The Florida Society of Pain Management Providers (www.Flspmp.org) feels it is vital to set the factual record straight in light of the mass deception used to foment a hysteria driven war on pain medications that now is threatening the health and welfare of Florida’s chronic pain patients. Politicians, law enforcement and many in the media continually reinforce this hysteria with purported “facts” drawn from misleading or false statistics.

The drug addicted newborn?

The latest hysteria driven absurdity is the reference to the drug “addicted” newborn. Although a headline grabbing assertion, the simple fact is that no newborn has ever been born “addicted” to pain medications or any other drug.  The use of the term “addicted” is solely used by law enforcement and politicians to inflame the witch hunt.

While the use of alcohol, illicit drugs or the non-medically use of Rx medications by an expectant mother is certainly dangerous to the health and safety of a newborn, the notion that a child is born addicted to drugs is false.

Based upon the false assertion, Manatee County, FL. has proposed a pain clinic ordinance that would require all women to be pregnancy tested before being prescribed pain medications.  However, bars and liquor stores can sell alcohol to any woman pregnant or not without restriction.  A woman in Manatee County will now be forced to pay an additional $300 a year for pain care solely because of her gender.

The absurdity is compounded by the fact that Manatee’s ordinance exempts the largest prescribers of pain medications. A truly absurd and embarrassing special interest government response. The misguided belief that a physician’s training in one field over another makes them more ethical is simply nonsensical especially with the history of physician’s arrests and prosecutions.

If Manatee County were honestly concerned with this issue, no prescriber would be exempt.  Sarasota County, FL., which borders Manatee, saw through the special interests and passed a strict, groundbreaking ordinance (without penalizing women) that exempted no prescribers who practices in a pain management facility from the scope of the ordinance.

The estimated 900 Florida infants born last year to mothers who were taking pain medications throughout their pregnancy either under medical supervision or not pales in comparison to the estimated 2000 Floridainfants born (each and every year) with birth defects attributable to prenatal alcohol use.  The continuing care for those with prenatal alcohol use related birth defects cost Floridians millions of dollars annually in their long term care.

Women suffering from intractable chronic pain deserve respect; having government force them to undergo pregnancy tests as a condition of treatment is unconscionable and unconstitutional. Supervised use of prescription pain medications during pregnancy is supported by multiple published medical studies.

Denying or restricting pain care does not solve the problem and can only lead to illicit, unsupervised use of un-prescribed and unsupervised self medication.  The issue of drug dependent newborns has been studied since the 1970′s heroin epidemic and to date no study has shown any significant long term medical conditions with proper care and treatment.

The real but hidden epidemic in Florida is alcohol!

In March of 2011 the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) declared that the illegal abuse of prescription drugs is Florida’s “greatest public health threat.” How could that be?

Abuse of prescription drugs greater than abuse of alcohol?

ALCOHOL FACTS: Florida’s Epidemic Revealed

Annually in Florida:
17 deaths a day.
$2,407,004 spent every hour related to alcohol use.
$21,085,357,042 total economic cost in Fl. (42% Injuries / 35% Traffic / 16% Crime / 7% Illness)

Alcohol Attributable Deaths:
Injury*  1904  (533 from falling)
Traffic Collisions  1051
Violent Crimes  564
*The 1,904 deaths due to alcohol attributable injuries have a related cost of $8,905,099,640

Alcohol Attributable Health Conditions:
5 hospitalizations every hour.
68,818 hospitalizations generating $1,443,067,075 in hospital charges.
$167,000 lost every hour to alcohol attributable health conditions ($1,046,009,352)
28% of all fatal injuries are related to alcohol.
5 Floridians killed every day consequent to alcohol related injuries.

FL DOH states that approximately 2,000 Florida infants are born each and every year with measurable effects (retardation, birth defects, etc.) that can be attributed to prenatal alcohol exposure.

Alcohol Attributable Adverse Traffic Events:
Over $800,000 spent every hour.
9 injuries every hour.
Almost 3 fatalities every day.
Estimated total economic cost  $7,275,015,532

Alcohol Attributable Crime:
7 Crime incidents every hour
7 Incarcerations every day
47 deaths every month
Almost $400,000 every hour in incarceration & victim costs.
Estimated total crime cost $3,437,232,519

The above facts clearly indicate that the prescription abuse “health declaration” by law enforcement is another example of the non factual hysteria-driven war on physicians, pain medications and now pain patients.

