ADD & ADHD; Do You Really Need to Drug Kids?

Posted on October 31, 2014 by Angela A Stanton, Ph.D.

ADD (attention deficit disorder) and ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) are more common with children today than ever before. I can see the trend increasing and will probably continue to get worse. We will probably see additional acronyms with more letters describing something that is a response to the environment rather than a disorder.

I personally see ADD and ADHD equivalent in many ways to the teenagers of the 60s when the Beatles were playing. The adults of the then “wise society” said horrible stuff about kids who listened to the trash kind of music the Beatles played. They called for prohibiting that kind of music, etc. Yet look at the Beatles generation today: totally normal, high functioning grandmas and grandpas with love and care who had great lives and jobs and many stories to tell. I happen to be in that generation.

So let’s get to ADD and ADHD. I brought the comparison to how adults reacted to youth listening to the Beatles while falling apart from joy and screaming by scaring adults to wits to that of adults today being scared to wits of kids with ADD and ADHD. It is interesting to note that few people ask why we have children with ADD and ADHD the first place. The obvious choice is to jump in and get rid of it like the music of the Beatles albums. Unfortunately this time the situation is different and the problem now is the adult society to which this is the response of the youth (perhaps getting the heads of those adults who criticize these disorders examined is more in order).

I know, I am heading up the current on the wrong side of the wind. I always do and always will do because common wisdom is common and it is often wrong.

Let’s visit an aboriginal group, or the nomads of Tibet, or the Eskimos, and count the number of ADD or ADHD kids. This will be a very easy job; no calculator needed. The number will be zero. Now get to a city that is buzzing with life, cars, TVs, movies, video games, computers, smart phones, tablets in small, medium, large so you can have one wherever you go. Add thousands of TV and radio channels with news and activity all day and all night. Add stores that are open 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Add lights that are always on. Also add into this epidural painless birth that stall and need to be induced that give contraction too fast for the baby to recover and rest between being squeezed out of the mom and now you have kids with damage from birth and an environment full of sensory over-stimulation 24/7. What is a kid to do to follow it all?

Before I suggest what to do without drugs,  let me also tell you about the drugs they usually give: psychotics to dampen the brain’s activity.

You need to know that the human brain does not mature fully until the age of 35 for men and 32 for women. The last part to fully mature is the most important for making good decisions–hence it is the last to mature. Interrupt this maturation cycle by dampening brain activity and this maturation may never occur. A child’s brain all though his/her growth generates activities in new areas in the brain as the brain has the clock turning on to initiate certain hormonal actions. For example, the terrible 2’s are the age between 2-4. This coincides with the time the child’s brain starts to generate the myelin sheath around the axons of the neurons. Without myelin sheath there is not enough electricity (the sheath is like electrical insulation to keep the voltage going in one direction without leakage) and messages are not yet meaningful. Telling a 2-4 year old who is going through the terrible 2’s to stop being so silly or screaming or holding his breath until he turns purple and faints is about as useful as telling the same to a worm. Telling a 6-year old about consequences of his actions are as good as telling the 2-year old to do calculus.

Kids are  not mini adults with the brain of an adult only smaller. A human child is a child in brain as well and not a mini adult. A child’s brain is just as incomplete as his teeth, as his sexual maturity, as his ignorance of the world. All of these are part of the brain’s lack of ability and not that the child wants to be ignorant.

Some kids are more sensitive to information overload than others; they are the ADD and ADHD kids. Many people (adults too!) are sensitive to information overload–in fact most of us are. The difference is that as adults, many of the things our brains are able to ignore because our brain is developed. A child’s brain is not yet developed and so it will pay attention to all things and will get overloaded faster than adults do.

What can you do if you have a child who has such sensory overload? The symptoms are given everywhere, here taken from Wikipedia:

“An individual with inattention may have some or all of the following symptoms:

  • Be easily distracted, miss details, forget things, and frequently switch from one activity to another
  • Have difficulty maintaining focus on one task
  • Become bored with a task after only a few minutes, unless doing something enjoyable
  • Have difficulty focusing attention on organizing and completing a task or learning something new
  • Have trouble completing or turning in homework assignments, often losing things (e.g., pencils, toys, assignments) needed to complete tasks or activities
  • Not seem to listen when spoken to
  • Daydream, become easily confused, and move slowly
  • Have difficulty processing information as quickly and accurately as others
  • Struggle to follow instructions

An individual with hyperactivity may have some or all of the following symptoms:

  • Fidget and squirm in their seats
  • Talk nonstop
  • Dash around, touching or playing with anything and everything in sight
  • Have trouble sitting still during dinner, school, doing homework, and story time
  • Be constantly in motion
  • Have difficulty doing quiet tasks or activities

These hyperactivity symptoms tend to go away with age and turn into “inner restlessness” in teens and adults with ADHD.

An individual with impulsivity may have some or all of the following symptoms:

  • Be very impatient
  • Blurt out inappropriate comments, show their emotions without restraint, and act without regard for consequences
  • Have difficulty waiting for things they want or waiting their turns in games
  • Often interrupt conversations or others’ activities”

Note the highlighted area also suggested in Wikipedia: these symptoms go away and turn into inner restlessness as the kids get older and become adults. Restlessness in adults does not equate with ADHD anymore, only with kids. Those who remain restless suddenly find themselves labeled with a new category of autism spectrum disorder and it is a spectrum since with cleverness one can put just about everyone into this spectrum. Most of us have some level of inner restlessness and fall somewhere in the zone of this autism spectrum that we now call a disorder.

Again, if you visit an aboriginal tribe, or the nomads of Tibet, or any culture that is not deep into noise, light, and motions stimulus 24 hours a day and you will not find any of this disorders or spectrum. These come with our society today as a result of who we are and what we have become.

What can you do with a child who was labeled with ADD or ADHD?

First, remove the label… it is silly. Second: activate the child to get rid of the built up stress that the over stimulation causes: heavy physical activity that gets rid of built up adrenaline, such as running, hiking, mountain climbing, etc. Do not give the child anything sweet (be it sugar or sugar substitutes!)–if you do, make sure it is on a weekend and let him bounce off the walls. That is what he is supposed to do so encourage him to do that! For breakfast give the child heavy meal: bacon and eggs will do great! If they are overactive in school, enroll them in a before-school running or swimming. Then in school the child will have no energy to be hyper and will more likely be able to focus with the proper foods as well. After school get him to exercise and play before his homework! That way he will be ready for homework as per his chemistry. Make sure he has no sugar (no juices, no sodas, no cupcakes, no candies, no desserts) after dinner. It is hard to tell a kid to eat a carrot if he craves sweets but not impossible. I have a 10-year old granddaughter. I know.

