Yesterday my little dog Casey passed away. He was 15 years old, had him since he was a wee puppy, a white toy poodle, regularly in fine health, but he lost to old age. We knew it wouldn’t be long, as Casey began having problems with his back legs and balance, also urinating on the [...]
Archive for November, 2008
26 Nov
New Migraine Drug Shows Promise
Telcagepant works differently than standard triptans, researchers say
By Robert Preidt
MONDAY, Nov. 24 (HealthDay News) — A drug called telcagepant proved safe and effective in treating migraines and caused fewer side effects than the widely-used migraine drug zolmitriptan (Zomig), according to a study conducted by drug maker Merck & Co.
Zolmitriptan and other triptans are effective but [...]
26 Nov
Link Between Depression, Cardio Events
Link Between Depression, Higher Risk Of Cardio Events May Be Because Of Change In Health Behaviors
ScienceDaily (Nov. 25, 2008) — The increased risk of cardiovascular events for patients with coronary heart disease and symptoms of depression appears to be largely explained by a change in health behaviors, especially a lack of physical activity, according to [...]
26 Nov
In Sickness And Health: Caring For Ailing Spouse May Prolong Your Life
ScienceDaily (Nov. 25, 2008) — Older people who spent at least 14 hours a week taking care of a disabled spouse lived longer than others. That is the unexpected finding of a University of Michigan study forthcoming in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.
The study supports earlier research showing that in [...]
25 Nov
WAITING for the SPECIALIST
Written by: Me
Isn’t waiting for a specialist (doctor) appointment enough to frost your socks sometimes? Both the wait for the family doctor, followed by the specialist referral, and then the anticipated wait for the phone call from the specialist, can be a lengthy drawn out process. Sometimes, an envelope of written instructions arrives in the [...]
25 Nov
Postpartum Depression
Introduction
The birth of a baby can trigger a jumble of powerful emotions, from excitement and joy to fear and anxiety. But it can also result in something you might not expect — depression.
Many new moms experience the baby blues — a mild, short-lived depression — for a few days or weeks after childbirth. According to [...]
24 Nov
3 Months on Disability
I feel I have improved slightly, fighting this struggle with major depression. The black paws of depression began grasping hold of me earlier in the year, wouldn’t let go and shoving me deeper and deeper into that black muddy hole. I’d been there before so many times and didn’t want to believe this was happening again.
I [...]
23 Nov
Weight-Alzheimer link different for men and women
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Friday, November 21, 2008 – Women who are heavy in their middle years are at greater risk of Alzheimer’s disease, especially if they have large waists. However, for men, being underweight during that period of life actually increases the likelihood of developing the degenerative brain disease, researchers report in the [...]
21 Nov
Psychotherapy may help with diabetes control
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – November 19, 2008 – Integrating motivational enhancement therapy with cognitive behavioral therapy may help people with type 1 diabetes better manage their disease, British researchers report.
People with type I diabetes must inject insulin, monitor their diet, and exercise to control their blood sugar levels. Psychological issues may interfere with diabetes [...]
21 Nov
CHRONIC STRESS: Can It Cause Depression?
Mayo Clinic psychiatrist Daniel Hall-Flavin, M.D., answers:
The cause of depression is not entirely clear. However, genetic and environmental factors play a role. Some people may be more vulnerable to stress because of their personality characteristics or temperament. Persistent or chronic stress has the potential to put vulnerable individuals at a substantially increased risk of depression, [...]
20 Nov
Relax
This video is so soothing and relaxing – just thought I’d find a place for it in my blog.
20 Nov
2nd Generation Antidepressants Prove Effective
New guideline from American College of Physicians calls them equally good
By Robert Preidt
TUESDAY, Nov. 18 (HealthDay News) — Second generation antidepressants are all equally effective, according to a new clinical practice guideline released by the American College of Physicians.
The guideline authors reviewed more than 200 published studies about the benefits and risks of the following [...]
20 Nov
Depression linked to poorer diabetes control
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – November 19, 2008 – Depression may make it harder for people with diabetes to keep their blood sugar levels in check, researchers have found.
In a study of more than 11,000 U.S. veterans with type 2 diabetes, the investigators found that over a decade, those diagnosed with depression consistently had a [...]
