Winter 2009 Flu Update

Have you ever woke up and felt a tickle in your throat, heaviness behind your eyes, drippy nose, or maybe an ear ache? I’m sure you recognize these as pre-symptoms of the cold or flu. It is important to immediately take steps to assist your body’s healing process and to avoid infecting others. Be proactive and start strengthening your immune system to better resist any cold or flu bug that comes along this season. This can also be achieved by testing your biological terrain, the environment inside your body that surrounds and feeds your cells. If this environment is not healthy, you will be more susceptible to any infection. I have posted a top ten list of healthy ways to combat the flu this season on our website www.preventivemedicinestl.com.

A Few Flu Facts:

1. Researchers make an educated “guess” as to which strain of influenza to use in each season’s vaccine based on which strains of influenza were most prevalent the previous season.

2. The swine flu cannot be caught from eating pork or pork products. It is a respiratory virus that is passed from person to person by breathing contaminated air or touching contaminated surfaces and then touching your eyes, nose or mouth.

3. Alcohol dissolves the influenza’s protective outer coat, “making it non-infectious,” so using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer can be effective in preventing the flu.

4. Infected people can infect others 2 days before and up to 7 days after becoming sick.

5. Some viruses can live up to 2 hours on hard surfaces such as doorknobs and table tops.

Should I get the flu vaccine?
Vaccines are recommended in certain situations. I base this decision on your current circumstances and also your personal medical history. Most of you know that I am not a fan of this vaccine. *Studies show that the flu’ vaccine is not useful for children under the age of two and adults over the age of 65 who live at home. There are multiple strains of the flu’ virus, with new strains forming each year. When you get the flu’ shot, only three strains are contained in the vaccine and there is no guarantee that the vaccine matches the flu’ strain of the season.

There is also the problem of the flu’ vaccine containing Thimerosal (mercury), a preservative known to have toxic effects on the body. Please note that the CDC does not believe that Thimerosal, in doses contained in vaccines, is harmful to health. I am a bit more skeptical on this point. My general advice is not to get the vaccine. There are always exceptions to the rule. I make these exceptions for people with chronic diseases such as emphysema, heart failure, cystic fibrosis, etc.

If you choose to take the vaccine, get it early in the season to give your body the time to mount an appropriate immune response. Insist on getting Thimerosal (mercury) free vaccine. Afluria made by CSL biotherapies is Thimerosal free. Fluvirin by Novartis and Fluarix by Glaxo-SmithKline contain trace amounts of Thimerosal, but have been allowed to make the claim of being mercury free. FluMist is a nasal spray vaccine that cannot be used by pregnant women and immune-compromised individuals as it is a live viral vaccine. If you have specific concerns my staff can schedule a short visit to develop a plan of action..

* Studies: Safety of influenza vaccines in children: The Lancet (medical journal), Sept. 2005; 366:803-804 Resistance to Anti-flu agents increasing worldwide and flu vaccines have modest effectiveness in elderly people. Lancet Sept. 2005

Questions and Answers

Who suffers from Adrenal Fatigue?
The young, the elderly, usually those who have suffered: serious or repeated injury, illness, allergies, inadequate nutrition, intense social pressures, or those exposed to a toxic environment are more likely to suffer from Adrenal Fatigue.

Can I recover from Adrenal Fatigue?
Most people can fully recover once you have completed a treatment plan. If I have Adrenal Fatigue, am I more prone to getting sick? Yes. Adrenal Fatigue frequently goes hand in hand with weakening the immune system.

What is the difference between H1N1 and the seasonal flu? They are both influenza. H1N1 is a different strand of influenza virus than the typical seasonal influenza. H1N1 has affected humans earlier in the year. Patients were reporting H1N1 cases as early as April this season. The peak months for the typical influenza season are October through February.

Latest Developments:

• On September 18th, 2009 McNeil Consumer Healthcare, the makers of Children’s & Infant’s Tylenol announced that it is voluntarily recalling certain lots of it’s Children’s & Infant’s Tylenol… NOT all of them
• Why were they recalled? A certain type of bacteria was found in one of the inactive ingredients used to make these products. NOTE that the recall is a purely precautionary move and NO bacteria has been detected in any of the finished products
• The recalled lots are those that were manufactured between April and June of 2008
• Be sure to check your stash of kids’ medications to see if you have any of these and if you have any concerns please contact your healthcare provider
• You can find a complete list of the recalled batch lot numbers for each of these Tylenol preparations on our site, just follow the link below and look in the “Drug Blog” section
• To locate the lot number look either at the bottom of the outer packaging box OR on the sticker on the actual bottle itself
• If you find that you have a product from one of the recalled lots, contact McNeil Consumer Healthcare’s customer care center @ 1-800-962-5357 and they will send you a coupon for a new bottle

Guide To Using Pain Medicines Safely

Pain medications are available both over-the-counter and by prescription.

OTC pain medications are primarily used to treat minor aches and pains caused by headaches, cold, flu, fever, arthritis, toothaches, and menstrual cramps and they fall into two (2) main groups:

• Acetaminophen - which is the active ingredient in over 600 OTC products including cough and cold medications as well as pain relievers
• NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs) - include medications with the active ingredients aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen; popular brand names include Bayer, Advil, Motrin and Aleve.

Prescription pain medications include:

• Opioids, which are derived from opium and they work by changing the way one experiences/feels pain. They include medications like morphine, codeine, oxycodone and hydrocodone (which is usually combined with acetaminophen or some other non-opioid pain reliever).

When used as directed, pain medications are safe and effective but if they are misused they not only have the potential to be extremely harmful, they can also be deadly.

Potential Problems With Pain Relievers, Who’s @ Risk & What To Do

Acetaminophen:

Taking too much can result in liver damage

• At Risk: those who drink 3 or more alcoholic beverages a day while taking medications that contain acetaminophen
• Be very careful with dosing in children and infants because the concentration of medication in the two formulas is quite different - the infant formula is 3 times stronger than the children’s strength formula
• Signs of liver damage to watch out for include abnormally yellow skin and eyes, light-colored stools, dark urine, nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, and in more serious cases, mental confusion, coma and even death.

NSAIDs:

Taking too much can cause bleeding in the stomach

• At Risk: people over 60 years old; people who take blood thinners; people who have a history of stomach bleeding or ulcers; people who have a history of bleeding problems

Taking too much can also cause kidney damage (but this is usually reversible)

• At Risk: people over 60 years old; people who take water pills (a.k.a. diuretics); people with high blood pressure, heart failure or pre-existing kidney disease

Safety Precautions You Can Take In Order To Avoid Problems

• Always follow the directions given for taking the medication(s); for children and infants, do NOT interchange formulas if you can help it and be sure to use the measuring device provided so that they get the correct dose
• Keep your healthcare providers in the loop - let them know what other medications and supplements you are taking so as to avoid drug interactions … some of which can be life-threatening; also let them know if you have a history of substance abuse so that you get the appropriate care and monitoring needed
• Always double-check the active ingredients, especially with over-the-counter pain medications and cough and cold medications; some may be duplicated and this can cause some potentially serious and even fatal incidents.