PIERRE FABRE MEDICAMENT AND FOREST LABORATORIES TO COLLABORATE ON DEVELOPMENT AND COMMERCIALIZATION

From the Desk of Jeanne Hambleton – courtesy PR-Canada.Net. 

 (http://pr-canada.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=71522&Itemid=61)

Saturday, 27 December 2008

Forest Laboratories, Inc. and Pierre Fabre Medicament today announced that they have entered into a definitive collaboration agreement to develop and commercialize F2695 in the United States and Canada. F2695 is a proprietary selective norepinephrine and serotonin reuptake inhibitor that is being developed by Pierre Fabre for the treatment of depression and other central nervous system disorders.    Under the terms of the agreement, Forest will make an upfront payment to Pierre Fabre of $75 million and will pay future, undisclosed milestone payments. In addition, Pierre Fabre will receive royalty payments based on F2695 sales. Forest will assume responsibility for the clinical development and commercialization of F2695 in the United States and Canada, while Pierre Fabre will fund all preclinical development and drug substance manufacturing activities worldwide. “We are pleased to expand our relationship with Pierre Fabre to include this collaboration on the development of F2695 for the treatment of depression. Pierre Fabre has been an outstanding partner for Forest since we commenced our alliance in 2004,” commented Howard Solomon, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Forest. “We are highly encouraged by the strong clinical antidepressant activity and good tolerability exhibited by F2695 in the recently completed placebo-controlled, double-blind Phase II study. We look forward to initiating Phase III studies with F2695 next year. F2695 is the second late-stage product candidate we have licensed this quarter, underscoring our commitment to further building our pipeline and bringing novel therapeutics to the market.” “Pierre Fabre is looking forward to working with Forest on this exciting product opportunity,” said Jean-Pierre Garnier, Chief Executive Officer of Pierre Fabre Medicament. “Forest has an excellent record of developing and commercializing products for the treatment of depression and we are happy to extend our existing partnership to include F2695.” In a recently completed European placebo-controlled, double-blind Phase II study of F2695 in over 550 patients with major depressive disorder, the compound demonstrated statistically significant improvement compared to placebo (p<0.0001) on the primary endpoint, change from baseline in total score on the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (“MADRS”). Statistically significant improvement for F2695 compared to placebo was also demonstrated using the change from baseline in the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (“HAMD-17″) and in response and remission rates using both the MADRS and HAMD-17. In addition, F2695 demonstrated improvement compared to placebo within two weeks after treatment initiation. About F2695 F2695 is an isomer of milnacipran and is protected by a method of use patent that extends through June 2023. F2695 exerts its effects by selectively inhibiting the reuptake of both norepinephrine and serotonin, two neurotransmitters known to play an essential role in regulating mood. Forest, in partnership with Cypress Bioscience, Inc. and Pierre Fabre, is currently developing milnacipran; a selective serotonin and norepinephrine dual reuptake inhibitor, for the management of fibromyalgia. The New Drug Application is under FDA review and we continue to plan for a first quarter 2009 product launch meeting About Pierre Fabre Medicament The Pierre Fabre Group, the second largest independent laboratory in France, employs some 10,000 people, and achieved a turnover of 1.7 billion euros in 2007. The lines of business are ethical medicine, family health but also in dermo-cosmetic products with several brands: Avene, Ducray, A-Derma, Galenic, Klorane and Rene Furterer and dermo-cosmetics. Pierre Fabre Medicament, the pharmaceutical branch of the Pierre Fabre Group, made Research and Development its core business and the key to its future. With 1,400 employees dedicated to R&D, Pierre Fabre Medicament has invested 30% of its annual sales to R&D during 2008, in five major therapeutic areas in terms of public health: oncology (the priority R&D area of Pierre Fabre Medicament, with 50% of all R&D expenses), psychiatry, urology, cardio-vascular, rheumatology. To learn more about Pierre Fabre, visit http://www.pierre-fabre.com. About Forest Laboratories Forest Laboratories is a U.S.-based pharmaceutical company with a long track record of building partnerships and developing and marketing products that make a positive difference in people’s lives. In addition to its well-established franchises in therapeutic areas of the central nervous and cardiovascular systems, Forest’s current pipeline includes product candidates in all stages of development and across a wide range of therapeutic areas. The company is headquartered in New York, NY. To learn more about Forest Laboratories, visit http://www.FRX.com. Except for the historical information contained herein, this release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties, including the difficulty of predicting FDA approvals, the acceptance and demand for new pharmaceutical products, the impact of competitive products and pricing, the timely development and launch of new products, and the risk factors listed from time to time in Forest Laboratories’ Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and any subsequent SEC filings.

 

SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE, SINGAPORE OR SOUTHEND?

by Jeanne Hambleton © 2008
NFA Leader Against Pain-Advocate

Quite apart from the pain and fatigue we endure as fibromites, one of the other biggest problems we have is being sleepless – in Seattle, Singapore or Southend – and missing out on our zzz’s. If you are anything like me, I am often still wide eyed at 4.30am worrying about how few hours sleep I would have if I actually dropped off to sleep immediately.

That is a strange expression, ‘dropping off to sleep’. It sounds as is you are falling off a log. But then some folk sleep like a log… the mind boggles! How does a log sleep?

To be serious, sleep, as we all know, is so very important as this is when our body takes care of the maintenance and repairs. Without proper sleep we are endangering our health.
With this in mind I decided to find help from the National Sleep Foundation – a great website full of helpful advice. I discovered that the sleep environment plays a big part in the ‘getting to sleep’ process.

The NSF article on this subject asks if a dripping tap keeps you awake, or the noise of a fan or a washing machine causes you some disturbance?

Have you tossed and turned because you are too hot, or too cold? What about the barking dog or cat that jumps onto your bed – have they ever disrupted your zzz’s?

Sorry, I must tell you a silly true story. When I was young, single and silly I had a stupid boxer dog who followed me everywhere – even to bed. All I can say is that happiness is sleeping against the wall in a single bed with the dog on the outside edge, Done in reverse as I found to my cost, you might as well sleep in the floor.

But back to business. Most of us recognize that the sleep environment can greatly affect how (and if) we sleep, but are you doing everything you can to make the bedroom a sleep haven? Is it time to make your bedroom more sleep-friendly? Will you try almost anything to make you sleep better? Well please take note about the sleep-stealers.

