[tri-med] Re: FYI - OTC aspirin ban likely to be extended to all under 16s


----- Original Message -----
From: "Karen Schuler" <karens@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

> The bottom line for me in the debate is that all drugs are dangerous and
> should be used strictly as directed. There is no such thing as a "safe"
> drug - everything has side effects, and I mean everything.

Exactly! It's almost like rock and a hard place sometimes. You take your
chance any direction you go.

Includes the homeopathic remidies too.

>. My understanding is
> that the risk of Reye's Syndrome is greatly increased by giving asprin
when
> there is a virus present, especially chicken pox.
>


We were told not to use it then either.

Of course, we don't medicate fevers unelss they're over 101. Fevers have a
function to helping heal the body. That aspect of our parenting drives my
mom nuts because she wants us to medicate ANY fever the kids had/have.

> All parents should be educated on the correct way to give a medicine and
> know the risks, even, and maybe especially of OTC drugs (manufactured and
> herbal

My feeling is that because there are SO many more drugs (esp OTC) on the
market today that it contributes to the confusion. Then there's the medical
side: less time for patients and instruction. Can't tell you how many times
I was given a prescription for a patient and told to hand it off (working in
a drs office). They'd ask ME questions and I was to tell them to ask their
pharmacist! The drs just didn't have time to do that AND see the other 25-30
patients in the morning and the other 25-30 in the afternoon.

The medical profession isn't what it used to be and this is one of the fall
outs.

Another issue that's been raised here in the states lately: that many OTC
meds for one type of problem (coughing for examply) contain another med (ie:
pain reliever). But parents don't realize that and then give a pain releiver
too. And bingo, overdose.

>When my girls were
> little I used to have a blackboard on the pantry door. We would write all
> medications given on the blackboard so that there would be no foretting
and
> also no overdosing.

That's a great idea!

>  The medical
> profession still do not really know how it works - except that it acts on
> the central nervous system - and therein lies the problem for this
> household.

That's something we were just told about! The "pain meds" don't really
adress the pain, just shorts the brain to not feel it. But aspirin actually
is an anti-inflammatory and for pain relief in that vein it's superior.

Just a few weeks ago we learned that the FDA has challenged many drug
compaines that market arthritis meds. They pharmaceutical companies come out
on the market and advertise hugely claiming the antiimflammatory properites.
Then the FDA makes them pull the ads as they AREN'T antinflammatories. But
by then the "word" is in the minds of all who saw the first ads and they
don't notice the absence. Apparently many companies use this strategy when a
drug first comes out. That intial blitz of claims stays with everyone and
when the FDA makes them change the claims nobody notices that advertising.

And I find that scary!

Jim and I started watching arthritis ads specifically since then and they
really DON'T mention it!

<Great if I need to increase his temperature, but not if I want to
> decrease it in a hurry.

Not normally something any of us needs eh?
BTW~ any new news on that situation with Aussie Alex?

> As for their being no money in asprin - it costs the same here for asprin
or
> for paracetamol..........

Here you can get 100 aspirin tabs for $.99. Although I got some for $.69
last week on sale.
To get the same amount of Tylenol or Advil you can expect to pay $5-7.
In the US aspirin is very CHEAP. It's not a big drug company product.

Michelle mom to Alex (15,partial trisomy 14 mosaic) and Molly (11)
MichiganUSA


                  Building ___ooOOoo__ Rainbows
                       www.trisomyonline.org
                  Families Helping Families On-line

Other related posts: