As Drug Plan Begins, Stores Predict Bumps - New York Times

As Drug Plan Begins, Stores Predict Bumps - New York Times

WASHINGTON, Dec. 31 - Millions of older Americans will gain access to government-subsidized prescription drugs on Sunday with the long-awaited expansion of Medicare. But pharmacists say beneficiaries may initially experience delays and frustration as the promise of the new program is translated into practice.
Tens of thousands of people who signed up for the benefit have yet to receive the plastic identification cards that will enable them to fill prescriptions promptly at retail drugstores.

A Truly Free Weight Loss Program!

A Truly Free Weight Loss Program!
Recently SparkPeople opened their on-line
diet program up for a free subscriptions (see this post). Their tools are every
bit as powerful as eDiets (or better depending on your opinion). The big news
is, SparkPeople...
Idiotic Diet One-liners
The Pakistani Tribune recently ran this
serious headline "Waistline Can Be A Tummy Fat Warning". Well... I'm not sure
where else you'd find tummy fat....
Woefully Unfit Teens: What Can Be Done?
Treadmill tests have revealed that 34% of
American adolescents are unfit. To add insult to injury, this is a conservative
figure as "some couldn't participate due to the risk they might suffer a heart
attack...
Starbucks Latte Abuse: Enough Already
First there was espresso - a rich dark
caffeine fix full of anti-oxidants - 1 fluid ounce (30mls) and 5 calories. Then
comes the latte - add lots of milk to that espresso. And then.......
Are You a Seasonal Eater?
Seasonal eating could be construed two
ways: Eating foods according to their natural growth season, or varying eating
habits based on the current season. I'm referring to the second definition.
Apparently we eat more in...

Diet-Blog Changes RSS Feed

Diet-Blog Changes RSS Feed
If you read Diet-Blog via RSS, I've changed
the URL of the feed. The new URL for the feed is
http://feeds.feedburner.com/diet-blog. The old ones will still work, and will
automatically forward to the new one....

Pushing Pills to Fat Kids

When illegal drug pushers are caught, they
face the full force of the law - and are ostracized by the community. Those who
target their illicit poisons towards children demand an extra measure of
repulsion...
ePharmacies.com
Launches Highest Paying Affiliate Program in the Industry

ePharmacies.com has launched their long
awaited affiliate program through ShareaSale.com paying a record setting 47%
commission on 1st tier and 11% on 2nd tier conversions
Why Viagra
Spam Floods Your Email

An Investigative Report by Impotence
Magazine
How Well Do
You Know Your Medicine? Take this quiz from FLAVORx to figure out if you have
the know-how to be a good patient

In the midst of cold and flu season, it is
important to stay healthy by taking medications properly. Not doing so will
contribute to persistent symptoms and continual infection, which not only
damages personal health, but the health of those around you
Newly
Released Discount Coupons and Callback Buttons Help Consumers Safely Find Cheap
Prescription Drugs

By introducing discount coupons on
prescription drugs combined with callbacks from verified sources online pharmacy
guide, RefillPill.com, connects shoppers to licensed pharmacies.
The
45 Dollar Menu

Just what sort of food can your money get
you? Eating skinless chicken breasts, lean cuts of beef, and fresh fruit and
vegetables is expensive. So what sort of diet can you eat on a...
America
Takes It Off

It's billed as the biggest online get-fit
program ever. AOL in partership with Good Morning America (and eDiets) are
promoting the year-long initiative. Users can sign up and pledge to lose pounds
(and win prizes...
Tis
the Season to Get Silly

The holiday season is a time for good food,
family, and friends. Unfortunately it is also a time of stress, financial
strain, and over-indulgence. Often this is followed by New Years Resolutions,
with people promising...
ZORBA Weight Loss Supplement (Q-Slim) Leads To A Promising New,
Second Generation, Anti-Cholesterol Drug Candidate To Lower Cholesterol And
Raise HDL (Good Cholesterol)

