Drugs | Wellness Connection

The Increase in Prior Authorizations

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Insurance has always had a direct effect on the world of prescription medications. After all, it’s the insurance companies’ decision that makes the determination on what they will, and will not, cover. As the drug industry continues to grow, so does the insurance companies need for prior authorization.

Prior authorization is the insurance companies process where doctors must contact the insurance companies to get authorization for a particular drug therapy. In most cases a doctor must call up and give the appropriate criteria to make the drug therapy acceptable. If a patient had constipation, but not chronic constipation, insurance might not pick up the daily laxative medication.

In the past, such things have been more about the paper work to process these claims, than any real determination. It was understood that in most cases a drug company would authorize certain drugs because of their effectiveness. However, these days insurance companies are saying no to a lot of the drug therapies out there and not letting patients buy Cialis online along with other remedies.

The main reason has been cost. The insurance prices of drug therapies, especially those newer to the market, are on the rise. Insurance companies have been hesitant to allow newer drugs to be approved because they feel the doctors have gone through the proper step therapy.

Other reasons that these insurance companies are not authorizing new drugs is the growing availability of over the counter medications. While there are still prescription drugs like Protonix and Nexium, but there is also a growing number of drug therapies that are available over the counter and hence do not need prior authorization.

Insurance companies are getting strict on prior authorizations. Doctors are, in turn, learning that they will need to take more steps to get patients their medication.

What Are Some of the Side Effects of Lithium?

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Lithium is a drug used to control manic-depressive (or bipolar) episodes. When used properly, lithium can be effective for this, but it does have side effects. Some of the lithium side effects are listed below, but this should not be considered an all-inclusive list.

One of the most common side effects can be weight gain. According to some sources, this is the side-effect lithium users reported most often, and many stated that they could not understand why this was happening. Several explanations have been given, including that lithium causes increased thirst, and some users quench this thirst by drinking a large number of high-calorie drinks.

Lithium can also have an effect on a person’s metabolism, causing it to slow down. When body metabolism is slowed for any reason, weight gain can result.

Lithium users can control weight gain by remaining active, eating a healthy diet that has an appropriate number of calories, and limiting unhealthy foods from their diets. All of these can help in weight maintenance.

Another side effect of lithium is the body’s inability to maintain proper sodium levels. For this reason, lithium users should not cut down on salt or switch to a salt substitute unless instructed to do so by their health care practitioners. However, this does not mean that salt intake should be increased, as this can cause problems in and of itself.

Other side effects include shaking hands, muscle weakness, and abdominal discomfort (sometimes related to diarrhea or vomiting). More severe side effects include blurred vision, seizures, or excessive shaking. Any of the last three symptoms mentioned can also be signs of lithium toxicity. If they occur, seek medical attention.

Taking lithium in the exact dosage prescribed can help alleviate or diminish side effects. If they become too severe, the user should consult with his health care provider about the possibility of adjusting the dosage.

The Effects of Drug and Alcohol Abuse On The Brain

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Drug and alcohol abuse affects the brain in many ways. These can include destroying brain cells, which will never recover, and preventing other brain cells from being able to take over (at least in some part) the functions that were lost when the other cells were destroyed. As drug and alcohol abuse continues, more and more brain cells are destroyed. As this occurs, those that control short-term memory and other important functions are affected, and this is what leads to drug-induced amnesia. In the case of alcohol abuse, these are sometimes called “blackouts.” Drug and alcohol abuse also causes certain receptors in the brain to respond to the chemicals in the substances of abuse in ways that they were never intended to. The brain receptors are what records feelings of pleasure and satisfaction when something occurs that causes those feelings. Because both the brain and the body enjoy these feelings, those receptors continue to send out signals so that the action that brought on the feelings will be repeated again. This is a good thing when it comes to learning new skills or repeating positive behavior. When it comes to drug or alcohol abuse, however, then it is not a good thing. However, it is this very response that is responsible for the immediate addiction that occurs with some drugs. Before the effects of drug and alcohol abuse on the brain become too severe, one should seek help from a Tennessee drug treatment center. There are many of them in all parts of the state, so it shouldn’t be difficult for a person to find a facility that works for them. Some facilities are sponsored by churches or other religious organizations; others are operated by municipal, state, or federal organizations. No matter how the facility receives its operating funds, the goal is the same: to provide drug treatment.

Improving a Drug Addict’s Health through Drug Rehab

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If people really knew the effects it had on the body, fewer people would experiment with illegal drugs. Some problems are short term, like impaired judgment. Other problems are long term, like loss of neurons in the brain. There is yet a third category of problems that many drug addicts deal with, and that’s the consequences of decisions made while they were under the influence. Unsafe sex, stealing, physical violence and other risky behaviors can carry lifelong physical, mental and social consequences.

