Glaucoma Disease » Glaucoma Symptoms

Anyone experience long-term vision problems in aftermath of migraine?

admin — Wed, 02 Mar 2005 00:00:00 +0000

Question:

Yes I have. It turned out not to be a migraine but a microstroke. I had the pain and everything. Better have it checked. Yoy should not loose vision after for so long. After an especially bad migraine episode lasting several days, It seems to have been brought on by binging on pistacio nuts. I have had severe vision problems in one eye for over 3 weeks. I have blurry vision, and have problems discerning colors. It is similar to what sometimes occurs prior to a migraine. The symptoms have not improved at all. Has anyone experienced anything similar?

Get thee to a doctor right now. It could be several things, all of which are disturbing. As Randy said, it could be a micro stroke and that is not good. Or it could be something abnormal, growth wise, in your noggin. And that ain’t good either. Or it could be some nasty side effects to meds that you are taking. An example would be Topamax. It can cause double vision (or one of several variants of amblyopia), induced myopia, and narrow angle glaucoma. And that’s along with the other fun stuff that it can do. Do not allow yourself to be put off. Get an appointment NOW. Do not mess around with your vision. — Jeff Folloder Jeff’s Ashtray- http://www.folloder.com/jeffsashtray/ Non-Sequitur Blog- http://blog.folloder.com

Response:

Yes I have. It turned out not to be a migraine but a microstroke. I had the pain and everything. Better have it checked. Yoy should not loose vision after for so long.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – After an especially bad migraine episode lasting several days, It seems to have been brought on by binging on pistacio nuts. I have had severe vision problems in one eye for over 3 weeks. I have blurry vision, and have problems discerning colors. It is similar to what sometimes occurs prior to a migraine. The symptoms have not improved at all. Has anyone experienced anything similar?

Response:

After an especially bad migraine episode lasting several days, It seems to have been brought on by binging on pistacio nuts. I have had severe vision problems in one eye for over 3 weeks. I have blurry vision, and have problems discerning colors. It is similar to what sometimes occurs prior to a migraine. The symptoms have not improved at all. Has anyone experienced anything similar? That could also happen with macular degeneration. Better see your doctor.

I had some pretty disturbing vision problems while my neuro was re-adjusting my meds. Things seem to have settled back down. Sometimes, my clusters do affect my vision, but I have some pretty weird visual problems so it would be difficult to connect the two. That said, sudden visual changes should always be checked out ny an MD, IMO. — Jeff Folloder Jeff’s Ashtray- http://www.folloder.com/jeffsashtray/ Non-Sequitur Blog- http://blog.folloder.com

Response:

That could also happen with macular degeneration. Better see your doctor.

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Yep….sorta. Have you spoken to your doctor about these changes? Have you had an MRI or EEG lately? It most likely may be nothing, but it also could be a problem. 3 wks to have aura-like symptoms…get an appt at your doc’s and make them get you in quickly. As i said, it could be a prolonged aura, but it could be something it shouldn’t. Get to that doctor. deep peace, Lavon

Response:

Resocialization for 8mo Rottweiler Puppy

admin — Wed, 16 Feb 2005 00:00:00 +0000

Question:

The Amazing Puppy Wizard’s FREE WWW Wits’ End Dog Training Method Manual <{) ; ~ ) Here’s the third installment of the WEDTM: Here’s MOORE: ALL behavior problems are CAUSED BY MISHANDLING. PART II 1. Obedience We’ll be approaching our obedience training program as a piecemeal quilt puzzle; that is to say, that any one point has got to fit within the entire context, and as you develop skills, you may "mix and match" commands to suit your needs or situation at that moment. But we do have a procedure that is very much like the kind of steps you would follow as though you were starting your car or computer system. These steps are like your keys to your car or password to your files. It’s unlikely that your dog, when trained, will listen to anyone that does not approach the "control panel" to his mind, without the "keys" imbedded in this series of commands. He’ll understand that anyone asking business of him is not approved, without "them keys." Practice on a daily basis should not exceed four minutes to accomplish the exercises. Practice needs to be performed at least every second day. With problem dogs, this is critical. If you are using this training to suffice your dog’s emotional needs, whether it be anxiety from separation, aggression, or stress from any source, the benefits of this exercise will wear off in three days, at least until some time down the road. Also, dogs do tend to forget a lesson if it has not been re-enforced for several days. After the initial training period, practice may be limited to once a week. When your dog becomes fully trained and his behavior is not an issue or goal for improvement, a brief exercise should be formally done once a week, later once a month. We are going to give your pet 100% of your undivided positive attention, in an intense, four- minute exercise, which will have the benefit of exercising the dominant and submissive nature of your dog’s personality. These "natures of your dog’s personality" are easily accessed through the positions and postures in relationship to yourself, as you and your dog perform your obedience routines. Each position will elicit particular sorts of body language from your dog (and vice versa, so act natural). If you pay close attention you can determine how well or not your dog is relating to you. Each exercise or command in the following text will articulate what must be paid close attention, and how to make this knowledge work for you and your dog. We have special routines to break stress and tension, as well as methods to express dominance and elicit and enforce strict, exacting discipline. You will develop a feel for these as you progress through this system. The Method GUARANTEES total non physical control, but you’ve got to give up forced control entirely or you’ll be challenging the dog and you’ll learn the hard way…"I told you so." Any time you are in doubt about what your next move should be, just relax, take your time to review in your mind the exercise you are performing, and then execute the correct move. Everything has a particular progression. Admittedly, this is a complicated system. HOWEver, there is no need to worry about mastering the technique and psychology involved right away. It will become very clear as you begin to wo rkonit. Just as we will expect your dog to learn something new with practice, you too will develop a sense for what we are doing, but only with practice. You’ll develop a feel for what we’re doing. The pieces fit together like a jigsaw puzzle, and, like a jigsaw puzzle, you start by dumping the whole thing out in front of you and then try to put it in some sort of order. Think of our method like that puzzle. Keep in mind also that things change here, according to what has been mastered. 2. Ask Your Dog To Work We’ll start with a preliminary command to set the tone for our lesson. Ask your dog if he would like to go to work. Do so in an upbeat manner, with a questioning tone, as you lean or step backward just a little bit, praising all the while. (For more details on this, see the "Hot and Cold" exercise, in Part I of the W.E.D.T.M. Manual.) We don’t care if he wants to "go to work" or not. He’s going to, but we would do much better if he were looking forward to enjoying it. This does not mean we’re going to play, because just as soon as you finish this phrase "Do you want to go to work? Good boy," you’re going to follow through with his next command to come to order. 2A. Back To Work "Back to work," is his next command, it’s rather like the command "attention" in the military. It functions as a tool we can utilize to command his attention under emergency conditions as well as for daily requests to come to order… "Back to work" is to be followed in the same breath, without pausing or hesitating, with the forthcoming commands, while at the same time giving the hand signals and foot signals. It’s going to seem much like rubbing your head and patting your stomach at the same time. There are several events that are going to take place one after the other, quickly in succession. Your hand signal and foot signal will coincide with the voice commands. It’s crucial that signals and voice commands all coincide, as your dog will be learning all of these at once. 2B. Stay The "stay" command is very complicated. There are two hand signals and a foot signal as well as, of course, your voice command. It changes depending on whether you are at the side or "heel" position, or at a distance in front of him, or whether you are leaving his side with him remaining behind, or if you are returning toward him. Don’t worry about anything other than the hand signal from the side at this point. Leaving your dog on the stay command is covered later. It’s simple, but get used to the basics first. Stay from the side is a sweeping motion with your left hand coming forward, high from above your elbow, fingers together, as if to touch the tip of your middle finger to the top of your dogs nose, being careful to keep your hand from breaking into your dogs vision directly over his head. We don’t need to be close, just in the line of peripheral vision at about 15 degrees his snout. Give it high and forward of your body. Follow through by bringing your hand back up and sweeping it around toward your chest, placing your left wrist at your dog’s right shoulder, as you place your palm on his breast bone, as you pat him once or twice, and continue into the "sit straight" (or "stand straight" or "down straight") command, described below. What I’m trying to show is the stay signal comes in high in front and is brief.The hand then recedes high in an arch towards the handler before coming into the dog’s chest parallel to his right shoulder. The idea being that we don’t want to lean over the dog to set his chest, neck, and head. It’s a defensive position as some dogs may snap, that’s why we’re calming them in the forthcoming moves. 2C. Sit From The Side Sit from the side involves just the hand and voice signals. The left palm comes up, until your elbow is bent ninety degrees. In due course, all you’ll need to do is cup your palm. But for now, let’s make it easy for your dog to notice. Sounds pretty easy, so let’s throw in some body language. Before your dog has completed any command in these series, the next command in that series will be issued. We will do this slowly, so that your dog can think out what you are asking yet moving into the next phase before the prior has been completed. Not too slowly, but not too fast. You’re going to be leading and directing his attention, rather than his body. His body will follow his attention and thoughts. When you are ready to begin the "return to heel command," get a visual fix on a landmark, so as to be sure to orient yourselves correctly after your dog has completed sitting. At the beginning, we’ll not worry too much about this orientation, or for that matter, any orientation, but it will quickly become extremely important to be precise. Your hand signal for "return to heel" is with your left index finger, pointing to the ground just behind your left side, as you look down and back, toward where your finger is pointing. Leaning your weight on your right foot, so as to facilitate the movement of your left foot signal, just about one half step backward, not too far so as to lose balance, but enough to get your dog inspired to move. This is an action command, and the motion you use will help start your dog’s movement. At the same time your left foot moves, your hand signal and eyes will be pointing and moving in sync with your foot, as your upper body twists, just kind of a quarter turn left twist of your upper body as your foot moves, and back to forward. "Back to work, heel, good boy, nice dog, sit, stay, good dog." That’s your voice command to get him to the return to heel position. When this series has finished, and while you are still saying "good dog," you’ll need to pat him, just once or twice on his chest, as you give him his next command to "sit straight," and adjust his front square at your side, by lifting his weight by his breast bone, and move his front just a little, as you help (actually cheat), by adjusting yourself at the same time to be square at the heel position. Next, run your hand from his breast bone up under his throat, to his chin, at which point you’ll repeat your stay signal, as you run your hand down one side of his body from the left shoulder down along his ribs. Then the right side, then, to one front foot, then the next. You’ll see later. 2D. Heel vs. Return to Heel The heel position means your dog’s shoulders must be parallel to your knees. Return to heel is the means by which he arrives there. Both commands are action words and require movement on your part to teach your dog what it means. The voice command for both tasks is the same. The movement of your … read more »

Response:

The Amazing Puppy Wizard’s FREE WWW Wits’ End Dog Training Method Manual <{) ; ~ ) Here’s the second post of three of the WEDTM. Continuation Part 1 WEDTM A student called one day because although things were moving along well with her dog, the dog continued to jump up on the couch. When asked how does she address the problem, she stated hat she reaches over for one of the cans, gives it a shake and praises, and indeed, the dog gets off the couch, but gets back on again shortly thereafter. "How do you deal with that?" I asked. "I reach for the cans, and give it another shake, and as always, she gets right off, but gets back on it again shortly thereafter." "Don’t you remember that the sound must come from another direction?" I asked. "Oh yes, now I remember. Creating the sound will not be effective without alternating the source or direction. Sorry to bother you about that," she said. "Before you go, tell me, did you continue to do the "Family Pack Leadership Exercise" at three other locations, and finish reading the manual?" I asked. 7B. Unacceptable Demonstrations of Dominance Your dog needs to control totally, or to be controlled totally. In the big scheme of things, barring any unusual tendencies, outward appearances should look and feel like you are expressing proper control. Even in the best of situations, most of us try to get as much as we think we can get, or at least as much as we feel we deserve. For the most part, your dog doesn’t want to get your job, your possessions, or any thing else, except you. All things being equal, you are the ultimate challenge. You might be considered kind of like a doggy version of Mt. Everest. When climbing a mountain, one rule of thumb is to obtain a good purchase, before aiming for another handhold or foothold. Just about every interaction with your dog might be considered a purchase on your summit. We don’t want him to fall, but there’s no room at the top. You might look at the intricacies of the relationship with your dog sort of being like a chess game. Every interaction is a strategic assault that has to be analyzed, assessed, and at some point countered. Most canine interactions center on control issues. These power plays go on all the time, and usually take place without us even being aware, that we are the pawn in a power play. Although most of these ploys are harmless and laughable, they do add up and scores are kept. You don’t have to play well, but like it or not, you’re in the game. Being consistent means you get extra points. Let’s look at an example of how we innocently participate, and the ramifications that occur as a result. Your dog jumps up on your couch. You look over and tell him to get off. Being a good dog he jumps right off, and resumes his appropriate spot. Being a dog, he’s going to try again. So he does. And, doing your best, you remind him that you had just asked him not to do that. But, he ignores you, and you insist. So he goes. But (being a dog) he tries again, and you (being human) have got other things to do. Besides, he’s just been groomed, and you’re getting another couch soon, and you’ve decided to put this couch in a good spot so can have it, and you’re tired, and it really doesn’t matter. So you ignore him. This One Instance Of Inconsistency Just Fractured His Entire Concept Of The Infrastructure Of Your Home And your and His Role In It. If you cannot make up your mind as to what is important, then he needs to make decisions so as to insure stability in his den. 7C. More Subtle Examples of Unacceptable Dominance How about every time your dog steps on your feet? Don’t you think your dog knows where each of his feet are, and where they belong? Or, how about his tail? Does he accidentally smack you as he goes by? Maybe he clears your coffee table as he moves past? Certainly you can’t expect your dog to understand that this long, unwieldy appendage can rearrange your knick-knacks or whatever. "Maybe it’s best to keep him out of those areas. Besides, he’s like a bull in a china shop." We don’t need to put up with these sorts of "unavoidable" impositions on our lives or property. You may say, "But surely there’s no way to correct such innocent impositions." If you believe that, then you’ve wasted your time reading this manual. Either start over again, or reexamine your thinking. Let’s look at how you might remedy these situations. Remember, your dog is going to model your behavior and act in kind. You set the standard for good behaviors by demonstration. 7D. How To Correct Mouthing Every puppy goes through a mouthing stage. It’s usually out grown by the end of teething. That means he needs to chew something to cut new teeth. Provide appropriate items to be chewed. Everything else is not to be touched. Establish appropriate mouth behavior right from first contact. There’s no excuse for being abused by your dogs teeth until he’s finished teething. *Some trainers teach "bite inhibition." That’s almost the right idea. First, mouthing is a bonding activity, so we don’t want to discourage it antagonistically. Appropriate mouthing activity is up to you to determine. Some of us don’t like dog’s mouths on us at all. Other’s don’t mind and even enjoy it. I always play with my dog’s mouths, and I don’t mind gentle mouthing. Whatever you attitude, just realize that others are going to be mouthed or not in the same manner as you accept. There’s no such thing as being too young to learn any behavior, within the physical limits of his body. His brain is ready to be programmed to learn everything he will ever need to know by the age of 18 days old. Training your dog is not much different than creating a filing system. Just as you address each page that appears on your screen, each behavior your dog performs should be dealt with before moving on to something else. Of course, if you are not prepared to cope with a behavior because of, perhaps time restrictions, make note of that behavior and set and appointed time to re create the situation and address it totally. The first instance your dog puts his mouth on you inappropriately is to be regarded as an issue. Each time you permit any inappropriate behavior to continue without being addressed, you are setting the precedent for more of the same behavior. TECHNIQUE: Subtle. Just be subtle. Whenever you have a situation that needs immediate response, be very careful to not let your dog know you are either upset or going to correct him. Casual. Just as casual as you would be as though you were explaining to your best friend how to find a tool in your garage. If your friend couldn’t find something, you’d just tell him where to look and expect him to try again. And, if he returned empty handed, you’d probably suggest a better way to find the item. Matter of factly. Just as matter of factly as you would if your friend were to return without the desired item once again. You’d calmly and matter of factly get together and show him how to get it. No big deal. When your dog first opens his mouth toward you, or any inappropriate matter, just create a sound and praise for five to fifteen seconds. If he refrains from that behavior, continue to praise. If he continues with the misbehavior, repeat the sound distraction from another direction followed by prolonged, non physical praise. If he continues, use the command " ‘Out!,’ good boy, nice dog…" as you gently remove his teeth from the object, immediately releasing his mouth and praising all at the same time. Once again, it is necessary to allow the behavior to resume. As he thinks once again to open his mouth toward an inappropriate item, repeat the above procedure. Understand that this process will require four properly performed repetitions. Observe carefully for the momentary hesitation on his third attempt, and be careful to praise that moment and continue praising for up to fifteen seconds or until the mouthing stops or resumes. And don’t forget, once you’ve successfully inhibited the behavior on one such item, you have at least three more occasions for which this behavior must be addressed to permanently delete it from his repertoire of misbehavior. Bear in mind, this technique will need to be repeated in four different places, and perhaps with four different items such as people, as well as any item into which he may choose to sink his little teeth. In other words, if he’s chewing on your left hand, addressing this behavior for four consecutive occasions will prevent him chewing on only your left hand, and only in that one area. To successfully break this behavior, allow the behavior to resume on the other hand. Next, he’ll probably look forward to chewing on your ankle, and then he’ll try the other ankle. Sure, it sounds like a lot of work, and a young puppy may indeed forget a previous lesson, especially if he is in the process of cutting new teeth. Address each instance with patience and consistency. Soon you’ll see him think of the undesirable behavior, and look right at you expecting the praise for having restrained himself. Remember, any time you show annoyance, you are actually re-enforcing the undesirable behavior. At some point in your dog’s early life, it was likely that his mom had the duty to correct him for something like chewing on her, or for taking her food. Perhaps you’d think mom dogs would share all their food with their puppies. That may be true most of the time, just as most mom dogs won’t get thoroughly upset when their babies chew on her. But at some point, mom needs to protect herself from her puppies; and furthermore, nature dictates appropriate rules of behavior that she is compelled to enforce. Mom dogs will bat at their pups sideways with their mouths, while making a guttural sound much like the word out. Kind of like an umpire might be heard to say. This, if your pup had ever been corrected by his mom, it … read more »

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My hubby and I bought a Rottweiler puppy who was 6 mos at the time. Since then he shakes when children are around him, although he doesn’t bite. Also, he cowers when people go near him. We were told by a Person at Petsmart that for $60 bucks she could get him to act like a puppy. I don’t buy the fact that if we’ve had him for two months and the whole family is involved with his caretaking that she could only do it in a day. We’ve had him for two months, and he’s very shy. We also brought the neighbors dog over to the house so that he could socialize that way. But again we have to physically pick him up to take him to the vets, because otherwise we have to drag him. Any help would be most appreciated. Thanks!!

