Weight loss and Weight Chat Blog

Many of our readers either already have or will in the future encounter the possibility of being treated with a biologic medication. This is because biologics have revolutionized the treatment of such chronic illnesses as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, Crohn’s disease, and multiple sclerosis, and are widely used in treating a variety of cancers. To name just a few, these products include Enbrel, Humira, Remicade (infliximab), Avonex (inteferon beta-1a), Betaseron (interferon beta-1b), Tysabri, Cimzia (certolizumab pegol), Herceptin (trastuzumab), Rituxan (rituximab), Neupogen (filgrastim), Neulasta (pegfilgrastim) and Leukine (sargramostim). So just what are biologics, how do they differ from more traditional drugs, and why are they so expensive?Although some biologics have been around for a long time, I’m not talking about these first-generation products, which include things like vaccines, blood and blood components. Instead, I’m focusing on the newer, second-generation biologics that have come to market only […]

Original post by natalieb and weightlossopinions.com

It’s not often that I recommend natural remedies because there’s rarely any scientific evidence that they work better than a placebo. But when there’s data supporting their use I’m all for it. Such is now the case in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) as shown by a review of research recently published in the British Medical Journal. Turns out that two of the best treatments for IBS, peppermint oil and fiber, are old-fashioned, inexpensive and widely available over-the-counter (OTC). And I don’t mean that these are just two of the best natural remedies or two of the best OTC remedies, they are two of the best remedies period.
The research review found three IBS treatments to be consistently better than placebo. In addition to peppermint oil and fiber, the anti-spasmodic scopolamine (also called hyoscine), a natural product derived from certain plants, is also effective […]

Original post by natalieb and weightlossopinions.com

The antidepressant Cymbalta (duloxetine), marketed by Lilly, has received FDA approval for the treatment of fibromyalgia. While certain antidepressants are considered first-line therapy for fibromyalgia, most notably the tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline, none had been approved by the FDA for this use until now. Cymbalta belongs to a newer class of antidepressants known collectively as serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), which are somewhat similar to the serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), of which Prozac, also marketed by Lilly, is the most widely known. Cymbalta is already marketed for the treatment of depression, anxiety and for pain associated with diabetic peripheral neuropathy. It was first approved for U.S. marketing in 2004.
Cymbalta is now the second drug approved by the FDA for the treatment of fibromyalgia. Almost exactly one year ago the FDA approved Pfizer’s Lyrica (pregabalin) and I alerted readers to that approval in a posting; at […]

Original post by natalieb and weightlossopinions.com

The FDA has granted approval of Cimzia [certolizumab pegol] as the fourth biologic agent for the treatment of Crohn’s disease. Cimzia, like Remicade [infliximab] and Humira [adalimumab], is an antibody that blocks the action of TNF (tumor necrosis factor), a pro-inflammatory chemical known to play a central role in causing the pathology of a variety of inflammatory disorders including Crohn’s, ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, and psoriasis. Tysabri [natalizumab], the fourth biologic for Crohn’s, is also an antibody, but it works by blocking the action of certain types of white blood cells that are involved in the inflammatory process.
Cimzia [certolizumab pegol] received approval for treating adults with moderate to severe Crohn’s disease who have not responded to conventional therapies.
All biologics approved for Crohn’s disease must be given by injection. Remicade and Tysabri are given by IV infusion while Cimzia and Humira are given by subcutaneous injection. Humira […]

Original post by admin and weightlossopinions.com

Rituxan (rituximab) is a biologic medication that is already approved by the FDA for the treatment of both non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (NHL) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). It is now being studied as a potential treatment for multiple sclerosis, and results of an early-stage clinical trial, recently published in the prestigious “New England Journal of Medicine,” show that it may have great potential in treating this chronic illness. This is not the first time that a cancer drug (Rituxan was originally approved for NHL, a type of blood cell cancer) has later been studied in MS. Novantrone (mitoxantrone) is one such cancer drug, originally approved for the treatment of certain leukemias and then later for advanced prostate cancer, which also was eventually approved by the FDA for the treatment of MS.
In the current Phase 2 research, patients, 18-55 years of age with relapsing-remitting MS, were randomized to receive either […]

