We’ve been told our entire lives to drink “plenty of water.” Not everyone realizes, however, that it’s possible to drink too much water.
In January 2007, Jennifer Strange, 28, a Sacramento-area mom of three, died at home of water intoxication after competing in a radio station’s contest. The winner would be whoever drank the most water without going to the bathroom (“hold your wee for a Wii”); the prize, a Nintendo Wii video game system, which Jennifer wanted for her kids.
The bulk of the blame lies with the radio station; station officials were reportedly aware that someone had previously died of the same cause in a hazing incident, and they reportedly didn’t take Jennifer seriously when she complained of feeling ill. Still, this story should serve as a cautionary tale for all of us.
So how much water is enough, and how much is too much? It’s not known for sure how much Jennifer drank, but drinking too much water can lead to water intoxication as well as hyponatremia, a related problem resulting from the dilution of sodium in the body.
No one likes to be the butt of jokes and humiliated by being laughed at. But for some people, the fear of being laughed at is so debilitating it can cause isolation. This fear is known as gelotophobia - a disorder that was not named until 10 years ago. Willibald Ruch of the University of Zurich said that studying the negative effects of being laughed at is something entirely new.
A person with gelotophobia can hear a stranger laughing and they automatically assume the stranger is laughing at him or her. With extreme cases of gelotophobia, the affected person can break out into a sweat, have heart palpitations, trembling or even freeze up in social situation.
Ruch and his team of colleagues surveyed 23,000 people in 75 countries and found that gelotophobia was present in each nation. They found it affects between 2% and 30% of the population.
You can read more posts by Sandy Robinson at her other health blogs: Fighting Fatigue & IC Disease. Sandy also writes for the American Idolist site on WebbleYou.
- A medical education company is asking IBS patients to participate in a survey. The survey is for patients to share experiences about management of their IBS and interactions with their healthcare provider. The goal of the survey is to try to achieve better communication between IBS patients and their healthcare providers.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome Survey
- I was asked to be a guest blogger on The Body Chronic last Friday. Samantha, author of The Body Chronic, and I exchanged guest posts on diagnosing chronic illnesses. You can read my guest post on her blog by clicking the link below. Leave Samantha a comment and tell her Sandy from Fighting Fatigue sent you!
Read My Guest Blogger Post on The Body Chronic
- Some of the latest research has provided evidence once again that exercise can improve both the mood and physical function of people with Fibromyalgia. Over the years there have been several studies that have shown that exercise can be helpful to Fibromyalgia patients. But few researchers have studied the continued effects of physical activity beyond the conclusion of the trial periods.
Research on Exercise and Fibromyalgia
- Almonds, as well as being high in vitamin E and other minerals, are also thought to have other health benefits, such as reducing cholesterol. Recently published work by the Institute of Food Research (IFR) has identified potential prebiotic properties of almonds that could help improve our digestive health by increasing levels of beneficial gut bacteria.
Tuesday Health Talk: 7/8/08
- I recently did a whole series on what foods and drinks to eat and avoid with IC and information on the IC elimination diet. I worked on this series for several days and there ia a lot of detailed information I wanted to make sure those of you with IC had access to. Below are excerpts and links to the IC Elimination Diet series.
IC Elimination Diet, Foods & Drinks to Eat & Avoid
- The FDA has approved to review the medication, Ampligen, as potentially the first prescription drug to treat ME/CFS. The drug is being reviewed in particular to treat patients who have severe ME/CFS. Ampligen has been in development and testing now for 30 years as a treatment for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
FDA Accepts Antiviral Drug Ampligen For Review To Treat ME/CFS
- A recent study involving a group of patients with IBD (inflammatory bowel disease) found a link between inadequate vitamin D levels and lower bone mineral density. Maintaining adequate vitamin D levels in the body may help guard against bone disease in IBD patients.
Low Vitamin D May Be Harmful to Bones of Those with IBD
- ME/CFS costs the US economy $25 billion dollars a year in economic losses and yet receives amongst the lowest amounts of research funding of any disease. Do you want to know why? Check out Part II of Dr. Ken Friedman’s three part interview on ME/CFS.
