Prescription For Change

Anyone that knows this blog or me knows how I feel about the numerous drug ads on TV. Below is information so you can take action and tell the government to have an 800 number on the commercials so that people can report side effects. Please help me make this a reality. The sooner side effects are reported -- the more people can be helped. Thanks!

Here is the message from Consumers Union:

Endless drug ads on TV: do these drugs really work, and what about side effects? Are we hearing the whole story???

I just took action to make sure we know more about the benefits and risks of the drugs we take. Join me in urging the FDA to require drug companies to include a 1-800 number and website in all TV drug ads so consumers can report side effects. A better system for reporting problems means earlier detection of problems!

Click the link below and take action now!

http://www.prescriptionforchange.org/

To make it interesting -- the first 5 people to do this and email me at jennymannion@yahoo.com telling me so -- receive a complimentary copy of my ebook.

Thank you!

New FDA Warnings & Recalls for MANY Drugs

I am trying to make this blog about ALL ways to heal pain and to write about varying topics on the subject. The Pharmaceutical companies are making that challenging since every week now I feel I need to post warnings on the newest batch of drugs that have been deemed unsafe or recalled. PLEASE use caution if using ANY drugs to control pain and make sure you and your loved ones are tuned into the weekly warnings coming out. This week the Fentanyl patches and over 10 anti-epileptic drugs also prescribed for Fibromyalgia, Migraines, Neuropathic Pain (and more) have come out with warnings and recalls. One was even for the drug I wrote about last week, "Lyrica".

I don't know whether drugs are not being given time to be tested like they used to or if they are being rushed to market for their seen potential OR simply for greed. One thing is for sure -- more drugs than ever are being recalled and are getting "extra" warnings AFTER they are released. Maybe if the Big Pharmaceutical companies would start spending less on advertising and dedicate more of their resources to research this would not be an issue. People are dying because of these oversights and these are people that are actively seeking relief FOR their pain.

From the Associated Press, "Patches sold in the US under the brand name Duragesic which contain the painkiller Fentanyl were recalled on February 12, 2008. The recall includes all 25-microgram-per-hour patches that have expiration dates on or before December 2009. The cause of the recall is a possible cut in the lining of the reservoir where the drug is stored in gel form. A gel leak into the drug's packaging could result in difficulty breathing and a potentially fatal overdose."

"The cut in the patch can be seen when the foil pouch container is opened. Any damaged patch should be flushed down the toilet, and the handler of the drug should be immediately rinsed with water, but not washed with soap. The powerful drug is used with patients such as cancer patients, who are experiencing chronic pain and are used to narcotics. Therefore, it can cause trouble breathing in people not used to this class of painkillers. In December, the FDA put out its second warning in two years about the dangers of misusing the powerful drug. PriCara estimates that two patches out of every million included in the recall have the defect that causes the leak", according to Associated Press. If you or anyone you know has used these patches I recommend going to Associated Press article and finding the links to contact the manufacturers for updates or concerns.

For the second BATCH of drugs the FDA is issuing a relabeling but not a recall. The FDA has now has analyzed reports of suicidality (suicidal behavior or ideation) from 199 placebo-controlled clinical studies of 11 of these medications:

• Carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Equetro, Tegretol, Tegretol XR)
• Felbamate (Felbatol)
• Gabapentin (Neurontin)
• Lamotrigine (Lamictal)
• Levetiracetam (Keppra)
• Oxcarbazepine ( Trileptal)
• Pregabalin (Lyrica)
• Tiagabine (Gabitril)
• Topiramate (Topamax)
• Valproate (Depakote, Depakote ER, Depakene, Depacon)
• Zonisamide (Zonegran)

The results show that the risk of suicidality (suicidal behavior or ideation) is double while taking these drugs. If you or anyone you know show signs of depression or extreme sadness PLEASE see your doctor. For more information about this study, read MyMigraineConnection Expert Teri Robert's article: Risk of Suicidal Thoughts Linked to Anticonvulsant Medications.

