FOR YOUR HEALTH: How to Keep Your Mental Health in Check This Year

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For many people, the gifts, gatherings, eating and drinking at this time of year take a toll on their mental health. Mental health experts share some things you can do to help avoid holiday-related challenges.

(NAPSI)—While the joy and busyness of the holiday season can take a toll on some people’s mental health, that doesn’t have to be. There are ways to avoid holiday-related challenges.
People may feel stressed, sad or anxious during the holiday season for a variety of reasons. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, extra stress, unrealistic expectations, sentimental memories and other factors during the season may set some people up for temporary bouts of depression or anxiety.

Help Yourself to a More Jolly Season

However, mental health experts say there are things you can do to help avoid holiday-related challenges.

“Please remember, this is your holiday!” says Dr. Benjamin Yu, a psychiatrist in Roseville, California. “While there are many expectations and obligations from multiple sources (such as family, occupational, religious, social), this is still your time and you have the right to say yes or no. Chances are, what you would like to do is likely what others really want to do, and most of the time when you relay your desires and dislikes, this will lead to a more cohesive celebration.”

Many experts advise, among the holiday events and merry making, to try to keep up your normal daily routines as much as possible. That includes eating and drinking in moderation, avoiding alcohol if you’re feeling down and getting enough sleep. If you find yourself in a stressful situation at a family gathering, they say it’s OK to take a break.

“I often tell [patients] that when I used paper prescriptions, I would write a prescription to ‘have a migraine’ so they could say ‘my head hurts…I have to leave.’ It allows the person to exit without having their self-image damaged or their PTSD triggered,” says Dr. Nan Nelson, a psychiatrist in Beachwood, Ohio.

Taking part in other activities, such as breathing exercises, meditation and moving your body physically – even if it’s just off the couch – can also be helpful, according to the experts. Planning ahead may also be worthwhile.

“The winter holidays can bring on positive and negative emotions and memories. Keeping your emotional equilibrium during this time requires a delicate balance between body, mind and spirit. Before the holidays move into high gear, take a look at how you are feeling and make a plan that will keep you on an even keel this season,” says Dr. Paul B. Hill, a psychiatrist in Memphis, Tennessee.

Dr. Hill says it’s important to continue your current mental health therapies throughout the season.

Learn More

For more information on how to improve your mental health this year, ask your clinician or visit GeneSight.com/holidaymentalhealth.

FOR YOUR HEALTH – Be A Holiday Hero: Get Vaccinated This Season

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CVS Pharmacy can help you and your family fight the flu this season.

(NAPSI)—With respiratory virus season in full swing, you may think it’s too late for you and your family to get vaccinated against the flu. The good news: it’s not.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there’s still time to get your flu shot because flu typically peaks in February and can continue into May. Since it takes up to two weeks to build protection against the flu, getting vaccinated now will help protect yourself, your friends and your family from the flu as you gather during the holidays.

Like Thanksgiving, getting your flu shot is an annual event

It’s important to get a flu shot every year because the body’s protection from the vaccine declines over time. Also, flu viruses vary from year to year, so receiving the latest vaccine formulation provides optimal protection. It’s especially important to protect at-risk populations—such as adults 65 and older – from severe illness.

One-stop shop for immunization and illness prevention needs

There are more than 9,000 CVS Pharmacy locations that also offer COVID-19, RSV and more than 15 other preventive vaccines, providing the protection needed as multiple viruses circulate at the same time. CVS Pharmacy is convenient­—85% of the U.S. population lives within 10 miles of one. This makes it easy for people to get vaccinated and find items such as over-the-counter cold and flu symptom relief products, immune support supplements and disinfectant cleaning products, and take all the steps necessary to help protect against illness this winter. CVS Pharmacy also carries antiviral medications, which require prescriptions and provide treatment if you do get sick with the flu.

Advanced scheduling for vaccine appointments

At CVS Pharmacy and MinuteClinic, you can conveniently schedule vaccines for yourself and your family in the same appointment via digital scheduling (through CVS.com, MinuteClinic.com or the CVS Pharmacy app), and the pharmacy offers walk-in appointments for people of all ages, seven days per week. As an added bonus, anyone who receives a CDC-recommended vaccine through the end of the year at CVS Pharmacy will get a $5 off $20 in-store coupon.

Learn More

Visit www.cvs.com or www.minuteclinic.com for more information on the vaccines offered. Certain immunizations have age and location restrictions.

FOR YOUR HEALTH: Take Charge of Tomorrow: Preventing Diabetes Health Problems

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(NAPSI)—November is National Diabetes Month, when communities across the country spread awareness about diabetes. 

Did you know that at least 1 in 10 Americans has diabetes? That’s 37 million adults and children.

Diabetes is a disease that occurs when your blood glucose, also called blood sugar, is too high. Diabetes can raise your risk of health problems such as heart attack, stroke, cancer and diseases that affect your kidneys, eyes, teeth or feet. The good news is that managing diabetes as early as possible after diagnosis may help you prevent these health problems.

“Managing diabetes is a daily responsibility that can make a huge impact on staying healthy and preventing complications down the road,” said Dr. Griffin P. Rodgers, director of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). “I encourage everyone with diabetes to work with their health care team to learn how they can best manage their condition to maintain an active life and delay or avoid diabetes-related problems.”

Here are tips to help you manage your diabetes today to prevent health problems. You can start by managing your diabetes ABCs, building healthy habits and working closely with your health care team.

Manage Your Diabetes ABCs

Managing your diabetes ABCs is an essential first step in preventing diabetes health problems. The diabetes ABCs are your:

• A1C blood glucose level.

• Blood pressure.

• Cholesterol.

Health care professionals give the A1C test to measure your average blood glucose level over the last three months. Some people with diabetes also use devices to track their blood glucose throughout the day and night.

Research shows that keeping your diabetes ABCs in a healthy range can help prevent blood vessel damage and health problems from diabetes. Ask your health care team what blood glucose, cholesterol and blood pressure levels are healthy for you.

Make Lifestyle Changes To Build Healthy Habits

You can manage your diabetes ABCs by building healthy habits and taking steps to:

• Plan healthy meals and snacks that are lower in calories, sugar, saturated fat and salt.

• Be physically active most days of the week.

• Reach or maintain a healthy weight.

• Stop smoking, vaping or using other tobacco products.

• Get enough sleep and take care of your mental health.

When planning meals, try to choose more fruits, nonstarchy vegetables, whole grains, lean protein foods, and low-fat or nonfat dairy products or dairy alternatives. Drink water instead of sugary drinks.

Walking is a simple way to be active. Invite a loved one or a friend to make walking a social activity. If you’re not active now or a health condition prevents you from being active, ask your health care professional about physical activities that are best for you.

Making lifestyle changes can be hard. You don’t have to do it all at once. Start slow and build healthier habits from there. Ask for help from your family, friends and health care team.

Work With Your Health Care Team

Managing diabetes takes a team. Your diabetes care team may include a:

• Primary care provider or diabetes specialist.

• Nurse.

• Diabetes educator or nutritionist.

• Dentist.

• Pharmacist.

• Mental health counselor.

• Specialist in health problems affecting your heart, kidneys, eyes or feet.

Your health care team may recommend medicines or devices to help manage your diabetes ABCs. Taking your medicines, even if you feel healthy, can help you prevent diabetes health problems. Talk with your health care team if you have trouble affording medicines or taking your medicines on time.

To learn more about preventing or delaying diabetes health problems this National Diabetes Month, visit the NIDDK website at www.niddk.nih.gov and follow on social media @NIDDKgov.