Alcohol Data Source (unless otherwise noted):   The Price Florida Pays for Drug and Alcohol Abuse; R. Bohs; Phd,  E. Piekalkiewicz,  M. Fontaine.

The article Newborn Health: Prenatal Alcohol Use Worse Than Pain Medications Use appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Pregnancy is an exciting time filled with hopeful anticipation, and most pregnancies are uneventful and result in healthy babies. Pregnancy, however, is not entirely without risk, leading some expectant parents to worry about birth defects and whether they’ll give birth to a healthy baby.

Many birth defects are minor and easily treated. But about one in every 33 babies is born with a major birth defect, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Major birth defects may have a serious impact on development, functional ability and overall health.

Throughout January, which is Birth Defects Prevention Month, BeSmartBeWell.com highlights pregnancy risks and preventable birth defects. At BeSmartBeWell.com medical experts, and expectant moms, such as Sharon, share information to help lower the risk for birth defects.

“There are some risks [associated with pregnancy],” says Sharon in a video on the site. “But there’s a lot that I can do to make sure that I’m minimizing any chances of problems. And that’s exactly what I’m committed to doing.” Some birth defects are caused by genetic factors. In addition, women over 35 and those with certain medical conditions, such as diabetes and/or obesity, are more likely to have a baby with a birth defect.

But no matter what your age or current health, there are steps you can take to increase the chances of a healthy baby.

• Even before you’re pregnant, start taking 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid each day.
• Don’t drink alcohol or smoke.
• Eat a healthy diet and maintain a healthy weight.
• Talk to your healthcare provider about your medications (prescription and over-the-counter) and learn which are safe to take during pregnancy.

And if you have a health condition, work with your healthcare team to make sure it’s under control before you become pregnant and throughout your pregnancy.

“My first pregnancy was challenging,” says expectant mom Melissa in a video on the site. “I learned a lot about my diabetes through that experience. It’s so important [to become educated] because it’s not just affecting me, it’s affecting my child.”

BeSmartBeWell.com provides practical information to help expectant moms and women who are thinking about becoming pregnant. Produced by the country’s largest customer-owned health insurer, in collaboration with medical experts and national health organizations, BeSmartBeWell.com features:

• Life stories of moms and moms-to-be
• Practical videos featuring leading health experts
• Reputable resources and links for more information
• Pregnancy news and updates
• Health quizzes

At the site, visitors can also register for the monthly Spotlight Newsletter and News Alerts for in-depth articles and breaking news on pregnancy risk and other important health topics.

The article Reducing Risk of Birth Defects appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

January 8-14 is considered Folic Acid Awareness Week and is a good time for people to be reminded of the importance of getting some of that vitamin each day. Folic acid is an essential B vitamin, and a lack of it can lead to birth defects. It also serves a variety of functions within the body, and a shortage or absence of it can lead to health problems.

“Folic acid is important to our health, yet many people are not even familiar with what it is or why we need it,” explains Dwayne Adams, registered nurse and creator of the RNHealthCoach.com, an online health and wellness coach directory. “The more people know about it, and where to get it, the more they are able to make a point of including it in their diet. And the health benefits that result speak for themselves.”

Folic acid is considered a fundamental building block in our body. It is used for cell growth and reproduction, and it also helps in the building of DNA. Other health benefits of getting an adequate supply include it helping to protect against heart disease, stroke, and some mental conditions, such as Alzheimer’s Disease.

To help avoid birth defects, such as spina bifida and anencephaly, it is important that women get enough folic acid, not only during pregnancy, but for at least a month before becoming pregnant, as well. Those not pregnant can still suffer serious health consequences from not getting enough folic acid, including anemia and irritability.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, women need 400 micrograms each day. Getting the recommended daily amount of folic acid can be achieved as easily as taking a multivitamin that contains it, but a full daily supply can also be found in a variety of breakfast cereals, such as Kellogg’s Special K, Kashi Heart to Heart, and General Mills Total Raisin Bran.

A quick scan of the nutritional label will show how much folic acid is found in the cereal per serving. Additionally, some folic acid can be obtained through foods such as spinach, broccoli, black beans, pinto beans, and chickpeas. ”Getting enough folic acid is crucial,” adds Adams. “The good news is that it is surprisingly easy to accomplish that each day.”

The article Folic Acid Awareness Week Brings Attention to Major Birth Defects appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.