The Reclassification of Hyrocodone to a Schedule II Drug... Dire Mistake

Ever had your teeth pulled and received some medicine for it? Had a broken foot? Gave birth? You probably received Hydrocodone.. Not so easy anymore

Hydrocodone is an analgesic pain reliever known to help people with moderate to severe pain. It is given to patients who suffer chronic pain to take daily as a regimen, and given to people for acute situations if their tooth was pulled, a broken foot, or some kind of ailment that called for a potent pain medication stronger than the Tylenol, which seems like a sugar pill in these situations.

Hydrocodone, known as Vicodin, Norco, Lortab, and some other names, had always been a Schedule III Drug by the FDA, meaning if someone were prescribed the medication, they could receive a prescription that could last them up to six months, they only had to see the doctor twice a year, and this medication could be called in. However, in October of 2014 this medication was made into a Schedule II drug.

The FDA had justifiable reasons to worry about hydrocodone; it is an opioid which is addicting, and prescription painkiller abuse has been a major problem in this country for a long time. It was fairly easy to get a prescription and then sell it to someone. This led to readily available medication on the streets that one may build a tolerance to quickly, resulting in a need to take more and more, which can be fatal. Hydrocodone contains Tylenol (Acetomenophin) yet after a while, though ones liver is being destroyed by it, they may not feel nauseous as when they first tried the medication. This can lead to overdose. Due to the readily available medication so prominent on the street causing so many deaths, the FDA had growing concerns that this medication was being over prescribed when other medications could help, and wanted to put it in a more regulated class of drugs so that doctors would not prescribe as easily. Studies have shown that Tylenol 3 with Codeine yielded just as well of satisfaction rates for acute settings as hydrocodone, and it's a much less potent medication that is a lot harder to become addicted to. This made the FDA believe there should be a change in prescribing habits, so they changed Hydrocodone to a Schedule II. As a Schedule II, Hydrocodone can no longer have refills or be called in. This means that every month someone will have to go to the doctor's office and receive a written prescription for one month, and be required to go again in another month. The cycle will continue and continue.

Problems with this

We have already seen several problems affiliated with this change in classification. The primary goal was to curtail drug abuse by limiting the availability of the drug. But by doing so, abusers have switched to harder drugs, including heroin. Studies show that heroin usage has increased drastically. This poses even greater dangers and fears for continues abuse and overdose. Heroin is cheap, and an addiction someone may be able to afford if they know their limits. Generally though, people don't know their limits. 

Heroin usage has increased by over 24%. Such an increase is alarmingly worrisome, but it will stay this way shall Hydrocodone become much harder for patients to get.

Secondly, there are acute situations in which Tylenol 3 with Codeine (30mg Codeine) or Tylenol 4 with Codeine (60mg Codeine) may just not be the right medication. This is especially true with people who are suffering kidney stones, appendix removals, and labor. Often, doctors are no longer giving Hydrocodone for acute situations known to be more painful in general; situations in which they would generally prescribe more hydrocodone because they see how painful it can be. So patients are not always receiving adequate care.

THIS does not just occur to acute situations. Chronic pain sufferers are now often being changed medications, primarily to Tylenol 3 and 4 instead of their Hydrocodone, and are suffering tremendous pain in light of it. Though they may have been on Hydrocodone for years, doctors are iffy about prescribing it because Schedule II drugs come with a lot more auditing... But some doctors are so paranoid they are making patients suffer.

The fact that someone may no longer get a refill and have to see a doctor monthly can be very hard for people who live in areas where access to the local doctor is rather far away, or may cause them to have to miss work. Patient who have had this medication for years and years, knowing its pros and cons, and having a full relationship and understanding with their doctor with a mutual agreement for a need for this medication are now having to see the doctor monthly, repeating themselves, and getting the same medication they had received before.

