Two Reasons To Celebrate!

Happy Independence Day! We both look at holidays and birthdays differently since we have been diagnosed with cancer. We try and take every opportunity to celebrate whatever and whenever we can – to celebrate life!

We are alive! (You must be too if you are reading this!) That is reason enough to celebrate! Like Elizabeth Edwards often says: “Yes, my treatment causes complications and there are unpleasant side effects. But we are all trying to beat the ultimate complication, dying!” Aches and pains, down days, hurried and complicated lives. Challenges, frustrations, disappointments. Do you know what that means? You are alive! Beats the alternative!

Feel good and keep smiling! Pat & Pattie

Excellent Info About Colorectal Cancer Available

On the right side of this page you will find a link to the American Cancer Society's in-depth Website about colon and rectal cancer. 10% of all the cancers diagnosed each year in the United States originate in the colon or rectum. My elderly mother-in-law was treated for this disorder a decade ago and is still alive today. Take a few moments and read about this common type of cancer by clicking on the colon and rectum cancer link described above.
Feel good and keep smiling! Pat

Summer Issue Of Cure Magazine Available Free!

My summer issue of Cure Magazine arrived in the mail today. This publication is, without a doubt, the finest cancer related magazine available at any price. But a subscription is FREE!
I have recommended Cure on this site before and I am just as excited about it after I receive each quarterly issue. Click on www.curetoday.com and sign up today. Or save the paper and just read each issue on line.
Feel good and keep smiling! Pat

More About Acetaminophen

Yesterday I shared an alarming article about the dangers of using too much acetaminophen, most commonly known as Tylenol. Tonight it was the lead story on the CBS Evening News. I have been fortunate that, despite my chronic bone pain caused by multiple myeloma before I was successfully diagnosed, that Tylenol has worked to turn the pain into moderate, tolerable discomfort. I always believed it was better to take Tylenol than stronger pain meds like oxycodone or vicodin. Now I'm not so sure. I would like the option to mix in aspirin or ibuprofen. But since I am using a blood thinner along with my chemotherapy, I cannot use either of these over-the-counter medications. My oncologist at Mayo Clinic stressed I never exceed 4 gm of Tylenol during any 24 hour period. That is six 8 hour 650 mg Tylenol Extra Strength Arthritis caplets a day or eight 4 hour 500 mg extra strength Tylenol during any 24 hour period. I rarely exceed this amount and try to reduce it by a pill or two each day. (For example, I might only take one caplet at night before I go to bed)

However, recently I have needed heavier doses while battling a painful outbreak of shingles. I thought I was just being paranoid about my dosing. Now I am leaning toward using more Oxycodone so I can reduce my dose of acetaminophen. But user beware: Vicodin, Percoset and most cold and flu medications also contain acetaminophen. I didn't know there was acetaminophen in Vicodin!

So please be careful out there when taking your pain meds!
Feel good, stay pain free and keep smiling! Pat

US News & World Report Article About Acetaminophen

TUESDAY, June 30 (HealthDay News) -- U.S. health advisers recommended Tuesday to lower the maximum dose of over-the-counter acetaminophen -- the key ingredient in Tylenol, Excedrin and many other pain-killing medications.
The advisers' vote followed the release of a U.S. Food and Drug Administration report last month. It found that severe liver damage and even death can result from a lack of consumer awareness that acetaminophen-- which is easier on the stomach than painkillers such as aspirin and ibuprofen -- can cause such injury.
Also, many people may take more than the recommended dose of acetaminophen-based, over-the-counter pain relievers in the mistaken belief that taking more will be more effective against pain without posing health risks. And consumers may not know that acetaminophen is present in many over-the-counter products, including remedies for colds, headaches and fevers, making it possible to exceed the recommended acetaminophen dose, the report said.
The FDA advisory panel voted 21-16 Tuesday to lower the maximum daily dose of nonprescription acetaminophen, which is currently 4 grams - equal to eight pills of a drug such as Extra Strength Tylenol. The panel was not asked to recommend another maximum daily dose.
The panel also voted 24-13 to limit the maximum single dose of acetaminophen to 650 milligrams. The current single dose of Extra Strength Tylenol, for instance, is 1,000 milligrams.
The panel also voted 26-11 to make the 1,000-milligram dose of acetaminophen available only by prescription.
The advisers voted against other safety restrictions for other over-the-counter drugs such as NyQuil or Theraflu, which contain acetaminophen and other ingredients that treat cough and runny nose. Patients often mix the cold medications with pure acetaminophen drugs, like Tylenol, leaving them vulnerable to dangerously high levels of acetaminophen.
The FDA is not obligated to follow the recommendations of its advisory panels, but it typically does so.
Despite more than five years of FDA-sponsored consumer education campaigns, "recent studies indicate that unintentional and intentional overdoses leading to severe hepatotoxicity [liver damage] continue to occur," last month's report said.

These recent reports are of special interest to me and a number of other cancer patients who use Tylenol as part of their daily pain control regimen. I take up to 4 grams of acetaminophen each day to help take the edge off my bone pain caused by multiple myeloma. I shared my concern about my heavy use of Tylenol long before these reports began to surface in my book, Living with Multiple Myeloma. More about maximum doses and the possible repercussions tomorrow.

Feel good, keep smiling and don't take too much Tylenol! Pat

An Article About Health Care Worth Reading

Here is an excellent, in-depth article about health and cancer care in "The New Yorker Magazine." A great read!

Feel good and keep smiling! Pattie

Helpful, Interactive Information About Cancer Available On "The Cancer Forums"

The Cancer Forums is a Website which hosts a number of different forums covering a wide range of cancer related topics. You can learn a lot from sites like these. Just be careful: It can be difficult to differentiate between fact and opinion. Still, I have often said you can learn more from the patient than the doctor! Talking or e-mailing with a wide variety of patients with any type of cancer can be very enlightening.

Feel good and keep smiling! Pat & Pattie