18 Nov
New CT Technology Shows Anorexia Impairs Adolescent Bone Development
ScienceDaily (Nov. 18, 2008) — Children and teenagers with even mild cases of anorexia exhibit abnormal bone structure, according to a new study appearing in the December issue of Radiology and presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).
“Adolescence is the most critical period for growth of bone mass, and [...]
18 Nov
Cyclothymic Disorder
Cyclothymia or cyclothymic disorder, is a chronic mood disorder that results in short periods of mild emotional and behavioral “highs” alternating with short periods of mild to moderate depression. People with cyclothymia also experience intermittent periods of emotional and behavioral stability.
Cyclothymia is a less severe form of bipolar disorder, the latter of which results in [...]
15 Nov
Chronic Pain Might Contribute To Suicidal Thoughts
ScienceDaily (Nov. 13, 2008) — New research suggests that patients with chronic pain are more prone than others are to consider suicide. The increased risk remained even when study authors took the possible influence of mental illness into account.
“This is further evidence that we need to be aware of the heightened risk for suicide in [...]
14 Nov
Signs/Symptoms of Passive-Aggressive Behavior
What are the signs and symptoms of passive-aggressive behavior?
Mayo Clinic psychiatrist Daniel Hall-Flavin, M.D., answers:
Passive-aggressive behavior is a pattern of expressing your negative feelings in an indirect and often obstructive way — instead of openly addressing them.
People who are passive-aggressive appear to comply with the requests of others. They may even seem enthusiastic about them. [...]
14 Nov
Internet drug peddlers raided in 9 countries
By Ben Hirschler
LONDON (Reuters) – November 13, 2008 – Authorities in nine countries have raided businesses suspected of supplying medicines illegally over the Internet in an unprecedented global swoop coordinated by Interpol, officials said on Thursday.
The operation, codenamed Pangea, involved dozens of locations in Britain, Germany, Ireland, Israel, New Zealand, Singapore, Switzerland, Canada and the [...]
13 Nov
Going to the doctor? Go prepared, expert advises
By Megan Rauscher
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – November 11, 2008 – To make the most of your next visit to the doctor — be prepared, proactive and “pleasantly assertive,” Dr. Michael Pignone, chief of general internal medicine at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill advises.
”Have an agenda. Write down the problems that need to [...]
12 Nov
Mental Health Linked To Stillbirth And Newborn Deaths
ScienceDaily (Nov. 10, 2008) — Women with a history of serious mental illness are much more likely to have babies that are stillborn or die within the first month of life, new research reveals.
Researchers at the Centre for Women’s Mental Health at The University of Manchester studied almost 1.5 million births in Denmark between 1973 [...]
12 Nov
Depressed? Your cardiologist might not ask
By Julie Steenhuysen
CHICAGO (Reuters) – November 11, 2008 – While depression often follows a heart attack, a recent call for heart specialists to do routine depression screening may have been premature, a team of researchers said on Monday.
Their detailed analysis of more than 17 studies suggests the American Heart Association’s recommendation for early and repeated [...]
10 Nov
PTSD Symptoms Associated With Increased Risk Of Death After Heart Events
ScienceDaily (Nov. 8, 2008) — Individuals who receive implantable cardiac defibrillators after a sudden heart event appear more likely to die within five years if they experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, regardless of the severity of their disease, according to a new report.
Surviving a life-threatening heart condition, such as heart attack or cardiac arrest, [...]
10 Nov
Recovery For Mothers With Depression
ScienceDaily (Nov. 10, 2008) — Scientists at the University of Liverpool have developed a therapy programme to treat depression in women in developing countries.
Although depression is a major health problem world-wide, experts say its impact is greatest in developing countries where 80% of the population live. Often there are no resources available to treat sufferers.
Professor [...]
9 Nov
Bullies May Enjoy Seeing Others In Pain
ScienceDaily (Nov. 7, 2008) — Unusually aggressive youth may actually enjoy inflicting pain on others, research using brain scans at the University of Chicago shows.
Scans of the aggressive youth’s brains showed that an area that is associated with rewards was highlighted when the youth watched a video clip of someone inflicting pain on another person. [...]
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