These recent additions make it even clearer to me that people need to start looking to be on as FEW of these medications as possible. Your body HAS natural healing mechanisms built in. It is time to start using them and to take a more holistic approach. There are an unlimited amount of resources online to learn about natural healing. You need to find what methods and teachers resonate with you. I wrote a guest article on Alex Blackwell's site "The Next 45 Years" on the system I adopted to heal myself. Through studying you can find ways to heal yourself. Even if not 100% like me -- I would love for everyone to recognize the healing power of the mind and the body. I want people to be as healthy as they can be without medications and to be taking as few medications as necessary. If you are currently on medications and want to cut back please see your doctor and find out a safe way to go about this. Most of these drugs require being "weaned" off of for your safety.

I am available to talk to readers, offer my e-book as a total look at how I healed myself and offer a lot of resources on my site to find natural means to heal that resonate within. Take control of your health and make sure you have a good doctor that treats the whole you and not just your diagnosis. Remember in most cases Prescription Drugs Numb Pain but do NOT Heal Pain. To heal you need to look within.

Fibromyalgia & Lyrica

In light of The New York Times article on Lyrica, (the new Pfizer drug being prescribed for Fibromyalgia) -- I had to write about a topic close to my heart. I will not go into how The New York Times is debating whether Fibromyalgia is a real dis-ease or not. I feel that is beside the point right now. The point is millions of Americans HAVE been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and are now being seduced into taking this new drug.

What is Fibromyalgia and what does it have to do with me?

I lived with a diagnosis of Fibromyalgia for 2 years before being re-diagnosed by a rheumatologist as having Benign Hypermobility Syndrome (Ehlers Danlos III). Fibromyalgia is a widespread pain illness. The symptoms are vast and not everyone diagnosed has the same exact symptoms. The predominant symptom that everyone does have is chronic pain that moves throughout your body and specifically to many different pressure points throughout the body. It has been described by many as feeling like you have the flu ALL the time.

I have heard some doctors say it is nerve based -- the person that has Fibromyalgia perceives pain differently and more extreme than others. I have also heard it described as a soft tissue ailment like rheumatoid arthritis. Some of the other symptoms associated with it are insomnia, headaches, Fibro Fog "feeling disconnected and unable to concentrate", abdominal pain, jaw tenderness, extreme pain during exercise and there are numerous others.

Fibromyalgia has never had a "cure". Doctors usually recommend managing it with a cocktail of miscellaneous prescription drugs including a low dose anti-depressant (helps to break the sleep/pain cycle), pain killers, muscle relaxants, sleep aides and sometimes anti-migraine medication. When I was treating my dis-ease as Fibromyalgia no natural means of pain control or "healing" were mentioned. Doctors tell the patient that the best thing is to "manage their pain using prescription drugs". People that are diagnosed with Fibromyalgia often are on many medications, gain weight because of the lack of exercise and most often do not get any better but need more and more medication.

What is Lyrica and what does it do?

Pfizer released Lyrica a few years ago for nerve pain associated with diabetes and for seizure disorders. My doctors mentioned that it was being tested on Fibromyalgia patients. In 2004 the FDA recommended Lyrica be rejected for diabetic nerve pain because of its unimpressive results and the very real side-effects. Lyrica can cause SEVERE weight gain, edema, sleepiness and dizziness. It also should not be given to people who have had a history of drug dependence because it can make you feel "high". It has to be carefully monitored and you have to see a doctor to wean you off of it. You CANNOT drink alcohol while taking Lyrica.

Lyrica is the first drug being prescribed specifically for Fibromyalgia as the new commercials point out. This alone will have millions of people lining up to take it. Sales from Lyrica totaled $1.8 billion in 2007 and are expected to rise 30% in 2008. It brings up some very interesting questions.