The implementation of Schedule II also generally infers a recommendation to have a specialist prescribe. So many primary doctors are not prescribing Hydrocodone at all, and patients are having to go to Pain Management for this. While not bad in theory, Pain Management clinics are often very rare in rural areas and there is a general shortage already nationwide. The are already becoming full and no longer accepting new patients as the number of patients has skyrocketed since primary docs are sending them off. This is yet affecting patients in a negative way.

So I do see pros. Studies have shown Tylenol 3 in acute settings at the ER often yields the same results as Hydrocodone, meaning we have unnecessarily been giving non essential medication out rampantly. However, the FDA should have simply made this noted to the hospitals and doctors as an urgent notice that prescriptions for Hydrocodone may be unnecessary. The FDA constantly sends out emergency advisories to hospitals and doctors if there is a recall, shortage, or dire hypothetical situations that may call for unforeseeable changes. So the FDA should have spread the news to every hospital and medical practitioner nationwide and noted a general warning for abuse potential and possibility of patients faking an injury to obtain medication to sell. 

But that is all they should have done. They should not have made it a Schedule II drug. 
If someone wants to abuse a drug or a class of drugs, they will do so and find a way, legal or not. To think that someone who is selling their script of Hydrocodone and has been for months upon years is going to get this medication no longer prescribed is a folly. Those who have been prescribed for the long-term are usually those who are the ones selling and they will generally keep their prescriptions, though they may have to go to Pain Management or make some changes. Making Hydrocodone a Schedule II will make room for incentive for these dealers to raise their prices which will make abusers just turn to heroin or try more dangerous opiate/opioids.

UNLIKE marijuana that really doesn't have a substitute, one could substitute a hydrocodone for an oxycodone, morphine sulfate, dialoded, methadone, oxymorphone, hydromorphone, fentanyl and a huge list of other medications... or heroin. With fentanyl and heroin being widespread and cheap, I can easily see people switch their medications just to save money, but switch it to a more dangerous medication.

I can also see abusers faking more ailments, inflicting self-harm, or doing something else dangerous to try to score a script of hydrocodone.

Some dental patients may get Hydrocodone but few in quantity and want more. Some patients who have had surgical procedures may feel the same. The doctor can't just call it in anymore. They would have the go out of their way to pick it up, drop it off, wait, and hope that they received enough. They can't gamble with it anymore. 

Hydrocodone is in the same class as Oxycodone and a host of other stronger opiate/opioids. Doctors may decide to put patients on one of these more potent medications as a change since they are just as liable as with Hydrocodone, and this could stir some conflict.

Do you see how this can go wrong?!!

YES, we have a prescription painkiller abuse problem that has caused lethal consequences. YES, patients, especially in acute settings, have often had just as effective medications not sought out by doctors until now. YES, people aren't going to be prescribed something nearly as much that they do not need. YES, it is going to be harder for someone to get this from the doctor for a fake ailment. It is very good that Tylenol 3 with Codeine and Tylenol 4 with Codeine are now prescribed more and availability for Hydrocodone to be bought on the streets illegally for abuse is lower. However, many patients now have to suffer and it is unfair. Availability which opens the door to abuse may be curtailed, but people who have been on this medication for legitimate purposes for years may now be switched to a weaker medication that does nothing to help them. People will be inconvenienced with getting these meds, even if they have had it forever. Patient John Doe has been on Hydrocodone 10/325, qty. 180 for 5 years and hasn't needed to up his dosage to a new med. If he did, he would just go to the doctor. John Doe lives in a rural town in the midwest, about 45 minutes from his doctor. Now he has to see a Pain Management Doctor which is even further. He must take off work once a month for this, frustrating him as he uses vacations. Nothing has changed in his health. His need for it is documented and legitimate. But now he has to go through these obstacles. Acute situations known to need a potent painkiller may not be treated with such. Having kidney stones? Be careful, your doctor may either not give you Hydrocodone or they will limit is severely. Was yours limited, you went to the ER, and now you need more? Sorry, you're going to have to go to the ER again. Even if you're in pain, YOU have to go. 

Unlike Adderral where there are exceptions to the rule, Hydrocodone is faced with the toughest of schedule II restrictions. Even as a Schedule II, popular medication known as Adderral may be called in by the doctor for a full month's worth of medication. Why can't Hydrocodone get this status?

An abuser is going to abuse regardless. By limiting availability we are doing some good, and we have opened doors to a medication severely underutilized to take place of such potent Hydrocodone, but the need for Hydrocodone in acute and chronic pain situations is huge and making it so restricted is harming more than it is helping. From inconveniencing the rural worker, to costing more, to being under treated, making Hydrocodone a Schedule II controlled substance was a huge mistake that will cause us to notice the harm soon. The FDA and DEA need to get out of our doctor's offices and let laissez faire do what it is known to do. Healthcare needs reform, but access to healthcare does, not American healthcare itself which is better than any health care system in the world.  

DBT - Dialectic Behavioral Therapy.. Promising :)

An effective therapeutic method that you could argue is a branch of CBT is known as Dialectical Behavior Therapy. It is widely growing in popularity and from the scholarly journals I have read, helps. Learn a little!

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) treatment is a cognitive-behavioral approach that emphasizes the psychosocial aspects of treatment. The theory behind the approach is that some people are prone to react in a more intense and out-of-the-ordinary manner toward certain emotional situations, primarily those found in romantic, family and friend relationships. DBT theory suggests that some people’s arousal levels in such situations can increase far more quickly than the average person’s, attain a higher level of emotional stimulation, and take a significant amount of time to return to baseline arousal levels.

People who are sometimes diagnosed with borderline personality disorder experience extreme swings in their emotions, see the world in black-and-white shades, and seem to always be jumping from one crisis to another. Because few people understand such reactions — most of all their own family and a childhood that emphasized invalidation — they don’t have any methods for coping with these sudden, intense surges of emotion. DBT is a method for teaching skills that will help in this task.

Characteristics of DBT

• Support-oriented: It helps a person identify their strengths and builds on them so that the person can feel better about him/herself and their life.

• Cognitive-based: DBT helps identify thoughts, beliefs, and assumptions that make life harder: “I have to be perfect at everything.” “If I get angry, I’m a terrible person” & helps people to learn different ways of thinking that will make life more bearable: “I don’t need to be perfect at things for people to care about me”, “Everyone gets angry, it’s a normal emotion.

• Collaborative: It requires constant attention to relationships between clients and staff. In DBT people are encouraged to work out problems in their relationships with their therapist and the therapists to do the same with them. DBT asks people to complete homework assignments, to role-play new ways of interacting with others, and to practice skills such as soothing yourself when upset. These skills, a crucial part of DBT, are taught in weekly lectures, reviewed in weekly homework groups, and referred to in nearly every group. The individual therapist helps the person to learn, apply and master the DBT skills.

Generally, dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) may be seen as having two main components:

1. Individual weekly psychotherapy sessions that emphasize problem-solving behavior for the past week’s issues and troubles that arose in the person’s life. Self-injurious and suicidal behaviors take first priority, followed by behaviors that may interfere with the therapy process. Quality of life issues and working toward improving life in general may also be discussed. Individual sessions in DBT also focus on decreasing and dealing with post-traumatic stress responses (from previous trauma in the person’s life) and helping enhance their own self-respect and self-image.

Both between and during sessions, the therapist actively teaches and reinforces adaptive behaviors, especially as they occur within the therapeutic relationship. . . The emphasis is on teaching patients how to manage emotional trauma rather than reducing or taking them out of crises. . . . Telephone contact with the individual therapist between sessions is part of DBT procedures.
(Linehan, 1993)

During individual therapy sessions, the therapist and client work toward learning and improving many basic social skills.

2. Weekly group therapy sessions, generally 2 1/2 hours a session and led by a trained DBT therapist, where people learn skills from one of four different modules: interpersonal effectiveness, distress tolerance/reality acceptance skills, emotion regulation, and mindfulness skills are taught.