The Amazing Puppy Wizard’s FREE WWW Wits’ End Dog Training Method Manual <{) ; ~ ) HOWEDY auxfire, Here’s the first of three posts comprising The Amazing Puppy Wizard’s FREE WWW Wits’ End Dog Training Method Manual. If you can’t train ALL behaviors NEARLY INSTANTLY withHOWET PAIN FEAR FORCE BRIBERY AVOIDANCE CRATING or INTIMIDATION you’re using an ineffective method or you’re doin it wrong. The fameHOWES horse trainer Monty Roberts AGREES, and teaches similar techniques, begining with his version of The Amazing Puppy Wizard’s Family Ledership Exerc

Smoking

admin — Sun, 04 Jul 2004 00:00:00 +0000

Question:

Can anyone out there help me? For the last two years I’ve tried all sorts of things to give up smoking. I am anxious to avoid the slippery slope of chain smoking and beyond….. Though I have cut back a little, really I’m still on the dreaded weed! If any ex-smokers have some ideas or could give me their own "quitting" experiences, I would be forever grateful.

For what it’s worth I quit smoking (a sixty to ninety a day habit) on 12 May 1984, making it just over twenty years since I gave up. I went cold turkey with the help of the Seventh Day Adventist "Five Day Plan". They gave me an egg to hold. I found that helped keep my hands busy. I also sprayed everything I touched with a little diluted disinfectant to get rid of the smell. I drank litres of water, no coffee or tea and no alcohol. I ate vegetables and fruit only for the first week. It was hell. But I love being free from smoking. Moira, the Faerie Godmother

Response:

If any ex-smokers have some ideas or could give me their own "quitting" experiences, I would be forever grateful.

Unless this has something to do with HIV/AIDS (the topic of this group, not "health-aids"), you may obtain better advice in the smoking groups. In a quick search of the active file at Supernews, I found several groups available, using the word "smoke" as a search term. B/

Response:

If any ex-smokers have some ideas or could give me their own "quitting" experiences, I would be forever grateful. Unless this has something to do with HIV/AIDS (the topic of this group, not "health-aids"), you may obtain better advice in the smoking groups. In a quick search of the active file at Supernews, I found several groups available, using the word "smoke" as a search term. B/

Smoking: It Doesn’t Make Living with HIV Any Easier By Nancy Wongvipat, M.P.H. Recent research has examined whether cigarette smoking speeds progression to AIDS. Studies have shown that HIV-positive smokers are more likely to develop Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) and develop PCP more quickly than non-smokers. These results should come as no surprise, since smoking impairs the lungs, making them more vulnerable to infection. Studies have also found that cigarette smoking significantly increases the likelihood and rate of developing thrush (mouth sores), oral hairy leukoplakia (whitish sore on the side of the tongue and inside cheeks) and bacterial pneumonia in smokers with HIV. The bacteria that causes Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC), a life-threatening infection affecting as many as 40 percent of people with HIV) not only was recovered from the tobacco, cigarette paper and filters of four major brands of cigarettes but even survives the smoking process. We know that smoking is, in general, damaging to one’s health. For people with HIV who are trying to reduce their risk of exposure to bacteria, this research provides another reason to kick the habit. Keep in mind that secondhand smoke involuntarily inhaled by non-smokers from other people’s cigarettes is classified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as a known human (Group A) carcinogen, responsible for approximately 3,000 lung cancer deaths annually in U.S. non-smokers. Better Off Smoke-Free Some people with HIV are convinced that their viral load and CD4 counts would not be as good without taking the difficult steps to stop smoking. Anti-HIV drugs do just so much, so the rest is up to you. If you are HIV-infected and smoke, you might want to set a goal of changing your lifestyle over the next year. It’s important for people with HIV who want to stop smoking to be in a safe and supportive environment where they are empowered to give up cigarettes on their own terms. For those not ready to quit altogether, experts recommend cutting the amount and frequency of smoking. At First if You Don’t Succeed Ex-smokers will usually tell you it takes three to four attempts before successfully quitting smoking. More than 3 million Americans quit smoking permanently every year. And you can, too! Don’t despair, even if you have tried and failed in the past. By choosing the right approach and keeping a positive attitude, you’ll see that there is still hope to kick the habit. Some people are successful quitting "cold turkey," while others slowly decrease the number of cigarettes per day until they quit. Some even need the assistance of medical professionals. Choose the method that best suits you and your lifestyle. Nicotine addiction is 95-percent psychological and about 5-percent physiological. No one ever died of nicotine withdrawal. In fact, most people make it through the withdrawal symptoms but start smoking again due to boredom, stress or peer pressure. Since nicotine is eliminated from the body in two weeks, the "pressures" you feel to start again aren’t from the nicotine, they’re from the psychological stressors in your life. Help is Available Many resources for helping smokers quit are available. Most resources can be categorized as either smoking cessation programs or methods used to treat withdrawal from nicotine. By offering ongoing counseling and coping strategies that help with the psychological stressors that are often the reasons for relapse, a formal smoking cessation class increases your chances of quitting tremendously. Methods used to treat nicotine withdrawal, such as gums, patches, inhalers, nasal sprays and medications, alleviate the symptoms of withdrawal only. While acupuncture, hypnosis and biofeedback work for some, there is no formal evaluation validating their success rates. Get Informed A wealth of information about smoking cessation is available for those contemplating taking that step. The American Lung Association can be reached be calling (800) LUNG-USA (1-800-586-4872), or by visiting http://www.lungusa.org. Also, check with your local chapters of the American Heart Association and the American Cancer Society for tips, programs and other helpful information. The American Lung Association offers a smoking cessation program called 1999 Freedom from Smoking Clinics. The program is conducted by ALA-trained and certified instructors who have a background in health education, teaching, psychology, and medicine, or who have quit successfully themselves through the program and want to help others. Visit http://www.lalung.org/what/freedom.html for a list of clinics in L.A. County. You can also check with your health care provider for smoking cessation programs they might offer. TIPS on Smoking Cessation * Talk with your health-care provider about how to stop smoking. You’ll most likely be asked questions to help best determine the method that will work for you. You can also ask your doctor about a prescription for the nicotine patch to decrease cravings. * Make the commitment. It’s not about willpower. Get support. * Change your daily routine. If you smoke with your coffee in the morning, change to tea or another beverage. * Keep a logbook or diary of your smoking habits such as how you felt, the time of day, and what you were doing and review it with your healthcare provider. * Make rules. No smoking in the car, for one (and remove the ashtray and lighter), no smoking in the house, and buy only one pack at a time. Getting to the commitment is the hardest part. After accomplishing this feat, don’t go it alone. Take advantage of help that’s available. * Do not try to quit when stress is already high. Actively use stress-reduction techniques to help you handle this period. Stress-reduction techniques include exercise, massage, safer sex and bubble baths. Drink lots of water and fruit juices or herbal tea to flush out your system. Reward yourself by reinvesting drug, alcohol, or cigarette money on healthy or favorite foods or relaxing activities. Deep breathing (while visualizing the toxins leaving your body as you exhale) can help send a powerful message to your immune system. 10 Excellent Reasons to Quit * Smoking gets you into trouble in restaurants, airports, planes and people’s homes. * Smoking makes you unattractive to others and consequently, it’s more difficult to get a date. * Smoking is expensive. At $3 a pack, smoking a pack a day each week equals $21 or $1,092 a year. * Smoking can increase your health insurance premiums. * Smoking can cause poor dental hygiene including tooth loss. * Smoking can cause emphysema, lung cancer and has been linked to almost all other cancers, glaucoma, heart disease and stroke. * Smoking can accelerate osteoporosis (weakening of bone tissue). * Smoking causes secondhand smoke which can harm those living with you. * Smoking is the leading cause of most preventable deaths in the U.S. * Smoking can kill you. Nancy Wongvipat is a health education specialist in AIDS Project Los Angeles’ Education Division. She can be reached by calling (323) 993-1511 or by e-mail at

Response:

Watery eyes

admin — Tue, 22 Jun 2004 00:00:00 +0000

Question:

hey russ, it is so interesting how tx effects people in such different ways. My eyes, too, were always very dry and always was thirsty (still am). For my eyes I went through alot of Clear Eyes. They burned pretty much after I dropped them in but then I started to feel the relief. It just goes to show ya tx is definitely not a "one size fits all". Also, I did notice my eyesight not as good as it once was. Wish I had them checked before tx so I had something to compare with (or maybe it’s just that I’m getting older! ha!) Jim

Response:

Jim, They burned because you should have been putting extra tears in your eyes, not using Clear Eyes, a product designed to get the red out. There are lots of products like Tears Naturale II that add only moisture to your eyes. I find my eyes, lips and mouth are so dry on treatment. And I’m always thirsty no matter how much water I drink. Keith On 23 Jun 2004 06:09:42 GMT, jlm…@aol.com (Jim) wrote: – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->My eyes, >too, were always very dry and always was thirsty (still am). For my eyes I >went through alot of Clear Eyes.

Response:

That’s funny, my eyes watered while I was on tx. :-) Elmo http://community.webtv.net/elmoemerson/DocElmosHepFile

Response:

yea my eyesight was horrible on tx, now that I’m done my focus is much sharper. I do have some farsightedness, but while on tx even with my glasses it was hard to see close up. And I always felt like I was "cross-eyed". That always went with the migraines I had. — Russ Remove "NOSPAM" for replies. "Jim" wrote in message

news:20040623020942.26478.00000582@mb-m03.aol.com… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> hey russ, > it is so interesting how tx effects people in such different ways. My eyes, > too, were always very dry and always was thirsty (still am). For my eyes I > went through alot of Clear Eyes. They burned pretty much after I dropped them > in but then I started to feel the relief. It just goes to show ya tx is > definitely not a "one size fits all". Also, I did notice my eyesight not as > good as it once was. Wish I had them checked before tx so I had something to > compare with (or maybe it’s just that I’m getting older! ha!) > Jim

Response:

Thanks, Keith. I didn’t know about those products for your eyes. I’ll check it out next visit at the drug store. Keep drinking lots and lots of liquids. If your pee isn’t clear you’re not drinking enough. Jim

Response:

Jim, I’m guzzling it down. Makes me feel like I’m being productive when I’m sitting around doing nothing. Keith On 24 Jun 2004 02:09:35 GMT, jlm…@aol.com (Jim) wrote: – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Thanks, Keith. I didn’t know about those products for your eyes. I’ll check >it out next visit at the drug store. >Keep drinking lots and lots of liquids. If your pee isn’t clear you’re not >drinking enough. >Jim

Response:

I don’t know if this would help or not, but it helped me. Several years ago I was having trouble with dry, scratchy eyes. I started supplementing selenium and it stopped. I know the virus uses up selenium, so I thought that since this reversed after selenium supplementat for a couple months, that , maybe it was a side effect of selenium deficiency. I don’t really know. Just know I was miserable for a few months before I tried this and symptoms reversed. Susie "Russ" wrote in message

news:10di5lar9q1jc91@corp.supernews.com… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> My eyes were always dry. In the morning when I wake up they would feel > scratchy. In those times my saliva glands weren’t working right either. > — > Russ > Remove "NOSPAM" for replies. > "Keith" wrote in message > news:r9dgd0pk4ebk9hknnuaov2ejhs9a3nhg4f@4ax.com… > > Paul, > > Mine gush water all day and it’s a good thing. A result of two eye > > operations I had. It releases the optical fluid that gets trapped by > > glaucoma. Of course, that’s not your situation. > > There are a number of eye problems that can crop up in treatment. > > Don’t rely on the group for a vague symptom like that. Just go visit > > an eye doctor today. Tell him you’re on treatment and you’d like him > > to see if your eyes are normal. Simple. > > I really think everyone should visit an eye doc now and then during > > treatment. > > Keith > > On Tue, 22 Jun 2004 08:32:15 +0100, Paul > > wrote: > > >For the past 3 days my eyes have been leaking a lot. Also, I have > > >soreness around the eyes but maybe I was rubbing when I shouldn’t > > >have. > > >Are watery eyes a known side of tx? > > >Any suggestions that can help me please? – preferably from personal > > >experience.

—–= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =—– http://www.newsfeeds.com – The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! —–== Over 100,000 Newsgroups – 19 Different Servers! =—–

Response:

My eyes were always dry. In the morning when I wake up they would feel scratchy. In those times my saliva glands weren’t working right either. — Russ Remove "NOSPAM" for replies. "Keith" wrote in message

news:r9dgd0pk4ebk9hknnuaov2ejhs9a3nhg4f@4ax.com… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Paul, > Mine gush water all day and it’s a good thing. A result of two eye > operations I had. It releases the optical fluid that gets trapped by > glaucoma. Of course, that’s not your situation. > There are a number of eye problems that can crop up in treatment. > Don’t rely on the group for a vague symptom like that. Just go visit > an eye doctor today. Tell him you’re on treatment and you’d like him > to see if your eyes are normal. Simple. > I really think everyone should visit an eye doc now and then during > treatment. > Keith > On Tue, 22 Jun 2004 08:32:15 +0100, Paul > wrote: > >For the past 3 days my eyes have been leaking a lot. Also, I have > >soreness around the eyes but maybe I was rubbing when I shouldn’t > >have. > >Are watery eyes a known side of tx? > >Any suggestions that can help me please? – preferably from personal > >experience.

Response:

For the past 3 days my eyes have been leaking a lot. Also, I have soreness around the eyes but maybe I was rubbing when I shouldn’t have. Are watery eyes a known side of tx? Any suggestions that can help me please? – preferably from personal experience. — Paul Use the reply by email facility in your newsreader to send email

Response:

Paul, Mine gush water all day and it’s a good thing. A result of two eye operations I had. It releases the optical fluid that gets trapped by glaucoma. Of course, that’s not your situation. There are a number of eye problems that can crop up in treatment. Don’t rely on the group for a vague symptom like that. Just go visit an eye doctor today. Tell him you’re on treatment and you’d like him to see if your eyes are normal. Simple. I really think everyone should visit an eye doc now and then during treatment. Keith On Tue, 22 Jun 2004 08:32:15 +0100, Paul – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text - wrote: >For the past 3 days my eyes have been leaking a lot. Also, I have >soreness around the eyes but maybe I was rubbing when I shouldn’t >have. >Are watery eyes a known side of tx? >Any suggestions that can help me please? – preferably from personal >experience.

