Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C.

People with movement disorders that are inherited or caused by infection or other occurrences, such as Parkinson’s disease, have a bevy of resources available. But for those whose debilitating condition came as a result of medication have little support. The National Empowerment Center, an organization dedicated to those with mental illness, is raising awareness and educating the public about such conditions in hopes to change that trend.

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The medication metoclopramide, used in the treatment of some gastrointestional conditions, has received much press lately. Earlier this year the drug fell under a black box warning by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) after studies showed that patients who took the prescription medication were at high risk of experiencing involuntary movements of their face, hands and torso. The condition, known as Tardive Dyskinesia, is a debilitating disorder that often doesn’t go away even after the offending medication has been discontinued. The result has been measured in countless lawsuits against manufacturers of metoclopramide.

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Torax Medical, Inc., a medical technology company focusing on minimally invasive treatments for digestive disorders, is currently conducting clinical trials for a new treatment for gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD. The treatment, known as the LINX Reflux Management System, aims to provide relief from painful reflux symptoms, especially in situations where patients may not be responding well to lifestyle changes and medications.

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Brittney Riley is the picture of health. At 27, the veterinary student looks fit and happy. Most people would never guess she is sick, but Brittney suffers from a chronic digestive disorder known as gastroparesis in which the stomach takes too long to digest food. She can no longer eat solid food; instead she consumes baby food, soy yogurt, watered-down Cream of Wheat, and cans of Ensure. Brittney is one of hundreds of Americans who are hoping to raise awareness this week of crippling disorders that others may not readily see or understand, as part of Invisible Illness Awareness Week.

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People who suffer from insomnia may want to talk with their doctors about the possibility of having acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) before starting sleep therapy. Research shows that the symptoms of nighttime GERD, such as heartburn and acid regurgitation, may hinder sleep. If the symptoms are not recognized and patients are prescribed a sleep aide, there is a possibility their GERD can worsen, causing complications of the esophagatis, including Barrett’s esophagus and cancer.

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Be your own advocate. That is what the Gastroparesis, etc… blogger suggests for people, like her, who suffer from gastroparesis, a condition in which the stomach takes too long to empty its contents. The blogger can be found at gpadvocate.wordpress.com.

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In a country that celebrates most holidays and occasions with great spreads of food, living with gastroparesis can be difficult. Gastroparesis is a condition in which the stomach takes too long to empty its contents, causing stomach pain, nausea and vomiting, which can lead to poor nutrition and, in severe cases, death. Those who suffer with it must be on restrictive diets and take medications or treatments to keep the symptoms at bay. The condition can make socializing – especially during activities centered on food – uncomfortable for sufferers.

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Barbara* suffered from acid stomach and was prescribed by her doctor a medication known as Reglan (metoclopramide). During the nine years she was on the medication, she began suffering from other symptoms – an enlarged tongue that skewed her speech, facial twitches, and other involuntary muscular movements. Her doctor diagnosed her with Tardive Dyskinesia. The culprit? The acid reflux medication she had taken for years had caused the condition. Stopping Reglan didn’t make the symptoms go away, and now Barbara is far more disabled than she was before she was prescribed the drug.

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Salix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd., makers of medicines for various gastrointestinal ailments, has received marketing approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Metozolv ODT for the treatment of both diabetic gastroparesis and symptomatic documented GERD. Metozolv ODT is an orally disintegrating metoclopramide tablet. Metoclopramide was previously only available in the United States in a pill form under the brand name Reglan.

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Salix Pharmaceuticals plans to increase its sales force by 60 percent in anticipation of approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the drug maker’s new treatment for gastroparesis. The FDA recently accepted the complete response from the Morrisville, North Carolina-based pharmaceutical company for its orally disintegrating tablet (ORT), a form of metoclopramide called Metozolv, and has granted a Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) for September 11, 2009. A PDUFA authorizes the FDA to collect fees from companies that produce certain human drug and biological products.

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