The Four Modules of Dialectical Behavior Therapy

1. Mindfulness

The essential part of all skills taught in skills group are the core mindfulness skills.

Observe, Describe, and Participate are the core mindfulness “what” skills. They answer the question, “What do I do to practice core mindfulness skills?”

Non-judgmentally, One-mindfully, and Effectively are the “how” skills and answer the question, “How do I practice core mindfulness skills?”

2. Interpersonal Effectiveness

Interpersonal response patterns taught in DBT skills training are very similar to those taught in many assertiveness and interpersonal problem-solving classes. They include effective strategies for asking for what one needs, saying no, and coping with interpersonal conflict.

Borderline individuals frequently possess good interpersonal skills in a general sense. The problems arise in the application of these skills to specific situations. An individual may be able to describe effective behavioral sequences when discussing another person encountering a problematic situation, but may be completely incapable of generating or carrying out a similar behavioral sequence when analyzing her own situation.

This module focuses on situations where the objective is to change something (e.g., requesting someone to do something) or to resist changes someone else is trying to make (e.g., saying no). The skills taught are intended to maximize the chances that a person’s goals in a specific situation will be met, while at the same time not damaging either the relationship or the person’s self-respect.

3. Distress Tolerance

Most approaches to mental health treatment focus on changing distressing events and circumstances. They have paid little attention to accepting, finding meaning for, and tolerating distress. This task has generally been tackled by religious and spiritual communities and leaders. Dialectical behavior therapy emphasizes learning to bear pain skillfully.

Distress tolerance skills constitute a natural development from mindfulness skills. They have to do with the ability to accept, in a non-evaluative and nonjudgmental fashion, both oneself and the current situation. Although the stance advocated here is a nonjudgmental one, this does not mean that it is one of approval: acceptance of reality is not approval of reality.

Distress tolerance behaviors are concerned with tolerating and surviving crises and with accepting life as it is in the moment. Four sets of crisis survival strategies are taught: distracting, self-soothing, improving the moment, and thinking of pros and cons. Acceptance skills include radical acceptance, turning the mind toward acceptance, and willingness versus willfulness.

4. Emotion Regulation

Borderline and suicidal individuals are emotionally intense and labile – frequently angry, intensely frustrated, depressed, and anxious. This suggests that borderline clients might benefit from help in learning to regulate their emotions. Dialectical behavior therapy skills for emotion regulation include:

• Identifying and labeling emotions
• Identifying obstacles to changing emotions
• Reducing vulnerability to “emotion mind”
• Increasing positive emotional events
• Increasing mindfulness to current emotions
• Taking opposite action
• Applying distress tolerance techniques

http://psychcentral.com/lib/an-overview-of-dialectical-behavior-therapy/2/

This Blog, Its Goals, Its Strategy, and Me, The Writer.

I wish I knew HTML better so that I could really spice up my blog. But it's okay! Welcome (back) to my blog! If this is your first visit, you may be confused, so let me do some explaining! Lately, I have been experiencing several thousand views each day and been contacted by people, especially looking for outreach on tapering, holistic techniques, and modern controversial issues.

What is this blog about?

This blog is called "Medication.. A Part of Life." Now why did I name it such? I named it because my blog is targeting an audience who is concerned with mental health treatment, medications, and taboo topics. Well, mental health treatment usually has two factors to it; therapy and medication management. While Psychiatrists are those who are referred to when a therapist deems someone needs medicine, a primary family doctor can prescribe mental health meds. And they do, in a very, very widely practiced and accepted manner. 

Medication is certainly not always bad, and probably usually good. But side-effects do occur, a common one being completely unhappy. Yes, that's right. An antidepressant, a "chill pill," making you more irritable. 