Early preliminary results for the ZPRO
Pharmaceutical, Inc. weight-loss supplement fiber Q-Slim (non-exclusive sale
license recently granted to ZORBA Nutraceuticals, Inc., see November 30, 2005
press release, http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/11/prweb315974.htm) has led to
a second generation, very promising, new prescription drug candidate. This
candidate will now undergo further testing and seek FDA approval as a drug for
lowering cholesterol and triglyceride levels, while raising good cholesterol
(HDL) levels. Supplemental data from weight loss studies comparing Q-Slim to
CortiSlim and placebo control groups, surprising showed that participants taking
the Q-Slim supplement had lower cholesterol and lower triglycerides levels,
while raising their HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol) levels. This confirmed
that a second generation, more powerful composition known as Compound Z is also
likely to perform well as an anti-cholesterol FDA drug candidate. A 90 day human
study (double blind, where neither study providers nor study participants know
what they are taking) with Q-Slim is expected to conclude during late December
2005
LePharmacy.com Distributes Award Winning ALS Documentary -
Canadian Internet Pharmacy Intermediary LePharmacy.com Distributes Free Copies

Canadian Internet Pharmacy Intermediary
www.LePharmacy.com announces they will distribute free copies of the ALS
documentary film "The Man Who Learned to Fall". The film received 2 awards at
the 2005 FREDDIES. This free DVD is part of Le Pharmacy "Living With Series"
created to provide support tools for friends and family of people living with
ALS and other life threatening illnesses.
Even More Positive Results for Chondroitin Sulfate and the
Treatment of Osteoarthritis

New data from the NIH GAIT study confirms
the efficacy of the chondroitin glucosamine combination
color=#900000>Beware Of Fake Cures & Other Medical Frauds On The
Web

When the president of SiCap Industries
discovered an unscrupulous internet company was stealing his customer's
testimonials, his company began a fast and furious campaign to shut down every
illegitimate snake oil salesman on the web. Their first case turned out to be a
company peddling fake cures for the Flu, Migraine headaches and even Cancer. Now
SiCap Industries is turning their attention to other internet medical scams in
hopes of cleaning up the entire natural health industry.
color=#900000>Canadian Pharmacies – A Cure for Medicare Confusion

American seniors are being inundated with
promotional materials about the Medicare Part D prescription program. The
complexity of its design has been compounded by an overwhelming array of private
plans resulting in mass confusion and anxiety. Canadian Pharmacies like
CanadaDiscountRx.com can be a haven from all the hype and hard
sell.
color=#900000>Within the Herpes and Respiratory Antiviral Subcategory HSV/VZV
Products have been Key Growth Drivers, Accounting for 77% of a Market Worth
$2,190m in 2004

Research and Markets
(researchandmarkets.com/reports/c28099) has announced the addition of Herpes and
Respiratory Antivirals - Leaders Rise and Fall to their offering.
commenting and trackback have been added to this blog.
Alcohol
Ain't So Bad?

Imagine if you actually applied every
scientific study into your daily eating habits. You'd end up a confused,
paranoid, obsessive wreck. It seems that for each and every conclusion made,
along comes an equal and...
Dr
Phil Comes Clean

Maybe that should be egg on his face.As the
lawsuit against Dr Phil gathers momentum, some interesting information has come
forward. Dr Phil apparently admitted he had "no expertise" in making the diet
pills he...
Looking
for a Healthy Dessert?

Is there such a thing as a healthy dessert?
The only thing that comes to mind is a fruit salad - although even the tinned
kind often come loaded with sugary syrups. The World's
Healthiest...
Make
Your Own Diet Blog

Blogs are huge. The blog tracking site
Technorati has information on over 12.8 million blogs - a truly bewildering
number. Diet and weight loss blogs are a popular phenomenon. I'm referring to
those blogs that...
Don't
Diet: Just Eat Intuitively

A small study has concluded that women who
'eat intuitively' are healthier than those who diet. So what exactly is
intuitive eating? "The basic premise of intuitive eating is, rather than
manipulate what we eat...
How
Far Off The Mark?

Eating healthfully can sometimes seem
daunting.
"Who are they kidding?" a Lean Plate Club member from Frostburg,
Md., complained in an e-mail soon after the latest U.S. Dietary Guidelines were
released in January. "Two cups of fruit and 2 1/2 cups of vegetables
[daily]!"
You
Know You Crave It