If you or a loved one suffer from drug addiction, you’ll find that drug rehab facilities offer programs to help stabilize the physical health and the mental health of the addict.

Facilities

Drug addicts and family members can choose from different facilities for treatment. Some facilities even offer programs specific to addicts based on age or gender. You can choose from in-patient residential treatment facilities, outpatient facilities, extended care centers, recovery houses and local support groups.

Counseling

This is a traditional method to treat addiction; however, it often works best when paired with medications to help resolve the chemical imbalances often found in addicts.

Pharmacotherapy

There is a chemical imbalance often associated with drug addicts that makes it physically impossible for them to stop using drugs on their own. Methadone and buprenorphine are common medications used to combat addiction to drugs like heroin, oxycodone and morphine. They can help ease the withdrawal symptoms so patients have an easier time coming off the drugs of choice. To help fight an addiction to alcohol and nicotine, some doctors find success in the prescription of antidepressants.

Psychological Dependency

Teaching drug addicts how to function in a drug-free environment is the ultimate goal. Addicts may follow a 12-step program to help them, or find another resource to help integrate into society. Recovery is a lifelong process, and there’s never a time that process ends.

The FDA Falls Short on Protecting Consumers from Misleading Dietary Supplements

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Companies market supplements as cures for everything from cancer to Alzheimer’s. While some supplements can help with certain conditions, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) doesn’t monitor the claims of dietary supplements because the products are natural. Many supplement manufacturers fund the trials used in marketing, and only 1/3 of 54,000 supplements have scientific evidence to support claims. While the FDA does make nutritional companies put a disclaimer on packaging, many people miss the warning that the FDA has not accessed potential claims listed on bottles. Some natural ingredients have negative side effects, including death in some cases.

Aconite is an unsafe ingredient linked to low blood pressure, vomiting, respiratory paralysis, death, and irregular heart rhythm. Supplements to relieve joint pain, gout, or inflammation may use it. Its alternative names are aconitum or aconiti. Several ingredients are likely unsafe, including colloidal silver, bitter orange, coltsfoot, germanium, country mallow, and comfrey. Manufactures use colloidal silver in cures for rosacea, Lyme disease, psoriasis, food poisoning, auto-immune disorders, or other infections. Companies may label it as native silver or ionic silver.

Research indicates a connection between bitter orange and complications including stroke and death. Billed as a cure for weight loss, allergies, and nasal congestion, you’ll find it on labels under the names citrus aurantium, zhi shi, or aurantii fructus. Coltsfoot, also known as farfarae folium leaf, foalswort, or coughwort, may contribute to cancer or damage a person’s liver. Manufacturers use it in supplements designed to treat coughs, asthma, or other respiratory issues. Germanium may help with pain, heart disease, liver problems, arthritis, and other serious conditions like cancer, but its complications can include death or kidney damage.

Country mallow is another ingredient companies use in supplements for allergies, asthma, nasal congestion, and weight loss. It may cause death, stroke, or heart conditions. Comfrey is an ingredient you may find under the names blackwort, common comfrey, slippery root, or knitbone. Dietary supplements for heavy menstrual periods, chest pain, and cancer may contain it. Taking comfrey may contribute to the development of certain cancers or damage the liver.

Denver Gears Up for Medical Marijuana Business

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The use of marijuana for medical purposes is a topic of hot debate for many individuals, but with states beginning to approve the natural product for wellness, more people are beginning to recognize the benefits of the substance when used for medical purposes. Research on the benefits of marijuana when used for medical purposes show practical applications for people who suffer from a variety of issues, including weight loss, pain, vomiting, glaucoma, arthritis, insomnia, Tourette’s syndrome, seizures, dystonia, and some mental health conditions.

Most of the states approving medical marijuana view the substance as a form of treatment for conditions and see it as a beneficial option for people who have failed to respond to traditional forms of medication. In some cases, medical marijuana costs less than pharmaceutical medications. The majority of these states, including Colorado, have set into place strict regulations to oversee the business of medical marijuana. For example, Colorado is in the process of clarifying a law requiring business owners to have residency in the state for at least two years prior to opening a medical marijuana business.

Denver’s announcement that the city will allow medical marijuana business within city limits has generated thousands of applications for business licenses. Of the 2,059 forms Denver has received, 717 are for dispensaries; 1,071 are for growers; and 271 are for marijuana product makers. Once the state receives all applications currently in the mail and received prior the deadline, the total may go up.

Even with the high numbers, there are many opponents to approving the use of medical marijuana. Some suburbs of Denver, including Broomfield, are not allowing marijuana businesses within their limits, which could cause trouble with enforcement. Despite the opposition, it’s clear from the number of applications that medical marijuana will be big business in Colorado. On average applicants paid $3,400 to file for the licenses and have generated over $7 million in fees.