Health Blogs (951)

I didn't know the president could override the FDA and release prescription drugs to be sold over the counter. So, I thought about it for a while.

Not long ago, the president touted some drugs used to treat malaria and blood related disease as effective in combating COVID-19. Despite the FDA warnings of those prescription medicine(s).
He stated "What do you have to lose?"

The first result was a frenzy of people getting prescriptions for these drugs.

chatillion... tell them what happened next.
Okay, it created a shortage for the people who were using those drugs all along as originally intended. People who didn't have the virus were taking it... including the group who claimed the virus was a hoax.

He's again pumping the idea of use of these drugs for the masses.

Are you shitting me?
Not at all... it's true.

Did these drugs actually work in preventing COVID-19?
Some tests were done in a hospital environment, most had varied results. Some patients developed serious side effects. To my knowledge, it was deemed ineffective by the FDA. Yet some say it's harmless and truly effective. It depends on who you ask. Much of the information comes from the internet and you will get 'factual' data that is 180 degrees of each other.

What are your thoughts about this now?
Let's take the bullshit and politics out of the equation.
I've always been skeptical of wild claims. Call them Miracle cures or great marketing, they are often designed to put money in someones pocket.

I remember the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug Vioxx was taken off the market because someone who misused this medicine died. It was a great drug but who would have known... right?

Releasing a prescription drug as over the counter has some serious considerations:
Side effects and liability to the manufacturer.
Dosage must be determined. Is 100mg enough or 300mg too much? 2 times a day, 3 times?
Rounds of clinical trials must be performed as a drug for one disease has to be retested for another. All that has to be decided.
Licensing, distribution, packaging and availability must be considered.
Who owns the rights and who can make these drugs must be thought out long before releasing a program on a national basis.

A few times this week I read stories about this years flu season and how people should prepare by getting flu shots. I find something really disturbing about that.
It's my understanding, Coronavirus is more contagious than the flu. We're already practicing social distancing, wearing masks in all public places, washing hands frequently, using hand sanitizer coming and going... and we now have to worry about flu virus too!

Months of stay-home orders, only going out when absolutely necessary, avoiding places that would be a risk of catching virus is barely working. Obviously some people aren't taking this serious and as a result COVID-19 isn't going away any time soon. Evidence that people aren't doing the right things.

Since we cannot drive the new cases down, we are also leaving ourselves open to spreading flu virus the same way. The thought of contacting the flu and COVID-19 at the same time is a reality. Two different viruses attacking the body at the same time

I've been taking flu shots every year now and thankful not to get hit... with the exception of the time a coworker returned from vacation and half the office was sick for a week. Thinking back, was this COVID-19? One guy who was severely affected, did an antibody test and he's negative. It was most likely a flu strain.

Most people I know who have to work are working from home and visiting the office only when absolutely necessary.

With all this awareness and precautions, catching the seasonal flu shouldn't be an issue... right?


Thanks for reading my blog... !!

Well, to all my abusive and courageously blocking fans, it did seem more coherent, grounded and focused, certainly by any comparison, with the hundreds of gaffs, lies, plagiarisms, and corrupt and sniffy acts. Be nice to see such talk on President Trump's by the few full syndrome alt lefties here. Not holding our breath.
But in some forms of likely cognitive challenges, a few medications have been shown to improve things somewhat, at least on a temporary basis. The anti cholinergics, and NMDA receptor blockers, may help. Along with anecdotal evidence for complementary-alternative agents, which unlike these two, lack FDA approval. But these work less at advanced stages, if one has dementia.
As with the true character of the witch hunts, it'll all come out in the wash some good day.
Facts, arguments and evidence-verses blocking and childish abuse.

Its been a long and trying time for South Africans??
Lockdown wasn't only a strange experience because this was the first time we had a state of emergency declared that we were unprepared for..
regulations in place that were challenging and an absolute shock due to the Covid 19 pandemic...
Unchartered territory, since we have never been requested to STOP working and stay home?? at first I thought that 21 days would be a breeze... Had my comforts and made provisions, my private stash .. Emergency supplies as it seemed short term?? but as some of you may now know ... It has not been short term...
Not to mention all the rest of it.. What a shock when we were further denied our freedoms that we as South Africans took for granted...
Alcohol banned, then.. for a brief period Sold . then banned AGAIN.. Tobacco products banned (don't stress we had options?? at a great cost we were able to purchase some things that offered comfort... Not the same as what we took for granted??
Tonight I celebrate with my fellow SA peeps!!
Have a dop, zol n braai!
Freeeeedom! Enjoy a drink, smoke and fellowship....
Things can only get better??
Attitude of gratitude!
Drink responsibly, stay safe and above all enjoy!!
FREEDOM ????????

She touched my brain... I'm sure of it.
A few days ago in the parking lot of Home Depot, I saw a taped off area with a tent that's used for COVID-19 walk-up testing. Expecting a long line, I could see only one person at the opening and 2 women walking up from their cars.
Should I?
My brother is requesting I visit him this year... not that I want to go. Actually, part of my retirement was to visit China for a few months. (side note, it's probably safer there now than America) At some point I'll want/require a test to travel.
So, we did it. Only a few seconds where a swab about 8 inches long is pressed into a nostril until it 'bottoms out' and then swirled around a bit before pulling the stick out.