     Medication in mental health is a game of trial-and-error. For example, a large group of antidepressants are known as SSRI's. Prozac, Lexapro, Paxil, and literally hundreds of others. Some work good for people, while others don't. For example, Prozac, known to be the more well-tolerated medication, makes me sick to my stomach. My mother and I both have taken Lexapro and we didn't have to wait 3-4 weeks.. We noticed fascinating results the very next day! My father takes Paxil. He tried Wellbeutrin and Cymbalta, and they didn't work. My mother is also on Wellbeutrin and she absolutely loves it. It literally saved her future. I am prescribed Cymbalta and Lexapro, but quit taking Lexapro. Why? Because they just put me on it and I could discontinue safely. Like my father, I cannot stand Cymbalta. It never worked on me and was somewhat pushed on me. But I take it. I'm tapering, and it has been 3 months (gone from 120mg to 80mg. Don't worry, most antidepressants are not that hard!)

     Medications and their efficiency have a lot to do with a professional thoroughly evaluating your symptoms. They have to do with your weight, diet, if you drink or not, if you sleep well or not enough, pregnancy, smoking, drugs currently taken, and very importantly, genetics. (If a medication is well tolerated among many in your family, a psychiatrist will often choose this to help first.)

     For many of us who have suffered through this vicious cycle of mental health, medication has become a forefront issue in our lives. Those of us using medication for a long-term basis, constant switching, titrating, and experimenting occur, and more than you think.

     Now I am an all-over-the-place kind of person. Thanks anxiety! But you will notice one thing in common.. My blog focuses on medicine and other alternative techniques in an unorganized fashion. Politics are also mentioned, personal thoughts and rants, therapy, criticism, pretty much anything to do with our mental health in some form or fashion, I may discuss!   

     But I'm here to talk about medicine and the latest news. I'm here to try to inform what I learn. I post about issues I learn myself, which helps explain all kinds of posts in no order! And I want to inform!!!

What is your goal?

My goal is to merely inform people of things I have learned. I won't lie... I'm stubborn with the issues I address, and many are pertinent to me so I do the research, and hours of it, and then post. I don't often cite sources but I keep them and if you ever need it, just ask.

     So my goal is to inform people, teaching them about certain things, while teaching myself in the process. I am adamant about many issues such as mental health reform and skepticism of certain medications. I'll post that!

     One of my mental health problems is affiliated with lack of validation. I never finish what I start. This blog is unorganized, not focused on one specific topic, and may catch your eye to never be caught again. But search through my posts and find an interest, and see what I have to say about it!

     I am someone very weary of antidepressants. I never approach it with a thought of good medicine. I approach it critically. Many times I am disproved. If you have gone to therapy and tried, didn't work out, I think Wellbeutrin or Lexapro or Prozac, and Celexa are great. While Cymbalta is on my bad list fervently. It's biased! 

     But if you suffer from mental health, I want you to expand your critical thinking skills and understand psychiatry and pharmacology to a small extent at least. I hope this blog can entice you are lease.

What's your overall lookout on mental health and its current practices?

I believe we don't have enough therapists and therapy should be a pre-req to psychiatry except in extreme or non applicable cases, in which a psychiatrist can write a temporary script until someone sees a therapist and then go from there. Kind of political, huh? Creating a protocol!

     I believe staunchly in going to therapy and I am a staunch proponent of holistic techniques. But I do not downplay psychiatry as I used to.
     Psychiatry is diverse and covers so many possible aspects of one. Are you having attention problems? Is your anxiety out the roof? Is your biological name Lindsey but at night you are Jennifer and know of no such Lindsey girl? Do you have issues eating, or keeping your food in? Are you suicidal? Are you bedridden? Are you so happy that you put down others and feel no remorse? Do you enjoy excessive porn and sex? Are you a drug user? Do you feel sick sometimes for no reason except anxiety? All those are mental health. I am not trained within the scope to address all these issues by any means.
     I am skeptical of the current psychiatric method used in this nation as a result of *some* (perhaps not even a majority) Psychiatrists selling their practicing techniques to pharmaceuticals. I am skeptical, very much so, of the current DSM-5, the ultimate guide to psychiatric treatment here in the US. I approach psychiatry critically while often disproving myself.I hold random views on certain classes of drugs and believe some are over-utilized, under-utilized, etc. My blog is not just about mental health!!! It is about all medications and their mechanisms to help, or lack thereof!
     So what's my outlook? Current practices need to change. See a therapist first. Find a psychiatrist. Have your therapist e-mail your psychiatrist before you even see them. You see them, you discuss your options. You research a lot. You get the help you deserve more than anything.

