Handling of tramadol in health and justice sites
This change re-classified tramadol as a Schedule 3 controlled drug. The guidance set out he legislative requirements and provisions for safe access to this medicine by patients resident in HM prisons, young offender institutions, immigration removal centres, secure training centres and secure children’s homes. (Source: NHS Networks)
Source: NHS Networks - June 13, 2014 Category: UK Health Authors: Maria Axford Source Type: news
Changes to legislation: tramadol, lisdexamfetamine, zopiclone and zaleplon
Changes to legislation affecting tramadol, lisdexamfetamine, zopiclone and zaleplon have come into force today (10th June 2014).
Further information on the changes including professional guidance and frequently asked questions is available in our recently published (Source: Royal Pharmaceutical Society News)
Source: Royal Pharmaceutical Society News - June 9, 2014 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: news
Counties in California sue manufacturers of opioid analgesics
This week, two counties in California sues five manufacturers of opioid analgesics, accusing them of carrying out a “campaign of deception” to boost sales of their products. According to a report in the Los Angeles Times:
In sweeping language reminiscent of the legal attack against the tobacco industry, the lawsuit alleges the drug companies have reaped blockbuster profits by manipulating doctors into believing the benefits of narcotic painkillers outweighed the risks, despite “a wealth of scientific evidence to the contrary.” The effort “opened the floodgates” for such drugs and “...
Source: The Poison Review - May 25, 2014 Category: Toxicology Authors: Leon Tags: Medical lawsuit opiates opioid analgesics pain as fifth vital sign Source Type: news
The 4th Annual Alexander Awards: Best Tox Reading of 2013
Alexander Gettler
The coveted Alexander award is named in honor of Alexander Gettler (1883-1968), the chief toxicologist with the Office of the Medical Examiner of the City of New York during the first half of the 20th century. Gettler was a key figure in the development of modern forensic toxicology. By the way, Gettler will certainly be a key figure when a documentary based on Deborah Blum’s book The Poisoner’s Handbook: Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York is broadcast in early January on the PBS series “American Experience.”
To be eligible to win an Alexander, an artic...
Source: The Poison Review - December 31, 2013 Category: Toxicology Authors: Leon Tags: Medical long form journalism medical toxicology Source Type: news
Facing the fear and doing it anyway – Jane’s Subtotal Hysterectomy Story
Hello everyone! I’m Jane and I had a subtotal hysterectomy 12 days ago now, on 18th December 2013. I kept my ovaries. I’m 45 years old and had had fibroid issues for six years. These started off as just being irregular periods but in the last 2 years had escalated to a combination of hormone imbalance and fibroids leaving me feeling out of sorts more often than I was feeling normal, long stretches of being savagely pre-menstrual and never knowing when my (heavy and leak / flooding-laden) period was going to arrive or how long it would last.
I had investigated and asked about the possibility of embolisation and...
Source: The Hysterectomy Association - December 30, 2013 Category: OBGYN Authors: Linda Parkinson-Hardman Tags: Your Stories ablation embolisation fibroids subtotal hysterectomy Source Type: news
Facing the fear and doing it anyway – Jane ’ s Subtotal Hysterectomy Story
Hello everyone! I’m Jane and I had a subtotal hysterectomy 12 days ago now, on 18th December 2013. I kept my ovaries. I’m 45 years old and had had fibroid issues for six years. These started off as just being irregular periods but in the last 2 years had escalated to a combination of hormone imbalance and fibroids leaving me feeling out of sorts more often than I was feeling normal, long stretches of being savagely pre-menstrual and never knowing when my (heavy and leak / flooding-laden) period was going to arrive or how long it would last.
I had investigated and asked about the possibility of embolisation and...
Source: The Hysterectomy Association - December 30, 2013 Category: OBGYN Authors: Linda Parkinson-Hardman Tags: Health ablation embolisation fibroids hysterectomy stories subtotal hysterectomy Source Type: news
Facing the fear and doing it anyway – Jane ’ s Subtotal Hysterectomy Story
Hello everyone! I’m Jane and I had a subtotal hysterectomy 12 days ago now, on 18th December 2013. I kept my ovaries. I’m 45 years old and had had fibroid issues for six years. These started off as just being irregular periods but in the last 2 years had escalated to a combination of hormone imbalance and fibroids leaving me feeling out of sorts more often than I was feeling normal, long stretches of being savagely pre-menstrual and never knowing when my (heavy and leak / flooding-laden) period was going to arrive or how long it would last.
I had investigated and asked about the possibility of embolisation and...