Noise and Sleep Stealers
Noises at levels as low as 40 decibels or as high as 70 decibels generally keep us awake. That means that a dripping tap can steal your sleep, as well as the next-door neighbor’s blaring stereo. These noises can have as great an impact on your sleep as ‘out-of-the-ordinary noises’. Studies show that sirens and traffic noise from a street can actually become soothing to longtime city dwellers. They would cringe at the thought of sleeping in a quiet desert or mountain climate, just as the absence of the tick, tick, tick of your favorite clock, while you try to sleep at a hotel, can become a sleep stealer.

What to do: Try to block out unwanted sounds with earplugs or use “white noise” such as a fan or an air conditioner. Take your favorite clock with you when you travel in order to recreate familiar sounds that help you sleep (as long as they will not keep your neighbors awake!)

Temperature
In most cases, temperatures above 75 degrees Fahrenheit and below 54 degrees will disrupt sleep, but even sleep researchers fail to agree on the ideal temperature for sleep. The point at which sleep is interrupted due to temperature or climate conditions varies from person to person and can be affected by bed clothes and bedding materials selected by the sleeper. In general, most sleep scientists believe that a slightly cool room contributes to good sleep. That is because it mimics what happens inside the body. The body’s internal temperature drops during the night to its lowest level. For good sleepers, this occurs about four hours after they begin sleeping.

What to do: In general, sleep scientists recommend keeping your room slightly cool — but achieving the ideal temperature is not always simple. What do you do if you and your partner disagree about room temperature? Turning the thermostat down at night in cold weather saves on fuel bills and sets the stage for sleep. Blankets, comforters or electric blankets can lock in heat without feeling too heavy or confining. Or the heat-seeking partner might dress in warmer bedclothes while the warmer partner might opt not to wear sleep clothes or bed covering. In summer, a room that is too hot can also be disruptive. In fact, research suggests that a hot sleeping environment leads to more wake time and lighter sleep at night with awakenings becoming more frequent. An air conditioner or fan can help, and a humidifier can provide relief if you are suffering from a sore throat or dryness in your nose.

Light
Much of our sleep patterns – feeling sleepy at night and awake during the day – are regulated by light and darkness. Light – strong light, like bright outdoor light (which is brighter than indoor light even on cloudy days) – is the most powerful regulator of our biological clock. The biological clock influences when we feel sleepy and when we feel alert. As a result, finding the balance of light and darkness exposure is important. Bright light helps to keep you awake during the day, but during sleep, bright lights can be disturbing.

What to do: Make sure to expose yourself to enough bright light during the day. Find time for sunlight, or purchase a light box or light visor to supplement your exposure to light. At bedtime, think dark: a dark bedroom contributes to better sleep. Try light-blocking curtains, drapes or an eye mask. If you find yourself waking earlier than you would like, try increasing your exposure to bright light in the evening. It may delay sleep onset but as little as one to two hours of evening bright light exposure may help you sleep longer in the morning. Also, make sure to avoid light if you wake up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. Minimize light by using a low illumination night-light.

Sleeping Surface
For the most part, we know people sleep better when horizontal and not cramped by space. Not much research has been done to understand the sleeping surface, but it is clear that it plays a role in getting a good night’s sleep. For example, tossing and turning on a lumpy 20-year-old mattress that does not provide support for your back or neck. This can stop you from getting the sleep you need and make you very sleepy (and stiff) the next day. Mattress experts say that too often consumers believe that ultra-firm mattresses are good for them, but research on patients with back pain found this was not true. A more supple, comforting mattress may lead to better sleep.

Also, know your pillow. Research shows that pillows house thousands of fungal spores, which can trigger allergies and compromise a weak immune system. The research shows that synthetic pillows held a greater amount of bacteria than feather pillows. One study found that synthetic pillows had as much as five times more dust-mite fecal matter than feather pillows. Feather pillows have thick casing to keeps feathers in. So, not only can a pillow affect your posture and quality of sleep, but it can also affect your allergies or asthma and make it very difficult to get a good night’s rest.

What to do: Give yourself enough space to sleep. If you share a bed with a partner, make sure it is large enough to give both of you room to move around. Replace an old mattress with a new one, and choose a pillow and mattress that fits you best (soft, firm, thick, thin?) and will be comfortable throughout the whole night. Consumer Reports recently found that consumers who spent 15 minutes or more testing each mattress at the store were more likely to be happy with their purchase. Also, consider encasing your pillow in a plastic cover under your pillowcase to keep dust-mites from interfering with your sleep and allergy or asthma symptoms.

Other Factors
Bed partners with sleep disorders can negatively impact your sleep. Have you ever been kept awake by your partner’s snoring? Or been jolted out of a sound sleep by your partner’s restless movements? If so, you are not alone. According to NSF’s Sleep in America poll, 67% of respondents reported that their partner snores, 27% said their intimate relationship was affected because they were too sleepy, and 38% said they have had problems in their relationship due to their partner’s sleep disorder.

What to do: Start off by talking to your partner about the problem. If he/she has not sought treatment for a potential sleep disorder, encourage them to see a doctor. Consider earplugs if snoring prevents your sleep. Try to create a sleeping arrangement that is comfortable for both you and your partner. Keep the lines of communication open.

TVs, computers, and work in the bedroom are sleep-stealing culprits. NSF’s Sleep in America poll found that 87% of respondents watched TV within an hour of going to bed at least a few nights a week. Doing work, watching TV and using the computer, both close to bedtime and especially in the bedroom, hinders quality sleep. Violent shows, news reports and stories before bedtime can be agitating. The sleep environment should be used only for sleep and sex.

What to do: Avoid highly engaging activities such as watching dramatic TV or doing work close to bedtime. Keep the TV and computer out of your bedroom! Make your bedroom a place that is focused around sleep.

Three in a bed
Cats and dogs can be cuddly in bed, but they may be interfering with your sleep. Anyone who has slept with another person in their bed knows that sharing a sleeping space can be disruptive, but when your four-legged friend gets added to the mix, it becomes even more complicated! While a pet can make your sleep environment more comfortable, the cat or dog is not mindful of whether it is interfering with your sleep.

What to do: Think about providing your dog or cat with a bed in your bedroom, instead of sharing your bed. Well-rested pet owners will have more energy and love to give to their pets!

My thanks to the National Sleep Foundation and Jessica Steinitz for allowing me to share this information with you. (www.sleepfoundation.org). Sweet dreams but maybe that is another story. Take care and talk again soon. Jeanne

Musicians Supporting Research

FMS Global News

Fibrohugs Support

Tenderpoints Newsletter

A THOUGHT PIECE

by Jeanne Hambleton © 2008
NFA Leader Against Pain-Advocate

Grab a cup of coffee, sit comfortably and let us begin. The papers here in the UK this weekend have been full of justice being handed out contrary to British law by groups of Muslim elders sitting judgment on those with the same religious beliefs, in a redundant public house, someone’s front parlour or elsewhere.

