Generic Imitrex Pills are not Triangular or Pink - What a Rip-Off

Yours truly has gone generic - at least with Imitrex. We should probably call it Sumatriptan now, it being not-brand-name-like; on the other hand, GImitrex we can still pronounce.

The migraine is coming on as yours truly is typing it. The time for the big guns is here. This is the very first time yours truly will be loading on this generic goodness. Will keep you posted as to how well it works compared to the brand-name Imitrex.

For now, my gentle readers - the first impressions pictorial.

The box, airbrushed - yours truly does like some privacy:


More box, the other side. Generic at it's most generic:


Three pills per sheet, three sheets in a box. Have they heard of conservation?



The mysterious 223 pill. Has Dr. Ready's Labs ran out of food coloring? Or triangular shapes? Even a round pill would have been better. Everyone knows the oval pills don't work as well as the round ones. Also, if memory serves, yours truly has specifically asked to make these strawberry-flavored. And they ain't...



Well, now lets see if these actually work. Down the hatch. Stay tuned, my gentle readers.

Harry Potter had Migraines?

Scientists from New England Center for Headache in Stamford have concluded that Harry Potter might have had migraines.

They tracked the progress of the headaches from the time Potter was 11 years old all the way to 17. The good scientists even published a paper on the subject in Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain - "Harry Potter and the Curse of Headache."

These are the symptoms that led to the migraine diagnosis:

• Headaches began around age 11
• Severe stabbing pains in the trigeminal nerve
• Headaches were one-sided

The paper does admit that the attacks lasted only a short time, however. Also, in the books, the only trigger Harry Potter had was Lord Voldemort.


link: Diagnosing Harry Potter's Headaches

Migraines and Birth Control Pills

Could birth control pills be a migraine trigger? According to Dr. Thomas Shieh's recent article in guampdn.com, the pill as a trigger for migraines is controversial topic. Some say yay, some say ney.

However, he does state pretty categorically that estrogen-based birth control pills do have an effect on migraines in certain women. Here's his advice:

"If you are experiencing severe migraines often, I would suggest stopping the pills. Take a rest period and see if your migraines subside.

You should know that women with chronic migraines are at higher risk of strokes compared to those without. Within this population of women with a strong history of migraines, adding estrogen pills adds to their risk of a stroke. Thus, I usually recommend them getting off of these pills, or switching to pills that don't contain estrogen.

I know you do not want to get pregnant, and I would suggest you talk to your doctor about contraceptive pills without estrogen, other methods and if desired, permanent surgical options as well."

guampdn.com

No MSG Added - a Little White Lie? Part Deux

"MSG is one of the more common migraine food triggers. You might not find M, S and G on the label of whatever product you are buying at your local grocery store, but rest assured, it's most likely there. Even if it says - no MSG added." - starts the article No MSG Added - a Little White Lie? yours truly wrote a while ago about hidden dangers of MSG.

Here's some more MSG-in-hiding facts for my gentle reader's consideration from The dirty secret of MSG - it's everywhere, by Charlotte Law :

"A pesticide company called Emerald BioAgriculture uses an MSG type of "growth enhancer" which they have been spraying onto selected vegetables and nuts since 1999; the company is currently looking to get government permission to use the substance on organic produce.

Meats, seafood and poultry can be rinsed or injected with MSG before reaching your plate, and restaurant salad bars can get an MSG spritz, giving lettuce that perky look. This toxic additive can be found in vitamins, soaps, cosmetics, chewing gum and intravenous hospital fluids. It can be found in children's medications, and it might lurk inside your migraine prescription.

In short, MSG acts as cheap filler, a flavor enhancer and a cosmetic surgeon, fooling unsuspecting consumers into thinking aged, withered foods are fresh. It can hide unpleasant tastes. It has an addictive component much like nicotine, and recent studies in Spain have conclusively linked it with obesity. MSG means profits for the food industry and its powerful Washington lobbyists; and it is no surprise that proper labeling legislation remains elusive.

If any additive containing the essential active ingredient of MSG, glutamic acid or free glutamate, is an amount that is less than 78 percent, the government does not require it to be labeled MSG. This is deceptive because MSG itself contains over 78 percent of free glutamates.

There are epidemiological studies, such as those brought to light by Dr. Adrienne Samuels, suggesting that up to 40 percent of the U.S. population suffers from adverse reactions to MSG with drowsiness, numbness, chest pains, nausea, facial pressure, difficulty in breathing or headaches. The FDA claims only 2 percent of the population experience a bad reaction, but even if this is right, it amounts to whopping 6 million Americans - more than the 3 million who are allergic to peanuts."

