VETS, Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions, Inc’s Post

The FDA, in a move that’s as predictable as it is infuriating, has disgracefully chosen not to approve MDMA-assisted therapy for patients suffering from PTSD. Rather than embracing a treatment that could genuinely offer hope, they’ve decided to cling to the same failed strategies that have failed many (including veterans/ trauma victims in high crime locations) for over 25 years. By turning a blind eye to promising new therapies, the FDA has ignored the urgent need for real solutions. Today’s vote is nothing short of a disgrace, a betrayal of those who have already sacrificed so much. The decision demands further investigations into the treatment's safety and effectiveness, delaying potential relief for many veterans. At the root of this decision, as with the UK's stance on decriminalising marijuana, lies the protection of #pharmaceutical revenues. Big Pharma has historically opposed the legalisation and acceptance of alternative treatments that could threaten their market share. In the case of marijuana, #pharmaceutical and #alcohol companies have been known to #bankroll #opposition to its legalisation to protect their interests. #lobbyists Similarly, the hesitation to approve MDMA-assisted therapy may be influenced by the potential disruption it poses to the lucrative market for traditional PTSD medications and treatments. #protections #barriers #moats #headlocks

Misdiagnosed TBI: A Hidden Struggle Dr. Norm Adekopf Embassy Lakes Accident & Injury 2565 North Hiatus Road Cooper City, FL 33026 754-400-9726 DrA@EmbassyLakesAccident.com Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) can be invisible, leaving victims feeling confused and unheard. Today, I want to raise awareness about misdiagnosed TBIs. Many survivors face years of misdiagnosis, leading to delayed treatment and frustration. Symptoms like headaches, dizziness, and memory problems can often be misattributed to other conditions, masking the underlying TBI. This delay in diagnosis can have significant consequences on a person's life, impacting their relationships, career, and overall well-being. If you suspect a TBI, don't hesitate to seek a second opinion. Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial for recovery. Let's work together to ensure that TBI survivors receive the support and understanding they deserve. #MisdiagnosedTBI #BrainInjuryAwareness #InvisibleIllness #SecondOpinion

For my fellows in AA, this message is for you. Across the recovery sphere, members are being ostracized for seeking alternative therapies to address "outside issues"—issues and therapies on which we are supposed to have no opinion. Members are being punished and expelled from their recovery groups and fellowships due to ignorance, judgment, and misinformation, in direct violation of our Traditions. As a result, they find themselves as isolated and alone as when they first walked into the rooms. Can you imagine the devastation of that?? WE MUST DO BETTER! In memory of Mark, I want to remind us all of some quotes from the long form of Tradition One: "Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon AA unity." 🎆 UNITY - "Our lives, the lives of all to come, depend squarely upon it." 🎇 "No AA can compel another to do anything; nobody can be punished or expelled." 🎆 "His life actually depends upon obedience to spiritual principles." (Mark was doing just that.) Not only does AA literature emphasize that we must stay together or we will surely die, but Johann Hari, the author of 'Chasing the Scream', also said, "The opposite of addiction is not recovery; the opposite of addiction is connection." Hari's work underscores the importance of addressing the root causes of addiction, such as social isolation and lack of meaningful relationships, as crucial for effective recovery. If this is true, why are we sending people away? If this is true, why are we sending people away?

Through science focused on the mind we continue to learn more ways to help more people struggling with substance abuse and mental health issues. Let’s all welcome those in their journey to recovery. If addiction is a disease it should be allowed the same benefit of other diseases - to find relief through medicine, science and discovery. Let’s not shame people for their journey. It is a continuing science and we don’t know what we don’t know. Keep an open mind.

Maybe my bias as a foot and ankle surgeon but I don’t love the idea of reaming 10-12mm reamer across the ankle and subtalar joints and placing a nail without joint prep. There are certainly indications, ie frail limited mobility patient with unstable ankle fracture that can’t maintain NWB etc but to me this is relatively uncommon. If you are placing any fixation across a joint without any attempt to fuse the joint it is a matter of when, not if, the hardware will fail. This can lead to very difficult revision scenarios. I would encourage those utilizing this technique to at least consider using an MIS arthrodesis burr to perform at least some type of joint prep. This can be done quickly under fluoro through stab incisions or at most a 1cm incison. This will at least give the patient a chance at fusing the joint. There are multiple companies that carry such burrs but I personally use #stryker MIS arthrodesis burr and then injectable augment (recombinant PDGF) through the stab incision that the burr went in.

Are you a health care provider or other professional who works with Veterans and their Families? Download our new resource on traumatic brain injury in Veterans, with information on symptoms, treatments and how it can overlap with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as well as best practices and practical guidance on how to offer culturally appropriate care to Veterans and Families impacted by TBI: atl-as.ca/tbi-resources