Food cravings are modern sirens that
research shows regularly beckon 97 percent of women and 68 percent of men,
fueling chronic over-consumption of calories and helping to widen
waistlines.
Gift Ideas for the Diet Conscious
It's that time of year again - the time
when the credit card gets a hammering and the shops get chaotic. Gift guides are
being sent out thick and fast - so why not have...
Japanese Women Don't Get Fat... or Old
One reviewer called it the "dieting war of
the worlds". Following the successes of Guiliano's French Women Don't Get Fat
comes another book about a particular country's eating habits. The French book
is very popular...
The End of the Hourglass Figure
If you thought that body shapes had changed
over the last 50 years - you'd be correct. A new study has researched the body
shapes of 6000 women and concluded that the fashion industry is...
Tried Every Diet?
It's a cry of frustration - "I've tried
every diet... and nothing works". In reality it would be very difficult to try
every diet. There are hundreds of them. It's really that the concept
of...
Diet Pills Don't Actually Work That Well
Recent news headlines are all placing a
slightly different spin on a new diet pill study. Diet pills effective (Newsday)
Diet pills need boost from exercise (USA Today) Diet pills can't do it alone
(Charlotte...
Tavor - Anxiety

TAVOR



Lorazepam
is also used to treat irritable bowel syndrome, epilepsy, insomnia, and nausea
and vomiting from cancer treatment and to control agitation caused by alcohol
with drawal.

Special precautions

Lorazepam
can be habit-forming. Stopping the drug suddenly can worsen your condition and
cause withdrawal symptoms (anxiousness, sleeplessness, and irritability).


Before taking lorazepam , tell your doctor

-If
you are allergic to lorazepam, or any other drugs.
-If you are taking
medical preparations especially antihistamines.
-If you have or have ever
had glaucoma; seizures; or lung, heart, or liver disease.
-If you are
pregnant, or plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding.
-You should
know that this drug may make you drowsy. Do not drive a car or operate
machinery.
-If you use tobacco products.

Side
effects


-Drowsiness
-Dizziness
-Tiredness
-Weakness

-Dry mouth
-Diarrhea
-Upset stomach
-Changes in appetite


Keep all appointments with your doctor.

Do not let anyone else
take your drugs.

12/02/2005 06:33:00
AM

Rivotril - Anxiety

RIVOTRIL



Benzodiazepines
belong to the group of medicines called central nervous system (CNS) depressants
(medicines that slow down the nervous system). Some benzodiazepines
are used to relieve anxiety. However, benzodiazepines
should not be used to relieve nervousness or tension caused by the stress of
everyday life. Some benzodiazepines
are used to treat insomnia (trouble in sleeping). However, if used regularly
(for example, every day) for insomnia, they usually are not effective for more
than a few weeks.

Benzodiazepines
may be habit-forming (causing mental or physical dependence), especially when
taken for a long time or in high doses.



Special
precautions


Allergies — tell your doctor if
you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to benzodiazepines. Also tell
your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such
as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy — too much
use of a benzodiazepine during pregnancy may cause the baby to become dependent
on the medicine. This may lead to withdrawal side effects after birth. Also, use
of benzodiazepines during pregnancy, especially during the last weeks, may cause
body temperature problems, breathing problems, difficulty in feeding,
drowsiness, or muscle weakness in the newborn infant.


Breast-feeding — Benzodiazepines may pass into the
breast milk and cause drowsiness, difficulty in feeding, and weight loss in
nursing babies of mothers taking these medicines.


Children — Most of the side effects of these medicines
are more likely to occur in children, especially the very young. These patients
are usually more sensitive than adults to the effects of benzodiazepines.


Older adults — Most of the side effects of these
medicines are more likely to occur in the elderly, who are usually more
sensitive to the effects of benzodiazepines.

Other medical
problems
— the presence of other medical problems may affect the use of
benzodiazepines. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical
problems, especially:

-Alcohol abuse (or history of) or
-Drug abuse
or dependence (or history of)—Dependence on benzodiazepines may be more likely
to develop
-Brain disease—CNS depression and other side effects of
benzodiazepines may be more likely to occur
-Difficulty in swallowing (in
children) or
-Emphysema, asthma, bronchitis, or other chronic lung disease
or
-Hyperactivity
-Mental depression
-Mental illness
-Myasthenia
gravis
-Porphyria
-Sleep apnea (temporary stopping of breathing during
sleep)—Benzodiazepines may make these conditions worse
-Epilepsy or history
of seizures—Although some benzodiazepines are used in treating epilepsy,
starting or suddenly stopping treatment with these medicines may increase
seizures
-Glaucoma, acute narrow angle—Benzodiazepines should NOT be used if
you have this condition.
-Glaucoma, open angle—Benzodiazepines can be used
but your doctor should be monitoring your condition carefully.
-Kidney or
liver disease—Higher blood levels of benzodiazepines may result, increasing the
chance that side effects will occur

