So thanks to Simon and his sudden flash of decisiveness we organised a Saturday arvo rendezvous at the place he was house sitting. I arrived at one and we headed out to browse a few post-modern clothing shops and enjoy lunch together. It was such a pleasant day. The sun was out of hibernation and the streets were full of happy people. We wondered around, talked trash non-stop, ate red licorice and had a genuinely good time keeping each other company. It was an off-beat cliche and we were the stars.

A few hours later we were back at the house seated on the couch. Buddy, one of the two whippets Simon was looking after, had made himself centre of attention by snuggling inbewteen the two of us. This should have been one of those sofa situations where the boys casually puts his arm around behind you, you lean in ever so slightly and then next thing you know someone else's tongue is inside your mouth and you're helping them take off their shirt. But no. The barrier made by kanine flesh, hair and breath ensured we kept our hands in appropriate places. It was actually pretty uncomfortable. Neither of us was about to be so bold as to kick Buddy off the couch and spin the room RnB. Instead we sat there and basked in the risibility of the situation.

I couldn't take it any more. Things were going no where and I wasn't feeling 100 per cent.
"Hey, I think I might head home now. I've got a bit of a headache and I'm fagged."
I grabbed my bag and headed out the front door. I hesitated on the step to see what would happen. I wondered how this goodbye would go. Simon stood half-in/half-out the door.
"So we're back to this again..."
"Yeah... I know. The thing is... Well, Jamie, I don't know if you like me or not."
"Simon, I like you. I do like you but I just don't know..."
"I can understand that. Getting to know someone and then going overseas... Well, I like you but I don't know what you want to do."

Simon had no more time for words. I threw my arms around him and we did what we should've done on the couch in the front lawn. It was a strange situation with him still stuck in the door way and the dogs looking on.
"Come back inside." He nodded his head towards the loungeroom.
"Yeah, OK."
I let go and slipped back into the house. I wondered if he understood that my "I don't know" was more for his sake than my own. Had he figured out yet what he was dealing with?

We kissed as we held each other and said soft thoughts. I realised I hadn't had a proper hug in such a long time. It felt good to be in his arms. I liked the way he brushed the hair from my face, kissed my forehead and then inhaled strongly while muzzeling my neck.
"You wanna go lie down?" Simon whispered. I just laughed at his terrible skill of saying dumb things.
"Uggh, I feel like such a sleaze bag."
"No, it's OK. You're not a sleaze bag. Well, maybe just one sleaze but not a whole bag full." I pulled away.
"You know I wasn't lying when I said I had a headache."
"Oh, I didn't even realise. I was just thinking 'Will I kiss her again or not?' That's it."

I left him shouting out something about a phone call and headed home. I actually would've like to have stayed longer, stayed the night even, but my throbbing head  wouldn't allow it. As I pulled away I was still wondering what the hell I was doing. Why didn't I just take some paracetamol?

To be continued...

If you're running a fever or suffering from nasty body aches or headaches, it's generally considered safe to take products containing paracetamol or acetaminophen. Products containing aspirin or ibuprofen  or naproxen are not recommended to take while pregnant; they can interfere with your baby's development in the early months and create problems during labor later on.

 When a pregnant woman takes medicine, some types are able to cross the placenta into the baby's bloodstream. The medicine may then either harm the baby or interfere with its normal development. Different drugs have different effects at particular stages of pregnancy.

Get headaches checked

Headaches happen during pregnancy, just like during the rest of life, and in most cases there's no worrying cause.

But there are one or two conditions specific to pregnancy which can cause headaches. In particular, an increase in blood pressure linked to pre-eclampsia and eclampsia may cause severe headaches - and this can be a dangerous development. This usually occurs later in the pregnancy than 12 weeks, but if the headaches persist, ensure you get your blood pressure checked.

A few simple rules:

- Always assume all medicine is potentially harmful, and avoid it in pregnancy until you've checked it out with a doctor or pharmacist.

- Tell your doctor if you might be pregnant before they give or prescribe any treatment to you.

-If you take regular medicine, tell your doctor as soon as you start to try for a baby.

- Always check with your practitioner before you take medication (prescription, over the counter, or homeopathic), or consult the instruction sheet he or she gave you on your first visit.

Posted by : Goral Gandhi, MSc,

                   Laboratory Director,

                   Rotunda – Center for Human Reproduction (Pvt) Ltd

Potrivit unui studiu realizat de un grup de experţi britanici, cei care apelează la acest medicament, cel puţin săptămânal, au de trei ori mai multe şanse să se îmbolnăvească de astm, decât cei care nu-l folosesc.

Cercetătorii au descoperit că paracetamolul reduce nivelul unei substanţe aflate în plămâni, care are rolul de a proteja căile respiratorii de impurităţile din aer.

1. Studenter, Stålar och Sprutor. - 8 september

2. MMS - 11 september

3. C. Halling = "Smartstudent" - 11 september

(Inget ämne)

Balanserad kost?

"Antibiotics disrupt the normal population of beneficial microbes/bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract of all Human/animals. These beneficial bacteria are the first fine of defense against most diseases, without them the Human/animal is more susceptible to other infections. Antibiotics depress the immune system by decreasing the number of circulating white blood cells. This lowers the Human/animal's ability to fight infections. Some antibiotics, such as chloramphenicol, can cause irreversible damage to the bone marrow. Many bacteria develop resistance to the effects of antibiotics. This resistance can be passed to other bacteria, The concern is that if humans are exposed to resistant bacteria then the use of antibiotics may be ineffective in treating any resulting disease.”  - Richard J. Holliday, DVM

Link found between use of antibiotics in infants and asthma

 2007 Canadian Report:

Taking a single course of a certain type of antibiotic gives rise to high levels of antibiotic resistant bacteria in the mouth, an effect that lasts for at least half a year, a new study has found.

...even after a single - and short - course of antibiotics, a person could spread resistant strains of bacteria to close contacts within a household or a hospital for months.

Antibiotics in Vaccines

 Neomycin

Streptomycin

Gentamicin Sulfate 

 Vaccines:

Polio

Single mumps

Single Rubella

MR

MMR

Flu

Single Measles

Pentacel Brand 

Rabies

  Fever Reducers:

 Antipyretics, also known as fever reducers, lower the immune system which can set babies and children up for potentially worse problems.  

Paracetamol (fever reducer) may prolong infection and reduce the antibody response in mild disease, and increase morbidity and mortality (death) in severe infection.

If you can get rid of the vaccine pyrogens that are causing the temperature, it will come down on its own, and the quickest way to do that is vitamin C (sodium ascorbate). Diarrhea is a sign of gut dysbiosis and is a sign there is a significant immunological disturbance in the body. 70% of the immune system is located in the gut, and if you mess with that, the gut allows vital immunological resources to work elsewhere. Foul smelling diapers are also a very common with vaccine reaction. It's the most obvious indicator that the body is going haywire.

  Pregnant Women Who Take Acetaminophen Could Raise Asthma Risk in Their Kids

The findings were presented here at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI).

