Are you taking generic drugs? If so, listen up!

I’m sure many of you out there are on some prescription drugs to lower your cholesterol or your blood pressure, etc. I’m very upset and annoyed with the pharmacists and doctors who believe that a generic drug is identical to the brand name!

Many, including myself have experienced adverse reactions and nothing is being done about it. It just becomes a trial and error situation whereas; the doctors just prescribe another generic and see how your body deals with it. Duh!

I have had severe leg pain, tingling feelings on the bottom of my feet and my left hand, twitching of my left eye and discomfort in my left ear!  I stopped taking the generic cholesterol medication and the symptoms are now starting to subside after a little more than a week.  The doctor's answer to this is just put me yet on another generic statin drug!  It is dangerous to be on it and dangerous to be off of it!

I requested blood work to detect if any muscle damage has occured.

If a patient is offered a brand name drug for $200. And, then what they claim to be an identical drug but is a generic for $10.00! Shouldn’t that alone raise an eyebrow!

Most pharmacists routinely tell patients that generic drugs are identical to brand name medications. That is bull. This is what pharmacy students are told during their education process. It is also what the FDA states on its website:

"A generic drug is identical--or bioequivalent--to a brand name drug in dosage form, safety, strength, route of administration, quality, performance characteristics and intended use. Although generic drugs are chemically identical to their branded counterparts, they are typically sold at substantial discounts from the branded price."

Now, I don't know about you, but when I see the word identical, I assume that means exactly the same as.

Here is how Dictionary.com defines the word identical:

1. Similar or alike in every way
2. Being the very same
3. Agreeing exactly

Related Words for: identical
Indistinguishable, one and the same, selfsame

Medical Dictionary
1. Exactly equal and alike
2. Of or relating to a twin or twins developed from the same fertilized ovum and having the same genetic makeup and closely similar appearance; monozygotic."

The use of the word identical, when describing generic drugs, is misleading. First, the inactive ingredients (colors, binders, fillers, etc.) do not have to be "alike in every way" to the brand name product. In fact, they are often quite different. These so-called inactive ingredients or "excipients" may influence how the product affects patients. For example, a patient who is allergic to a particular color may develop a rash when switched to a generic product. The formulation may also differ dramatically from the brand name.

Plus, according to the FDA, 80 percent of the active and inactive ingredients in our pharmaceuticals come from abroad. It is estimated that 40 percent of the finished pills come from abroad including countries such as India, China, Brazil and Mexico.

When patients experience problems with certain generic formulations, doctors and pharmacists should offer a sympathetic ear and report the problems directly to the FDA's website (MedWatch). Perhaps if pharmacists insisted that the FDA do a better job both approving and monitoring generic drugs, patients would have more confidence in these money-saving pills.

What troubles me even more is that there are many patients out there with ailments and complaints of aches and pains and have no clue that their medication is responsible for it.  My question is “why the pharmacists and doctors not reporting all the complaints received from the patients regarding the generic drugs”?

You have to be your own medical advocate otherwise you are royally playing Russian roulette with your health and life!  Don't ignore those aches and pains and think it is just caused by aging.

I'm livid!



Ballroom Dancing!

I normally look forward to watching Dancing With The Stars on TV but I'm really getting uninterested, as it is no longer a dance competition but rather a popularity contest which upsets me.

I was a ballroom dancer all of my younger life and entered several competitions and did very well.  It is a lot of hard work and won ribbons and trophies for dancing the ballroom dances perfectly by judges.

I was exhilarating to glide across the that beautiful dance floor with the mirrored ball on the ceiling!  I loved every minute of it.  It was a wonderful time of my life.

Dancing With The Stars has eliminated superb dancers and kept individuals that cannot dance at all.  I don't consider climbing a flight of stairs dancing!  I suppose if your mother is "Cher".... you will get millions of votes.  This individual can't walk let alone dance!

I have nothing against transgender individuals but if you can't dance you should be eliminated!  Dancing with the Stars started out to be only with Dance Instructors and Celebrities........so if you are a child of a celebrity........how does that make you a celebrity? 

All these shows that allow people to vote is not fair.  You should not be selected the best dancer just because your friends are voting for you and/or your mother is a major star!  This competition should be graded by talent and hard work by judges only.

I have been voting every week for who is the best dancer in my personal opinion because I know what the dance steps involves to all the various ballroom dances.  I'm not going to bother anymore!  The show is getting ridiculous!