Source: The Hysterectomy Association - December 30, 2013 Category: OBGYN Authors: Linda Parkinson-Hardman Tags: Health ablation embolisation fibroids hysterectomy stories subtotal hysterectomy Source Type: news
Painful Priapism, ADHD Drugs, and other News of Tox on the Web
This article is essential reading. (For more on tramadol, click here.)
[HT @DavidJuurlink]
Carbon Monoxide Toxicity: Over at Academic Life in Emergency Medicine, there is an excellent review of carbon monoxide toxicity by Dr. Dan Repplinger, with expert peer review by Dr. David Juurlink. The review focuses on the indications for hyberbaric oxygen therapy. Dr. Juurlink summation reflects my opinion on the matter exactly: ” . . .there are no absolute indications for HBO on patients with CO poisoning. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.” Another must-read.
Liver toxicity and dietary supplements: The New...
Source: The Poison Review - December 24, 2013 Category: Toxicology Authors: Leon Tags: Medical ADHD atomoxetine attention deficit hyperactivity disorder carbon monoxide poisoning cyanide deborah blum dietary supplements hepatotoxicity hyperbaric oxygen lead toxicity liver injury strattera tox on the web tramadol Source Type: news
Killing Pain: Tramadol the 'Safe' Drug of Abuse
(MedPage Today) -- Almost 2 decades have passed since the FDA approved tramadol as a 'safe' opioid, but the intervening years provide evidence to question that 'safe' claim, as this latest investigation by John Fauber for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel-MedPage Today revealed. (Source: MedPage Today Neurology)
Source: MedPage Today Neurology - December 22, 2013 Category: Neurology Source Type: news
Looking forward to the New Year (2014) – Lisa’s Story
Hi, I’m 50 yrs old. In 2010 I had a pelvic floor lift due to leaking urine when I laughed, coughed and did star jumps at the gym! My gynae decided he would replace my mirena coil at the same time. On having my coil checked later it could not be found, so I had a scan which showed multiple fibroids, small but plenty of them. I was assured that the coil would keep them at bay!
Two months ago after suffering with lower back pain and constipation, I returned to the doctors I had felt a large tender lump, lower right of my abdomen. I had a scan a week later and discovered my fibroids were much larger, with one 7cm plus t...
Source: The Hysterectomy Association - December 5, 2013 Category: OBGYN Authors: Linda Parkinson-Hardman Tags: Your Stories cancer fibroids Source Type: news
Looking forward to the New Year (2014) – Lisa ’ s Story
Hi, I’m 50 yrs old. In 2010 I had a pelvic floor lift due to leaking urine when I laughed, coughed and did star jumps at the gym! My gynae decided he would replace my mirena coil at the same time. On having my coil checked later it could not be found, so I had a scan which showed multiple fibroids, small but plenty of them. I was assured that the coil would keep them at bay!
Two months ago after suffering with lower back pain and constipation, I returned to the doctors I had felt a large tender lump, lower right of my abdomen. I had a scan a week later and discovered my fibroids were much larger, with one 7cm plus t...
Source: The Hysterectomy Association - December 5, 2013 Category: OBGYN Authors: Linda Parkinson-Hardman Tags: Health cancer fibroids hysterectomy stories Source Type: news
Looking forward to the New Year (2014) – Lisa ’ s Story
Hi, I’m 50 yrs old. In 2010 I had a pelvic floor lift due to leaking urine when I laughed, coughed and did star jumps at the gym! My gynae decided he would replace my mirena coil at the same time. On having my coil checked later it could not be found, so I had a scan which showed multiple fibroids, small but plenty of them. I was assured that the coil would keep them at bay!
Two months ago after suffering with lower back pain and constipation, I returned to the doctors I had felt a large tender lump, lower right of my abdomen. I had a scan a week later and discovered my fibroids were much larger, with one 7cm plus t...
Source: The Hysterectomy Association - December 5, 2013 Category: OBGYN Authors: Linda Parkinson-Hardman Tags: Health cancer fibroids hysterectomy stories Source Type: news
End of a long road – Shona ’ s Hysterectomy Story
Well my hysterectomy story began in 2008. Unfortunately I was having bad smear after bad smear and numerous cervical laser treatments to help. I had been on the combination pill for many years due to heavy and very irregular periods and when I hit a certain age and weight I was told this was no good for me anymore and thus had to change to something else, but what else?
Due to the numerous cervical laser treatments over a period of 4 years, my age, my weight (5.3 and 14 stone) my options were limited. My husband and I have one beautiful little girl who is nearly 9, and she was a miracle as arrived after 4 other pregnancies...
Source: The Hysterectomy Association - November 29, 2013 Category: OBGYN Authors: Linda Parkinson-Hardman Tags: Health cervical cancer heavy bleeding hysterectomy stories total abdominal hysterectomy Source Type: news
