If your Breast’s on Reglan, is your Baby on Reglan?

February 8th, 2010. By AbiK

There are women who breastfeed, and there are women who don’t. I’m not going into pro’s and con’s here (or a debate on breastfeeding 4 year olds, or public displays of breasts)—but suffice to say, if you’ve been pregnant, you have undoubtedly found yourself signed up for two things associated with the letter “L”: Lamaze and La Leche League training—otherwise known as breastfeeding 101. You may have your own opinions about both practices surrounding the joy of childbirth, but no matter. You will be highly “encouraged” to attend these classes.

Encouragement to be a “good mother” is always good; but unfortunately if you decline attendance—or worse—attend but voice some reservations or lack of desire to follow the script, you feel yourself being labelled…identified…duly noted…as the dissenter in class. Other moms-to-be will cast disparaging glances in your direction like you   JUST.   DON’T.   GET IT. And you begin to internalize the negative vibes and start to question yourself.

God bless Cindy Crawford and her at-home, no meds deliveries. I am not Cindy. And I knew that no amount of huff-huff-puff-puff timed breathing while tightly gripping a pillow was going to delude me into thinking I could breathe through the pain. Nurse!! Where’s that &#@%ing epidural I ordered up!?? 

Breastfeeding was a different story. So many studies done to back up its healthiness. The benefits of bonding. The primal back-to-nature, this-is-what-it’s-all-about thing. Reduced rates of viral infection. Smart babies. On and on. Throw some Baby Einstein in and we’ll be off the WISC IQ scoring charts! Ok, sign me up! Pump for $200? Sure—I’ll take one!

Then…uh-oh…baby’s here and…NA-DA.

All the planning gone to hell. Why? A little thing called “complications”. (Not epidural-related for you Lamaze lovers out there). And so begins the guilt. The what-ifs. The what-now’s? Is my baby already underweight??

La Leche will offer you a figurative shoulder to cry on, along with some resources and guidance. And some well-meaning websites will share with you your “options” to get that milk flowing. One option: Reglan. Reglan’s called a “prescription galactagogue”. Funny thing about Reglan though (and Read the rest of this entry »

Open Letter to Guinea Pig Victims of the World

February 8th, 2010. By Hunter West

Are you tired of living alone, even though you are classed as a “social” pig? And do you feel for your goldfish friend, which is suffering mistreatment by having four open sides in his / her / their aquarium, when it is obvious that they need shelter and such shelter is being denied? 

If so, Bunky, you need a lawyer. And even though you can’t understand a word I’m saying, it is my duty to tell you that you need to move to Switzerland. Go. Go now. Pack up your pellets and skedaddle to Zurich. 

Switzerland is on your side. 

In fact, the Swiss will hold a public referendum in March as to whether domesticated creatures have the right to be represented by lawyers in court.

Not that the government there wants that. Even the Swiss authorities think that’s going a bit far, even though the government altered its constitution last year to protect the dignity of plant life and crafted a law in 2009 establishing rights for domesticated creatures such as canaries and goldfish. 

And Guinea pigs. Yes, you. 

If the referendum is approved, every canton in Switzerland will be obliged to appoint legal counsel to represent pets and farm animals, in an effort to defend them from abuse. 

It all started in 2007 when the canton of Zurich appointed lawyer Antoine Goetschel (don’t worry about the spelling—you’re a Guinea pig after all, we’ll help you fill in the forms when the time comes) as an animal advocate as an experiment. That move motivated animal welfare groups to mount a campaign for a referendum to install similar officials across Switzerland. 

Activists gathered the required number of signatures of support needed as a pre-requisite to a referendum. 

The government has its doubts. So too, do farmers associations and pet breeders, who fear more strict regulations. The ‘No’ side has established a group known as ‘No to the Useless Animal Lawyers’ Initiative.’ 

It should be noted that in the Middle Ages, locusts and frogs were summoned to court to answer for their crimes of infestation. 

Not that you, Guinea pig, will ever have to physically appear in court as a witness if the crusty old guy next door complains to your owner that you’re living a solitary existence. 

However, take heart in the knowledge that in Switzerland-while you go about your day sleeping, shedding and trying to figure out what is a food pellet and what is a poop-a lawyer could be representing your interests in court. 

For more, log onto LawyersandGuineapigs.com

“This Statement has not been Evaluated by the FDA”

February 5th, 2010. By Kristine B

And until something changes, it ain’t gonna be.

This week, a study was released suggesting that the combination of herbal remedies and heart medications can be dangerous for patients. According to the study, patients who use popular herbal remedies—including ginko biloba, St. John’s wort and Echinacea—along with heart medications are at an increased risk of serious heart rhythm problems, higher blood pressure and bleeding. Serious stuff.

