Quick Question

[Guest guest]

, my naturopath advises taking acidopholus 10-20 minutes before eating with

a full glass of water so that it empties from the stomach before digestion

begins. It should be taken 2 hours away from Minocin.

rheumatic quick question

Dear Group,

I'm trying to straighten out the order in which I take my

Minocin and supplements. I know I shouldn't take the Minocin within two hours of

calcium supplements and dairy products. However, I have no idea whether or not

my supplements can be taken with other supplements.

For example, can I take my acidophilus at the same time I'm

taking a gingko biloba caplet or one of those huge flax oil capsules? Is there

anything I shouldn't be taking with Quercetin, with L-Glutamine, with Vitamin D,

and with Glucosamine Sulfate? My husband keeps telling me to be careful what I

take in conjunction with other meds, and I agree with him. However, I don't know

which supplements can be taken with others and which must be taken alone.

Any input will help, believe me! Thanks in advance.

Mazumdar

MCTD 30 years, AP 10 months

[Guest guest]

Hey .....

How have you been doing......

My brother was just in Cleveland over the weekend...He has his own plane and flew there over the weekend....they went to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame....not sure where else they went....

Ty really enjoyed his trip...said the roller coaster at the park was phat.....that means great....if you don't have a teen around or watch MTV you might not know that....I am so HIP....LOL

Well just wanted to drop you a line and say HELLO.....

Ty graduates this coming Wed....the 20th...and then he will be working full time at our Six Flags Great Adventures....for the summer...then county college...and work in the fall.....hopefully he will stay feeling as well as he does now....He goes into the hosp for the day on the 18th for a Remicade infusion....hoping that goes smoothly....

Well talk to you soon....

Luanne Ty's mom

[Guest guest]

I didn't have a problem but if you are it is because of the antibiotics.

Try Pepto-Bismol - I have heard that some doctors even tell you to take

it along with the Prevpac. Hope you feel better - be good to yourself

in this awful time!

in GA

Quick question

Anyone else on the prevpak having chronic diahrhea(spell)?

manda

[Guest guest]

, Dianne told me to take the pepto with it, and I have been, it

just isn't helping. Perhaps I should take more with the meds.

Manda

> I didn't have a problem but if you are it is because of the

antibiotics.

> Try Pepto-Bismol - I have heard that some doctors even tell you to

take

> it along with the Prevpac. Hope you feel better - be good to

yourself

> in this awful time!

>

> in GA

>

> Quick question

>

> Anyone else on the prevpak having chronic diahrhea(spell)?

>

> manda

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

manda,

I am taking the Prevpak now. Yes, diarrhea is a problem. It is from

the antibiotics. I had diarrhea really bad for the first 3-4 days,

then it wasn't quite as bad. It gets a little better. I am a nurse,

and I started taking Culturelle (Lactobacillus GG) once a day when I

started the prevpak. You can buy it over the counter. It helps

maintain the " friendly " bacteria in your colon. Can't hurt! My

daughter's pediatrician recommended it for her when she was on

antibiotics for ear infections. The pharmacist where I work

recommended you don't take it with the antiobiotics, but rather an

hour before or after. I also am trying to eat yogurt more.

I wouldn't recommend taking extra Peptobismol without checking with

Dr. R. It has salicylates in it.

I will be very glad when I am finished on 10/22. (counting the days)

The " yeast " monster has attacked me, if you get my drift. I am

taking a beating on that front no matter what preventative measures

I've tried. I hope my skin survives!

Good luck,

Karin (itching, burning, but not scratching) Eby

> Anyone else on the prevpak having chronic diahrhea(spell)?

>

> manda

[Guest guest]

I know one in the Houstn/Katy area.

Cheryl

[Guest guest]

Hi K

My understanding is that these drugs fight inflammation and lower our immune

system thru knocking out the white blood cells to prevent further organ

damage ..I don't really know what I'm talking about .. but having low immune

system is not the same thing as autoimmune. We just pick up more thats going

around, and open ourselves up to other weird and wonderful diseases. I

regard it as the " swings and roundabouts " of my AIH. Someone please correct

me on this as I'm a bit fuzzed.

