If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting Suncoast Scribe!

My daughter has eczema and I have been able to keep it under control by making sure her allergies don’t flare up, watching her diet, and using a couple of different standard prescription lotions.

However, her father has a cat in his house now and every time my daughter has come home from a weekend at her father’s her skin has been worse and worse, until this week I finally broke down and took her to my dermatologist. Of course, she told me what I already know, that the cat is taxing her immune system and everything else is going by the wayside while she is in that environment. She set up a new regime and that means a new antihistamine and two new skin medications. And, all of them have outrageous $45 co-pays on her insurance plan. I went ahead and filled them for one month, but I promptly began to research the generic options, as well as websites that might offer the medications for cheaper than the pharmacies around here.

It’s amazing the medications you can find online from companies who will not ask for a prescription. I mean, it’s pretty common knowledge that you can get Viagra and Phentermine without prescription, but I was amazed at what else people are selling. I am still more comfortable going through a local pharmacy for the medications that were prescribed yesterday, but as I said – we are definitely going with generics the next time. I have no idea why I didn’t tell them that at the pharmacy when I dropped off the prescriptions that I wanted generics. Shopping with my daughter makes me lose all focus.

Of course, without the prescription insurance, the 2 creams would have been $202.99 and $247.99 – pretty much making it a sure thing that nobody at all can afford to buy most medications without insurance. And, that, my friends leads us to a whole other topic I will address at another time, which is the reform of our medical and pharmaceutical industries.

It was like the Heavens had opened and rained down blessings when Wal-Mart announced their new $4 for some generic prescription drugs. That was back in 2006 and most major retailers followed Wal-Mart’s lead, creating an ever competitive market for prescription generics.

That kind of competition is always good for the consumer. Proof of that lies in Wal-Mart’s new plan to 90-day supplies for $10 of nearly 350 generic medications and to add discounts to several women’s medications. They also plan to lower prices on over 1,000 over-the-counter drugs to $4 or less.

The women’s medications that have been added to the discount program will be available for $9 (or 90-day prescriptions for $24) for a 30-day supply and include drugs for breast cancer and hormone deficiency.

Generally, I prefer to shop at Target over Wal-Mart. When the new prescription drug plan began at Wal-Mart in 2006, it was exciting and diverted a lot of my business back to Wal-Mart. As other stores began to offer generic prescriptions for prices close to Wal-Mart, I found myself shopping there less and less once more. With this new 90-day program, I can safely say I will be do more errands at Wal-Mart again. It’s worth it.

You know, it’s a dog eat dog world, especially in the world of business and marketing. Companies love to patent products that they hope will help them corner a market and make billions. But, when the product is a simple variation on using hydrogen peroxide to whiten teeth, they really should expect that they will not be the only game in town forever.

Seriously. I was using hydrogen peroxide on my teeth as a child, and I am sure generation upon generation before me was doing the same. Maybe they would like to sue me for using the bottle of peroxide in my medicine chest on my teeth.

Procter & Gamble Co. is suing Johnson & Johnson over alleged patent infringement over teeth-whitening strips. P&G says J&J broke two of its patents relating to the whitener’s active ingredient and coating system.

So, what pissed off Procter & Gamble? Johnson & Johnson launched Listerine “quick-dissolving” whitening strips last year. Their strips claim to dissolve after five to 10 minutes and they are making Johnson & Johnson a boatload of cash. It is infringing on P&G’s sales.

Procter & Gamble insists that the whitening strips are their intellectual property and asks the court to stop other companies from making or selling any products that infringe upon P&G’s tooth-whitening patents and also for unspecified damages.

Somehow, I really just don’t believe we’re going to see only one brand of whitening strips on the drugstore shelves anytime soon.

I have seen the TV commercials for detox foot patches. I guess that means I have been up too late at night.

If you have not seen them, they are these pads that you put on the bottom of your feet at night. They are supposed to draw the toxins out of your body. The commercial show the first pad you use as very dark with ickiness when it is removed the next morning, which seems to fade as time goes by.

Some people swear that after working out or if they have aches and pains, the patches work overnight to eliminate sore muscles.

I did, however, see one person comment online that they happened to wert one of the patches with purified water and it turned brown, so she was feeling pretty certain that what is turning the patches dark is simply perspiration.

