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Four Components of True Health – Mental Health

Posted on by Michelle Fritsch, Pharm.D.
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Mental health is one of four components of total health

Mental health is the second of the four components of health. True health requires health in all four components. Last week we covered physical health. Over the next two weeks we will talk about each of the others separately.

Mental health is getting more attention as an essential component of health.  It requires a health system of diagnosis, treatment, and management similar to physical health. Insurance has historically not provided as much coverage for mental health compared with physical. But, finally, that is changing in a very positive way!

A new set of diagnostic standards was published in 2013. This update came after over 10 years of work to refine and identify diagnoses since the previous set of guidelines. The standards cover everything from neurodevelopment disorders (such as autism), schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression to anxiety.  They also cover obsessive-compulsive disorder, trauma and stress-related disorders, eating disorders, substance abuse, phobias, and personality disorders.

There are several classes of medications that are prescribed to manage mental health conditions. Some examples include neuroleptics (also called antipsychotics), antidepressants, antianxiety medications, and some medications that are also used to treat seizures.

So what can you do to improve your mental health?

Consistency is very important with mental health. Accurate diagnosis is obviously also key.

These conditions are complex. They are true biologic medical conditions. Sometimes people think these conditions are something someone can control by him/herself. That can lead to shame, denial, or avoidance of these complex conditions. They DO require medical care.

From mentalhealth.gov:

Myth: Personality weakness or character flaws cause mental health problems. People with mental health problems can snap out of it if they try hard enough.

Fact: Mental health problems have nothing to do with being lazy or weak and many people need help to get better. Many factors contribute to mental health problems, including:

  • Biological factors, such as genes, physical illness, injury, or brain chemistry
  • Life experiences, such as trauma or a history of abuse
  • Family history of mental health problems

People with mental health problems can get better and many recover completely.

Counseling is often an essential component of care for these conditions. Qualified counselors listen, coach, and strategize. They can also help diagnose and participate in therapy decisions. They can educate and work with the person with the  condition and with all family and caregivers, as approved by the patient.

So mental health conditions are medical conditions just like cancer and diabetes are medical conditions. They are treated with counseling, procedures, and medications. Many require lifetime management (versus one time treatment). So, relationships with the healthcare team are important. You want providers with whom you are comfortable and can be open.

Note, for many mental health conditions, especially depression, medication needs to be taken every day for up to two months to see the full benefit. The medication very gradually changes transmitters in the brain back to healthy amounts. So, please be patient and take the medicine faithfully.

For more information about mental health, please contact us at www.medsmash.com.

BIBLICAL APPLICATION

Mental illness impacts people of faith just as it impacts people who have never heard about Christ. So, can God use mental illness for His glory? Can anything good come from struggling with mental illness?

I believe God can use any of our weaknesses, any of our conditions, to His glory. Nothing is beyond His ability.

John 16:33 ESV

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.

2 Corinthians 12:9 ESV

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Luke 1:37 ESV

For nothing will be impossible with God.

In the Bible, mental illness is sometimes referred to as having an ‘afflicting demon’. Understanding of mental health continues to grow. The medical/biological understanding of these conditions is much better understood than they were in Biblical days, but there are still questions to be answered.

Matthew 4:24-25 The Message (MSG)

He also healed people of their diseases and of the bad effects of their bad lives. Word got around the entire Roman province of Syria. People brought anybody with an ailment, whether mental, emotional, or physical. Jesus healed them, one and all. More and more people came, the momentum gathering. Besides those from Galilee, crowds came from the “Ten Towns” across the lake, others up from Jerusalem and Judea, still others from across the Jordan.(emphasis mine)

The multiple components of total health – physical, mental, emotional, spiritual – are recognized throughout the Bible. Mental health conditions require treatment and must be addressed to reach a state of true health.

There is no shame. Again, these conditions have biological sources. We are called to love and support each other.   Education, understanding, and unconditional love can help us help each other find God’s purposes in each of our afflictions.

Blessings,

Michelle

Image Source:  National Institute on Aging; National Institutes of Health; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

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Too hot, too cold? Do you have hypothyroidism?