Jan

[ ] Quick Question

> Hi everyone,

> Since AIH is due to our immune systems, and it is treated with drugs

such

> as imuran, my question is, if they are suppressing our immune system,

what

> are the chances we will get another autoimmune disease? I know they say

you

> will usually get more than one, which I know is true in my case. But what

> now happens since I'm on imuran and prednisone?

> K

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Jerry, You've explained very clearly & logically, makes me wonder why my

own doctors can't articulate themselves and explain the whys and wherefores.

I'm personally not on immuran, but mercaptopurine and am slowing phasing

prednisone out, after four years.

Thanks - Jan

Re: [ ] Quick Question

> Jan & ...

>

> Quite simply... an autoimmune diseae is one in which our own bodies'

> defences are triggered into recognizing normal cells of some organ or

> system as being foreign to us and our immune system kicks in trying to

> eradicate it. Take the liver , our immune system is telling us liver

> cells are invaders attacking us and it rushes into action other cells

> to destroy them.

> We are scripted prednisone primarily as an anti-inflammmatory ( since

> the destroying action of our immmune system has inflammed the liver

> structure by its action , it also has hampered some of the liver's

> functions -- one of which limits the ability to make our own

> anti-inflammatories. Prednisone is also an immuno-suppressant. This is

> given in order to slow down our immune system and keep it from producing

> those cells that are erroniously causing the trouble in the 1st place.

> Because of its side effects, once the inflammmation is controlled we are

> weaned down from the pred. and another less offensive anti-inflammatory

> is given to hold the immune system in place. (i.e. immuran) By

> suppressing our immune system we MAY be more susceptable to unwanted

> viruses etc. ---this it not to say we will get them as we still have an

> immune system in place.

> Just because we are taking these drugs doesn,t mean we will get another

> autoimmune disease. In fact the opposite would seem to be true to me. An

> autoimmune disease is not an invading disease like Flu or some other

> virus and lowering our immune system isn't going to facilitate our " "

> catching " another one. You can't catch an AUTO-immune disease.

>

> Jerry

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Jerry,

If that's the case I'm really alive. I know what you mean. When on 60 mg's

of prednisone I thought I could lift the world, but now on 2.5 mg's

everything I have aches. It takes me a hot shower and many cups of coffee to

get going in the AM. I feel 145 not 45. But I'm still here to feel it and

that beats the heck out of the alternative. Thanks for all your info. I't's

nice to have you back.

[Guest guest]

You hit the nail on the head for me. Lots of coffee and a hot shower. 5mg

here

[Guest guest]

I’ve heard that the immune system is not only over-reactive but it is also

defective.

[ ] Re:

Quick Question

Hi everyone,

the way the doctors explained it to me was that

with an autoimmune

hepatitis some part of my immune system thinks

that certain cells

within my liver are bad ones and therefore starts

producing a defence

(autoantibodies) against these " bad " ones.

With specific blood tests

it is possible to find out which specific

autoantibodies the immune

system is producing and so it can be found out

which liver

cells are targeted (AIH is then further classified

into subtypes)

The autoantibodies can be counted (i.e. they can

be high when

the disease is active and they can go down and be

very low when the

disease is inactive, apparently they can even

disappear when there is

a cure, but show me that one please). My count of

autoantibodies has

dropped but not disappeared, that means of course

that AIH may flare

up again. But different autoimmune diseases

require different

autoantibodies, so there is not necessarily a link

from one disease

to the other.

The cortison (pred etc.) action was explained to me

as a kind of

tight lid that is placed on my immune system,

keeping these

autoantibodies under lock and key with the hope

that they may give up

and disappear, often this is supported by imuran,

a medication to

weaken these autoantibodies. The reason why so

many of us have a

relapse once the pred is reduced/discontinued is

that the lid may

have been lifted too soon or that it may have been

on too tightly

causing these autoantibodies to act up under it

and once the lid is

off they explode.

