• Posted 12/19/2024.
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    I am still waiting on my developer to finish up on the Classifieds Control Panel so I can use it to encourage members into becoming paying members. Google Adsense has become a real burden on the viewing of this site, but honestly it is the ONLY source of income now that keeps it afloat. I tried offering disabling the ads being viewed by paying members, but apparently that is not enough incentive. Quite frankly, Google Adsense has dropped down to where it barely brings in enough daily to match even a single paid member per day. But it still gets the bills paid. But at what cost?

    So even without the classifieds control panel being complete, I believe I am going to have to disable those Google ads completely and likely disable some options here that have been free since going to the new platform. Like classified ad bumping, member name changes, and anything else I can use to encourage this site to be supported by the members instead of the Google Adsense ads.

    But there is risk involved. I will not pay out of pocket for very long during this last ditch experimental effort. If I find that the membership does not want to support this site with memberships, then I cannot support your being able to post your classified ads here for free. No, I am not intending to start charging for your posting ads here. I will just shut the site down and that will be it. I will be done with FaunaClassifieds. I certainly don't need this, and can live the rest of my life just fine without it. If I see that no one else really wants it to survive neither, then so be it. It goes away and you all can just go elsewhere to advertise your animals and merchandise.

    Not sure when this will take place, and I don't intend to give any further warning concerning the disabling of the Google Adsense. Just as there probably won't be any warning if I decide to close down this site. You will just come here and there will be some sort of message that the site is gone, and you have a nice day.

    I have been trying to make a go of this site for a very long time. And quite frankly, I am just tired of trying. I had hoped that enough people would be willing to help me help you all have a free outlet to offer your stuff for sale. But every year I see less and less people coming to this site, much less supporting it financially. That is fine. I tried. I retired the SerpenCo business about 14 years ago, so retiring out of this business completely is not that big if a step for me, nor will it be especially painful to do. When I was in Thailand, I did not check in here for three weeks. I didn't miss it even a little bit. So if you all want it to remain, it will be in your hands. I really don't care either way.

    =====================
    Some people have indicated that finding the method to contribute is rather difficult. And I have to admit, that it is not all that obvious. So to help, here is a thread to help as a quide. How to become a contributing member of FaunaClassifieds.

    And for the record, I will be shutting down the Google Adsense ads on January 1, 2025.
  • Responding to email notices you receive.
    **************************************************
    In short, DON'T! Email notices are to ONLY alert you of a reply to your private message or your ad on this site. Replying to the email just wastes your time as it goes NOWHERE, and probably pisses off the person you thought you replied to when they think you just ignored them. So instead of complaining to me about your messages not being replied to from this site via email, please READ that email notice that plainly states what you need to do in order to reply to who you are trying to converse with.

Rich Z (WebSlave)

contractually, they are not allowed to do that.

Please keep that in mind. Businesses such as labs are famous for sending bills, shaking the tree to see if money falls out.
 
Please keep that in mind. Businesses such as labs are famous for sending bills, shaking the tree to see if money falls out.

As I mentioned before, I had someone claiming to be a urologist (or a reasonable facsimile thereof) come into my hospital room uninvited. Asked me how I was doing. I explained what happened. They gave me too many blood thinners after my stent insertion in my artery, and I pissed blood afterwards. By 10:00 or 10:30 that night (I spent the night in the hospital) it had gone away.

They sent me a bill for $40 for an office visit. It went into the "round file". Anyone else sends me a bill for something I did not request and/or for just poking their head into my room, will be treated the same way.

I will pay bills I owe. None other.
 
Not real crazy about this blood thinner I am taking. I bruise REAL easily now. And it doesn't feel like just a superficial skin bruise. Feels like my muscles are getting bruised. I was working on the generator the other day, and removing the spark plugs I had my left arm pressed up against the frame to get a bit more leverage. Well, damn. Got a swollen purple area on the inside of my forearm now that is tender to the touch. I am passed the 4 week period where my cardiologist said I could resume normal activities, but I am scared the death I will do yard work and come out of it looking like I have purple polka dots all over me. There are always things bumping and smacking against me when doing yard work. That deep bruise I had on my upper left leg took forever to go away. Actually still feels a bit tender to the touch.