Comments are welcome!

Angela

Posted in Interesting reading, Must Read, This & That, Thoughts | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

And I Thought a Citizen Petition with the FDA Uses the Language of a Citizen!

Posted on October 27, 2014 by Angela A Stanton, Ph.D.

Phew! It took three days! In case you are wondering what this is about: I petitioned against the quinolone drug class Cipro and its generic ciprofloxanin to be used only in case of life and death scenario and remove it from the easy reach of doctors for prescribe it for things other, less dangerous drugs can treat. The first petition I filed is written a few blogs back with instructions and links. I submitted that and received an email from the FDA that I need to make it into a “formal” petition with language so decorated with legal jargon that my eyes are still crossed.

I decided to copy-paste my petition here. For one thing it is public anyway so if and when the docket is read and posted online, you can read it. Secondly, if you find that you would like to file a petition yourself, I have worked out some of the language for you and the sections to be referred to in the petition against this drug. I will be attacking each of the quinolone drugs as time goes. The Cipro is first because that drug is by far the most prescribed oral antibiotic in the US (almost 70% of all antibiotics prescribed today is Cipro or its generic equivalent ciprofloxanin). Over 80% of all of the Cipro-ciprofloxanin drugs prescribed are ciprofloxanin, the generic, and only about 10% of the prescriptions are for the brand name. This causes some problems if you read the blog I wrote before this blog. I hope that limiting the drug’s use to extreme life-death situations only and make it available only in emergency rooms, operating rooms, or intensive care will reduce the side effects to next to nothing but making it available for those for whom there is no alternative.

Here is my petition. If you are also filing, please feel free to use my findings and words:

[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 21, Volume 1]

[Revised as of April 1, 2014]

[CITE: 21CFR10.30]

Angela A Stanton, Ph.D.

Citizen Petition: existing Docket number: 1jy-8f1z-su92               Date: 10/27/2014

The undersigned submits this petition under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and the Public Health Service Act or any other statutory provision for which authority has been delegated to the Commissioner of Food and Drugs Administration to request the Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration to amend a regulation that considers Cipro (ciprofloxacin) to be safe for use as antibiotic drug by general practitioners. The Citizen Angela A. Stanton, PhD, hereby petitions to have Cipro (ciprofloxacin) approval to be reconsidered for life and death situations only.

  1. Action Requested

((3) The petition requests from the Commissioner to take action on behalf of those already injured and those yet to be injured in the future if no action is taken, to prevent such injuries possible on a large-scale by making the drug Cipro (ciprofloxacin) only available in very special cases, such as in the case of life or death and only in the care of emergency rooms, surgical procedures, and intensive care units.

  1. Statement of Grounds

The current approval of Cipro (ciprofloxacin) is based on the safety of the drug | NDA 19-537/S-409, NDA 19-857/S-031, NDA 19-847/S-027, NDA 20-780/S-013 to Bayer Pharmaceutical Corporation from the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research at the Department of Health & Human Services. Application No.: 019537s049, 019847s027, 019857s031 & 020780s013; Approval Date: 03/25/2004

At the time of the approval, the indication for prescription Cipro (ciprofloxacin) was for the following illnesses as per original labeling found at (http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/nda/2004/019537s049_019847s027_019857s031_020780s013_Lbl.pdf) in lines starting at 307 “INDICATIONS AND USAGE” through line 505 (emphasis added and some conditions of irrelevance left out)

“Adult Patients:

Urinary Tract Infections caused by Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter cloacae. Serratia  marcescens, Proteus   mirabilis, Providenci  rettgeri Morganell  morganii,  Citrobacter diversus,  Citrobacter freundii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus saprophyticus, or Enterococcus faecalis.

Acute Uncomplicated Cystitis in females caused by Escherichia coli or Staphylococcus saprophyticus. Chronic Bacterial Prostatitis caused by Escherichia coli or Proteus mirabilis. Lower Respiratory Tract Infections caused by Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter  cloacae, Proteus  mirabilis, Pseudomonas  aeruginosa Haemophilus   injluenzae,  Haemophilus parainjluenzae, or Streptococcus pneumoniae. Also, Moraxella catarrhalis for the treatment of acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis.

NOTE:

Although effective in clinical trials, ciprofloxacin is not a drug of first choice in the treatment of presumed or confirmed pneumonia secondary to Streptococcus pneumoniae. Acute Sinusitis caused by Haemophilus injluenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, or Moraxella Catarrhalis. Skin and Skin Structure Infections caused by Escherichia coli, Klebsiella  pneumoniae, Enterobacter  cloacae, Proteus  mirabilis, Proteus  vulgaris, Providencia  stuartii, Morganella morganii, Citrobacter freundii, Pseudomonas  aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus (methicillin-susceptible), Staphylococcus  epidermidis, or Streptococcus pyogenes. Bone and Joint Infections caused by Enterobacter cloacae, Serratia marcescens, or Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Complicated Intra-Abdominal Infections  (used in combination  with  metronidazole)  caused by Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, or Bacteroides fragilis. Infectious Diarrhea caused by Escherichia  coli (enterotoxigenic strains), Campylobacter jejuni, Shigella boydiit, Shigella dysenteriae, Shigella jlexneri or Shigella sonneit when antibacterial therapy is indicated. Typhoid Fever (Enteric Fever) caused by Salmonella typhi.

NOTE: The efficacy of ciprofloxacin in the eradication of the chronic typhoid carrier state has not been demonstrated. Uncomplicated cervical and urethral gonorrhea due to Neisseria gonorrhoeae.”

Today, October 27, 2014, there are many antibiotic treatments available for most of the illnesses listed above that have proven as effective and cause fewer side effects than Cipro (ciprofloxacin).

