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MaryOld

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  1. From http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ with the search word "cushing". I'm sure "adrenal" or "pituitary" would bring up other studies. Study of Hypercortisolism in Cushing's Syndrome and Stress-Induced Pseudo-Cushing's Syndrome Condition: Cushing's Syndrome New Imaging Techniques in the Evaluation of Patients with Ectopic Cushing's Syndrome Condition: Cushing's Syndrome Study of Cushing's Syndrome Not Related to ACTH Production Conditions: Cushing's Syndrome; Healthy Study of Depression, Peptides, and Steroids in Cushing's Syndrome Condition: Cushing's Syndrome Jugular Vein Sampling for Hormone Levels for the Diagnosis of Cushing Syndrome Condition: Cushing's Syndrome Long Term Post Operative Follow-Up of Cushing Syndrome Condition: Cushing Syndrome Dose Response Relationship for Single Doses of Corticotropin Releasing Hormone (CRH) in Normal Volunteers and in Patients with Adrenal Insufficiency Conditions: Adrenal Gland Hyperfunction; Adrenal Gland Hypofunction; Cushing's Syndrome; Healthy Genetic Investigation of Pediatric Tumors of the Pituitary Gland Conditions: Abnormalities; Craniopharyngioma; Cushing's Syndrome; Endocrine Disease; Pituitary Neoplasm Defining the Genetic Basis for the Development of Primary Pigmented Nodular Adrenocortical Disease (PPNAD) and the Carney Complex Conditions: Cushing's Syndrome; Hereditary Neoplastic Syndrome; Lentigo; Neoplasm; Testicular Neoplasm Bone Mineral Density in Patients with Major Depression Conditions: Healthy; Involutional Depression; Osteoporosis Dynamics of Leptin and Endocrine Function Conditions: Healthy; Involutional Depression Serotonin Receptor Imaging in Mood Disorders Condition: Mood Disorder Study of Adrenal Gland Tumors Condition: Adrenal Gland Neoplasm
  2. From http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/429873?srcmp=wh-031502 Estrogen Metabolism Affected by Supplemental Isoflavones NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Mar 11 - Results of a recent study suggest that supplemental soy isoflavones alter the steroid hormone concentrations and menstrual cycle length in premenopausal women. The risk for breast cancer may therefore be reduced by these supplements, according to researchers. Dr. Nagi B. Kumar and colleagues from the University of South Florida, Tampa, examined whether supplemental isoflavones produce a change in steroid hormones and menstrual cycle length in premenopausal women without breast cancer. Sixty-eight women between the ages of 25 and 55 years were randomized to receive either the soy supplement of genistein at 40 mg per day or placebo over 12 weeks. The researchers assessed changes in the patients' anthropometric, nutritional, and hormonal biomarkers from early follicular phase at baseline and 12 weeks. There was a moderate decrease in serum-free estradiol and estrone levels in the experimental group, according to the report in the February 15th issue of Cancer. There were increases of serum hormone-binding globulin levels in 41.4% and 37.5% of the experimental and placebo groups, respectively. The team notes that 53.85% and 37.5% of the experimental and placebo groups, respectively, had decreases of free estradiol. Decreases in estrone were observed in 55.56% and 42.86% of the subjects, respectively. "Those participants in the experimental group who consumed soy had their mean menstrual cycle length increased by 3.52 days compared with a mean decrease of 0.06 days in the placebo group (p = 0.04) from baseline to the third menstrual cycle," Dr. Kumar and colleagues explain. The mean follicular phase increased by 1.46 days in the experimental group, compared with 0.14 days for the placebo group (p = 0.08), they add. "An increase in menstrual cycle length would reduce the number of menstrual cycles during a lifetime, thereby reducing the total number of times the breast is exposed to estrogen," Dr. Kumar's group points out. Furthermore, "women will spend more days in the increased follicular cycle, when proliferation is at its lowest." "These effects are mediated by the pituitary gland," they continued, "and long-term effects on the pituitary gland may result in an overall antiestrogenic effect and, thus, in a lower risk for breast carcinoma."