FOR YOUR HEALTH: Supporting Other People’s Mental Health Changed My Own Life

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Helping others with mental health problems can be a way to help yourself, says author and mental health advocate J.D. Schramm.

by J.D. Schramm

(NAPSI)—The first time I heard about Crisis Text Line was when one of my students shared information about this mental health support service in one of my classes on strategic storytelling. I was doubtful that a text messaging service, provided entirely by trained volunteers, could make a difference in people’s lives. Yet, I was intrigued and curious. The first time I contacted Crisis Text Line, by texting 741741 from my iPhone, was Thanksgiving of 2019. I had just lost one of my best friends to a brain tumor. My husband and I had decided it was too costly for me to return home for the funeral. This is when my grief started to set in. I was truly struggling. My own depression, which I’d faced since my teens, was “‘nudging at me” again. Then, add in holiday pressures, bickering over the trivial with my family, and trying to keep the kids engaged and off their devices — I was at the end of my rope that day. Without anybody else in the house knowing, I reached out and a complete stranger helped me to a place of calm. It was all I needed at that moment. I felt sheepish “taking up their time” when others had more pressing problems. The volunteer assured me that my needs mattered too.

A few times in the month that followed I reached out again and it was a lifeline for me during the holidays, which were, for me, a time of stress, loss, and confusion. It was the jolt I needed to be present to those I loved and attend to my own mental health with methods I knew worked for me.

Another year passed; the year we all remember being locked inside due to COVID. With so much attention placed on the mental health crisis that accompanied the pandemic, my thoughts returned to Crisis Text Line and the difference they made for me during my time of need. Could I provide that same help to others?

I applied and was accepted to train as a volunteer crisis counselor. As a professor of communication for over 20 years, I was surprised that I had so much to learn.

All my work had been around the power of public speaking and here those gifts were not required. I resisted the first lesson on listening skills, thinking, “What is there to hear in a text conversation?” I was so very wrong; in fact, there was a great deal to hear, but not with my ears. I was exposed to an entirely new experience of communication through text messaging, and the power it held particularly for young people who’d grown up with this medium.

The harder part was for me to learn to listen and not offer advice from my years of experience. Instead, I learned to ask thoughtful questions, to help the texter realize patterns, and move from heated to calm. In the spring of 2021, I completed my training and overcame my own feelings of inadequacy and fear. I became the stranger at the other end of the conversation and started to see how I too could be helpful to others.

Now, I’ve come full circle from that moment when I first dialed 741741. Most Friday nights, after my kids are in bed, I log on and take a four-to-six-hour shift of texting with strangers at their time of greatest need. Last month, I completed my 500th conversation on the platform. While I believe I’ve helped others, what I’m most clear about is how volunteering in this way has changed me. I listen better. I am slower to offer advice and look instead for ways to help others find their solution. I now know a ton about resources on a vast array of mental health topics, but I offer those only when it seems right. What people need most is empathy, my presence and connection, not my experience or wisdom.

Admittedly, I was doubtful when my student first shared about the power of text message exchanges between strangers to reduce depression, anxiety and loneliness. Now, I am convinced that text messages can, and do, make a difference one conversation at a time. It’s humbling to admit I was wrong but encouraging to see week after week how much text messages help. Ironically the same device that has the power to sometimes isolate us from others can also bring us together.

—Mr. Schramm is a mental health advocate, speaker, and writer. He serves on the faculty at USC’s Annenberg School of Communication and writes a regular newsletter, Communication Matters. His 2011 TED Talk, Break the Silence for Suicide Attempt Survivors, has been viewed over 2 million times. He and his husband, Rev. Ken Daigle, reside in Marin County with their three children.

FOR YOUR HEALTH: Lung cancer screening saves lives

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Submitted by MaineGeneral
Medical Center

November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month. Though lung cancer remains the deadliest cancer in Maine and the U.S., catching lung cancer early increases the chance of survival by 20 percent.
MaineGeneral offers low-dose CT (LDCT) screening, an important tool that can save your life.

Patients urge others to get scanned

Millard Jackson, of Augusta, got screened at the urging of his family – and is glad he did. “The screening is a real piece of cake,” Jackson said. “You’ve got to find out what’s wrong with your car to fix it, right? The same is true for yourself!”

A screening and biopsy found Jackson had two different types of cancer in the same lung. He had surgery performed by Dr. Seth Blank, thoracic surgeon at MaineGeneral, to remove his lower lobe. Now, he’s cancer-free.

“I’m back to work, happy, feel good… healthy!”

