Chronic Bits 

The Heart Truth Is: heart disease is a women's issue. So says the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, and it's asking women across the U.S. to wear red dresses on February 3 to remind women to take better care of their hearts. Learn more about women and heart disease here, the Heart Truth campaign, or get full coverage of the issue from Nubella here.

Really, did we need a study to tell us this? Couldn't that research money go to, say, CURING AIDS?! Ahem. Minor editorialization, but still. COME ON! If you don't like surprises, read on for more.

A new edition appears here. So many unique and interesting medical blogs!

Tonight, the American Pain Foundation hosts an online chat with Candace C. Coggins, MS, MA, CARN, NP. She will speak on Prevention and Management of Side Effects for People with Pain. According to the Foundation, Coggins is a Nurse Practitioner with certification in Pain Management Nursing (RN, C) and Addictions Nursing (CARN), and she currently serves as President of the American Society for Pain Management Nursing. Click here to sign up for the online chat, which happens at 8m EST.

The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) has issued a statement in response to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) announcement that a black box warning will be added to the labeling and a medication guides for Elidel and Protopic. (We reported it recently.) "These are valuable medications, and if used properly, they allow millions of our patients with eczema to live normal lives," says dermatologist Clay J. Cockerell, M.D., president of the Academy. "We believe that the data does not prove that the proper topical use of [Elidel and Protopic] is dangerous," he adds. For WebMD coverage, click here.

The first article in the series covers workplace issues for those with multiple sclerosis (MS), and examines work syle, telling your boss, the impact of attitude, and more. Part 2 of the series will examine "emotional and dating issues" (no info yet on when it will be published). Read on for more.

A review of clinical studies points to positive effects of Chinese, Tibetan and Indian herbal treatments for people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Seventy-five different randomized trials were examined, and while researchers are not ready to recommend routing use of herbal treatments. Still, the results are promising. Read on for full coverage here. The review is published in The Cochrane Library.

How many years have we waited to read that headline? Now we'll just have to see if it's true. Researchers from England's University of Bristol have reportedly traced the cause of chronic pain to healthy nerve fibers, which just seems wacky. The Editrix can't wait to read the study, which appears on Tuesday, Jan. 31, in the Journal of Neuroscience. Read here for more.

We're part of the blogosphere in so many ways. Check out our Technorati Profile. Just one of the ways we try to spread the message of ChronicBabe!

Seems like every Chronic Bit today is focused on a cool, handy resource--and this one's no exception. Kevin Kelly's Cool Tool site chronicles all those handy little things you never knew you needed, but love at first site. Like extra-super-long finger bandages. And self-sticking bandages for bracing that come in all kinds of groovy colors like pink and green and orange. And, um, Silly Putty by the pound (cuz you just never know). Check out Kevin's collection here.

The Thumb Thing. This handy little tool lets you hold open the pages of a book with one hand. And it's pink. Sounds dorky, yes? Seems useful, yes? The Editrix has already placed her order. Spotted on BoingBoing.

This week's Grand Rounds rocks the house! Noticed a theme? Blogrolls...web rings...blog carnivals...whatever you call them, organized collections of blogs are gaining popularity. Grand Rounds is one of the coolest - a collection of tons of medical blogs by nurses, doctors, patients and more. Check out Kevin, M.D,'s edition right here. See a list of all past Grand Rounds here. These are some entertaining, useful, insightful resources worth checking out.

Carol did a great job with this week's Carnival of Compassion, focusing on blogs by folks with bipolar disorder or manic/depression. If you've ever hunted for likeminded bipolar folks, this is your go-to blog collection. And  check out ChronicBabe's first edition of it here.

Fellow ChronicBabe Laurie Edwards has bronchiectasis, primary cilial dyskinesia, steroid myopathy, IGg immune deficiency, asthma, adrenalitis, celiac sprue -- and she's also a writer. Check out her excellent story "Less Than Perfect" recently published by the Boston Globe, or query her name at Body1 to read numerous other insightful articles. You go, girl!