The safety advisory warning on the label of Cipro (ciprofloxacin) has been amended several times as a number of adverse effects, unknown at the time of approval, have surfaced. Some of these side effects include damage to the central nervous system that is listed on the original approval as: nervousness, agitation, insomnia, anxiety, nightmares or paranoia. Phototoxicity: Moderate to severe phototoxicity manifested as an exaggerated sunburn reaction has been observed in patients who are exposed to direct sunlight while receiving some members of the quinolone class of drugs. Excessive sunlight should be avoided. The adverse reactions warnings also suggested that it is important to avoid excessive sunlight or artificial ultraviolet light while receiving ciprofloxacin and to discontinue therapy if phototoxicity occurs. Furthermore it was advised to discontinue treatment; rest and refrain from exercise; and inform their physician if patients who took ciprofloxacin experience pain, inflammation, or rupture of a tendon.

Under Drug Interactions (lines 506 through 540, also emphasis added and only concerns of importance listed)

“As with some other quinolones, concurrent administration of ciprofloxacin with theophylline may lead to elevated serum concentrations of theophylline and prolongation of its elimination half-life.

Some quinolones, including ciprofloxacin, have also been shown to interfere with the metabolism of caffeine. This may lead to reduced clearance of caffeine and a prolongation of its serum half-life.

Animal studies have shown that the combination of very high doses of quinolones and certain non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents (but not acetylsalicylic acid) can provoke convulsions”

Please note that at the time of the drug interactions listed, it was not known that any NSAD taken together with quinolones such as Cipro (ciprofloxacin) at standard low doses also causes major interactions. It was also not clear that the prescription of steroid drugs for use in combination with Cipro (ciprofloxacin) also in low dose caused major adverse reactions. While prescribing quinolones, such as Cipro (ciprofloxacin), as usual, doctors and pharmacies have not apparently heard or read the message and even today continuously prescribe Cipro (ciprofloxacin) and steroid and/or NSAD, causing major and often irreversible complications. Some adverse effects happen immediately upon taking the first Cipro (ciprofloxacin) tablet, others later but prior to finishing full prescription and yet other several months later! This makes the connection to Cipro (ciprofloxacin) very hard to prove pending blood tests that are now being developed and used to evaluate the reasons for the damage.

FDA Adverse Effect Update:

To date there have been two FDA requests for label change on Cipro (ciprofloxacin) and other quinolone class drugs: 2012 and 2013. This is indicative that some of the adverse reactions appear years after the drugs were taken and not always after the first application—as if there was a threshold level for each person beyond which there is no return.

FDA updates on the adverse effects of fluoroquinolones drugs, including Cipro (ciprofloxacin) in 2012 states:

“The results of FDA’s recent review of the Adverse Event Reporting System (AERS) database indicate that although the risk of peripheral neuropathy is described in the drug labels of each marketed systemic fluoroquinolone, the potential rapid onset and risk of permanence were not adequately described. The recent AERS review evaluated cases of fluoroquinolone-associated peripheral neuropathy with an outcome of “disability, reported between January 1, 2003 and August 1, 2012. The review showed a continued association between fluoroquinolones use and disabling peripheral neuropathy… FDA has required manufacturers of systemic fluoroquinolone drugs to make revisions to the drug labels (Warnings/Precautions and Warnings and Precautions sections) and the Medication Guides. These label changes are to better characterize the risk of peripheral neuropathy associated with the class of systemic fluoroquinolones. If a patient develops symptoms of peripheral neuropathy, the fluoroquinolone should be stopped, and the patient should be treated with an alternative non-fluoroquinolone antibacterial drug, unless the benefit of continued treatment with a fluoroquinolone outweighs the risk.” (page 3 on http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/DrugSafety/UCM365078.pdf)

This particular label update by the FDA did not yet state that peripheral neuropathy can be permanent and other conditions, such as tendon tears (partial or full) can be permanent disabling conditions. Though it mentions the seriousness, it does not equate the serious condition to patient suffering and quality of life altering complications.

FDA updates on the adverse effects of fluoroquinolones drugs, including Cipro (ciprofloxacin) in 2013 states:

 “FDA Drug Safety Communication: FDA requires label changes to warn of risk for possibly permanent nerve damage from antibacterial fluoroquinolone drugs taken by mouth or by injection” requesting that the label of all approved fluoroquinolones drug labels be modified with the possible permanency of peripheral neutropathy, a condition affecting the central nervous system, often causing permanent disability.” (Emphasis added)

Please note that still in the second label change the FDA does not mention the importance of patient suffering and the disabling condition resulting from tendon injuries. As a tendon injured citizen, I can attest to the drug’s permanent disabling effect in pain as well as ability to walk and accomplish work.

It is important to note that now there have been many scientific studies showing the oxidative effects of quinolones, in particular that of ciprofloxacin (Talla, Veerareddy, J Young Pharm. 2011, Oct-Dec; 3(4: 304-309), DNA mutations as a result of fluoroquinolones (Pallo-Zimmarman et al., Compendium, July 2010: E1-E9), Mammalian Mitchochodrial cell damage (Kalghatgi et al., Sci Transl Med 5, 192ra85 (2013)), the effects of UV A light on fluoroquinolones (Perrone et al., Toxicological Sciences 69, 16-22 (2002): 16-22). Additional studies show that the damage of “sun” is not just that of enhanced sunburn predisposition during the period of taking quinolones, including Cipro (ciprofloxacin), but that the phototoxicity implies an underlying further damage to mitochondrial DNA and whether the UV light is A or B matters (Akter et al., Free Radic Biol Med. 1998 May;24(7-8):1113-9.; Dykens, et al., Expert Review of Molecular Diagnostics [2007, 7(2):161-175] (2007): 161-175).

In light of all these adverse effects whose importance is noted but underestimated even in the second label update request by the FDA, as a citizen I petition to modify the label of the quinolone drugs, starting with Cipro (ciprofloxacin) as a result of oxidative stress and DNA mutation causing permanent damage and lifelong disability in the human body. I petition to modify the label providing instructions to practitioners,   permitting only limited access to the drug based on life threatening circumstances and made only available in emergency rooms, surgical procedures, or life saving measures in intensive care.

It is my belief that at this point the drug’s benefits, for treating simple infections that can be treated by less harmful medicines, have been exceeded by the injuries it causes as adverse effects, which are often irreversible. It is also my experience – consistent with the FDA database – that the quinolone drug class, especially Cipro (ciprofloxacin) is the most often prescribed oral medicine for any and every bacterial infection, no matter what the cause. The over-prescription of this drug has caused a decline in its effectiveness. This further strengthens the argument that the risks of taking this drug now greatly outweigh the benefits it provides.

