| My Turn: This drug leaves some bad heartburn
Come on, any drug is going to have side effects. The question is do really need it? Forty million Americans suffer from frequent heartburn, which makes the manufacturer Prilosec $6 billion a year. An estimate of only 1 in 100 who are on Prilosec need to be on it.
So what are the side effects in addition to broken bones? Depletions of calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, potassium. Depletions of these minerals are involved in everything from heart beat to immune system. The listed side effects of Prilosec from Web MD are: abnormal heart rhythm, high blood pressure, incomplete or infrequent bowel movements, itching, drowsiness, dizzy, rash, head pain, thrush, chest pain, feel like throwing up, throwing up, heartburn, gas, diarrhea, feeling weak, acute infection of the nose, throat or sinus, hepatitis caused by drugs, urinary tract infection, bloody urine, elevation of proteins in the urine, abnormal liver function tests, low amount of sodium in the blood, acquired decrease of all cells in the blood, anemia, decreased blood platelets, decreased type of white blood cell eosinophils, backache, cough and there are others.
Man pleads guilty in vehicular homicide
A Grand Junction man pleaded guilty Wednesday to killing a woman in a car accident that happened after he stole a truck and crashed it as he was fleeing police. Troy Cooksey, 38, pleaded guilty to felony counts of vehicular homicide and vehicular assault and two sentence-enhancing counts of being a habitual criminal in a plea agreement with prosecutors. The agreement calls for him to receive a 54-year sentence to prison. Sentencing is scheduled for March 21. Cooksey was charged with 11 other felony and misdemeanor counts, including first-degree murder, but those charges were dropped as part of the plea agreement. Cooksey appeared in court wearing a black-and-white-striped jail suit. Flanked by his attorneys, public defenders Ken Singer and Michele Devlin, he told Mesa County District Judge David Bottger he is taking medicine for acid reflux disease and headaches but said they do not affect his thinking.
Coverage of weight-loss surgery shelved for more study
Genevieve Winegar, 23, says "without a doubt" gastric-bypass surgery saved her life. After she underwent the procedure in 2002, the 5-foot-9-inch Winegar lost 200 of her 348 pounds.
"I was an obese child, an obese teen," said Winegar, who had suffered diseases such as acid reflux and was so depressed she thought of suicide. Now, she says she's happy and healthy.
The idea of covering the costly surgery was discussed Wednesday by members of the House's Workforce Services Committee, who opted for further study of the issue this year.
Committee members raised questions about the cost to the state, whether the requirement would raise insurance costs in general, and the risks involved with such surgeries.
Rep.
About the South African Hoodia Gordonii Cactus
The South African Hoodia Gordonii Cactus is known by many names. It is called xshoba or xhooba by the San Bushmen who have used it to treat indigestion, minor skin infections and as an appetite and thirst suppressant during long hunts. The scientific name is Hoodia Gordonii. It is actually a succulent so the names Hoodia cactus and South African desert cactus are actually misnomers, but they are commonly used. The plant resembles a cactus when seen growing wild in the Kalahari Desert. There are problems associated with growing the South African Hoodia cactus for commercial purposes. First, logically, is temperature. In order to thrive the Hoodia cactus requires desert like temperatures. Second is time. It takes four or five years for the African Hoodia Gordonii cactus to reach full maturity.
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