Sharon Mercier, of Sidney, was urged to have a screening by her primary care doctor. “I didn’t expect them to find anything,” she said. “I had no symptoms, no shortness of breath, no weakness. My results came back and I had a mass in my left lung.” Mercier also had surgery and is recovering well. She urges others to think about getting a LDCT scan.

“The scan is very easy. It’s not scary or intimidating,” she said. “It’s really a regular test. I knew my results within four days, and they moved right on it. I can’t stress enough for people to get theirs early. I just thank God every day that they caught mine in time – and they wouldn’t have if not for that CT scan.”

What is a low-dose CT scan?

A low-dose CT scan is a type of X-ray that looks for early-stage lung cancer. The scan does not hurt and takes less than five minutes to complete.

Talk to your doctor about getting screened if you:

• Are 50 to 80 years old;
• Are a current or former smoker;
• Have quit smoking within the last 15 years;
• Have smoked one pack per day for 20 years or two packs per day for 10 years.

If a scan finds cancer

At MaineGeneral, you have access to a complete set of services for state-of-the-art care, including screening, diagnostic testing and treatment with specialists in thoracic surgery, medical and radiation oncology and interventional pulmonology.

Currently, MaineGeneral is the only medical center in Maine with robotic broncoscopy, performed by MaineGeneral Pulmonary, which maps a lesion and can access otherwise hard-to-reach lesions in the lung.

“We do flexible bronchoscopy, endobronchial ultrasound and robotic bronchoscopy at the same time,” said Dr. Ranganath, of MaineGeneral Pulmonary. “We get the diagnosis and the staging made at the same time. So, when that patient goes to a surgeon or oncologist, they already know the diagnosis and the staging.”

All this care is available right here in the Kennebec Valley. There is no need to travel to get a screening and, if needed, treatment.

Learn more

Visit our webpage devoted to lung health information:

• Hear from MaineGeneral patients who got low-dose CT screening;
• Watch a video about the screening;
• Hear about cancer prevention;
• Learn about other lung cancer risks such as radon and arsenic;
• View videos by some of our caring doctors and support staff and submit questions for our doctors to answer.

Go to www.mainegeneral.org/lung.

FOR YOUR HEALTH: How to plan for dental emergencies while away

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Don’t let tooth troubles take a bite out of your vacation fun. Plan ahead how you’ll deal with dental emergencies.

(NAPSI)—When you’re jetting away from rainy Washington for vacation, your suitcases are often filled with traveling essentials, but did you think of what you may need in case of a dental emergency while relaxing in paradise?

“It is important to know whom to call, where to go and what insurance can cover,” said Kyle Dosch DDS, Delta Dental of Washington’s dental director and a member dentist. “This ensures that your smile stays healthy at home and while traveling.”

Not all dental issues are life-threatening, and some, such as a mild toothache, can wait until you return home safely from your travels. However, if you are experiencing intense dental troubles, it is important to be attentive to these issues as they arise:

• A broken or dislodged tooth
• Continuous gum or mouth bleeding
• Broken orthodontics
• A toothache accompanied by a fever
• Sudden, severe pain in your jawbone
• Sudden swelling in your mouth and/or gums
• Discoloration or growths in your mouth

If the pain is severe, you may need to go to the nearest emergency room for medical attention. Keep in mind that an emergency doctor can typically prescribe only pain medication or make a few stitches to wounded areas. To receive attention from a licensed dentist, make sure to call ahead and schedule an appointment to better suit your needs and have a plan in action. However, if in the case of immediate dental attention, most dental practices offer emergency appointments for new and existing patients. Make sure to call ahead to check that their practice accommodates for new patient emergencies.

Plan for Dental Emergencies Before Traveling

Most dental insurance plans, including most Delta Dental plans, have some coverage for emergency care whether your travels include the United States or outside of the country.

To ensure you will be well-covered and equipped for any emergency, review your coverage benefits and identify emergency care options before taking off on your trip. By doing so, you have a good idea of your home coverage plan. If dental care is needed while you are traveling, book an appointment with your regular dentist for a follow-up visit as soon as you return. Additionally, make sure your records are updated with any treatment received out of town.