One of the better selling patches, the Takara Patch, says it contains “bamboo vinegar, wood vinegar essence found in Oak, Beech and Sakura trees, and other essential natural ingredients.”

More water, more fiber, more sweat. Those are proven detox methods, but most medical experts do not think the foot patches work.

There is nothing like shopping online: no crowds, no rude sales people, no navigating the parking lot, and no wondering if I will find a better price if I just get in the car and burn a little gas looking at another store. I love that I can find the best price by comparison shopping across the net, as well as often finding sites that don’t charge tax or shipping.

I was at the mall tonight, which is what reminded me of the fact that I loathe shopping in stores. I was with my daughter as she attended some of the WebKinz Extravaganza events and she said she knew I spent most of my money on her and that she thought I should go ahead and buy myself some cute dresses. Thanks for the permission, my darling girl!

I suppose I may as well get my gear on for spring. The OhSoChicBoutique is having a Spring Event and if you use the coupon code SpringFling while you are shopping on their website, you’ll get 15% off your order as well as free shipping. I love free shipping. I cannot say that enough.

They have a couple of flouncy blouses I like called the Flaunt It! and the Bonita. When I think spring, I think flouncy. I also like the Guilty As Charged! dress, but sadly it is sold out. I have to keep my eyes open to see if they restock.

I made an appointment for one of the local veterans’ charities to come and get some of my step-father’s old medical supplies. He was outfitted quite well by the V.A. Hospital and I know my mother way to keep some of the stuff around in case she needs it herself one day, but for some reason we have doubles of things like a wheelchair, a bath lift, and an elevated toilet seat. I feel like since the items were initially purchased by the V.A., we should make sure they go on to benefit veterans now that we are not using them.

I know the V.A. Hospitals get a lot of criticism and it is true that when my step-father went down for his appointments there was more waiting around than actual time with the doctor. Some medical procedures took too long to book, and I often wondered if they really ever got his meds properly balanced. Still, he had most of what he needed, sis not worry about the cost of prescriptions, and knew a trip to the hospital would not bankrupt him. He felt secure in his old age. There is something to say for that. And so, I want to give back to the organization is some small way.

I don’t miss some things about being young. For example, I am a whole lot smarter now than when I was a teen. Not only do I have more academic knowledge, I am wise in ways that only time can grant. I don’t miss not being able to vote or drink or be questioned about being old enough to make major decisions.

I do rather miss living in my parents’ house, where all my financial needs were taken care of without a worry of my own. I miss mom cooing every night. I miss the carefree life of a child, who needs only to do well in school and have fun with friends. I also miss my skin,. When I was a teen, my skin was porcelain flawless. I never dealt with acne, or when I did it was one small pimple that went away overnight with a dab of Clearasil.

Now I am in my 30s and although I enjoy the freedom of my own decisions and the respect of an adult who uses her smarts to get through life, I have to also deal with the fact that my skin is on a roller coaster, so to speak. One week I am dealing with dry patches, the next week I have break-outs, and the next week I look like a goddess with dewy, pink skin and not a blemish is sight. So, not only do I have to have the best moisturizers on my vanity shelves, I also have to stock natural acne treatment and lotions for oily skin – all depending on the day.

Still, I wouldn’t go back and trade it to be young again. As much fun as I had in high school, being a mom is even more exciting.

When I first moved to Florida, it took a lot for me to get used to how harsh the sun is here. It was even harder on Echo, my Maltese. Within a month, she had developed these dark sunspots all over her skin. Her hair covered them, for the most part, but I saw them when I brushed her and bathed her. It was sun damage, I’m sure. We are talking about a small white dog with pink skin. The sun was not her friend.

Echo is gone now, but if I ever get another Maltese in the future there is good news on the skin front. Michael C. Fleck, a veterinarian in Bradenton (not so far from here, in fact), Florida is marketing the first pet sunscreen that is compliant with U.S. Food and Drug Administration standards.

Epi-Pet Sun Protector Spray will be on the market later this month. It is designed with dogs and horses in mind. Fleck is working on a product that would protect cats from the sun.

The Epi-Pet line also includes shampoo, a skin enrichment spray and an electrolyte replacement powder. Right now there are only a few retail outlets selling the products, but more should be selling them soon. In the meantime, you can always get the products online at epi-pet.com.