So what could be happening? While no one knows for sure, Perzanowski says that acetaminophen use may deplete the lung of an antioxidant called glutathione. Researchers think glutathione, which is found in the lining of airways, may play an important role in preventing damage to the lungs.

Fever is often a beneficial host response to infection, and moderate fever improves immunity. Therefore, it may not be a good idea to give drugs that reduce temperature to patients with severe infection. I have recently reviewed 1 the results of 9 controlled trials in mammals of the effect of paracetamol or aspirin on mortality or virus excretion. Four trials found that aspirin increased mortality in bacterial or viral infection. Viral shedding was increased by paracetamol or aspirin in 3 studies, possibly increased in one, and not affected in two (one used only pharyngeal washings, and one had only 9 subjects in the aspirin and placebo groups). One study found that antibody production was impaired by both paracetamol and aspirin, but no effect on antibody production was detected in the study with only 9 subjects in the aspirin and placebo groups. This evidence suggests that aspirin and paracetamol increase mortality in severe infection, and that they may prolong the infection and reduce the antibody response in mild disease. 
....It should be explained to parents that fever is usually a helpful response to infection, and that paracetamol should be used to reduce discomfort, but not to treat fever.

 The Neurologic basis of fever, Saper, Clifford B. The New England Journal of Medicine, vol. 330, No. 26. June 30, 1994,  Page 1880:

"The elevation of body temperature by a few degrees may improve the efficiency of macrophages in killing invading bacteria, whereas it (fever) impairs the replication of many microorganisms, giving the immune system an adaptive advantage. 
 
There is a simultaneous switch from the burning of glucose, an excellent substrate for bacterial growth, to metabolism based on proteolysis and lipolysis. The host organism also becomes anorexic, which minimizes the availability of glucose, and somnolent, which reduces the demand by muscles for energy substrate. During the febrile response, the liver produces proteins known as acute-phase reactants. Some of these proteins bind divalent cations, which are necessary for the proliferation of many microorganisms.  
 
The net effect of the metabolic responses activated during fever is to give the host organism an adaptive advantage over the invader."

 Antipyresis and Fever, Barbara Styrt, MD, Barrett Sugarman MD. Arch Intern Med - Vol 150, August 1990, (Archives of Internal Medicine is a peer reviewed paper) Page 1589:

"Antipyretic drugs are effective in diminishing fever, but they have significant side effects and may suppress signs of ongoing infection." 
 
"Antipyretic therapy should not be instituted routinely for every febrile episode but should be based on evaluation of relative risks in the individual case and reassessed if anticipated benefits are not achieved."

Pg 1594: "The decision to administer antipyretics is frequently made without a documented rational. Current understanding of the mechanisms and pathogenesis of fever suggests that the febrile process has a role in host defense and that routine antipyretic therapy for fever is generally unnecessary and conceivably harmful. "  
 
"Decisions to attempt suppression of fever should be based in infrequent indications arising in an individual case and should take into account the potential risks of antipyresis as well as its often questionable benefits." 
 
Pg 1594: "In the vast majority of febrile illnesses, there is no evidence that fever is detrimental or that antipyretic therapy offers any significant benefit. Indeed, the limited information available on in vitro immune functions and in vivo outcomes would suggest that fever usually does more good than harm."

"In treating fever "symptomatically" one should not lose sight of the fact that elevated temperatures, whatever their physiologic function, do serve as a signal both to the patient and to the caregiver. Nonspecific suppression of fever may deprive one of clues to a need for further diagnostic investigation, or for changes in therapy. Although these clues will often occur in the context of antipyretic use, one study has indicated that patients with a variety of bacterial infections receiving antipyretics experience a significant delay in institution of needed antibiotic changes."

The American Journal of Medicine, volume 88, January 1990, Antipyretic Orders in a University Hospital Stuart N. Isaacs MD et al. Drug used: acetaminophen.

Page 31: "antipyretics are among the most widely used pharmacologic agents. Traditional rationales for their use include relief of discomfort associated with fever, prevention of febrile seizures, avoidance of the high metabolic costs of fever in those who are malnourished or who have cardiac or pulmonary disease, and lessening of brain edema in central nervous system disease or trauma. However, accumulating evidence indicates that fever may be an important defense mechanism." 
 

 Acta Paediatr Jpn 1994 Aug; 36(4) 375 - 378. Risks of antipyretics in young children with fever due to infectious disease. Sugimura T, et al.

"The objective of this study was to determine whether paracetamol (acetaminophen) affects the outcome of children with fever due to bacterial infectious disease..... the data suggest that frequent administration of antipyretics to children with infectious disease may lead to a worsening of their illness."

Eur J. Pediatr 1994, June; 153 (6) 394 - 402. Treatment of fever in childhood. 
Adam D, et al.

 "The most commonly used antipyretic drugs are acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) paracetamol (acetaminophen) and dipyrone (metamizol). ...Paracetamol is the most common cause of acute hepatic failure... in the light of these findings, the extensive use of antipyretics drugs has been seriously questioned." 
 
"Page 398: "Paracetamol has a pronounced liver toxicity. In the United Kingdom paracetamol is considered to be responsible for more cases of acute hepatic failure than any other cause." 
 
Page 399 "the potential for toxicity of ASA and paracetamol, the two most extensively used antipyretics in the febrile child, underlines the constraints within which treatment decisions have to be made. The fact that both drugs are sold as "over the counter" products, while the medication of child fever often occurs without medical control, should be a matter of concern.

N Y State J Med. 1971; 71: 2747 - 2754.  Prnumococcal meningitis at Harlem hospital. Richter R W et al. 

 
Result: An increase of mortality with absence of fever in pneumococcal meningitis.

 "In summary, what does the evidence seem to indicate? Fever represents a universal, ancient, and usually beneficial response to infection, and its suppression under most circumstances has few, if any, demonstrable benefits. On the other hand, some harmful effects have been shown to occur as a result of suppressing fever: in most individuals, these are slight, but when translated to millions of people, they may result in an increase in morbidity and perhaps the occurrence of occasional mortality. It is clear, therefore, that widespread use of antipyretics should not be encouraged either in developing countries or in industrial societies."

(Pediatr Vol 103, No 4, April 1999, 783-784 and 785-790. Infect Med 1999 16 (5):307.

 
Chickenpox treated with Tylenol/Ibuprofen provokes bacterial skin infections into fulminant necrotising fasciitis.  This happens by prolonging inflammation and down regulating the immune system. It can no longer fully activate the adaptive arm of immunity either.

 The authors recently observed that frequent paracetamol use was positively associated with asthma and rhinitis in young adults. ....Their associations with national 1994/1995 per capita paracetamol sales were measured using linear regression. Paracetamol sales were high in English-speaking countries, and were positively associated with asthma symptoms, eczema and allergic rhinoconjunctivitis in 13-14-yr-olds, and with wheeze, diagnosed asthma, rhinitis and bronchial responsiveness in adults. The prevalence of wheeze increased by 0.52% in 13-14-yr-olds and by 0.26% in adults (p<0.0005) for each gram increase in per capita paracetamol sales. These ecological findings require cautious interpretation, but raise the possibility that variation in paracetamol usage may explain some of the variation in atopic disease prevalence between countries.