What to Consider When Experiencing Dental Issues Abroad

Dental emergencies present their own special challenge, especially when facing them outside the country. The best way to begin is by using the resources around you. If staying at a hotel, hostel, or Airbnb, speak with the concierge or a trusted fellow traveler for a recommendation or for the country’s professional dental association. This association can help point you in the right direction for the names of reputable dental clinics in the area. For extra assurance, do some research on the establishment to confirm its legitimacy. One thing to keep in mind is that this dental visit will be paid out of pocket, so when you return home, you will need to file your own claim. Make sure to keep a copy of this detailed billing statement to send with your dental insurance emergency claim form. It is important to double check the information about the treatment (including tooth numbers if any were involved, date of service and total cost) is correct. After checking the information, your dental insurance provider will do a currency conversion at the time of reimbursement. Additionally, if your billing statement is in another language, ask for it to be translated.

Travel With Ease of Mind

If you experience a dental emergency while traveling and you can visit an in-network dentist in any state, you will be covered at the same rate as in your home coverage. If you need to visit an out-of-network dentist, you will have to pay out-of-network coinsurance. Then, you will need to submit an Interactive ADA claim form. The most important step to remember is to always ask for a detailed receipt for your exam or medical treatment.

For more information on experiencing dental issues while traveling, visit Delta Dental of Washington’s blog at www.deltadentalwa.com.

FOR YOUR HEALTH: Surprising News About The Fight Against Polio

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You can join in the efforts of Rotary members and others to wipe polio from the face of the earth.

(NAPSI)—When it comes to combating polio, there’s good news, bad news and better news.

The good news is that efforts to eradicate the dreaded disease have been going on for decades. Back in the disease’s peak years in the 1940s and 50s, it affected between 13,000 and 20,000 people in the United States each year, many of them children. Thousands died. Many others were permanently paralyzed. Then Jonas Salk and Albert Sabin developed vaccines and the number of cases dropped. As of August 30, 2023, only seven cases of “wild polio virus” (two in Pakistan, five in Afghanistan) have been detected in 2023.

The bad news is that even one case of polio is one too many, and while cases of polio have fallen over 99% worldwide since 1988, a variant of the polio virus is causing outbreaks and consuming critical resources needed to stop the transmission of wild poliovirus. What’s more, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted efforts to combat vaccine-preventable diseases, including polio.

The better news is we know how to eradicate polio. Vaccines are highly effective, and the more people who are vaccinated, the less the virus can spread.

What’s Being Done

The Global Polio Eradication Initiative developed tailored strategies to end polio. It offers multi-vaccine campaigns with polio and other vaccines, and increased environmental surveillance sites to quickly detect the virus.

Also, Rotary and its partners are using a new vaccine, nOPV2, to address outbreaks of the variant poliovirus. Millions of doses have been administered.

Who Is Helping

Polio eradication is the flagship priority of Rotary, a global humanitarian organization with more than a million members around the world. These men and women are business, professional, and community leaders with a shared commitment to making the world a better place.

The organization had the audacity to take on a global effort to protect children everywhere from disability and death due to polio and the tenacity to finish the job and keep its promise to children everywhere.

What You Can Do

You can be part of the effort to end polio in four ways:

1. Donate to the End Polio Now Campaign. Donations will be matched 2:1, up to U.S. $50 million by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
2. Contact government leaders and encourage them to prioritize financial and political support for polio eradication.
3. Participate in World Polio Day on October 24, 2023, to raise awareness of the importance of polio vaccination and to celebrate the parents, professionals and volunteers who make eradication achievable.
4. Join Rotary. Rotary members have contributed over $2.6 billion dollars and countless volunteer hours to immunize up to 400 million children a year. As a result, more than 20 million people who would otherwise have been paralyzed are walking, and more than 1.5 million people are alive who would otherwise have died.

Learn More

For more information visit: www.polioeradication.org and www.endpolio.org.

FOR YOUR HEALTH: How The Climate Crisis Affects You — And What You Can Do About It

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(NAPSI)—Families across the country cope with the effects of the climate crisis as extreme storms, wildfires, heat and floods grow in frequency and intensity. In fact, one of the nation’s leaders in disaster relief, the American Red Cross, now responds to nearly twice as many large disasters across the country as it did a decade ago.

