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

A Gene for Depression?

Your DNA provides powerful clues to understanding disease, but genes aren’t destiny-- particularly when it comes to mental illness.

Researchers report that a particular gene may increase the risk of depression, but only in combination with an added, nongenetic factor--a stressful life event.

The scientists found that people with one form of a protein that ferries serotonin, a mood-related neurotransmitter, are especially prone to depression when faced with traumatic events, such as being diagnosed with a medical illness or being a victim of childhood abuse. The version of the gene that these individuals carry prevents nerve cells in the brain from reabsorbing serotonin, which leads to feelings of sadness and negative mood and may make it harder for them to recover emotionally from a crisis.

The results confirm earlier work that had linked the serotonin-transporter gene to depression under stressful circumstances, a connection that subsequent studies had questioned. The current analysis includes a broader range of study date, however, and appears to confirm the association.

To your Health, Leigh


This article is from: Time Magazine, Jan 17, 2011, Lab Report by Alice Park

I’ve heard garlic is good for you, but what exactly does it do?

Are there any specific health benefits that come from eating a lot of garlic?

Ethnobotanist James Duke, Ph.D., one of the world’s leading experts in medicinal plants, places garlic among the best all-around plant medicines in the world. According to Dr. Duke’s seminal book, The Green Pharmacy, garlic is effective for alleviating conditions ranging from high cholesterol and high blood pressure to yeast infections and clotting disorders. Garlic compounds have the potential to help treat more than 200 ailments, Dr. Duke says. It’s the best overall plant for stimulating the immune system, the best anti-clotting herb, one of the best anti-fungals, and potentially useful for preventing heart disease and cancer.

How long has garlic been in the human medicine cabinet and what were its uses through the ages? Cultures throughout the world have recognized garlic’s healing abilities. The first-century Roman scholar Pliny the Elder cited uses for it from treating snakebites to dealing with dizziness and intestinal parasites. In China, records show garlic was used as early as the sixth century to treat conditions such as colds and digestive ailments.

For specific information on how much garlic is recommended for a particular condition, check out the articles at The Herb Companion, or read about garlic in The Green Pharmacy, a welcome addition to any home library.

Note: Because garlic is a powerful anti-coagulant (prevents blood clotting), don’t take it in large amounts if you have a clotting disorder, and consult with your health care practitioner if you take anti-coagulants, such as Coumadin, or therapeutic doses of aspirin. Stop using garlic two weeks before any scheduled surgery.

Even if garlic wasn’t healthy for you, my diet would still be full of the stuff considering that great aroma and flavor are part of what makes life worth living. Eat your garlic for health and enjoyment!

To you health and wealth, Leigh
Based on an article by K C Compton
Mother Earth News, 5-31-2011
Photo Credit: Fotolia

Cancer Drug Woes! Femara goes Generic, What Now?

If you have been getting Femara from the Novartis Oncology Patient Assistance Program you have probably received a letter letting you know that it will no longer be available through their PAP program.



Their reasoning is that there is now a generic alternative available in the marketplace. Letrozole



I called my oncologist and they confirmed this is the case.



In the letter Novartis recommended checking with the following programs to see if they could help with cost coverage:



Rx Outreach, a generic Patient Assistance Program - http://www.rxoutreach.org/ or 1-877-837-9896
Cancer Care - http://www.cancercare.org/ or 1-800-813-HOPE
Partnership for Prescription Assistance - http://www.pparx.org/ or 1-888-477-2669



My oncologist office told me they have had some success at Cancer Care with help for other medications and suggested I start there.



I went to my local Walmart pharmacy to find out how much the generic will cost and was shocked to find out that the cost was $446.42 for a 30 day supply. Femara was only (ha, ha) $564.00. I do not see a great savings with the generic.



I will let everyone know as I do more research and see where I can find help or the lowest prices.



Since the Protocols say you have to take Femara for 5 years I guess the drug companies feel they have a captive group to force paying the high prices.



Bookmark and come back for more info.



To your health (can’t say “and wealth” at these prices)
Leigh



PS: If you have any information that would help my readers please let us know. Thanks.

New Cancer Radiation Burn Relief! Sunburn Relief!

Are you having Radiation treatments and have red, blistered or irritated skin?
Do you sunburn when you go out to the beach or your child’s baseball game? This New Product May be just what you need!

I was talking to my best friend yesterday. She lives in Florida, had gone to the beach and had gotten serious sunburn on her head and face. She could not touch her forehead, it was so seriously burned.

A good friend of ours had recently gone through a series of radiation treatments for breast cancer. She had gotten severe Radiation burns and was given a new product to try on her burns
It immediately gave her relief and helped heal her blistered skin. She gave my friend some to try on her sunburn.

According to both of them this is the best product around for Radiation Burns and Severe Sunburn.

It is called: RADIADERM

Radiaderm is a 2 Step Treatment.

The first step is the cooling gel that cools and hydrates the skin to relieve discomfort and irritation and helps to promote healing. The gel is a water-based gel designed to quickly draw the heat out of a burn by acting as a heat exchanger. Heat energy is spread over the whole gel surface and at the outer surface of the gel, the heat is released into the air.

The second step is the Soothing Lotion that protects, moisturizes and helps promote healing. Also includes a sunscreen. The lotion helps to rejuvenate damaged skin stressed by radiation. It can also be included in your daily skincare routine.

The Cooling Gel and Soothing Lotion contain Lactokine™ Fluid, a milk-based skin rejuvenator that has been used in personal care products for over 15 years. Lactokine helps build the skin’s defense and protects against inflammation and helps stressed skin recover faster.

The Radiaderm™ Advanced Skincare System with Lactokine™ is listed in most national drug databanks with the National Drug Code Number NDC 59898-130-30 and may be eligible for reimbursement through insurance.

You can go to their web site at http://www.radiaderm.com/ to get all the information about this new product.

You can order online at http://www.radiaderm.com/ and Get free ground shipping!
Order Toll-free at 1-800 -693-1171or Contact your radiation center or hospital pharmacy.

To your Health, Leigh



Medical Disclaimer: All information on this site is of a general nature and is furnished for your knowledge and understanding only. This information is not to be taken as medical or other health advice pertaining to your specific health and medical condition.