In order for the benefit of the drug to be outweighed by its adverse effects, the adverse effects need to be temporary and less than debilitating to handicap level and the benefit must be significant. Since many of the adverse effects are now understood to be long-lasting, some irreversible for life, and Cipro (ciprofloxacin) is losing its effectiveness in light of many resistant bacterial classes, Cipro (ciprofloxacin) has exceeded the expected benefits with respect to adverse effects and thus should be removed from everyday use.

1. Environmental Impact

N/A

2. Economic Impact

N/A

3. Certification

The undersigned certifies, that, to the best knowledge and belief of the undersigned, this petition includes all information and views on which the petition relies, and that it includes representative data and information known to the petitioner which are unfavorable to the petition.

______________________________________________________________(Signature)

Angela A. Stanton, Ph.D._____________________________(Name of petitioner)

_____________________(Mailing address)

______________________(Telephone number)

Your comments are welcome as always!

Angela

 

 

Posted in Interesting reading, Must Read, This & That, Thoughts, Why Me | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

You Can Only Sue Brand Name Drugs that are Never Prescribed!

Posted on October 26, 2014 by Angela A Stanton, Ph.D.

With the exception of two states in the United States, people who got floxed by quinolones antibiotics or got sick from any medication can only sue the brand name manufacturer, but only if the drug that got them sick, was a brand name drug.

Quick, hands up: how many of you actually take brand name drugs?

I had a conversation with the FDA and the pharmacist I talked to about brand name versus generic told me that over 80% of all drugs that have generic versions get to only be prescribed as generics. That means bad news to those getting hurt on a medication that is generic.

Now pardon me for my mathematical logic here but I cannot help but poke fun of a system that

1) mandates that all generic drugs must have the exact active ingredient as the brand name and

2) that all generic drugs must be bio equivalent to the brand name.

If the generics are exact copies of the brand name in terms of bio equivalency, which was specifically explained to me by the FDA that it considers where the drug dissolves and how it absorbs, then the two drugs are the same. Thus

generic = brand by all law, which means brand = generic by the same law => whether you get sick from the brand or the generic, shouldn’t matter. The problem is with the brand name since the generic is an identical bio equivalent copy. 

So why can’t you sue the brand name manufacturers if you took generic drug? Why can you only sue the brand name manufacturers if you took the brand name drug? This would imply that the generic and the brand name drugs are not the same; right? But they are the same by the law. So what is going on here? A game. This is politics and fraud big time! 

What can you do to prevent this game?

1) move to the states that allow law suits against generics

2) allow only brand name drugs to be prescribed and make sure the doctor writes on the prescription “do not substitute for generic” and that will ensure your lawsuit chance should something go wrong. 

The problem is of course the cost. Most insurance companies will only cover the generic so then if you get sick, there is not much you can do. For now, try to always convince the insurance company that you must have the brand name. You have no alternative! Remind the insurance companies that of course you can always sue them from forfeiting your right to sue brand name manufacturers by only allowing prescriptions for generics!

Comments are welcome as always!

Angela

Posted in Interesting reading, Must Read, This & That, Thoughts | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Is This Really The Industry’s Response to a Preventable Illness? Eek!

Posted on October 23, 2014 by Angela A Stanton, Ph.D.

I am posting a copy-paste here from Facebook from the Neuropathy Association site so you can see how the industry views those who have been hurt by the quinolone class drugs, such as Cipro and others. Please read. The industry answer will shock you. I placed the Association’s answer as a quote so you can distinguish easily:

Aliza’s question:

Hello Dr. Levine: I have, let’s say, “full body” nerve damage, to put it simply, (CNS damage as well as multi-systemic PN, basically everything from head to toe) — as do most of my fellow “floxies” (people with FQ Toxicity Syndrome due to Fluoroquinolone antibiotics)… and what I’d really like to know is…
…. how on earth is it even possible for so many Dr.s — including Neurologists — to STILL be so unaware of FQ toxicity — and it’s well-documented links to neuropathy??
I’m not a “Dr. basher” and I by no means wish to offend anyone. But at the same time, the ignorance is inexcusable! There are thousands upon thousands of us who desperately need help and aren’t getting it. We’re left to try to self-diagnose and self-heal because our Dr.s aren’t keeping up with with medical developments and/or are refusing to see the writing on the wall with regard to FQs (while even the FDA has a black box warning that they can cause permanent peripheral neuropathy and law suits are springing up.)
Thank you in advance for any input you can give on this all-too-common problem.

Response by the Neuropathy Association doctor:

Aliza,
I am not sure how to answer your question. I am sure it can [be] frustrating for physicians not to be aware of this. From a neurologist perspective I would just say that once toxicity develops our management of the neuropathy does not differ from that of other neuropathies.In other words, we use medications to treat the symptoms (such as gabapentin or Lyrica).
DS (corrected for errors and emphasis added)

There are many answers to this particular thread and for lack of permission from the individuals to show their identity I will only post my response:

  • DrAngela A. Stanton When I first read the response of the doctor here, I nearly fainted. So, Dr. DS, what you are suggesting is that the medical community should be choosing to treat symptoms of a preventable disease rather than prevent it? Here the cause of neuropathy is clearly evident. Really?People die, commit suicide in their pain from the side effects of the drugs and your association suggests to take Lyrica (a horrible drug that is so addictive it takes years to get off) to treat the symptoms instead of stopping the cause from happening altogether?There are very few illnesses in our lifetime we know the precise cause is preventable. This is one of those. We know what is causing it. What happened to the oath of “DO NO HARM”?It is a shame on the medical industry (including your company) that making money on the sick by treating it rather than prevent it is “better” for you. Am I correct in my assumption? Since your answer translated to that precise statement to me.

    If I am correct, we have some massive work to do to interrupt the methodologies of the industry that lives off of the pain and suffering of others.

    Comments are welcome as always and now more than ever! This is now a blog of shame!
    Angela
Posted in Interesting reading, Must Read, This & That, Thoughts | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

One Life Less Because of Ciprofloxacin (Cipro)! In Honor of One Who Died!

Posted on October 23, 2014 by Angela A Stanton, Ph.D.

