Bextra, Vioxx and side effects – Do you need a lawyer?Written by Charles Essmeier
The recent withdrawals of prescription medications Vioxx and Bextra from marketplace have many people concerned. Studies show that use of Vioxx could increase likelihood of strokes and heart attacks; Bextra carries those same risks and also increases chances of contracting Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, a potentially fatal skin disease. Frequently prescribed to minimize inflammation and pain of arthritis, these prescription drugs belong to a family of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs known as COX-2 inhibitors.
COX-2 inhibitors are a relatively recent breakthrough in medicine; they interfere with COX-2 enzyme, which causes pain and inflammation, without interfering with COX-1, which protects stomach lining.. Previous anti-inflammatory drugs eased symptoms, but also interfered with COX-1, leaving many patients suffering from gastric discomfort.
While everyone who has been taking either Vioxx or Bextra would be well advised to see their doctor immediately, they might also wish to consider whether or not they should seek an attorney. While most people who have been taking these drugs have not suffered from adverse effects, anyone who has suffered from a heart attack, stroke, or other unusual symptoms while taking these medications may have grounds for a lawsuit. People who believe that they have been harmed by their use of Vioxx have already
| | Nervousness and Shaking: Are They the Same Thing?Written by Gary Cordingley
Are you nervous? If so, does that mean you're anxious, or that your hands shake? The distinction can be crucial.Asked if they feel nervous, some people respond by holding up their unshaking hands, watching them a few seconds and saying, "I don't think so. They look steady to me!" This unexpected answer illustrates confusion many people have about anxiety, tremors, and what they have to do with each other. A psychiatrist friend proposed a useful labeling system. He refers to internal states of anxiety, worry and upset as "inner nerves." By contrast, when outward, visible tremulousness is present, he calls that "outer nerves." The distinction is important because causes and treatments of "inner nerves" and "outer nerves" are almost entirely different from each other. It's not hard to see where confusion arises. Most people with tremulousness experience worsening of their shaking in states of high emotion, like anger, fear—-or even joy. They notice improvement in tremor when they are feeling unstressed, and their companions see their tremoring disappear completely when they sleep. Yet, it's not emotional states that caused tremor. Instead, emotions just increased or decreased a tremor that was already there for another reason. Although tremor can occur in almost any part of body, shaking of hands is most common and can be caused by a variety of conditions. Tremors can also vary in their appearance, and appearance of tremor can narrow down list of possibilities. Here are three basic tremor patterns: #1. Tremors most evident while hands are at rest. A typical situation is that hands shake worse while in person's lap than while in air or when put to use. This pattern is seen most often with Parkinson's disease or with medications that can produce a Parkinson-like condition, including most antipsychotic and anti-nausea drugs. #2. Tremors most evident with hands held in air. (A related pattern involves tremor maximal when hands are put to use, for example, to write a letter or hold a cup of water.) This pattern can be seen on an inherited basis, with an overactive thyroid gland, with certain medications (including drugs for asthma, seizures or manic-depressive illness) and for no good reason at all (called essential tremor).
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