Posted on by Michelle Fritsch, Pharm.D.

Thyroid glandThere can be several reasons you are cold or hot more than the people around you. One of those reasons can be your thyroid.  If your thyroid is underactive, you could have hypothyroidism.

Normally, your body has this ingenious feedback loop that keeps your thyroid hormone levels just right. The two key hormones produced in your thyroid are triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4). When these are at the correct levels, your thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) controls their production. When more is needed, it stimulates more. When no more is needed, it does not stimulate more.

Hypothyroidism

The most common thyroid medical condition is hypothyroidism, or an underactive thyroid. In this case, the TSH keeps going up and up but the needed amounts of extra T3 and T4 are not produced.

Some of the common symptoms of hypothyroidism are:

  • feeling cold all the time
  • feeling sluggish or tired
  • brittle nails and hair
  • weight gain

The most common and very effective treatment for hypothyroidism is levothyroxine. A common brand name is Synthroid. It is T4 that is given to replace the T4 your thyroid is no longer producing. Giving T4 in this form is enough to bring your TSH back to normal levels. It is not necessary to take both T4 and T3; several studies have now demonstrated this. Each dose has a different color. This helps you and your prescriber keep track of exactly what dose you are taking.

When you are first started on levothyroxine, your prescriber will probably have you get blood drawn to check your TSH about 2 months after you start therapy, every 3-6 months until your dose has your TSH right in the goal range, then it will be checked at least yearly. It is common for your dose to change several times, in the first year especially, until the correct dose is identified to keep your TSH at the target level.

When you take levothyroxine, you should take it either first thing in the morning about an hour before breakfast or at the last part of your day at least 3 hours after your last meal. There are several foods and other medications that can interact with levothyroxine. Keeping it separated from your other medicines and meals helps to avoid these interactions.

Note, you especially to do not want to take it near milk or other dairy products, vitamins, or some cholesterol medicines. Taking levothyroxine too close to some of these foods and medicines can make the levothyroxine less effective.

A common question is about brand versus generic when taking levothyroxine. Either is truly fine. What you don’t want to do is switch back and forth. There can be a very tiny variance (2.5%) between medicine made by different manufacturers. For most medicines that makes no difference. Levothyroxine is a ‘narrow therapeutic index’ medication. This means the range from too little to too much is very small. So, the tiny variation between products can make a difference. I recommend generic, but ask your pharmacist to always give you the generic from the same manufacturer.

If you suspect you might be hypothyroid, please talk with your doctor. The most common age to be diagnosed with hypothyroidism is in your 40’s and 50’s, but it can be identified at younger or older ages.

For more information about your thyroid and medications to treat thyroid conditions, contact us at www.medsmash.com.

BIBLICAL APPLICATION

We just read about the amazing feedback loop of the thyroid gland. It is a perfectly designed system that keeps itself in constant check. (Unless it is harmed by disease or other outside influences).

This makes me think of a feedback loop described by Paul. It is not necessarily a comfortable feedback loop, but I know I have seen the truth of it in my own life. And, when I look at those people that have been big spiritual mentors to me, I can definitely see the realities of this feedback loop in their lives. I have yet to find a spiritually mature person who hasn’t experienced this feedback loop more than once.

So, what is the loop?

Romans 5:3-5 ESV

More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Slide1

The part that we sometimes miss is that this is a continuous loop. It’s just each time you go through it, the better you are able to ‘REJOICE’ in the suffering knowing that the love is continuous. The loop always involves suffering – something bad is happening to you. But, the more you embrace the love that is yours no matter what, the braver and more joyful you can be with each time around the loop.

So buckle up. The next round is coming! Experience it with the joy that God’s love never fails.

Blessings,

Michelle

Image Source:  National Library of Medicine; National Institutes of Health; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Snowed – Are you missing out on life needlessly?

Posted on by Michelle Fritsch, Pharm.D.

 

Winter
Avoid that ‘snowed’ feeling from medication

 

How often do you feel “snowed”? Do you feel a lack of motivation? Is your thinking sharp? Is it hard to get the energy to get off the couch? Do you nod off when you sit down? Does your thinking seem fuzzy? Do you have trouble keeping up with conversations?

Medications can make you feel ‘snowed’

Now I ask you, do you take medicine for:

Your ‘snowed’ feeling could be a result of your medication. Many of the medicines used to treat these problems have this side effect. This is especially true if you take more than one or if the dose is too high.

Sometimes there are other medicine or non-medication options that will avoid these side effects. At least a trial of a lower dose might help.

Be sure to discuss your concerns with your doctor before making any changes.

Do you wonder if you might be taking one of these medicines or experiencing this type of side effect? Contact us at www.medsmash.com.

As you might imagine, where I live we had about 30 inches of snow recently. Everywhere we look we see snow.   It is beautiful for a while. It is fresh and clean and bright. The ability to take a break is refreshing. When you know you can’t go anywhere, it is easier to give yourself permission to read a book or relax in front of a favorite movie.

There are times, especially with certain injuries or emotional traumas, when medication-induced relaxation is warranted. In these cases, extra care for safety from falls and avoidance of driving are important.

But, this is not a long-term desirable state. So, again, if you are experiencing this ‘snowed’ feeling on your regular daily medication regimen, let’s see what can be done to wake you back up.

BIBLICAL APPLICATION

Do you feel like you’re lacking focus and clarity?

Are you distracted by negative thoughts and/or worries?

Do you find you are working from one to-do to another with no time to think or plan?

Do distractions and daily activities override prayer? This is a common excuse for not spending time with God and in the Bible. I have certainly made this excuse and continue to do so.

Yet, there is more than enough evidence day after day that walking closely with God, daily prayer, surrendering worries is how we are designed to live. Life is more joyful. There is much more peace. Worries don’t slow you down.

There are many Bible verses that reassure us that this is exactly what we are called to do.

Philippians 4:6 ESV

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

John 15:7 ESV

If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

Mark 11:24 ESV

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 ESV

Pray without ceasing,

Romans 8:26 ESV

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

I challenge you to dedicate time each day to God. I challenge myself as well.

God knows you, everything about you, and loves you no matter what. So, hand it all over, accept the peace that is yours, and take a break from the worries.

Blessings,

Michelle

 

The Naughty List – Medications to AVOID when over age 65

Posted on by Michelle Fritsch, Pharm.D.

Slide1Did you know there is a list of medications to avoid over age 65? A group of physicians and other experts first published this type of list in 1991. Since that time, the list has been updated several times. The most recent update was released this October of 2015. The list is of medications for which there were safer, as effective options. Mark Beers is the physician who took the lead with these lists, so they are often called the ‘Beers List’.

Did you know that kidney function starts to decline – in the healthiest of people – around age 40? The liver also slows down as we age. The efficiency of the heart pumping is more than we need until about age 30, then it starts to slowly decline.

This is not all bad news. The body is designed to function for a very long time, even with the changes that occur with aging.

The more you keep yourself, and your body, healthy, the better you will feel for many years.

Getting back to the naughty list, these body changes slow how medications get out of the body. So often, a single dose will last longer in your 70’s than it did in your 30’s. This means some medications are dosed at a lower dose. Other medications are taken less often. And the Beer’s list medications should not be taken at all.

Beer’s list medications:

  • Anticholinergic medicines are very drying, increase risk of falls, increase confusion and constipation. A common example is diphenhydramine found in Benadryl, Tylenol PM, Aleve PM, and most over-the-counter sleep aids.
  • Certain blood pressure medicines that can make you very dizzy when you stand up – doxazosin, prazosin, terazosin, clonidine, methyldopa, nifedipine
  • Digoxin – if used, should be used a very low dose such as 0.125 mg daily
  • Some depression medicines like amitriptyline, imipramine, notriptyline, paroxetine have a lot of side effects. There are some effective antidepressants that are safe, have fewer anticholinergic (drying and confusion) effects, and less drop in blood pressure.
  • Benzodiazepines include alprazolam, lorazepam, oxazepam, temazepam, triazolam, clonazepam, diazepam. If you are taking one of these for anxiety, please talk with your doctor at your next visit about reducing and gradually coming off of this medication. They greatly increase your risk of falls, difficulty thinking, car crashes, and delirium.
  • Mineral oil. There are much safer remedies for constipation or any other use of mineral oil.
  • Meperidine is one of the most risky pain medications in older adults due to the slower ability of the body to get rid of it. Talk with your doctor about one of the many safer options.
  • Skeletal muscle relaxants include cyclobenzaprine, methocarbamol, orphenadrine, carisoprodol. These have anticholinergic (drying) effects, make you sleepy, and increase your risk of falls and fractures. In addition, they don’t have very good evidence that they are actually helpful.
  • Nonsteroidal pain medicines, especially indomethacin and ketorolac, can cause stomach bleeding and dizziness. Other common nonsteroidals are ibuprofen, Naprosyn, meloxicam, or etodolac.  If you take one of these, talk with your doctor about taking it with an acid blocking medication to help protect your stomach.

There are other medications on the list. Some are specifically hazardous if you have certain other medical conditions.

DO NOT STOP or change the way you take any medicine without first talking with your doctor.

This is a long list. Please discuss this with your doctor if you are taking any of these medications.

Or, please contact us at www.medsmash.com. We are experts in medications for adults over age 60. We can explain the list and any hazards in your medication list to you. Then, we can work with your doctors to make safer changes.

BIBLICAL APPLICATION

Here are two key ‘Nice Lists’. In these times of holiday activities and worldwide turbulence, I hope these bring hope and joy. The Bible says these are to help us glorify our God in Heaven.

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

Galations 4:22-23a ESV

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control

THE BEATTITUDES

Matthew 5:3-12 ESV

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons[a] of God.

10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Some of the greatest gifts of the season can be love, tolerance, patience, and peace.

I will be praying for each of these for each of us.

Blessings,

Michelle

Breast Cancer Treatment

Posted on by Michelle Fritsch, Pharm.D.

697px-Pink_ribbon.svgIt is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. We are seeing pink in all directions.

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women (with the possible exception of some skin cancers).

One in eight women will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer.

Ductal carcinoma in situ is a type of breast cancer that is contained in the duct, so it is not an invasive breast cancer. Another 60,000 women will be diagnosed with this during the year.

The risk of breast cancer increases with age and seems to peak in the 70’s.

All women at all ages should get regular mammograms. These can find the cancer early. Most guidelines recommend every year starting at age 40. This screening should continue for as long as a woman is still loving and living life! You might have heard on the news this week the American Cancer Society has changed its guidelines for annual mammograms. For woman at average risk for breast cancer, these new guidelines are to start at age 45 and go to every other year at age 55. Note, for women at high risk, screening starts earlier and remains yearly.

When a diagnosis is made, find a breast cancer center who can support you through each decision and each phase that follows. You want to be surrounded by a team of caring professionals who are patient and explain everything until you fully understand.

Surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and medications are often parts of the treatment options. Different combinations of these treatments will be used based on the important specifics of your cancer and your preferences.

When breast cancer is estrogen-responsive, the following medications are often part of the treatment regimen.

Tamoxifen is often used after diagnosis and initial treatment. It can also be used to lower breast cancer risk in high risk women. It is an antiestrogen medication, so it decreases the impact of estrogen that often drives the changes that lead to breast cancer. The typical length of treatment has been five years. There is new data that it should be taken for 10 years in some women with breast cancer. Be sure to discuss this with that great team of providers you have to see how long you should take it. The main side effects are hot flashes and changes in your menses if you are premenopausal. Tamoxifen can also cause fatigue and increase your risk of clotting.

Aromatase inhibitors are another class of medication sometimes used as part of the treatment for breast cancer or to prevent breast cancer in high risk women. There are three medicines currently in this class. They are anastrazole (brand Arimidex), exemestant (brand Aromasin), and letrozole (brand Femara). These medications decrease the available estrogens by stopping the conversion of androgens to estrogens. These medications can increase your cholesterol and decrease your bone density (increase your risk for osteoporosis). They can also cause hot flashes and fatigue.