Original post by admin and weightlossopinions.com

If you have, or know someone who has, estrogen receptor (ER) positive breast cancerm=, you may want to read this article about not eating grapefruit.
It is well-known that something in grapefruit decreases the metabolism of certain drugs, one of which is estrogen. It’s not known exactly how this happens, but it’s known that grapefruit inhibits the activity of an enzyme that is needed to “digest” the estrogen (the enzyme is called CYP3A4, and it is found in the liver and in the intestine). So normally, if you take estrogen (let’s say for post-menopausal symptoms), your body gets rid of it at a certain rate through metabolism by this enzyme. But if you consume grapefruit, which reduces the enzyme’s activity, then less estrogen is metabolized and so more estrogen is still in your body. So if you take estrogen pills you shouldn’t eat grapefruit because it could cause side effects from […]

Original post by admin and weightlossopinions.com

Maybe you saw the headlines that the high blood pressure drug Diovan (valsartan) might have some kind of impact on Alzheimer’s disease. But depending on what article you read, you’d get a very different report. If you read the article in U.S. News & World Report, you’d have gotten a fair and balanced picture of the research on which the headlines were based. But if you read the article at Fox News, you’d have gotten a highly misleading account.
First of all, the research being reported was conducted in mice a pretty important bit of information that tells you that it has no immediate relevance to humans and that any potential benefit for mankind would be years away. The U.S. News article mentions the word mice in its title (in the sub-heading) and in the first sentence of the article. It lets you know right away that it’s animal, not human, […]

Original post by admin and weightlossopinions.com

If you’re living with breast cancer, chances are you are already familiar with tumor markers, even if you’re not aware that you are! That’s because estrogen and progesterone receptors (ER/PR) and HER-2 (Human Epidermal Growth Receptor 2) are tumor markers with which many breast cancer patients are at least passingly, if not intimately, familiar. And with the recent release of the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s (ASCO) 2007 updated guidelines on tumor markers in breast cancer, as well as their release of a patient brochure on the same subject, it seems timely to take a brief look at this important topic, particularly in regard to new recommendations.
Part of the problem with tumor markers is that they come in a variety of forms, and so there’s no easy way to describe what they are. They are substances (just think of how broad that word is) that can be present on the […]

Original post by admin and weightlossopinions.com

The FDA has approved a new type of chemotherapy for the treatment of advanced breast cancer. Marketed by Bristol-Myers Squibb, Ixempra (ixabepilone) is the first of a new class of chemotherapeutic agents called epitholones that target a protein called tubulin, which is necessary for cells to grow and multiply (which they do in a out of control way in cancer). As cancers progress or recur after treatment with one type of chemotherapy, doctors typically give another type of drug with a different mechanism of action hoping to attack the cancer in a new way. The approval of Ixempra provides such a new type of treatment, and it is the first new type of chemotherapy to be approved in many years.
Ixempra is approved for the treatment of metastatic or locally advanced breast cancer in patients who have already received certain other chemotherapy agents and whose cancer has progressed. It is to […]

Original post by admin and weightlossopinions.com

In a move that has already angered many ophthalmologists, and that will surely anger many more macular degeneration patients, Genentech has announced its decision to no longer distribute Avastin (bevacizumab) to compounding pharmacies, effective November 30, 2007. While entirely appropriate, both medically and legally, and with the full blessing of the FDA, this decision is likely to be seen as price gouging by the patients who have to pay for it. That’s because Avastin costs only about $50 a dose while the company’s other macular degeneration product Lucentis (ranibizumab) costs more like $2,000 per dose. So what’s going on here?
Avastin and Lucentis are both products developed, manufactured and marketed by Genentech. Both products do the same thing in the body, which is to inhibit the development of new blood vessels. Avastin was developed first and is FDA-approved as a treatment for certain cancers, which are often dependent on new blood […]

Original post by admin and weightlossopinions.com