I already contacted my cardiologist about it, but he seems to think it's normal. I don't agree. I feel MUCH more fragile concerning my vascular system now. So screw it. I am cutting those 10mg pills in half and only taking a half dose each day now. Perhaps it is the fact that in the past, every time I saw someone with these purple red patches on their arms and legs, seems they died not long afterwards. So I am just not going to go that route. My body, my choice. I have an appointment with the cardiologist in February, and I will tell him then my choice. Actually I wasn't all that keen when they gave me 4 or 5 of these blood thinner pills right after my second stent was put in, and I was pissing blood afterwards. Now THAT can't be normal...
 
So, I am supposed to have an appointment up in Tallahassee Friday morning with my new primary care physician. But this is the current prediction for landfall for hurricane Ian on Friday at 08:00am. Am I being a weenie thinking I may not be able to make that appointment?
 

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When reading up about my blood thinner (prasugrel), I found that the recommendation is to give someone after having a stent placement 60mg of this medication as a initial dose. So apparently they gave me six (6) of those pills after my second stent was put in. I don't remember them doing that after my first one, but in any event, I was already taking 10mg per day before the second stent, and quite likely that was just too much. Had me pissing blood soon afterwards.

So with my easy bruising, I just think that 10mg is too much for me. Hence my deciding to cut back to 5mg per day. But I will say this. That coating on the pill was apparently to block that awful bitter taste of the medication. :ack2: But it beats getting those reddish purple/black bruises on me whenever I bump against something. The bruise on my left forearm actually looks like it is starting to clear up now. And it doesn't feel painful to touch as it was a few days ago.

Oh yeah, I was reading that giving 10mg prasugrel to someone over 75 years old was contraindicated because of the chance of excessive bleeding. Like maybe excessive bruising too? Well, perhaps I have higher mileage than many other 72 year olds? In any event, my body was telling me it just didn't like that 10mg dose. It was making me feel too damned fragile!
 
Rich, make sure that the tablet is not enteric-coated or else you would be causing yourself a problem by breaking that coating.
 
Some tablets of prasugrel have an enteric coating in order to have dissolution of the tablet and release of the drug occur in the intestine instead of the stomach. It could be for various reasons like bioavailability improvement, conversion efficiency to its more active metabolite occurring in the proper place (intestine and liver), and reduction of risks of things like gastric bleeding.

If a tablet has an enteric coating, you are not supposed to split or crush it. Is the tablet scored? If it is not scored, then it is not intended to be split and the active pharmaceutical ingredient is not guaranteed to be equally distributed throughout the tablet, in which case half of the tablet is less likely to contain half of the dosage, making dosing irregular and unpredictable. If it is scored and if it does not have an enteric coating (sometimes also referred to as a film coating, but it depends), then it should be able to be split.
 
Some tablets of prasugrel have an enteric coating in order to have dissolution of the tablet and release of the drug occur in the intestine instead of the stomach. It could be for various reasons like bioavailability improvement, conversion efficiency to its more active metabolite occurring in the proper place (intestine and liver), and reduction of risks of things like gastric bleeding.

If a tablet has an enteric coating, you are not supposed to split or crush it. Is the tablet scored? If it is not scored, then it is not intended to be split and the active pharmaceutical ingredient is not guaranteed to be equally distributed throughout the tablet, in which case half of the tablet is less likely to contain half of the dosage, making dosing irregular and unpredictable. If it is scored and if it does not have an enteric coating (sometimes also referred to as a film coating, but it depends), then it should be able to be split.

No, the tablets are NOT scored. :eek:

I guess I need to contact my cardiologist and just tell him I want to have the dosage reduced and get the 5mg pills. This bruising I am getting is just not normal. I got this bruise on my left forearm on the 19th just by bracing my arm on part of the generator to get some leverage to remove the sparkplugs, and I STILL have that darn discoloration that makes me look like some sort of leper or something. Makes me scared to death to do anything because just what used to be an inconsequential bump against something is no longer inconsequential.

And these aren't just surface skin bruises, neither. These go right to the muscle, which really aches for quite a while. Something is just not RIGHT.
 
No, the tablets are NOT scored. :eek:

I guess I need to contact my cardiologist and just tell him I want to have the dosage reduced and get the 5mg pills. This bruising I am getting is just not normal. I got this bruise on my left forearm on the 19th just by bracing my arm on part of the generator to get some leverage to remove the sparkplugs, and I STILL have that darn discoloration that makes me look like some sort of leper or something. Makes me scared to death to do anything because just what used to be an inconsequential bump against something is no longer inconsequential.

And these aren't just surface skin bruises, neither. These go right to the muscle, which really aches for quite a while. Something is just not RIGHT.

This is the way, yes.

It is good that you shared what you shared.
 
S

If a tablet has an enteric coating, you are not supposed to split or crush it. Is the tablet scored? If it is not scored, then it is not intended to be split and the active pharmaceutical ingredient is not guaranteed to be equally distributed throughout the tablet, in which case half of the tablet is less likely to contain half of the dosage, making dosing irregular and unpredictable.
I agree, and 5 mg tablets are available.


I guess I need to contact my cardiologist .
This. For any medication changes, or changes to your treatment plan. Because of interactions, your cardiologist should be aware of all the medications you are takng and the dosage. In addition, please discuss with your cardiologist *any* changes to his/her prescription before the change is made. For instance, for many medications, a generic substitution of a medication does not make much of a difference. This is not always true of cardiac medications.
 
Haven't heard anything back from my cardiologist yet. What I said was that I was halving the does of Prasugrel he prescribed by cutting the pills in half. I said if that was not appropriate, then I was insisting on a new prescription of the 5 mg dose tablets of this drug. And I described the bruising issues I have been having and did not want that to continue any longer.

One change I have decided on was to switch taking those three heart meds (Prasugrel, 51mg aspirin, and Ramipril) from the morning to the evening hours. That way any lingering bruising problems might be reduced if the prasugrel has been in my system overnight and maybe reduce the negative symptoms when I do yard work during the day and get myself roughed up in the process.

Ran Connie to an appointment with our new PCP today, but this would have been a very good day to be working outside. Temps have cooled down and a nice breeze all day long. So a destructive hurricane elsewhere in Florida seems to have produced a rather pleasant day or two here. Of course, with a strong breeze, there is always the chance of tree limbs coming down out of the trees and taking me down. Even one of those large unopened pine cones hitting me on the head would probably kill me. They are quite dense and heavy. I guess one of the few things the squirrels did good around here was keeping those pine cones down quite a bit. But, unfortunately, that isn't good enough reason for excusing them from stealing all our pears this year and most of them the last few years. And I sure don't want them taking our citrus fruits later on when they ripen.

Oh well, maybe I can do some yard work tomorrow. Got to get the yard back in shape after neglecting it this entire Spring and Summer. Still have to be careful of the bruising potential, though. I don't think halving my dose of Prasugrel will remove the problem, but should at least reduce it. And Connie should be going back onto her chemo treatments next week, too, so that might put me having to stay close by when she needs me. I do have a walkie talkie I can carry with me if needed.

Life has just become so EXHAUSTING lately....
 
Send another message to my cardiologist about that Presugrel dosage. Haven't heard anything back.

Yesterday I did yard work for a few hours. And wound up doing an involuntary test of my new found bruising capability. I was carrying a large branch back to a pile, and holding it vertically, the upper part just broke off and landed on my left forearm, pointy end first. Yowch! Small puncture and scrape mark, but enough of an impact that I thought for sure I was going to get one of those spectacularly ugly bruises I have been getting. Well, it has been over 24 hours now, and nothing. Just a little redness at the impact site, but not a trace of any bruising whatsoever. So 5 mg of that medication seems to be the ticket to get rid of that excessively easy bruising, anyway. Whether or not it is enough to do what it is supposed to do for the stents in my coronary arteries is a question yet to be answered.

Anyway, as I phrased it to my cardiologist, unless I hear otherwise, THIS is what I plan to do with that Prasugrel. Excessively easy bruising is NOT a good sign of health for anyone, and in my mind it means something bad is going on with my vascular system. It's not like doctor's never make mistakes or anything, is it?
 
The trouble with that is the drug might be doing nothing protective at all right now, as its intended delivery system is compromised.
 
The trouble with that is the drug might be doing nothing protective at all right now, as its intended delivery system is compromised.

Well, I reached out to my cardiologist. Twice. I am having trouble coming up with a good reason why he hasn't said so to me, if that is the case.

I am still taking the 51mg of aspirin every day. That also acts as a blood thinner, doesn't it?
 
It helps prevent clotting, yes, but it may not be enough on its own. I am hoping your cardiologist gets back to you asap.
 
I would be very surprised to hear back from him over the weekend.

Meanwhile, using my Google-Foo:


If you're already using prasugrel or clopidogrel, take these precautions:

Call your doctor immediately if you notice any signs of excessive bleeding that can't be explained: severe, prolonged, or unusual bleeding; pink or brown urine; red or black stools; bruises or purple skin spots; and coughing up or vomiting blood or clots. But don't stop taking the medication without your doctor's OK.
Tell every doctor or dentist you see that you're taking the drug, especially if you're about to undergo an invasive procedure.
Use an electric razor or be extra careful when shaving.
Take prasugrel with particular caution if you're of Korean descent, because some research suggests that the drug may have a stronger effect.
If you're taking clopidogrel or a smaller than recommended dose of prasugrel, consider asking your doctor if you should be tested for adequate platelet inhibition.

And of particular interest: :ack2:

Potential prasugrel users should know about another research observation: After four months, prasugrel users seemed to experience an increased risk of cancerous tumors than clopidogrel users. That may have occurred either by chance or because higher bleeding rates lead to more scrutiny and detection of cancer. The FDA did not include cancer among the risks listed in the package insert, though it briefly mentioned the possibility elsewhere. But it did order the manufacturer to continue work on another clinical trial, already under way, to assess the drug's cancer-causing potential.

Emphasis added by me.

Source: https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/2012/04/prasugrel-new-blood-thinner-is-better-for-some/index.htm

While this is all on my mind, any of you who have NOT read this book really should do so:

The Real Anthony Fauci by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

I am about half way through it and already I have to wonder why a certain someone isn't swinging by a necktie made or rope from a branch of the nearest oak tree.
:kaboom:
 
Well, from my accidental experiment the other day, NO bruise resulted from that limb impacting my forearm. Just a little scab from that puncture and a little discolored from the abrasion. That large bruise I got from when I worked on the generator has pretty nearly evaporated now. What was interesting was that the bruise started out rather small and got larger over time. That is just odd, IMHO.

I noticed with the recommended dosage for Prasugrel, there are only two tablets available, 5mg and 10mg. 10mg is recommended for everyone over 132 lbs (60kg). So that means I am getting the same 10mg dose (at my current 154 lbs) as someone that weighs 300 lbs.

I have pretty much proven that the initial dose of 60mg (6 tablets) right after my second stent placement was an obvious overdose, causing me to urinate blood afterwards for about a half a day.

Prasugrel is also not recommended for patients 75 years or older. Well, I am 72, so that is darn close. I am thinking that really bad bruising is a sign that something is just not right. Wish the cardiologist would get back to me, but something tells me he is just going to state that I should continue with HIS recommended 10mg per day, as is.

As for me compromising the pill by cutting it in two? Beats me. I have yet to find online any first hand accounts of someone doing that, and/or what any specific negative results may come from it. I just need to stop that bruising i have been experiencing. It is telling me that something is WRONG in my body, and I just do not want to ignore that sign. I did read something a few nights ago where it was stated that crushing a Prasugrel tablet while taking it would speed up the delivery, but I didn't save the link, nor can I find it again. Reading through this sort of stuff is VERY dry, and a sure cure for insomnia.

Several months ago I had a sharp chest pain that I ignored and some people came down on me about it. So yeah, I had a heart attack soon afterwards. Point taken. So yes, I should have taken that advice and paid attention to that warning. Well, I think this abnormal bruising is in the same sort of category. And I am trying to NOT ignore it. Normally I just do not get bruises, at all, so this (rightfully, I think) worries me. This Prasugrel has made me feel FRAGILE. So are doctors ALWAYS correct in what they prescribe? Should I just ignore these worrisome signs and just blindly accept what my cardiologist recommended for me? Yeah, bruising is normal for this drug, but how much is "normal"? I am getting my darn muscles bruised, which will ache for weeks afterwards. For me, that is not at all normal. But is it considered acceptable as a tradeoff for the benefits of this drug? :shrug01: :shrug01: :shrug01:
 
Spent all day today with Connie at the new cancer treatment center to resume her chemo treatments. She got to use her new port that was surgically installed and that actually seemed to go very well.

Meanwhile, I got a phone message from the local Walgreen's to tell me that I had a prescription to pick up. 5mg Prasugrel tablets. :hurray:
 
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