I never thought I had to come face to face with a drug that hurts so many in such a terrible way! I certainly have not thought that I will learn from the family of a member who took his life because it was destroyed by antibiotics! This is  the drugs in the quinolone family. He was prescribed two kinds: Ciprofloxacin and Ofloxacin.

Those of us who have come face to face with the dangers and side effects of quinolone family of drugs, most commonly Cipro (brand name) or Ciprofloxacin (generic) in prescriptions (almost 70% of prescribed oral quinolones is represented by Ciprofloxacin or Cipro per the FDA database), understand why Dick Decent committed suicide after these drugs have destroyed his life. His sister posted her comment on one of my previous blog posts. Dick left behind two children. And all he did was take two antibiotics, both in the quinolone family of dangerous drugs that for some reason the FDA continues to permit to be prescribed for simple infections that can be treated by other antibiotics equally well in most cases.

I decided to honor Dick with this blog post to share his family’s pain and to let you all know that these drugs are serious damaging drugs and apparently killers as well. I list again the drugs here for you–some have already been pulled from the market but many the FDA continues to permit. Cipro itself has a 43-page warning of adverse effects that apparently no doctor or pharmacist will tell you about. I post here the generic first and brand names (many since they are under different names in different countries). The information is from Wikipedia, where you can read up on each drug at your convenience.

Please make sure that if you had an adverse reaction or know someone who had–even if that adverse reaction is listed on the package insert as expected–report it to the FDA on their online submission form. They need to hear your voice! They need to hear it happened to you too so that it does not take more lives and it does not have to happen to others!

The list of drugs for human use–I crossed out those already removed from the market and highlighted in bold those causing the most well-known problems so far:

First-generation:

Second-generation

The second-generation class is sometimes subdivided into “Class 1” and “Class 2”

Third-generation

Unlike the first- and second-generations, the third-generation is active against streptococci.

Fourth-generation

Fourth-generation fluoroquinolones act at DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV. This dual action slows development of resistance.

In development

Please check to make sure you are not taking any of these drugs for simple infections that other drugs can treat equally well. These drugs should remain to be used and possible to be prescribed to only those in life and death situations when there are no alternatives!

Comments are welcome!

Angela

Posted in Interesting reading, Must Read, This & That, Thoughts | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

How to Petition Against Cipro & Other Quinolones at FDA! Read My Instructions!

Posted on October 21, 2014 by Angela A Stanton, Ph.D.

I have filed a petition against quinolones use and prescription in doctors’ hands anywhere except in the case of life or death situations, or in ER or hospital surgical rooms. In order to be more effective, I must ask you all who have been hurt or know someone who is hurt to follow my instructions and either file your own petition (if it lets you given that mine is already there) or add to mine if that is your only option.

Please petition!

I copy-paste my petition here and also the instructions on how to file (or add to my petition) by all members hurt by or who knows someone hurt by any of these drugs (you will see some of the drugs listed in the petition but you can see all drugs involved here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quinolone). The top part of the page is my instruction with links on how to get to the petition and how to write it.

Please file your own petition if you can or if it won’t anymore let you since there is one (mine), then add to it I was told by the FDA. Adding to it is just as good as filing a new one. The more petitions or the more names on the petition will increase the chances of our safety from this drug. Please follow instructions and read my petition:

Citizens Petition form at FDA:
http://www.fda.gov/regulatoryinformation/dockets/ucm379450.htm

Download or open the instructions on how to petition: http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=FDA-2013-S-0610-0002

Click on docket link that will take you here:
http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=FDA-2013-S-0610

and click on blue button “Comment Now!” to file a complaint. If you see a comment has already been posted (mine), add to that comment if you have something new to say or write your own separate one—in talking to the FDA it seemed to me that if there is one open, you can only add to that…

My updated petition:

This is a correction and stands as replacement of the petition filed on 10/2014 docket number: 1jy-8f1v-wjy4
Agency: Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Document Type: Nonrulemaking
Title: Citizen Petition Submission; Technical Amendment
Document ID: FDA-2013-S-0610-0001

Petition’s Purpose:

1) recommending to withdraw the FDA permit from Fluoroquinolones drug class or

2) requesting to remove Fluoroquinolones drug class Cipro, Levaquin, Avelox, and the rest from prescription possibility without a cause to believe the infection is a life threatening emergency. This drug should only be available to hospitals in ER and operating room and not doctors with easy access.

Petition’s reason:

Thousands of people have received permanent or temporary damage as a result of the many adverse reactions that doctors either do not know or they ignore. I am a scientist and have done my research. I asked all the MDs I know and not one had any idea of the dangers of Quinolones and not one would recognize the adverse affects (Achilles Tendon and other tendon tear, neuropathy, and even I had no idea that Ciprofloxacin caused my Achilles Tendon partial tear and the now surfacing (over 6 months after taking Cipro) neuropathy, intracranial pressure, systemic mitochondrial magnesium depletion, UV B light caused damage to mitochondrial DNA, etc .

I have created a blog article (https://cluelessdoctors.com/2014/10/06/those-amazing-antibiotics-how-one-class-hurts-you/) as a result of my article research and the out-pour from people and associations that specialize in trying to get Quinolones off the market have come to thank me and explain what happened to them. By now I have received memos, emails, text messages, Facebook group comments, etc., from at least 3,000 people in the past 2 weeks on telling me their horror stories and how they do not know what to do. At the moment over 5 blog articles decorate my blog with many horror stories. Other blogs: http://www.hormonesmatter.com/side-effects-unintended-consequences-pharmaceuticals/ or http://floxiehope.com/ruths-story-cipro-toxicity/ and many more will tell you the story of people begging for a solution of this drug class be removed from use!

Their doctors are not informed, pharmacies tell them nothing. I have found several scientific articles that explain the dangers of quinolones, none of which is in the knowledge of the medical community.

Here are some links for you to guide you, some on your own website:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3760005/
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2094848/
http://www.facebook.com/FluoroquinoloneToxicity
http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adverse_effects_of_fluoroquinolones
well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/10/popular-antibiotics-may-carry-serious-side-effects/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0
http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm365050.htm
http://www.survivingcipro.com/
http://www.floxiehope.com/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Fluoroquinolone-Wall-of-Pain/209182505773463

And I have many more of course but you also have access to all.

