FWIW

Short DescriptionFWIW:

FWIW, the acronym FWIW has plenty of uses.

+For what it’s worth!
+For whoever is wondering!
+From what I’ve witnessed!
+Forgot where I was!

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/FWIW

Are you the average American?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYHSUVCwk1s&feature=youtu.be

Look for the Bare Necessities

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ogQ0uge06o

Is anyone you know growing older?

Here is a website advertised as "aging with attitude."  Lots of information here, in case you are interested.

http://seniorplanet.org/

Here is a blurb from their website (7/22/2016)
Online since 2006 and relaunched in fall 2012, SeniorPlanet.org celebrates aging by sharing information and resources that support aging with attitude, and helps people who were born long before the digital revolution to stay engaged and active by bringing a digital-technology focus to a range of topics – among them news, health, sex and dating, art and design, senior style, travel and entertainment.

Tips for coping with pain are not in short supply

Pain is part of life and can not be totally avoided and still have a meaningful life.  Still it is worthwhile to search for ideas that allow the most satisfying life even as pain intrudes.

http://seniorplanet.org/30-osteoarthritis-tips-you-can-trust/

Tip number 31 for pain relief

The AARP Bulletin offers tip number 31 for pain relief -- if you dare. You hear about this now because some people have defied the naysayers and acepted that marijuana actually works to reduce pain and to increase mobility and health. Reports on this are becoming more and more prevalent as barriers fall.

http://www.aarp.org/health/conditions-treatments/info-10-2010/older_americans_increasingly_using_medical_marijuana_to_combat_nausea_pain.2.html

A rant -- medical care communications and physicians

Communicating with your Health Care Provider (i.e. HCP) 
--
Some people want attention given to their medical needs all the time and some do not want or need medical care. For those with insurance, medical visits are required, testing insisted upon, and prescriptions expected. Value of this process to the patient sometimes seem to be given scant attention. An annual visit to the health care provider (HCP) is expected, whether wanted or not. Unfortunately, one of the driving forces in the insurance based system is the need to generate medical care for the HCP to receive their insurance payments. As we also know, those with inadequate insurance move off the books, and may receive little or no care.

Growing Older? Have fun anyway.

Image sampled from http://www.purpleclover.com/

The website identified here describes itself as the cool online destination for people over 50.  That description seems fitting.  You can check it out while you are having your coffee or whatever, and reading your online news and your email.

Cobbling together pain relief for patients

The FDA wordsmiths language to accompany medicines including pain relievers. This is a complicated and often lengthy deliberative process. For example warnings about some NSAIDS were introduced ten years ago and were recently updated. 
http://blog.aarp.org/2015/07/20/new-painkiller-warning-what-does-it-mean-for-you/

"Consumers" are allowed input as well. http://www.fda.gov/RegulatoryInformation/Dockets/.  

An illustration of the deliberative process for acetaminophen is found here. http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/ac/02/briefing/3882b1_01_A-Overview%2009-19-20%20meeting.pdf

The next link is a consumer update from FDA titled 'A guide to Safe Use of Pain Medicine.' From a skeptics viewpoint, the only really safe use is to not use pain medicine, and just suck it up. While the result of abstaining may be safe, it can be a dismal quality of life. Pain is part of life and people cobble together solutions allowing them to somehow live life to the fullest despite limitations.
http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm095673.htm

The next link FWIW is from the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine. The title is 'Treatment options for chronic pain.' The previous comments apply here as well. Again from the skeptic viewpoint, think "cobble". Please note also that cannabis is not included among the choices. A post on this pain relief alternative is found elsewhere on this blog. https://www.asra.com/page/46/treatment-options-for-chronic-pain

Capitalism

http://www.reddit.com/tb/170m5c

Physician Frustration and Cost

If someone is sick or injured, they visit their local doctor for assistance -- if financially possible. For those growing older (GO), the frequency of needing medical assistance increases. Typically, because the cost is less, medical information is often sought from other places, such as friends and online sources. Most of us realize that online advice can be good or bad. In fact, the online advice can actually be truly excellent or it can be horrid!  It practically goes without saying that local doctor advice may also range between good and bad extremes.