It is good to know that there are folks out there who are rooting for getting pain relief to the masses. As one of the masses, I follow with interest what goes on in the healthcare business. Hope this article encourages you.

ANAHEIM, Calif. (Oct. 30, 2009)—In addition to the PAINWeek 2009 conference held last month in Las Vegas, Nev., the National Fibromyalgia Association has been involved in other recent efforts designed to assist medical professionals with the diagnosis and treatment of fibromyalgia.
“It often takes two to five years for fibromyalgia patients to receive a diagnosis and it is equally challenging for them to obtain appropriate treatment,” says NFA Executive Director Rae Marie Gleason. “Our goal is reduce these barriers to patient care through healthcare provider education.”

Below is an overview of recent efforts aimed at improving access to care for fibromyalgia patients.

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Found this article and wanted to pass it on to you. I have often had questions about disposing of medications and this information has been very helpful. 

What You Should Know

Medicines play an important role in treating certain conditions and diseases, but they must be taken with care. Unused portions of these medicines must be disposed of properly to avoid harm. Almost all medicines can be thrown away in the household trash after mixing them with some unpalatable substance (e.g., coffee grounds) and sealing them in a container.

However, certain medicines may be especially harmful and, in some cases, fatal in a single dose if they are used by someone other than the person the medicine was prescribed for. For this reason, a few medicines have special disposal directions that indicate they should be flushed down the sink or toilet after the medicine is no longer needed. If you dispose of these medicines down the sink or toilet, they cannot be accidently used by children, pets, or anybody else.  

You may have also received disposal directions for these medicines when you picked up your prescription. If your medicine is on this list, and you did not receive information on disposal with your prescription, you can find directions on how to dispose of the medicines at DailyMed. After you search on the drug name, the disposal information for these medicines can be found in one of the following sections of the prescribing information: 

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(HealthNewsDigest.com) - Augusta, GA—When you’re struggling with chronic pain, sometimes it feels like your life is out of your control.

Healthy Eating
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Released: 9/11/2009 2:30 PM EDT
Source: Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing

Newswise — Pain, a frequent fellow traveler with both acute and chronic illnesses, can drive some people to the emergency room or doctor’s office. For others, pain, or fear of it, can keep them from seeking care in the first place. Because they are on the front lines of care, nurses are also in the forefront of pain management, working with patients at the bedside and at the research bench. At the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing (JHUSON) and the Johns Hopkins Hospital (JHH), research and staff nurses strive to better understand what pain is all about, how it affects body and mind both in the short-term and over time, and how it can be reduced or prevented altogether. They understand that, contrary to the adage, pain actually gets in the way of gain, whether the gain is improved health or the quality of life as a whole.

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It doesn’t take a person long to realize that bad things are happening to good people. The economy’s downward plunge has affected many Christians as well as non-Christians. How can that be when we are committed to living godly lives and following Scriptural principles?

The answer, of course, is in God’s Word, the Bible:

3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us—they help us learn to endure.

4 And endurance develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation.

 5 And this expectation will not disappoint us. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

Romans 5:3-5 (NLT)

Our suffering is not meaningless. And because of this very truth, we Christians have hope. Maybe not hope in an improved economy, or a stimulus package, or a new retirement program, but hope in an unchanging, and therefore trustworthy, God. He has a plan for us, no matter what the condition of our pocketbook, or the deterioration of the rest of the world.

So should we be suffering in our circumstances? What’s the point of the lesson if we do not? We are not measured by our emotions or our feelings; we are not required to hold our heads high and appear undaunted; we are not called to declare Scripture in the hope that we sound as if we’re hanging in there.

Suffering is suffering. It’s a part of our walk. We are not “lesser” Christians because we are hurting, be it physical, emotional, or financial. Our suffering makes us stronger Christians! And this will become apparent once we’ve lived through our current situation.

Our joy, therefore, is found in spite of, not because of, what our circumstances looks like. Our hope is faith-based not situation-based. Prayer, church, and Scripture are our fuel. Jesus is our cornerstone. Be not downcast, oh saints of God. He has a plan for each of us, and we’re in the middle of it now… So hang on for the ride!

5 Why am I discouraged? Why so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and 6 my God! Psalms 42:5-6 (NLT)

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Just last week my chronic pain support group discussed how we might hear God speaking to us. We agreed that spending time in the Bible was obviously a place to start as well as memorizing His Word. And then I received Max Lucados weekly devotional and thought I would share it with you:

Learning to Listen
by Max LucadoEquipped with the right tools, we can learn to listen to God. What are those tools? Here are the ones I have found helpful.

A regular time and place. Select a slot on your schedule and a corner of your world, and claim it for God. For some it may be best to do this in the morning. Others prefer the evening Others prefer many encounters during the day.

Some sit under a tree, others in the kitchen. Maybe your commute to work or your lunch break would be appropriate. Find a time and place that seems right for you.

How much time should you take? As much as you need. Value quality over length. Your time with God should last long enough for you to say what you want and for God to say what he wants. Which leads us to a second tool you need—an open Bible.

God speaks to us through his Word. The first step in reading the Bible is to ask God to help you understand it.

Before reading the Bible, pray. Don’t go to Scripture looking for your own idea; go searching for God’s. Read the Bible prayerfully. Also, read the Bible carefully.