Side Effects of This
Medicine


Less common
-Anxiety; confusion (may be
more common in the elderly); fast, pounding, or irregular heartbeat ; lack of
memory of events taking place after benzodiazepine is taken (may be more common
with triazolam); mental depression
Rare
-Abnormal thinking,
including disorientation, delusions (holding false beliefs that cannot be
changed by facts), or loss of sense of reality ; agitation; behavior changes,
including aggressive behavior, bizarre behavior, decreased inhibition, or
outbursts of anger; convulsions (seizures); hallucinations (seeing, hearing, or
feeling things that are not there); hypotension (low blood pressure); muscle
weakness; skin rash or itching ; sore throat, fever, and chills; trouble in
sleeping; ulcers or sores in mouth or throat (continuing); uncontrolled
movements of body, including the eyes; unusual bleeding or bruising ; unusual
excitement, nervousness, or irritability ; unusual tiredness or weakness
(severe); yellow eyes or skin.
-Symptoms of overdose
-Confusion
(continuing); convulsions (seizures); drowsiness (severe) or coma; shakiness;
slow heartbeat; slow reflexes; slurred speech (continuing) ; staggering;
troubled breathing ; weakness (severe)
Keep all appointment with your
doctor.

Do not let anyone else take your medicines

TRANXILIUM



Clorazepate
is used to relieve anxiety. It also is used to control agitation caused by
alcohol withdrawal as well as seizures.

This medication is sometimes
prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more
information.

Clorazepate
can be habit-forming. Clorazepate
is also used to treat irritable bowel syndrome. Talk to your doctor about the
possible risks of using this drug for your condition.

Special
precautions


Before taking clorazepate,

-Tell your doctor
and pharmacist if you are allergic to clorazepate, alprazolam (Xanax), or any
other drugs.
-Tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and
nonprescription medications you are taking, especially antihistamines or
vitamins. These medications add to the drowsiness caused by clorazepate.

-Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had glaucoma; seizures; or lung,
heart, or liver disease.
-Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to
become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while taking
clorazepate, call your doctor immediately.
-If you are having surgery,
including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are taking
clorazepate.
-You should know that this drug may make you drowsy. Do not
drive a car or operate machinery until you know how this drug affects you.

-Remember that alcohol can add to the drowsiness caused by this drug.

-Tell your doctor if you use tobacco products. Cigarette smoking may
decrease the effectiveness of this drug.

Side
effects


Side effects from clorazepate are common and include:


-drowsiness
-dizziness
-tiredness
-weakness
-dry mouth

-diarrhea
-upset stomach
-changes in appetite

Tell your
doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:


-restlessness or excitement
-constipation
-difficulty urinating

-frequent urination
-blurred vision
-changes in sex drive or ability


If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor
immediately:

-seizures
-shuffling walk
-persistent, fine tremor
or inability to sit still
-fever
-difficulty breathing or swallowing

-severe skin rash
-yellowing of the skin or eyes

Keep all
appointments with your doctor and the laboratory. Your doctor will order certain
lab tests to check your response to clorazepate.

Do not let anyone else
take your medicines.
Xanax - Anxiety

XANAX



Xanax
is used to treat anxiety disorders and panic attacks.Xanax
is in a class of medications called benzodiazepines. It works by decreasing
abnormal excitement in the brain.

Xanax
also is used sometimes to treat depression, fear of open spaces (agoraphobia),
and premenstrual syndrome. Talk to your doctor about the possible risks of using
this medication for your condition.
This medication may be prescribed for
other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more
information.

Special precautions

Before taking
xanax,

-Tell
your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to xanax, chlordiazepoxide
(Librium, Librax), clonazepam (Klonopin, or any other medicines.
-Do not
take xanax if you are taking itraconazole (Sporanox) or ketoconazole (Nizoral).

-Tell your doctor and pharmacist what other prescription and nonprescription
medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are
taking. Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor
you carefully for side effects.
-Tell your doctor if you have or have ever
had glaucoma; depression; or lung, kidney, or liver disease.
-Tell your
doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If
you become pregnant while taking xanax, call your doctor immediately.
-If
you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist
that you are taking xanax.
-You should know that xanax may make you drowsy.
Do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how this medication
affects you.
-Remember that alcohol can add to the drowsiness caused by this
medication.