Dr. Ken Friedman on CFS Part II: Research - Roadblocks and Opportunity
- A good night’s sleep doesn’t sound like too much to ask for, but for many of us it’s something that eludes every night. Sleep problems then lead to problems for us during the day as we lose our ability to focus at our jobs and don’t seem to have the energy our family demands. It’s a vicious cycle. Imagine constantly being tired and lethargic. It’s not a pretty picture, but it’s a reality for millions of Americans.
Guest Blogger Post: 5 Ways You Can Overcome Your Sleep Problems
The childhood obesity statistics have seriously gotten out of hand across the United States and researchers are trying to do something to control the issue from getting any worse. One thing they have done is to study and consider the role of family dynamics and how they affect childhood obesity. Researchers found that parents’ general approach to raising their children is often apparent in how they manage their kids’ diets.
The study, which involved 239 parents of first-grade children, reported that parents who were generally strict were also strict about what foods their children could and could not eat. They would ban certain foods and would pressure their children to eat vegetables and fruits.
Those parents who were more lax and permissive with their parenting styles were the same when it came to how their children ate.
In between these two groups, the researchers found, were “authoritative” parents. These parents set limits on their children’s diets, but often used more positive approaches — like following a healthy diet themselves — to get their kids to eat well.
The findings stated that parents general styles were important in the overall diets of their children. They also suggest that efforts to help obese children lose weight are “not likely to be successful” unless the underlying family dynamics are addressed. The experts recommend that parents need to get their children to eat right in a positive manner by setting good examples and leading by example and eating properly.
But in this study, both the strict and permissive parents typically failed to serve as good dietary role models for their children.
“Due to the infrequency of healthy eating modeled by both permissive and authoritarian parents,” the researchers write, “food and nutrition professionals might encourage both to begin more healthy eating — for the sake of their own health and that of their children.”
The study was published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.
source
You can read more posts by Sandy Robinson at her other health blogs: Fighting Fatigue & IC Disease. Sandy also writes for the American Idolist site on WebbleYou.
A new study reveals that pregnancy can double or even triple a woman’s risk of heart attack even though heart attacks are rare among young women. The study report, published in the July 15th issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, states that approximately 250 pregnant women every year suffer from a heart attack. The mortality rate can be particularly high in these women because diagnosing heart problems is frequently missed or delayed. However, as I was reading the study group information, it was revealed that 45% of the women in the group smoked. That in itself would make a huge difference in the study outcome.
Dr. Uri Elkayam, a professor of medicine at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, says that one reason for the increase in the number of pregnant women having heart attacks is that women in the United States are becoming pregnant at much later ages. So Dr. Elkayam says that it is anticipated that the number of pregnant women who have heart attacks would increase.
In the study, Elkayam’s team reviewed the cases of 103 women who had heart attacks during their pregnancy. Women who had a heart attack in the 24 hours before or after delivery were twice as likely to die from heart attack compared with women who had a heart attack before labor or in the first day to three months after delivery, the team found. Elkayam’s group also found that older pregnant women were at greater risk for having a heart attack. In fact, 72 percent of the women who had heart attacks were older than 30, and one in four were older than 35. One of the most common causes of heart attacks among pregnant women was coronary dissection, where the wall of the coronary arteries is weakened and separates. “This is a rare type of heart attack,” Elkayam said.
The researchers also found during the study that the majority of the group studied did not have blocked arteries which are a common cause of heart attack. Many of the women had the “standard risk factors” for for heart attack:
- 45% were smokers
- 24% had high cholesterol
- 22% had a family history of heart attack
- 15% had high blood pressure
- 11% had diabetes
Source
You can read more posts by Sandy Robinson at her other health blogs: Fighting Fatigue & IC Disease. Sandy also writes for the American Idolist site on WebbleYou.
Some of the latest research in Switzerland on male breast cancer shows that the disease is often treated at a late stage and is not caught early. We don’t often associate breast cancer with men but it is as real for them as it is for women.
Dr. Marina Garassino of the University of Study of Milan, Italy and colleagues reviewed the medical records of 146 men, about 62 years old on average, who were diagnosed with breast cancer.
Garassino stated in a phone interview with Reuters Health that one third of the males studied were in the advanced stages of breast cancer by the time they were diagnosed. He said for females with breast cancer the “presentation is advanced in less than 10 percent.”
Garassino says that doctors may play a role as much as patients in delayed diagnosis of male breast cancer. He says that physicians may notice that there is a breast lump but do not relate it to breast cancer. The male patient may also notice the lump early but does not think that it is a tumor leading to the cancer diagnosed at a late stage.
Male breast cancer is a hormonal dependent disease and if it is treated early the prognosis my be better than what it is in women.
All of the men studied received surgery to remove their cancer. A total of 48 men received radiation treatment; 100 received chemotherapy or hormone therapy; and 42 received no additional treatment after their surgery. The 10-year survival rate for men with earlier-stage breast cancer was 47%. Men who were diagnosed at a late stage had a 10-year survival rate of 44%.
“The message for men,” Garassino said, “is this: if you have a lump in your breast, go immediately to the physician. Don’t wait, because you may have a tumor.”
source
You can read more posts by Sandy Robinson at her other health blogs: Fighting Fatigue & IC Disease. Sandy also writes for the American Idolist site on WebbleYou.
I have panic attacks from time to time and what is scary about having these is that I never know when one will hit. There are certain situations that will cause me to have panic attacks but it doesn’t happen every time that I am in that particular situation. For me it’s unpredictable and that can be very frustrating. I find that I am also more likely to have a panic attack when I haven’t been able to sleep. How do you know if you are having a panic attack? Here are some of the symptoms:
- Heart starts pounding really hard
- Sweating regardless of the weather outside
- Shaky, out of control feeling
- Gasping for breath
- Numbness in the hands and feet
One symptom I often experience when having a panic attack is a disoriented feeling. I feel as though what is going on around me isn’t really happening. It’s a weird feeling and hard to describe.
Women are twice as likely as men to have panic attacks but scientists aren’t sure why that is. It may be due to genetics and the fact that women are more likely to suffer from anxiety and depression. The hormonal changes in women can also be a reason for panic attacks - particularly during adolescence, pregnancy and menopause.
Dr. Lilian Gonsalves, vice chair of the department of psychiatry and psychology at the Cleveland Clinic, says some scientists think that hormonal fluctuation may upset the balance of chemicals in the brain that modulate fear and anxiety, triggering a panic attack.
While some women start having panic attacks during late adolescence, many others don’t have issues until they reach perimenopause. This is the period that can occur years before menopause where a woman’s hormones fluctuate wildly. Hot flashes and lack of sleep are two symptoms of perimenopause.
For those who suffer from frequent panic attacks, they are at a higher risk for depression, substance abuse and suicide. Some research also indicates that women who have repeated attacks are at higher risk of death. This is why it is so important to be treated promptly for repeated and/or frequent panic attacks.
There are different medications available to help those who suffer from panic attacks. Different medications work differently for each person. It may take a combination of medications, antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs, to help some patients. Cognitive behavior therapy is also used to treat panic attacks. Typically a combination of the two is used for best results. CBT uses relaxation exercises to help people learn how to deal with panic attacks and what causes them.
Many people find that drugs help control the problem until they can find a behavioral therapy that works, after which drugs may no longer be necessary. It’s often advisable to avoid caffeine or alcohol, which can bring on symptoms in some people. Research has also shown that regular exercise and activities such as yoga may reduce the severity and number of attacks.
It may take six to eight weeks for antidepressants to take full effect but many patients may start noticing some relief after just two weeks. For those who don’t respond well to antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications (about 20%), doctors have likely missed an underlying medical condition that is causing the attacks.
Source: Newsweek
You can read more posts by Sandy Robinson at her other health blogs: Fighting Fatigue & IC Disease. Sandy also writes for the American Idolist site on WebbleYou.
- I posted a couple of weeks ago here and here about my terrible bout with insomnia. After those two nights without sleeping, I did finally sleep the next night all night. But then the night after that (which would have been Thursday night), I only slept about three hours. We were leaving that Friday to take our son away for the weekend to Dutch Wonderland in Lancaster, PA. I really, really wanted to have enough sleep because I wanted to be in good shape for him for the weekend.
Another Update On My Sleep Issues
- It has been debated for years by doctors whether or not ME/CFS and Fibromyalgia are one & the same, closely related or completely different illnesses. What has fueled the debate even further is that approximately 70% who are diagnosed with one of the illnesses also have been diagnosed with the other.
ME/CFS and Fibromyalgia - Are They the Same, Related, or Different?
- Ethex Corporation notified healthcare professionals of a voluntary recall of a single lot of morphine sulfate 60 mg extended release tablets (Lot No. 91762) due to a report of a tablet with twice the appropriate thickness. Oversized tablets may contain as much as two times the labeled level of active morphine sulfate. The lot was distributed by Ethex Corporation under an ‘Ethex” label between April 16th and April 27th of 2008.
Voluntary Recall of Morphine Sulfate 60mg Issued by Ethex Corp.
- One of my own personal biggest issues with Fibromyalgia has been the weight gain and my body’s resistance to lose it. When I am having a severe flare of ME/CFS where I am bedridden for weeks or months, I will usually lose about 20 - 25 pounds. But once the flare is over and I start to recover the weight comes back on and then some.
Weight Gain & Fibromyalgia, ME/CFS
- The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is now recruiting male and female patients ages 18 to 75 with chronic and/or recurrent major depression, for a trial titled Combining Medications to Enhance Depression Outcomes (CO-MED). (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00590863)
NIH Depression Drug Trial Now Recruiting
- This is a great video I found on Lyme Disease. It is very informative and definitely portrays the seriousness of the illness.
Lyme Disease Video
- Getting diagnosed is like buying a lottery ticket hoping to pay off your mortgage when on welfare. You need to do it, but it’s not a matter of skill, but of pure luck. And when you have bad luck, like I do, then you know what I mean.
Guest Blogger Post: Getting Diagnosed Is An Uphill Battle
You can read more posts by Sandy Robinson at her other health blogs: Fighting Fatigue & IC Disease. Sandy also writes for the American Idolist site on WebbleYou.
Typically when we read about obesity, it is reported how bad being obese and overweight can be for your heart. But there is one instance, according to a recent study, where obesity may offer some protection after stenting. The researchers found that obese patients who had stents placed in diseased arteries had a lower incidence of adverse cardiac events than their normal-weight counterparts.
Dr. Ahmed A. Khattab of the Segeberger Kliniken in Bad Segeberg, Germany, and colleagues note in a report in the American Journal of Cardiology that continued research and larger randomized trials need to be conducted to confirm whether or not these findings bear the same results as they did in the
small studies using drug-eluting stents.
Khattab’s team analyzed the outcomes at one year for 607 patients with coronary artery disease who were treated with stents that release the immune-suppressing drug sirolimus. The group included 176 normal weight patients, 289 overweight patients, and 142 obese patients. At 30 days, the incidence of adverse cardiac events was 3.4 percent in the normal weight group and 3.1 percent in overweight patients, compared with just 2.8 percent in obese patients.
At the one year mark, the combined totals of incidence of death, heart attack stroke and repeat stentings were higher in the normal weight patients and overweight patients (10.8% vs. 11.8%) versus the obese patients, at only 7%.
You can read more posts by Sandy Robinson at her other health blogs: Fighting Fatigue & IC Disease. Sandy also writes for the American Idolist site on WebbleYou.
We don’t necessarily think of exercising or eating a proper diet as fun. Getting optimal sleep may also not be fun, but it is just as important.
Sleep experts recommend that, in addition to getting the necessary amount of sleep, as much as possible we should get up and go to bed at the same time every day—even on weekends.
Besides the possibility of falling asleep at the wheel, other consequences of not getting enough sleep include the following risks:
memory and cognitive impairment
depression and other mood disorders
decreased job performance
increased risk of occupational injury
high blood pressure
heart attack
stroke
cancer
diabetes
obesity
…and a generally decreased quality of life.
Bottom line: sleep is not negotiable. Find somewhere else to carve more time out of your schedule—not out of your sleep.
Posted on July 3rd, 2008 in
Sleep Health | Tags:
Sleep Health | Author:
Lisa J. |
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