 



This is already a wonderful Day!

This is already a wonderful day!. Expect it to get even better!

I received two telephone calls and one email today from close friends that just started some new adventures in their life and some are experiencing different life changes.

Even though some of you are facing new challenges with new jobs or changing careers or letting go of a relationship, we all know how overwhelming and stressful it can get.

There are many interesting and useful things you already know. Expect to learn even more.

You all have successfully navigated through every past challenge. Expect to reap even greater success from the challenges you now face. However, do not let others take advantage of the new kid on the block. Some issues need to be nipped at the bud before it progresses.

There is already great value in your life and in your world. Expect to create even more.

As good as life is, you can make it even richer and more fulfilling. Expect to move forward today and you’ll find a way, no matter what, to make real progress.

If you knew without a doubt that you would get what you expect, what would you expect? Truly expect the best of today and you’ll find those expectations leading you steadily forward.

Best of luck to all of you! I’m praying that you will experience the best of today, tomorrow and the following days thereafter!

When you assert yourself, you make your own Choices. You make room for your confidence to Explode. Practice confident assertion by saying, "Yes" to the things you want to do and, "No" to the things you don't.

Don't be afraid or feel guilty for asserting yourself. You have nothing to lose. You will only become Stronger and more self sufficient, and in turn your Self respect and self worth will shine!

I’m praying for all three of you my special dear ones!  I want to see all of you SHINE!

Dreading sitting in the Dentist Chair!

I’ve always feared the dentist chair due to aggressive dentists which cause unnecessary pain to the patient. I now have to make an appointment again and my heart continues to race. Let’s say, I have extreme case of dental phobia! I’m well aware that my fears are not uncommon and many steer clear of the dentist each year due to anxiety.

I have been letting this dental issue linger longer than I should have and now it’s time to pay the piper!

I got some referrals from friends and found a great woman dentist a few towns away. She was amazing and calmed my fears. She explained to me that new technologies have made dental procedures shorter and state of the art instruments mean less discomfort.

Plus, she stated that the younger dentists today acknowledge patient stress.

Unfortunately, this new found wonderful dentist does not accept Medicare patients or any form of insurance for that matter. With Humana Gold Plus, I’m allowed free cleanings and xrays. That alone is costly. So, I thought I’d try the Humana way and hate to leave the lovely woman dentist that doesn’t hurt me sitting in that “chair”.

Keep flossing everyone!

Don't Let Life Discourage You!

I had one of those “melt down” days over something stupid!

It started when I left my Silvers Sneakers Class the other morning and this “road rage” poured out of me when I was leaving the parking lot to my gym. I counted seven (7) freaking cars that the drivers did not use their directionals to alert me that they were pulling in the parking lot I was pulling out of…..and yes, they all had their freaking cell phones glued to their ears! That got my blood boiling!

I think if all these Cell Phone users had to take their driver's license test over again, they would all flunk the test!  They are all forgetting the rules of the road because they are letting their cell phones distract them!

Yes, I have Bluetooth in my car so I’m fortunate that I don’t have to hold my phone to my ear but I care about my safety and the safety of others that I do not use my cell phone while driving unless it was an emergency.

How many years have we all gone without “cell phones”? Are all these calls really that urgent while driving?

I know there will be days when we all end up having a melt own, freaking out, and going into an emotional tailspin. It’s completely normal, I understand that.

 

What’s important is, once it’s over, I  need to pick up the pieces and regain my composure.  My problem is I beat myself up over it because I lost control.

We all expect bad days every once in a while. These days may scare me and upset me, but I realize they are all part of life. A great day is just around the corner!

I just imagine all the great things I could do if I were calm, peaceful, and relaxed while at the same time being highly determined and persistent. Though I often think of determination as stressful, anxious, hard-edged, and I also realize that it does not have to be. In fact, calm determination is every bit as effective as frenzied determination -- in most cases even more effective. And, it is a heck of a lot  more enjoyable.

I try real hard to give my best to when my day starts in the morning and give my best to all my efforts and pray that good things will come from it. I know that Hurricane Season here in South Florida is not helping my “feel good” days!

I wish I had more beads to make a pretty necklace or something with my newly found craft making “Fashion Jewelry”. I truly enjoy it and it calms me as well.



We all know what happens when we get older!

I’ve have not written in a while. My mind has been focused on family members that are ailing with one in a wheelchair suffering with Parkinsons, another sibling that has been falling and losing balance, two others with hip replacements, and one that is bedridden, and one that had a bad fall.

