Its obvious I know, but it is crucial to take your meds when you are supposed to, and as you are instructed to. Continue reading
Taking your Meds!
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Author Archives: Annie
Zenapax (Daclizumab) discontinued
I read today that Roche has announced that it has discontinued Zenapax (daclizumab sterile concentrate for injection), an IgG1 monoclonal antibody. They say that the decision to discontinue Zenapax is due to the diminishing market demand and the availability of alternative treatments and is not due to any safety issue. The existing supply of Zenapax is expected to be depleted by January 2010 based on current demand.
Zenapax has been used successfully to treat a number of patients with birdshot in the US who have failed to control their birdshot with other medications or been unable to tolerate the side effects of other drugs. It will leave a number of people who are prescribed this, angry, as the news about the withdrawal of this drug was at short notice and their doctors will now have to find alternative medication. Often this will not be straightforward as this drug will have been prescribed only after a number of the more usual combinations have been tried and have failed.
I do not believe that this medication has been widely used in the UK for birdshot treatment but it is a major blow that one of our speciaist arsenal of drugs has been removed though no real good reason other than economics.
If you have been affected by this decision by Roche we would welcome your feedback.
Birdshot logo
This is the fabulous logo for Birdshot Uveitis Society that member David Bethell has designed for us. David who is a graphic artist has had birdshot since September 2006. It is absolutely fantastic to have a professional artist/graphic designer helping us with this and our other publicity material. In January David has kindly agreed to work on our letterhead, leaflets and poster designs for us to get into eye clinics, so watch out for them. You can see more of David’s work on his website at www.myspace.com/DavidJBethell.
If others have skills that they’d like to offer BUS, we’d be delighted to hear about them! Please do get in touch via birdshot@live.co.uk.
Happy New Year to everyone who has registered on the birdshot website and thanks so much for all the support and the enthusiastic feedback that we are getting.
New BUS leaflet
Birdshot Uveitis Society’s first leaflet has recently gone to print and we are due to receive a 1000 copies shortly.
The printers, Docuprint Limited, have very kindly agreed to sponsor the costs of our first leaflet and we are extremely grateful to them for this generosity. We would particularly like to thank Sarah Thompson my account manager who managed the leaflet from start to finish. This is a really helpful and useful form of support and we are truly grateful for it in this economically difficult climate.
We hope to be distributing the leaflet to birdshot patients via hospital eye clinics. Please do get in touch with us if you would like us to send you a supply or you know anyone who would like to receive a copy. Our email address is birdshot@live.co.uk.
Annie
Postscript
Controversy of complementary therapy
http://www.osnsupersite.com/view.aspx?rid=51391
This is an interesting article that I found on the OSN Super Site concerning complementary therapies for ophthalmic problems.
Whilst it does not contain any information about birdshot treatment it provides food for thought and a reasonably balanced debate on the topic which I know many people with birdshot have an interest in. Continue reading
Seeing better with Bates
The Bates method (Do You Want Better Eyesight Without Glasses?)
Born in 1860, Dr Bates was a New York ophthalmologist who devised an alternative way of helping people to improve their eyesight naturally using various relaxation and stimulation techniques. The full article about bates can be found in the self-help section of the site:- https://birdshot.org.uk/blog/index.php/self-help/seeing-better-with-bates
This is not a cure for birdshot but it might help improve your vision.
New development
As the body ages so do the eyes and people start needing glasses for reading and driving.
“But now a new technique has come on the market which promises not only to restore our sight but also to make it better than before and get us seeing in high definition. Continue reading
Easy Fundraising
We’ve signed up to Easy Fundraising so that you can give to Uveitis Information Group (Birdshot Uveitis Society’s affiliated charity) simply by shopping on-line via Easy Fundraising’s website or using their search engine.
Easy Fund-Raising
This is an easy on-line way to help raise money for Uveitis Information Group. Retailers such as Amazon, Next, Argos, John Lewis, Comet, iTunes, eBay or HMV, give money when you shop-online via Easy-Fundraising. All you need to do is to sign up for free to raise money while you shop!Have you heard about easyfundraising yet? It’s the easiest way to help raise money for Uveitis Information Group. Continue reading
The Giving Machine
We have recently signed up to the Giving Machine so that you can make donations on-line while you shop. Its easy – you just have to register and choose Uveitis Information Group as the charity that you support.
You can now generate free cash donations for Uveitis Information Group (BUS’s affiliated charity) every time you shop online.
The Giving Machine
It will not cost you anything extra – the online shop pays the donation on your behalf. Just go to www.TheGivingMachine.co.uk :
- JOIN as a shopper/giver
- CHOOSE to support Uveitis Information Group
- REMEMBER to shop at TheGivingMachine every time you buy online
TheGivingMachine™ You Shop, They Give.
You are Invited To Attend
On 24 March 2010 at 6.00 p.m. at the Museum of London, Dr Stephen Foster will be talking about Inflammatory Eye Diseases. This is part of a series of lectures about the eye that is being given by Professor William Ayliffe (ophthalmologist) at Gresham College in London. Entrance is free and these lectures are designed for the general public. Continue reading