Who are you?

My name is Kyle, and I am a 23 year old who suffers from  moderate depression, GAD, OCD, panic disorder, situational anxiety, social anxiety, PTSD, and a few others. I've tried so many medicines in so many classes. SSRI's, SNRI's, Tricylic, Benzodiazepines (especially and a problem for me right now as I've tried tapering 6 times, and 6 seizures.) Medications promising like hydroxyyzine and holistic Valerian Root, medications that did not work for me and are garbage to me** like Buspar. Opiate/Opioids for pain relief but happen to help with my wellbeing. ADD. Adderral, if my body can take it. I've been put on Promethazine. 

I am a Senior in University getting my Bachelors in Sociology. I am 2 courses away from finishing. TWO. But in the fall of 2014 my parents quit paying rent and made me move home after my roommate caringly explained his concern for my openly suicidal tendencies. I have been home since. I am unhappy still, with depression and anxiety, and since I had to move, my Primary doc here does my Psych meds. He's becoming uncomfortable and it scares me, lest I have a seizure. 

I never knew why I was depressed until I listened to a blog where people submitted basically their feelings, analogies, etc. I did it. I realized I feel like a failure. Didn't finish anything, and feel worthless. Two courses from a degree but can't go back because I owe $16k. Once I pay it off I can! 

    I can't pay anything without a job. Yet no one is calling me, despite my credentials. I worked for a while at an at-home job that was actually legitimate and for a severely anxious and sad person, was ideal. I couldn't even do it; I got fired. Easiest job ever. 

     My parents always complain about this or that but often I don't get it. 

But the old Kyle was one happy guy. Straight A's in University, making the President's list, giving me validation and self-admiration. Had lots of friends and fun. Was such a nice person and people came to me for anything. 2011, somewhere between January and March. A panic attack. Honestly, I wanted a doctor's note! I see an urgent care walk-in doc who puts me on  a regimen of Xanax XR with a refill or two. One day I quit taking it. I later wake up with a dismantled jaw. Had no idea! Thought I was chattering too much. I feel sick the whole day and the next. I get a spiral and right down changes. Boom. Xanax. I google. Am startled. At this point I'm sick, abnormally. I get back on, and the battle a benzo dependency continues to this day.

I am very loving. So compassionate. I'll forgive you for anything.I'm a civil rights activist. I hate bigots. Only people I hate. I'm confused and yeah, lonely. I am spontaneous. I can hide my depression and make my anxiety look humorous. I can go out and have a good time but I am usually a home body. I love politics. One day I want to be a counselor. I feel empty. But I'll make it through. :)

So explore my odd blog and comment, tell me what you want to hear! 

Enjoy! 

How to Implement Universal Health Care yet Keep Waiting Times Low

Summary:

• While data indicates strongly that Canadians prefer their system over that of the United States, many problems exist in the Canadian Health Care system that I, a dual citizen can attest to
• The United States needs Universal Health Care but there is a fear that the quality of our care would decrease. This is a myth and discussed.
• Through provisions implemented to keep doctors in the US, which is the biggest superiority of American Health Care (shorter wait times), we can overcome obstacles other nations face.

