Breaking News – Worldwide Crackdown on fake prescription drugs

17 December, 2014 admin

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulation Agency (MHRA) says more than a million doses of fake prescription drugs worth approximately £2m have been seized from the UK’s postal service and ports during its latest crackdown.

Packages from Australia, Canada and New Zealand have been stopped and searched at several major international airports such as New York, Chicago, London, Manchester and Sydney.

Fake Drugs Seized!

Almost 20,000 packages were seized during the operation. The seized packages contained fake prescription drugs from countries such as China, India, Mexico and Singapore.

Investigations at Heathrow and Manchester found over 1000 packages containing illegal prescription medication purchased through online retailers claiming to be branded drugs.

Some of the drugs ordered were bimatroprost (Glaucoma Eye drops), Insulin, Tramadol, Tadalfil and Sildenafil Citrate (Viagra).

What happens if you take fake drugs?

If you purchase drugs on-line, you have no guarantee that the medicines will actually be the ones that you receive, or that they will even contain the correct active ingredient. So, there seems to be a clear choice between a drug not working or even making you very ill! You also forfeit legal backup if you experience a reaction, or if they have no medical effect on you.

Internet Service Providers for nearly 2000 individual websites were also contacted to try to stop the flow of fake drugs.

Is it really worth the risk?

Many online pharmacies offer empty promises that the drugs they sell at cheap rates are legitimate drugs at cheap prices, when in fact they are just cheap imitations that will probably have little to no effect at all.

Be safe – and only go to reputable on-line pharmacies that are easy to contact and transparent in their approach.

UKMeds4U only offer genuine UK/EU-sourced branded prescription-only medication (such as Cialis, Levitra, and Viagra), and will NOT dispense any POMs without first issuing a private prescription (where suitable) by a UK GMC-registered doctor.

HealthInfoUK News, Viagra

Did you know that Viagra could ease the pain of Cystitis in women?

8 December, 2014 admin

No? Well doctors at the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University in Zhejiang, China think that it could!

Not the usual, albeit painful type of cystitis which is easy to clear up, but the more serious long term form (Interstitial Cystitis) that can be very difficult to treat.

Causes and Symptoms?

It is thought that Interstitial Cystitis is caused by messages from the bladder to the brain getting mixed up, so instead of only sending messages to the brain when it is almost full, the bladder sends messages to the brain a lot more frequently, which in more extreme cases can be as frequent as every 10 minutes!

Does it actually help?

The theory behind how this works for women is that Viagra increases the blood flow to the bladder area, which in turn relaxes the muscles. By reacting in this way, the pain that is felt in the bladder area is reduced and the urge to visit the toilet as frequently is severely reduced.

Results of the study showed that the women involved showed a decrease in symptoms in a number of areas. They found that around 84% of the women tested showed a significant decrease for times they had to visit the toilet, and showed a large decrease in the amount of pain that they were in.

Light at the end of the tunnel for sufferers!

Indeed, excellent news for the estimated 400,000 people that currently suffer from Interstitial Cystitis in the UK now with around 90% of them being women, as it can be a very distressing condition and can lead to many years of pain. With this study and several others taking place, it looks like there is light at the end of the tunnel for those that have been suffering with this condition.

Don’t forget that if you suffer from Interstitial Cystitis or any other condition and have questions about your condition or just want to talk, then you can visit our community who will be happy to advise you or just have a general chat with you about any of your medical related issues.

For information on Viagra, please go to: www.ukmeds4u.com

Diet

Can a Mediterranean diet really combat obesity and reduce the effects of metabolic syndrome?

2 December, 2014 admin

There’s been a common belief for many years that if you eat a Mediterranean diet then you’re likely to live longer, but now, there’s research that claims that by eating a Mediterranean diet you may actually be able to reverse the effects of metabolic syndrome, by reducing obesity and blood glucose levels that lead to the condition.

Metabolic syndrome is combination of diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity which puts people at a higher risk of things like heart disease and strokes.

So….we thought that we would take a look into the facts and see what it all means to us…and see if there’s anything we can do to help ourselves, and you, get a bit healthier.

What’s involved?

Well….Its seems that the most important part of the diet is Olive Oil or nuts.

So, along with a diet rich in fruit, vegetables, fish and whole-grains, by adding nuts or Olive Oil you can help your weight reduce and lower your blood glucose levels.

That sounds too good to be true doesn’t it?

The research..

This information has come from a Spanish study done at Universitat Rovira i Virgili and Hospital Universitari de Sant Joan de Reus on a group of nearly 5800 men and women (aged 55-80) and were all at risk of heart disease. They were split into three groups, One group ate a Mediterranean diet with extra olive oil, another had the Mediterranean diet, with added nuts and the final ate a traditional low-fat diet. (you know…they one we’re all trying to follow).

Research showed the both the ‘Mediterranean diet’ groups lost weight and reduced their blood sugar levels…Pretty significant, bearing in mind the current advice is to follow a low-fat diet to achieve these results!

The Mediterranean diet also seems to stop people from collecting fat around their middles (the classic apple shape), which is commonly identified as being a precursor to diabetes…

It is estimated that if we increased the amount of fruit and vegetables we eat by just one portion per day, and the amount of nuts eaten by two portions per week, then this could prevent up to 5.2 million deaths from cardiovascular disease in just one year!

So, will you change?

It seems like our Mediterranean cousins have been getting it right all this time….Maybe think of every meal as a mini holiday…. but we’re not sure all the wine counts!

To find out more, check out the NHS Mediterranean diet information here and make your choice.

Comment below and let us know what you think or if you will be changing your diet – We think we will!

For more information on obesity and treatments to help with weight loss, please go to: www.ukmeds4u.com

Erectile dysfunction

Could Erectile Dysfunction be an early indicator of Heart Disease?

13 November, 2014 admin

A recent study by Lund University in Sweden has found that the most common cause (in 4 out of every 5 cases), is a poor lack of circulation in the penis resulting in an impaired erection, and in some cases no erection at all!

What causes the poor circulation?

Rasmus Borgquist (the physician that led the studies) has discovered that if these vessels have been affected by atherosclerosis (clogged arteries) then it is likely that the same process could be underway in the coronary artery in the heart.

Is it a reason to worry?

Honestly? Maybe – The study also found that men suffering from ED also had increased instances of high blood pressure, high blood fat and several other risk factors for heart disease.

The main point from this study has shown that seeking
medical advice as soon as you notice a problem, can ultimately save you from further health complications and may well save your life!

Lifestyle Choices

It has been noticed since the early 1980’s that there could be a connection between heart disease and impotence/ED, but this link has only recently started to be investigated and studied in more depth.

Several changes can be made straight away to help your ED and in turn reduce the risk of heart disease.

These are the usual changes in your lifestyle (i.e. quit smoking, more exercise, diet change) and if these things do not help, then there are several different medications you can take which can help with any contributing factors you may have such as to lower your blood
pressure.

Stop Smoking and Lose Weight – It Helps!

The results of the study also showed that by stopping smoking and losing weight 3 out of every 5 had increased potency and significantly reduced chances of contracting heart disease.

What will make YOU change?

It has been proven that it is often easier for those suffering from ED to accept that they need to make a change if they know it will increase their potency, rather than talk about the risk of having a heart attack later in life.

There is help available

Companies are now bringing many new drugs to market to combat ED, that also help to combat other issues like heart disease. There is lots of help available any time.

A problem shared

Naturally, people feel that it is an awkward subject to talk about with their partner or GP, but often, once this subject has been discussed it becomes a much easier subject to tackle.

If you or anyone you know struggles with ED and/or heart disease, then don’t suffer in silence. Leave a reply to this post, or visit our facebook page/Twitter and our community will be happy to lend an ear and provide friendly advice.

Mens Health

Aim-Straight! Could this little cone really detect cancer?

13 November, 2014 admin 2 Comments

Two UK inventors think so, and have been very busy developing a new device specially for men.

The Aim-Straight is being marketed as the little device that could save millions of lives… so we thought it would be good to look and see what all the fuss is about!

In addition to potentially detecting prostate cancer and diabetes, Aim-Straight inventors Michael Shelton and Peter Maxwell also believe that the device helps to reduce the risk of sexually transmitted infections (STI’s) and reduce the amount of cases of drink driving.

What is it?

The Aim-Straight device is a disposable paper cone that pops over the penis, and not only helps you pee straight (which in itself will save millions of arguments), it can also detect prostate cancer and diabetes. And it’s biodegradable and flushable after use.

It seems that this little cone does has everything!

How it Works

There are a number of tiny particles known as reagents contained on the surface of the cone. These react when they come into contact with other agents that could be present in your urine stream such as blood or glucose. These would would then cause the paper on the inside of the device to change colour.

If the device does change colour during use, the wearer should contact their GP or local healthcare professional for further advice. The colour it changes to helps the healthcare professional decide how to proceed.

So – Would you wear it?

Studies done in Japan found that 71% of the men studied agreed that the Aim-Straight device was a good invention and that they would be happy to use it! And if it does everything mentioned we can see why….Hey, no-one needs to know do they? And what price for peace of mind?

So it seems it does have everything!

The company also say that the device has hypo-allergenic antibodies incorporated into it, which can clean, dry and medicate the penis, which helps to promote good sexual health for men of all ages due to decreased chances of STI’s being transmitted.

The initial purpose of the device was to reduce any unhygienic splash back of urine as men were going to the toilet, but has grown to be so much more since the device was first created back in 2007.

The company has taken huge steps in trying to promote the device as a combatant to STI’s and as an assistant for GP’s and other healthcare professionals in the early discovery of prostate cancer and diabetes.

All in all this device will be a great help to many men that have problems when urinating, and could also be the difference between life or death if you have an underlying condition that may not have been diagnosed as yet by your GP.

If you need any more information, you can visit their website at www.aim-straight.co.uk

Don’t forget that if you have any problems or have any questions that you want to ask, our community are always here to help, and will be happy to assist you and offer advice to anything that you might otherwise feel uncomfortable discussing face to face with your GP.

So… Would you wear it? Comment below!

HealthInfoUK News

Welcome to the Health Info UK Blog

16 October, 2014 admin

Who are HealthInfoUK?

We are a new! Created by community of people that have gathered together to provide you with the most informative and honest answers to questions many other communities shy away from

We pride ourselves on being open, honest, and we are happy to answer your questions on any health related subject.

That is only part of it…

We’re a community. We want you to contribute, comment, ask questions, share opinions and give advice. This is a resource for all of us to use, whether you’re trying to find out about depression, baldness, measles or something ‘trouser’ related we’re here to help.

You can follow us on twitter (@HealthInfoUK) or Facebook

Check back soon for a post about Cancer Awareness Week…