If this drug was found to have dangerous weight gain as a side-effect (which we all know causes other health issues) why would they prescribe it for a population that is already mostly over-weight? The New York Times article lists the average Fibromyalgia patient (Findings from the 2007 survey have 2,500 people surveyed) weighing 180 pounds and standing 5 feet 4 inches. The average weight gain on Lyrica during a 12 week trial was 7% of the person’s body weight. So the person standing at 5’ 4” and weighing 180 lb. would now weigh 192.6 lb (and that was just after 12 weeks).

There are already MANY prescription medications doled out for this diagnosis that result in dependence. I finally gave in and took Hydrocodone when I was in severe pain. Luckily I have always been terrified of dependence and was very mindful when I was taking it and never got up to the 12 pills/day I was allotted. Still, in the few short months I was on them I went from ½-1 pill taking away my pain to needing 2 at a time (every 4 hours). Lyrica is similar in that you need to take it often (for pain) and it is habit forming. Hydrocodone is now the most common household drug and we are facing record number of addictions. I personally have known MANY people who could not stop this drug once they started it – even after the pain had gone. WHY in the world would you release a drug like this when you know it will likely lead to another epidemic in dependence and addiction?

Again, from The New York Times article, “Pfizer has steadily ramped up consumer advertising of Lyrica. During the first nine months of 2007, it spent $46 million on ads, compared with $33 million in 2006, according to TNS Media Intelligence.” Wow, that is a LOT of money. One would hope they spent as much researching the illness Fibromyalgia over the last 2 years as well as the long term effects of Lyrica – but somehow that is highly doubtful! You can read my post on Pharmaceutical Companies Spending Double on Ads than Research to see why I feel this way.

So what worked for me?

Getting the diagnosis of Fibromyalgia is upsetting in so many ways:

1. The extreme pain you are in and the many tests you are subjected to for ruling out other illnesses.
2. There is a huge controversy surrounding whether it is a real or phantom illness – which doesn’t help if you are trying to explain to your family and friends that you are in REAL pain.
3. The experience of having chronic pain and feeling unable to participate in your own life causes ENORMOUS amounts of stress which exacerbates ANY dis-ease.
4. The lack of sleep (due to pain) contributes to the feeling of dis-ease and makes pain worse. (This is the sleep/pain cycle)
5. You are told essentially “there is nothing you can do” and to “manage your pain” by drugs. HERE is where I strongly disagree – you CAN help yourself.

I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and later with what many would consider an even more debilitating disease that has a lot of similar characteristics as Fibromyalgia. I have been pain and pain pill free now for a year. I had to do it myself. No doctor aided me in coming up with options for my well-being. It took me saying and believing I would heal myself and finding the tools to help me to do so. I needed to face my demons and things that I had not dealt with. I needed to stop blaming others and myself and start forgiving. I needed to feel gratitude for what I did have in my life. I needed to exercise no matter how badly it hurt in order to get my body stronger. I needed to set goals to move forward with my life. I needed to be OFF of the pain pills to even fully assess what my pain was and to be sure that it wasn’t the pain pills causing more pain. (They did actually contribute to a lot of stomach pain). I needed to STOP going to the doctor 3 times a week to hear how sick I was and to stop concentrating on my dis-ease all the time.

Wait, Are you Saying Fibromyalgia and the Pain is ALL IN MY HEAD?

No! My pain was as real as it came. I was not happy to be crawling out of bed hysterically crying, passing out from pain or to question whether or not I should drive my kids somewhere because of how dizzy I was. Those memories are ingrained as are memories of JUST how badly my body could hurt. I have not experienced pain like that or taken a pain pill in over one year now.

I am saying your mind is SO powerful and can be USED as a tool to heal. I have written about some of the methods I have used on my blog and I fully outline them in my e-book. I also have recommended a bunch of teachers to pursue further learning. You need to find someone that resonates with you for you to be able to fully understand the power that lies within. EVERYTHING affects your body; your environment, the food you eat, the medications you take, how active or inactive you are, your emotional state and your thoughts and self-talk. Some of my personal favorites are Dr. Mercola, Dr. Deepak Chopra, Dr. Wayne Dyer and Dr. Ingrid Bacci. With the internet you have the means to get a lot of information for free and from that you can decide who you want to pursue learning from.

Please, if you or someone you know is debating taking Lyrica, stop and evaluate other options. TRY some of the mind/body techniques and just see what happens. Find a holistic doctor near you. What do you have to lose? If you are on medications you might need your doctor’s assistance in weaning off of them. I am not a doctor and cannot advise you on how to go about this. I was never on the maximum doses of anything so was able to wean myself off without assistance. Think about it, chances are you probably know someone with this diagnosis – what will you recommend?

So Under No Circumstance should ANYONE take this drug?

For the Fibromyalgia patient that has gone through the plethora of drug treatments available, the one that has seen holistic doctors and the one that has exhausted every mind/body technique – maybe this will be the drug that finally takes away your pain. I would guess a very small percentage of Fibromyalgia patients have done all of this though. Alternative methods of healing are not even addressed by most doctors much less advertised in the media. Before taking Lyrica I would investigate what kind of research has gone into long term effects. Will this be another drug pulled off of the shelves in 5 years? What bodily damage can this pill cause? I know Hydrocodone can cause liver, kidney, stomach damage and even death. I think you owe it to your long-term well being to investigate ALL other options before taking this drug. Remember, “Prescription drugs NUMB Pain but do NOT Heal PAIN” – to heal you need to look within.

Pharmaceutical Companies Spend Double on Ads than they do on Research

I was not surprised when I read the latest study by Marc-André Gagnon and Joel Lexchin saying that Pharmaceutical Companies spent twice on advertising than they did on research last year but it nevertheless sickened me. Maybe it's too fresh in my mind, the way my doctors used to try and get me to "try this new drug" or "that new drug" for pain, sleep and depression (even though I was not depressed). Funnily enough they were usually the ones being advertised on TV at the same time (Oh those relaxing Lunesta commercials...). Maybe I am annoyed because I rarely decide to watch TV and now I cannot even relax for one show because of the non-stop drug ads. Perhaps I am upset because I thought that the point of a pharmaceutical company was to actually research cures for dis-ease instead of being greedy and trying to market medicines to people that don't even need them.

Whatever the reason(s) for my contempt the fact remains as Gagnon and Lexchin point out in their study that US Pharmaceutical companies last year spent $31.5 BILLION on research and development and (an under-estimated amount of) $57.7 BILLION on advertising. WHY? Because as I point out in my posts:

Prescription Drugs Are Dangerous -- Time to Look for Alternate Methods to Heal
Michael Moore's "Sicko"
Prescription Drugs NUMB Pain but Do NOT Heal Pain

It has been a LONG time since people's health was the primary concern of the Big Pharmaceutical Companies. Greed and money making is now #1.

My question is why did it become allowed for pharmaceutical companies to advertise at all? Smoking cigarettes can help some people to relax but they banned those ads because of the negative health effects. Somehow it is okay to advertise a pill that can do just as much damage. Half the time the issue/problem at hand is mentioned for 1-2 seconds in the beginning of the commercial and the rest of the time is spent on how good this pill will make you feel and on the numerous side-effects (spoken in a quiet but happy voice). Another interesting point is that drug ads are illegal in every country except America and New Zealand as stated on Dr. Mercola's site.

Sorry, I am confused. I thought when you were ill or feeling badly you sought out a doctor and they would do tests, talk to you, analyze results and THEN recommend treatment which may or may not involve a prescription. I know times have changed but at what cost? Does it really benefit ANYONE to see these commercials? Are there people with illnesses at home waiting for the right drug ad to come on so they can call their doctor for a prescription? I think it is time people start to say they don't want to see these ads. I personally would rather the drug companies spend their money researching cancer and other illnesses and coming up with ways to treat those illnesses. I don't need to see an ad to know if I am sick and need treatment. Half of the medicines I was put on have now been recalled or are under serious scrutiny. Maybe if they had spent the time on researching long-term effects instead of launching their new ad campaigns there would be fewer drugs being recalled. My mom is ill with a cancer that has few treatment options and I would MUCH rather they spent the money on research for that. I don't want or need to sit through ANY more drugs commercials!

When I sought out a naturopath in my community he told me how medical practice had changed dramatically in the last 25 years. He recounted that he used to get monthly binders filled with the latest medical research. He said instead he now received binders filled with advertisements and incentives for prescribing the latest pharmaceuticals. He told me the binders had between 1%-5% of articles on research and 95%-99% incentives and advertisements -- he even got out a binder to prove his point. So not only are pharmaceutical companies actively advertising in the media but they are romancing doctors with promises and rewards.

The most important thing for you to do is to be aware of all treatment options for any illness. Be aware of natural ways to heal. Be conscious of your thoughts and what toll your emotional health is playing on your physical health. Get a doctor that knows of all treatment options. Visit sites like those of Dr. Mercola and Dr. Deepak Chopra. Get informed and take charge of your health and encourage those around you to do the same. If you need to find a holistic doctor in your area use this search. I am always available for more research possibilities and information. Obviously this is an area I am passionate about. I don't mean any disrespect to the people out there that are researching and developing pharmaceuticals with good intentions. There are of course good people working at pharmaceutical companies as well. But somehow priorities got skewed and greed won out and I am hoping that I see things shift back and will do whatever I can to make that happen.

Prescription Drugs Are Dangerous -- Time to Look At Alternative Methods to Heal

I was saddened when I read the latest featured article on Dr. Mercola's site but at the same time was very happy to see the issue over the dangers of prescription drugs finally getting the publicity it so urgently needs. This country has gotten very used to popping a pill whenever anything feels a little out of whack with their body instead of investigating WHY they feel that way. Dr. Christopher Kent wrote a wonderful article, "Recreational Drugs are FAR Less Likely to Kill You Than Prescribed Drugs" that I HIGHLY recommend everyone read!

While I wrote a post, "Prescription Drugs Numb Pain but DO Not Heal Pain", I think the above article goes WAY deeper into the dangers of relying on one doctor's opinion of what medications you NEED. The number of adverse drug-reactions causing hospitalizations and deaths, the number of unnecessary antibiotics and other medications being prescribed annually and the number of unnecessary medical and surgical procedures are growing at an alarming rate (each are in the millions -- for more info and exact numbers please read Dr. Kent's article)! The US medical system needs a total overhaul and quickly before these numbers get even worse.

Prescription Drugs are now the #4 recorded cause of death in the US. When you read Dr. Kent's article you will see that if you include all the figures it is actually #1. I am not saying ALL prescription medicines are bad -- there have been GREAT advances in medicine in the last 20 years that I am grateful for and that I have seen my friends and family greatly benefit from. The problem is in the way we tend to look at medicine in this country -- as a cure-all and a fail safe -- which it definitely IS NOT. Your body has a self healing system already in it -- if you fall and scrape yourself does that wound stay open forever? If you get a cold or the flu are you left coughing for the rest of your life? How come our parents and grandparents didn't "NEED" medicine for everything that ailed them and they got by just fine? What about the fact that a lot of prescription drugs have side-effects that sometimes make you feel even worse than your original ailment did? What about the fact that a LOT of these drugs haven't even been researched long enough to know what the "long-term" effects are, which is causing more drugs than even to be recalled?

I watched TV last night (a rare occasion for me) and was appalled that the number of prescription drug ads has grown exponentially. "Get back your energy", "end constipation", "get back your virility", "cure reflux", "cut cholesterol", "sleep better".... all of these ads showed attractive people smiling happily even as the announcer lists the long list of "possible reactions"..... stomach cramps, headaches, nausea, seizures and let's not forget "occasional death". All say contact your doctor for more information but none say "contact your doctor for ALL possible options for your problem including this drug" -- it is obviously just an ad to sell you their drug through your doctor and in short - -make money.

Prescription drugs need to be taken with care and to be monitored. If I am offered any medication now I would go get a second opinion AND make sure at least one of those doctors KNOW about integrative medicine and offer alternatives. I would also research the medication and the long term effects myself as much as I could online. I switched from a doctor that wanted me on SEVERE Pain Medication for my pain and illnesses to a doctor that asks me if I am meditating.... there is a HUGE discrepancy in the doctors and how they practice in the US. Make sure you and your loved ones have good doctors that know about ALL methods of healing and treatment.

We need to start concentrating on our mind's ailments and things we have not worked through before we start popping pills to cure ALL of our physical maladies. I was in SEVERE chronic pain EVERY DAY for over 2 years. I was ill and visiting SEVERAL doctors every week for over 6 years -- not once did someone mention natural ways that I could feel better. I had every pill imaginable offered to me as well as test after test, diagnosis and diagnosis and even was told I would only get worse, to "manage my pain" and that I would "most likely be in a wheelchair". I KNOW how powerful the mind is because I LIVED it and HEALED myself. It will always be my proudest accomplishment. I reclaimed my life and now feel healthier and happier than I ever did.

I did not consciously choose to be ill. It certainly was not "all in my head" because the pain was as real as the desk I am sitting at now. When you don't deal with "stuff" in your life and stop to REALLY listen to yourself -- your body will show signs of dis-ease. Are you still harboring guilt about a situation? Do you blame someone for something that you feel drastically changed your life for the worse? Do you have very low self esteem? Are you angry a lot? Do you have a "bad memory" you keep replaying in your mind? These all cause stress and are warning signs that a dis-ease or pain might be on it's way if you are not ill or in pain already. These are issues that can be dealt with and should be dealt with in order for you to be healthy and to grow.

There are TONS of ways to research for free online about ways to heal if you can't find a doctor that knows about alternative or complimentary methods. It did not cost me a penny to find out all the information I received that I used to heal myself. Friends and loved ones did buy me some requested books but I could have easily had gotten them out of the local library. I recommend Dr. Mercola's site and Dr. Deepak Chopra's site as well for information. There are TONS of personal development sites (Priscilla Palmer's List is a GREAT place to start) that offer tools on how to deal with past issues that might be plaguing your mind.

My e-book tells of the methods I adopted to heal myself... and if you cannot afford it but feel you would benefit from it -- email me.... I want to help as many people as I can heal from the inside and am available and willing to help. I am not a doctor so cannot advise on weaning off of ANY medication and certain medications you will need a doctor's assistance to wean yourself off of. I am not saying my methods will work for everyone for every disease AT ALL but I believe you need to be the healthiest you can be naturally and use prescribed medications only as absolutely necessary. I am on coumadin (a blood thinner) and have been told I will be on that for the rest of my life. It controls the thickness of my blood so I don't suffer from another blood clot. I am not convinced I will be on it forever but I know just stopping it would be reckless and put my body at risk. There ARE certain medicines that are necessary and beneficial.

I've written a bunch of other posts relating to this issue:

Holistic Doctor Search in the US
Study Shows Chronic Pain Can Be Healed By Natural Means
Having a Good Doctor is Indispensable in Your Quest to Heal Pain
Michael Moore's "Sicko"

A lot of my other posts deal with ways I used to heal my whole self inside and out. Exercise and fitness is needed as well as some mental housecleaning. It seems overwhelming to address issues that cause stress but the only way to let go of that stress is to face them head on. If you need a counselor or coach to do this -- by all means ask someone or find someone to help. Being on any "Extra" medications that are not NECESSARY for your health is detrimental to your health. It doesn't take long to start to feel the benefits of healing..... If you feel you are missing something in your life I just read an amazing post by Alex Blackwell at The Next 45 Years, "The Missing Piece". There are tons of GREAT articles and resources to be found... first you have to ask yourself some tough questions and actually LISTEN to the answers to start on your way to healing from the inside out.

Please, stop and think about ALL the medications you are taking. Do you reach for a pain killer after an extra stressful day? Is there any other method you can use to relax and feel better? I ask that if you use prescription drugs you are first as healthy as you can be without them, that you are knowledgeable about them and their effects and that you have a doctor that is monitoring you on them that you are totally comfortable with.

Prescription Drugs Numb Pain But Do Not Heal Pain

I wrote at Ezine article by this same title "Prescription Drugs Numb Pain But Do Not Heal Pain" a few months back. It occurred to me as I came across the post today that while this is SUCH an important issue for me -- I have never discussed it on my blog.

Since writing the article I have seen even more people around me be affected by prescription drug use. In addition to the CDC's Study on The Overuse of Prescription Painkillers, I recommend reading the more political take on the situation set forth by Dr. Mercola. Dr. Mercola is one of the leading contributors on health, health products and living well articles and resources and this video is about the town of Allopath.


Certainly there are very real conditions that warrant pain killers. Believe me -- I was in chronic pain for years and I know and remember clearly JUST how debilitating chronic pain can be. My message is one I have said before in my post on finding a GOOD Doctor that Treats the WHOLE You. PLEASE if you are ill or you know someone that is ill seek out other holistic treatments as well. Make SURE you have a good doctor that isn't just labeling you and handing you pills. What OTHER pain management techniques can you learn so you can limit these medications? ASK your doctor! What work can you do on your emotional state that might help the physical feel better? Being in pain can cause depression and stress which worsens most conditions. Are you open to learning methods on the mind/body connection that even if they don't heal you 100% will undoubtedly make you feel significantly better? 99% of the information I found was free online. What do you have to lose?

When I was taking pain killers I did feel better physically for the period of time they worked for -- then I plummeted into a worse pain. My tolerance built up so quickly and I hate to think what kind and what dosage of pills I would be on now if I had continued. I was 35 when doctors started offering me any pain pill I wanted.

I know people that have been put on hydrocodone or some other pain prescription for an injury and YEARS later are still struggling with dependence issues WAY after the pain has been gone. I've been talking to lots of people about health the last year and in my journey have heard horror story after horror story. People who have lost close friends or family (we're talking mid-20-40 year olds) to overdoses of these pills. People who have lost friends or family because of the gastrointestinal damage these pills do long term. People who have had friends or family develop worse conditions from their long term use. Teachers who have seen KIDS in their schools on these medications they took from their parents or a friend's parents.

The more studies that are done the more results are showing that these prescription pain killers have horrible long term effects on your body. I feel everyone owes it to their own body to be as healthy as they can be and if needed take medications to supplement that. I am still on coumadin for my blood disorder (don't get me started on that drug since it is really "rat poison"). I have my blood monitored regularly and HOPE someday to be free of it. But I am on no more pain pills. I have taken regular Tylenol twice since healing myself and have just had my first mini-illness a few weeks back. This is from someone who has always gotten colds, bugs and was in chronic head-to-toe pain for several years. In January I will celebrate a year of GREAT health!

It is possible to be pain pill free for MANY people who suffer from chronic pain -- not ALL but MANY. Find a good Doctor. If it's a loved one that's ill present them with information on alternative healing. There are so many methods -- find what rings true to you. Study Deepak Chopra, visit Dr. Mercola's site, see The Secret, study up on EFT or the Sedona Method, make a gratitude list so when you're really down you have somewhere to look for encouragement, find a meditation on youtube that relaxes you, pay attention to the influences around you, .... there are countless ways to heal yourself for free with NO medications....

If you are on a lot of prescription medications you must consult your doctor because serious withdrawal symptoms may occur. When I was on pain killers they numbed my pain and allowed me to get through my day. Now that I healed myself I am pain free and enjoy every day to its fullest naturally without worrying about side effects.

I am always available for anyone that wants to investigate ways to better their health. Just send me an email at jennymannion@yahoo.com and I will be more than happy to answer any questions you have and give you tons of resources that helped me. My goal is to empower others to find out all they can about alternative medicine and natural ways to heal.