Soy, Hot-Flashes, Menopause, Great Information!

A new study that was just released shows that Soy Supplements are not the answer for hot flashes and bone lose due to menopause. Soy supplements have been a popular alternative to hormone replacement therapy.

The trial had 248 women take either 200 mg of soy isoflavones or a placebo daily. Neither the researchers nor the women knew who was taking which until the end of the study.

After two years measurements of bone-mineral density in the women’s hips and spines showed no difference between the soy supplement and placebo groups. The women had small amounts of bone loss in each group.

As for the frequency of menopausal symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, loss of libido and vaginal dryness, still no difference. At the end of the study more women taking the soy reported having hot flashes.

What other options do women have? For hot flashes, some antidepressants and the antiseizure drug gabapentin have been shown to help. Women should still turn to calcium, vitamin D and regular exercise to prevent bone loss.

To your health
Leigh

Great information from: Time Magazine, August 22, 2011 Health and Science Briefing, Sora Song

Melanoma, Skin Cancer, New Drug, Zelboraf, approved by FDA

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Zelboraf (vemurafenib), a drug to treat patients with late-stage (metastatic) or unresectable (cannot be removed by surgery) melanoma, the most dangerous type of skin cancer.

Melanoma is the leading cause of death from skin disease. The National Cancer Institute estimated that 68,130 new cases of melanoma were diagnosed in the United States during 2010; about 8,700 people died from the disease.

Zelboraf is specifically indicated for the treatment of patients with melanoma whose tumors express a gene mutation called BRAF V600E. The drug has not been studied in patients whose melanoma tests negative for that mutation by an FDA approved diagnostic.

Zelboraf is being approved with a first-of-a-kind test called the cobas 4800 BRAF V600 Mutation Test, a companion diagnostic that will help determine if a patient's melanoma cells have the BRAF V600E mutation.

The BRAF protein is normally involved in regulating cell growth, but is mutated in about half of the patients with late-stage melanomas. Zelboraf is a BRAF inhibitor that is able to block the function of the V600E-mutated BRAF protein.

Zelboraf's safety and effectiveness were established in a single international trial of 675 patients with late-stage melanoma with the BRAF V600E mutation who had not received prior therapy. Patients were assigned to receive either Zelboraf or dacarbazine, another anti-cancer therapy. The trial was designed to measure overall survival (the length of time between start of treatment and death of a patient). The median survival (the length of time a patient lives after treatment) of patients receiving Zelboraf has not been reached (77 percent still living) while the median survival for those who received dacarbazine was 8 months (64 percent still living).

To read the full FDA report with side effects and more go to: FDA PRESS RELEASE

To your health,
Leigh

Is your Beef part of the latest Beef Recall?

Winn-Dixie Stores Inc, Publix Super Markets Inc, and Kroger Co. announced the recall mainly in the southeastern US and said the problems arose at the National Beef Packaging Co of Dodge City, Kansas.
The USDA announced that National Beef was recalling more than 60,000 pounds of beef after Ohio Dept of Agriculture found the E coli bacteria during regular testing.
E.coli can be deadly and can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration and other problems. In order to kill the E.coli the Agriculture Dept cautioned people to cook ground beef to a temperature of at least 160 Degrees.
Below is a list of the stores and a link to their web sites for more information.
http://www.winndixie.com/
See their alert window on the right side of the page for more information. Products include ground chuck and patties with “sell-by” label dates from July 31 to Aug. 12. Return the beef to your stores for a refund.
http://www.publix.com/about/newsroom/recalls/Recall.do?id=2561
Seasoned Beef Meatballs, Meat Loaf (Oven Ready), Ground Chuck Patties, Ground Chuck. Stuffed Peppers, Seasoned Salisbury Steak, Montreal Seasoned Chuck Patties,
And more. Full list with numbers on their page.
http://www.kroger.com/SERVICES/Pages/recall_information.aspx
See this page at Kroger’s for full list of their recalled items.
Please take care.
To your health
Leigh

One day Free Medical Clinic for the Uninsured New Orleans, LA,8-29-2011

If you live in the New Orleans, LA, area and have no insurance please take advantage of the following ONE DAY FREE HEALTH CLINIC.

The National Association of Free Clinics (NAFC) will be sponsoring a one day free medical clinic for the uninsured on Monday, August 29, 2011 in New Orleans, Louisiana at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.The New Orleans C.A.R.E. Clinic will offer free basic medical care and health education.

PATIENT INFORMATION:
The New Orleans C.A.R.E. Clinic patient hours are from 11:00am to 7:00pm.
Patients are encouraged to call ahead and make an appointment for this clinic event. Patients can call 877-236-7617 to make an appointment.
Uninsured Patients Only. Walk-ins will be seen on a limited, first-come first-serve basis.
Please note:- This event is for those WITHOUT insurance. Recipients of Medicare, Medicaid, or Veterans Administration benefits are not eligible.
If you are taking medications, please bring your medicine bottles.- Parking will be free.
Event Date:
Mon. 8/29/2011, 9:00 am - 9:00 pm
Location

Ernest N Morial Convention Center
900 Convention Center Blvd New Orleans, LA 70130
Get Directions ...

Call now and make an appointment now.

To your health,
Leigh

Hot Flashes from Menopause or Cancer Meds, Good for you?

As a woman that is going through “Hot Flashes”, mood swings, night sweats; not from menopause but from cancer medication, it is interesting to hear that hot flashes may help protect the heart. An article in the March 14, 2011, Time Magazine, by Alice Park, states that according to the latest research, it turns out that women who have these episodes in their 50’s or 60’s also have an 11% lower risk of heart disease over the next 10 years, compared with women who don’t suffer the same symptoms.

Because heart-disease risk increases in women’s postmenopausal years as levels of the heart-protective hormone estrogen decline, this risk reduction is potentially lifesaving.

My cancer medications are having the same effect of lowering the estrogen so I am hoping that this means that it will be helping my heart as well as fighting cancer.

To read the complete article go to:
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2056704,00.html

To your health,
Leigh

Getting help with the cost of prescription drugs!

Need help with the cost of your medications. RX Outreach is a non-profit company that helps people with no insurance or low income to save on their medications.

In my own experience they were able to save me considerable amounts on a breast cancer medication I will be taking for 2 more years. I was part of the pharmaceutical company’s patient assistance program but the brand name medication was dropped from their list when a generic was put on the market. The generic still cost over $400.00 for a 30 day supply. RX Outreach saved me from having to quit taking the medication.

I gave their information to a friend and they were able to save her over $50 per month on her heart medications.

This company carries over 200 medications and I am sure they can save you money if you qualify for their program.

Their web site is: http://www.rxoutreach.org/
Or call : 1-800-769-3880

Check them out.

To you health
Leigh

Femara, Breast Cancer Medication, Replacement Success!

After Femara was dropped from the Patient Assistance Program of Novartis and I found out that the generic, Letrozole, cost $446.00 for a 30 day supply, I thought I would have to stop taking it. I searched all over locally and on the web for a reasonable price for the generic replacement of Femara. Let me tell you some of the things I found out.

All the major Pharmacies in my area, even the local drug store, all were over priced. On the web you will find list after list of Canadian Pharmacies that sell in the U.S. The online prices ran for a 90 day supply anywhere from $72.00 to $320.00. I just received my 180 day supply and it only cost me $55.00. If you have no insurance or meet their income requirements and can not afford your medications see if you qualify at RX Outreach.

The forms can be downloaded from the site and they cover many medications (not just cancer medications). Perhaps you will find you can save money there.

I hope this information helps some of you with the cost of your medications.

To your health

Leigh