  3. That was great - thanks, Kristy! I would hope that he talked more about these slides as he was showing them, though. Some of the information was a bit sparce. Thanks for sharing (as always)
  4. Lilly Offers $12 Prescription Card By JANELLE CARTER .c The Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) - Low-income seniors with no drug insurance will be able to get a month's supply of prescriptions like the depression-treating Prozac and the osteoporosis-fighting Evista for $12 each. The new drug assistance plan from Eli Lilly and Co. is the pharmaceutical industry's latest effort to help needy older Americans while the federal government debates broader coverage. In January, Pfizer Inc. announced a similar program offering a month's supply of one of its prescriptions for $15. Lilly's program, called LillyAnswers, began Tuesday. It is open to seniors with no prescription drug coverage and annual incomes below $18,000, or under $24,000 for couples - same as for Pfizer's plan. Seniors can apply for a card by calling 1-877-RX-LILLY. The application process takes two to four weeks, and eligibility will be verified through copies of the applicant's most recent tax return and Medicare card. Participating pharmacies will begin accepting the card April 1. Once a Medicare beneficiary receives the card, it is valid for one year. After a year, participants must reapply. ``Families, caregivers, communities and companies such as ours all recognize many seniors need extra assistance at this time,'' said Sidney Taurel, president and chief executive officer of the Indianapolis-based Lilly. ``We hope and expect that Congress will enact federal legislation that provides broad prescription drug coverage to all seniors. In the meantime, we decided to act now in order to provide this assistance to individuals in need.'' Eligible participants can save an average of nearly $52 on a 30-day prescription or $600 in a year for one medication, the company said. For instance, Evista, a drug for osteoporosis, has a retail price of about $782.74 a year, according to company figures. Participants in the program will pay only $144 in a year. Similarly, a year's worth of Prozac would retail about $1,000.29. At $144 a year, program participants would save $856.29. ``Lilly has taken an important step in helping the neediest of seniors gain access to critical prescription drugs,'' Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson said. ``This innovative approach demonstrates the private sector's willingness to address this important issue between now and the time we implement Medicare reform.'' Congress is weighing how best to provide a prescription drug benefit to seniors. Democrats have said they want to make the benefit universal for all 40 million Medicare recipients. President Bush and other Republicans have called for first providing benefits to the most needy. On Monday, Rep. Bill Thomas, R-Calif., the House Ways and Means Committee chairman charged with crafting such a plan, said House Republicans will propose a plan close to 60 percent more than the amount being sought by the president. Bush included $190 billion, to be spent over 10 years, for a prescription drug benefit in his budget proposal. But Congress in its last budget earmarked $300 billion. This year's number will be slightly higher than last year's, Thomas said. On the Net: Lilly: http://www.lillyanswers.com
  5. When I have some spare time to design the images for them. Anyone here good in computer graphic design? Unfortunately, I can't take the CUSH logo and just plop it on a cup. It has to be converted into an image of a certain size (enough to go around the cup and about 3 inches high) and number of pixels, even if it has a lot of transparent space. There are lots of things like that that I'd like to do, but I'm just running out of time Maybe next week
  6. People thought that they would be a good idea, but no one had any ideas for sayings on them. I think that everyone was thinking of the Cushie Sweetie mugs - which may or may not be appropriate for the doctor BTW - I just got the news tonight. There will be an Easter Bunny available. Now to think of something for that one. They also are adding baseball jerseys, mini basketball hoops and tiles. I didn't think anyone here would be interested in those...
  7. People in the chat last week were talking about a special mug to give to their doctors. I'm going to design a new one so that you don't have to proclaim your endo your "Cushie Sweetie" Anyone have any ideas for a good slogan or what to put on it?
  8. I've posted here before about iGive.com and several people have used this wonderful site to buy things online. This website allows people to shop at the same stores that you normally would and at the same prices. However, with a special agreement, they contribute some of the profits to the upkeep and monthly charges of running this site and message board. People from these boards have earned $95.64 since this program started in November and I thank everyone who has done this. There's a special going on for this month and next...It's called The New Member bonus. From March 1 through April 30 2002, each new member who joins iGive and shops will earn an additional $5 to help pay for these boards and the Cushing's Help site. That's on top of the standard of up to 26% from shopping. Only hitch - you've got to shop within 45 days of joining. Joining is free. With over 340 stores now at iGive.com, they've got some great choices.