The American Approach to Benzodiazepine's is in Need of Great Revision

This is intended for those who know what a benzodiazepine is and how it works.**
It is very important to note that benzoiazepines are often given as a regimen to patients suffering from chronic anxiety even in light of growing skepticism. Benzodiazepine prescriptions as a percentage have significantly decreased and are widely cautioned by the FDA and ill-advised to give as a regimen by the Surgeon General. Over the years we have seen many practices ban prescribing benzodiazepines altogether. The growing worries over benzo's lie in their addicting nature and withdrawal symptoms which are profoundly similar to a very strong case of Somnolence. Despite the limited studies on tapering methods that widely relay the need for a very long-term weaning of the drug in small increments, the American method of taper is still using Klonopin in a relatively short term.

We have been lied to by the GOP... Will we listen next year?

My blog is new, but if you know me.. I'm anti GOP!

I cannot sit here and have a blog that today reached 4,227 viewers on Friday(yay) and not speak out against the rampant GOP that is running our Congress. Let's get to some issues...

Hidden Amendments Everywhere to defund Planned Parenthood: A bill for transportation. A farm subsidies bill. Dozens of bills to name monuments. What do they have in common? They have an amendment that strips all government funding of Planned Parenthood.

Keep in mind that 97% of their spending is to cervical and breast cancer screenings, HIV screening and counseling, contraception, and parenting courses. Only 3% is spent on abortion, a law implemented in 1969 by the Supreme Court and upheld numerous times. They have forced Democrats to shy away from bills including bills by Democrats due to these amendments. It has led to a stale government.

They have no desire to help the mentally ill as we see in their budgeting. They vetoed a portion that was allocated for PTSD research and geared toward helping PTSD veterans. When Texas Congressman Juaquin Castro introduced legislation for mental health access expansion into poor and rural areas by giving tax incentive for professionals to practice in these areas, it was voted against.

They have lied about Health Care Reform several times. This session was not like last where they spent over 70 bills trying to repeal Obamacare with no alternative. But this session, in January before its beginning, a GOP Congress with Republicans Boehner and McConnel, they promised for a comprehensive health care bill that would be a GOP alternative to Obamacare. It would be comprehensive enough to explain funding and enrollment laws, and at a bare minimal they promised that provisions like no one denied on preexisting conditions and Medicare at age 65 (which McConnel personally has vowed to change) staying in-tact. They promised legislation which we have not seen. While trying to repeal Obamacare, there has been no attempt to replace it with something. So this promise was enticing... Obama welcomed it as did Democrats as something that could be thoroughly evaluated and discussed. Well, it never came to the table. There was never a bill that came forth offering a solution to enroll more people and enforcing basic ethical notions we have seen even Republicans vote for (health care until 26, no denying on preexisting nor dropping for reasons, etc.) With no alternative on the plate, we haven't seen any debates but to defund Planned Parenthood, defend those against contraception, Medicaid cuts, provisions to create caps on Medicaid, provisions to raise the age of Medicare, to establish a privatized voucher system, to shrinken Part D, and provisions bad for the nation.

The only change seen was by personal individuals who sought to cut Medicare taxes and replace it with Tort Reform, as if that would cover anything in the first place.

Bottom line: They lied. They promised a bill and we never saw one. Instead, we saw cuts to spending and provisions to shrink availability and defend corporations. 

It looks a bit gross, but they say it's good for your anxiety! KAVA

A number of clinical studies, though not all, have found kava to be effective in treating symptoms associated with anxiety. In a review of 7 scientific studies, researchers concluded that a standardized kava extract was significantly more effective than placebo in treating anxiety. Another study found that kava substantially improved symptoms after only 1 week of treatment. Other studies show that kava may be as effective as some prescription antianxiety medications. According to one study, kava and diazepam (Valium) cause similar changes in brain wave activity, suggesting they may work in the same ways to calm the mind.

Research on using kava for anxiety has decreased because of reports of liver toxicity.

A 2004 study found that 300 mg of kava may improve mood and cognitive performance. That is significant because some prescription drugs used to treat anxiety, such as benzodiazepines (like Valium and alprazolam or Xanax), tend to decrease cognitive function.

Check out the University of Maryland's excellent Article Here on Kava