Hi Family
A few days ago I posted information about the School of Pharmacy Workshop. I realized many of you are not in the Baltimore area and that people do work.
So, because I continue to love you guys, I attended the workshop and in light of the tragic loss of the great Michael Jackson, I wanted to share this information with you so I hope everybody reads this and learns something from this week's events and sharing of health information.
First, I am not a doctor nor do I have any medical insight or knowledge into the cause of death of Michael Jackson. However, the topic of lack of sleep has been mentioned a lot lately and this discussion needs to open up especially if we deny we have a mental illness such as Chronic Depression, Bipolar, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Anxiety Disorder, etc.
Being unable to sleep is a symptom to be concerned about just like getting too much sleep.
Second, each and every human being is designed by God to require 6 - 8 hours of sleep each 24-hour period! It is a mandate by God, folks, so don't hate me or think you are superman/woman and can go longer without sleep. IT WILL EVENTUALLY CATCH UP TO YOU because each time you do not get that sleep, you are causing your brain chemicals to go into over-drive. Over-drive includes cardiac arrest!!!!!
In my experience with being diagnosed with Bipolar, I went days without sleeping! By the time I arrived at the hospital with clear signs and symptoms of depression and mania, my mind was sooooo far gone from sleep deprivation that my prognosis was very, very slim that my sanity would EVER return! (Have you ordered YOUR copy of "Cooling Well Water: A Collection of Work By An African-American Bipolar Woman" ISBN 13 978-0-9754612-0-4 from Amazon yet?
I now take sleep very, very seriously. I have written before how the brain will start to go out of whack when sleep is deprived. Many of our strange behaviors are due to this. Many of us perpetrate stigmas associated with "mental illnesses" because we do not get proper rest. BE AWARE THAT YOU NEED TREATMENT and a regular SLEEP routine. With treatment, they come hand-in-hand.
Third, I am not a user of sleep medication and that is a decision that each and every person must make on his/her own. In light of the wind blowing around cause of death, etc. surrounding Michael Jackson, can we learn from this situation that we need to be in close contact with our Pharmacist and doctor when we have trouble sleeping regularly? Steadily taking sleeping pills (prescribed and over-the-counter) has been linked to many celebrity deaths (Marilyn Monroe) and then we learn that it was accidental (Eddie Levert)....DEATH is NOT an accident that can be rehabilitated. You die and then you stay dead. This is from the heart, guys.
If you must take sleeping pills, do it responsibly by keeping your regular scheduled treatments and do not abuse the medication. Be on alert if someone you love seems to be abusing sleeping pills and contact a doctor or 911. Of course, they may hate you for it, but they will be alive to let you know. Trust me, the hate will go away....
Check this out, did you know that your pharmacy is the doctor (in charge) of your medicine and not your physician?
Let me step back a moment. We go to our physicians and they prescribe medications for us and then we skip on over to the pharmacy and get the medication filled. Then we take it like we were told by the doctor.
Guess what: YOUR Pharmacist is in charge of medicine treatment and can best inform you about what medications are compatible with each other and it is YOUR Pharmacist that should be answering all medication questions. YOUR Pharmacist should be on the team of consult with your Physician. A good physician will respect this and a good Pharmacy will gladly work with you and your doctor on what medications are compatible with other medications you take.
You should be telling your Pharmacist about ANY symptoms or changes you notice while taking the medication. For example, if you are experiencing a side affect, your Pharmacist should be called. While your physician should and can switch the meidcation, your Pharmacist has the accurate information and should be advising your doctor on alternative medicines, etc. In America, we have gotten very comfortable with not using the Pharmacists the way we should be using him/her. It's time for change.
YOUR Pharmacist is also the doctor to best know the cost of medications, which generic versions work best, the lifespan of your medications, how to travel with medications (Did you know that flying can actually reverse the potency of some medications?)
So, here is how I use my doctor as a team player with my Pharmacist: My doctor gives me a choice of generic medications that will ....say, deal with high blood pressure. I take that list of generics to my Pharmacist and he tells me which ones will have the potency I need at the cost I can afford for the duration of my insurance coverage!
On one occasion, I dropped off some presciptions and the next morning my Pharmacist called to tell me I could not take a certain medication beause it would interfere with another medication I was already taking. I called my doctor and he made the switch and I was all so grateful!
Under the new healthcare reform plan, this team effort will be enforced. Under the public healthcare program, this will be a mandated accounting of all pharmacists and doctors to put the expertise back in the hands of where it belongs. This will control costs because patients will not be "testing" medications and paying for it. For example, you will not have to take a medication for two weeks to see if it works. Your Pharmacists will do his job of informing you/your doctor that it is/is not working and why and this information will be shared in a data bank as part of your history everywhere you go.
Too much money is wasted doing prescriptions the way we have been conditioned to do them with inusrance companies controlling the cost.
Ok, so back to sleeping pills. Some people need them and I am not a doctor. However, since I am Bipolar, there are times when my level is high due to anxiety, stress, etc. and it becomes difficult for me to sleep.
Here are some tips to help get a natural sleep:
1) Drink a warm glass of milk or hot cocoa or herb tea 30 mins. before bedtime;
2: Take a nice brisk walk in the evening after dinner;
3) Exercise before going to bed;
4) Take a nice hot, sudsy bath (add bath salts, fragrance, candles, etc.);
5) If permissible in your wellness plan, have a glass of wine;
6) While laying in bed waiting to fall asleep, do breathing exercises (inhale slowly and exhale);
7) Read several chapters of a good book;
8) Listen to soft, instrumental music;
9) Turn television OFF;
10) Take presciption medications on time as prescribed.
I can ususally force myself to rest, but it is hard to force sleep so all of these tips work well for me to induce sleep. I will get in bed to rest and do breathing exercise and then I fall asleep.
Remember, I learned the hard way that if the brain does not get "sleep" it will go awry (chemical imbalance). Did you know that you could die if you do not get sleep in 72 hours?
Agnes B. Levine is the Author of "Cooling Well Water: A Collection of Work By An African-American bipolar Woman" ISBN 13 978-0-9754612-0-4
AVAILABLE on AMAZON.com. Please ORDER YOUR copy TODAY!
Need a wellness plan, Visit Ariafya at
www.ariafya.com I will be on vacation until July 8, 2009, so please have a nice, safe, holiday weekend and please keep the Jackson Family and each other in our thoughts and prayers.
Posted By: agnes levine
Thursday, July 2nd 2009 at 3:44PM
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