Here is a practical point. Study the Bible a little at a time. God seems to send messages as he did his manna: one day’s portion at a time. Choose depth over quantity. Read until a verse “hits” you, then stop and meditate on it. Copy the verse onto a sheet of paper, or write it in your journal, and reflect on it several times.

Will I learn what God intends? If I listen, I will.

Understanding comes a little at a time over a lifetime.

There is a third tool for having a productive time with God. Not only do we need a regular time and an open Bible, we also need a listening heart. Don’t forget the admonition from James: “The man who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and makes a habit of so doing, is not the man who hears and forgets. He puts that law into practice and he wins true happiness” (James 1:25 PHILLIPS).

We know we are listening to God when what we read in the Bible is what others see in our lives.

Paul urged his readers to put into practice what they had learned from him. “What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, do” (Phil. 4:9 RSV).

If you want to be just like Jesus, let God have you. Spend time listening for him until you receive your lesson for the day—then apply it.

From Just Like Jesus
Copyright (W Publishing Group, 1998, 2001) Max Lucado

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If you have any kind of bladder problems, this list of  foods collected by the Interstitial Cystitis Association may be of interest to you.

The list below includes foods that many IC patients report to be least bothersome (Bladder Friendly)… This list is not intended to serve as a meal plan, but rather to be used as a guide.

When you are learning about which and how much of specific foods bother you, you may find it helpful to follow an elimination diet.

Download a PDF version of Understanding the IC/PBS Diet and Food List.

alcohol – not only irritating to the bladder but also contraindicated with many IC medications
water –carbonated, vitamin, flavored
juice – cranberry, orange, acai
milk – chocolate, soy
coffee – regular & decaf
teas – regular, green, herbal, iced
sodas – colas, citrus, orange, diet
drink powders – such as Kool-aid®, lemonade, orange, or powdered ice tea drinks sports drinks
energy drinks – guarana, mate

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Fibromyalgia Network Journal has been most informative, especially on the newest research being done re: FM. Members can give feedback and take surveys which allow us to be part of the information gathering of various studies.

I have included information below that will allow you to access issues at an extremely low cost. If your interested in what research is being done re: FM, this Newsletter is for you!

We also want to let some of you know that many of the topics suggested have been addressed in back issues of the Journal. To fill the holes in your collection, we are offering the entire library of the Fibromyalgia Network Journal to Members Only at the bare-bones price of $21.50. For a limited time you can purchase the complete in-stock library of 20 back issues at a 45% savings.

If you think about it, that’s almost 200 articles covering ONLY FM-related issues. A sampling of topics include some unusual problematic symptoms, medications, sleep, myofascial trigger points, stress, cognitive dysfunction, genetics, food and nutrition, brain imaging, and alternative therapies such as acupuncture, tai chi, and massage. Also covered are associated conditions such as irritable bowel, vulvar pain, headaches, back pain, acid reflux, muscle cramps, burning sensations, muscle strength issues, and much more.

As you already know, our articles don’t just tell you what the researchers are saying, they include treatment strategies, self-help options, and additional resources that can improve how you feel. More articles also help you cope with everyday problems such as working with your doctor, alleviating guilty feelings, losing weight, handling flares, communicating with family and friends, employment issues, and your rights as patients.

If you have been a Member for years, or just recently joined us, consider the benefits of owning the entire library:

• You will have a clean collection of back issues devoid of earmarks and tears that you can store in one place for handy reference.
• Fill in the gaps for the issues you have loaned out, misplaced, or intended to order.
• It makes a great gift for a family member or friend who has FM or chronic fatigue.
• Use it to educate your health care team so that you receive better care in return.

Don’t pass up this rare opportunity. Use Purchase Number B21 when you order by one of the following methods:

• Order online (use Purchase Number B21 when you check out)
• Call us toll-free at (800) 853-2929 weekdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (PST)
• By mail with a check or money order. Please print an order form and note Purchase Number B21 on your check.

Additional Member Benefits

Whether you have been with us a few months or a several years, we want to remind you to take advantage of all the benefits you are entitled as they compliment your Journal and the monthly eNews Alerts.

• Continue sending us your suggested topics for future issues. We value your ideas.
• Got a question? Please send them to us so we can have them addressed by experts in the field for our Q&A section.
• Do you have a therapy that helps you? We’re not talking about a miracle cure, but something that has improved the quality of your life. Please e-mail editor@fmnetnews.com with your “Therapies that Work” idea to share with others.
• In the back of each Journal is a web address where you can find “Abstracts on the Web.” Please feel free to look over the summaries of the scientific research we use in each issue.
• Our phone number is toll-free throughout the United States and Canada at (800) 853-2929.
• Looking for a new doctor? Our doctor referral lists are available to all Members. These lists of doctors who have been recommended to us by our members, organized by state are updated regularly. To receive one, all you need to do is send us a self-addressed envelope with first-class postage. (A business size, number 10 envelope is preferred). Include a note that you are requesting the list for your state.
• Connect to support groups. The referral list also contains support group leaders in your state. These leaders are often valuable sources for information in your region. Don’t hesitate to contact them. Please mail your request to:
  

  Fibromyalgia Network
  PO Box 31750
  Tucson, AZ 85751-1750

We do not post state referral lists online to avoid solicitation by e-mail, phone, or mail to our doctors and support group leaders by marketing companies, advertisers, pharmaceutical companies, etc.

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