Do doctors really have to prescribe such dangerous drugs for a sinus infection or a UTI? How many complaints must the FDA receive before they pull a drug from the shelves? I looked only at Cipro and its generic in the FDA complaints database and found 1800 adverse reaction complaints by consumers for the quarter ending June 2014. My search did not include all quinolones only the Cipro brand and generic.

There is no reason to have a drug whose benefit for the use of mild cases, such as a UTI, is not outweighed by the dangers of its adverse side effects!

Please act! On behalf of all quinolone-hurt patients and myself who was also hurt by quinolones, I ask you to consider to remove this drug from doctors’ access and just leave it in the hands of operating rooms and ERs.

Sincerely,
Angela A. Stanton, Ph.D.

Docket number: 1jy-8f1z-su92

Your comments and concerns are welcome!

Angela

Posted in Interesting reading, Must Read, This & That, Thoughts, Why Me | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Starch? No problem! They are Fiber! Did You Know That?

Posted on October 20, 2014 by Angela A Stanton, Ph.D.

You did not know? Me neither! That probably makes over 6 billion of us–minus the few people who specialized in the science of understanding what happens to starchy foods when they get chilled off after cooking and reheated. I did not know this was a science but apparently it is and it is a super one because now we know how to convert simple starchy carbohydrates into fiber rich low carbohydrate resistant starch, which is a fiber.

A friend of mine from the UK told me about this and I searched on the Internet and lo and behold found the BBC Two program “Trust me I am a doctor” with the episode online that examines what happens to starchy foods in our bodies when we eat them freshly prepared hot, chilled, or reheated. Here they tested pasta in an Italian restaurant on 10 volunteers who then had to take blood samples of and by themselves like diabetes blood collection for 2 hours after meal every 15 minutes.

The results show what has apparently been known for well over 20 years that cooked starch once chilled converts into what is called resistant starch.

I have been skeptical but I actually found proof of this on Wikipedia and that there are four types of such resistant starches–there are nearly a million results in the search engine about resistant starches so I suspect there is some truth to this:

  • RS1 Physically inaccessible or digestible resistant starch, such as that found in seeds or legumes and unprocessed whole grains
  • RS2 Resistant starch that occurs in its natural granular form, such as uncooked potato, green banana and high amylose corn
  • RS3 Resistant starch that is formed when starch-containing foods are cooked and cooled such as in legumes,[2] bread, cornflakes and cooked-and-chilled potatoes, pasta salad or sushi rice. Occurs due to retrogradation, which refers to the collective processes of dissolved starch becoming less soluble after being heated and dissolved in water and then cooled.
  • RS4 Starches that have been chemically modified to resist digestion. This type of resistant starches can have a wide variety of structures and are not found in nature.

In fact, many foods we eat have such resistant starches without our knowledge. On a recent trip I was in Scandinavia for three weeks. I noticed that everywhere they ate the same rolled oats we do in the USA except they eat it raw! They mix dried fruits and nuts but that is not necessary. I actually liked the taste of the raw better so I started to eat that for my lunch since that is when I usually crave it–it is quite a heavy food. As it turns out, it is heavy because, as uncooked, it has a ton of resistant starch and my body cannot digest it! A 1/4 cup of uncooked rolled oats has 4.4 gr resistant starch in it! Frozen green peas also naturally have this mysterious naturally occurring resistant starch–1 cup cooked has 4 grams. I medium raw and slightly green banana, exactly how I like it, has 4.7 grams of resistant starch!

What a wealth of information! Now before you get the wrong idea, the conversion from starch to resistant starch type fiber has more benefits than you now eat more fiber. Since starchy foods are off the menu for most diabetics as a result of insulin rise, as it turns out, once the pasta or potato or rice was allowed to cool completely and then you reheat it, it reduces the insulin spike by 50% according to the BBC Two TV program. The chart clearly showed that eating chilled pasta after cooking had some such benefits but reheating it had a significantly higher benefit.

So, the benefits are several fold actually:

  1. Because your body cannot digest resistant starch, you are reducing your caloric intake without dieting!
  2. Obviously the 50% less insulin spike benefits everyone even if one has no diabetes!
  3. You gain a lot of fiber that helps your gut flora feed and produce better health
  4. You can put away your bacteria pills… Once you have good quantity of resistant starch fiber in your gut, the bacteria will live happily ever after since the one thing they are absolutely perfect at is reproduction.
  5. You can finally stuff yourself with pasta and not feel bad about it!

This is good news! We are having leftovers tonight with pasta… ummm… fiber of resistant starch in that! 🙂

Enjoy! The world’s best kept secret is not such a secret anymore!

Comments and pasta are welcome!

Angela

Posted in Interesting reading, Must Read, This & That, Thoughts, Videos | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

6% Commission Goes to Doctors for Prescribing Drugs!

Posted on October 18, 2014 by Angela A Stanton, Ph.D.

I have been meaning to write this article for several weeks but the drug Cipro and its family of Quinolones have stolen the show and importance. But now that we know how dangerous they are and hopefully everyone is aware enough to not allow it to be prescribed  to them (there are many safer alternatives!), maybe now it is time to show you the real bad, the evil, and all the sins pharmaceuticals do when it comes to their brand name drugs.

Some of you may have watched 60-Minutes Sunday night on CBS a couple of weekends ago but probably not everyone. I would like to take you to a segment of that 60-Minutes, and discuss that a little bit.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-cost-of-cancer-drugs/

In short, we all know that drugs are very expensive and that those of us with medical insurance pay only a deductible. We also know that seniors on Medicare also just pay a deductible—usually 20% according to this video. There is nothing new or interesting about this until you listen to the rest of the story.

The first thing that I think most of us had no idea of is that Medicare or the insurance companies are not allowed to negotiate prices by law. They must pay whatever they are charged. This also explains (to me anyway) why hospitals and healthcare centers have such insane prices where a single headache medicine may be charged at $50. I now understand that the $50 is the cost to Medicare or the insurance company even if I can get the same drug in the drugstore over the counter for $1. So the first problem we are facing is Medicare and the insurance companies and their inability of negotiating a lower price. Note to self: investigate who the heck came up with this idea?!

The second problem we are facing of course is that in the US we pay much more for the same drugs than other countries pay and that comes down to the fact that the government in other countries can negotiate with pharmaceutical companies but in the US the government cannot. Note to self: Why can other governments negotiate and not the one that approved the drugs the first place?! Whose idea was that?

