IF PAIN WERE ---

If Pain were a chef I’d be eating fabulously;

If Pain were a musician I’d enjoy the music;

If Pain were a dog we’d take a walk each day;

If Pain were a comedian I’d be doubled up in laughter;

If Pain were a job I’d get a nice paycheck each week;

So many IFs — but there is only the big “BUT,”  

Pain is just pain. 

JDL 10/29/21

ON MAYO CLINIC WEBSITE

 Here's my post on Mayo Clinic discussion website at: 

https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/osteoporosis-prolia-and-macular-degeneration/?pg=1#comment-630158

I post as Joan26

The article they mention I already have.  Which makes me think there may not be much more out there on this!

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THINGS THAT AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN!

 In order of probability:

Most likely: Messiah will come in my lifetime!

Not very likely: My back will heal so that the pain will go away!

Highly Unlikely: Each of the kids will call once a week to see how I'm doing & maybe send a friendly e-mail now and then!

Bye-Bye Bikur Kholim!

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A GREAT TV AD IDEA FOR AMGEN

Practically every time I turn on my television I see one of Amgen's ads where someone (usually a woman) has fallen or is in a position where she might slip and fall.  Then comes the message for Prolia.  

You can see these "make-or-break-moments" ads here:

https://www.ispot.tv/ad/dQeF/prolia-make-or-break-moments

Well, I can top this!  Since I already have Prolia-related macular degeneration in both eyes (dry macular degeneration in one eye and the more advanced wet macular degeneration in the other*) here's an idea for the next generation of Prolia ads:

The lady in the ads above visits her doctor, who gives her Prolia.  

And then she falls down because she is BLIND and cannot SEE!

It would be a perfect O'Henry kind of "Gift of the Magi" sort of story and get a lot of great publicity!  Maybe even a feature in Advertising Age!

*http://www.joansbackbonedisaster.com/2021/05/lame-and-blind-revisited-eyes-have-it.html 

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AMGEN'S ANNUAL REPORT AUGUST 3, 2021

Here is a link to the Press Release accompanying Amgen's financial report for the second quarter of 2021.  

https://www.amgen.com/newsroom/press-releases/2021/08/amgen-reports-second-quarter-2021-financial-results

Amgen Reports Second Quarter 2021 Financial Results

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif., Aug. 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN) today announced financial results for the second quarter of 2021.

The "highlights" in this report include a 5% increase in revenues to $6.5 billion, with product sales increasing 3% globally.  

Here were one of the highlights most relevant to this blog:

• Prolia sales increased 24% year-over-year for the second quarter, driven by 20% volume growth as new and repeat patient volumes continued to recover from the pandemic. With osteoporosis diagnosis rates remaining at approximately 90% of pre-COVID-19 levels in the quarter, we are focused on driving patient growth and are optimistic about Prolia's continued strength in the second half of the year.

And for Evenity - -a drug much like Prolia and with many of the same issues:

• EVENITY^® (romosozumab-aqqg) sales increased 30% year-over-year for the second quarter, driven by 32% volume growth. U.S. sales nearly doubled year-over-year, driven by 97% volume growth as we continued to focus on new patient activation. Rest of world (ROW) sales decreased 15% year-over-year due in part to the timing of purchases by our partner Astellas during the first half of 2020.

The URL above has the charts with all the bells and whistles. 

The point here is that Amgen appears to be doing quite well with these dangerous products and yet cannot seem to summon the resources to adequately warn consumers -- and health care providers as well! -- about their hazards!   

As I sit here in tremendous pain from the fractures occasioned by the medical mismanagement of Prolia (which I might have been able to avoid with more information) and threatened with blindness by this drug as well, I wonder what it would cost Amgen to take the same steps to warn of the hazards as to boast about the benefits of this dangerous drug.

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