National Preparedness Month in September is an important reminder to help your family and pets stay safe by taking action now with three simple steps: Get a kit, make a plan and be informed. 

Get a Kit

Build your emergency kit with a gallon of water per person, per day; non-perishable food; a flashlight; and a battery-powered radio. Also include a first aid kit, medications, supplies for infants or pets, a multi-purpose tool and personal hygiene items. Don’t forget to add copies of important papers, cell phone chargers, blankets, maps of the area and emergency contact information.

Make a Plan

Plan what to do in case you are separated from your family during an emergency and need to evacuate. Make sure to coordinate your plan with your child’s school, your work and your community’s emergency plans.

Be Informed

Find out what disasters or emergency situations may occur where you live, work and go to school; how officials will contact you during a disaster; and how you will get important information, such as evacuation orders.

Depending on your household’s needs, you may have additional considerations as part of your emergency planning. Visit redcross.org/prepare for more information and tips.

How to Help Others

The increase in large disaster responses also means that more people need help across the country. As a part of this, the Red Cross is calling for new volunteers to help grow its disaster workforce—90% comprised of trained volunteers—to deliver shelter, food, health and mental health support, and one-on-one recovery assistance. Learn more and become a volunteer at redcross.org/VolunteerToday. 

Weather Affects  the National Blood Supply

Blood and platelet donations that go uncollected due to climate-related events, such as hurricanes, wildfires and extreme heat, can put further strain on the national blood supply. As extreme weather events are worsening, the Red Cross—which provides about 40% of the nation’s blood supply—is seeing that translate into more blood drive cancellations. In 2022, over 1,300 blood drives were canceled due to weather—about 23% higher than the average of the prior nine years. 

Fewer donors than needed have given blood this summer, drawing down the national blood supply and reducing distributions of some of the most needed blood types to hospitals. 

People depend on the generosity of blood donors. To ensure the nation’s blood supply is prepared for all emergencies, the Red Cross urges individuals to schedule an appointment to donate today using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, by visiting RedCrossBlood.org or by calling 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767). If you are unable to give blood, you can volunteer to support blood collections at redcross.org/VolunteerToday. 

FOR YOUR HEALTH: Gear Up for Respiratory Virus Season

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Now is the time to protect yourself and those you care for from COVID, the flu and RSV by getting vaccinated.

(NAPSI)—Here’s news to help you breathe easier: Although respiratory virus season is upon us, you can protect yourself and your loved ones. How? Make sure you’re up to date on all of your vaccinations. Following vaccination, it takes time for your body to build protection against the flu, COVID-19 and RSV, so it’s recommended that you get the vaccines you’re eligible for as soon as possible to support your health and the health of your community.

Vaccinations help prevent the flu, COVID-19 and RSV

Getting a flu shot is the best way to protect yourself and your family from the flu. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends getting vaccinated early in the fall, before flu season begins, ideally before the end of October. It’s especially important to protect at-risk populations—adults 65 and older, those with certain immunocompromising or chronic medical conditions, infants or children under 5 and pregnant women—from severe illness.

The CDC also confirmed that you can receive any of the currently authorized COVID-19 and RSV vaccines at the same time as the flu vaccine. It’s recommended that adults 60 or older get an RSV vaccination as they’re at greater risk for serious complications from RSV because immune systems weaken with age. CVS Pharmacy is also now administering the updated COVID-19 vaccine, recently authorized by the FDA and recommended by the CDC.

Seniors have additional options when it comes to vaccinations

Seniors are at a greater risk of developing severe illnesses from flu, COVID-19 and RSV, and according to a CVS Health consumer survey, of those who indicated they plan to get vaccinated, seniors are the demographic most likely to do so (74 percent of seniors). CVS Pharmacy and MinuteClinic offer specific CDC-recommended offerings for seniors aged 65 and above, which include:

• Fluad: An adjuvanted influenza vaccine that helps the body elicit a better immune response.
• Fluzone HD: A high-dose vaccine that contains four times the antigen as the regular flu vaccine and is intended to create a stronger immune response for seniors.
• An RSV vaccine for adults 60 and older with greater risk for serious complications from RSV because immune systems weaken with age.