  9. Wouldn't it be wonderful if there was such an easy cure? We wouldn't need these boards anymore!
  10. This used to be a popular thing for shady internet companies to sell on the internet. They targeted cancer patients and it made me very angry. I was reading cancer boards at the time and so many people were desperate, without hope and they would turn to shark cartilage as something that was going to save them...but it wouldn't. It was a hoax. Unless something radical has happened in the last couple years, here's info from the BBC, a vernerable news source... http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/health/ne...3000/703082.stm Thursday, 6 April, 2000, 01:52 GMT 02:52 UK Shark cancer claims rubbished Shark cartilage is not fully proven as a cancer treatment Products made from shark cartilage should not be marketed as a "cancer cure", US experts say. The market for shark cartilage has been fostered by the myth that sharks do not suffer from cancer, the American Association for Cancer Research conference was told. In fact, according to scientists, sharks and related fish can develop a wide variety of benign and cancerous tumours. They can even get cancers in the very cartilage being marketed as a cancer cure. The research was carried out at the Johns Hopkins University and George Washington Univeristy in the US. By looking at a register of tumours in animals, they found 40 cases of tumours in sharks and related animals like skates and rays. Professor Gary Ostrander, Hopkins professor of biology and comparative medicine, said: "People are out there slaughtering sharks and taking shark cartilage pills based on very faulty data and no preventative studies to show that it works. "That's not only giving desperate patients false hope based on misinterpreted data, it's also taking a top level predator out of an ecosystem, which could cause major disruptions." Growing blood vessels Advocates of shark cartilage say that it can hold back angiogenesis - which is a tumour's ability to help its growth by encouraging new blood vessels to form. Cartilage naturally has few blood vessels, so scientists looking for natural chemicals in tissue which might hamper angiogenesis looked here. And there is some evidence that shark cartilage can indeed slow down tumour growth. However, Professor Ostrander said: "Chicken cartilage, human cartilage and all other kinds of tissue have anti-angiogenic factors in them. "Yes, there may be some others in shark, but to suggest they will be a cure-all for cancer based on the available data is bogus." The myth that sharks are not susceptible to cancer probably developed, he said, from the likelihood that sharks with tumours were far less likely to be caught.
  11. I'm so darn clever. Mugs are always available, in 2 sizes...so I just had some made with the Valentine's picture, just without the candy. So, I'll still be able to get my mug for a while! WooHoo. Anyone else who is interested can, too. See them at http://www.cafepress.com/Cushings
  12. Oh, I just went to order mine and the mugs are out of stock My first attempt ever, and I missed it...WAAHHHHHHHHHH
  13. The bears are only available until February 14, 2002, according to the website. ?Hopefully, there will be something equally cute (and we'll find out about it earlier!) for Easter.
  14. Studies Show Thyroid Disorders are Inherited and Often Hidden in Some Populations ? BETHESDA, Md., Feb. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Three new studies published in the February issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism demonstrate the widespread prevalence and importance of thyroid disease in the United States. ?One study examined the existence of undiagnosed thyroid disease in different U.S. populations between 1988 and 1994; while the other two studies examined the role of genetics in congenital hypothyroidism (CH). In the first study, researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) evaluated the status of thyroid function by examining thyroid function tests including TSH and T4 (thyroxine) and thyroid antibodies in more than 17,000 subjects of the National Health and Nutritional Survey of the U.S. population from 1988 to 1994. ?The subjects were over the age of 12 and represented the geographic and ethnic distribution of the U.S. population. Through their analysis of the study data, researchers discovered that nearly five percent of Americans suffer from often undiagnosed thyroid disease, with more than four percent experiencing hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid). ?In addition, the study showed that hypothyroidism is more prevalent in white and Mexican Americans than in blacks. ?Researchers also found a higher rate of hypothyroidism among women and older Americans. Untreated thyroid disease may be associated with osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, hyperlipidemia and neurological disease. ?Therefore, these findings have broad implications for the health of Americans. "Our research shows that there is a large population of Americans who suffer from hidden thyroid disorders," said Dr. Joseph Hollowell, a researcher at the CDC and the lead investigator on the study. ?"More screening for at risk populations especially older women could help detect thyroid disorders earlier and possibly prevent complications." An editorial written by Dr. John Dunn, titled "Guarding our