Travel and drugs
March 3, 2007 9:40 pm
Don't take chances when you travel. Make sure you've thought ahead. Do you have enough medication for the trip? What if there's an emergency? What if you lose what you have?
And don't assume you'll be able to just pick up what you need at the local drugstore. For example, Tylenol with codeine is available over the counter in Canada. You don't need a prescription. However, in Mexico it's strictly controlled. Actually, something like Tylenol #1 isn't even available. You'll be stuck with a larger dose of codeine, and it won't be available without a prescription. Even with a prescription, you're likely to end up with a very small number of tablets at a very high price. If you're caught with codeine that you didn't buy legally, I understand you could end up with a multi-year jail sentence!
That's just one example, but it demonstrates why you need to be prepared, ask questions, and know what you're going to do in each situation. When you travel:
Make sure you have more than enough of whatever medication you need, in case of emergencyThink through a backup plan - what if you run out? Can you get more somehow? Do you know where to go for medical help? Do you have proper insurance?Make sure that you have prescriptions with you, and medication in the original bottles. You don't want to run into any questions about what exactly you have with you and if it's legal. It wouldn't hurt to have the prescriptions (or copies) with you anyway, in case you need to show a doctor in the country you're travelling to.Make sure, as always, to have emergency contact information, and any important medical information with you. Even if it's a short trip. That goes without saying, right?
Do you have more travel tips? Leave a comment!
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A happy ending - this time
March 10, 2007 3:36 pm
It happened in Florida this past week. 16 year old Rachel Malcolm was driving her 8 year old sister and 7 year old brother to school, down I-95. They were going 70m/h (113km/h).
Rachel started seeing double, and went to pull over. And passed out.
Her sister Jessica moved fast, climbed onto the front seat and grabbed the steering wheel. Rachel's legs were blocking the brakes. They were in danger of smashing head on into the trees, or ending up on an exit ramp. John reached forward and grabbed the emergency brake, and they finally got the car stopped, far enough to the right to avoid the ramp and far enough to the left to avoid the trees.
Rachel was suffering from a migraine. Naturally, the news story didn't say whether or not Rachel already had a migraine when she started the trip. But this should be a good reminder to all of us - be cautious about driving with a migraine. Use your best judgement.
Also, be cautious if you have a severe headache unlike anything you've had before. You should be on your way to the doctor - but get someone to drive you or call a taxi. If you know your own symptoms well, be responsible and if in doubt, don't get behind the wheel.
It's great that this story ended so well, thanks to the quick thinking of Jessica and John!
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Nerve stimulation for cluster
March 16, 2007 3:24 pm
Cluster headaches are a nightmare, especially for those who aren't helped by the common drug treatments. But a new study with cluster patients shows that occipital nerve stimulation may be promising.
Nerve stimulation has been used with some success in migraine patients. The study published today was led by Peter J. Goadsby, MD, PhD of University College London (England). He specifically recruited patients who had gotten little help from drugs. The study was small, only 8 patients, and the results varied quite a bit. 6 patients saw an improvement, most between 20% and 80%. But two people reported a 90-95% improvement - VERY significant for the incredibly painful clusters. It's not like they wouldn't be sure about that kind of improvement.
I know you hear it here a lot - "more studies are needed". That's because we like to talk about things that are "new" from time to time. But early on it looks like this will be a treatment that will help a few, though not all, hard-to-treat patients. And if the treatment is tested more, it may be that the percentage of patients helped will improve. Here's hoping!
Here are a couple of articles about the recent study... WebMD on New Treatment for Cluster Headaches and the CBC, Nerve stimulation may help treat cluster headaches
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Eye pillows
March 21, 2007 6:26 am
Do get pain around your eyes during a migraine attack? Or even a tension headache? I sure do, which is why I've used an eye pillow for the last few years. I've had two of them, and I've researched a lot more than that.
An eye pillow has a lot of advantages. It blocks out the light, it's cool (you can even cool it more in the freezer), it provides a gentle pressure, and some even provide gentle aromatherapy (and/or aromachology - see the aromatherapy/aromachology article). I like the silk eye pillows and - you can read more about what I like in the eye pillow article.
I recently updated our page on eye pillows, and I found some interesting new treasures. For example, there's this Hugger Mugger Silk Eye Bag with Neck Pillow. It comes not only with an eye pillow with flax but a neck pillow with buckwheat hulls. I'm a fan of buckwheat hull pillows - once again, they are cool and can be cooled more in the freezer. This pillow provides neck support, and will contour to the shape of your neck. And, of course, using the both together will cool down two sides of your head. There are a few other suggestions in the article.
Anyway, I recommend you read a little about eye pillows and try one out if you haven't before. Make sure you get one you like, and it will serve you well for a long time.
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Mustard folk remedy
March 29, 2007 6:49 am
I enjoyed this recent article about mustard powder from registered nurse Jean Gouveia. Oh, she's not prescribing anything - she warns you...
Therefore, if you choose to try it, you do so at your own risk. If you grow a third ear or turn blue with green polka dots, don’t think of suing this poor writer; just join a scientific investigation or the traveling circus.
Someone was obviously having way too much fun writing this article.
But anyway, her suggestion is that you try sniffing hot oriental mustard powder when you feel a migraine attack coming on. She heard about this remedy from someone else, and tried it successfully in her own family. Doesn't seem to work for the gals, though, just for the guys. But we're not talking about a scientific trial of 21341 patients here - if I were a gal, I'd try it!
Some of my readers may think I'm off my rocker to suggest such a treatment, but others of you may realize that it's not such a strange thing after all. Getting hot and spicy things into your nose as a headache remedy (particularly for cluster headache) is a well accepted home remedy. That ingredient that makes your peppers hot, capsaicin, somehow seems to help some people with headache, both by eating it and sniffing it. Why not hot mustard?
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