Whatever your feelings may be on this I think you will have to agree with me that in this country we are in a bit of a mess it seems. The Government does not seem to know if it is on it’s head or it’s heels. I am saddened when I read about the stabbings of schoolboys, the stoning and battering of good citizens trying to protect their own property, the problems from the binge drinking, increased teenage pregnancies, the turmoil faced by broken families after quickie divorces when children need a mother and father, and the general behaviour today. My parents never talked about divorce. I doubt they could have afforded to divorce. My Dad was too busy earning a small wage to put food on the table. They had their ups and downs but separate – never. They married for better or worse. As I did. Yes I am still on my first marriage after 3 children and two grandchildren, and proud of it. How have we come to this sickness of people thinking only of themselves without considering the turmoil they leave behind them and how others have to live with their thoughtlessness? .

Yes I know I can hear you say – here she goes again – on about the good old days. I seem to be on the Soap Box again – sorry about that. But you must agree we (we those of us of a certain age) did respect our parents, grandparents, elders, teachers, and of course the ‘Bobby’ on the beat. Cheek him, and he would cuff you with his firm cape. Today the children seem fearless. As one paper described them, they have become ‘feral’ groups – wild – looking for kicks at the expense of other people.

But what about us grown ups, are we any better? Would you give up your seat on the crowded 5.30pm train to a pregnant woman – or would you think she should not be travelling at rush hour? Maybe you would offer your seat on a crowded bus to a young mother and child, a granddad or someone disabled? Do you stop and help someone who has fallen over in the street or dropped all their shopping? Or do you hurry by in case it is a trick to rob you? Does your conscience encourage you to throw a 50p coin in the hat of some poor homeless soul, so as to make you feel good?

Is it not time we took stock of the way we live our lives? This could be your grandmother, your pregnant sister, or even your child who was born disabled and it is not his fault, struggling to cope without any offers of help?

I believe the trouble today is we do not have time to stop and think about anything other than ourselves, our problems, our mortgage, career, wife and children.

While I am not a church-goer, I do believe there is something else after death. I do consider I am a Christian and I would stop and help an old lady pick up her shopping or offer comfort if she fell. I was offered the same comfort when I fell.

This does make me remember something I learned at school which for no particular reason has stuck in my mind. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you!” I seem to think I heard this in RE (Religious Education).

When an email arrived on my desktop about a mother of three children and two unwashed smelly men, I felt the moral of the story was so strong that I should share it with others. I am told it is a true story – I really hope it is.

BREAKFAST AT MACDONALDS

I am a mother of three (ages 14, 12, 3) and have recently completed my college
degree. The last class I had to take was Sociology.

The teacher was absolutely inspiring with the qualities that I wish every human being had been graced with.

Her last project of the term was called, ‘Smile.’ The class was asked to go out and smile at three people and document their reactions. I am a very friendly person and always smile at everyone and say hello anyway. So, I thought this would be a piece of cake, literally.

Soon after we were assigned the project, my husband, youngest son, and I went out to McDonald’s one crisp March morning. It was just our way of sharing special playtime with our son. We were standing in line, waiting to be served, when all of a sudden everyone around us began to back away, and then even my husband did.

I did not move an inch… an overwhelming feeling of panic welled up inside of me as I turned to see why they had moved. As I turned around I smelled a horrible ‘dirty body’ smell, and there standing behind me were two poor homeless men.

As I looked down at the short gentleman, close to me, he was ‘smiling’. His beautiful sky blue eyes were full of light as he searched for acceptance.

He said, ‘Good day,’ as he counted the few coins he had been clutching. The second man fumbled with his hands as he stood behind his friend. I realized the second man was mentally challenged and the blue-eyed gentleman was his salvation. I held my tears as I stood there with them.

The young lady at the counter asked him what they wanted. He said, ‘Coffee is all Miss’ because that was all they could afford. (If they wanted to sit in the restaurant and warm up, they had to buy something. He just wanted to be warm).

Then I really felt it – the compulsion was so great I almost reached out and embraced the little man with the blue eyes.

That is when I noticed all eyes in the restaurant were set on me, judging my every action. I smiled and asked the young lady behind the counter to give me two more
breakfast meals on a separate tray.

I then walked around the corner to the table that the men had chosen as a resting spot. I put the tray on the table and laid my hand on the blue-eyed gentleman’s cold hand.

He looked up at me, with tears in his eyes, and said, ‘Thank you.’

I started to cry as I walked away to join my husband and son. When I sat down my husband smiled at me and said, ‘That is why God gave you to me, Honey, to give me hope.’

We held hands for a moment and at that time, we knew that only because of the Grace that we had been given were we able to give. We are not churchgoers, but we are believers.

I returned to college, on the last evening of class, with this story in hand. I turned in ‘my project’ and the instructor read it. Then she looked up at me and said, ‘Can I share this?’ I slowly nodded as she got the attention of the class.

She began to read and that is when I knew that we as human beings and share this need to heal people and to be healed. In my own way I had touched the people at McDonald’s, my son, instructor, and every soul that shared the classroom on the last night I spent as a college student.

I graduated with one of the biggest lessons I would ever learn – unconditional acceptance. Much love and compassion is sent to each and every person who may read this and learn how to love people and use things – not love things and use people.

She added an angel wrote many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart. To handle yourself, use your head. To handle others, use your heart. God gives every bird it’s food, but He does not throw it into its nest.

So the moral of this story is – we have got to work at it. Think about if you were in their situation? Consider if you were a mother with a small child carrying groceries and struggling and standing on a crowded bus. I will leave you with this thought – there must be more to life than thinking about ourselves.

I would love to hear your comments! What do you think? How can we change this ‘sickness’?
Talk soon. Jeanne.

FMS Global News

Fibrohugs Support

Tenderpoints Newsletter

Michael Grady and fibromyalgia awareness.

Michael Grady has recently become one of our featured artist’s on FMS Global News. We feature musicians that support fibromyalgia awareness and occasionally musicians that have overcome a disability to return to performing such as world class acoustic guitarist Billy McLaughlin and Tony Denardo of Detroits hard blues/rock band the Muggs.

“I am still feeling quite honored by how you’ve taken to my music, and especially Open Water, because It was such a strong image that I wrote that song from. Carolyn and I were at a John Gorka concert and he mentioned the frozen lakes in Minnesota, and BAM, this image from my childhood and early teens of frozen Lake Michigan hit me, and I knew it would be a song.

I grew up one quarter mile north of the Holland State Park “the mouth of Macatawa” And a good family friend actually did get swept off the pier one day, only to return in the spring. The whole song hit me in a split second, and I sat down to write it about a week later, after it had washed around in my brain for a bit.

Also, I want to thank you for making me the featured artist on your site.”

Watch Michael perform a solo version of his recent song, “Open Water” which he wrote about growing up on Lake Michigan.

This performance was part of the 2007 Summit County Songwriter’s Circle showcase.

More of Michaels music
http://www.myspace.com/michaelgradymusic

FMS Global News

Fibrohugs Support

Tenderpoints Newsletter

GROWING SUPPORT FOR FIBROMITE AHEAD OF HER TIME

by Jeanne Hambleton © 2007
NFA Leader Against Pain-Advocate

You may remember the story about Linda Allen, a UK fibromite who in spite of being severely disabled with this invisible disability has been raising FMS awareness among medical students. Her gracious offer to help anyone willing to follow her example and spread the word has resulted in a flurry of emails, mostly from the USA and Canada.

While Linda and I are both willing to help, advise and encourage anyone from anywhere to pick up the gauntlet and run with it by talking to medical students, it is surprising that so few UK sufferers have written. It is here that we believe many GPs are still blinkered as far as diagnosing fibromyalgia is concerned.

For some long time those with this awful syndrome have been telling me that their doctor suggests it is all in their head. Trust me I am a fibromite – you are not imagining the aches, pains, chronic fatigue, sleeplessness, cognitive problems and many of the other nasties that cohabit with fibromyalgia. These ARE the symptoms.

All this time I have been thinking that in Canada and the USA, where there are so many knowledgeable experts in this field, fibromites were being recognised and diagnosed far more quickly than the years it takes here in the UK.

The moral behind this thinking is, we have a huge worldwide job to raise awareness about fibromyalgia, not only in the UK but just about everywhere. With this is mind it is even more important that you contact your local health authority or training hospital and offer to be interviewed by medical students and answer questions about your fibromyalgia and any other dispositions you may have living with your FMS. I hope they will jump at the opportunity. If they do not, tell us and we will name and shame them.

I often hear fibromites say, “It is so good to be able to share my problems, pains and concerns with someone,” – here is the golden opportunity – and you can talk about yourself and your health and you could be helping to find cure. Some of those young doctors may decide to specialise in this field. Whatever they do they will have an inside knowledge of fibromyalgia and be able to recognise FMS albeit in their own surgery, in accident and emergency clinic, or a hospital ward.

If you can do this it would be a giant step for fibromyalgia and would encourage more research as the world hears about the pain we suffer. It really is up to you – Linda and I cannot do it alone.

LINDA’S ANSWERS

Linda has asked me to thank everyone who has written to her like most families with young children she has struggling to get ready for Christmas with all the trimmings to delight her young son. Linda is making a great effort to reply to you as soon as she can.

We are delighted with the support so far and hope details of these emails will encourage you to go further with raising awareness.

Jane wrote, “One minute you are pleased that there is someone out there that has fibro then you feel bad that someone must hurt like you do”. 

Bambi sent an email saying, “You are my inspiration! I just read about you in an email I receive from Tenderpoints. I meant what I said.”

Bambi who lives in the States and suffers with fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, Lupus, chronic pain syndrome, and has undergone a number of operations, is taking “a variety of med’s and still going through the motions of trying to find what works best for me.” She writes about her journey through medications and diagnosis leading to the sad and frustrating times that so many FM sufferers go through.

Regardless of her pain she writes, “When I was reading about you, all I kept thinking was that I’ve found my mentor! You see, I am a 44 year old, mother of 2, wife of 22 yrs……. for too many years I have been battling the stigma’s of living with chronic pain. I won’t go into an entire boring full biography about myself! Let me just tell you briefly, I’m an ex-dancer…jazz, ballet, that kind of dancer! HA!…..most people assume with a name like ‘Bambi’, it’s another kind of dance I used to do!   I’m a freelance artist, who on a good day is lucky enough to work on sketching, painting, or some kind of inspiration I may have. I have a positive outlook the majority of the time.

“I say it this way because I feel it’s important to allow yourself to have those days that are bad, let your body heal itself, rest, etc. We have earned the right to every now and then have a little ‘bitch’ session. I think it is healthy to vent every now and then! I also feel though it is our fault we have what we have, we have to learn to accept what we can’t help, (not give into it though!) It is not anyone else’s fault that we feel bad, so why should they have to suffer too. I try to keep a good sense of humor, a smile even when I hurt….I can be in pain but still be glad I have my family.

(Hi Bambi I am the writer with FMS and it is not your fault. It is now thought to be genetic and if you ask your parents and grand parents you may find some have suffered very bad arthritis, rheumatism or fibrositis. If we have the gene it only takes a trauma or stress for an A type personality – workaholic – to trigger the fibromyalgia. I write this as a patient with no medical training, but this is what I have heard from medical experts. However I do agree you should not take your suffering out on other people and a positive outlook is so very important. Jeanne)

“Anyway, my point is that, through out this entire “journey” of chronic pain, I figured there is someway I can help, so other people don’t have to go through what I have had to endure! I admire what you and your Doctor are doing and would love to do the same!….I know, I apologize, I could have said this at the beginning, in one sentence!”
Bambi signed her email with “peace, laughter & miracles”.

Linda told her, “You have to have a sense of humour to survive being fibromyalgic…. life is for living is what I say and I refuse to sit in a chair and rock for the next 50 years!! I am not into feeling sorry for myself at all. It is counter productive and I am with you on the positive attitude thing, you have got to have this or you will go under. So you sound like an ideal candidate for doing what I am doing, chatting to medical students on an informal basis and educating them about ourselves, our condition and the whole shebang we go through for a diagnosis, treatment, support and help. Think about it, you’d be fab!!”

Catherine from somewhere in New York who read Linda’s story in Tenderpoints (from Fibrohugs) thanked her so very much for what she is doing for all FMS patients around the world.

She wrote, “I see a rheumatologist at a teaching hospital here in upstate New York, and I think I shall print this for him.  He always wants to learn and I wonder if I would ever have your strength.  Even if I didn’t, your story may be just what I need.”
Catherine signs herself a partner in FMS/CFIDS.

Karen has had FMS for seven years and writes, “When I read about what your doing, I thought that this lady is doing exactly what I have been wanting to do for years now. And I go for treatment for the perfect place for it. That is Oklahoma University Research Hospital. We call it OU for short. But my thinking has always been that this is such a complex disease that you would have to be a teacher just to discuss it, because 15 minutes with your GP just doesn’t get it.

“And only someone with this disease can tell you in detail anything about it and it takes a long time to do that because there is so much to tell. I would love to share my knowledge with some soon to be Doctors. This is where I know you will understand that we know a lot more than they do about FMS because we were forced to learn about what was wrong with us because nobody could tell us. All I ever heard was, ‘I am sorry for you but I can’t help you and good luck. Hope you don’t end up in a wheel chair.’

“I have never written to anybody else that has this disease, but your story was the one that turned on the light. I hope to hear from you, God Bless You.”

Mary who works in the medical profession in the States said she was given news of Linda’s story by a holistic nurse who has been helping her with pain control.
Diagnosed with fibromyalgia after many years of ‘non-diagnoses’ she said the problem was not only an unawareness on the physicians part, but her own unwillingness to accept it because of the attitudes I have encountered for quite some time of the doctors who label FMS as a non-existent disorder.”

Mary suggests these doctors think fibromyalgia is something, “We give patients to pacify them when they need a diagnosis”. In other words – for all the hypochondriacs out there.

“It angers me to think about it now, because these physicians have labeled me as such and put me on anti-depressants. Now I hear behind my back from their nurses and assistants that they diagnose fibromyalgia but don’t believe it,” she said adding she was frustrated and disillusioned with medicine.

Linda suggests the physician “desperately need educating into the severity of the condition you deal with 24/7. I could send you some information specifically for doctors to print off if you like? Maybe it would give them a kick up the butt? It couldn’t hurt to try eh?”

Joan from Canada said she could relate to Linda’s fibromyalgia and back problems. She suggests, “I have a specialist here in Toronto who insists fibro is related to disruption of the discs in the back and neck. Certainly the activity and especially horseback riding would contribute to your fibro. I have been on long term disability for 12 years now and everything she has directed me to do has been right. We do walk a very fine line in fibro. If we do too much we will relapse. 

“I admire the work you are doing in educating young would-be doctors and students. It is something I have wanted to do for a long, long time. I just did not know quite how to get started. 

“I felt such a pull in my heart when I read your bio, I just wanted to share with you what I believe has helped me.  Maybe it will help you too! We are the same age. Too young to let life pass us by!” said Joan.

Gloria who I think is also from the States offered congratulations to Linda for stepping up and adds, “I, like you, have had fibromyalgia since about the 1980′s, maybe even longer.  I was (and still am) very active, although I tire easily.  The specialty doctor that I saw at that time discovered my “trigger points” but he did not have a name for the illness.  Unfortunately, my regular GP was not the greatest.  I had a terrible flare-up about 7 or 8 years ago.  I went to my GP with a list of my symptoms.  He looked at the list, looked at me and told me that “someone who writes a list like this is mental.”  This was someone that I trusted my health with for over forty years.  I quickly changed physicians.  I started with an internist about a month later, gave the same list to him.  He took x-rays and blood work, sat for an hour asking me questions and told me to return in three weeks.  When I returned, he had all of the test results in hand.  We talked some more and he mentioned “myalgia.”  I asked him if he said fibromyalgia.  He said, “No, do you think you have that?”  I said I don’t know, but I had just heard of it.  He tested the trigger points and diagnosed me that day with fibromyalgia.  It has been a blessing to find a doctor that listens and is empathetic to the pain that FMS involves. I live with pain on a daily basis and some days are worse/better than others.”

This is just another story which shows just how important it is to educate the medical students and the young doctors who are willing to listen.

Jackie has such empathy with Linda she suggests, “I felt as if I were reading my life and medical condition on the page.  I have written to the FFC here in the states but have gotten no reply as of yet.  They have several centers here in the US but none are very close to me and you have to do your first visit in person, after that they do something either thru mail or something.  But it’s too hard for me to travel, as you probably know. I think my fibro was partially caused by having rheumatic fever twice as a child.  In my teens I had great pain, then they called ‘growing pains’. 

“I like you was active even after diagnosis until I just could not do it anymore.  It hurts so bad emotionally not to be able to do what I used to do. 

“In the past my son in law said that my house was so clean you could eat off the floors.  I am not able to do that anymore.  Nor do the things I want to do. And I agree with you that a loss can cause a real fibro flare, because I lost my youngest grandson age 16 in June.  The only way I can survive that is knowing that he is with God.

“Thank you so much for your article.  Just having someone out there that I can  “cry” to means a lot. Now I have to go, my back is hurting so bad. Love. A sister in fibro,”

Brenda who I think is from California (emails give little away) wrote and said,
“Thank you for your story particularly the “letter to normals” that I have sent this on to friends and family as it sums up how I feel. I would like to help spread the word. What can I do to help?”

Although Brenda believes her GP will not be very helpful she told Linda, “I do have an appointment with my rheumatologist in January so will ask her if I can talk to med students.”

Brenda who labels FMS as ‘the beast’, tells Linda. “It is very difficult here to get anything prescribed for pain as people have a tendency to sue their doctor if they get addicted to the drug. I had to give my GP a letter promising him not to sue him so he would give me a script for valium so I could sleep at night as the flexeril was no longer working. Anyway I am taking 4mg at night and it has helped tremendously so far. But I am stuck with over the counter pain killers which on bad days just aren’t effective. I have bought a couple of books on fibromyagia recently and it seems there is more research money being invested as FMS is on the rise.”

Encouraging Brenda to take up the challenge Linda replied, “I started speaking to medical students about our much misunderstood condition as they need to do ‘practice consultations’ as part of their training and speak to people who have a chronic pain condition.”

Betty who wrote to Linda about specific enzyme based natural medication which had worked for her own for back pains, added, “Today’s doctors still have no answers as I have fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue plus the latest visit to the doctor has her looking at something called Polymyalgia. I think that is what she called it. The only thing that helps that is Prednisone and I refuse to go on steroids, so I’m hoping the blood tests come back negative for that condition. Take care… and keep the faith.”

Replying Linda thanked Betty and is humbled by her kind words. She added the message “reaffirms my faith in humanity and for that I thank you from the bottom of my heart”.

Having invited the world to keep in touch with us, it occurs to me that as fibromyalgia fighters we should perhaps come together as a VIRTUAL FIBROMYALGIA AWARENESS GROUP.

This would allow us all to enjoy the successes of others and help with the few disappointments, if any, of trying to raise awareness about this rotten invisible disability. We will protect your privacy and will not divulge or print anything other than your first name and maybe the country in which you live…unless you instruct us otherwise or include your own email in the text.

If there is enough support for the idea we thought that for membership of our elite VFAG you should have FMS, CFS/ME or be a carer for someone with these disabilities. We will do our best to print your stories – maybe not always in full and will reserve the right to edit anything which may be deemed as offensive or likely to have any legal connotation.

I would ask you to send me your emails with information your endeavours to raise awareness with medical students or doctors, or in any other way, highlighting any publicity you have managed to achieve, with copies to both Linda and I.

We hope you will share your triumphs with others and we will ‘move mountains’ and raise awareness. With enough support we will start our own weblog where you will be published and able to tell our friends.

We are depending on you. Please email me at jeannehambleton@mac.com and Linda at lindajaneallen@hotmail.co.uk and with your success stories. You can also find me on
http://jeannehambleton77.wordpress.com

Take care. Keep well and go to it. Jeanne

FMS Global News

Fibrohugs Support

Tenderpoints Newsletter

Detroits Best Music

MAKING MEMORIES AND SOBERING THOUGHTS FOR FIBROMITES

by Jeanne Hambleton © 2007
NFA Leader Against Pain-Advocate
 
I well remember how much I enjoyed Gene Kelly’s performance in the film “Singing in the Rain”. It made me feel so good, in spite of the bad weather, and between us, I really felt like being silly, running outside in the rain and singing my head off. But as my dear late Dad would have said, “Here’s a penny. Go in the next street!” That does not say much for my voice but the thought was there.

It is odd but these days you seldom hear children singing while playing. Do they still teach singing in school – all those pomp and circumstance songs like ‘Jerusalem’, ‘Land of Hope and Glory’ to name but two? Most children seem to know, ‘You’ll never walk alone’, but I guess that is down to the football fans. I seem to think we were encouraged to sing to get some fresh air in our lungs. I even remember doing breathing exercises at school – that must have been when Adam was a lad!

It also seems as if most children do not want to play in the rain and hate to get wet. What happy childhood memories come back when you see a picture of a young child in a hooded raincoat with wellies splashing in big puddles and giggling? I would think Health & Safety and the PC (Politically Correct) Brigade would have something to say about that these days – too dangerous – the child will slip over and hurt itself.

All this talk about singing and dancing in the rain brings me nicely to a little story, which I hope you will enjoy. To be truthful I am hoping to start an epidemic of people singing and dancing in the rain and getting them washed while they are at it. We could change the words, “I’m singing and washing in the rain”. Read on and you will understand where I am coming from. Regrettably I cannot remember which fibromite sent it to me – fibro fog – but thanks.
 
IT’S RAINING

A little girl had been shopping with her Mom in Zellers. She must have been 6 years old, this beautiful red haired, freckle faced image of innocence. It was pouring with rain outside the store. It was the kind of rain that gushes over the top of rain gutters, so much in a hurry to hit the earth it has no time to flow down the spout. We all stood there under the awning and just outside the door of Zellers.

We waited, some patiently, others irritated because it messed up their hurried day.  I am always mesmerized by rainfall.  I got lost in the sound and sight of the heavens washing away the dirt and dust of the world. Memories of running, splashing so carefree as a child came pouring in as a welcome reprieve from the worries of my day.

The little voice was so sweet as it broke the hypnotic trance we were all caught in.
“Mom, let’s run through the rain,” she said.

 ”What?” Mom asked.

“Lets run through the rain!” she repeated.

“No, Honey. We’ll wait until it slows down a bit,” Mom replied.

This young child waited about another minute and repeated: “Mom, let’s run through the rain,”

“We’ll get soaked if we do,” Mom said.

“No, we won’t, Mom.  That’s not what you said this morning,” the young girl said as she tugged at her Mom’s arm.

“This morning?  When did I say we could run through the rain and not get wet?”

“Don’t you remember?  When you were talking to Daddy about his cancer, you said, ‘If God can get us through this, He can get us through anything!’”

The entire crowd stopped dead silent.  I swear you couldn’t hear anything but the rain.  We all stood silently.  No one came or left in the next few moments.

 Mom paused and thought for a moment about what she would say.  Now some would laugh it off and scold the child for being silly.  Some might even ignore what was said.  But this was a moment of affirmation in a young child’s life:  a time when innocent trust can be nurtured so that it will bloom into faith.

“Honey, you are absolutely right.  Let’s run through the rain.  If GOD lets us get wet, well maybe we just needed washing,” Mom said.

Then off they ran.  We all stood watching, smiling and laughing as they darted past the cars and, yes, through the puddles.  They held their shopping bags over their heads just in case.  They got soaked.  But they were followed by a few who screamed and laughed like children all the way to their cars.

And, yes, I did.  I ran.  I got wet.  I needed washing.

Circumstances or people can take away your material possessions.  They can take away your money, and they can also take away your health.  But no one can ever take away your precious memories.  So, don’t forget to make time and take the opportunities to make memories everyday.

“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” Ecclesiastes 3:1

I hope you still take the time to run through the rain. They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them, but then an entire life to forget them. Share this story with the people you’ll never forget.  It’s a short message and it will let them know that you’ll never forget them.

If you don’t tell anyone, it means you’re in a hurry.  A pity! Take the time to live!!!

Keep in touch with your friends.  You never know when you’ll need each other or you no longer can keep in touch – and don’t forget to run in the rain!

FMS Global News

Fibrohugs Support

Tenderpoints Newsletter

Phoenix Rising Researcher of the Year, Paper of the Year and Top Ten Papers

by Cort Johnson © 2007

This is coming a bit late but I encourage you to take a look back at 2006.

2006- “The Year of Innovation” – was a extraordinarily interesting year in ME/CFS as researchers again and again applied cutting edge technology in their efforts to understand it These efforts resulted in important advances Phoenix Risingin gene expression, heredity, brain research, the search for a biomarker and more. 2006 also produced the most clear cut (and controversial) winner of the Research Group of the Year award. Check these papers out – they give one hope for the future.

● The Phoenix Rising Research Group of the Year

● The Research Paper of the Year and the Top Ten

A new edition of the newsletter will be coming up soon as well as an end of year edition focusing on ME/CFS stories.

Yours truly,

Cort

Stress, depression high among Canadian peacekeepers

By Communications Staff

Thursday, December 13, 2007 Canada’s peacekeepers suffer similar rates of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders (PTSD) as combat, war-zone soldiers, according to a London, Ont. research team.
Psychiatrist J. Donald Richardson and his co-investigators also found that PTSD rates and severity were associated with younger age, single marital status and deployment frequency.

Richardson is a consultant psychiatrist with the Operational Stress Injury Clinic at Parkwood Hospital, part of St. Joseph’s Health Care, London and a professor with the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at The University of Western Ontario.

His team conducted a random, national survey of more than 1,000 Canadian peacekeeping veterans with service-related disabilities. The participants were below the age of 65 and had served with the Canadian Forces from 1990 to 1999.

The research, published in the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, found a third of veterans deployed more than once suffered probable clinical depression, and 30 per cent of those deployed one time were affected.

The rates of probable PTSD were 11 per cent for those deployed once and 15 per cent for those deployed more than once. The authors also found peacekeepers were more likely to have PTSD and more severe symptoms if they were young, single, or had multiple deployments.

“This study has important clinical implications because understanding such risk factors can help predict potential psychiatric problems in veterans who have been deployed,” says Richardson.

“The high rates of depression observed in deployed veterans can have a significant impact when they seek treatment for PTSD because depression must be aggressively treated to help patients respond more effectively to psychotherapy.”

“Many veterans are also living and working in the community as civilians, therefore it is important that primary care physicians and psychiatrists become more knowledgeable about the emotional impact of military deployment and screen for possible PTSD,” says Richardson.

The Operational Stress Injury Clinic is funded by Veterans Affairs Canada and provides specialized services to help veterans and members of the Canadian Forces deal with PTSD, anxiety, depression or addiction resulting from military service.

ContactActing Publisher:
Ted Garrard (egarrard@uwo.ca)

Editor:
David Dauphinee (newseditor@uwo.ca)

Reporter/Photographer:
Paul Mayne (pmayne@uwo.ca)

Reporter/Photographer:
Bob Klanac
(rklanac@uwo.ca)

Advertising Coordinator:
Denise Jones (advertise@uwo.ca)

Off-Campus Advertising Sales:
Chris Amyot, Campus Ad (campusad@sympatico.ca)

National Advertising Representative:
Campus Plus

Phone:
(519) 661-2045

Fax:
(519) 661-3921

Mail:
Western News
Suite 360
361 Westminster College,
The University of Western Ontario,
LONDON N6A 3K7

FMS Global News

Fibrohugs Support

Tenderpoints Newsletter

Source

Coping styles in fibromyalgia: effect of co-morbid posttraumatic stress disorder.

Ablin JN, Cohen H, Neumann L, Kaplan Z, Buskila D.
Institute of Rheumatology, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, 6 Weizman St., Tel-Aviv, 64239, Israel, ajacob@post.tau.ac.il.

To analyze coping styles of fibromyalgia (FM) patients with specific emphasis on differences in coping styles between fibromyalgia patients with and without post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Seventy-seven consecutive patients (40 women and 37 men) who fulfilled ACR criteria for FM, and 48 healthy controls, completed questionnaires measuring prevalence and severity of PTSD symptoms, including the structured clinical interview for DSM-III-R-non-patient edition (SCID-NP) and the clinician administered PTSD scale (CAPS). Subjects were divided into two groups based on the presence or absence of PTSD symptoms. Subsequently, coping styles were measured using the Albert Einstein College of Medicine (AECOM) Coping Style Questionnaire. Student t tests were used to compare the means of quantitative variables, and proportions were compared by Chi square tests. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the scores of the FM patients with and without PTSD, as well as to estimate the effect of gender on psychiatric variables. FM patients exhibit significantly higher levels of suppression (P < 0.00001), help-seeking (P < 0.007), replacement (P < 0.003), substitution (P < 0.002), and reversal (P < 0.004) compared with healthy controls. FM patients with PTSD and without PTSD differed significantly only on the suppression subscale (P < 0.02). FM patients that have PTSD presented higher suppression scores compared to FM patients without PTSD. No significant difference was noted on scales of minimization, help-seeking, replacement, blame, substitution, mapping, and reversal. Our results have delineated coping patterns of FM patients, identifying suppression, help-seeking, replacement, substitution and replacement as strategies more common among these patients. We further identified suppression as the only coping style significantly more common among FM patients with co-morbid PTSD then among FM patients without such a diagnosis. Our results may serve to further characterize cognitive and behavioral aspects of FM patients and subsequently guide therapeutic interventions.

PMID: 18058105 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

1: Rheumatol Int. 2007 Dec 6 [Epub ahead of print]

FMS Global News

Fibrohugs Support

Tenderpoints Newsletter

Source

PETROL PROTESTS FROM SATURDAY

by Jeanne Hambleton © 2007
NFA Leader Against Pain-Advocate

A blog inviting comments from UK motorists about the hike in fuel costs and a protest, launched by Brendan McLoughlin from his website petrolprices.com has attracted more than 2600 signatures in 36 hours with overwhelming support for a fuel protest. The response has so far been far greater than the signatures received for many of the e-petitions for the eyes of the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown.

These are just a few of the pointed comments and criticisms of the fuel tax.

….the poor old pensioner is hit hard – I only wish my pension went up pro rata to fuel
……£1.08 a litre, compared to Tunisia where it was 22 pence a litre
……stop this legalised theft from the British driver
……RIP OFF Britain strikes again
……the government must be brought to task
……the obscene tax on fuel and ready to protest
……get a horse and cart, or protest?
……the government is shafting us at every angle

With such support in a short time, comments on the petrol blog have offered over whelming backing for action and a protest, with a very small minority opposed to blockades. When I last looked less than 36 hours after the first posting there were over 2600 comments and it was growing by the minute.

My poor e-petition for more funding for research for fibromyalgia appears to have stagnated at just over 550 signatures and I have been going on about that for months. Sadly it ends on 23 January 2008 when the Gordon Brown’s man will write back and say ‘tough’. Just in case I will leave the address here if you feel like giving me a bit of support before we get back to petrol http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/FIBROFUNDING/.

My grateful thanks to Brendan McLoughlin who this morning, Monday, sent me notice of likely petrol protests later this week. It is not what you know but who you know that counts!

Brendan, runs a very successful PetrolPrice.com newsletter service advising readers of the cheapest fuel prices within 5 miles of their home and this information can help you save money on petrol. His website, petrolprices.com, been working with a group called Transaction 2007 who have the latest news about plans for petrol protests.

The email I received today indicated protests were likely to happen from Wednesday but this now looks like action will be taken next Saturday… but it could be any time.

I hope Brendan can forgive me for quoting his email and website but, like me, I am sure he wants as many people as possible to be aware of what is happening.

We all know why it is happening and most of us are all disgusted at the tax levied by the Government on fuel, which adds insult to injury for the poor motorists and indeed ultimately the cost of living. As if we do not have enough problems with the growth of yellow speed cameras everywhere we look! Most thieves come in the dead of night and take maybe your TV, DVD, a bit of cash and jewellery and usually only strike once. But this ‘theft’ goes on week after week, year after year.