New from MedlinePlus: a comprehensive guide to herbs and supplements. Each entry includes tons of info on dosing, safety concerns, research, side effects, interactions with other substances, and more. As always, consult your doctor or nutritionist if you want to start or stop use of a supplement...

Via the American Pain Foundation, this article from the CFIDS Chronicle examines the guilt often experienced by folks with chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia. Guilt is an unnecessary emotion, people, and can make you feel worse! This is a perspective worth considering.

Some of the top 10 research advances of 2005, according to the Arthritis Foundation, include new biologic drugs for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the first new drug for gout in decades, and significant advances in lupus treatment. The report also provides forecasts for coming years.

Elidel cream and Protopic ointment, two prescription medications for the treatment of eczema, will receive "black box" warnings, according to WebMD. The warning? The medications may carry increased risk of developing cancer. Here's earlier, illuminating coverage from WebMD, and official news from the Food and Drug Administration.

If you use an Accu-Check blood sugar meter, check the serial number - you may be part of a major recall. More details available here from WebMD, and check out this announcement from the the FDA and manufacturer Roche Diagnostics.

In an effort to reduce mistakes in prescription drug use, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced sweeping changes in the design of package inserts. You know, those little booklets you glance at and throw in the trash because they're way too complicated? Let's hope these changes bring an improvement; look for new inserts over the next six months. Great coverage of this issue here from KaiserNetwork.org; the official FDA announcement here.

Seriously, I've spent five days in Las Vegas for World of Concrete (back in Chicago today), and one of the first health-related news items that caught my eye this evening has to do with smoking during pregnancy--and its dramatic effect on the chances of the baby having missing or webbed toes or fingers. So now you know two new things about me: I spend a lot of time writing about concrete, and I have webbed toes (just a couple). Read more about the study here. See what I've been doing when I'm not building ChronicBabe.com. And know that after suffering through my last construction-related trade show, I am firmly committed to taking ChronicBabe.com full-time in March 2006. That's right: full-time, because I am completely committed to the cause of helping Chronic women be true Babes. So keep your eyes peeled for tons of great new offerings (like newsletters, books and seminars), a daily flow of articles, and more in the coming months! Stay up-to-date by registering here for our newsletter, which will be coming very soon.

Researchers at the University of Alberta have created a free online database that provides information on thousands of medications. According to Medical News Today, DrugBank is "the world's largest and most complete resource on drugs and drug targets." Check out DrugBank here, or read more about it at Medical News Today.

Via Kevin, M.D.: "Magnetic bracelets are useless." People around the world have spent $1 billion on magents, but researchers can find no evidence that they have any positive effect. Read on at Kevin, M.D. - or see a more detailed report from the BBC.

Reuters reports a new study shows that some people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) may benefit from using a combination of two medications, Humira (adalimumab) and methotrexate. Abbott Laboratories, manufacturer of Humira, sponsored the study.

The Editrix's resolution does, and she's struggling to get back into a daily workout schedule. Again. Kerrie over at The Daily Headache writes a nice piece on ExerciseFriends, a program designed to help you meet up with other women and work out together, or just to help build a network of encouraging friends--something that can mean the difference between being a couch potato and a gym champ. Check out her thoughts here.

We just stumbled upon this site, which offers lots of good info for girls and young women with chronic illness and disability. The design is not the greatest, but the information is good, including tips on talking to your teachers about your health situation, strategies to release emotions and communicate your feelings, ways to have fun and more. We love it! You go, girl! Share it with your favorite ChronicGirl.

New research appearing in the January issue of The Journal of Sexual Medicine finds evidence that use of birth control pills can result in some long-term loss of libido. Some women who stop taking the medication still have decreased libido for up to a year after--and authors of the study say more research is needed to determine if the effects last longer. Meanwhile, the director of steroid research at Beth Israel Deaconness Medical Center says there's nothing to worry about. Read about the study, Spark's comments and more here.