Our immune system is not weak, the opposite is

true, it is too

strong, it overeacts! Imuran weakens it but it

takes careful

administration and observation to find the right

dose - and of course

our bodies plus immune system change and so must

the dose from time

to time. (One doctor told me that thankfully

nowadays it was so easy

to watch for side-effects of imuran that I should

take a higher dose

and they would let me know if I was developing any

tumors elsewhere

and then would quickly treat them. I spent several

sleepless nights

and changed doctors.)

This may sound like a kid's story but believe me

it was the only way

I could make sense of it all.

Take care all of you.

[Guest guest]

Me too!

Re: [ ]

Quick Question

You hit the nail on the head for me. Lots of

coffee and a hot shower. 5mg

here

[Guest guest]

Have any doctors told you guys how you guys got Autoimmune Hepatitis?

[Guest guest]

thanks .... I drink pepsi instead of coffee and a hot shower too

but the aches and pains are still there....but then again I don't have

too many important places to go so sometimes I go back to bed... we call

this living?

love jerry

[Guest guest]

.... the question seems to have been answered.... at least in my

opinion.

I think getting the Hep A & B shots are especially important to

immunosupressed people with liver damage.... 1: they can more easily get

the viruses due to the immunospression and... 2: if they do get it they

are in greater danger of serious consequences since their liver is

damaged and weakened already. Also important are Flu shots and even a

pneumonia booster.

I don't think the prednisone has that much effect on the vaccines. My

doctors rcommended them and I'm sure others' here have too. Harper knows

more than I about this subject as do others.

But... you'll get my bill in the mail.

love jerry

[Guest guest]

Dear ,

What it means is that a drug reaction set off an already abnormal immune

system into breaking down more and finally developing AIH.

It took a combination of genetic and environmental factors to bring out

clinical manifestations of AIH.

It is possible that an RX set it off.

[ ] Quick question

Hi everyone,

What do you mean drug induced AIH?? When I read over my liver biopsy it

said

.....

the findings are consistent with the clinical impression of AIH.

However

many of the cases labeled as AIH are in fact drug related. Does that

mean

that I possibly at sometime took a prescription that set this off? I'm

confused since I thought it was a problem with our immune system. Is it

something that affected that??

Love,

K

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 11/18/2002 9:03:12 AM Pacific Standard Time,

kautzm@... writes:

> Does TSH respond to T4 or T3 levels?

Dear ,

TSH is a measure of Thyroid Stimulating Hormone that is secreted by the

pituitary gland. It doesn't measure of either T3 or T4. I'm curious why

your doc did another TSH test when you're feeling so much better on the

Cytomel than you were before?

in LA

[Guest guest]

You might feel " the best " on Armour.

Gracia

> Does TSH respond to T4 or T3 levels? I switched from Synthroid to

> Cytomel 6 weeks ago...my T3 is " normal " , my T4 has dropped (both of

> those seem predictable to me) , and my TSH jumped from .7 to 5.4

> which is the highest it's been since diagnosis. Oddly, I feel better

> than I ever did on T4 (surprise surprise, huh?)

>

> This isn't a big concern for me....how I feel means more to me than

> numbers do, but I'm curious.

>

> Thanks

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

---Hi , I guess I didn't make the question clear enough. What

I meant was, does TSH rise in response to low T4 in the body or low

T3, or a combination of the two?

My doctor ran a thyroid panel because 6 weeks ago switched from

Synthroid to Armour.

> Dear ,

>

> TSH is a measure of Thyroid Stimulating Hormone that is secreted by

the

> pituitary gland. It doesn't measure of either T3 or T4. I'm

curious why

> your doc did another TSH test when you're feeling so much better on

the

> Cytomel than you were before?

>

> in LA

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I think we go through phases were it seems like it never stops. Over

the summer I got to find out all the long term side effects of the

steroids - one after another. Cataracts, glaucoma, osteoperosis,

rheumatoid arthritis - it was a busy summer! I canceled my mammogram

just because I was afraid! (I have rescheduled it now that I have

calmed down.) But I do have a friend with uveitis. It acts up every

once in a while, she uses the drops - which typically have no side

effects, and after a week or so it is gone. But when she ignored it

once, her green eye turned brown! Now she has eyes like a queensland

heeler! So be sure to follow your drops as ordered, unless you

think you may look sexire with two different colored eys!