And very recently, my adorable niece just lost her husband and a young age of 55 from cancer. So very sad! All live out of state so I feel helpless living here in Florida and they are all in the Boston area. As you must realize by now that I come from a very large family!

Where have all the years gone that my siblings and myself are getting older and we all know what can happen as we get older: memory loss, aching bones, weight gain, diabetes, heart problems . . . But the real culprits aren't the problems per se; the biological mechanisms that cause them in the first place are. They are called the major agers.

Your genes determine how you age -- and what conditions and diseases you're most vulnerable to getting. You can't change your genes, but you can help control the way they take over your body. I’ve learned to protect myself from sunburn, I quit smoking four and a half years ago and I try to meditate almost every day to reduce my stress, I have become a Vegan (modified) and I exercise.

So…..

STOP SMOKING!

EAT HEALTHY!

EXERCISE!

I purchased a DVD to try Chi Gong, a series of meditative movements that help calm the immune system to reduce chronic inflammation. It really helps me a lot and I continue with my Silver Sneakers Classes at my gym three days a week.

We live in a world with chemicals -- from cars, cleaning products, pesticides on our food and fumes from factories. Some of the toxins make themselves obvious (for instance, they smell bad), but many are colorless or odorless, so you may not notice that they're seeping into your world and your body.

A few years ago, I purchased a floor steamer to steam my tiled floors and my rugs; I’ve also purchased special cleaning cloths to eliminate the constant use of paper towels for cleaning. Going Green is not that hard and it will save you tons of money as well.

I think it is important to detox your home the best you can.

Right now my mind is spinning with so many concerns and foremost the pain my young niece is experiencing right now with her loss. I know only too well that going from widowhood to selfhood is more than coping and overcoming. We are dragged unwillingly into this so-called life passage, as always there will be good days and bad days and all the little inequities that comprise life at any time.

I know that acceptance is the final stage of recovery for widows and when you reach that stage you will be able to function independently and to make a new life. I wish I could lighten her burden but unfortunately, it’s a road one has to travel by yourself to accept the final stage and it is not easy and I say this from experience.

Ready or not, here it comes!

Whether high tech changes are good or bad depends in part on how we adapt to them. But, ready or not, here they come.

I personally can’t imagine the world without the Post Office but I surely see it coming soon. They are so deeply in financial trouble that there is probably no way to sustain it long term. E-mail, Fed Ex, and UPS have just about wiped out the minimum revenue needed to keep the post office alive. Most of us pay our bills online these days and the mailbox is just filled with junk mail.

The end of reading most Newspapers is coming. I now read mine online. It was just a thing to do after retirement and trying to cut back on expenses. But I have noticed that the younger generation simply doesn't read the newspaper. I do feel bad that so many people will be unemployed because of our new high tech way of life. I still miss the “Milk Man”.

I no longer purchase Magazines either.

No, I have not given up the physical book yet for the “Kindle”. I still love going to my local library to select a few books to read.

I’m considering dropping my landline and just keep my cell phone but I get a little uncomfortable of letting go of it just yet. All the cell phone companies will let you call customers using the same cell provider for no charge against your minutes but then again not everyone is on the same provider!

I’m upset that my CD player stopped working. I had the 6 CD changer which I loved. I have invested a great deal of money on CDs to enjoy my personal selection of music. Try and find a CD player today………….I truly don’t want to buy an IPOD.

But I do miss my music especially when I’m doing my housework or cooking.  There is the option for the very expensive "Bose" but who can afford it and it is quite pricey should it breakdown leaving you still searching for a CD player?????

I’m very much aware that most of my prize possessions I own today may not even be around in the future. Today my computer stores my photos, music, graphics, blogs and documents.

We live in a virtual cyberspace world, you can access your music or your books, or your whatever from any laptop or handheld device. You can purchase just about anything you want or need via the computer or your fancy phone. That's the good news.

But, will you actually have any of this "stuff" if it disappears at any moment in a big "Poof?" Will most of the things in our lives be disposable? It makes you want a backup system and pull out that photo album, grab a book from the shelf, or open up a CD case and pull out the insert.

We no longer have privacy…that is gone. It's been gone for a long time. There are cameras on the street, in most of the buildings, and even built into your computer and cell phone. But you can be sure that 24/7, "They" know who you are and where you are, right down to the GPS. We are constantly being put in a position to keep buying the same concept but in a different package over and over again.