Common flu shot myths

• Myth: You should wait until flu season peaks to get the vaccine.
• Fact: It’s best to be vaccinated before flu begins spreading in your community – ideally in September or October.
• Myth: The flu shot gives you the flu.
• Fact: Flu shots are made of either inactivated viruses or with proteins from the flu virus­ – so you can’t get the flu from the vaccine.
• Myth: The flu is only spread by coughing and sneezing.
• Fact: Flu viruses are largely spread this way, but a person might also get the flu by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose or eyes. That’s why you should wash your hands frequently with soap and water or an alcohol-based cleanser.

A one-stop shop for your vaccine needs this fall

At CVS Pharmacy, you can conveniently schedule a flu shot and COVID-19 vaccine in the same appointment for yourself and your family via digital scheduling through CVS.com or the CVS Pharmacy app. Walk-in appointments are available for people of all ages, seven days per week, with evening and weekend hours. Anyone who receives a CDC-recommended vaccine through the end of the year will get a $5 off $20 in-store CVS Pharmacy coupon.

Learn More

Visit www.cvs.com or www.minuteclinic.com for more information on the vaccines offered. Certain immunizations have age and location restrictions.

FOR YOUR HEALTH: Lady Gaga Wants People with Migraine to Know They Are Not Alone

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Lady Gaga

(NAPSI)—Lady Gaga has been living with a silent disease – migraine – for most of her life, having been diagnosed when she was 14 years old. Her migraine attacks were so severe, she was often bedridden for days. She couldn’t read or keep lights on and would have to be alone in a quiet room for hours, or sometimes even days, until the pain subsided. Lady Gaga continued to experience migraine attacks into adulthood and the disease has impacted all aspects of her life.

“By the time I was 25, I was dealing with other medical conditions along with my migraine. The combination of pain from migraines and managing these other conditions had become so difficult that I was barely functional. And the migraines were now much more present. The hardest part about dealing with this change in my life is that it was now not once a month that I was getting migraines, but much more frequently.” This is the first time Lady Gaga has spoken about her experience with migraine, and she hopes that sharing her story will help empower others to be more vocal about their migraine pain. Migraine, which affects nearly 40 million Americans, is considered the second-most disabling condition worldwide.

Lady Gaga spoke to her doctor and began taking Nurtec® ODT (rimegepant) as an acute treatment for migraine. “I’m so grateful to my family, friends and fans for going on this journey with me throughout the years so I can share my story and hopefully it will help more people find the relief they need,” said Lady Gaga. You can learn more about Lady Gaga’s migraine story and Nurtec ODT at nurtec.com/ladygaga.

WHAT IS NURTEC ODT?

Nurtec ODT orally disintegrating tablets is a prescription medicine that is used to treat migraine in adults. It is for the acute treatment of migraine attacks with or without aura and the preventive treatment of episodic migraine. It is not known if Nurtec ODT is safe and effective in children.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

Do not take Nurtec ODT if you are allergic to Nurtec ODT (rimegepant) or any of its ingredients.

Before you take Nurtec ODT, tell your healthcare provider (HCP) about all your medical conditions, including if you:

• have liver problems,
• have kidney problems,
• are pregnant or plan to become pregnant,
• are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

Tell your HCP about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Nurtec ODT may cause serious side effects including allergic reactions, including trouble breathing and rash. This can happen days after you take Nurtec ODT. Call your HCP or get emergency help right away if you have swelling of the face, mouth, tongue, or throat or trouble breathing. This occurred in less than 1% of patients treated with Nurtec ODT.

The most common side effects of Nurtec ODT were nausea (2.7%) and stomach pain/indigestion (2.4%). These are not the only possible side effects of Nurtec ODT. Tell your HCP if you have any side effects.

You are encouraged to report side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088 or report side effects to Pfizer at 1-833-4Nurtec.