally, the physician needs to ask you many questions, to examine you and possibly refer you to specialists or book more detailed tests. This all takes time if it to be handled sensitively.

The moral of this story is to make sure you book enough time with the physician for that first appointment. Only then can you guarantee that you will get everything you need.

Learn more about cialis.

Cat almost kills her owner

September 3rd, 2008

Headlines are the life blood of magazines. Ever since the “Man bites dog” story, we’ve had every kind of animal story. Now this is the ultimate cat story because the headline misses out the vital reference to squirrels. Yes, it was a double attack. The cat and the killer squirrels would have been more accurate. But we don’t do sensationalism for its own sake here. We kept it simple. So you have to travel over to Smith Valley in Nevada. Richie Simmons’ cat was sick. She had visited with the local veterinarian to get drugs. One day, Richie cut her finger but thought nothing of it as she tended to the cat. A few days later, she was flat on her back with a high fever. It took a month for the lab to identify the problem. She had tularemia. Huh? Well, back in 1911 there was a disease that almost wiped out the squirrel population in Tulare, California so they called it tularemia (creative!). One thing - it was highly contagious between humans and animals. How did the cat come to be infected? It’s going to remain a mystery. Did the cat travel back in time or just visit with some squirrel cousins in California? Who knows. It died before we could ask. The good news Doxycycline medication was an almost instant cure. Just goes to show. Once you know which bacteria are making you sick, you get the right antibiotic and get better fast.