As much as I love my computer, the “simple” life was comforting and certainly less expensive. We are left with the memories!

Tips for Staying Young!

Scams!

What’s with all the scams on the Internet Lately!  Yikes!

First, I get a phone call from a friend to inform me that her computer had been compromised and her contact list was snatched.  Well, I did receive an email and many others did as well that she was stranded in Spain and needs money!

Then not that long ago, a family member called me to say that a message keeps flashing on the computer screen “Warning” Your system requires immediate anti-virus scan.”  A free scan is offered.  What do you do?

Well, I personally saw that flashing message too.  I recalled reading somewhere to DO NOT CLICK ON IT ANYWHERE NOT EVEN DO NOT CLICK ON “NO THANKS” AND JUST MANUALLY SHUT DOWN YOUR COMPUTER BY PRESSING THE BUTTON ON YOUR TOWER.

Another solution is to hold down the Control and Alt keys and hit Delete.  Once the application tab pops up, select “End Task”.  Then always do a full scan on your computer with the anti-virus software you already have.  I find it strange that the anti-virus programs we have installed in our computers don’t already detect these scams and throw them into a scam folder immediately.  I’m a self-taught computer person and I don’t have all the answers but I try to learn as much as I can.

Just recently as yesterday, I received a Scam that claimed they were from AOL and that I had to provide them with updated information within a certain amount of time otherwise my service would shut down.  They asked for usernames and passcodes.  Well, I forwarded that email along to AOL for them to try and investigate who was doing this.

Many of us have received scams that look just like it is coming from our banks with their logos.  The banks say: they do not email their customers requesting personal information of any kind.  And always be warned when you see “Dear Customer” instead of your real name.

How good are you at recognizing a scam or a con?  More important, we all have to learn as to what to do to avoid being ripped off or having your identity stolen or being conned out of your money.

Recently, on the News, it was stating that the ATM machines are another scam……….is anywhere safe these days?  They said that only after the light flashes should you proceed with entering your PIN, and to cover the keypad to block prying eyes or cameras.  I avoid ATM machines altogether.  Is life so busy that you can’t go through the drive through or walk straight in to the bank to withdraw funds?

Sad that we have to shred our junk mail or any mail we no longer need.  People actually go through the trash bins for personal information.  What has this world turned into?  Surely, if something is illegal, it is definitely something the con artist is interested in.  Heaven forbid these people should work a regular 9-5 job for income instead of stealing it from innocent citizens, who work hard for their paychecks to support themselves and their families.

IrreSISTIble Baubles!

Fashion jewelry is popular, but it can be expensive to buy. And you can't always find pieces in the colors or styles that you like. There are some pieces you can make that won't cost you a lot, and you can design them specifically for your needs and have fun doing it.

My daughter's girlfriend, who is a newbie to South Florida taught me the basics of making fashion jewelry. She created a "Monster"! I've been living in Bead Shops and researching tips online for tutorials ever since my first lesson. She is a great teacher!

Well, after purchasing the necessary tools to create these amazing pieces of jewelry, I also purchased the desk style magnifying glass which certainly made my life easier.

I started off easy with making my first pair of earrings and then wanted to learn and make more and more.

Recently attended a Bead Show was amazing to see all that is available.

P.S.  Thank you to Kathy (from the gym) for naming the title of this Post!

Honey is Sweet but Bees Sting!

There are two days in every week about which we should not worry, two days which should be kept free from fear and apprehension.

One of these days is Yesterday with all its mistakes and cares, its faults and blunders, its aches and pains. Yesterday has passed forever beyond our control. All the money in the world cannot bring back Yesterday. We cannot undo a single act we performed; we cannot erase a single word we said. Yesterday is gone forever.

The other day we should not worry about is Tomorrow with all its possible adversities, its burdens, its large promise and its poor performance;

Tomorrow is also beyond our immediate control. Tomorrow's sun will rise, either in splendor or behind a mask of clouds, but it will rise. Until it does, we have no stake in Tomorrow, for it is yet to be born.

This leaves only one day, Today. Any person can combat the battle of just one day. Ever notice when you and add the burdens of those two awful eternities Yesterday and Tomorrow that we break down.

It is not the experience of Today that drives a person mad, it is the remorse or bitterness of something which happened Yesterday and the dread of what Tomorrow may bring.

Therefore, I try to live but one day at a time.