Side effects

Xanax
may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or
do not go away:

-drowsiness
-light-headedness
-tiredness

-dizziness
-irritability
-talkativeness
-dry mouth

-increased salivation
-changes in sex drive or ability
-changes in
appetite
-weight changes
-difficulty urinating

Some side effects
can be serious. The following symptoms are uncommon, but if you experience any
of them, call your doctor immediately:

-seizures
-seeing things or
hearing voices that do not exist (hallucinating)
-severe skin rash

-yellowing of the skin or eyes
-memory problems
-confusion

-problems with coordination

Xanax
may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems
while taking this medication.

Overdose

Symptoms
of overdose may include:

-drowsiness
-confusion
-problems with
coordination
-coma

Keep all appointments with your doctor.

Do
not let anyone else take your medication.
Miracle of
Morgan's Creek


From: Paramount Home Video - Year: 1944 -

Rated: Not Rated - Release Date: September 06, 2005 - Recommended! This is
one
of Preston Sturges' very best outings, thumbing its nose at the
production code
and so much of the hypocrisy of American public life while
never lacking for
punchlines, pratfalls, deft set-ups and perfect payoffs.
It doesn't get all the
bells and whistles that Criterion has provided to
some of Sturges' other
top-tier films, but it's still a pip of a picture,
and a delight to see,
finally, on DVD. Most highly recommended.
Searching for the Pod of Gold

As podcasting's popularity grows, companies

are exploring the technology's money-making
potential
The Adverse Impact Of Too Many Open Source
Licenses?


I've been paying more attention to the problem of open source licenses
recently and thinking about - and writing about - the adverse impact that overly
nuanced open source licenses and zealous open source community members are
having on the evolution and development of commercial software. My belief is
that the two need to work cooperatively in the larger software "ecosystem" to
give us the best possible options and solutions. Two recent events seem
to...

Ol' Buffalo Computer Humor

Ol' Buffalo Computer Humor

Today we cover subjects that we have all thought about at one time or
another. Usually when we are at our keyboards. Especially if we have been at our
keyboards too long. But it took someone with a warped sense of humor to put it
all together. Called Ol' Buffalo Computer Humor, this site is a collection of
offbeat and wacky computer material. Want information on the latest computer
hoaxes or viruses (both real and...

Gamers wait hours for Xbox launch

If you listen closely, you can almost hear the UK gamers panting in
anticipation for the release of the Xbox 360....

Movie Review: Harry
Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Combined Rating: 75% (S:70%; P:82%) - The
Harry Potter movies, with the semi-exception of the more free-flowing Prisoner
of Azkaban, never quite come into their own. They are entertaining to be sure,
but this one proves that they sacrifice a bit of coherence for the sake of being
faithful to the source material. The movies are engineered for readers of the
book, and I could imagine that people who haven't read the novel might feel
rather confused during parts of this adaptation. With so many grand, CGI-laden
adventures to orchestrate in so little time, Newell inevitably misses some of
the charm and the amusing subplots and style that enhanced Rowling's novel.
However, The Goblet of Fire has gotten the big, dramatic ideas of growing,
uncertain darkness and the sometimes funny, sometimes scary way adulthood sneaks
up on kids faster than they may like down pat. It also has moments of vibrancy
and palpable dread, and even sporadic flutterings of magical humour, that are
some of the most emotionally rich in the whole Harry Potter series.
Movie Review: Ice
Harvest, The

Combined Rating: 51% (S:51%; P:53%) - The
Ice Harvest is only a mere 88 minutes long and yet the film still feels padded
and draggy. The drunken Oliver Platt-heavy middle is a generously paced muddle,
and though its rather funny its also rather extraneous. The Ice Harvest is
really a handful of great moments that dont add up to a satisfying whole. The
movie is really episodic and too many of those episodes have little bearing on
the plot. Character betrayals are spelled out to us and Ramis seems to lose
interest in his own film as it slides further and further into dangerous
territory. The Ice Harvest cant commit to whatever it wants to be and the
audience is the one to suffer. Read the book instead. Its only 224
pages.
Adware maker sues over 'high risk' designation
180solutions files suit against Zone Labs
for allegedly warning some customers about its products.
Fox sees Blu-ray DVDs gaining edge
Widespread Hollywood support and Sony's PS3
give Blu-ray a "pretty strong lead," Fox exec says.
Windows Vista Madness Starting Early

We haven't even hit pre-launch yet and already people are growing anxious for
Vista! Who'd thought?...


Fox exec says company open to iTunes deal
Fox Filmed Entertainment is open to a deal
with Apple Computer's iTunes music and video service, its co-chairman
says