Response:

Pain in the eye?

admin — Sun, 11 Jan 2004 00:00:00 +0000

Question:

Hi James, I get eye pain in both eyes and the surrounding area including my deep nasal passages; the pain may migrate from the facial area to the side of the head or elsewhere in a matter of mini-seconds. It is so damn weird how my pain migrates. Sometimes it will be at the base of the head where it attaches to the spine; then, BAM!!— It will be go to the right side of the head or some other spot. Back and forth pain location is a common thing for me. The facial pain with nasal/eye involvement is a primary component of my migraines; also, it is a primary component of pre migraine aura. I find smoke and odors to really set off the eye/nasal involvement; this is why the dumb ass ENT doctors(these were the supposed best in the state of WI) had only focused on my sinus problems in the past, and never thought of migraines. My eyes have been checked thoroughly, but Jean’s post was a good one for me to read because I suffer dry eyes too. I’m going to get me some of that ointment she suggested; I do use artificial tears sometimes. I get the photo-phono sensitivity on a daily basis, but things have been improving in the last few weeks. I’m averaging 2 migraines a week now with some lesser headaches since I switched to Propranolol from Atenolol. I’m giving the propranolol a chance. I have a pack of Lamictal (Lamotrigine) anti-seizure pills (for prophylactic treatment)to start, but I do not want too many variables (even other illnesses) mixed into the equation right now. I tried Neurontin, but it caused migraines in me(really screwed up excitable neurons — I guess). If I only suffer 2 migraines a week I will not start the Lamictal; I’m truly scared to try the stuff. I’ll try Lamictal if I get into the "non-stop locomotive stage". Good luck to you all (esp. Bear). Thanks Jean for mentioning your medicines for the eye involvement. Sincerely — Randyman

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Who here has suffered from pain in the eye related to migraine? I’ve had some pain in my left eye, and just recently began to link it to my migraines. It’s like the eye is dry and irritated. What type of pain, actually in the eye (not just behind the eye) have you experienced? James — www.relieve-migraine-headache.com

Response:

I’ve been having very similar symptoms,, although it feels more like I got salt in my eyes,, more a burning sensation, , rincing does me no good either Bear www.amazon.com/shops/inland_canal_general_store www.cafeshops.com/everythinggoes

Response:

I also have pain in my left eye (my primary migraine side).. There are times when the left eye seems bulging and others when it shrinks. My co-workers can sometimes tell I’m getting a migraine before I realize it by looking at the swelling in my eye. I have been to an opthamologist and have been extensively tested for several years to determine if there is incipient glaucoma or other problems – nope! My eye doc believes it is all related to my migraines (sufferer for 27 years). She did recommend that I use Genteal Lubricant Eye Gel for the dryness and pain. It really does help alleviate those symptoms but does not "cure" the pain/swelling. When I was on Neurontin the swelling and migraines did subside, but I couldn’t handle the other side effects so had to give that up in Nov. and switched to Zonegran. After my bad experience last month with Zonegran side effects I’ve sworn off preventatives for at least 6 months. (WAAAAA!) I am switching neurologists and couldn’t get an appointment anyway until July. The swelling/pressure/pain in my eye did come back almost immediately after I was off the preventative meds. I believe that you should also go to an opthamologist just to rule out any problems that could really hurt your eyesight, but don’t be surprised if they don’t find any eye problems. Jean

Response:

James, a rather small subset of my migraines feature an itch or pain in one eye that feels for all the world as if I got a splinter in it. There is nothing to be found on close examination. Rinsing does not help. The eye reddens and runs, and soon enough comes the awful pain. I don’t know if it’s a peculiar kind of aura or not. (I frequently have a somewhat nontraditional "lava lamp" aura.) Parenthetically, my mother and oldest sister, almost the only members of a very large family who NEVER had migraines in their youth, both got the "painless" kind in their 50s and 60s, consisting only of an aura of sparkling blindness. I’ve now had a few of those too, both with and without the migraine pain to follow. Ain’t migraines special. –Julianne

Response:

Who here has suffered from pain in the eye related to migraine? I’ve had some pain in my left eye, and just recently began to link it to my migraines. It’s like the eye is dry and irritated. What type of pain, actually in the eye (not just behind the eye) have you experienced? James — www.relieve-migraine-headache.com

Response:

Julianne, this sounds very much like my problem. That is so weird. I just noticed that there seemed to be a connection, so I’ll keep my eye on it (oops, no joke intended!). It seems likely that the migraine simply makes a problem that’s already there worse. If my eye is dry or a little irritated, it might multiply the pain when there’s migraine inflammation. Thanks everyone for your responses so far! Anyone else? James — www.relieve-migraine-headache.com

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – James, a rather small subset of my migraines feature an itch or pain in one eye that feels for all the world as if I got a splinter in it. There is nothing to be found on close examination. Rinsing does not help. The eye reddens and runs, and soon enough comes the awful pain. I don’t know if it’s a peculiar kind of aura or not. (I frequently have a somewhat nontraditional "lava lamp" aura.) Parenthetically, my mother and oldest sister, almost the only members of a very large family who NEVER had migraines in their youth, both got the "painless" kind in their 50s and 60s, consisting only of an aura of sparkling blindness. I’ve now had a few of those too, both with and without the migraine pain to follow. Ain’t migraines special. –Julianne

Response:

What ever happened to Dez?

admin — Tue, 28 Oct 2003 00:00:00 +0000

Question:

Never ending tons of fun, eh Lana? I have actually seen a total of three specialists at the eye clinic. I kept getting kicked up stairs. Funny, the first one (drop dead gorgeous) in her late twenties, referred me to to one in her late thirties who had had experience with HCV patients. She kicked me up to a doc in his fifties. They tested and photographed me with an array of different machines. About a month after tx they had a opthamologist (sp) give me and eye exam and write a new script. She spent more time testing me than I have ever been tested before on an eye exam. She commented on the weakness of my right eye where the blood vessel had ruptured. The VA provided me with a new set of Chinese (yeah that’s right) glasses that made me look hilarious; but I could see clear as a ding dong again! Funny, before the Chinese glasses arrived I took my VA script to my optometrist to replace the lens in my existing frames with the new script. It was so far off from my previous one that he refused to fill it. I told him I’d wait for the Chinese glasses to arrive and see how they worked. Of course they worked fine so he filled my script. Yip iddy yee ha!~ – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -szozu wrote: > Be careful with that "ocular migraine" stuff. An ophthalmologist tried to > tell me that’s what I had when I lived in Spain, though he finally said, > "…though you may want to visit a neurologist, just to be on the safe > side." > So off I went to the neurologist and after evoked potentials and some other > tests, it was discovered that I had an inflammation of both optic nerves. I > had a series of injections of corticosteroids and B vitamins and the > symptoms, similar to what you describe, disappeared, however, over a year > later when tested for the third time, I still had some inflammation. My > colour vision and vision in general has never been the same. > While on IFN, I noticed that there was a marked deterioration of brightness > in my right eye. After stopping tx and being diagnosed with sarcoidosis by > the dermatologist, he asked me if I was having any vision problems. When I > answered "yes" he sent me to the best ophthalmologist in town, who was also > the only specialist in sarcoidosis. She found some atrophy of the optic > nerve and after testing, they confirmed that my colour vision was a bit off > in the red and green spectrum. I’m still waiting for the results of the > other tests and to have an angiogram so that they can view the blood vessels > better. > All this ties in (at least in my mind) with the neuropathy I suffered while > on IFN. It’s obvious that I have a tendency towards demyelination. People > who have optic neuritis often end up with MS, which is a demyelination > disease. When the nerves lose the protective myelin sheath, the electrical > signals from the brain are interrupted. > Conclusion: I hope that your drop-dead gorgeous specialist tested your > evoked potentials, because what you describe sounds very much like what I > had experienced, including the part about each episode lasting about 20 > minutes. > Lana > "Geb Bixer" wrote in message > news:vpvmhsn6pr9ued@corp.supernews.com… >>I had a blood vessel rupture in or behind my retina caused by the >>interferon during my tx. I had the cotton spots, little diamond like >>bursts, squiggly lines not unlike lightning bolts and a partial loss of >>vision. It has mostly cleared up. Occasionally, for about 20 minutes >>at a pop, some of the symptoms will reappear. The retina specialist at >>the Eye Clinic says although it looks like things have stabilized and >>there is no further damage, what I am experiencing now is ocular >>migraine. The specialist (stone cold beautiful drop dead knockout) says >>I’m lucky because with some patients it is the onset of a full blown >>migraine headache.

Response:

Here’s my 2 cents worth. I have diabetes, but not glaucoma. After I started tx I noticed muscular pain moving my eyes and intermittent blurriness, along with what seemed to be cotton spots. I naturally went to the optho right away. The muscular pain turned out to be "one of those oddball sides" that keeps tx interesting. It was gone within 2 weeks, although it popped back up for a week not too long ago. I feel my optho mis-diagnosed me with blepharemia, but the main thing is that tx DOES cause changes in intraocular pressure. Infrequent blurred vision is to be expected. In my case, it simply means wait a year (for the eyeballs to stabilize) before getting a new prescription. In your case, with glaucoma, it may be more serious. My suggestion is to see and talk with your optho before, and during treatment. But, don’t panic if you get blurred vision. Call the Doc. Steve "Keith" wrote in message

news:ljcupvc1m21c8ivit5ea7dnoqo95jdeira@4ax.com… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Shawn, > I can’t believe you said that. I have glaucoma and got worried when I > read interferon can increase intraocular pressure. Just before getting > told I have hep-c, my eye doctor told me my glaucoma’s getting worse > because of increasing pressure. It had been stable since eye > operations 10 or 12 years ago. I don’t need more pressure. There’s > already been major damage in my eyes. > You’re talking about vision changed every day? Did a doctor say it was > because of changes in pressure? When I told my eye doctor I would have > to go on interferon but was worried about a rise in pressure, he said, > "Well, I’ll monitor it and if it rises too much you can switch to > another medication." Right. There’s a slew of effective drugs out > there for hep-c. > I’m worried that it will come down to a choice of living longer, or > seeing. Life is weird. > Keith > On Wed, 29 Oct 2003 00:30:48 GMT, "Shawn" wrote: > >Keith, thanks for the info on "The Elegant Universe". I > >wanted to read the book but with all the meds I’m on my > >ocular pressure changes almost daily. So, I don’t get to > >read much anymore. My wife sometimes even has to read the > >paper for me. Keep posting there is a wealth of knowledge > >here and some damn nice folks (aside from the trolls!!!)

Response:

Steve That sounds so weird. Cotton wool spots on your eyes. Lord. I’m really wary about these vision sides. My eyes are going down the tubes without Interferon’s help. I’m going to see my eye doctor every month while on Interferon so he can monitor these things. I’m "lucky" enough to already be on anti-depressants. I take Effexor. Hopefully it will help me through tx. I also take trazodone at bedtime, so maybe that will help with the sleeplessness others mention. Mental fog sounds like lots of fun too. I’m already mindless. I’m supposed to do a colonoscopy tomorrow and only just read the doctor’s directions and found I shouldn’t have been taking aspirin for the past four days. I’ve been taking 2 aspirin every four hours for about thirty years, so I imagine they’ll need to reschedule. Waiting for a call back now. I’m glad your eyes got better on their own, Steve. Thanks for the advice. Keith – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -On Thu, 30 Oct 2003 02:58:01 GMT, "SteveS" wrote: >Right, Keith… "cotton wool spots". >They are exactly as they sound, are detectable by your eye Doc, and you’ll >know if you get them. >They are a symptom to watch for. They could point to retinal problems or >they could go away, as they did for me. >As you prepare for treatment, you may want to get your head examined as >well. Hehehe. Some here believe you should get started on anti-D’s before >you start tx. I personally can’t handle them, but others swear by them. >These are all good questions for your Docs. If you don’t like the answers >you get, post em here. You’ll get more answers. >Seriously, tx is most difficult at the start, but you can get through it. >Good luck, >Steve

Response:

that’s a pretty good description Elmo. A "slow rolling train", hahaha… Well the train, he be going a bit faster for me right now and I’m having a hard time staying ahead!!!! hahahaha…. — Russ Tanner Palmer, Alaska email: russattannersacredotcom http://www.tannersacre.com wrote in message

news:3559-3F9F13D0-69@storefull-2316.public.lawson.webtv.net… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I heard from him a week or so ago and he hasn’t been using his computer > at all for the past few weeks. He’s still having a hard time with the > meds, has less than either 18 or 13 weeks left of tx, I forget which. > He wasn’t taken off tx for his other condition. Said he was thinking he > may come back on-line soon, maybe not. > I was the same way you are, Keith, wanting to get started right away > once I made the decison. You’ve heard the expression "Be careful what > you ask for!" > ahahahahahaha Don’t worry, a speedy freight train isn’t going to come > rolling thru your living room once you do the first shot. It’s more > like one of those slow rollers they pave streets with hits you. On > second thought, a lightening bolt may hit you shortly after the > injection. LOL. Seriously, the first one is usually toughest. > You’ll make it ok. I’d be trying to get all the things that are a pain > in the ass to do, yet necessary, out of the way before your first shot. > I have a hard time getting to anything I don’t enjoy anymore. > Elmo > http://community.webtv.net/elmoemerson/DocElmosHepFile

Response:

Just some of the fun sides of post transplant meds!! The says he’ll keep an "eye" on it!!! (pun intended). — Regards, Shawn . "Keith" wrote in message

Response:

Right, Keith… "cotton wool spots". They are exactly as they sound, are detectable by your eye Doc, and you’ll know if you get them. They are a symptom to watch for. They could point to retinal problems or they could go away, as they did for me. As you prepare for treatment, you may want to get your head examined as well. Hehehe. Some here believe you should get started on anti-D’s before you start tx. I personally can’t handle them, but others swear by them. These are all good questions for your Docs. If you don’t like the answers you get, post em here. You’ll get more answers. Seriously, tx is most difficult at the start, but you can get through it. Good luck, Steve "Keith" wrote in message

news:k1jvpv82mnpeo8sl69qkd0an9bbqiu495h@4ax.com… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Steve, thanks. I’ll take your advice. > You mentioned "cotton spots". I did come across a mention of something > like that. It refers to visual side effects from interferon, and says > "examination revealed cotton wool spots in one other." Here’s the > link: > http://www.hepatitis-central.com/hcv/ifn/neuro/impair.html > I wonder how much the pressure increases with interferon. That’s one > figure I haven’t encountered in my research. > Keith > On Wed, 29 Oct 2003 04:17:12 GMT, "SteveS" wrote: > >Here’s my 2 cents worth. > >I have diabetes, but not glaucoma. After I started tx I noticed muscular > >pain moving my eyes and intermittent blurriness, along with what seemed to > >be cotton spots. > >I naturally went to the optho right away. > >The muscular pain turned out to be "one of those oddball sides" that keeps > >tx interesting. > >It was gone within 2 weeks, although it popped back up for a week not too > >long ago. > >I feel my optho mis-diagnosed me with blepharemia, but the main thing is > >that tx DOES cause changes in intraocular pressure. Infrequent blurred > >vision is to be expected. > >In my case, it simply means wait a year (for the eyeballs to stabilize) > >before getting a new prescription. > >In your case, with glaucoma, it may be more serious. > >My suggestion is to see and talk with your optho before, and during > >treatment. > >But, don’t panic if you get blurred vision. Call the Doc. > >Steve

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Keith wrote: > Russ, > I’ve got the same image on my desktop. I was shocked to look up at > Mars when everyone was so excited about its closeness recently. I > mean, it was RED. I’ve never seen anything like that. After living all > my life in bright NYC, I now find myself in a rural area upstate. I > look up and I’m amazed. I had no idea all that was up there. Maybe > I’ll get a telescope to celebrate the end of treatment. > As for not understanding it, that’s why this Brian Greene guy is so > amazing. He’s so clear that you actually understand all the > complicated stuff he’s talking about. I’m psyched for the show. 8 PM > PBS tonight the 28th. > I read your posts (not just yours, but everyone who posts about sides, > and my heart goes out to you. I lived with a guy who had AIDS and > hep-C. When he did Interferon, he freaked. He was so sick. It seemed > his nights were the worst. He talked a lot about his nightmares. > Anyway, I’ll join you and Shawn and everyone else soon enough. More > power to you. > Lu Tse: I don’t quite get it but it was positive. Thanks. I’m not > really sure of everyone’s stories yet, but I did note from earlier > posts how to pronounce your name, so I’ve got that down. > Chop, thanks for the Dez information. He seemed to really go out of > his way to write — pretty eloquently — to people who posted and were > in need. So many of you have. As for flamers, I’ve never responded and > am always shocked that anyone does. There’s zip percentage in that. > Later, Keith > On Tue, 28 Oct 2003 10:15:03 -0900, "Russ Tanner" yahoo.com> wrote: >>Well good luck on your start date Keith. I’m eagerly awaiting the 12-18 hour >>after Monday night post shot side affects to start raising hell. Grit your >>teeth man, dig in and hang on. I’m not going to bullshit anyone, somedays >>this combo/mombo sides can be some tough stuff. >>Space Time, the universe, all interesting concepts, most way over my head. >>But I like math and problems and solving them. It amazes me to the new ideas >>that pop up about the universe. Oh, BTW, I have a very nice Hubble Telescope >>shot of Mars at it’s closest to Earth on my desk top. Way cool pic…. >>http://www.mtaonline.net/~rtanner/marsHubble.jpg >>It really helps me to know I’m not the only miserable person on treatment. >>I’m extra lucky to have a very close friend who also is doing the treatment. >>Lately we really have been leaning on each other. Kiak really has become my >>best friend, besides all of you too.. here is a pic of her and I >>http://www.mtaonline.net/~rtanner/russ&karen.jpg >>I miss seeing Dez myself, I hope he is ok.

http://trfn.clpgh.org/aaap/pzapadka/whois.html The chap was an astronomer/phycisist. — "Whale Oil Beef Hooked." "Lu Tze."