When travelling abroad I stand at petrol pumps with my jaw dropping at the price per litre. That, the cost of living and the government’s lousy governing is enough to make you emigrate.

While I have every sympathy with each and every motorists (I am one too), my heart goes out to the disabled and their carers – those with long term chronic pain, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, ME, arthritis – many living on benefits – who use their cars as their lifeline. If you read the national press you will see that many elderly folk cannot afford to keep themselves warm, quite apart from paying over £1 a litre for petrol to get themselves to their doctor for their check-up, or collect their prescription, or have tests at the hospital. I wonder are they trying to kill off the disabled and the old folks and starve the rest of us to death with higher food, fuel and heating costs? When I say the Government I guess I am talking about Gordon Brown and his Cabinet. So no offence to those good guys (MPs) who have been helping some of us. But enough of my soapbox chatter

Read what Brendan has to say – and my grateful thanks to him for telling us –

Dear Jeanne,

Last week I was informed that a group called Transaction 2007 had plans this weekend to release a statement announcing some kind of protest action relating to the price of fuel in the UK. I have just read a statement published on their web site in which they have confirmed that they are going to organise legal protest action, and that it could begin as early as this Wednesday.

I have got more on the PetrolPrices.com blog about this:

http://www.petrolprices.com/blog/petrol-price-protests-planned-for-this-wednesday-86.html

We will of course be following the story as it unfolds next week to keep you informed. If you want to express your opinion about the plans you can do so on our blog, as always, by leaving your comments and voting in our polls.

Regards,
Brendan

Brendan McLoughlin
Co-Founder
PetrolPrices.com
telephone: 0844 8160025
email: brendan@petrolprices.com

The website he refers to reads:
A group called Transaction 2007 is planning a “nationwide legal protest” this Wednesday.

You might remember the fuel protest of 2000, which initially gathered strong support from motorists. However, that support quickly turned when many motorists were prevented from filling up because of lorry blockades.

PetrolPrices.com expressed to the organisers that they might find public support for another fuel protest providing it was properly planned to be legal and orderly. So far, the Transaction 2007 organisers have been unwilling to confirm to us specifically what action they have planned for this week. When we pressed the group’s spokesman, Chris Hunter, he said, “This will be a numbers game levied against legislation. I can comment no further.”

With fuel breaking well beyond the £1 barrier, PetrolPrices.com has had a huge rise in the number of emails from concerned motorists. People were especially angry following the last fuel duty hike imposed by the Government in October. Despite being made aware of the huge resistance from motorists, the Government pushed ahead with the 2p duty increase, leaving the public frustrated and angry. Over 80,000 people had voted against the tax hike on our blog post.

The protests of 2000 achieved some success in that the fuel duty escalator was frozen. However, it has now resumed and with the rising price of oil motorists are paying ever increasing taxation due to VAT on fuel. Unlike fuel duty, which is fixed, VAT is charged at 17.5%, so for every 1p increase in the price of fuel, we are actually paying an extra 1.175p.

We’d love to hear what you think. How have the tax and oil price rises affected you? Will you be forced to tighten your belt this Christmas as a result?

UPDATE: This morning (10/12/07) Transaction 2007 announced a firm date for the protest. Protests will start Saturday 15th December 2007 at 10:00am. They say the date was decided by members as “the best possible to enable those who would normally be working during the week to attend.” According to a press release on the site, they plan to protest outside refineries or storage depots across the country.

THE COMMENTS

Do log on to the website mentioned in Brendan’s letter as you will get the chance to make comments about the petrol situation on Brendan’s blog and VOTE on do you think the government should have acted before these protests? YES or NO.

In the first hour there were already 75 comments with cab drivers lorry drivers, and the public willing to get behind any protest.

The support is overwhelming for the protest with calls cut the tax with comments -
Very soon I’m not even going to be able to afford to drive to work which will mean no pay….no job no home etc! Where exactly do they get off charging us these prices? Where I live to get public transport to work would cost me over £12 each way just to go by bus…hello?????????

Rising fuel prices add to the cost of virtually everything. Fuel eats into already thinly spread fixed incomes, but the government doesn’t seem to care.

I think you have heard me say this numerous times – it is time to write to your MP not only for fibromyalgia but for fuel tax

We MUST act together and hit the government hard – write to your MP and tell him unless he starts to act on your behalf then you’ll be looking for a new MP – remember that this government was elected and can be elected out…

The government and their taxes are a joke. Gordon Brown needs to improve public transport or lower fuel duty, or he could very well be out of a job come the next general election

I am absolutely disgusted in the Government’s behaviour in handling our taxes and fuel duties. I was part of the protestors at Kingsbury last time but, yes you’ve guessed it, they’re threatening to get the army in if we do it again. I say, LET’S DO IT AGAIN. They can’t arrest all of us if we all stand for the same thing can they? The prison’s are already over-full and can’t cope! It’s about time everyone in this country stood up for themselves. Are we going to let Gordon Brown bully us into submission??

The levels of taxation on fuel here are totally unjustified given the seriously poor public transport as an alternative.

It’s time we acted to show Brown how seriously unhappy we are with this stealth tax

If the government tried living on average wages they would see what a struggle life is already is without this outrageous tax hike!

I can understand why so many British people are now trying to emigrate, and that’s because they are all fed up of being robbed not by criminals but by our own government. I wouldn’t be surprised if we are taxed to breathe next.

Gordon – I’m sure you can save money by not paying so many benefits to lazy people and immigrants!!!

Posted by Peter, 9th December 2007 10:35pm
The reality is that oil is a finite resource, and as there becomes less of it then it will become more expensive. If you choose to live miles from where you work or work miles from where you live then you have to face the costs of your choices. Don’t blame everyone else for the consequences of your own decisions, particularly the government.
Posted by Steve, 9th December 2007 10:39pm
I take it that peter has a good well paid job and can afford to live in a built up area. Blockade now!

Personally I think this was this written by Gordon’s new spin doctor – could it be Alistair C.? If you want to receive e-mails from Brendan about the changeable petrol prices and the cheapest pump near you visit PetrolPrices.com to be added to his address book. It is a great service. If you want a good read – have a go at the blog. I could not get to the end it grew so fast.

I am thinking of getting a horse and cart. I might be late for work every day but I will blame Gordon Brown. He has got broad shoulders. The manure will be good for my rhubarb. I will keep you posted. Talk soon.

Jeanne

FMS Global News

Fibrohugs support

Tenderpoints Newsletter