Full disclosure, I did not know Mark Guckel, RCPF beyond LinkedIn and the mutual pain of addiction. However, I have some thoughts on the nature of his experience and his tragic death. I was always taught the Traditions of AA were meant to hold us together in our common purpose: to help the next alcoholic recover. So here are my thoughts: 1. Page 562. AA has no opinion on outside issues - The 12 Steps are designed to take care of alcoholic way of life. The founders of AA also recognized and encouraged seeking medical and mental health treatment by professionals to deal with "outside issues" such as trauma. Those treatment methods, AA has no opinion on. 2. Page 562. "The ONLY requirement for membership is a DESIRE to stop drinking." This shouldn't need an explanation. AA cannot and should not bar ANYONE who is trying to recover from this seemingly hopeless state of mind and body, from the recovery community. 3. Page 568, "The spiritual experience" ends with, "There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance --- that principle is contempt prior to investigation.". CONTEMPT PRIOR TO INVESTIGATION means judging people, places, and things without any direct experience. We do a huge disservice to ourselves and others when we allow our judgement to block our learning. 4. Page 542, "There are only two sins; the first is to interfere with the growth of another human being, and the second is to interfere in one own's growth." By stigmatizing psychedelic psychotherapy, AA's are committing both sins. 5. Page 7 talks about Bill Wilson going through the "Belladonna" treatment. Belladonna, known as nightshade, was a powerful hallucinogenic. The truth is, psychedelics and AA DO have a synergistic history. It is well-documented Bill Wilson was given LSD on at least three occasions to treat his longstanding history with depression. His experience was so profound, he wanted to include it in the program of AA. If the co-founder of AA saw the benefits, who are we (collective AA "we") to judge anyone's use? I don't care how anyone finds recovery, I just hope you find it. And for anyone who shames another person on their spiritual journey in recovery, I suggest you do an inventory and prepare yourself to make amends.

Urgent Call to Action: Join the American Legion’s 1.2 Million Veteran Voices with Free Membership in The Legion’s First Virtual Post The FDA is actively considering the approval of MDMA-Assisted Therapy, a treatment proven to heal 71% of those suffering from PTSD. Despite overwhelming support, a panel of "experts" recently advised against its approval, ignoring pleas from millions of veterans and testimonies from leading veteran service organizations like the American Legion, DAV, VFW, IAVA, and WWP. This decision was a devastating blow to countless veterans who have long awaited this lifesaving treatment. However, the final decision rests with the FDA. It's time for us to act. Last year, Post #426 was the first to support MDMA-Assisted Therapy, and now we must see it through to approval. You can help us make a significant impact by joining our advocacy efforts. Being based in Montana gives us direct access to Senator Jon Tester, Chairman of the Senate VA Committee. By appealing to his office and voicing our strong support for MDMA-Assisted Therapy, we can influence policymakers in Washington. Join the American Legion Blue Sky Lakeside Post #426 - First Year dues Free! All veterans who served honorably (and active duty personnel) are authorized to join the American Legion. To support our mission, we offer to pay the first-year dues for any veteran interested in joining. This limited-time offer aims to make it easier for veterans to participate in our advocacy efforts. Joining our Post comes with major benefits, including the ability to participate in meetings from anywhere in the world with world-class experts in emerging treatments for PTSD. You’ll have the flexibility to connect and engage with veterans everywhere and align with the voice of the Nation’s largest VSO with 1.2 million members. If you are a qualifying veteran and would like to join, submit your information here. Millions of veteran lives hinge on FDA approval of MDMA-Assisted Therapy. Join our efforts to get this treatment into the VA healthcare system immediately. Every day of delay means 17-44 veterans' lives are lost. We cannot afford to wait any longer. Join the virtual Blue Sky Post 426 today and help us make a difference! https://lnkd.in/gFMqHABm

Do you do FALLS RISK ASSESSMENTS again before discharge? No? THAT'S OK! We need to hear from you, too! Please take a few moments to fill in this survey. The Trauma Center Association of America’s Injury Prevention Committee and the Trauma Prevention Coalition would like to invite you to complete an online survey on “Home Fall Risk Assessments Before Discharge” You can access the survey here: https://lnkd.in/eYCbzZv6 The survey will close on December 31, 2023. The primary purpose is to learn how trauma centers assess at-home risk of falling in adult patients prior to discharge from the hospital The data will be used to determine the process trauma centers are currently using to assess adult home fall risks and to develop best-practice discharge guidelines for geriatric patients.

Veterans and Active Duty Service Members, Read and Repost! Please read this message from Juliana Mercer, and consider joining the American Legion - first year of dues are free if you join American Legion Post #426. Juliana is a loyal and fierce advocate for alternative (read: ”effective”) treatments for PTSD. As a Marine, she knows firsthand how combat, trauma, and combat stress effects the mind. Through her advocacy and the advocacy of other experts like her, the FDA is actively considering the approval of MDMA-Assisted Therapy, a treatment proven to heal 71% of those suffering from PTSD. Read her post. Think about a 71% efficacy rate. Think about the numbers of veteran suicides each day…average is 22. The range is anywhere from 17-44 veterans a day. Think: What if you were a part of this particular Veteran Service Organization (VSO) - the American Legion. Post #426. You are a member. You and your post with Juliana and others “championing” this effective treatment. Channeling that energy through the Senate VA Committee…effective treatment becomes available…you can live knowing you helped reduce the 22 a day-to somewhere around 7-10 a day - catastrophic success. Perhaps it doesn’t sound like Total Victory, but over the course of a year you could be part of saving between 4,380-5,475 veteran lives. Help someone you know. Help a lot of veterans you don’t know who struggle with PTSD. See the flyer below and this link: https://lnkd.in/evpEHH97 This is a “virtual,” vice “brick and mortar” American Legion post. This virtual post is American Legion Post #426. American Legion Post #426 is based in Montana so it can leverage direct access to Senator Jon Tester, Chairman of the Senate VA Committee for worthy causes such as MDMA-AT treatment for Veterans with PTSD. Bottom Line: “By appealing to Senator Tester’s office and voicing our strong support for MDMA-Assisted Therapy (AT), we can influence policymakers in Washington.” Join the American Legion Blue Sky Lakeside Post #426 - First Year dues Free!