If you’ve ever wondered how the herbal supplement industry is regulated, read on as Pleading Ignorance dives into the regulation of dietary supplements.

What is a Dietary Supplement?

Good question. The phrase “dietary supplement” gets tossed around a lot. It’s a vitamin. It’s a weight loss miracle. It’s a muscle-builder. Or the secret to an improved sex life. “Dietary Supplement” means a lot of things. But the FDA, in accordance with the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) of 1994, defines “dietary supplement” as a product taken by the mouth that contains dietary ingredients that are intended to supplement the diet. Sounds like a definition that basically says a lot of nothing–except that the supplement needs to be taken orally. Ok, so what’s a dietary ingredient? According to the FDA site, a dietary ingredient is a:

• vitamin
• mineral
• herb or other botanical
• amino acid
• dietary substance for use by man to supplement the diet by increasing the total dietary intake (e.g., enzymes or tissues from organs or glands)
• concentrate, metabolite, constituent or extract

Makes sense, but that date—1994—is important… Read the rest of this entry »

Asbestos News Roundup: 2.4.10

February 4th, 2010. By LucyC

A roundup of recent asbestos-related news and information that you should be aware of.

Asbestos Lawsuits

Ashland, KY:  Fifty-three companies have been named as defendants in an asbestos lawsuit by Charles Ronald Miller and Nola A. Miller, who claim that Mr. Nolan’s diagnosis of lung cancer was caused by exposure to asbestos products. Specifically, the couple allege that the defendant companies are guilty of negligence, having contaminated buildings, breach of expressed/implied warranty, strict liability, intentional tort, conspiracy, misrepresentations and post-sale duty to warn. 

The companies named in the case are A.K. Steel Corporation; A.W. Chesterton; Amdura Corporation; Aurora Pump Company; Brand Insulations, Inc.; Bucyrus International, Inc.; Caterpillar, Inc.; Certainteed Corporation; Cleaver-Brooks Company, Inc.; Cooper Industries, LLC; Crane Co.; Eaton Corporation; Elliott Turbo Machinery Company; Flowserve FSD Corporation; Flowserve US, Inc.; Foseco, Inc.; Foster Wheeler Energy Corporation; Garlock, Inc.; General Electric Company; Goulds Pumps; Honeywell International, Inc.; IMO Industries, Inc.; Industrial Holdings Corporation; Ingersoll-Rand Company; Insul Company, Inc.; ITT Corporation; McJunkin Red Man Corporation; Morgan Engineering, Inc.; Nacco Materials Handling Group, Inc.; Nagle Pumps, Inc.; Nitro Industrial Coverings, Inc.; Ohio Valley Insulating Company, Inc.; Oglebay Norton Company; Pettibone/Traverse Lift, LLC; Premier Refractories, Inc.; Pneumo Abex Corporation; Rapid American Corporation; Riley Power, Inc.; Rockwell Automations, Inc.; Square D Company; State Electric Supply Company; Sunbeam Corporation; Tasco Insulations, Inc.; the F.D. Lawrence Electric Company; the Manitowoc Company, Inc.; UB West Virginia, Inc.; United Engineering and Foundry Company; Viacom, Inc.; Vimasco Corporation; Washington Group International; Trane U.S., Inc.; and Yale Materials Handling Corporation. (West Virginia Record)

Asbestos Hot spots

Daytona Beach, FL: The scheduled reopening of Daytona’s famous pier has been delayed until the summer, following the discovery of asbestos in the paint. The pier had been closed for repairs and was scheduled to reopen in February. (wftv.com)

Jackson County, TN: A 55-page report on the condition of asbestos in all Jackson-Madison County Schools buildings reportedly shows that while most areas are in good shape, five schools will need to be repaired. Those schools are Lincoln Elementary, North Parkway Elementary, Parkview Montessori School, West Jackson Learning Center and Whitehall Elementary. A total of 22 buildings contain asbestos, according to the report, which also states that those areas do not need to be isolated. (jacksonsun.com)

 

Got a Toyota Recall Story? Share it!

February 4th, 2010. By AbiK

I’m amazed at some of the stories out there from folks who are affected by this massive—hell, unprecedented—Toyota recall. There’s over 5.3 million affected Toyota owners out there, each with his or her own story of how the recall has affected them.

One I heard (or, overheard) yesterday: woman says she’s afraid she might lose her job because she doesn’t want to drive her car to work; apparently her commute is one hour each way… and I’m guessing she had no other means of getting to work other than her Toyota.

If you’ve got a Toyota recall story to share—whether it’s something that happened while you were driving, an issue you’ve had with Toyota or a Toyota dealership, or maybe just the sheer confusion you’re experiencing about whether your car is even safe to drive, let us know…

Share your Toyota Recall story