Response:

Be careful with that "ocular migraine" stuff. An ophthalmologist tried to tell me that’s what I had when I lived in Spain, though he finally said, "…though you may want to visit a neurologist, just to be on the safe side." So off I went to the neurologist and after evoked potentials and some other tests, it was discovered that I had an inflammation of both optic nerves. I had a series of injections of corticosteroids and B vitamins and the symptoms, similar to what you describe, disappeared, however, over a year later when tested for the third time, I still had some inflammation. My colour vision and vision in general has never been the same. While on IFN, I noticed that there was a marked deterioration of brightness in my right eye. After stopping tx and being diagnosed with sarcoidosis by the dermatologist, he asked me if I was having any vision problems. When I answered "yes" he sent me to the best ophthalmologist in town, who was also the only specialist in sarcoidosis. She found some atrophy of the optic nerve and after testing, they confirmed that my colour vision was a bit off in the red and green spectrum. I’m still waiting for the results of the other tests and to have an angiogram so that they can view the blood vessels better. All this ties in (at least in my mind) with the neuropathy I suffered while on IFN. It’s obvious that I have a tendency towards demyelination. People who have optic neuritis often end up with MS, which is a demyelination disease. When the nerves lose the protective myelin sheath, the electrical signals from the brain are interrupted. Conclusion: I hope that your drop-dead gorgeous specialist tested your evoked potentials, because what you describe sounds very much like what I had experienced, including the part about each episode lasting about 20 minutes. Lana "Geb Bixer" wrote in message

news:vpvmhsn6pr9ued@corp.supernews.com… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I had a blood vessel rupture in or behind my retina caused by the > interferon during my tx. I had the cotton spots, little diamond like > bursts, squiggly lines not unlike lightning bolts and a partial loss of > vision. It has mostly cleared up. Occasionally, for about 20 minutes > at a pop, some of the symptoms will reappear. The retina specialist at > the Eye Clinic says although it looks like things have stabilized and > there is no further damage, what I am experiencing now is ocular > migraine. The specialist (stone cold beautiful drop dead knockout) says > I’m lucky because with some patients it is the onset of a full blown > migraine headache.

Response:

I had a blood vessel rupture in or behind my retina caused by the interferon during my tx. I had the cotton spots, little diamond like bursts, squiggly lines not unlike lightning bolts and a partial loss of vision. It has mostly cleared up. Occasionally, for about 20 minutes at a pop, some of the symptoms will reappear. The retina specialist at the Eye Clinic says although it looks like things have stabilized and there is no further damage, what I am experiencing now is ocular migraine. The specialist (stone cold beautiful drop dead knockout) says I’m lucky because with some patients it is the onset of a full blown migraine headache. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Keith wrote: > Steve, thanks. I’ll take your advice. > You mentioned "cotton spots". I did come across a mention of something > like that. It refers to visual side effects from interferon, and says > "examination revealed cotton wool spots in one other." Here’s the > link: > http://www.hepatitis-central.com/hcv/ifn/neuro/impair.html > I wonder how much the pressure increases with interferon. That’s one > figure I haven’t encountered in my research. > Keith > On Wed, 29 Oct 2003 04:17:12 GMT, "SteveS" wrote: >>Here’s my 2 cents worth. >>I have diabetes, but not glaucoma. After I started tx I noticed muscular >>pain moving my eyes and intermittent blurriness, along with what seemed to >>be cotton spots. >>I naturally went to the optho right away. >>The muscular pain turned out to be "one of those oddball sides" that keeps >>tx interesting. >>It was gone within 2 weeks, although it popped back up for a week not too >>long ago. >>I feel my optho mis-diagnosed me with blepharemia, but the main thing is >>that tx DOES cause changes in intraocular pressure. Infrequent blurred >>vision is to be expected. >>In my case, it simply means wait a year (for the eyeballs to stabilize) >>before getting a new prescription. >>In your case, with glaucoma, it may be more serious. >>My suggestion is to see and talk with your optho before, and during >>treatment. >>But, don’t panic if you get blurred vision. Call the Doc. >>Steve

Response:

Steve, thanks. I’ll take your advice. You mentioned "cotton spots". I did come across a mention of something like that. It refers to visual side effects from interferon, and says "examination revealed cotton wool spots in one other." Here’s the link: http://www.hepatitis-central.com/hcv/ifn/neuro/impair.html I wonder how much the pressure increases with interferon. That’s one figure I haven’t encountered in my research. Keith – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -On Wed, 29 Oct 2003 04:17:12 GMT, "SteveS" wrote: >Here’s my 2 cents worth. >I have diabetes, but not glaucoma. After I started tx I noticed muscular >pain moving my eyes and intermittent blurriness, along with what seemed to >be cotton spots. >I naturally went to the optho right away. >The muscular pain turned out to be "one of those oddball sides" that keeps >tx interesting. >It was gone within 2 weeks, although it popped back up for a week not too >long ago. >I feel my optho mis-diagnosed me with blepharemia, but the main thing is >that tx DOES cause changes in intraocular pressure. Infrequent blurred >vision is to be expected. >In my case, it simply means wait a year (for the eyeballs to stabilize) >before getting a new prescription. >In your case, with glaucoma, it may be more serious. >My suggestion is to see and talk with your optho before, and during >treatment. >But, don’t panic if you get blurred vision. Call the Doc. >Steve

Response:

Shawn, I can’t believe you said that. I have glaucoma and got worried when I read interferon can increase intraocular pressure. Just before getting told I have hep-c, my eye doctor told me my glaucoma’s getting worse because of increasing pressure. It had been stable since eye operations 10 or 12 years ago. I don’t need more pressure. There’s already been major damage in my eyes. You’re talking about vision changed every day? Did a doctor say it was because of changes in pressure? When I told my eye doctor I would have to go on interferon but was worried about a rise in pressure, he said, "Well, I’ll monitor it and if it rises too much you can switch to another medication." Right. There’s a slew of effective drugs out there for hep-c. I’m worried that it will come down to a choice of living longer, or seeing. Life is weird. Keith – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -On Wed, 29 Oct 2003 00:30:48 GMT, "Shawn" wrote: >Keith, thanks for the info on "The Elegant Universe". I >wanted to read the book but with all the meds I’m on my >ocular pressure changes almost daily. So, I don’t get to >read much anymore. My wife sometimes even has to read the >paper for me. Keep posting there is a wealth of knowledge >here and some damn nice folks (aside from the trolls!!!)

Response:

I have a feeling that whoever comes back is going to be subjected to some rude comments, just the same as several of us are now. The way I see it, it’s kind of like learning to live in a cobra den. There’s plenty of snakes that enjoy inflicting their venom. You have to have your armor on. Elmo Re: What ever happened to Dez? Group: alt.support.hepatitis-c Date: Tue, Oct 28, 2003, 9:08pm (EST+5) From: m…@privacy.net (SteveS) Welcome Keith, and good luck on your adventure. Dez, along with many others, are on semi permanent hiatus, waiting for a few trolls to lose interest and stop posting negative and negative engendering material. This is a good group for information and support, so keep posting and just block the trolls, as most of us have, as they continue to change their nicknames. Please don’t ever respond to trolls in any way. Just ignore them and block their address’s. Again, best of luck. Let us know how it goes. Steve "Keith" wrote in message

news:9v5tpvcnpjvionr6ijl5sc4fnu5r2q3us7@4ax.com… Although a new contributor to this newsgroup, I feel I got to know some of you through reading the zillions of posts I first downloaded from the group. Which makes me say, "Whatever happened to Dez?" I don’t see any recent posts and can’t find an "I’m well now and moving on to different newsgroups" message from him. Also, he and others talked about physics now and then. I’m a total physics freak. Just want to tell anyone who might be interested that Nova on PBS is doing a two-hour show on "The Elegant Universe", the wonderful book by string theorist Brian Greene tonight. It puts the book on screen and, if it’s anything like the book, viewers will understand how reality is put together. It’s a trip. Great way to take your mind off treatment for a while. Got all my drugs preapproved today. I wish they’d start me on the damn interferon so I can see how bad it will be. This week or next week, I guess. Later, Keith http://community.webtv.net/elmoemerson/DocElmosHepFile

Response:

Great picture Russ. Glad you have a friend to go through this with and to check up on you during your time off. Get some rest this winter and focus on the dragon. Dwight – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Russ Tanner wrote: > Well good luck on your start date Keith. I’m eagerly awaiting the 12-18 hour > after Monday night post shot side affects to start raising hell. Grit your > teeth man, dig in and hang on. I’m not going to bullshit anyone, somedays > this combo/mombo sides can be some tough stuff. > Space Time, the universe, all interesting concepts, most way over my head. > But I like math and problems and solving them. It amazes me to the new ideas > that pop up about the universe. Oh, BTW, I have a very nice Hubble Telescope > shot of Mars at it’s closest to Earth on my desk top. Way cool pic…. > http://www.mtaonline.net/~rtanner/marsHubble.jpg > It really helps me to know I’m not the only miserable person on treatment. > I’m extra lucky to have a very close friend who also is doing the treatment. > Lately we really have been leaning on each other. Kiak really has become my > best friend, besides all of you too.. here is a pic of her and I > http://www.mtaonline.net/~rtanner/russ&karen.jpg > I miss seeing Dez myself, I hope he is ok.

Response:

Nice pic of you and Kiak, Russ. Glad you have a good friend in her that you can share your misery with. Take good care of each other! Elmo http://community.webtv.net/elmoemerson/DocElmosHepFile

Response:

I miss Dez too. Good luck on your new adventure Keith! hc Keith wrote in message

news:9v5tpvcnpjvionr6ijl5sc4fnu5r2q3us7@4ax.com… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Although a new contributor to this newsgroup, I feel I got to > know some of you through reading the zillions of posts I first > downloaded from the group. Which makes me say, "Whatever happened to > Dez?" I don’t see any recent posts and can’t find an "I’m well now and > moving on to different newsgroups" message from him. > Also, he and others talked about physics now and then. I’m a total > physics freak. Just want to tell anyone who might be interested that > Nova on PBS is doing a two-hour show on "The Elegant Universe", the > wonderful book by string theorist Brian Greene tonight. It puts the > book on screen and, if it’s anything like the book, viewers will > understand how reality is put together. It’s a trip. Great way to take > your mind off treatment for a while. > Got all my drugs preapproved today. I wish they’d start me on the damn > interferon so I can see how bad it will be. This week or next week, I > guess. > Later, > Keith

Response:

Keith, thanks for the info on "The Elegant Universe". I wanted to read the book but with all the meds I’m on my ocular pressure changes almost daily. So, I don’t get to read much anymore. My wife sometimes even has to read the paper for me. Keep posting there is a wealth of knowledge here and some damn nice folks (aside from the trolls!!!) — Regards, Shawn . "Keith" wrote in message

Response:

I heard from him a week or so ago and he hasn’t been using his computer at all for the past few weeks. He’s still having a hard time with the meds, has less than either 18 or 13 weeks left of tx, I forget which. He wasn’t taken off tx for his other condition. Said he was thinking he may come back on-line soon, maybe not. I was the same way you are, Keith, wanting to get started right away once I made the decison. You’ve heard the expression "Be careful what you ask for!" ahahahahahaha Don’t worry, a speedy freight train isn’t going to come rolling thru your living room once you do the first shot. It’s more like one of those slow rollers they pave streets with hits you. On second thought, a lightening bolt may hit you shortly after the injection. LOL. Seriously, the first one is usually toughest. You’ll make it ok. I’d be trying to get all the things that are a pain in the ass to do, yet necessary, out of the way before your first shot. I have a hard time getting to anything I don’t enjoy anymore. Elmo http://community.webtv.net/elmoemerson/DocElmosHepFile

Response:

thanks, she is a great friend, the best…. — Russ Tanner Palmer, Alaska email: russattannersacredotcom http://www.tannersacre.com "Shawn" wrote in message

news:hVDnb.1296$Q9.1016@nwrddc02.gnilink.net… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Nice pic Russ! (I meant of you and Kiak!!!) I loved the Mars > pic too!!! > — > Regards, > Shawn > . > "Russ Tanner" wrote in message > news:vptg1qinooa12e@corp.supernews.com… > > Well good luck on your start date Keith. I’m eagerly > awaiting the 12-18 hour > > after Monday night post shot side affects to start raising > hell. Grit your > > teeth man, dig in and hang on. I’m not going to bullshit > anyone, somedays > > this combo/mombo sides can be some tough stuff. > > Space Time, the universe, all interesting concepts, most > way over my head. > > But I like math and problems and solving them. It amazes > me to the new ideas > > that pop up about the universe. Oh, BTW, I have a very > nice Hubble Telescope > > shot of Mars at it’s closest to Earth on my desk top. Way > cool pic…. > > http://www.mtaonline.net/~rtanner/marsHubble.jpg > > It really helps me to know I’m not the only miserable > person on treatment. > > I’m extra lucky to have a very close friend who also is > doing the treatment. > > Lately we really have been leaning on each other. Kiak > really has become my > > best friend, besides all of you too.. here is a pic of her > and I > > http://www.mtaonline.net/~rtanner/russ&karen.jpg > > I miss seeing Dez myself, I hope he is ok. > > — > > Russ Tanner > > Palmer, Alaska > > email: russ at tannersacre.com > > http://www.tannersacre.com > > "Keith" wrote in message > > news:9v5tpvcnpjvionr6ijl5sc4fnu5r2q3us7@4ax.com… > > > Although a new contributor to this newsgroup, I feel I > got to > > > know some of you through reading the zillions of posts I > first > > > downloaded from the group. Which makes me say, "Whatever > happened to > > > Dez?" I don’t see any recent posts and can’t find an > "I’m well now and > > > moving on to different newsgroups" message from him. > > > Also, he and others talked about physics now and then. > I’m a total > > > physics freak. Just want to tell anyone who might be > interested that > > > Nova on PBS is doing a two-hour show on "The Elegant > Universe", the > > > wonderful book by string theorist Brian Greene tonight. > It puts the > > > book on screen and, if it’s anything like the book, > viewers will > > > understand how reality is put together. It’s a trip. > Great way to take > > > your mind off treatment for a while. > > > Got all my drugs preapproved today. I wish they’d start > me on the damn > > > interferon so I can see how bad it will be. This week or > next week, I > > > guess. > > > Later, > > > Keith

Response:

Nice pic Russ! (I meant of you and Kiak!!!) I loved the Mars pic too!!! — Regards, Shawn . "Russ Tanner" wrote in message news:vptg1qinooa12e@corp.supernews.com… > Well good luck on your start date Keith. I’m eagerly

awaiting the 12-18 hour > after Monday night post shot side affects to start raising hell. Grit your > teeth man, dig in and hang on. I’m not going to bullshit anyone, somedays > this combo/mombo sides can be some tough stuff. > Space Time, the universe, all interesting concepts, most way over my head. > But I like math and problems and solving them. It amazes me to the new ideas > that pop up about the universe. Oh, BTW, I have a very

nice Hubble Telescope > shot of Mars at it’s closest to Earth on my desk top. Way cool pic…. > http://www.mtaonline.net/~rtanner/marsHubble.jpg > It really helps me to know I’m not the only miserable

person on treatment. > I’m extra lucky to have a very close friend who also is

doing the treatment. > Lately we really have been leaning on each other. Kiak

really has become my – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> best friend, besides all of you too.. here is a pic of her and I > http://www.mtaonline.net/~rtanner/russ&karen.jpg > I miss seeing Dez myself, I hope he is ok. > — > Russ Tanner > Palmer, Alaska > email: russ at tannersacre.com > http://www.tannersacre.com > "Keith" wrote in message > news:9v5tpvcnpjvionr6ijl5sc4fnu5r2q3us7@4ax.com… > > Although a new contributor to this newsgroup, I feel I got to > > know some of you through reading the zillions of posts I first > > downloaded from the group. Which makes me say, "Whatever happened to > > Dez?" I don’t see any recent posts and can’t find an "I’m well now and > > moving on to different newsgroups" message from him. > > Also, he and others talked about physics now and then. I’m a total > > physics freak. Just want to tell anyone who might be interested that > > Nova on PBS is doing a two-hour show on "The Elegant Universe", the > > wonderful book by string theorist Brian Greene tonight. It puts the > > book on screen and, if it’s anything like the book, viewers will > > understand how reality is put together. It’s a trip. Great way to take > > your mind off treatment for a while. > > Got all my drugs preapproved today. I wish they’d start me on the damn > > interferon so I can see how bad it will be. This week or next week, I > > guess. > > Later, > > Keith

Response:

seems like they both (his wife posted a lot) just trailed off into the aether . . . i think he past the half way point last i remember, a month or 2 ago chop — ——————————– if u really want to email me, click on the address below news.sonic….@Pexoteric.org and remove the P before you click send ——————————– "Keith" wrote in message

Response:

Russ, I’ve got the same image on my desktop. I was shocked to look up at Mars when everyone was so excited about its closeness recently. I mean, it was RED. I’ve never seen anything like that. After living all my life in bright NYC, I now find myself in a rural area upstate. I look up and I’m amazed. I had no idea all that was up there. Maybe I’ll get a telescope to celebrate the end of treatment. As for not understanding it, that’s why this Brian Greene guy is so amazing. He’s so clear that you actually understand all the complicated stuff he’s talking about. I’m psyched for the show. 8 PM PBS tonight the 28th. I read your posts (not just yours, but everyone who posts about sides, and my heart goes out to you. I lived with a guy who had AIDS and hep-C. When he did Interferon, he freaked. He was so sick. It seemed his nights were the worst. He talked a lot about his nightmares. Anyway, I’ll join you and Shawn and everyone else soon enough. More power to you. Lu Tse: I don’t quite get it but it was positive. Thanks. I’m not really sure of everyone’s stories yet, but I did note from earlier posts how to pronounce your name, so I’ve got that down. Chop, thanks for the Dez information. He seemed to really go out of his way to write — pretty eloquently — to people who posted and were in need. So many of you have. As for flamers, I’ve never responded and am always shocked that anyone does. There’s zip percentage in that. Later, Keith On Tue, 28 Oct 2003 10:15:03 -0900, "Russ Tanner" wrote: >Well good luck on your start date Keith. I’m eagerly awaiting the 12-18 hour >after Monday night post shot side affects to start raising hell. Grit your >teeth man, dig in and hang on. I’m not going to bullshit anyone, somedays >this combo/mombo sides can be some tough stuff. >Space Time, the universe, all interesting concepts, most way over my head. >But I like math and problems and solving them. It amazes me to the new ideas >that pop up about the universe. Oh, BTW, I have a very nice Hubble Telescope >shot of Mars at it’s closest to Earth on my desk top. Way cool pic…. >http://www.mtaonline.net/~rtanner/marsHubble.jpg >It really helps me to know I’m not the only miserable person on treatment. >I’m extra lucky to have a very close friend who also is doing the treatment. >Lately we really have been leaning on each other. Kiak really has become my >best friend, besides all of you too.. here is a pic of her and I >http://www.mtaonline.net/~rtanner/russ&karen.jpg >I miss seeing Dez myself, I hope he is ok.

Response:

Well good luck on your start date Keith. I’m eagerly awaiting the 12-18 hour after Monday night post shot side affects to start raising hell. Grit your teeth man, dig in and hang on. I’m not going to bullshit anyone, somedays this combo/mombo sides can be some tough stuff. Space Time, the universe, all interesting concepts, most way over my head. But I like math and problems and solving them. It amazes me to the new ideas that pop up about the universe. Oh, BTW, I have a very nice Hubble Telescope shot of Mars at it’s closest to Earth on my desk top. Way cool pic…. http://www.mtaonline.net/~rtanner/marsHubble.jpg It really helps me to know I’m not the only miserable person on treatment. I’m extra lucky to have a very close friend who also is doing the treatment. Lately we really have been leaning on each other. Kiak really has become my best friend, besides all of you too.. here is a pic of her and I http://www.mtaonline.net/~rtanner/russ&karen.jpg I miss seeing Dez myself, I hope he is ok. — Russ Tanner Palmer, Alaska email: russ at tannersacre.com http://www.tannersacre.com "Keith" wrote in message

Response:

Welcome Keith, and good luck on your adventure. Dez, along with many others, are on semi permanent hiatus, waiting for a few trolls to lose interest and stop posting negative and negative engendering material. This is a good group for information and support, so keep posting and just block the trolls, as most of us have, as they continue to change their nicknames. Please don’t ever respond to trolls in any way. Just ignore them and block their address’s. Again, best of luck. Let us know how it goes. Steve "Keith" wrote in message

Response:

Although a new contributor to this newsgroup, I feel I got to know some of you through reading the zillions of posts I first downloaded from the group. Which makes me say, "Whatever happened to Dez?" I don’t see any recent posts and can’t find an "I’m well now and moving on to different newsgroups" message from him. Also, he and others talked about physics now and then. I’m a total physics freak. Just want to tell anyone who might be interested that Nova on PBS is doing a two-hour show on "The Elegant Universe", the wonderful book by string theorist Brian Greene tonight. It puts the book on screen and, if it’s anything like the book, viewers will understand how reality is put together. It’s a trip. Great way to take your mind off treatment for a while. Got all my drugs preapproved today. I wish they’d start me on the damn interferon so I can see how bad it will be. This week or next week, I guess. Later, Keith

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Keith wrote: > Although a new contributor to this newsgroup, I feel I got to > know some of you through reading the zillions of posts I first > downloaded from the group. Which makes me say, "Whatever happened to > Dez?" I don’t see any recent posts and can’t find an "I’m well now and > moving on to different newsgroups" message from him. > Also, he and others talked about physics now and then. I’m a total > physics freak. Just want to tell anyone who might be interested that > Nova on PBS is doing a two-hour show on "The Elegant Universe", the > wonderful book by string theorist Brian Greene tonight. It puts the > book on screen and, if it’s anything like the book, viewers will > understand how reality is put together. It’s a trip. Great way to take > your mind off treatment for a while. > Got all my drugs preapproved today. I wish they’d start me on the damn > interferon so I can see how bad it will be. This week or next week, I > guess. > Later, > Keith

"We have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night" — "Whale Oil Beef Hooked." "Lu Tze."

Response:

Exercise cloudyness and pigmentary Glaucoma

admin — Sun, 21 Sep 2003 00:00:00 +0000

Question:

I understand your idea. The problem is that I can spend all morning and part of the afternoon in the bright sun with no problem. As the afternoon wears on, I get the symptoms. With your theory, very shortly after I go into the bright sun without dark glasses, my pupils should close down and I’m in trouble. This does not happen. I wondering if my corneas could be getting sunburned. Kent "No Spam" wrote in message

news:bkoq2m$cp2$1@reader01.singnet.com.sg… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I still think that my earlier explanation of cataract in the center of the > lens fits in with the symptoms you have described, though the part about > drinking plenty of water may be irrelevant. > When the pupil is small constricted because of strong sunlight, the lights > can only pass through the lens through the center of the lens to the back of > the retina. If the lens is affected by nuclear cataract (which is the term > for cataract in the center of the lens), the vision will appear to be > cloudy. > With dark glasses or when you going inside (which I understand to mean > indoor), the pupil dilates. This results in more lights passing through the > lens in portion not affected by the cataract, hence the vision will appear > to be clearer. > The next time you visit the doctor, ask him to check and confirm. I am > curious to know the result. > By the way, it is not advisable to drink a large quantity of water (such as > 2 gallons which is about the daily intake) within a short time for glaucoma > patients. > Sun Chong Hong > "Kent" wrote in message > news:iBIbb.6722$gv5.4725@fed1read05… > > I did some more experiments. On Sunday I spent the day in the sun and, > while > > I drank half a gallon of water, I still got dehydrated. But no cloudiness. > I > > wore dark glasses that also block UV. > > That also explains why drinking two gallons Saturday didn’t help and going > > inside did. > > Kent

Response:

For a few years, when I go for a long walk my vision has gotten cloudy. Last Thanksgiving I spent a couple of days cleaning up a tree that fell down. Afterwards, I could hardly see and, even a couple of days later it hadn’t cleared so I went to the doctor. They found my IOP was elevated. After a few visits they found the TID’s and the dark ring on the tribicular mesh. A couple of visits later I was stabilized with Alphagan an Pilocarpine. The problem is that the pilocarpine screws up everything else. It seems as though my doc and I had a difference of opinion. I thought she was suppose to keep me seeing; she thought she was suppose to keep me from going blind from glaucoma. For that reason, I just changed doctors. Anyway, the doctors ignore me when I bring up the cloudiness. It’s like they hadn’t heard of that or I’m too stupid to understand. I associate it, not with exercise, but with dehydration. I’ve been assured that tests involving people playing basketball verify the exercise connection to pigmentary glaucoma, but you show me some guys playing basketball, I’ll show you guys going through water. I have gotten the cloudiness while driving through the Mojave desert and walking around a horse show on a hot day. No jumping, no running. As soon as I get out of that environment and have a chance to rehydrate, it gets better, nearly going away. A few years ago I had Lasik on my right eye and it was 20/15. Over the last several months my vision has drifted and I need -1 to -1.5 diopters to get focused on the mountains again. Any ideas or comments, Thanks Kent

Response:

I still think that my earlier explanation of cataract in the center of the lens fits in with the symptoms you have described, though the part about drinking plenty of water may be irrelevant. When the pupil is small constricted because of strong sunlight, the lights can only pass through the lens through the center of the lens to the back of the retina. If the lens is affected by nuclear cataract (which is the term for cataract in the center of the lens), the vision will appear to be cloudy. With dark glasses or when you going inside (which I understand to mean indoor), the pupil dilates. This results in more lights passing through the lens in portion not affected by the cataract, hence the vision will appear to be clearer. The next time you visit the doctor, ask him to check and confirm. I am curious to know the result. By the way, it is not advisable to drink a large quantity of water (such as 2 gallons which is about the daily intake) within a short time for glaucoma patients. Sun Chong Hong "Kent" wrote in message

news:iBIbb.6722$gv5.4725@fed1read05… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I did some more experiments. On Sunday I spent the day in the sun and, while > I drank half a gallon of water, I still got dehydrated. But no cloudiness. I > wore dark glasses that also block UV. > That also explains why drinking two gallons Saturday didn’t help and going > inside did. > Kent

Response:

"Kent" wrote in message

news:rKabb.4100$gv5.343@fed1read05… > Snip> > I have gotten the cloudiness while driving through the Mojave desert and > walking around a horse show on a hot day. No jumping, no running. As soon as > I get out of that environment and have a chance to rehydrate, it gets > better, nearly going away. > snip> > Any ideas or comments, > Thanks > Kent

If you get cloudy vision when you pupils are constricted under bright sunlight for example, and the cloudiness *nearly* go away when the pupils are more widely open, it is possible that cataract may have developed around the centre of the lens. If this is the case, any eye specialist worth his salt should be able to detect the condition. Sun Chong Hong (not an eye specialist, but a glaucoma patient)

Response:

I did some more experiments. On Sunday I spent the day in the sun and, while I drank half a gallon of water, I still got dehydrated. But no cloudiness. I wore dark glasses that also block UV. That also explains why drinking two gallons Saturday didn’t help and going inside did. Kent "Kent" wrote in message

news:rKabb.4100$gv5.343@fed1read05… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> For a few years, when I go for a long walk my vision has gotten cloudy. Last > Thanksgiving I spent a couple of days cleaning up a tree that fell down. > Afterwards, I could hardly see and, even a couple of days later it hadn’t > cleared so I went to the doctor. > They found my IOP was elevated. After a few visits they found the TID’s and > the dark ring on the tribicular mesh. A couple of visits later I was > stabilized with Alphagan an Pilocarpine. The problem is that the pilocarpine > screws up everything else. It seems as though my doc and I had a difference > of opinion. I thought she was suppose to keep me seeing; she thought she was > suppose to keep me from going blind from glaucoma. For that reason, I just > changed doctors. > Anyway, the doctors ignore me when I bring up the cloudiness. It’s like they > hadn’t heard of that or I’m too stupid to understand. I associate it, not > with exercise, but with dehydration. I’ve been assured that tests involving > people playing basketball verify the exercise connection to pigmentary > glaucoma, but you show me some guys playing basketball, I’ll show you guys > going through water. > I have gotten the cloudiness while driving through the Mojave desert and > walking around a horse show on a hot day. No jumping, no running. As soon as > I get out of that environment and have a chance to rehydrate, it gets > better, nearly going away. > A few years ago I had Lasik on my right eye and it was 20/15. Over the last > several months my vision has drifted and I need -1 to -1.5 diopters to get > focused on the mountains again. > Any ideas or comments, > Thanks > Kent

Response:

OT: i'm not an activist anymore, just a criminal

admin — Sun, 27 Jul 2003 00:00:00 +0000

Question:

after the recent congressional vote re medical marijuana, attempting to sto pthe federal government from interfering twih states’ rights, my doctor, and apparently every doctor who had written prescriptions for marijuana for their patients in the state, was contacted by the dea and informed that his medical license was in jeopardy if he continued to prescribe things the federal drug schedule forbids him from prescribing. he rescinded my prescription. wrote a letter on letterhead saying tha he was very sorry to inform me that he woulld no longer be able to prescribe ‘illegal substances,’ and that he prescription he had given me previously was no longer valid. the original is in my chart at his office, and a photocopy is in my trash can at home. since simple possession of an ounce or less of marijuana has already been decriminalized in california for years — it’s an infraction, 108-dollar fine, no jail time — it’s not a tragedy. the thing that bums me out is that, i’m now no longer an activist in any sense, just a very minor criminal. anything i may have to sya about the medical benefits of marijuana on m.s. symptoms no longer matters. thye movement itself wants spokespeople with medical conditions who HAVE physician’s prescriptions, NOT just anecdotal evidence from people who ‘buy it on the street’. i’m not mad at the doctor. how could i blame him for not wanting ot risk his license to practice, or even fines and jail time for practicing medicine in the way he believes is best for the individual patient? i’m jusdt so, so bummed that it’s come to this. what a world we live in. approximately 300,000 children between the ages of TWO and FOUR in the u.s. are being prescribed ritalin and other stimulant medications for ‘ADHD.’ anyone who’s studied child development knows that a 2-year-old should not be expected to sit quietly for long periods, that they have a lot of energy and sometimes bounce of the walls, that they don’t have the developmental ABILITY to ‘concnetrate and stay on task’ — and the prescriptions ARE being written based on ‘anecdoatal evidence,’ as ritalin has not been fda-approved for use with preschoolers. but nobody is ‘investigating’ these doctors — or the preschoolers’ ‘busy’ parents and/or harried nannies who can’t be bothered. instead they’re investigating physicians who prescribe something that studies HAVE shown to be effecftive, to adults, with serious disabling medical conditions such as AIDS/ARC, cancer, M.S., and glaucoma. there’ sno logical reason why this SHOULD be a partisan issue, but with a few exceptions, it definitely is. medical mj, i mean. there was a time when these things made me so mad i was able to tap hidden unsuspcted reserves of energy to get out there and fight. now, i just feel sad. removing the prescription effectively removes my voice as well. keep fighting the good fight, activists. i’ll be with you in spirit, assuming that makes any difference onw way or theother, since my activist days are over, and my middle-aged small-time criminal days have now commenced. rose, sending the wrong messge to our country’s youth for years….

Response:

I’m sorry to hear this, Rose, but of course we can understand his reluctance to put himself and his career in jeoopardy. It’s just so stupid, especially when taken in the light of what IS legal in this country. Your Ritalin example is an excellent one, BTW. – Lynne "rose dawn scott" wrote in message news:cac53056.0307270602.20ec77f5@posting.google.com… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> after the recent congressional vote re medical marijuana, attempting > to sto pthe federal government from interfering twih states’ rights, > my doctor, and apparently every doctor who had written prescriptions > for marijuana for their patients in the state, was contacted by the > dea and informed that his medical license was in jeopardy if he > continued to prescribe things the federal drug schedule forbids him > from prescribing. > he rescinded my prescription. wrote a letter on letterhead saying tha > he was very sorry to inform me that he woulld no longer be able to > prescribe ‘illegal substances,’ and that he prescription he had given > me previously was no longer valid. > the original is in my chart at his office, and a photocopy is in my > trash can at home. > since simple possession of an ounce or less of marijuana has already > been decriminalized in california for years — it’s an infraction, > 108-dollar fine, no jail time — it’s not a tragedy. the thing that > bums me out is that, i’m now no longer an activist in any sense, just > a very minor criminal. anything i may have to sya about the medical > benefits of marijuana on m.s. symptoms no longer matters. thye > movement itself wants spokespeople with medical conditions who HAVE > physician’s prescriptions, NOT just anecdotal evidence from people who > ‘buy it on the street’. > i’m not mad at the doctor. how could i blame him for not wanting ot > risk his license to practice, or even fines and jail time for > practicing medicine in the way he believes is best for the individual > patient? > i’m jusdt so, so bummed that it’s come to this. what a world we live > in. approximately 300,000 children between the ages of TWO and FOUR in > the u.s. are being prescribed ritalin and other stimulant medications > for ‘ADHD.’ anyone who’s studied child development knows that a > 2-year-old should not be expected to sit quietly for long periods, > that they have a lot of energy and sometimes bounce of the walls, that > they don’t have the developmental ABILITY to ‘concnetrate and stay on > task’ — and the prescriptions ARE being written based on ‘anecdoatal > evidence,’ as ritalin has not been fda-approved for use with > preschoolers. but nobody is ‘investigating’ these doctors — or the > preschoolers’ ‘busy’ parents and/or harried nannies who can’t be > bothered. instead they’re investigating physicians who prescribe > something that studies HAVE shown to be effecftive, to adults, with > serious disabling medical conditions such as AIDS/ARC, cancer, M.S., > and glaucoma. > there’ sno logical reason why this SHOULD be a partisan issue, but > with a few exceptions, it definitely is. medical mj, i mean. there was > a time when these things made me so mad i was able to tap hidden > unsuspcted reserves of energy to get out there and fight. now, i just > feel sad. removing the prescription effectively removes my voice as > well. > keep fighting the good fight, activists. i’ll be with you in spirit, > assuming that makes any difference onw way or theother, since my > activist days are over, and my middle-aged small-time criminal days > have now commenced. > rose, sending the wrong messge to our country’s youth for years….

Response:

On 27 Jul 2003 07:02:51 -0700, rosedawn_sc…@yahoo.com (rose dawn scott) wrote in alt.support.mult-sclerosis: >i’m jusdt so, so bummed that it’s come to this. what a world we live >in. approximately 300,000 children between the ages of TWO and FOUR in >the u.s. are being prescribed ritalin and other stimulant medications >for ‘ADHD.’ anyone who’s studied child development knows that a >2-year-old should not be expected to sit quietly for long periods, >that they have a lot of energy and sometimes bounce of the walls, that >they don’t have the developmental ABILITY to ‘concnetrate and stay on >task’ — and the prescriptions ARE being written based on ‘anecdoatal >evidence,’ as ritalin has not been fda-approved for use with >preschoolers. but nobody is ‘investigating’ these doctors — or the >preschoolers’ ‘busy’ parents and/or harried nannies who can’t be >bothered. instead they’re investigating physicians who prescribe >something that studies HAVE shown to be effecftive, to adults, with >serious disabling medical conditions such as AIDS/ARC, cancer, M.S., >and glaucoma.

How true. How sad. Newbies, beware of Tom Hennessy (ironjustice). NO medical background, he just copies and pastes. — Joan

Response:

hang in there rose.,, this aint over yet!!! it is just gettin started!!!!,, the majority of people in canada and the usa want this to be used for people who need it medically, we are over 85% for it in canada,, the courts are for it,, the government says it is for it,, it just takes time for the proper wheels to turn,, on the4 right vehicle, people want it,, it will just be a matter of time before our society will no longe take the constan lying, and interfeerence from governments into the medical treatment of sick people of which they have no knowledge or understanding about treatments and medications. doctors practice medicine,, politicians practice bullshitting. this is a reason to be more vigilate in the fight against injustices which affect all of us here. bobD "rose dawn scott" wrote in message news:cac53056.0307270602.20ec77f5@posting.google.com… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> after the recent congressional vote re medical marijuana, attempting > to sto pthe federal government from interfering twih states’ rights, > my doctor, and apparently every doctor who had written prescriptions > for marijuana for their patients in the state, was contacted by the > dea and informed that his medical license was in jeopardy if he > continued to prescribe things the federal drug schedule forbids him > from prescribing. > he rescinded my prescription. wrote a letter on letterhead saying tha > he was very sorry to inform me that he woulld no longer be able to > prescribe ‘illegal substances,’ and that he prescription he had given > me previously was no longer valid. > the original is in my chart at his office, and a photocopy is in my > trash can at home. > since simple possession of an ounce or less of marijuana has already > been decriminalized in california for years — it’s an infraction, > 108-dollar fine, no jail time — it’s not a tragedy. the thing that > bums me out is that, i’m now no longer an activist in any sense, just > a very minor criminal. anything i may have to sya about the medical > benefits of marijuana on m.s. symptoms no longer matters. thye > movement itself wants spokespeople with medical conditions who HAVE > physician’s prescriptions, NOT just anecdotal evidence from people who > ‘buy it on the street’. > i’m not mad at the doctor. how could i blame him for not wanting ot > risk his license to practice, or even fines and jail time for > practicing medicine in the way he believes is best for the individual > patient? > i’m jusdt so, so bummed that it’s come to this. what a world we live > in. approximately 300,000 children between the ages of TWO and FOUR in > the u.s. are being prescribed ritalin and other stimulant medications > for ‘ADHD.’ anyone who’s studied child development knows that a > 2-year-old should not be expected to sit quietly for long periods, > that they have a lot of energy and sometimes bounce of the walls, that > they don’t have the developmental ABILITY to ‘concnetrate and stay on > task’ — and the prescriptions ARE being written based on ‘anecdoatal > evidence,’ as ritalin has not been fda-approved for use with > preschoolers. but nobody is ‘investigating’ these doctors — or the > preschoolers’ ‘busy’ parents and/or harried nannies who can’t be > bothered. instead they’re investigating physicians who prescribe > something that studies HAVE shown to be effecftive, to adults, with > serious disabling medical conditions such as AIDS/ARC, cancer, M.S., > and glaucoma. > there’ sno logical reason why this SHOULD be a partisan issue, but > with a few exceptions, it definitely is. medical mj, i mean. there was > a time when these things made me so mad i was able to tap hidden > unsuspcted reserves of energy to get out there and fight. now, i just > feel sad. removing the prescription effectively removes my voice as > well. > keep fighting the good fight, activists. i’ll be with you in spirit, > assuming that makes any difference onw way or theother, since my > activist days are over, and my middle-aged small-time criminal days > have now commenced. > rose, sending the wrong messge to our country’s youth for years….

Response:

"Bob Davidson" wrote in message … > hang in there rose.,, this aint over yet!!! > it is just gettin started!!!!,, the majority of people in canada and the usa > want this to be used for people who need it medically, we are over 85% for > it in canada,, > the courts are for it,, the government says it is for it,,

hi bob, oh i’m hanging in there, don’t worry. the majority of citizens in the u.s., even those who are anti-pot in general, definitely seem to see the difference in being ‘pro-marijuana’ and being in favor of allowing sick people to use it medically. i was in a majorly bummed out mood when i posted originally, it’s evening out some now, although i don’t think i’ll ever get over the sheer stupidity of the anti-MED-pot movement, or the blithe sadism of those politicians who would make sick people criminals and spread lying propaganda for the sake of courting votes. i remember when 215 passed in this state — even in the traditionally conservative counties — how happy and hopeful it made me to see that the citizens of the state rejected the bs and voted yes on 215. dan lundgren’s attempt to show himself ‘tough on drugs’ by ordering raids on our cannabis clubs and co-ops backfired in a major way, when the media HE had notified actually showed up to cover the raids. i heard over and over from people, even ‘anti-drug’ people, that they were sickened watching AIDS patients who looked like walking skeletons, senior citizens in wheelchairs, YOUNG people in wheelchairs, and frail, bald cancer patients being handcuffed. even the cops looked ashamed. when lundgren was defeated in his bid for governor, by the eminently unpopular grey davis, i figured there ya go — everybody should be getting the message at this point. i know the majority of citizens ARE in favor of medical mj, of letting doctors, rather than political ho’s decide on the best treatment for their patients, and of letting the voice f the people in the states be heard. unfortunately, the will of the people more often seems to be, at best ignored, at worst actually squashed. we saw the backlash against the over-the-top persecution of docs and patients in the months and years following the passage of prop 215. i’m sure that after a certain amount of the latest barrage, another backlash will occur…but fear that things will have to get much worse before the backlash has any chance at lasting effectiveness. > doctors practice medicine,, politicians practice bullshitting.

ha — you got that right! > this is a reason to be more vigilate in the fight against injustices which > affect all of us here.

indeed. semper vigilate! rose :->

Response:

Heavy Marijuana Use Doesn't Damage Brain

admin — Tue, 22 Jul 2003 00:00:00 +0000

Question:

You are welcome, and I hope you find something that helps you soon. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Marinol is pure THC. It is not produced in a laboratory. It is extracted from the plant and comes in small gel caps. He is right, it is created in a lab. Below is from the website http://www.pdxnorml.org/HT_Marinol_0794.html And he is right also that it doesn’t work, it made me sicker. Unlike marijuana, which can be grown cheaply by the masses, Marinol is produced by pharmaceutical companies that manufacture and distribute it for profit. And unlike hemp seeds, which reproduce in the presence of light, water and a green thumb, Marinol is hatched in a lab, the product of chemicals and machines They’ve done it, Cal. The pill is called Marinol. The active ingredient is tetrahydracannabinol (thc). They have not ninnynoggingirl … Marinol is a testtube petroleum product … a synthetic. like synthetic cotton, or synthetic wood … its looks good but don’t work. Marinol as a pill is very hard to titrate and control the dose … one swallow (if you can get it down without upchucking) indeed. isn’t that the whole point, when one is dealing with nausea induced by cancer therapy? azure

Response:

phoenix in trouble, have to find a liveable solution

ahhh. sorry to hear that, Phoenix. azure

Response:

If you have terminal cancer – I don’t think it matters much if you smoke it and if you have something else you need to make an intelligent decision – dragging out IV tubes for someone who is up and mobile is a bit drastic.

yeah Inhalers would be interesting – but it would take some reserach to get that dosage right in the spray.

i guess, but it’s particles in the vapor just like it’s particles in the smoke. the dosage varies quite a lot in smoke too… like where the plant comes from, how old is it, how well stored, etc. and people have fairly individual reactions to the stuff… like alan said, a certain percentage doesn’t get off at all. some people don’t get off the first five times, and then one toke and pow, like something in the brain figures it out. that happened to me, way back when. i grew quite fond of it for a while. one time i blew some smoke that disconnected something in my cognitive functions and i could recognize individual letters but couldn’t make them into words for about 4 hours. weird eh? if i hadn’t been so relaxed i might have been quite worried, especially since i was driving takeout at the time and got fired at the end of the shift for coming back without making any of my deliveries. i tried to explain that i couldn’t read the street signs and had to drive *very slowly* to avoid being stressed, but the guy who owned the place was a real nazi and he didn’t want to hear about it. so anyway, i would have said that dope was definitely laced with something, but i smoked up with four other people before leaving for work and i was the only one the total dyslexic blowout thing happened to. and it never happened again, before or after that. so that’s what i mean by individual. cal

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – thanks mica.. i do trust alan, but it is interesting for me to know that you tried that pill (even if i am really sorry that you had to); but i definitively will avoid the experience for myself thanks to both of you.. phoenix in trouble, have to find a liveable solution You are welcome, and I hope you find something that helps you soon.

i hope so, i still have a full week to work, then i will be on holidays for 3 weeks, i must find an adapted solution during that time…. i woked up at 3am with a blocked back again huge pains, can’t sit, can’t stand, cant be in bed – don’t know what’s left… thanks phoenix – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Marinol is pure THC. It is not produced in a laboratory. It is extracted from the plant and comes in small gel caps. He is right, it is created in a lab. Below is from the website http://www.pdxnorml.org/HT_Marinol_0794.html And he is right also that it doesn’t work, it made me sicker. Unlike marijuana, which can be grown cheaply by the masses, Marinol is produced by pharmaceutical companies that manufacture and distribute it for profit. And unlike hemp seeds, which reproduce in the presence of light, water and a green thumb, Marinol is hatched in a lab, the product of chemicals and machines They’ve done it, Cal. The pill is called Marinol. The active ingredient is tetrahydracannabinol (thc). They have not ninnynoggingirl … Marinol is a testtube petroleum product … a synthetic. like synthetic cotton, or synthetic wood … its looks good but don’t work. Marinol as a pill is very hard to titrate and control the dose … one swallow (if you can get it down without upchucking) indeed. isn’t that the whole point, when one is dealing with nausea induced by cancer therapy? azure

Response:

Marinol is pure THC. It is not produced in a laboratory. It is extracted from the plant and comes in small gel caps.

okay … but … that does not refute my point. or did you intend to reply to someone else’s post rather than mine? doesn’t the gel cap have to be swallowed and retained in the stomach in order to be effective? or can it be inhaled or stuck up the ass or whatever? (shiver. word to the wise: do NOT get the type of med you have to stick up your ass — Compazine. it does REALLY freaky things to you, whether you have ‘roids or not. the side effects can be far worse than vomiting yourself to death.) my point was that inhaled medication would be a more practical way to deal with nausea than a pill that, because of that very nausea, might easily be upchucked. azure, sincerely puzzled and whose mom died her cancer death with a joint in her purse – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Marinol as a pill is very hard to titrate and control the dose … one swallow (if you can get it down without upchucking) indeed. isn’t that the whole point, when one is dealing with nausea induced by cancer therapy?

Response:

I already posted to cinnymngirl about marinol and the clinical aspects around it … remember phoenix these are sick Americans you are talking to.

yes, thanks, i saw your answer and the one from mica also… again, thanks to both, that is going to help me not try that med and i will "earn" some time in my research for helping my situation… There is a liberal left wing criminal conspiracy with drug lords to hook our kids on gateway drug marijuana making the granny hospice excuse – so toss granny in jail and let her die there … to protect the kids of course. They pray to a God that fucks around and when you go to the heaven of this God that fucks his kids – all I can say is watch your ass.

well, i think that my ass is safe…. it’s my back the problem… gosh alan, last night the pain was so strong that i almost couldn’t breathe and i was totally foggy in my head, couldn’t even read stright !!!! i am learning there are things that i am not allowed to do anymore, difficult teaching, but somewhere i felt ok to have that pain. i got it because the daughter of my boss with her children are in holidays, a boy 3 1/2 year old, and a girl 14 months old. their mother wants some holidays so she always let at least one child at work with us, and of course it is impossible to deal with – we are working lots and even now double because of the holidays next months. anyway the little girl was in the arms of her grand mother and of course picked some papers which fall down on the floor, her grand mother beat her on her hand and the little girl cried lots, she saw me close and i took her and console her and walked with her away from her grand mother, her little heart was really in pain; she hide her face in my neck and hold to me and had big pains in her baby heart with big sobs…. so, i kept her with me until she was in peace, but my back said no… so now i know that i can’t walk with a child in my arms…. i feel learning like she did, the hard way, only that she didn’t understood why she got a clap, at least i can learn and understand…. (let’s hope !!!) sumbuddie knows whats going on :)

yes, i believe that…. and i like aroma therapie.. phoenix going to start a list of what is not possible or is it stupid? i have to think about it – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – i suppose a water pipe would avoid that effect isn’t it? as for making a pill, i don’t see any reason except to give more money to laboratories…. if this pill already exists, then why isn’t it used? something is wrong there isn’t it? phoenix

Response:

The world is not flat Sherry, abortion is not murder, and Marinol is not extracted from plants. One of these days, you will start to get it. The human mind can not come out of denial overnight – it is too much of a shock to the system. I know you are in the disease and I make allowance for that … sumbuddie luvs ya and wishes you well. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Marinol is pure THC. It is not produced in a laboratory. It is extracted from the plant and comes in small gel caps. He is right, it is created in a lab. Below is from the website http://www.pdxnorml.org/HT_Marinol_0794.html And he is right also that it doesn’t work, it made me sicker. Unlike marijuana, which can be grown cheaply by the masses, Marinol is produced by pharmaceutical companies that manufacture and distribute it for profit. And unlike hemp seeds, which reproduce in the presence of light, water and a green thumb, Marinol is hatched in a lab, the product of chemicals and machines

Response:

Marinol will not help nausea if one is upchucking the pill … now will it ? what they can put in a pill, they can put in an IV bag. not that i’ve got anything against vapor inhalators either. c

aromatherapy is already happening with medical marijuana with the vapor inhalators, and marinol is not good to push down the veins … its a petroleum product … better for it to hit stomach acids first. sumbuddie luvs cal – but you gotta think a little better then this.

Response:

thanks mica.. i do trust alan, but it is interesting for me to know that you tried that pill (even if i am really sorry that you had to); but i definitively will avoid the experience for myself thanks to both of you.. phoenix in trouble, have to find a liveable solution – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Marinol is pure THC. It is not produced in a laboratory. It is extracted from the plant and comes in small gel caps. He is right, it is created in a lab. Below is from the website http://www.pdxnorml.org/HT_Marinol_0794.html And he is right also that it doesn’t work, it made me sicker. Unlike marijuana, which can be grown cheaply by the masses, Marinol is produced by pharmaceutical companies that manufacture and distribute it for profit. And unlike hemp seeds, which reproduce in the presence of light, water and a green thumb, Marinol is hatched in a lab, the product of chemicals and machines They’ve done it, Cal. The pill is called Marinol. The active ingredient is tetrahydracannabinol (thc). They have not ninnynoggingirl … Marinol is a testtube petroleum product … a synthetic. like synthetic cotton, or synthetic wood … its looks good but don’t work. Marinol as a pill is very hard to titrate and control the dose … one swallow (if you can get it down without upchucking) indeed. isn’t that the whole point, when one is dealing with nausea induced by cancer therapy? azure

Response:

Marinol will not help nausea if one is upchucking the pill … now will it

? what they can put in a pill, they can put in an IV bag. not that i’ve got anything against vapor inhalators either. c

Response:

Marinol is pure THC. It is not produced in a laboratory. It is extracted from the plant and comes in small gel caps.

He is right, it is created in a lab. Below is from the website http://www.pdxnorml.org/HT_Marinol_0794.html And he is right also that it doesn’t work, it made me sicker. Unlike marijuana, which can be grown cheaply by the masses, Marinol is produced by pharmaceutical companies that manufacture and distribute it for profit. And unlike hemp seeds, which reproduce in the presence of light, water and a green thumb, Marinol is hatched in a lab, the product of chemicals and machines – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – They’ve done it, Cal. The pill is called Marinol. The active ingredient is tetrahydracannabinol (thc). They have not ninnynoggingirl … Marinol is a testtube petroleum product … a synthetic. like synthetic cotton, or synthetic wood … its looks good but don’t work. Marinol as a pill is very hard to titrate and control the dose … one swallow (if you can get it down without upchucking) indeed. isn’t that the whole point, when one is dealing with nausea induced by cancer therapy? azure

Response:

Your PTSD keeps you from thinking clearly ninnynogginggirl … Marinol is a synthetic petroleum product … it is not extracted from the plant at all. The plant has 503 biochemicals that make up the medicine – Marinol has only one of the 503 biochemicals. Synthetic marinol is like synethetic thyroid hormone … or synthetic insulin .. or synthetic cotton or wood. The real thing is a lot better and healthier. I wish you will lady and I am so sorry you were abuse so terribly to turn out this way. sumbuddie luvs ya anyway – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Marinol is pure THC. It is not produced in a laboratory. It is extracted from the plant and comes in small gel caps.

Response:

a vaporizer – autolitizer is the best. the medical goo turns into a gas at 140 degrees F. when the smoke appears – the base material is burning and this is the notice to stop and toss the material away and get new – to toast. there is suppose to be NO coughing – it is just perfume sniffing really. aromatherapy … its a flower. sumbuddie knows whats going on – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – i suppose a water pipe would avoid that effect isn’t it? no, just reduce it a bit like filtered cigarettes.

Response:

snip i suppose the anarchist view would be, if government must exist, it should at least have the grace to fuck off and let everybody do exactly what they want with marijuana. that cuts right through all the supposed complexity ( = bullshit), and i like solutions like that. cal

yeah, not only *i like solutions like that, but i think i am going to need them much quicker and more strongly than ever… but for me a real democratic governement with respect for the population and knowing that the population is educated and mature enough to make the right choices of what is good for each individual … i want to be able as a responsible adult to make the choices i want and need for myself and the best for my health. period. of course, there is the "marketing"…. but on the other hand, if it would be legalized, as it is in holland, the dealers wouldn’t earn that much because it would be a normal substance, so not very expensive, just like buying a piece of bread, that would normalize the product and defeat the dealers markets…. phoenix

Response:

They’ve done it, Cal. The pill is called Marinol. The active ingredient is tetrahydracannabinol (thc). They have not ninnynoggingirl … Marinol is a testtube petroleum product … a synthetic. like synthetic cotton, or synthetic wood … its looks good but don’t work. Marinol as a pill is very hard to titrate and control the dose … one swallow (if you can get it down without upchucking)

indeed. isn’t that the whole point, when one is dealing with nausea induced by cancer therapy? azure

Response:

Marinol is pure THC. It is not produced in a laboratory. It is extracted from the plant and comes in small gel caps.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – They’ve done it, Cal. The pill is called Marinol. The active ingredient is tetrahydracannabinol (thc). They have not ninnynoggingirl … Marinol is a testtube petroleum product … a synthetic. like synthetic cotton, or synthetic wood … its looks good but don’t work. Marinol as a pill is very hard to titrate and control the dose … one swallow (if you can get it down without upchucking) indeed. isn’t that the whole point, when one is dealing with nausea induced by cancer therapy? azure

Response:

Marinol as a pill is very hard to titrate and control the dose … one swallow (if you can get it down without upchucking) indeed. isn’t that the whole point, when one is dealing with nausea induced by cancer therapy? azure

or nausea from AIDS or any other disease or hospice symptology of dying … that is the whole point … and eating a pill when one is nausea and tossing up water … one can not do. Marinol will not help nausea if one is upchucking the pill … now will it ? Medical Marijuana as aromatherapy just allows one to breath in the medicine until they find the medical effect (in 10% of humans marijuana has no effect on them, just like the other drugs – in 10% of humans heroin or morphine as an opposite effect and they can not use it). The first breath of pot – the headache goes away. The second breath of pot – the nausea goes away. The third breath of pot – the muscle spasms go away. The patient puts the pot away and has no more need until it metabolize out of the body – per their own body metabolism speed. Small people usually need small amounts – big people usually need big amounts. Every body is different – so recovery is different for everybody. Via la difference mon ami. sumbuddie said dis

Response:

They’ve done it, Cal. The pill is called Marinol. The active ingredient is tetrahydracannabinol (thc).

They have not ninnynoggingirl … Marinol is a testtube petroleum product … a synthetic. like synthetic cotton, or synthetic wood … its looks good but don’t work. Marinol as a pill is very hard to titrate and control the dose … one swallow (if you can get it down without upchucking) and people say it is 15 times more potent then marijuana. it usually makes them sick it is so strong … people with AIDs and wasting disease – they can not swollow water – they upchuck. smoking (autolizing is better) makes a solid medicine go into a gas – pass the upchuck controls – medicate them and get some food in there. other ways of moving out the upchuck control are injection and suppository maybe. I am sure you are part of the culture wars the Republcians are having – toss granny in jail so the liberal left wing criminal conspiracy to hook our kids on gateway drugs not like Alcohol and DUIs (50,000 a year) is the deal. Those Republicans are protecting our kids … toss granny in jail for smoking pot on her way to the grave and engaging in adult responsible use just like any insulin shooter … who properly dispose of their needles. One of these days I suspect you will get it … at least I have hi apple pie in the sky hopes of it. sumbuddie luvs ya and wishes you well … really

Response:

I already posted to cinnymngirl about marinol and the clinical aspects around it … remember phoenix these are sick Americans you are talking to. There is a liberal left wing criminal conspiracy with drug lords to hook our kids on gateway drug marijuana making the granny hospice excuse – so toss granny in jail and let her die there … to protect the kids of course. They pray to a God that fucks around and when you go to the heaven of this God that fucks his kids – all I can say is watch your ass. sumbuddie knows whats going on :) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – i suppose a water pipe would avoid that effect isn’t it? as for making a pill, i don’t see any reason except to give more money to laboratories…. if this pill already exists, then why isn’t it used? something is wrong there isn’t it? phoenix

Response:

They’ve done it, Cal. The pill is called Marinol. The active ingredient is tetrahydracannabinol (thc).

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Analysis of Studies Finds Little Effect From Long-Term Use By Sid Kirchheimer WebMD Medical News Reviewed By Michael Smith, MD on Tuesday, July 01, 2003 July 1, 2003 — Long-term and even daily marijuana use doesn’t appear to cause permanent brain damage, adding to evidence that it can be a safe and effective treatment for a wide range of diseases, say researchers. it’s not a treatment for any disease in the sense that it cures it, just in the sense of symptom management and palliation. apart from that i would say yeah, great, except smoking isn’t medically advisable no matter what kind of smoke you chronically suck into your lungs. what they should do is extract the active ingredient of marijuana (i forget its name just now, but it’s a known chemical) and put it into a pill. then it could be dispensed by prescription along with other opiates already being sold like that, some of them much more potent. i don’t really understand why this is so controversial. cal

Response:

i suppose a water pipe would avoid that effect isn’t it? as for making a pill, i don’t see any reason except to give more money to laboratories…. if this pill already exists, then why isn’t it used? something is wrong there isn’t it? phoenix — "the biggest mistake is to allow patriotism to prevail over humanism" – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Analysis of Studies Finds Little Effect From Long-Term Use By Sid Kirchheimer WebMD Medical News Reviewed By Michael Smith, MD on Tuesday, July 01, 2003 July 1, 2003 — Long-term and even daily marijuana use doesn’t appear to cause permanent brain damage, adding to evidence that it can be a safe and effective treatment for a wide range of diseases, say researchers. it’s not a treatment for any disease in the sense that it cures it, just in the sense of symptom management and palliation. apart from that i would say yeah, great, except smoking isn’t medically advisable no matter what kind of smoke you chronically suck into your lungs. what they should do is extract the active ingredient of marijuana (i forget its name just now, but it’s a known chemical) and put it into a pill. then it could be dispensed by prescription along with other opiates already being sold like that, some of them much more potent. i don’t really understand why this is so controversial. cal

Response:

i suppose a water pipe would avoid that effect isn’t it?

no, just reduce it a bit like filtered cigarettes. as for making a pill, i don’t see any reason except to give more money to laboratories….

well, we need the labs. i don’t have a problem there… they make products and sell them, like everybody else. their profits need to be watched and regulated though, as the products tend to be of vital importance. it’s human nature to take advantage when you’ve got a stranglehold. if this pill already exists, then why isn’t it used? something is wrong there isn’t it?

now that i know there’s a pill (thanks sherrie) i would guess it’s available for use, and probably is used by some, but others insist on being allowed to have the dried, crushed-up plant for burning and inhaling purposes. i don’t think most doctors would prescribe that even if it was legal, except maybe in a palliative situation. but i don’t see any reason why it shouldn’t be legal… not just medically, but recreationally like alcohol and tobacco products. in terms of addictive and mentally impairing properties, it’s a benign substance compared to those. in terms of carcinogenic properties, they’re about the same as tobacco if used in the same way. but people don’t seem to use it the same way because it’s much less addictive. (in moderate to heavy cigarette smokers, nicotine withdrawal pangs habitually appear within 20 minutes of not smoking.) but then others would say, we already have those, so why add another recreational drug to the list? to which i would say it’s already on the list, just like booze stayed on the list right through prohibition. making it legal would be beneficial in terms of quality control and price stabilization, it would relieve the justice system of a lot of frivolous cases, it would deprive organized crime of a source of revenue, and it would result in fewer people being arrested and maligned for trivial and unjust reasons. but just legalizing it as a "controlled substance" wouldn’t satisfy a lot of people who also want the freedom to grow the stuff in their back yard, and maybe even give it away or sell it, the way some like to make gin in the basement and maybe even give it away or sell it. so it’s controversy within controversy on this one. i suppose the anarchist view would be, if government must exist, it should at least have the grace to fuck off and let everybody do exactly what they want with marijuana. that cuts right through all the supposed complexity ( = bullshit), and i like solutions like that. cal

Response:

Hey Cal — Kaiser hospital chain has done the largest long term study on smoking and lung damage … 30,000 smokes. What they found was that tobacco has a chemical hook in it that keeps the lung damage from signaling it is dead cell – so it is not healed and swept away. With marijauan smoke (and vaporising is the best way as the medicine appears at 140 degrees F … smoke is the base material that is burning away and it is not medicine) don’t do this to the lung damage – so it heals as it goes. Even people who smoke tobacco and marijuana – their lung cancer rate was the same as the marijuana smokes – and not high like the tobacco smokers. Still – I agree smoking is not good – and as soon as the cops let me keep a crop (they took the last three years worth) I can use the large amounts of material needed to medicate that way … as autolization uses much more material then burning it. A pack a day Camel smoker takes in about 28.5 pounds of tobacco – at an ounce a pack. Same for a medical marijuana patient – though the average use is 6-8 pounds a year as determined by the Federal Government in the New Drug Investigation Program opened by legal action and closed by Bush the First. Today as you read this there are 12 or so Federal Medical Marijuana patients – so the legal grounds federally for that is so … no doubt about it … and Bush puts cancer patients in jail for the crime of easing suffering. They are not criminals – they are good people who help out – like you Cal. sumbuddie not making dis up

Response:

it’s not a treatment for any disease in the sense that it cures it, just in the sense of symptom management and palliation. apart from that i would say yeah, great, except smoking isn’t medically advisable no matter what kind of smoke you chronically suck into your lungs. what they should do is extract the active ingredient of marijuana (i forget its name just now, but it’s a known chemical) and put it into a pill. then it could be dispensed by prescription along with other opiates already being sold like that, some of them much more potent. i don’t really understand why this is so controversial. cal

Response:

Analysis of Studies Finds Little Effect From Long-Term Use By Sid Kirchheimer WebMD Medical News Reviewed By Michael Smith, MD on Tuesday, July 01, 2003 July 1, 2003 — Long-term and even daily marijuana use doesn’t appear to cause permanent brain damage, adding to evidence that it can be a safe and effective treatment for a wide range of diseases, say researchers. The researchers found only a "very small" impairment in memory and learning among long-term marijuana users. Otherwise, scores on thinking tests were similar to those who don’t smoke marijuana, according to a new analysis of 15 previous studies. In those studies, some 700 regular marijuana users were compared with 484 non-users on various aspects of brain function — including reaction time, language and motor skills, reasoning ability, memory, and the ability to learn new information. Surprising Finding "We were somewhat surprised by our finding, especially since there’s been a controversy for some years on whether long-term cannabis use causes brain damage," says lead researcher and psychiatrist Igor Grant, MD. "I suppose we expected to see some differences in people who were heavy users, but in fact the differences were very minimal." The marijuana users in those 15 studies — which lasted between three months to more than 13 years — had smoked marijuana several times a week or month or daily. Still, researchers say impairments were less than what is typically found from using alcohol or other drugs. "All study participants were adults," says Grant, professor of psychiatry and director of the Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research Center at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine. "However, there might be a different set of circumstances to a 12-year-old whose nervous system is still developing." 10 States OK Marijuana Use Grant’s analysis, published in the July issue of the Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, comes as many states consider laws allowing marijuana to be used to treat certain medical conditions. Earlier this year, Maryland became the 10th state to allow marijuana use to relieve pain and other symptoms of AIDS, multiple sclerosis, cancer, glaucoma, and other conditions — joining Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington. Medicinal marijuana is available by prescription in the Netherlands and a new marijuana drug is expected to be released in Great Britain later this year. In the U.S. and elsewhere, Marinol, a drug that is a synthetic form of marijuana and contains its active ingredient, THC, is available by prescription to treat loss of appetite associated with weight loss in AIDS patients. Grant says he did the analysis to help determine long-term toxicity from long-term and frequent marijuana use. His center is currently conducting 11 studies to determine its safety and efficacy in treating several diseases. "This finding enables us to see a marginal level of safety, if those studies prove that cannabis can be effective," Grant tells WebMD. "If we barely find this effect in long-term heavy users, then we are unlikely to see deleterious side effects in individuals who receive cannabis for a short time in a medical setting, which would be safer than what is practiced by street users." Grant’s findings come as no surprise to Tod Mikuriya, MD, former director of non-classified marijuana research for the National Institute of Mental Health Center for Narcotics and Drug Abuse Studies and author of The Marijuana Medical Handbook: A Guide to Therapeutic Use. He is currently president of the California Cannabis Medical Group, which has treated some 20,000 patients with medicinal marijuana and Marinol. ‘Highly Effective Medicine’ "I just re-published a paper of the first survey for marijuana toxicity done in 1863 by the British government in India that was the most exhaustive medical study of its time in regards to possible difficulties and toxicity of cannabis. And it reached the same conclusion as Grant," Mikuriya tells WebMD. "This is merely confirming what was known over 100 years ago, as well as what was learned by various government findings doing similar research — marijuana is not toxic, but it is a highly effective medicine." In fact, marijuana was available as a medicinal treatment in the U.S. until the 1930s. Lester Grinspoon, MD, a retired Harvard Medical School psychiatrist who studied medicinal marijuana use since the 1960s and wrote two books on the topic, says that while Grant’s finding provides more evidence on its safety, "it’s nothing that those of us who have been studying this haven’t known for a very long time. "Marijuana is a remarkably safe and non-toxic drug that can effectively treat about 30 different conditions," he tells WebMD. "I predict it will become the aspirin of the 21st century, as more people recognize this." —- SOURCES: The Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, July 2003. Igor Grant, MD, professor of psychiatry, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine; director, UCSD Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research Center. Tod Mikuriya, MD, president, the California Cannabis Research Medical Group, Oakland; former director of non-classified marijuana research, the National Institute of Mental Health Center for Narcotics and Drug Abuse Studies. Lester Grinspoon, MD, professor emeritus of psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston; author, Marijuana: The Forbidden Medicine and Marihuana Reconsidered. — "the biggest mistake is to allow patriotism to prevail over humanism"

Response:

OT

admin — Fri, 09 May 2003 00:00:00 +0000

Question:

From: "Michael" > I believe the only long-term solution to the marijuana problem will be to > eventually legalize it (10 -20 years from now?).

That was the belief and recommendation of the LeDain Commission over 30 years ago, Larry. :-( I am old enough to remember that –prohibition of alcohol did not work — I have nothing against using marijuana as long as people remain liable for actions they may undertake while impaired by it - IE: impaired driving which may mean different tests being required but sufficient legislation is already on the books once impairment is proved. There are two reasons why I currently do not use it. The primary reason is that I was addicted to nicotine and I suspect even after more than 15 years I would want to go back to smoking. While there other ways to partake, I don’t think it has anything to offer me at this time because I am enjoying life and have no pain or other symptoms that it would benefit. > For now I am happy to see > us continue on the road to decriminalizing possession.

I have a problem with the whole concept. …… Decriminalization means – de facto – that nothing really changes in practice, but we get to suffer the slings and arrows of US-Administration political and economic terrorism for having the audacity even to *appear* to have changed things in the direction of leniency …. I agree, but I think we could get to our goal without raising much US consequences providing we go slow and easy and don’t rub their face in it. Ideally we should not have to make policy and law based on concern over their reaction, but realistically and economically it must be considered. > Because of the > dinosaurs in our opposition parties I think we have to go one step at a > time. Once we see the results of decriminalizing marijuana plus see how our > approach to the heroin problem in Vancouver works out, then we can think > about legalizing marijuana. I do not see this as condoning marijuana use, > but rather as the only practical solution to all the criminal activity > associated with it.

I think it’s stupid to punish marijuana use, and equally stupid to "condone" it…. I assume that your point is it is stupid to condone it when there really isn’t anything wrong with it to start with In the interest of public safety, we ought to regulate the production and distribution of the stuff (just as we do with breakfast cereals, solely to help assure that it’s unadulterated by negligent or unscrupulous growers/distributors,) but otherwise, we should ignore its use as far as possible ……. Perhaps tax it? Of course it is being illegal to make moonshine since before prohibition. While it may have been partially for health concerns I suspect it was mostly about avoiding revenue! > Being the eternal optimist I believe we will go-ahead in the Canadian way

of one step at a time, compromise and willingness to consider new ideas. I’d like to be optomistic, but as we share a border thousands of miles long with a nation so dead-set against the use of marijuana that they’re not against demonizing the voters of several heir own self-determining States over the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes, I fear we’ll either cave in to the same pressures, or we’ll be crushed by "we mean business" tactics employed by US agencies. Exactly why I think we cannot legalize marijuana tomorrow, but I do think it may happen in the not too distant future I am also concerned about the hundreds of people who died in Vancouver from heroin overdoses and the many more affected with AIDS and HIV as well as hepatitis C. The main evil with heroin is again the cost of acquiring it and the criminal activity that goes with it. I do not believe in legalizing heroin, but there are some people for whom it may be appropriate when everything else fails, to prescribe heroin or provide it. The four pillar approach to drug addiction seems to our best shot (including an opportunity to document and research relative successes and failures). I really resent United States not been open-minded to solve a problem and to interfering with the internal affairs of other nations who think their (American) war on drugs has not succeeded. I may be naive, but I do not believe our government has been involved in trafficing narcotics to support questionable regimes for devious purposes. How dare they preach! We are very different Michael, but we are also very similar in many ways. Perhaps most importantly, based on our postings to this group, I think we both are capable of learning from each other, respecting each other’s opinions on issues and being able to consider new ideas or information and to think independently. You have opened my eyes to numerous things and I certainly appreciate your input and sharing with others here. Thanks Larry

Response:

I do not use marijuana …. well except for a couple of times in college 30+ years ago (but I didn’t inhale) so I don’t know how it effects MS. But a study was done about 3 years ago by the DOJ Department of Justice and the FDA and it compared Marijuana to Alcohol as to which was the more serious, accidents, fights, crime etc., and alcohol came out the worst offender by 80% … so what does this tell us? Booze companies have a really good lobby program! oh yea it did say people with Glaucoma and MS and a few other illnesses claimed major relief….. but they think it might have been purely psychological ….. hmmm lets see, MS=Brain+POT in Brain=Psychological …. OK I guess they are right! "white.lynx" wrote in message

news:ACVua.150953$dh1.5268044@news0.telusplanet.net… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> From: "Michael" > I believe the only long-term solution > to the marijuana problem will be to > > eventually legalize it (10 -20 years from now?). > That was the belief and recommendation of the LeDain Commission over 30 > years ago, Larry. :-( > I am old enough to remember that –prohibition of alcohol did not work — I > have nothing against using marijuana as long as people remain liable for > actions they may undertake while impaired by it - IE: impaired driving > which may mean different tests being required but sufficient legislation is > already on the books once impairment is proved. There are two reasons why I > currently do not use it. The primary reason is that I was addicted to > nicotine and I suspect even after more than 15 years I would want to go back > to smoking. While there other ways to partake, I don’t think it has > anything to offer me at this time because I am enjoying life and have no > pain or other symptoms that it would benefit. > > For now I am happy to see > > us continue on the road to decriminalizing possession. > I have a problem with the whole concept. > …… Decriminalization means – de facto – that nothing really changes in > practice, but we get to suffer the slings and arrows of US-Administration > political and economic terrorism for having the audacity even to *appear* to > have changed things in the direction of leniency > …. I agree, but I think we could get to our goal without raising much US > consequences providing we go slow and easy and don’t rub their face in it. > Ideally we should not have to make policy and law based on concern over > their reaction, but realistically and economically it must be considered. > > Because of the > > dinosaurs in our opposition parties I think we have to go one step at a > > time. Once we see the results of decriminalizing marijuana plus see how > our > > approach to the heroin problem in Vancouver works out, then we can think > > about legalizing marijuana. I do not see this as condoning marijuana use, > > but rather as the only practical solution to all the criminal activity > > associated with it. > I think it’s stupid to punish marijuana use, and equally stupid to "condone" > it…. I assume that your point is it is stupid to condone it when there > really isn’t anything wrong with it to start with > In the interest of public safety, we ought to regulate the production > and distribution of the stuff (just as we do with breakfast cereals, solely > to help assure that it’s unadulterated by negligent or unscrupulous > growers/distributors,) but otherwise, we should ignore its use as far as > possible ……. > Perhaps tax it? Of course it is being illegal to make moonshine since > before prohibition. While it may have been partially for health concerns I > suspect it was mostly about avoiding revenue! > > Being the eternal optimist I believe we will go-ahead in the Canadian way > of one step at a time, compromise and willingness to consider new ideas. > I’d like to be optomistic, but as we share a border thousands of miles long > with a nation so dead-set against the use of marijuana that they’re not > against demonizing the voters of several heir own self-determining States > over the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes, I fear we’ll either cave in > to the same pressures, or we’ll be crushed by "we mean business" tactics > employed by US agencies. > Exactly why I think we cannot legalize marijuana tomorrow, but I do think it > may happen in the not too distant future > I am also concerned about the hundreds of people who died in Vancouver from > heroin overdoses and the many more affected with AIDS and HIV as well as > hepatitis C. The main evil with heroin is again the cost of acquiring it > and the criminal activity that goes with it. I do not believe in legalizing > heroin, but there are some people for whom it may be appropriate when > everything else fails, to prescribe heroin or provide it. The four pillar > approach to drug addiction seems to our best shot (including an opportunity > to document and research relative successes and failures). I really resent > United States not been open-minded to solve a problem and to interfering > with the internal affairs of other nations who think their (American) war on > drugs has not succeeded. I may be naive, but I do not believe our > government has been involved in trafficing narcotics to support questionable > regimes for devious purposes. How dare they preach! > We are very different Michael, but we are also very similar in many ways. > Perhaps most importantly, based on our postings to this group, I think we > both are capable of learning from each other, respecting each other’s > opinions on issues and being able to consider new ideas or information and > to think independently. You have opened my eyes to numerous things and I > certainly appreciate your input and sharing with others here. > Thanks > Larry

Response:

"Albert Schloegel" wrote in message

news:V_Vua.77143$cO3.5025339@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net… > I do not use marijuana …. well except for a couple of times in college 30+ > years ago (but I didn’t inhale) so I don’t know how it effects MS. But a > study was done about 3 years ago by the DOJ Department of Justice and the > FDA and it compared Marijuana to Alcohol as to which was the more serious, > accidents, fights, crime etc., and alcohol came out the worst offender by > 80% … so what does this tell us? Booze companies have a really good

lobby Don’t think one needs a degree to figure that one out. I mean how many people to you know of that have died as a DIRECT result of smoking pot??? Now how many people do you know of that have died as a DIRECT result of drinking??? Nope don’t take a rocket scientist to figure that one out > program! oh yea it did say people with Glaucoma and MS and a few other > illnesses claimed major relief….. but they think it might have been purely > psychological ….. hmmm lets see, MS=Brain+POT in Brain=Psychological …. > OK I guess they are right!

I am way past my 1/4 bag every other day 20’s …… but I still have been known to take a hit if one crosses my line of vision LOL ….. It does nothing for my MS symptoms. Matter of fact I think it makes them worst. Or makes me more tried, hence the symptoms become worse. So if I burn one is strictly recreational and I know the concequences. But I too have heard it helps many with symptoms of many different diseases. If it’s psychological … so be it. The mind is a powerful thing. Billy

Response:

"Billy" wrote in message

news:zaTwa.33135$Lm2.2327535@twister.southeast.rr.com… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> "Albert Schloegel" wrote in message > news:V_Vua.77143$cO3.5025339@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net… > > I do not use marijuana …. well except for a couple of times in college > 30+ > > years ago (but I didn’t inhale) so I don’t know how it effects MS. But a > > study was done about 3 years ago by the DOJ Department of Justice and the > > FDA and it compared Marijuana to Alcohol as to which was the more > serious, > > accidents, fights, crime etc., and alcohol came out the worst offender by > > 80% … so what does this tell us? Booze companies have a really good > lobby > Don’t think one needs a degree to figure that one out. I mean how many > people to you know of that have died as a DIRECT result of smoking pot??? > Now how many people do you know of that have died as a DIRECT result of > drinking??? > Nope don’t take a rocket scientist to figure that one out > > program! oh yea it did say people with Glaucoma and MS and a few other > > illnesses claimed major relief….. but they think it might have been > purely > > psychological ….. hmmm lets see, MS=Brain+POT in Brain=Psychological

Its physiological. Plus its calming effects on the immune system and emotional system. (in those not prone to paranoia I suppose) Ive never met a violent stoner. Rob – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> …. > > OK I guess they are right! > I am way past my 1/4 bag every other day 20’s …… but I still have been > known to take a hit if one crosses my line of vision LOL ….. It does > nothing for my MS symptoms. Matter of fact I think it makes them worst. Or > makes me more tried, hence the symptoms become worse. So if I burn one is > strictly recreational and I know the concequences. > But I too have heard it helps many with symptoms of many different diseases. > If it’s psychological … so be it. The mind is a powerful thing. > Billy

Response:

"white.lynx" wrote in message

news:ACVua.150953$dh1.5268044@news0.telusplanet.net… > From: "Michael" > I believe the only long-term solution > to the marijuana problem will be to > > eventually legalize it (10 -20 years from now?). > That was the belief and recommendation of the LeDain Commission over 30 > years ago, Larry. :-( > I am old enough to remember that –prohibition of alcohol did not work — I > have nothing against using marijuana as long as people remain liable for > actions they may undertake while impaired by it - IE: impaired driving > which may mean different tests being required but sufficient legislation is > already on the books once impairment is proved.

Fine by me. I’m all for safe roads, and I’m one of the people who becomes too impaired to drive if I smoke. Of course, unlike when I’m mildly drunk, I’m acutely aware of the impairment and perfectly capable of judging that I’m not in any shape to drive a car. > There are two reasons why I > currently do not use it. The primary reason is that I was addicted to > nicotine and I suspect even after more than 15 years I would want to go back > to smoking.

I’m a repeat nicotine addict since age 10 myself, having quit (with great attendant stress) for a year or more several times. I cannot smoke one cigarette… either I smoke none or I smoke six months worth or more. I was also once briefly but seriouslty addicted to alcohol… (though at the time I was just too young to know that I *would* become addicted if I drank in that quantity, and I can drink moderately now without ill effect and without any difficulty in stopping.) By comparison, the few times I have quit smoking pot have been simple decisions without consequence of any kind. One day I’m an ounce+-per-week smoker of potent Jamaican buds, and the next day I finally decide that I don’t really like being high any more, so I "just say no" for the next 16+ years. I didn’t miss it a bit, physically or otherwise. My mom and several friends suggested a few years ago that it might help with spasm and fasciculation from MS… and for me, it does – though I still don’t like the buzz. > While there other ways to partake, I don’t think it has > anything to offer me at this time because I am enjoying life and have no > pain or other symptoms that it would benefit.

You might be right. Besides: it’s a drug, and the fewer of them taken, the better. I presume the ones you do use are tolerable and at least somewhat effective… and that’s the best one can expect. > We are very different Michael, but we are also very similar in many ways. > Perhaps most importantly, based on our postings to this group, I think we > both are capable of learning from each other, respecting each other’s > opinions on issues and being able to consider new ideas or information and > to think independently. You have opened my eyes to numerous things and I > certainly appreciate your input and sharing with others here.

Same here, Larry. Different as we may be, I’m glad to be able to see the world through your eyes a little, not the least importantly because my own are stuck on an isolated little island and I’m not the city boy I used to be. :-) ((U)) M