Some women take one of the above medications. Others take one type for a period of time then switch to the other. Which type of medication and for how long is an important decision made with your healthcare providers. The decision is based on some tests about your specific type of cancer, its responsiveness to estrogen, any other medical conditions you have, and your preferences.

I highly encourage you to discuss the benefits of the medications and any risks, including side effects, with your cancer treatment team. Your pharmacist is another source of detailed information about these and other medicines.

For more information about breast cancer treatment medications, contact us at www.medsmash.com.

If you want to get more involved in the search for a cure, I encourage you to read about the Army of Women organized by Dr. Susan Love. This program has made millions of volunteer women sources of new data in the search for a cure. I have participated in a couple of studies. It takes little time. One study collected only information. The other did a bone scan. No tests or procedures or data will be taken from you without your full consent. You can made a difference!

Biblical Application

Diagnoses such as breast cancer can invoke many feelings. One of those can be a fear of loss. Even before diagnoses are finalized, options are considered, prognoses are made, our minds can take us down paths of fear, anxiety, depression, hopelessness, futility, or impending doom.

God is aware of our needs and our weaknesses. He knows how our mind works when faced with a diagnosis like this.

The Bible is full of verses of hope and assurance. You truly can lean on God in all situations, no matter how frightening they may seem.

Isaiah 41:10 ESV

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Philippians 4:6-7 ESV

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Psalm 56:3 ESV

When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.

2 Timothy 1:7 ESV

For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

Deuteronomy 31:6 ESV

Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”

Claim and cling to this hope, love, and assurance that is yours in Christ. You are never alone. You are never abandoned. You are eternally loved.

I encourage you to share this hope beyond understanding with anyone you know facing breast cancer. You can be a light in their dark time, especially if they have not experienced the power of your God.

“Again and again, I’ve found Him faithful to respond and the closer I move to Him, the safer I feel and the better I rest.”

Patsy Clairmont

Blessings,

Michelle

Image thanks to MesserWoland – own work created in Inkscape, based on the graphics by Niki K

Triggers – Asthma and COPD

Posted on by Michelle Fritsch, Pharm.D.

inhaler imageThere are so many things that can bring on an asthma attack making it hard to breath. Some examples are:

  • Perfume
  • Smoke
  • Dust
  • Weeds
  • Pollen
  • Foods
  • Pets
  • Exercise
  • Cool, damp air

People with asthma can go from feeling fine to struggling for breath in just a few minutes.

The same thing can happen to some people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (emphysema or chronic bronchitis). Not all people with COPD have an asthma-like component, but some do.

There are medications that can help PREVENT these sudden attacks.   There are also medications that can reopen the airways to TREAT these attacks.

The medications used most often are given by inhalers. This allows the medication to go to the lungs where it is needed without having such a big impact on the rest of the body. This cuts down on side effects.

If you are prescribed inhalers, it is important to take them regularly and as prescribed, especially the ones taken one to times per day.   They are intended to PREVENT these attacks. They will not be helpful if only taken once in awhile during attacks. They need to be taken every single day.

The ones you take as needed should be taken with careful technique. They won’t work if they aren’t used properly. This is harder than it sounds. Be sure your doctor or your pharmacist has shown you step by step how to use your inhalers. Then, show them how you use them to be sure your technique is correct.

One more thing, be sure to always rinse out your mouth and spit out the water after using a steroid inhaler. These inhalers are very effective at preventing attacks, but they can also make it easy to get an infection in your mouth that is painful. Rinsing your mouth after EACH use cuts way down on the risk of this mouth infection.

Inhalers save lives. But they must be taken at the right times and with the right technique.

For more information, contact us at www.medsmash.com.

BIBLICAL APPLICATION

Not only are there triggers for asthma attacks, we often have triggers that get us off track on our day and in our spiritual walk. These can be things that distract us, things that confuse us, and often things that make us angry.

What are those topics that you feel so strongly about you just have to chime in to conversations about them? Maybe you can ignore some things and let them slide on by. But, what are the things that you just have to participate in the discussion?

What are the things that make you really angry? What are your hot button triggers that send you into a rage?

We all have them. It’s the way we are ‘wired’. Just as there are medications that can prevent the sudden reaction to asthma triggers, there are steps we can take to reduce our reaction to our life triggers.

First, throughout the Bible we are reminded that anger should be contained.

Ephesians 4:26-27

Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.

James 1:19-20 ESV

Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

Proverbs 29:11 ESV

A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back.

Proverbs 19:11 ESV

Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.

Proverbs 15:1 ESV

A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

Proverbs 15:18 ESV

A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention.

There are at least 60 verses in the Bible dealing with anger management. James sums up the instruction well:

James 4:1-2 NIV

What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?  You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God.

Take time to consider and identify your triggers. Again, we all have them. Then, take them to God to help you avoid them or handle them with grace rather than anger.

Blessings,

Michelle

Image credit: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; National Institutes of Health; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

All Confused – Urinary Tract Infection

Posted on by Michelle Fritsch, Pharm.D.

thumb-confusion-clip-art-440303When we’re younger we learn the typical symptoms of a urinary tract infection (UTI). Burning, frequent urge to urinate, cloudy urine, pelvic pain, and sometimes fever usually accompany a UTI.

As we age, these symptoms can be quite different. Confusion is a common symptom. Yet confusion is such a nonspecific symptom, it is often misinterpreted. The person with the confusion or those around them may attribute the confusion to lack of sleep, stress, a cold, early dementia changes, or other things.

So, the point of this blog post is to help us all think of infection, and specifically UTI, when confusion occurs in someone over middle age.

Other symptoms of a UTI can include generally not feeling well (very nonspecific), more frequent urination, new-onset incontinence, and lower abdominal pain.

If a UTI extends beyond the urethra and bladder, the lower/mid back can also hurt. This can be an indication the kidneys are involved and could indicate a more severe infection. A fever does not always accompany a UTI as we age.

Any of these changes in wellbeing are worthy of a check up to include a urinalysis (check of a urine sample for bacteria).

There are several changes that occur with aging that increase risk for UTI in both women and men. For women, after menopause, atrophy of the vagina and changes in the urethra make it easier for bacteria to grow and move from one place to the other. Diabetes, incontinence, bladder prolapse (drop down), and use of a catheter also increase risk for UTI. In men, an enlarged prostate that causes any blockage of the urinary tract also increases risk.

Note, sometimes people can have bacteria in their urine and not have an infection. Your physician can determine if treatment of any bacteria that is found is warranted.

So please don’t ignore new onset confusion. Remember to check for a UTI if you experience these symptoms.

For more information, contact us at www.medsmash.com or call 410-472-5078.

Biblical Application

Confusion as a primary symptom of UTI makes me think of other aspects of life that aren’t as they initial appear.

How often does something happen in your life, and you make assumptions about the why, how, what of that event? You then start making plans and reacting based on those assumptions.

How often do we see only part of the picture and make wrong assumptions about the missing parts?

Have your assumptions ever been wrong?

Have you ever been embarrassed or even hurt someone because of those misguided assumptions?

These are the sorts of lessons we often learn the hard way.

Religion is much the same.  Some people looking in from the outside only see part of what God has in store for them.  One or two views of very human Christians not doing the right thing can give a skewed picture.  God’s grace is misunderstood.  Beliefs are created that aren’t founded in Biblical truth.

So how can we focus more on truth and test our assumptions before acting on them?

1 John 4:1 ESV

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.

Proverbs 18:2 ESV

A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.

Proverbs 25:8 ESV

Do not hastily bring into court, for what will you do in the end, when your neighbor puts you to shame?

Matthew 7:1 ESV

“Judge not, that you be not judged.

John 8:32 NLT

“And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Give it all to God and ask him to first help you see the truth and then paint the accurate picture.

Blessings,

Michelle