By the way, I love it when I can let people know about a product made right here in Florida.

I’m not all that talented when it comes to doing my hair. I spent my teenage years perfecting my Mohawk and the use of a tiny curling iron and a crimping iron. Aqua Net was my friend.

Now, though, I have long hair with some natural wave. The wave is something that came along during my pregnancy and just never left. For me, though, it is not wavy enough. In fact, it’s just prone to being a tiny bit more unruly than it used to.

So, here is a simple hair styling trick I learned that takes zero skill and just a few minutes. If you want loose, flowing waves all you have to do is separate your hair into two sections, like you were going to make a couple of ponytail.

Then, wrap each section around a chopstick and once you have it all wrapped tight, you push the end of the chopstick through the knot to secure it.

Repeat this with the second section, mist your hair all over with water and set the wave with a blow dryer for about five minutes.

No fuss, and very pretty.

I’m all about natural healing, a healthy diet, and making sure your body has all of the vitamins and minerals it needs to operate at an optimum. You would be surprised at what you can accomplish with simple vitamin regimens.

For example, B12 shots are used for weight loss, healthy skin, stress reduction, energy boosts, mood elevation, stamina, and a sharper memory.

Doctors can administer B12 shots and in most cases people get them about once a week (once a month or even several times a week are also popular timeframes), paying about $25 for each shot.

I’m not particularly enamored of needles, personally. And, I can barely schedule a pedicure twice a year, little less make it to my doctor’s office for a weekly shot. The reason people get the shots is valid – the B12 enters your system directly, effectively, and without waste. Still, I’m just not sold on the shots.

I take several supplements under my tongue already (olive leaf extract, oregano oil), so when I heard about TriVita’s Sublingual B-12, B-6 & Folic Acid, I was intrigued. I firmly believe that supplements taken under the tongue, or sublingually, enter your system quickly. Plus, it’s effortless, free from needles, and something you can do at home.

TriVita’s product comes in capsules you place under your tongue. They dissolve and quickly enter your bloodstream. And, a 30-day supply coasts about the same as one B12 shot. It is a logical alternative to a B12 shot. You can get your sublingual B12 here.

We see articles often enough talking about how one medication or another has been determined to cause different health issues. It’s not too often that one of those medication is actually one I am taking. I think the last time a medication I was taken was pulled off the market was 8 years ago.

I have been taking Merck’s Singulair for over eight years. My daughter has been taking the pediatric version for about three years. We both do well on it. For me, it is the first medication that treats both my asthma and my seasonal allergies without giving me a racing pulse. In fact, I have nee r had medicine work better for my asthma or my allergies. I have often said I think Singulair is a “life saver”.

And now, there are reports that Singulair is linked to suicidal tendencies. The Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) say they are looking at a handful of reports that focus on mood changes, suicidal behavior and suicide in patients who have taken Singiulair.

Merck has updated the Singulair’s label four times recently to include information on side effects like tremors, anxiousness, depression and suicidal behavior.

Merck says the FDA’s inquiry is based on reports, not clinical studies. They say none of the 11,000 patients enrolled in 40 Singulair trials has committed suicide.

Nobody is suggesting that anyone stop taking Singulair in the meantime. And, for that I am glad. I worry a little that a medication that works so well for me would be pulled off the shelves. I might consider taking my daughter off the medication. I was never convinced it was a wonder drug for her, anyway.

I’m sure you have heard of the acronym I.C.E., which stands for In Case of Emergency. It is the standard method people use to enter their most important emergency phone number(s) into their cell phones. If someone were to come upon you in an emergency situation and you were carrying your phone, ideally they could open your phone and page down to an ICE number so they knew who to contact. Otherwise, they might just start dialing at the top of your phonebook and end up reaching some former boss you forgot to remove from your phonebook.

Sometimes a cell phone hold the only identifying information a person is carrying; especially teens that tend to leave the house with wallets or other ID. I have three ICE number is my cell phone’s phonebook, labeled ICE1, ICE2, and ICE3.

A very cool, very useful campaign started over in the UK, but has since gained momentum worldwide. It’s called ICE Your Phone™. You can place an ICESticker on the back of your phone to let people now that your phone indeed contains helping contact info. In fact, the icesticker.com campaign is becoming so iconic that it is quickly starting to be as recognizable as MedicAlert bracelets.