The diagram below is not accurate. There's a hidden channel to the brain and the lab person must find it and try to perforate the thin membrane. In doing so, blood will come gushing out like the loser in a Kung Fu match. Luckily, I got out with only a scratch.

Yep, after my 'infamous' walk to the store yesterday (see other blog), I went to a pharmacy and got vaccinated.
This was not my first one either. We microbiologists have an inside access.
This was my second vaccine for this virus.
It didn't hurt much at all. There's a little soreness where the needle went in, but not much.
No other side effects at all. Yeah, as I was sayi......BILL GATES IS GOD.
Whoa. Where did that come from ? Probably just a typo.
Funny. I can't get the computer to edit the blog.
VOTE FOR TRUMP NOW...... Ok, this is really strange.
You know it would not be like me at all to type that sort of.... BUY HYDROXYQUINONE.

Just kidding. Besides, the vaccine I got was against shingles. I got the first shot in January.
The second one yesterday. The odd part & this is real - I tried to get the second shingles shot
a couple of months ago. But, because of Covid-19 no one wanted to give vaccines.
I said, "how the heck are you going to give Covid-19 shots, when that vaccine becomes available,
if you're too afraid to give shots ?" I got a lot of blank stares.

A month from now, I scheduled a pneumonia shot. I'll get a flu shot in December and hopefully
a Covid-19 shot before the year is up. Vaccines. They work for you. They prime the immune system
to give a faster more complete response, if you do get infected.

A while back I did a blog about an old guy returning from a hospital stay with a respiratory illness in-time for a birthday party where he struggled to blow out the candles on his cake.
No one caught my hidden warning about eating cake he coughed over.

Every day there are stories about parties and family reunions where large groups of people go away and later a high percent of them show positive for coronavirus.

Part of my retirement was to take time off and travel. Those plans are on hold.

As far as going to any birthday parties... Should that happen (low, low chance) I'll ask them to put the candle(s) on a cupcake, blow the candle out and don't touch the freakin' cake!

...not always easy to define, and often quite different for different folks. Most have a few, and seem to learn the addictions in younger years. But a few foods seem to be near universal favorites.
High contents of fats, and spices, including salt, ---in many. And carbs with simple sugars, of course. Also, there are cultural differences. But more apparent similarities.
There's science, even possibly evolutionary forces, behind some cravings. Simple sugars are the main currency of the brain, and fats have the highest calorie content per unit mass, twice that of carbs or other simple sugar based larger molecules. Many ingredients in these foods were rare in the distant past, among many populations. The first addictive treats? And the brain regions, pancreas and even fat cells elaborate hormones of desire and comfort, when blasted with these delights, so there.
Yet not so fast. There are also links with inflammatory processes and these treats. And inflammation is rapidly replacing the old monoamine hypotheses in causing depression, and anxiety. Then there is the world wide curse of obesity, even among youth, which often is regulated, in part, by similar hormones. Worse, the type of fat tissues involved can preferentially be laid down in younger years. And are harder to get rid of, without surgery, at least for now. Double and triple whammies for those of "just a few extra pounds", as in so many CS profiles, sadly. Familiar and cultural influences as well. Malk on the streets of this little town, and observe families walking together. Obesity.
The good news is that these are active areas of research. In particular, on the links between all the above mentioned factors, and mood, emotions, behaviors and being overweight. Even psychiatrists, the nail and tattoo artists of real medicine, are involved.
And there's lots more. We can train ourselves to find more healthful foods of some comfort. I've done so, and the fat little illiterate Vierk Gnome is now close to boyish HS/college wrestling weight. But truth be said, the bad stuff still hasn't fully lost its allure, in spite of the uses of fiber, dried fruits, and such.
Recall, demon alcohol and other substances, notably nicotine and the opiates, hold many with strong arms, but many also quit addictions every day. Often for life. Some former alcoholic drinkers can even practice more controlled, non-alcoholic drinking, and their newer programs are now challenge those older ones based on the powerful sponsorship, spirituality and 12 steps.
We are more complicated than we are simple. Both good, and not so good, news.

The New York Times reports today;



Trump's response ? "Well, it will probably get worse before it gets better."

Yeah, thanks for your help, oh non-empathetic one. It sure didn't go away in May, as you stated it would.

I warned c_r on here TWICE, that deaths is the trailing trend. Fist come infections, then come hospitalizations and finally the deaths increase.

If you stop the infections, you stop the hospitalizations and the deaths.

Stop killing people ! Wear the masks when you can't socially distance at least 6 feet from people and wash your hands with soap and water before touching your face. .And quit urging businesses that can't do this, to open up.

Trials involving 500 people in the UK given a vaccine developed by Oxford University produced BOTH
antibodies and T-cell reactions. Antibodies help in the shorter term, but a T cell reaction may give protection for over a year. Phase 3 trials will be undertaken soon depending upon the results to that, the vaccine may be ready to distribute to the public as early as September or October.
This is the first vaccine for protection against Covid-19 that has shown both antibody & T cell responses.

The full details of the study should be available later today.