Carole K

> Hi everyone!!

> I have a question,hopefully someone can answer. My eyes have been

bothering

> me for about a month so I finally made an appointment. Don't think

I'm crazy

> for waiting this long,I have allergies, and just thought they were

acting up.

> Anyway, he said I had Uveitis, which is caused by autoimmune

disease. He

> said it was caused by something else that just happens to affect

the eyes.

> Such as lupus, or rheum. arthritis. I've been off the prednisone

for about a

> month (just on imuran). So lucky me,he put me back on prednisone

drops for my

> eyes. He also said elevated liver enzymes can cause this, so he's

check my

> levels. Has anyone had this or even heard of it??? New one for

me! I'm

> starting to get really frustrated because does this ever stop???

> Love N

[Guest guest]

> Quick question:

>

> On the bottle of the Grapefruit Seed Extract I

> purchased at my local health food store, it says not

> for internal use. Did I purchase the right thing?

Probably not. Take it back and buy Nutribiotic.

It

> is liquid and very thick. Also, did I read correctly

> to give one drop one time a day for a week?

Yes. You can increase to two drops [1 in am and 1 in pm] if your

child needs more.

Dana

[Guest guest]

Randi, they should write an Rx for whatever it is that your wanting

to put your child in. If you want a STARBand, I would ask for a

STARBand Rx. Take proof with you that an active band would be better

for your old plagio baby. Keep us posted.

Dustie

> Hello all--

> After my initial questions, I have mainly been lurking. Now I have

> another question. If we go to a hospital that only supplies a

> passive band, can we ask them to write a script for an active band

if

> we feel that it is necessary? I know that there is an otho that

> makes the starband in the area, but the hopsital makes its own full

> helmet. (And we were told before that due to her age, it would

> help, but not as much) Any way that's all. Thanks

> Randi, 's mom

[Guest guest]

Hi Randi,

It is totally your decision which cranial orthotic you use. No one

can tell you, you " have " to use theirs. Be prepared the place you are

going to make try and talk you into using their product. Stand your

ground. Passive helmets are great for infants, as they rely on

growth. But in an " older " baby active is the way to go. Good luck and

please keep us posted.

> Hello all--

> After my initial questions, I have mainly been lurking. Now I have

> another question. If we go to a hospital that only supplies a

> passive band, can we ask them to write a script for an active band

if

> we feel that it is necessary? I know that there is an otho that

> makes the starband in the area, but the hopsital makes its own full

> helmet. (And we were told before that due to her age, it would

> help, but not as much) Any way that's all. Thanks

> Randi, 's mom

[Guest guest]

Hi Randi:

Haven't heard from you in a while!! Hope things are well.

You'd actually have to get the RX for the STARband from your ped. or

specialist, I'd imagine the hospital supplying the passive helmet

wouldn't do that for you.

Debbie Abby's mom

MI

> Hello all--

> After my initial questions, I have mainly been lurking. Now I have

> another question. If we go to a hospital that only supplies a

> passive band, can we ask them to write a script for an active band

if

> we feel that it is necessary? I know that there is an otho that

> makes the starband in the area, but the hopsital makes its own full

> helmet. (And we were told before that due to her age, it would

> help, but not as much) Any way that's all. Thanks

> Randi, 's mom

[Guest guest]

Hi Kim-

Check your Board of Pharmacy website or review the most recent

pharmacy lawbook put out by your state to find the rules/limitations

on techs taking new telephone orders. You can also try contacting the

BOP by phone or email and the BOP should be able to give you the

specific rule or code reference number in question.

Because state laws vary, any " LAW " questions on the PTCB exam will

refer only to the Federal laws.

Sincerely,

Dora

Group Mod

> Can certified techs take control prescriptions over the phone? I

> know in some states certifieds can't take any prescriptions over

the

> phone, but here in TN it is allowed. I am just uncertain about the

> controls.

>

> btw, were there many questions on the test that you were confused

> about because of the difference in a state vs federal law?

>

> Thanks

> " kim