Nation's Thyroid Health," accompanies Dr. Hollowell's study in the February issue of JCEM. Two other studies from the February issue of JCEM considered the relationship between CH and congenital malformations (CM) as well as the prevalence of thyroid abnormalities in relatives of children with CH. In Italy, researchers examined the occurrence of congenital malformations (CM) in infants who suffered from CH, which is the absence or reduction of thyroid function in newborn babies. ?Dr. Antonella Olivieri and a group of researchers studied nearly 1,500 CH children in Italy between 1991 and 1998. The researchers found that children born with CH experienced additional CM four times more often than the rest of the Italian population. "Cardiac anomalies were the most frequent malformation that we found to be associated with congenital hypothyroidism," said Dr. Olivieri. ?"However, we also observed a significant association between CH and anomalies of nervous system, eyes, heart (representing precocious structures in the developing embryo) and multiple congenital malformations. ?These findings strongly suggest a very early impairment in the first stages of embryo development with a consequent involvement of different organs and structures. ?This research suggests that there may be a genetic predisposition linking the development of congenital hypothyroidism with the occurrence of other congenital malformations." Additionally, the authors of the Italian study are confident that elucidation of genetic-environmental networks and mechanisms underlying the development of thyroid and other organs provides hope that at least some types of thyroid dysgenesis may be prevented by modulating these cofactors. In the second CH study, doctors at Robert Debre Hospital and Inserm unit U457 (National Institute of Health) in Paris, France investigated the development of thyroid abnormalities in first degree family members of children with CH. ?Researchers evaluated 241 relatives of 84 CH children and compared the results with 217 controls. "We discovered that a significantly high number -- nearly eight percent -- of the first degree relatives suffered from asymptomatic thyroid developmental anomalies, although thyroid function was normal," said Dr. Juliane Leger, the lead investigator on the study. ?"This is nearly nine times higher than the control group. ?These numbers demonstrate that this type of congenital disorders of the thyroid gland have a genetic component and appear to be inherited." JCEM is one of four journals published by The Endocrine Society. ?Founded in 1916, The Endocrine Society is the world's oldest, largest, and most active organization devoted to research on hormones, and the clinical practice of endocrinology. ?Today, The Endocrine Society's membership consists of over 10,000 scientists, physicians, educators, nurses and students, in more than 80 countries. ?Together, these members represent all basic, applied, and clinical interests in endocrinology. ?The Endocrine Society is based in Bethesda, Maryland. ?To learn more about the Society, and the field of endocrinology, visit the Society's web site at http://www.endo-society.org . http://tbutton.prnewswire.com/prn/11690X81908282 ? 02/11/2002 11:00 EST http://www.prnewswire.com
  15. I just ordered a set online, too - used PayPal and didn't get any kind of error messages or anything (I remembered my extra $1, too!)
  16. Sue, did you order off the form on the website?
  17. Gee, I wonder where all that came from. I used the same form as I did for the membership and I don't think anyone's had any problems with that. Very weird...I'll have to check that out. That's most definitely NOT where the script is located!
  18. Did you get an error message? What did it say?
  19. Oh, great, Sue! Thanks for letting me know. I still have to order one of those for my collection, too. I was just looking on the site and they've changed the last day to order for valentine's Day to the 7th, which was nice, I thought I'm glad that it turned out well
  20. Just a little reminder..today is the last day to order if you want these in time for Valentine's day.
  21. I just checked the account for these, and the teddy bears are being shipped I should probably order one for my collection before the 14th! LOL It would be terrible if I missed out on my own first "future" collectible"
  22. Remember, if you want the teddy bear or the coffee mug for Valentine's Day, they need to be ordered by Feb. 6. They won't be available at all after February 14, 2002 TShirt looks like: The coffee mug image is similar but with a larger design
  23. I have to do everything with images - like the emoticons and so on, so I would need to know in advance who wanted what personalized, so I could incorporate that into the image. After I start putting up the tshirts and stuff, you could look at those and say where you wanted a name. Maybe with the CUSH ones, we could make them regional - like CUSH, Northwest area or something. Any thoughts?
  24. I've added 15 oz coffee mugs filled with a bag of Deluxe Valentine Mix Candy.. You can see what they look like at Cushie Valentine Coffee Mugs I'm on a roll now! ?It occurred to me that I could personalize things. ?Let me know if you're interested in anything like that.
  25. Yes...any ideas about what you'd like on it? I can put anything on it.
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