Asthma morbidity after the short-term use of ibuprofen in children. 

 
"However, the risk of an outpatient visit for asthma was significantly lower in the ibuprofen group; compared with children who were randomized to acetaminophen, the relative risk for children who were assigned to ibuprofen was 0.56 (95% confidence interval: 0.34-0.95). CONCLUSIONS: Rather than supporting the hypothesis that ibuprofen increases asthma morbidity among children who are not known to be sensitive to aspirin or other nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs, these data suggest that compared with acetaminophen, ibuprofen may reduce such risks. Whether the observed difference in morbidity according to treatment group is attributable to increased risk after acetaminophen use or a decrease after ibuprofen cannot be determined."

 According to the FDA:
 
Safety Anaylasis of Acetaminophen   

Drugs with Limitations - limitations on their use (warnings, dose restrictions, monitoring):
Niaspan Extended Release Tablets (niacin)
Dantrium (dantrolene)
Tylenol (acetaminophen)
Normodyne (labetalol)
Cylert (pemoline)
Felbatol (felbamate)
Zyflo (zileuton)
Tasmar (tolcapone)
Trovan (trovafloxacin, alatrofloxacin)

  
What WHO has to say about Fever and antipyresis
 

 In addition to the probability that antipyretics may prolong the course of mild to moderate infectious illnesses, what other deleterious effects might they have? Russell et al. point out that little is known about the pharmacokinetics of these drugs in poorly or malnourished children. Even in developed countries, all available methods of antipyresis must be treated with respect. Warning labels became required for paracetamol recently and for aspirin in the more distant past. In addition to acute poisoning, the former has been implicated in the development of chronic renal disease, and perhaps liver failure, when repeatedly administered over prolonged periods of time . Perhaps more important is the fact that antipyretics mask symptoms or signs; children with pneumonia, for example, may not receive a proper diagnosis because their respiratory rate decreases (4) or because, when the body temperature starts to fall, the child may be considered to be on the way to recovery and thus needing no further observation. Finally, of course, the costs may consume a significant amount of resources that, in developing countries, could be better devoted to specific diagnosis and therapy.

Other potential benefits of reducing fever are sometimes cited to justify the use of antipyresis. A common assumption is that these drugs make patients feel better, but no clear evidence shows that this is so. Parents and physicians consistently cannot distinguish between the effects of placebo and paracetamol in most circumstances. Perhaps the exceptions are conditions accompanied by pain, for which the analgesic effects of the medication provide the benefit. When fevers rise above 39.5 ^oC, a reduction in body temperature is sometimes accompanied by an improvement in subjective symptoms, but this is inconstant, with young children seeming to benefit more than older children.

 The major problem when evaluating the subjective effects of antipyretics is that they have an enormous placebo value - as various studies have shown. Despite the firm belief in the effects of antipyretics, children do not feel any better, eat better, or become more active after their use than they do after they receive placebo. The argument that the use of antipyretics reduces the occurrence of febrile seizures also is not based on evidence: no studies have shown this to be true. Even in children with previous febrile seizures, the use of antipyretics has not been helpful. Some physicians believe that the response to antipyretics can be used to differentiate between bacterial and viral infections, with the latter responding more completely and promptly. Numerous studies have shown this to be a fallacy.

Overdose:
   

Acetaminophen overdose is the leading cause for calls to Poison Control Centers (>100,000/year) and accounts for more than 56,000 emergency room visits, 2,600 hospitalizations, and an estimated 458 deaths due to acute liver failure each year. Data from the U.S. Acute Liver Failure Study Group registry of more than 700 patients with acute liver failure across the United States implicates acetaminophen poisoning in nearly 50% of all acute liver failure in this country. Available in many single or combination products, acetaminophen produces more than 1 billion US dollars in annual sales for Tylenol products alone. It is heavily marketed for its safety compared to nonsteroidal analgesics. By enabling self-diagnosis and treatment of minor aches and pains, its benefits are said by the Food and Drug Administration to outweigh its risks. It still must be asked: Is this amount of injury and death really acceptable for an over-the-counter pain reliever?

According to the BMJ 2002;325:678 ( 28 September ) :

FDA fails to reduce accessibility of paracetamol despite 450 deaths a year. Confidential documents from the US Food and Drug Administration suggest that the agency has avoided a debate on tough new measures to reduce overdoses from painkillers to avoid offending the pharmaceutical industry. Ray Moynihan reports from Washington, DC  
 
" A confidential draft document reveals that the Office of Drug Safety also wanted the advisory panel to discuss whether the "maximum tablet strength should be decreased," whether "combination products be reformulated without acetaminophen," and whether there was "a need to standardize the various paediatric formulations."  
 
The advisers never saw that draft, however, and none of these key options ended up being clearly presented to the committee by the FDA in the final list of questions they were to consider.  
 
.... "The committee would have preferred more focused questions," he said.  
 
According to one FDA insider, the draft questions were dropped because senior FDA managers saw them as too offensive to Johnson & Johnson. Asked about this alleged corporate influence within the FDA, Dr Cantilena smiled and said he did not want to speculate.

The Neurologic basis of fever,Saper, Clifford B. The New England Journal of Medicine, vol. 330, No. 26. June 30, 1994, Page 1880:

"The elevation of body temperature by a few degrees may improve the efficiency of macrophages in killing invading bacteria, whereas it (fever) impairs the replication of many microorganisms, giving the immune system an adaptive advantage. 
 
There is a simultaneous switch from the burning of glucose, an excellent substrate for bacterial growth, to metabolism based on proteolysis and lipolysis. The host organism also becomes anorexic, which minimizes the availability of glucose, and somnolent, which reduces the demand by muscles for energy substrate. During the febrile response, the liver produces proteins known as acute-phase reactants. Some of these proteins bind divalent cations, which are necessary for the proliferation of many microorganisms.  
 
The net effect of the metabolic responses activated during fever is to give the host organism an adaptive advantage over the invader."

J. Paediatr. Child health (1993) 29; 84 -85: Paracetamol: When, why and how much. Editorial

"in patients without heart and lung disease fever is harmful only at temperatures over 41 o C; such high termperatures are usually caused by heat stroke or brain injury, and they do not respond to paracetamol or aspirin."  There is no evidence that antipyretics prevent febrile convulsions"

Eur J. Pediatr 1994, June; 153 (6) 394 - 402 Treatment of fever in childhood. 
Adam D, et al.

"The most commonly used antipyretic drugs are acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) paracetamol (acetaminophen) and dipyrone (metamizol). ...Paracetamol is the most common cause of acute hepatic failure... in the light of these findings, the extensive use of antipyretics drugs has been seriously questioned." 
 
"Page 398: "Paracetamol has a pronounced liver toxicity. In the United Kingdom paracetamol is considered to be responsible for more cases of acute hepatic failure than any other cause." 
 
Page 399 "the potential for toxicity of ASA and paracetamol, the two most extensively used antipyretics in the febrile child, underlines the constraints within which treatment decisions have to be made. The fact that both drugs are sold as "over the counter" products, while the medication of child fever often occurs without medical control, should be a matter of concern.

Antipyretics appear to prolong illness by reducing the temperature, thereby disabling the body's full ability to deal with whatever is the problem. In a nutshell, the lower the temperature, the longer the duration of illness. The higher the temperature, the shorter duration of illness. Immunologically, temperatures from infection are specifically designed to speed up and kick the immune system into gear, release cytokines and other immunological forces to deal with the problem. 

Untuk penyakit ringan seperti radang tenggorokan, kitadapat melakukan swamedikasi artinya pengobatan diri sendiri. kunjungilah apotek terdekat dengan membeli obat generik yang lebih murah, masing-masing obat belinya satu papan (10 tablet) ini dia resepnya:
R/ Paracetamol 500mg     X
Amoksisilin 500mg          X
Asam mefenamat 500mg  X
Vitamin C

sekarang saya jelasin kegunaan dan cara minum obatnya:

PARACETAMOL. obat ini golongan analgesic dan antipiretik, terutama kepada Antipiretik yang artinya berkhasiat menurunkan suhu tubuh atau panas demam. diminum 3 X sehari sesudah makan. kalo badan sudah tidak panas dan demam obat boleh di stop penggunaannya.

AMOKSISILIN. obat ini termasuk antibiotik ringan dan cukup ampuh terutama untuk inflamasi atau peradangan seperti di tenggorokan. diminum 3 X sehari sesudah makan. karena golongan antibiotik maka obat ini harus dihabiskan untuk mencegah terjadinya resistensi.

ASAM MEFENAMAT. obat ini golongan analgesic dan antipiretik, terutama sebagai analgesik yang bermanfaat meredakan nyeri dan rasa tidak nyaman. badan rasanya capek,nyeri bisa diobati pake ini. diminum 2 X sehari sesudah makan.

VITAMIN C. kalo ini vitamin C apa saja ga pake merek tertentu. gunanya untukmempercepat proses kesembuhan. di minum2-3X sehari sesudah makan.

Selama proses penyembuhan kita harus banyak beristirahat  dan banyak minum. semoga cepet sembuh ya :)

Tips untuk memilih obat yang tepat

Given the statement in the first headline (I know it's in single quotation marks, but really - do they honestly think that single quotes will stop someone concluding that it is definitely the case?) and the Daily Telegraph's assertion that regular users of paracetamol are nearly three times more likely to suffer from asthma, you might be forgiven for assuming that this is a done deal. After a quick glance at the stories, I took a look at the NHS "Behind the Headlines" take on the coverage of this. The Daily Telegraph's and the Daily Mail's assertions are of particular interest given that Behind The Headlines says this:

The study behind this report is a case-control study and by virtue of its design, it cannot prove causation (that paracetamol increases asthma). It also cannot rule out reverse causation (that asthma causes people to take more painkillers). However, when considered alongside the findings of other studies, these results suggest that there may be an association between use of paracetamol and asthma that needs further exploration. This is not a new concern, and researchers have been investigating this for some time.

So while the media reports are implying that causation has been shown, it appears that the Behind The Headlines team (BTH) tell us it would be impossible to do so in a study of this type. I don't know why the media seem to feel unable to use the phrase "x is associated with y" rather than the inaccurate "x causes y". Also of interest is the last sentence of the quoted section above - this isn't new. It's something that has been looked into for some time now and still needs further investigation, but you wouldn't know it from the media coverage. I tink the Daily Mail were aware it wasn't new though.

Weirdly, when I looked through google's news search the Mail's report stated that the study was published today in the Lancet. The site had the story down as being updated at 8:21 AM on 19th September 2008, so I assumed the Mail story related to a paper published today in the Lancet. The only thing is, I couldn't find a Lancet paper on Pubmed relating to asthma and paracetamol from as recently as 2008 - I got a single hit from 2000. BTH has the paper down as being from Eur Respir J 2008, doi:10.1183/09031936.00039208. I think that perhaps what happened was that the Mail updated an old story because they had a new story about paracetamol and asthma. The Mail report that showed up on google news is here. The Mail report on the current study is actually here. Confused? I was. Maybe they should have an 'originally published' tag on stories they update, if nothing else it would at least save morons like me from ending up in a state of confusion over what is today's asthma news and what was 2000's asthma news. Attempting to understand science stories in the press can be a real pain in the arse sometimes.

Also of interest: The news reports stated that "Paracetamol tripled the risk of asthma". Given that I have no idea what the chances were of someone having asthma if they haven't taken paracetamol, I have no idea what it might mean for their chances of having asthma to triple if they do take paracetamol. This is something that Ben Goldacre has raised in his book Bad Science [it's in chapter 13, if you're reaching for your copy as you read this]. Newspapers tend to give the scariest/most impressive figures (for example, the relative risk instead of the absolute risk - see here for more on relative v absolute risk). In the case of the media reporting of a Mischief PR press release, there was a statement that there had been a 39% increase in household reports of wasps following introduction of fortnightly bin collections. Perhaps the press should have found the time/space to inform us of the "natural frequency" of asthma attacks, which might mean more to me than being told there is a "tripling of the risk". Bandolier briefly explains natural frequencies here. Their explanation concludes with this: "Natural frequencies help people to make sound conclusions, whereas conditional probabilities tend to cloud minds".

Links: Click here for the abstract of the paper.

The scientific explanation offered for this is that the 'glutathione' present in the lungs defends the airways from pollution and smoke. The action of paracetamol reduces this level of glutathione and makes the delicate airways of the lungs vulnerable to allergic attacks.

It is not an overnight proposition that paracetamol intake in your childhood influences your chances of getting asthma. In fact, this allegation has been there for the last ten years and many studies have linked these two as a remote cause-and-effect proposition. However, the sheer volume of the sample survey looks convincing enough for the people to come to a conclusion. If this is found to be true, it could lead to a remarkable discovery in the field of chronic respiratory distress, since the usage of paracetamol is quite high in all age groups.

Alternatively, one could also look for other ways to reduce fever in children without resorting to allopathic medication. One good way to bring the temperature down is by sponging the child's body with lukewarm water. In fact, there is a famous quote by French playwright Moliere. It runs like this: "Most men die of their remedies, not of their illnesses". We, as a race so dependant on medication and complaining of side effects would do better by following the saying!

Ingenstans framgår hur mycket vanligare det är att paracetamolbarnen får astma. Risken kanske ökar från 1 till 2 av hundra ,tusen eller tiotusen. Det kanske är de barnen som redan från födsel har en ökad benägenhet att utveckla astma och eksem, sk atopiker, som oftare fått paracetamol. Är det fritt fram för barn över 1 år?

Brasklappen är: man ska inte avstå från paracetamol till barn med smärta och hög feber, men inte ge rutinmässigt! Är inte det att nedgradera småbarnsföräldrar? Eller är det vanligt att barnen får en Alvedon till frukost "för säkerhets skull" ? Tror inte det.

Det går bra även i fortsättningen att ge paracetamol mot öronvärk istället för att ge antibiotika i de flesta fall. I alla fall rapporterar DN i samma tidning om resistensutvecklingen mot antibiotika och den stora risk detta innebär. Överförbrukningen av antibiotika är betydligt farligare än att ge paracetamol till barn som har ont!

É final de semana, o que por si só sempre foi o suficiente para me deixar feliz, mas dessa vez uma gripe intensa me fez esquecer que as sextas são lindas por si só e que os sábados são gloriosos só porque são sábados. A felicidade deu lugar aos espirros, a vodka ao suco de laranja sem gelo e o bom humor a apatia.

 Eu me esforcei para ser sociável, acabei parando em um bar e tentei esquecer que a música só piorava a minha dor de cabeça e que manter os olhos abertos era um martírio. Tentava, desesperadamente, me convencer que o bacardi lemon nem é tão essencial para a vida humana e procurava achar graça no suco de laranja sem gelo.

Em menos de duas horas desisti de querer ter uma vida e resolvi ir pra casa e, numa atitude altamente altruísta, dispensei todo e qualquer ser humano das funções de enfermeiro, afinal, amar é incentivar a consumação de cerveja e, também, tudo que eu queria era me encher de porcarias sintéticas que aliviam a sensação de mal-estar e dormir.

Em casa, fiquei deitada na cama lembrando de saudosos tempos, quando ainda conseguia respirar sem maiores problemas. Ah! Que doce sensação, não? Você puxava o ar e o sentia entrando em seus pulmões. Que dias gloriosos foram esses! E agora você está assim, mal humorada, morrendo de gripe, achando que até seus dedos dos pés devem estar congestionados e que é por isso que cada parte do seu corpo dói. Teria outra explicação plausível?

Você não caminha mais, você se arrasta com suas pantufas de joaninha por todo o apartamento, enquanto deseja ser acéfala, para que aquela insuportável dor de cabeça deixe de fazer parte dos seus dias. Não há neosaldina que amenize, não há paracetamol que cure, não há vicky vaporub que descongestione.

Em meio a todo caos que tem sido respirar, você tenta desesperadamente dormir, mas você descobre que ou você deita na cama ou você respira. Você cogita ligar para seu avô e perguntar sobre as técnicas dele para dormir sentado, mas já passam das duas horas da manhã e é assim.. só você, a gripe e seu mau humor, numa madrugada fria.

Quando você pensa que nada mais pode acontecer, quando você acha que não tem o que piorar, você ouve aquele ruído vindo do banheiro. Muito a contra gosto você se levanta do sofá, caminha em direção ao barulho e tchan-tchan-tchan... tem o banheiro, tem um tapete encharcado e tem água, muita água... você tenta respirar fundo e se lembra que nem isso você pode fazer. Em uma atitude muito madura, você resmunga e tenta fechar o registro emperrado. Você é destra e sua mão direita está machucada, você tenta se convencer de que tem a mesma coordenação com a mão esquerda, mas é em vão. Você fica tão irritada que esquece da mão machucada, esquece da dor e fecha o registro, enquanto amaldiçoa os malditos problemas hidráulicos.

Porque eu? Porque diabos esses malditos problemas envolvendo canos e água me perseguem? Karma? E já começo a pensar sobre vidas passadas: “Pô! Se soubesse que ia ser um castigo tão cruel assim, eu nunca teria roubado o padre, batido no mendigo, bebido mais que devia e xingado a mãe da dona da padaria!!”.

A festa regada à música ruim e volume ensurdecedor continua dentro da minha cabeça, manter os olhos abertos em meio a lugares com luzes acesas tem sido uma provação e, infelizmente, não era possível controlar um vazamento e enxugar todo o alagamento no escuro.

Além de tudo o registro vazava. Você procura por fita veda rosca desesperadamente.. e lembra-se que ela acabou no último problema do chuveiro. Você amaldiçoa o chuveiro, o registro, a instalação hidráulica e se pergunta por que diabos você não está morando com seus pais, com seu irmão, com o zelador, com um bombeiro hidráulico, que seja! Você fecha o registro, resolve o problema do vazamento com fita crepe e um pano e começa a se sentir meio McGyver.

A irritação continua, a dor de cabeça só piora e você tem febre. Você madura, sensata, auto-suficiente, independente, senhora de si e cosmopolita faz o que qualquer outra faria.. grita “Merdaaaaaa”, resmunga e jura que vai resolver de vez o caos que virou seu banheiro, nem que pra isso tenha que derrubar paredes.

Se eu já tinha ficado triste com o chuveiro e suas seis fileiras de água com pingos caindo num intervalo de 6 segundos, imagine só a euforia de não ter água no banheiro como um todo.

A febre continua e você pensa em um banho gelado e lembra do problema com banheiro e vazamentos. Cogito deixar o apartamento alagando por 20 minutos enquanto tomo banho, depois resolvo partir para o plano B: a área de serviço. Tem uma portinha na área de serviço que leva para um lugar que civilizações antigas acreditavam ser um banheiro. Tem um vaso sanitário e um cano de chuveiro, tudo isso dentro de um cômodo do tamanho de uma porta do meu guarda-roupa, deveria servir em uma situação emergencial.

Abro o “chuveiro” (entende-se por chuveiro um cano sem um chuveiro de fato) e  a água em temperatura ambiente padrão Patagônia começa a jorrar. Lá se foram meus planos de não lavar a cabeça, visto que, forças místicas superiores fizeram a intensidade da água lavar minha cabeça, o vaso sanitário, as janelas do “banheiro” e a porta.

Acabo adormecendo no sofá da sala, assistindo as porcarias que só uma tevê aberta pode produzir às 3 horas da manhã. Mas, ao amanhecer, o problema hidráulico continua, ainda tenho febre, tomo paracetamol como se fosse tic-tac e, nostálgica, suspiro e lembro daqueles velhos tempos.. onde eu conseguia respirar tão bem. Ah!! Que dias gloriosos foram esses!

----

PS: Querida Bia, nesta manhã festiva, eu (e toda aquela equipe responsável por esse blog - hahaha) queremos desejar a você blá blá blá blá, felicidade, sucesso, etc.. etc.. etc... e que o espírito (ops, isso é só no natal!), enfim, Feliz aniversário! =)

1. Studenter, Stålar och Sprutor. - 8 september

2. MMS - 11 september

Den här bilden på hans "säng" hittade jag i ett fotogalleri på internet:

Mitt på sängen ligger alltså två kartor 1000mg-alvedon. C. Halling verkar vara mycket längre fram i processen än vad vi trott. Hans nya siffra blir 2 år. 

According to findings from the latest National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), painkillers (OxyContin, MS Contin, Vicodin) are now the top drugs in "use initiation" (also known as incidence or first-time use).

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), in its 2007 survey, provides a variety of figures related to substance use initiation. Among the 2.7 million persons aged 12 or older surveyed, a staggering 2.1 million reported that the first illicit drugs they used were painkillers.

That figure puts painkillers above marijuana, and far above cocaine, ecstasy, heroin, and all other illicit drugs as “drugs of first use”.

Anyone need further evidence of a Painkiller Epidemic?

• SAMHSA's National Survey on Drug Use & Health
• Trends in Initiation of Substance Use: Specific Drug Used When Initiating Illicit Drug Use among Past Year Initiates of Illicit Drugs Aged 12 or Older: 2007
• View other Painkiller Epidemic Updates

_

au parvenit neinvitate

complet amorţite şi dezorientate

un grup spontan de babe lăuze

cu săbii la brâu şi archebuze

pornite spre casa de sănătate.

Ja ik ben verdorie ziek maar hey,ik ben nog gezond en wel om ziek te kunnen worden!Het had allemaal erger kunnen zijn en onze week verlof is volledig naar de knoppen gegaan maar Zon heeft wel kunnen rusten en uitslapen.We zijn nooit terug op reis vertrokken,hoewel we daar echt wel zin in hadden maar er kwamen allemaal redenen tussen,waar we niet aan uit konden.Dus zijn we maar niet vertrokken,veel tijd hadden we toch niet en tegen dat ik mijn huis in orde gekregen had,alles uitgepakt had en gepoetst,begon ik de eerste tekenen te krijgen van een verkoudheid.Maar ik dacht dat het lag aan het te veel roken en het te weinig slapen maar ik had beter moeten weten.De week voor het verlof had ik al een omen,een gigantische koortsblaas die zich niet liet klein krijgen door zovirax,noch compeed,neeneen ze was er en ze zou er door komen.De dag van het vertrek (aka accident) had ik wat hoofdpijn,maar ah dat zou wel van de spanning geweest zijn.De shock heeft alles een beetje "on hold" gezet.

Ik wou jullie allemaal niet zo erg in spanning houden,eigenlijk.Het schrijven in derde persoon ging me veel makkelijker af,therapeutisch gezien.Maar het stuk was te lang en te vermoeiend om in één trok te schrijven,er moest tijd over gaan om het eerst allemaal te verwerken en dan op blog te gooien.Ikzelf heb er veel aan gehad en Zon en ik hebben het er veel over gehad vorige week.Het heeft echt wel veel teweeg gebracht,we staan nu veel meer stil bij de dingen die we eerst als vanzelfsprekend namen.Dingen zoals relatie,huwelijk,kinderen staan nu in een heel ander daglicht.De verwerking is begonnen maar ook de kentering in onze relatie.De komende weken zal ik proberen het er zo eerlijk mogelijk over te hebben.Wat ik wel al kan zeggen is dat we gestopt zijn in de infertiliteit.Stressfactor minder.Zijn we dan gestopt met onze kinderwens?Bijlange niet maar wel met de belangrijkste stressfactor in onze relatie.We gaan onze relatie proberen terugvinden zoals we ze kenden voor vorige zaterdag,voor het accident.We gaan eerst ons zelf herontdekken en daar al aan werken,dan de relatie en dan pas de kinderen.We dachten dat we er klaar voor waren maar nu weten we beter.

Aanvankelijk dacht ik dat het heel negatief was dat we zo niet meer wilden trouwen en kindjes krijgen maar al bij al,als we er dan voor gaan,zal het een bewuste keuze zijn voor ons beiden.

Ah,inmiddels kennen jullie mij en weten jullie ook dat ik de komende weken een tiental keer zal veranderen van gedacht en gevoel.Is al gebeurd en dezelfde dag nog ben ik weer bijgedraaid.Vriendin B.is hierin serieuze steun en toeverlaat,al is het maar omdat ze Zon geregeld begrijpt.Haar eigen vriend reageert bij momenten op dezelfde manier en zoals reeds gezegd,Afrikanen houden er altijd andere ideeën op na,hoe zeer ze zich willen integreren,ze laten altijd serieuze steken vallen.Maar ah,doen we dat niet allemaal.

Heb ik een paracetamol vergiftiging?

Student nr 1. från och med nu kallad Urstudenten har precis flyttat hemifrån och bor nu för första gången själv i en helt ny stad. Urstudenten tar såklart fullt bidrag och lån och hamnar på en snittinkomst per månad på ganska exakt 7500 kr. Tyvärr går en hel del åt till att betala hyra och räkningar. Enligt en säker källa i form av en dörrknackare ifrån hyresgästföreningen så är studenter den grupp människor som betalar överlägset störst del av sin inkomst i hyra. Vi kan räkna lite grovt på att ca 3500 kr går åt till sådana saker. Då kan Urstudenten leva drägligt i en delad lägenhet eller i ett korridorsrum. Kvar har vi 4000 kronor.

Student nr 2. Från och med nu kallad Smartstudenten (är självklart inte smartare än andra, utan tror sig bara var det) snyltar ofta och har av någon konstig anledning aldrig råd. Även om Smartstudenten har exakt samma möjlighet att faktiskt kunna ropa på CSN och ta ut sina välförtjänta femtusen bagis för att efter examen kunna klaga på sin feta studieskuld. Men Smartstudenten är väldigt ekonomisk, rädd för skulder och lite förtjust i Göran Persson. "Den som är skuldsatt är inte fri", tänker han när han på csn.se klickar i att han bara vill ha halvt lån. Med halva lånet (men självklart hela bidraget) hamnar han på 5100 kronor i månaden. Smartstudenten har självklart hyra och räkningar att betala precis som Urstudenten, möjligen lite lägre sådan men vi kan säga att han ändå hamnar på oansenliga  1800 kronor att leva på.

Efter en grov kategorisering av dessa två olika studenttyper så saknas bara att jämföra vad har de råd att köpa för sina "att leva på"-pengar? Vi utgår ifrån att det som en students kassa i stort går till är alkohol, öl, och mat.

Maten hos Urstudenten är bra. Han tycker det är viktigt att äta ifrån hela kostcirkeln och är dessutom duktig på att laga mat. Hemma hos Urstudenten bjuds det alltid på vällagad varm mat med mycket grönsaker och knäckebröd vid sidan. En matkassa på 1000-1500 kronor i månaden är inte omöjlig för Urstudenten.

Smartstudenten tror sig däremot kunna dra ner på matkostnaderna genom att äta nudlar eller burkmat. Smartstudenten går till andrahandsbokhandeln och investerar i boken Fysiologi - med relevant anatomi - Henriksson, O - Rasmusson, M. Sedan köper han på sig ett litet lager med diverse vitamin- , mineral- och järntillskott som han ställer jämte raviolikonserverna i skafferiet. Smartstudenten lyckas komma undan med en månadsräkning till Willys/Prix/LiDL på ca 600 kronor. Smartstudenten har en fast tro att han kan komma undan med denna bedrövliga kost. Tyvärr resulterar detta allt som oftast istället i en massa huvudvärk och sjukdom. Detta leder i sin tur till att Smartstudenten lägger abnormala mängder pengar på paracetamol, utvecklar ett beroende, blandar med tysk smuggelöl, blir kompis med ölsmugglarna, introduceras till tyngre droger, förlorar sina vänner, börjar kugga tentorna, förlorar studiebidraget, hamnar på gatan, skriver livstidskontrakt med a-laget, tappar tänderna, glömmer sitt namn, börjar jobba nätter på E20-truckstops, får blodsjukdom och överdoserar tillslut heroin i ett kallt soprum en tisdagsnatt i oktober.

Du som är student och läser detta, lyssna nu: Ta hand om dig! Livet är för kort för att snålas bort. Det är självklart upp till var och en hur man vill leva sina liv och vill du dö i ett soprum med en nål i armen så kan du fortsätta med dina "nudlar och c-vitaminbrus"-middagar. Om inte - Skaffa en hemhjälp!

a tender touch with kindness.

Though he did not know her,

she lay next to his heart

warming the shallow with nestling,

warmth which nothing else would impart.

*

Unlearned gentleness of a girl,

for might was not the needing,

nor a shield from arrows.

Her beauty was to him

as if through a mist percieved

with innocence unspoiled by whim.

*

It was the counsel of others

that had brought her to his side,

and that with searching long.

Her warm simplicity

the only gift she had to bring,

so that heart with heart would agree.

*

soft petal of the morning chill

she lay in darkness under.

The moon's cold beams allays

and sweetly flows the flow.

Her soft breath will not awaken him

as she makes his heart her pillow.

11:22 - Am ajuns. Cumpar biletele de intoarcere si imi atrage atentia un presupus jude prim de 70 de ani din Acapulco. Urmeaza sa gasim Via Nazionale unde jumate de litru de apa e mai mult de un euro. Nu-mi permit sa pun deoparte nici macar doua minute pentru ultrareducerile de la Benetton, Coin, Motivi etc caci inca nu am gasit Galleria dell'Accademia si timpul se scurge precum oboseala noastra.

Avem mica surpriza sa numaram sute de oameni care asteapta sa vada operele lui Michelangelo & co. Mona are o sclipire de geniu si prin urmare sun sa fac rezervari. Pentru doar 4 euro in plus la pretul biletului, putem sfida coada. Urmeaza ca al meu cortex sa experimenteze ceea ce de obicei apare pe google atunci cand tastezi: Michelangelo Buonarroti, Giotto, Anton Domenico Gabbiani, Lorenzo Monaco, Sandro Botticelli, Carlo Portelli, Anton Domenico Gabbiani si alte zeci de nume cu opere atasate in a caror atentie sta centrat David... Nu pot uita de Muzeul instrumentelor muzicale (instrumente apartinand lui Antonio Stradivari, Domenico del Mela etc)

Nu cred ca am talentul necesar pentru a descrie in cuvinte potrivite cum mi-a taiat respiratia Domul sau Galleria degli Uffizi dar raman fidela dezamagirii ca nu am ajuns sa vizitez casa lui Dante.

E timpul sa plec spre Venezia St Lucia. Sper ca la 21 sa-mi beau ceaiul. As fi zis ca la 43 de grade e imposibil sa racesti... Imi e dor de Biseptrimul de acasa. Voluntari sa-mi trimita macar prin mail?

Purnamawati S Pujiarto, Dr SpAK, MMPed

Demam merupakan masalah yang sering menimpa anak dan tidak sedikit orang tua mudah panik sehingga langsung ke dokter anak dan berharap agar cepat sembuh. Sebenarnya jika kita tahu apa itu demam dan cara mengatasinya, kita tidak selalu harus ke dokter loh...

Lalu apa sih demam itu?

Demam adalah kondisi ketika suhu tubuh anak mencapai lebih dari 38C dan prosesnya terdiri dari 3 fase, yaitu :
(1) menggigil sampai suhu tubuh mencapai puncaknya;
(2) suhu menetap; dan,
(3) suhu menurun.

Demam juga merupakan mekanisme tubuh untuk melawan penyakit, karena suhu tubuh yang tinggi dapat membunuh virus (yang bisa meningkat jumlahnya pada suhu tubuh rendah). So better not to treat low grade fever.

Bagaimana bisa timbul demam?

Peningkatan suhu tubuh ditimbulkan oleh beredarnya molekul kecil didalam tubuh kita yang disebut PIROGEN (zat pencetus panas). Zat ini juga berguna untuk mengerahkan sel darah putih ke lokasi infeksi dan terjadinya peningkatan pirogen ini bisa disebabkan karena;
1. Infeksi
2. Non Infeksi, seperti alergi, tumbuh gigi, keganasan, autoimun (adanya kesalahan "program" di dalam tubuh dimana organ tubuh kita disangka sebagai "musuh" dan diserang oleh sistem kekebalan tubuh kita sendiri) dan lain2.

Diantara kedua penyebab diatas, demam lebih sering disebabkan karena infeksi, bisa oleh bakteri atau virus and in most cases (more than 75%), infeksi ini disebabkan oleh virus, terutama pada bayi dan anak.
Jadi bisa disimpulkan bahwa demam bukanlah suatu penyakit, melainkan suatu gejala dan gejala tidak akan hilang apabila penyebabnya tidak ditangani. Makanya ketika anak diberikan obat penurun panas (tempra, panadol), dalam beberapa jam panasnya naik lagi, ini terjadi karena obat penurun panas tidak menyembuhkan penyakitnya.
Lalu apa dong gunanya minum obat penurun panas?
Gunanya adalah supaya menurunkan suhu tubuh, agar suhu tubuh tidak terus meningkat dan supaya anak merasa nyaman (pain killer), tetapi bukan untuk menormalkan suhu tubuh!
Kalau penyebabnya infeksi virus seperti pilek atau flu, obatnya hanya waktu dan beberapa pegangan di bawah ini. Jangan berikan antibiotik karena antibiotik tidak dapat membunuh virus

Cara mengatasi demam

1. Minum Banyak karena demam dapat menimbulkan dehidrasi;
2. Kompres anak dengan air hangat;
Kok bukan dengan air dingin? karena apabila diberi air dingin, otak kita akan menyangka bahwa suhu diluar tubuh dingin sehingga otak akan memerintahkan tubuh untuk menaikkan suhunya dengan cara menggigil sehingga memproduksi panas. Akibatnya suhu tubuh anak bukannya turun, melainkan tambah panas.
3. Beri obat penurun panas, acetaminophen atau paracetamol seperti tempra, panadol, atau paracetol, tylenol, sesuai dosis.
Kapan obat penurun panas diberikan? Bila suhu di atas 38.5C, atau bila anak uncomfortable. Sebaiknya jangan berikan obat demam apabila panasnya tidak terlalu tinggi (dibawah 38.5C).

Ingat:

Sebaiknya kompres dilakukan ketika:
anak merasa uncomfortable;
suhu mencapai 40C;
pernah kejang demam atau keluarga dekat pernah menderita kejang demam; atau
anak muntah2 sehingga obat tidak bisa masuk.

Cara melakukan kompres:
taruh anak di bath tub mandi dengan air hangat (30-32C) atau usapkan air hangat disekujur tubuh anak. Jika anak menolak, duduk di bath tub beri mainan & ajak bermain.

Kerugian yang dapat terjadi karena demam

1. Dehidrasi
Tanda-tandanya : ubun-ubun cekung, kencing sedikit dan apabila punggung tangannya dicubit, kulitnya lambat kembali.
Yang harus dilakukan : beri minum yang banyak, jus buah, es batu atau es krim. Apabila anak muntah atau diare, berikan oralit, pedialite, atau kalau sudah di atas usia 1 tahun tetapi tidak menyukai pedialit atau oralit, dapat diberikan pocari sweat atau gatorade (yang penting minuman yg mengandung elektrolit)

2. Kejang Demam (febrile convulsion)
Jarang terjadi, terutama pada anak usia antara 6 bulan - 3 tahun.
Tanda-tandanya : hilang kesadaran, kedua tangan kakinya bergerak dalam waktu yang sebentar (istilahnya kejang yg menyeluruh atau generalized, tidak hanya satu sisi saja atau tangan saja atau kaki saja), biasanya berlangsung beberapa detik dan tidak lebih dari 5 menit.
Berbeda dgn kejang yg disebabkan epilepsi (kejangnya lama, tidak harus seluruh anggota tubuh yang mengalami kejang, dan setelah kejang tidak sadar), atau;
Radang otak akibat herpes simplex (hanya sebelah tangan kakinya yg bergerak dan terjadi dlm waktu lama, lebih dr 10 menit, dan setelah kejang pasien tidak sadar).

Walau nampak menakutkan, kejang demam umumnya tidak berbahaya, namun begitu apabila anak mengalami kejang, sebaiknya dibawa ke dokter.
Ada obat yang dapat mengurangi kejangnya, seperti diazepam atau valium yang berguna untuk merelaksasi otot. Tapi harus diberikan ketika terjadi kejang, tidak berguna apabila diberikan sebelum atau sesudah kejang.

Obat demam

Beberapa obat demam yang tersedia di Indonesia :

Jenis : ibuprophen
Untuk mengobati : nyeri, demam, peradangan.
Merk Dagang : Proris, Fenris, Motrin
Efek Samping : Iritasi lambung, pendarahan saluran pencernaan. (Jgn diberikan bila anak muntah/diare)

Jenis : acetaminophen
Untuk mengobati : demam, nyeri.
Merk Dagang : Tempra, Panadol
Efek Samping : Paling aman, bila sesuai dosis. Overdose menyebabkan kerusakan hati.

Jenis : acetosal
Untuk mengobati : nyeri, demam, peradangan.
Merk Dagang : Aspilet, Aspirin, Aseptosal
Efek Samping : Gangguan otak dan hati, iritasi lambung. Tidak untuk anak dibawah 12 tahun.

Jenis : metamizole
Untuk mengobati : nyeri, demam, peradangan.
Merk Dagang : Novalgin
Efek Samping : Alergi (contoh: muka bengkak)

Prinsip dalam menangani demam

Dibawah ini merupakan hal2 yg harus kita lakukan apabila anak demam as recommended by Mayo Clinic USA dan AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) :
• Cari tahu penyebab panasnya;
• Don't panic! umumnya demam tidak membahayakan jiwa;
• Amati perilaku anak. Bila pada suhu tidak terlalu tinggi anak masih riang, aktif dan mau main, maka kita tidak perlu panik;
• Jangan memberikan obat penurun panas bila demam tidak tinggi;
• Mengetahui kapan harus cemas dan menghubungi dokter (lihat dibawah).

Kapan harus menghubungi dokter?

Dibawah adalah panduan yang dibuat oleh American Academy of Pediatrics :
• Bila bayi berusia kurang dr 3 bln dgn suhu tubuh mencapai 38C atau lebih;
• Bila bayi berusia 3-6 bln dgn suhu tubuh mencapai 38.3C atau lebih;
• Bila bayi & anak berusia lebih 6 bln dgn suhu tubuh mencapai 40C atau lebih;
• Tidak mau minum/ telah mengalami dehidrasi;
• Menangis terus menerus;
• Tidur terus menerus;
• Kejang;
• Sesak nafas, gelisah, muntah or diare.

"Remember to crush thoroughly next time" ;-)

- Mr. Blonde (anonymous poster)

Our youth are experimenting with dangerous prescription narcotics, largely due to their easy access, and turning to anonymous idiots on the Internet for advice on abusing them. This is how people die.

_

Link to Bluelight, the Internet forum mentioned above.

Memang, akhir2 ini cuaca sedikit bersahabat, bisa dilihat cuaca cerah bahkan tanpa awan sama sekali, tapi udaranya dingin banget, apalagi klo malam hari, udara malam menusuk banget... katanya sih klo bulan juli-agustus itu lagi musim pancaroba, si musim mau pindah chanel dari hujan ke kemarau.. dan memang demikian adanya...

Dengan tinggi 168cm dan berat 55kg biasanya gejala demam demam dikit gini beres dengan minum tolak angin ato makan banyak dan tidur sepuasnya.. tapi sudah 4 hari ini, suhu masih sinusoidal..

Sudah dicoba juga untuk nambah dosis, hari ke-3 pergi k apotik  yang di deket simpang untuk berli paracetamol, seperti yang disebutkan oleh wikipedia, paracetamol adalah salah satu obat penurun panas/demam. tapi hati-hati juga penggunaan dalam jangka waktu panjang dan berlebihan (Over Dosis) bisa menimbulkan gangguan ginjal dan kematian. bahaya juga ya.. infonya dari info-sehat dan warta media.

Tapi memang paracetamol ini merupakan obat penurun panas yang murah dan mudah, cuman dengan uang Rp. 1000,- saya mendapatkan 1 strip yang berisi 10 Tablet. jadi satunya cuman Rp.100 an.. murah banget, dibandingkan dengan obat pasaran lain yang harganya mencapai Rp.500an / tablet atau obat dari dokter yang harganya bisa diatas Rp.3000/tablet.

Tapi itu dikembalikan juga kepada penyakitnya, masa sakit Maag dikasi Paracetamol, jangan cuman pengen murah nya aja.. whehehehe....

eh, baru baca lagi ternyata paracetamol tuh punya nama lain asetaminofen dan itu gara-gara beda penyebutan oleh orang inggris dan amerika..

Versi Amerika N-asetil-para-aminofenol asetominofen

Versi Inggris para-asetil-amino-fenol parasetamol

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a new warning on Friday regarding the popular painkiller fentanyl, basically a re-issue of its 2005 warning. The FDA estimates that the patch version of the potent painkiller may have been involved in more than 3,500 deaths.

Fentanyl patches (brand name Duragesic) are typically prescribed to patients with chronic pain, or to those who have trouble swallowing pills. The patch's transdermal system releases a uniform dosage of the drug over the course of three days.

“I think there is more that needs to be done, or else we’re just going to see this [warning] happen again another two years from now... the deaths are going to continue.”

-Michael Cohen, Institute for Safe Medication Practices (PA)

The FDA also warns that heat and exercise can cause the patches to release the drug at a faster and potentially lethal rate. Patients who experience breathing problems while using fentanyl should call their doctors immediately, because high doses of the drug can cause the patients respiratory system to fail.

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• View the 2005 fentanyl  FDA Alert
• View the 2004 fentanyl  FDA Recall Notice
• Duragesic Website: duragesic.com
• Image Courtesy Wikipedia