The third problem comes down to illegal activity actually. It appears to be legal but I am questioning that–it is certainly unethical and while ethics and law are typically not good friends, in this case I am questioning the legality of the practice. On the 60-Minutes segment you hear that the pharmaceutical company Sanofi came out with a cancer drug (colon cancer) called Zaltrap that they originally charged the doctors, insurance, and patients for $11,000 per month. An older drug called Avastin for the same cancer, working exactly the same miracle the same way, only reducing (possibly) the life expectancy after treatment by 42 days relative to Zaltrap, cost only $5,000. So this one particular hospital decided to not carry the new drug; it was too expensive and did not provide better outcome than the old (except for the 42 days of additional extended life) and had more toxic side effects as well. The hospital doctors published their opinion in The New York Times which then amazingly turned Sanofi around and said: OK doctor, I will sell you the drug for $5,000 provided you charge the insurance company and the patient $11,000. We will send you dear doctor a check for $6,000. This is an amazingly lucrative business! I suppose for unethical cancer doctors this is a lottery win equivalent.

The doctors also receive what is called “commission” of 6% when they prescribe a particular drug. I finally understand why a private doctor’s office is usually full of free samples!

I finally also understand why a family doctor of a relative of mine kept on switching the drug from the generic cholesterol pill Simvastatin, which was cheap and worked great without liver issues, to Lipitor, which did not work, cost a lot of money to Medicare, and caused a lot of liver issues. Every time I went to pick up a refill for Simvastatin for my relative, a bottle of Lipitor was waiting for me instead! I never accepted the change for health reasons of that family member but now I finally understand the cause! That family doctor was receiving 6% each time he prescribed the brand name Lipitor but nothing when he prescribed the generic Simvastatin so his unethical choice was to switch the prescription every time!

I bet it is happening to many people only they are not as vigilant about checking what they are getting and why, as I am. I called this doctor and gave him my opinion… no need to repeat it… you know what I said. I am glad I fired him and switched my relative to another family doctor.

It is good to know that the medicine we pay $1,000 for in the US is available to other countries for $300 or less. Apparently their governments can negotiate and refuse if they do not like the prices. But our government, Medicare, insurance companies, and the ill are powerless!

Can anyone please explain why the US Government, Medicare and the insurance companies cannot negotiate? Will the people responsible for this craziness please this stand up and show your faces? I bet they won’t dare!

Your comments are welcome as always!

Angela

Posted in Fibromyalgia, Interesting reading, Migraine-Blog, Must Read, This & That, Thoughts, Videos | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 18 Comments

Well Ciprofloxacin is Back on My Radar! Read the New Info!

Posted on October 17, 2014 by Angela A Stanton, Ph.D.

A couple of amazing new facts showed up on my radar screen as strong blips I cannot let go without a show to the general public. Some of you thought that perhaps all the discussion on Cipro (ciprofloxacin, which by the way is just one of the many quinolones but is the most prescribed) was over but it has now two additional facts that were the best kept secrets until now.

One is that if you take anti-anxiety drugs from the class benzodiazepines such as Valium or Lunesta or Ambien (atypical benzo ligaments that attach to the benzo receptors and act like benzo even though they are not true benzos), interact with ciprofloxacin such that it can seriously hurt you. The list of fluoroquinolones that are known to do these serious damages:

  • ciprofloxacin (CIPRO, CILOXAN)
  • enoxacin (PENETREX)
  • levofloxacin (LEVAQUIN)
  • moxifloxacin (AVELOX)
  • norfloxacin (NOROXIN, CHIBROXIN)
  • ofloxacin(FLOXIN, OCUFLOX)

And the damage is copy-pasted from the above link just so you can read it without having to link to the site:

“In addition to being associated with other serious side effects such as the rupture of the Achilles tendon and retinal detachment, this class of antibiotics has impacts on the central nervous system and for this reason SHOULD NOT BE USED BY PEOPLE WHO ARE USING OR WHO HAVE WITHDRAWN FROM BENZODIAZEPINES. We do not have the information on their impacts on people using or withdrawn from other psychiatric drugs. There have been reports of people who have withdrawn from benzodiazepines for many months and have had a severe neuro-muscular or nervous system response (i.e. a return of withdrawal symptoms) after taking only a few of these antibiotic pills.

Dr. Heather Ashton has also issued a warning about this class of antibiotics. … ‘quinolone antibiotics which displace benzodiazepines from their binding sites and should not be taken by patients on, or recently on, benzodiazepines.’

The U.S. FDA requires Fluoroquinolones to have “black box” warning about the risk of tendinitis, tendon rupture and the drug’s ability to block neuromuscular activity (seen by prescribing doctors; seldom by patients). However, Health Canada’s warnings are only for those with Myasthenia Gravis, a relatively-rare condition” (emphasis is in the original).

This is amazing information because many people with migraines, depression, fibromyalgia, and veterans who return from war and have nightmares receive some type of benzodiazepines. I think this should have been number 1 on the doctors’ radar as well—including my doctor—who has been prescribing both benzodiazepines and Cipro for me for years. I have been on benzodiazepines since I was 19 after a traumatic event—very low dose but still it is there. So I have personal issue as well! I did have my Achilles tendon partially tear and I thought it was unrelated to anything in my life but odd since it happened for no reason.

The reason is clearly stated above as the first serious side effect of the drug even without taking benzodiazepines but with that the chances of getting hurt is significantly higher.

The second warning came as an even bigger surprise on my radar screen since it came from the FDA via the Air Force Times. The title of the article is telling without any further explanation: “New FDA warnings on Cipro may tie into Gulf War illness.“ I must say I am not even surprised by this news after the two links I received from readers to my original blog post. One to an article from Toxicologial Sciences; Oxford Journals titled “Inhibition of Human Topoisomerase Iiα by Fluoroquinolones and Ultraviolet A Irradiation” and the other from chemist Stephen J. Telfer’s who sent his article link in Medical Hypotheses Journal titled “Fluoroquinolone antibiotics and type 2 diabetes mellitus,” which goes a step further from “just” UV damaging the mitochondrial DNA. His hypothesis suggests that it also leads to diabetes II.