The dirty secret of MSG - it's everywhere

Migraine Safety Rules for Outdoor Celebrations

Happy Independence Day holiday to all my gentle readers!


Here's some MIGRAINE SAFETY RULES that should prevent the celebration turning into a Migraine nightmare:

• Do stay away from the sun - heatstroke and dehydration are among primary causes for migraine.
• Drink plenty of water if you are outside, for the reasons mentioned above.
• Don't forget your sunglasses - shades should limit flare and harsh light and keep your eyes from getting tired too fast.
• Try not to inhale too much smoke from the fireworks - not only it's toxic, the smell is so strong it will trigger a migraine no time flat in those of us who are smell-sensitive.
• If your party is planning fireworks, take some earplugs along. Unlike the normals, you'll hear the BOOM even with ears stuffed.
• If you drink alcohol, pace yourself. Better eat something before you drink and get plenty of water in between your beers.
• If there's a cookout, eat more meat (or veggies, if you are a vegetarian) and less of those tasty bans. This cheap variety of bread will jump your blood sugar sky-high and then flour it in fifteen minutes flat. That's a more guaranteed way to get a migraine that polishing a six-pack.

Have fun, my gentle readers!

Migraine Headaches and Reduced Academic Performance

Suffering from migraine headaches as an adolescent leads to lower high school grades and decreases in the likelihood of graduating high school and the likelihood of attending college, according to Daniel Rees, economics professor at University of Colorado Denver, and Joseph Sabia, professor of public policy at American University's School of Public Affairs. These results were presented on Wednesday, July 1, at the 84th Annual Conference of the Western Economic Association International in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Professors Rees and Sabia analyzed data on sibling pairs from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Parental reports identified siblings raised in the same household with different migraine experiences. The authors discovered that suffering from migraine headaches was associated with a five percent reduction in high school GPA, a five percent reduction in the likelihood of graduating from high school, and a 15 percent reduction in the likelihood of attending college. Thirty to 40 percent of these reductions could be explained by excused absences from school, difficulty paying attention in class, and difficulty completing homework. Non-migraine headaches were not associated with reductions in academic performance.

"By focusing on differences between siblings, we can rule out the possibility that family-level factors such as socioeconomic status are driving the relationship between migraine headache and academic performance," said Rees.

Professors Rees and Sabia were able to examine the migraine experiences and high school grades of 214 siblings from 105 families. Information on high school completion and college attendance data was obtained from 280 siblings belonging to 137 families. By comparing the educational attainment of siblings, this study was able to account for the influence of a variety of difficult-to-measure factors such the quality of the home environment. It is the first study to examine the effect of suffering from migraine headaches as an adolescent on future academic achievement.

"We know that migraine headaches can profoundly impact quality of life. Our study offers evidence that they are an important obstacle to long-term academic success," said Sabia, whose research focuses on health economics. "Our results show that migraine sufferers have trouble attending school and have trouble concentrating on the days they do make it to school," Sabia added.

To access the complete data for this study, please visit:

http://econ.cudenver.edu/home/workingpapers/Rees_WP_09-07.pdf

AScribe

Migraines, Erection and Butter Scotch

Scientists at the University of Leicester are researching how Nitric Oxide (NO) acts to regulate brain function. Specifically, to see if there's any potential in NO for treatments of migraine, chronic pain, epilepsy and Alzheimer’s disease, sciencedaily reports.

Nitric oxide or nitrogen monoxide is a chemical compound with chemical formula NO. This gas is an important signaling molecule in the body of mammals, including humans. Its primary known function is that the inner lining of blood vessels use nitric oxide to signal the surrounding smooth muscle to relax, thus resulting in vasodilation and increasing blood flow.

This particular function of NO is exploited in the treatment of erectile dysfunction, notably by pharmaceutical drugs such as Viagra or Cialis.

However, the above mentioned scientists asked themselves a question: “Nitric oxide synthesizing enzymes are widely expressed in brain cells... Why is a molecule that can produce penile erections necessary in the brain?”

Apparently, nitric oxide produced by a cell ‘listening’ to its synapses (junctions between brain cells) can change the message received from the incoming ‘talking’ cell.

Too much or too little NO present in those synapses would alter that incoming message. If this brain cell communication goes wrong for a while, interestingly painful syndromes will occur. They include, but not limited to - migraine, chronic pain and epilepsy.

The good scientists have not shared with us more than their intention to learn more about "Understanding how brain cells communicate" by concentrating on Nitric Oxide since it does appear to be "a fundamental signaling molecule".

Here's hoping that their research will lead to something more that just Viagra 2.0. If they want to do that, they could simply add butter-scotch flavor to the darn thing.


link: Health Benefits Of Molecule Associated With Male Sexual Arousal Examined