How to ICE your phone:
CHOOSE a responsible person.
INFORM this person that they are your emergency contact and then make sure they have on hand all of the information a medic might need: a list of the medications you are taking, all of your known allergies (especially to medications and food), and names and phone numbers of yours.
ADD this person’s contact info into your cell phone using the heading/title ICE.
APPLY the ICESticker to your phone so emergency personnel know who to call.

When you apply the ICESticker to your phone, it helps medical personnel understand that they have permission to access your phone. This is important in light of HIPAA privacy laws.

When you think about Florida, you probably think about a lot of things: oranges, Disney World, alligators, great football, white sand beaches, and abundant fresh seafood. We have all of these things in excess. When you are surrounded by water almost completely you might expect that access to wonderful, fresh caught seafood is easy to obtain – and you would be correct. Me, I like the Grouper that is so popular in the Tampa Bay area. Also, I like Gulf oysters when then they are in season. Sometimes I will be in a restaurant and it seems that when I look around I see a platter of ice-chilled oysters on the half shell on every table. The spritzing of lemon slices perfumes the air. It’s a truly unique experience.

Oysters are one of those foods you need to make sure you eat in season. It is not just because they are more readily available or taste better if eaten in season; it is actually a safety and health issue. Eating any raw shellfish comes with its own set of risks, but oysters are really quite safe if eaten at the correct time of year. Personally, I actually prefer to eat oysters cooked. I think the flavor improves and mellows. Plus, I do worry a little about the Vibrio vulnificus bacteria, even though I am not actually in the high risk group.

Do yourself a favor; check out the Be Oyster Aware website to learn more about enjoying oysters, without the risk.

I have been drinking coffee since I was six. I developed asthma early and back when I was young; my pediatrician told my mother that coffee would help, so my mom would give me a cup a day with lots of milk and sugar in it. I developed a taste for the stuff – who wouldn’t?

About eight years ago I decided I wanted to go off caffeine. It was triggered by cut-backs at work and the company’s decision to charge a monthly fee for office coffee. Plus, I knew that if I was off coffee, it would work better when I had migraines.

I was only a 2-cup-a-day coffee drinker, so I thought it would be a breeze. First, I got rid of the coffee makers at home and then I focused on cutting back at work. I did it too fast, though. I went from my regular two cups to two days at one cup, followed by two days at a half cut, and then finally nothing. I was sick for weeks – headaches, digestive troubles, and the like. If I had to do again, I would have gone slower.

I still enjoy coffee, but only once a week or less. I drink it when I have a headache or a particularly tired day. I had a big cup this morning, in fact.

I have been interested in learning yoga for some time now. The popularity of the exercise has not waned over the years and despite the spiritual associations, I can see many of my friends who have been positively changed by the relaxation and strength building that yoga propagates.

I checked a Yoga dvd out of the library a few years ago and I quite enjoyed the routines, but I wasn’t impressed enough to buy my own copy. However, I have recently been looking around again for a DVD that might really engage me and be something I would want to do on a daily basis.

Now, I am a beginner. In fact, I may be even more of a “beginner” than the last time I tried yoga, because I am more out of shape and less flexible than over. Age really starts to sneak up on you after your mid-30s! I have this copy of Yoga: Gentle Practice by Real Bodywork. It has 6 routines, 3.5 hours of practice, and 23 pose lessons with Zyrka Landwijt. I think it is important to be able to follow along with someone who is demonstrating the correct methods, because if you do not know what you are doing you can injure yourself. That might be difficult to believe, but we are talking about stretching, breathing and posing in ways your body may not be used to moving.

I find Zyrka’s voice amazingly relaxing. I was thinking during my practice that I would love to have some books on tape read by her so I could listen to them as I was falling asleep. Relaxation is my primary reason for seeking out yoga practice. I have a lot of tension in my life right bow, between my living situation, my ongoing dealings with my ex-husband, and a daughter who is on full-speed 24-hours-a-day (she even talks constantly in her sleep). Although more active athletics are said to also help with overall relaxation, I am looking for something that gives a period of uninterrupted peace and focus. The Gentle Practice yoga DVD did the trick.