Boy do we have a handful of information against this drug and drug class of Quinolones in general!? So my natural question is this: why is this class of drugs still possible to prescribe for a common urinary tract infection or a sinus infection, when clearly the risks in these simple illness cases outweigh the benefits of the drug!?

This drug class, and particularly Cipro, which has been prescribed for just about everything without concern to its danger, should only be used when no other drug can do the treatment! Interestingly a large number of our bugs are already resistant to many of the drugs in this class and so it is no longer such a super drug that it must be prescribed since there are alternatives that do better when the situation is so dire.

Why UV light you may ask?

I wanted to grab two more important factors in the drug and the side effects listed on consumer type inserts in the package when one gets the drug so you understand the UV connection.

  • First of all, if the drug is a generic, there is no box. The pharmacy types up the information and most people just trash that without reading. Please read albeit it gives you very little useful information.
  • Secondly, one of the listed items on the printout (and on the bottle) is “avoid excessive sun since you burn easier while taking this medication” or something equivalent. From this point on, when you see this on a drug, DO NOT LEAVE HOME! This is a sign that UV light modifies something in the drug and thus in you! If it did not, there would be no warning on the drug about the sun and you would not burn easier than when not taking the drug. We are not told that this little happy warning actually causes major damage.

The damage apparently that UV light causes—in case you don’t have the time to read the links above—is that the UV light activates an enzyme that attacks the DNA in the mitochondria in your cells. Mitochondria are the little energy manufacturing machines in every one of our cells, without which we have no living cells. It may be difficult to comprehend all this in one reading but I must add what mitochondria really are and why we potentially are facing this problem.

Mitochondria are bacteria that have become symbiotic with our cells. They have given up their “bacteria” nature and all they do is function as a “half bacteria” if you will. They digest all the food we take in and convert that to little energy packets our cells live on. When our cells take a breath, it is actually the mitochondria that take the breath. Thus when we take an antibacterial agent that attacks bacterial DNA and mitochondria are bacteria in their DNA, it is obviously very tricky to kill all bacteria except the mitochondria. Not all antibiotics are after the DNA approach but the quinolones class is. This is one of the reasons why we are having so much trouble with them.

In addition to modifying the DNA of the mitochondria, the drug also pulls massive amounts of magnesium and ATP, the fuel that allows the cells to actually open and close their sodium-potassium pumps among other things. No magnesium, no ATP, and nothing comes or goes in or out of the cells except by little channels where osmosis is the method. Since the outside of our cells is full of nutrient rich liquid and the inside of the cells is full with old used up stuff that needs exchange, some of the liquid may go into the cell and come out of the cell but not sodium (part of salt) because it is too big in size. Thus your cells get dehydrated as well. Plus no ATP and so no energy.

It is a very complex problem that I recommend we all avoid! Take charge of your own health and do not allow your doctor to prescribe to you the 6 drugs listed above!

I have a suspicion that what we today call fibromyalgia is actually toxicity from Quinolones drugs.

Comments are welcome as always!

Angela

Posted in Fibromyalgia, Interesting reading, Migraine-Blog, Must Read, This & That, Thoughts | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 41 Comments

Dear Ebola!

Posted on October 15, 2014 by Angela A Stanton, Ph.D.

Please help us understand a few things about you.

There is so much we don’t know and are confused about. Depending on what time of the day we read, even on the most prominent medical websites like the CDC or the WHO, your contagious date starts anywhere on the following days from contamination: 1 day, 2 days, 5 days, 6 days, 7 days, all the way to 21 days and you remain contagious for as long as 60 days after the person is cured or 61 days. One article says a man cured of Ebola can infect anyone with his sperm for 7 weeks after he is cured but in a scientific paper it is 90 days though in 98% of the cases the semen was only contagious for 42 days according to the same publication.

I have also found a very interesting sentence dear Ebola that totally confused me. The CDC says:

“Once someone recovers from Ebola, they can no longer spread the virus. However, Ebola virus has been found in semen for up to 3 months. People who recover from Ebola are advised to abstain from sex or use condoms for 3 months.”

So men should refrain from sex because they cannot spread the virus that is still in their semen active and ready to infect? Can you please clarify this sentence or the quote above that the sentence summarized?

I also have another question since there is so much confusion and even the CDC admits that “Because the natural reservoir host of Ebola viruses has not yet been identified, the manner in which the virus first appears in a human at the start of an outbreak is unknown” yet other research and the history of our familiarity with Ebola virus is that it comes from the Fruit Bats.

The interesting thing is that fruit bats do not get sick, have no symptoms, yet infect others.

I find that interesting since the CDC said and the New York Times published the statement that a person cannot infect anyone until he/she has the symptoms. This is in stark contrast to the previously noted statistics that suggests that men who have recovered and are no longer symptomatic, carry active Ebola in their semen for 60 to 90 days.

So if the men have no symptoms (similarly to the bats) but are carriers (similarly to bats), how can they infect when they cannot infect without symptoms? I am confused. Sorry if I am confusing you too dear Ebola.

And finally, originally the CDC suggested that we need to watch out for fever and cough, which later they updated with watching for cough only in terms of the spraying of fluids but then Ebola patients do not seem to cough. However there appears to be a strain of Ebola virus (there are 5 strains: – Bundibugyo ebolavirus (BDBV), Zaire ebolavirus (EBOV), Reston ebolavirus (RESTV), Sudan ebolavirus (SUDV), Taï Forest ebolavirus (TAFV).) that only infect animals and monkeys where they do sneeze and cough.

So dear Ebola, please tell us about you because we are obviously not capable to discover much about you without your help.

I just watched CNN while having dinner and they were talking about you. The question asked was: should Americans fear you Ebola!? The answer may surprise you. They said: fear the CDC instead! The CDC seems to say one thing one minute and another the second minute and do different from what they instruct. So dear Ebola, please pay a visit to the test tubes of the research centers of the CDC and introduce your true self so they can tell us if tapes around the breathing mask in the Dallas Hospital is enough to keep you from entering.

Please also tell the CDC that next time a nurse who was sent home for solitary self monitoring (she was member of the staff that handled the first Ebola victim) calls asking that she has a little high temperature, can she fly? Please tell them to say “NO.”

Thank you Ebola for all your help!

Sincerely,

Angela

Posted in Interesting reading, Must Read, This & That, Thoughts | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments