May 19, 2012

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The Dangers of Mixing Over-the-Counter Medications

There is an inherent danger when mixing over-the-counter medications with each other. The result of doing this can be so devestating because there is so many factors unknown about how this will affect the body, what symptoms or after-effects it may cause and what the long-term effects it will cause on the body. Since there are so many unknown variables, it is sometimes strongly advised to NOT mix medications that are non-prescription unless you know exactly what their result will be.

An example of a dangerous mix would be mixing an antihistmaine drug with a sleep-aid drug. Many times, most antihistmaines already induce sleep, therefore adding another sleep aid in addition to the drug can be quite harmful to a person. Although there are numerous warning labels on many medications against this practice, many people still do it, thinking that it’s harmless or won’t cause any consequences.

As a precaution, the best practice in mixing medications would be to only do so under the advice and guidance of a physician. By being under a doctor’s care, you are better equipped to handle any medications physically that alter or effect the body in any way. If there are any precautions that you need to watch out for, your physician can safely advise you with any warnings and precautions that you’ll need.

Safety is key when dealing with and taking medications of any kind. Read the labels thoroughly, including the side effects of each and always consult a physician if there is anything that is unclear. Also, since side effects can vary widely, it’s a good practice to note all possible side effects and watch for signs of each kind from taking the medicines. If an outbreak or new symptom occurs, you will be better able to assess from which medication it happened and you’ll know which one to eliminate from your dosage schedule.

Filed Under: Drugs, Health, Medication Tagged With: ,

Psychotropic Explanations: lapalomatreatment.com

There is one truth within the law: it is forever evolving. The necessity of change cannot be denied. It must instead be embraced, allowed to continue so it can ensure progress. But such progress is often impossible to predict; and federal officials may find themselves devoting their days to amendments – a tedious process made far worse with judicial sniping. It becomes vital therefore to establish certain ideas that will require no deliberation. This is to spare both patience and attention.

And so the Psychotropic Substances Act was formed.

Simply explained, this notion (a subsidiary of the original Controlled Substances Act of 1970) allows Congress to quickly define all new substances and categorize them appropriately. All changes to the Scheduling system – which is the recognized explanation of all prescription and recreational drugs within the United States – can be made as needed. The classifications are decided by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, rather than the typical committees. This is to offer speed and efficiency.

The Act is also, however, to represent the interests of the United States in international territories. All classifications are applied overseas (and this determines opinions on specific crimes, trade and other issues).

The law is rarely so fluid, and yet the Psychotropic Substances Act remains a constant revision. During its creation in 1978, it was understood that drugs would never be limited to the then current standards. They would forever be replaced to better highs and more devastating lows. The ingeniousness of this law, however, is that it is able to keep pace with all of those changes.

And that is essential for centers like lapalomatreatment.com – which must understand how all drugs are titled so they may offer a proper program to counter them. Knowing the Scheduling system is vital in battling these substances; and all centers therefore follow every addition that Act may provide.

Filed Under: Addiction, Drugs, Health Tagged With:

When Athletes Use Drugs

Athletes from amateur to the professional level want to perform their best and outperform their competition. They may take special vitamins, drink special energy concoctions to perform better, change their diet and increase their workout routine in order to get the edge over their competition that they need to win. Sometimes however, taking all of these special supplements and changing their food intake may not be enough. In extreme cases, many athletes will turn to drug use to find the competitive edge they seek.

The athlete’s drug use may consist of synthetic or prescription drug use and can have any range of side effects on the player. Drugs that are metabolic increasers cause the heart rate to to increase, the blood to pump faster and the brain sends signals to the brain that increase dopamine, or the “feel good” hormones. Side effects and the expected results can include anything from:

- Increased energy. This is usually the desired and intended result from drug use. Many of the drugs that increase energy levels however vary depending on the person’s body weight, mass and sensitivity to such drugs.

- Increase in stamina and endurance, especially for athletes who engage in full contact sports or endurance sports like running and track.

- An increase in muscle tone, especially from those drugs that are designed to heighten and increase the muscle’s size and capacity.

Athlete’s who engage the use of drugs to increase their performance are usually frowned upon, mainly because it’s viewed as cheating by the sports community. The preference is to increase performance the natural way, which is why athlete’s drug use is often deemed illegal.

The results may be desirable since they are likely to give him the performance that he’s seeking, but over time the player’s muscle tone and body strength can substantially diminish, especially if their drug use decreases or ceases.

Filed Under: Drugs Tagged With:

Fluctuating Prescription Drug Costs

It seems that the rising costs of living has affected just about every area of our lives from feul costs, to housing and even prescription medications. The constantly increasing costs of medications is making it harder for many individuals to get the medicines that they need on a regular basis. Without access to the medicines that a person needs, any conditions they suffer with can worsen and cause other problems in their bodies.

Why is it then that drug costs are so high? Can anything be done about it to make them more affordable?

In the majority of cases, there isn’t anything that can be done to substantially offset rising medicine costs, since they are set by the manufacturer, increased by the distributor and the costs are passed on to you, the consumer. But there are some things that can be done individually to make the costs slightly more manageable and easier to handle. They include:

- Asking your doctor for generic drugs instead of name brand drugs. Very often, the costs of a generic drug are quite lower than their expensive counterpart and you can save a lot here.

- Ask your doctor for samples of the medicine each time you need the medication. Many doctors are more than willing to accomodate this request since they have to give the drugs away anyway.

- Only take the medicine as needed, and don’t bother with feeling unneccesary prescriptions. If you know you’re not going to need the drug, don’t get the prescription filled just to have “on hand.” This is a waste of your personal financial resources being tied up in somehting that you may not use.

By using these simple steps, you can save a great deal of money and resources on your medical expenses. Small episodes can add up to be a lot, and over time, you may get to see larger savings and even more opportunities to reduce spending in this area.

Filed Under: Drugs, Health Tagged With:

The Necessity of Change: Laws and MichaelsHouse.com

Laws are reflections of more than public opinion. They instead define the limitations of the eras they were created in – they are bound by now futile sensibilities, the rules that were once thought to be without flaw. Such flaws are easily found, however, as the times change. Years pass and yield quick progress. The world is redefined again and again. And the legal system is left stumbling behind, unable to keep pace with individuals and their inventions… or their drugs.

Within the United States, substance abuse has become common. None can claim ignorance of the widespread use of cocaine, ecstasy and prescription pills. The combinations are endless and the effects are devastating. It has become important therefore for the federal government to define each new drug and create corresponding penalties for it.

This has proven difficult, however.

The original Controlled Substances Act was developed in 1970. Within it were a scattering of laws, each meant to address the then prevalent concerns. Its focus was on understanding drugs and studying their complications. But those complications were quickly revealed through the public’s insistence on using them. And the Act was not adequate in its rules or regulations.

It therefore needed to be revised – repeatedly.

Since its conception, the Controlled Substances Act has been corrected five times:

One: the Psychotropic Substances Act in 1978.
Two: 1984’s Controlled Substances Penalties Amendments.
Three: the the Federal Analogue Act of 1986.
Four: the Trafficking Act of 1988.
Five: 1993’s Chemical Diversion Act.

And these only represent the broad gestures offered to the Act. There have been endless discussions, debates and small edits made throughout the years. And this is certain only to continue as substances evolve (making the efforts of treatment centers like MichaelsHouse.com far more vital). The law simply cannot meet the ingenuity of users and their substances.

This is a sad progress and a far sadder result.

Filed Under: Addiction, Drugs, Treatment Tagged With:

Drugs and the Elderly Population

As a person’s body gets older and succumb more to the environmental hazards around them, they may need additional help in performing and functioning on a daily basis. It may not be enough for them any longer to just take vitamins or drink a couple of glasses of juice to feel better. The elderly population is likely one of the segments of the population who faces this on a daily and frequent basis.

The elderly population can be found taking all sorts of medications that allow them to function daily and to eliminate their aches and pains from their bodies. They may also use medications to help control certain illnesses and diseases that are often genetic or a part of the aging process. It doesn’t always mean that they’ve lived a rough life, it’s sometimes just life taking its course and going the natural way of things.

Although drug abuse is not as common in the elderly population as it is overall, there are still some things that the elderly must do to keep their drug intake under control:

- Stay under the care of a doctor and follow their medical advice. The physician has their medical history and can best determine their course of treatment and make any changes, if necessary.

- Manage or have someone manage their drug intake for them. Know what medications are being taken and how they all interact with one another.

- Don’t take any additional medicines if they’re not necessary. The doctor or health care professional can help them determine this approach.

By following each of these steps, the elderly person can increase their quality of life and may be able to also reduce their medicinal intake over time. The desired outcome of course is to lead a desirable quality of living that will make them comfortable and not completely change their lifestyle drastically.

Filed Under: Drugs, Health Tagged With:

Over-The-Counter Drugs Can Be Abused

Many people assume that since over-the-counter drugs can be purchased without a prescription, they are safe and can’t be abused. However, these drugs can be very dangerous if they are not taken according to the instructions. These drugs can also be abused in many different ways, and serious health consequences can arise. It’s possible to become addicted to these substances as well. There have even been known cases where these types of drugs have resulted in death.

Over-the-counter drugs come in various forms including:

• Sleep aids. These include well-known brands such as Tylenol PM and Sominex.

• Cold remedies and cough medicine. Among the brand name drugs in these categories are Robitussin, Vicks and Nyquil.

• Aspirin. Believe it or not, it can also be abused.

• Diet pills. These substances may be especially attractive to teens.

• Drugs that help prevent motion sickness. Dramamine is also prone to abuse.

Before there were stricter regulations, many people abused over-the-counter pseudoephedrine, a popular cold and allergy remedy. Pseudoephedrine is an ingredient that’s used to make methamphetamine, an illegal and highly addictive drug.

Addiction and a built-up tolerance to over-the-counter drugs can occur. When these drugs are taken in a high dosage, they can cause changes in sleep patterns, mood swings, and possibly hallucinations. Besides consuming large quantities of these drugs, abusers may resort to snorting them to achieve the desired high.

When someone takes these over-the-counter drugs in dosages higher than what’s recommended, they are abusing the drug. People who find themselves in this situation may need to seek treatment at a drug and alcohol treatment center.

If you or a loved one could be addicted to over-the-counter drugs, it is probably a good idea to seek help and treatment from medical professionals. This will put you on the road to recovery.

Filed Under: Addiction, Drugs Tagged With:

Generic Drugs vs. Name Brand Drugs

Pharmacies fill prescriptions every single day, and like the choices in a grocery store between paper or plastic, customers have choices in the pharmacy as well. They may be asked their preference between generic or name brand drugs when they have their prescription filled. Making the choice between the two is largely a matter of preference, but cost can play a huge part in it as well.

Generic drugs don’t cost as much to manufacture as do name brand drugs. This is partly because the manufacturer who develops the name brand drug is spending and allocating a large portion of their budget and profits to sales, advertising and marketing. When there are costs like this associated with the drug, the manufacturer has to recover their costs in various ways, therefore they often past the costs on to the customer in this fashion.

Many customers think that when they get a designer drug prescription by name, that they are getting something exclusive. In reality, they are not getting anything different since the drug and its potency is the same strength, but may be packaged under a different name or label. So why is it that customers sometimes prefer one over the other?

Companies and manufacturers who produce designer-label drugs often do an outstanding job of branding themselves to essentially become a household name for the drug that they represent. Whether this is done through marketing, commercials, advertising or anything related to these methods, they want to be sure that customers remember and ask for their particular product by name.

As the company achieves this goal in their own way, they secure a loyal following of customers for their product. It also increases the likelihood that those same customers will also ask for other drugs by that same manufacturer, especially if they’ve had success with a product already.

Filed Under: Addiction, Drugs Tagged With:

Breaking Your Addiction

If you have an addiction to drugs or alcohol and want to avoid Tennessee drug treatment, consider working on your own to break your addiction. Once you realize you have a drug or alcohol problem, you can then work on curing yourself with the help of your family and friends.

First, recognize why you started taking drugs or alcohol in the first place. Was it one specific incident? Was it because of someone in your life? Figure out why you started on this path and acknowledge the reason you started. Once you figure out why, you can have an easier time getting healthy again.

Recognize that you are in control of yourself. Only you can stop yourself from taking that next drink or snorting that next drug. You have to power to control your body and mind. No one else can force you to continue on a bad path.

Next, identify your triggers. Is there a certain time of day or a day of the week where you are more prone to drink or do drugs? If you pinpoint these times, you can make sure you are doing something else that is productive during those times. If you drink in the early afternoon, try exercising or going on a walk instead.

Change your life around. You may need to do some adjustments in order to get your life back on track. If you have a group of friends who tend to go out and drink, tell them you can’t hang out with them right now. Let them know that you are aware of your drinking addiction, and that you choose to not be around it.

The best way to get help for yourself is to have a great support system. Surround yourself with people who want you to get better, not people who want to party their lives away.

Filed Under: Addiction, Addiction Recovery Programs, Doctor, Drugs Tagged With: , ,

Rockefeller Drug Laws Reform Offers Drug and Alcohol Treatment Centers Over Jail

According to a New York state report, approximately 1,600 people avoided going to jail or prison due to the completion of reforms for the Rockefeller Drug Laws. As part of the reforms, which went into effect in 2009, New York courts can decide to put first-time users on probation with treatment as a requirement rather than send them to jail. The court can do this over objections from the defendant.

In some cases, a judge may even choose this route for a second-time offense, provided the felony was non-violent. The reforms also targeted property offenses often related to drug use. These included third- and fourth-degree larceny and third-degree burglary. The reforms are also helping drug felons currently in prison. The state of New York released approximately 327 felons after re-sentencing them under the reforms.

Based on the new drug laws, a judge can also decide to send users to drug and alcohol treatment centers instead of prison. Some believe this is a much better option than prison because it can help truly eliminate the problem by reducing the number of addicts on the street. Often, prisoners maintain their addictions.

As of 2010, 46 percent of people arrested for drug crimes entered a residential drug and alcohol treatment center. Another 54 percent enrolled in outpatient programs. In both cases, treatment usually lasts around 18 months, on average.

Part of the immediate success for the reforms could be a decrease in the number of drug arrests. It’s still too soon to tell the long-term effects of the new drug laws, but critics are already lobbying to make their points. According to some reports, felons may prefer to spend time in prison or jail rather than undergoing drug recovery treatment. However, other reports indicate many users are thankful and hopeful for the treatment option.

For now, policy makers remain optimistic about the reforms.

Filed Under: Addiction, Addiction Recovery Programs, Doctor, Drugs Tagged With: , , ,
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