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I joined this site yesterday and I'm interesting in touching base with anyone who has a vns. In particular I would like to find out if anyone has experienced any unusual side effects not mentioned by Cyberonics. I occasionally experience 'tingling' in my neck and shoulder - this is actually quite unpleasant and it has been severe enough to warrant having my vns temporarily turned off. At one point last summer it felt like I was being repeatedly stung by a bee or something like that (I'm not sure exactly how to describe it). Cyberonics claims that no one has ever mentioned anything similar to this. I have been quite happy with my vns - it has helped stop many seizures once they have started, which has meant fewer trips to the ER but if this problem became really severe again I wouldn't be able to keep my vns turned on. Please let me know if you have experienced anything like this - I would like to know - Cyberonics makes it sound like I'm crazy or something. Thanks!!!
Re: vns therapy side effects
I am going to be leaving this particular post because as of two weeks ago a decision has been made to remove the VNS. Not because of the bad reaction I have been getting from it but due to the fact, I no longer need it. We are still in preliminary discussion on shut down and removal time but it has already been decided that this will take place.
Re: vns therapy side effects
I have a VNS but it was turned off because it didn't help. However, I had no unusual side effects when it was on.
Re: vns therapy side effects
I have a VNS but it was turned off because it didn't help. However, I had no unusual side effects when it was on.
Re: vns therapy side effects
I had the vns since about 1999. I had the battery replaced twice. Yesterday I had it turned off. Before the vns my seizures were complex-partial and petit mal with and aura with them always. After the implant, my seizures had gotten worst over the years, to where I was having drop seizures with no warning. I ended up having to get a seizure helmet, because of them. I would fall backwards hitting my head. Four times I have ended up with staples in my head, along with other injuries from splitting my ear and fractured ribs and other bruises. Mainly, though it was head injuries. I figured even if I have more complex partials with the vns shut off, I don't injure myself like I do with the drop seizures. It might not effect everyone that way, but looking up on the internet, I found where it caused a lot of drop seizures not related to epilepsy. I found a lot of similar cases on the vns board on-line. I don't mean to scare you, but rather caution you incase something like that happens. You might try going on there, because they are people who have the vns. So, they can tell you from experience what others are only guessing at. Hope things get better with you.
Re: vns therapy side effects
I too suffer from tingling in my neck , sholder and jaw. I had my VNS turned off and I'm still experiencing these uncomfortable symptoms. Sometimes I feel like the wires are too tight.I'v had my VNS for 16 months and I had it turned off after 13 months. I also experienced breathing problems that seemed to get worse as time went on no matter what setting it was on. I'm athletic and I do triathlons and well as 1/2 marathons and it was really affecting my training. Even when I'd use the magnet to turn it off it didn't make a difference.
I have complained and the response I recieved was no one else seems to have those problems. I am considering having the pace maker part removed.
Re: vns therapy side effects
As for this test, it can be done. Part of the problem are two things, one being there are patients who are not in an area that can perform it and the other issue is there are administrators or health workers who do not know the protocol. There are some patients who cannot manage this test because of their health which is unfortunate. Because each patient is different, there is always going to be that slim chance of having this occurance.
Here is the documentation that I have:
9.4.4. Magnetic Resonance Imaging
If you plan to have magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), make
sure your doctor has the following information:
! Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) should not be
performed with a magnetic resonance body coil in the
transmit mode. The heat induced in the Lead by an MRI
body scan can cause injury.
If an MRI should be done, use only a transmit and receive
type of head coil. Magnetic and radiofrequency (RF) fields
produced by MRI may change the Pulse Generator settings
(change to reset parameters) or activate the device.
Stimulation has been shown to cause the adverse events
reported in the "Adverse Events" section of this manual.
MRI compatibility was demonstrated using a 1.5T General
Electric Signa Imager and Model 100 Pulse Generator only.
Testing on this imager as performed on a phantom indicated
that the following Pulse Generator and MRI settings can be
used safely without adverse events:
¨ Pulse Generator output programmed to 0 mA for the MRI
procedure, and afterward, retested by performing the
Lead Test diagnostics and reprogrammed to the original
¨ Head coil type: transmit and receive only
¨ Static magnetic field strength: £ 2.0 tesla
¨ Specific-rate absorption (SAR): < 1.3 W/kg for a 70-kg
(154.5-lb) patient
¨ Time-varying intensity: < 10 tesla/sec
Use caution when other MRI systems are used, since adverse
events may occur because of different magnetic field
! No scan in which the radiofrequency (RF) is transmitted
by the body coil should be done on a patient who has
the VNS Therapy System. Thus, protocols must not be
used which utilize local coils that are RF-receive only,
with RF-transmit performed by the body coil. Note that
some RF head coils are receive only, and that most other
local coils, such as knee and spinal coils, are also RFreceive
only. These coils must not be used in patients
with the VNS Therapy System.
Courtesy of www.cyberonics.com
Re: vns therapy side effects
Hello everyone,
My Beautiful daughter Mariah received the VNS in January of 2000. I was given hopes and promises of a "better life" for my child. Over the years, the frequency of the seizures and the E.R visits decreased. The problems started when her voice began to change to wrapsy. The docs said it was a normal side effect. In late August of 2009 her seizure activity increased. We went to the doctor in September and the physician said her settings were still low and there was room to increase the settings. He did. Later that day my daughter complained of hiccups and they lasted a really long time. I was told by the docs that this was a normal side effect. My daughter's hiccups lasted until the day she died- October 25, 2009.
I am devastated.
Re: vns therapy side effects
Hello everyone,
My Beautiful daughter Mariah received the VNS in January of 2000. I was given hopes and promises of a "better life" for my child. Over the years, the frequency of the seizures and the E.R visits decreased. The problems started when her voice began to change to wrapsy. The docs said it was a normal side effect. In late August of 2009 her seizure activity increased. We went to the doctor in September and the physician said her settings were still low and there was room to increase the settings. He did. Later that day my daughter complained of hiccups and they lasted a really long time. I was told by the docs that this was a normal side effect. My daughter's hiccups lasted until the day she died- October 25, 2009.
I am devastated.
Re: vns therapy side effects
How long have you had your VNS in for as I've had mine in for 4 months and only in the last week have I started experiencing very sharp pains in my neck that only last approx 2 mins and are 3-4 mins apart, my neurologist has no idea what this means is this what your pain problem is too?
Re: vns therapy side effects
How long have you had your VNS in for as I've had mine in for 4 months and only in the last week have I started experiencing very sharp pains in my neck that only last approx 2 mins and are 3-4 mins apart, my neurologist has no idea what this means is this what your pain problem is too?
Re: vns therapy side effects
How long have you had your VNS in for as I've had mine in for 4 months and only in the last week have I started experiencing very sharp pains in my neck that only last approx 2 mins and are 3-4 mins apart, my neurologist has no idea what this means is this what your pain problem is too?
Re: vns therapy side effects
How long have you had your VNS in for as I've had mine in for 4 months and only in the last week have I started experiencing very sharp pains in my neck that only last approx 2 mins and are 3-4 mins apart, my neurologist has no idea what this means is this what your pain problem is too?
Re: vns therapy side effects
I am so happy I found this site! I really need some help and advice. I am the aunt of a 16 year old and she is mentally delayed. She has no verbal skills and cannot walk, crawl or talk or use sign language. But she does have very severe seizers. She has been on almost every medication her whole life and has exhaused all combos of medications, and she still has severe seizers. The problem she has now is that all the meds make her tired and non-responsive. She sleeps alot and is not alert. Her doctor has recommened VNS and we are a bit scared to do this. I read some blogs here and there seems to be a lot of pain with this. But she cannot tell us if she hurts, so we would never know. We dont want her in pain from this, but we dont know what else to do to help her. This is my sisters only child and my only niece, she is so loved, we dont want her hurting, but we want her "back". We dont want her to sleep all the time. Do you think we should try this? Please help! Thank you.
Re: vns therapy side effects
My girlfriend got a VNS in early July, at first she was certain this was one of the best decisions she had made and was very happy with it other than it was extremely hard to talk. She had it turned up and get sharp pains in her chest and it made it unbearable for her to talk with it on and difficult to breath, and on top of that was not doing very much at all to help her seizures at all. She was talking to me about getting it taken out or turned off for good. I went and researched the side effects of getting it taken it out and found this thread. when i saw some of the stories on here i realized she was not alone with this and it scared both of us. On August 19th our fears came to life when friends of hers that she was staying with woke up to find her not breathing with no heartbeat. Of course an ambulence was sent and upon arriving at the hosptal had emergency surgury to remove it. Since its been removed even with the soreness she feels so much better and much less burdened and has decided not to take any more gambles with surgury. The device was either incorrectly installed or had broke but the wires were only partially wrapped around the vagus nerve and were sending shocks to her chest which eventually stopped her heart. Her neurologist as i had found out had pushed her into it and glamorized the device and all but set up the surgury for her with less than a week to consider it. This device may work for choice few people but from what ive seen and heard from other people the vns is not the best road to go down and seems to malfunction easily. If you decide to get this surgury know that it can be painful , it can completely change your life style and the device does have to potential to kill you, however rare the side effects may be so is getting struck by lightning and it happens and people that it happens to definetly don't expect it to happen. I never expected to get a phone call that my girlfriend was almost killed by a so called miracle device, if it sounds to good to be true it likely is.
Re: vns therapy side effects
I've had my VNS for almost 6 years now and yes I know what your talking about. When I first got the implant it was really bad and my doc had to make some ajustments and it made a world of difference. It only happens to me now if I lay down with my head at a certin angle when the device goes off.....if I just move out of that position it goes away. and after my doc ajusted the VNS that feeling is not nearly as severe when it happens. :) So my advice is talk to your doc and get that VNS ajusted until its comfortable for you.
Good luck, look me up if you need anything,
~Amanda Lynn~
Re: vns therapy side effects
I had the VNS from 2000 to 2004 when I had it turned off for shoulder surgery. I was experiencing a great deal of shortness of breath. I am physically active. I play handball, bike, run, and various other sports. The problem was making me VERY uncomfortable. When I had it turned off for the surgery it was like coming home from an agonizing trip. I was so happy with it off that I never had it turned on again.
Re: vns therapy side effects
VNS therapy update...
It's been a long time since I've been able to connect onto the forum between daily life and other activities that are happening. At any rate, I had to give an update on what has been going on with the VNS.
1) I'm still using the VNS at this time however there have been new changes.
2) As of Oct 2011 I actually got an update to the latest version including another addition because the seizures were totally out of control -- four or five a day. Because the VNS could no longer handle my seizure activity with the settings it was best to go the next step and go with a Deep Brain Stimulator. The VNS was updated to the smaller device as the battery needed to be replaced while I was in the hospital.
3) Once we found the correct settings for the DBS the medication dosage was slowly dropped. I am now taking next to nothing. The next step we have been discussing is to begin removal of medication but we are not quite ready to do that just yet.
4) As of this month it has been a year for my DBS surgery. Not only that, the VNS device has been left at default settings so there now is consideration for what to do with that device at this time.
Oh, in the process of all the above, I had to leave my doctorate studies due to the medical surgery then due to recovery. In the end, I felt it was best to stop classes over all and focus on my health. =)
S. Elvins
Re: vns therapy side effects
Nancy B THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT!!! I have just gotten off the phone with Doug Wood who is the BRANCH CHIEF of Post Market Branch that tracks adverse events and deaths that are either linked to or caused by medical devices. He has asked me to ask each of you who has filed a Maude Report to send him your individual report #'s. If you do not know what your case number is you can log back onto the Maude Data Bases and with a little effort can find that out. He wants each indivual case number sent to him. For those of you who have been seriously injured by the vns device , or worse yet, those of you who have either lost a family member or know of someone who has, contact them and ask them if they have filed a Maude Report. If you, or they, have not done so yet, please do so immediately and send him the information. Please, people, this is vitally important. You will be possibly saving lives. His contact e-mail is: email@example.com If anyone needs assistance in this, I will help any way I can. Contact me at: firstname.lastname@example.com
Re: vns therapy side effects
Nancy B I have just spoken to DOUG WOOD, who is the Branch Chief of the Postmarket Division in Washington, DC which tracks adverse events and deaths caused by medical devices. He has asked me to have each of you who have filed a Maude Report to e-mail him your actuaL REPORT NUMBER. If you did not keep this information, you can log back on to the Maude Data Base and with a little work can find that out. His e-mail address is firstname.lastname@example.com You can very well be saving lives, so please send this man your information. If anyone is having difficulty retrieving this information, e-mail me @ firstname.lastname@example.com and I will help you. Thankyou for doing this. You might very well be making the difference that saves someones' life.
Re: vns therapy side effects
I have had uncontrolled seizures for almost eight years after a TBI. I am on four medications now and my doctor keeps pushing the VNS on me, telling me that is my only option. Your posts have opened my eyes.
I was never enthusiastic about this "therapy" to begin with, but now I am terrified.
I send out my deepest condolences to everyone who has lost someone or who has lost part of themselves because of this device. Thank you to everyone that helped me become aware of this information, if it hadn't been for you I never would have known about these risks. My doctor sure hadn't told me about them....
Re: vns therapy side effects
Could it be the level on which the vns is set? Mine has worked fine and even has stopped a few seizures. I know the last time I had my doctor adjust the setting I couldn't stand the feeling of the new level and asked him to go back. It's standard that he increases the level. I'm not sure what he'll do next but this for me is fine now.
Hope all goes well
Re: vns therapy side effects
I had this implant a year ago
I have had nothing but problems as this device was put in to help with organic headaches, Complicated migrains, Clusster headaches
I have lived with daily head pains for over 20 years, which are realted to seizures
I had not had a seizure in over 5 years before the implant nbut told this should help the daily head apins
The stimulator has caused nasua every day, Fatquie, trouble swallowing, cold sweats and it would freeze up in air condtioning
it was adjusted numerous times by my nuerologist of 17 years it was over 5 months and the doctor hasnt returned calls or emails
I was then referred to another nuerologist to have this looked at
I saew him today and when they went to shut this down
I was told there was no out put as it read zero as it was shut off already
I was shocked as I knew this thing was working just a few days ago, but have had problems with it for a year now
I asked them how is it possible that its turned off already hopw would the out put be zero
They did not know, but they turned everything off now they said
I am so confused and scared ,
The Docotor said i did not need to see him any more as I was just there to get this device turned off.
I really thought this was the hope i was looking for,
They made it sound so good and now the doctor who turned this on the one i have been seeing for 17 years is no longer on Cyberonics list either.
Do I have a leaking battery, a bad lead, a faulty device
I year of being sick to my stomach, tired all the time, sweating and I am a thin man but would sweat as a over worked person,
choking on whatever i ate at times even water.
Now today find out some how this device shut down its out put all by its self and not even told they wopuld look into the matter
Has anyone suffered as this
Re: vns therapy side effects
I have had some very odd issues with my implant
not sure why but it has given me a upset stomach now for months as it comes and goes
its seems as maybe its due to surgery and that a lead may be pinching a nerve I have found at times i Can stop this at times if i lift a object with my left arm enough to put strain in the neck which then the nasua stops, but it comes back often and its hard to get the muscle or nerve back to the point for the upset stomach to cease
I also notice it seems as the leads may be pinching my chest as i can feel the leads at times.
the sensation of swiping the magnet is the worse its as someone is choking me and it feels as my lower jaw and teeth are burning as if some one is pushing a hot spike into my lower jaw for 15 seconds then it eases
so i do not swipe the magnet much at all.
Its been a few months since i had it adjusted and cant get ahold of my nuerologist to check this all out
I have been his patient for 17 years and the last few months he doesnt call me back or reply to my emails
When i saw him last he tested the leads and when he did that it felt like a hot poker going thru my jaw it was so bad i almost went into tears
I told him about it , he did not seem it was anything to worry about.
I had this implanted to help with whats called intractable headpains , complicated migrains and cluster headaches which have brought on untypical seizure which are produced by head pain i have suffered for 20 + years.
The head pains I describe are pains that are everyday but because of the medications i am on the pain is still everyday but only last a day now instead of day or weeks where at times i was bed ridden from the massive pain in the head.
I will try anything the medical profession to come up with to stop these head pains
It does depress me as to wake and go to bed with a headache as it never fails
I havent had one day in over 20 years where i havent had a headache, but at least the severity is not as it once was, but this was the case when they put me on a cocktail of many medications which makes my life more normal then it has been in years
I raised 5 children and a grandaughter with this condition
I attened college to get my associates degree but that was a slow process since at the time i was going thru doctors misdiagnosising me and treated me for everything but what i had.
one doctor had me beliveing I was crazy and the pain was from me thinking to much about the pain
but one knows when a migrain comes on how useless the migrain makes you then a cluster headache on top of the migrain and the stress headaches make a presesnce.
the day after recovering from a masive head pain my body is wore out as if was was hit by a car
Re: vns therapy side effects
i have always gotten severe migraines from siezure activity. the worse the activity the worse the migraine. if i have a tonic clonic siezure i get very severe migraines. migraines = nausea. i was changed to topamax as one of my siezure meds since they use that siezure drug as a migraine drug as well.
personally if my doc wasnt returning my calls , its time to fire him and get a new doc, go to an epi specialist since you do have siezure activity causing your migraines. they are more skilled and more simpaphtic. any doc that doesnt take your pain serious ly, is not a good doc. my epi doc will return my calls promptly on the same day, usualy with in a hour. good luck on your doc search
God Bless,
life is fragile, handle with prayer.
Re: vns therapy side effects
Hi Marcy,
I understand your concerns. I had many of my own before I had the surgery. Being that she cant make the call for herself, talk about the pros and cons with her doctor. If you are talking about pain with the surgery, the pain at the incision site is very intense the first day but they give you strong enough pain killers to stop it. it does get much better every day after that. the pain killers they give you does take care of it though.
the only discomfort i get now is when i am stressed and tense my neck muscles, i do have some discomfort, not pain, in the left side of my neck when it goes off, but if i just settle down and relax, then it goes away. some people do have side effects, some have no problems at all. like with anything you are going to find people that are happy with it and those that are unhappy with it.
So talk it over with the doctor and get all the info. Ask questions on anything you dont understand. Best of wishes to you and your family.
God Bless,
I have a electric personality, my brain is self charging!
Re: vns therapy side effects
Something that I have noticed with a lot of the subjects who get this product are they should not.
In other words. Persons who had received the VNS were still experiencing uncontrolled seizures however those seizures were not breakthroughs, they were full blown. There is a difference between the two. For example, I was seizure free for seven years before mine came back which put me into a category of having breakthrough seizures and made me a candidate for the VNS surgery.
What I am seeing now is there are some neurologists taking advantage of this surgery without considering the fact that it may not work due to VNS is not made to bring seizures to a halt. It is only made to decrease and manage their frequency. I was even told that from my neurologist and neurosurgeon before going into the OR. Lastly, VNS only works in conjunction with a medication regimine and changes will not occur immediately as it takes time for the correct settings to be made to the patient's body type and their seizure habit. For myself, it took six months to find the correct setting. Now I visit the dr every month to check up and ensure it is running correctly. I have gone from four small seizures a day to one seizure occurrance every 10 to 15 days, sometimes 20 days depending.
S. Elvins
PS. I am studying for my Doctorate so my response time may not always be the greatest as I am busy with school work and a huge writing project.
Re: vns therapy side effects
Viv Sheets- Did you ever have the device implanted in your niece? I am really curious. My son is 19 and will be having the implant put in next week. All you read is negative, negative! I am trying to tell him to keep an open mind. People don't usually write about stuff when they are satisfied. They only write to complain about things. I hope you had it implanted in her and that things are going well. I know we have an excellent doctor and am very hopeful that it will make it so he can come off of some of his meds! Good luck, please let me hear from you or anyone that has something good to say.
Re: vns therapy side effects
Hi, I just now joined this site and you may have already made a decision by now BUT it is a decision that only you can make. As a RN I have taken care of a little girl that it worked well for and she had no side effects. As a mom, my son almost died from the VNS. So, no one can make that decision for you and I know it is a hard one. We make hard decisions every day for our children and in the end you have to realize that you tried to do the best you could. Good luck and best wishes. Thea Thorne-mother of Michael:)
Re: vns therapy side effects
Nancy B Tadybug, I am going to repeat something that I have said in a previous reply, but I think it needs repeating. Type 'Maude Data Base' into your google search bar, and when it comes up type 'death caused by Cyberonics vns device'. When that page comes up, go to the very bottom where it says 'repeat search with ommitted items included' and read some of those reports. You can also type into that very same searc bar 'serious, or lifethreatening injuries caused by Cyberonics vns device' and read those reports, again, 'with the ommitted items included'. You can also type in 'warning letters sent to Cyberonics re: vns device' and read those. My sister almost died from this device, and she will be disabled now for the rest of it BECAUSE OF THIS DEVICE. This is a very dangerous device, and yes, there will be people who sware it has helped them, but there are many others who it has either killed or mamed, You need to know ALL the facts in order to decide if that is a risk you are willing to take. Good luck in your decision.
Re: vns therapy side effects
I have the VNS but it is turned off. I didnt experience that problem at all. I would contact your neuro and maybe they can do xrays or whatever in your neck area. I would contact them right away.
take care
Re: Re: vns therapy side effects
May I ask you why you decided to have your VNS turned off? Mine was implanted in June of '06, so I am still getting my adjustments. I have thought more than once in having it turned off. What was your final reason to have yours turned off?
Re: Re: Re: Re: vns therapy side effects
I am doing well so far with vns. I do not like the vocal change, that is my main reason. I am a stage actor, so I can hide the change slightly while on stage, but I am not a fan of it. I am still seeing my neuro once a month, and I have two more time when my "voltage" is turned up as I call it. I don't know quite yet if it is working. The seizures have stopped for now but I still have auras.
Re: VNS Side Effects
I got into a study and got the VNS this time last year with no problems. 2weeks later it was turned on and had my first adjustment. Everything was great until I went in for next adjustment and the technician or the adjustment device screwed up and I was hit with the max voltage several times within a 15 minute period. Everytime she reset it it hit me again. Finally she called cyberonics tech dept and was told how to do it. That was Feb 21st and I have been sick as a dog ever since. I spent most of this year homebound. Headaches EVERY day since, neck pain, body pain, several mentioned toothaches. I had those alright bad ones but Shortly after my teeth litterally turned black on the edges and became brittle as chalk. I just spend 5000 last year on my teeth and they were in great shape when the implant was installed. Once they turned black it was like wildfire through my mouth. All my teeth were like less than 4 months later. I think it a bit unusual for every tooth you have to all go bad all at the exact same time and exact same way in a 4 month period. Has anyone experienced the max voltage shock ? If so what were your experiences. Has anyone had anymore teeth problems except pain ? I am having an eeg and a pet scan this week and a four hour cognitive test.
The interesting thing is within 2 weeks of the shock they pulled me out of the study once they found out I called Cyberonics ( never returned call or e-mail) and then the FDA to file a complaint.
In the prestudy paperwork they do mention all these side effects you guys and myself are expering. The side effect list was staggering. I hate to take extreme issue with Herbs statement that no one has died from it. Also in that paper work was adverse advents and since the beginning of testing there has been over 30 deaths. He is right in saying cyberonics said the vns had nothing to do with them. Some were suicides, I can attest it can make you very suicidal, unknown causes, siesures, and heart attack and of course the group " death by unknown causes". Don't tell me the VNS has never contributed to deaths.
I have faith in this device. I don't know why but I do. The problem is if the thing malfunctions there is really very few dr's who have seen the symptoms or know what to do about it. The dr's need much more training in all aspects of VNS so they can properly handle all problems that arise. I would recomend anyone interested in this thing, especially for depression, wait 2 - 5 more years. Your chances of getting the results will be much more in your favor. I thought I had nothing to lose but instead I lost a whole year in severe physical and mental pain not to mention 5200 in dental work and another 500 co-pay for surgery. Keep in mind if you get on a study they don't tell you that you have no access to an MD. Your dr is blind to the study and will not break the protocol. They never checked me out to see if I could drive or walk or hurt in any way. I could barely do either. Also you sign all your rights away. Sorry for being so long winded ! Peace to All !
VNS nearly killed me
I had the surgery on 7/21/00. The device never helped my condition but I did not regret my decision to try it, that is until 7/02/06 when the device malfunctioned and nearly killed me. On that date I started to experience what I thought was a new type of seizure. The episodes began with a sudden sharp pain to the throat followed by choking and then unconsciousness. I was not alarmed by this because I have several different types of seizures. My parents happened to stop by that sunday morning for a visit. They realized that something was wrong and called my neuro and ems. My last memory of that morning was being inside of an ambulance. When I regained consciousness I was in the ICU. What was actually happening is the device was stopping my heart (asystole) during the 30 second on cycles. Once my neuro realized that the problem was cardiac in nature and not seizure activity he had to rush to his office to retrieve the equipment to deactivate the device. Once the VNS was turned off I regained a normal heart beat. My VNS was programmed at 30 sec/3 min and I had approx 40 episodes of asystole. It was a miracle that I survived that ordeal.
Re: vns therapy side effects
i want to thank every one of u for the input on the vns i have not had it put in yet but something in me said dont do it my nuero made it out so good not mentioning any of these probs i had tens machine put on me in physical therapy once and went into a gmal instantly , so i have decided against the vns. there is supposed to be a t-vns out in 2012 that dont require surgery so i think ill wait till then wish you all the best
Re: Re: vns therapy side effects
Mine was implanted in Jan of 01. It was on for eight months. There was no change for me at all. Unless I swiped it when I needed when a seizure was going to occur. It was turned off because I got sleep apnea from it, which is very rare, but it does happen. I really like the VNS now even better. For I can swipe it on again when I needed.
It is like a security blanket for me, I have something to help me out if a grand mal was going to happen. Plus I hated it, when it was turned on. My voice is very deep as it is, and when the VNS would turn on it was very noticeable.
But I would not do without it now.
take care
Re: Re: Re: vns therapy side effects
How do you turn it off? I still have a lot of time to think about it, but I might have mine turned off. I am a stage actor, and I do not like the vocal change.
Re: Re: Re: Re: vns therapy side effects
The doctor has to turn it off for you. But it sounds like yours is working for you, why would you want to turn it off. Having an aura is nothing. It is not going to catch everything. Unless the setting is more often.
Take care
Re: Re: Re: Re: vns therapy side effects
Hi Lisa,
I hope the vns is working well for you. You can tape the magnet directly over the battery on your chest (under your clothing), to put the stimulation on pause while you are singing. I know someone who is an opera singer and that is what he does. w/o stimulation, you shouldn't have any voice alterations. After you are done, take of the magnet, and the vns will start working with a gradual ramp up again.
Re: vns therapy side effects
Hi ! I had the VNS implanted in October, and am still going thru the process of having it gradually turned up. In March, it will finally be turned to the low end of the therapeutic range. I haven't had any problems with it, and certainly not the "bee sting" effect you seem to be having. I do feel the tingling in my neck quite a bit, and feel like the next adjustment will be a bit harder to get used to. Each time i have had it turned up, it has taken me a few days to get used to it. This last time (about a month ago), it has taken a bit longer. I have used the magnet a few times this past few weeks, and noticed that it is definitely stronger, and although not "painful", it is uncomfortable.
I would definitely have the neuro check it out, and see if the leads have shifted. Lots of people react differently to it, and your feelings should not be discounted by Cyberonics. I hope they have filed a "side-effect" report on your issue.
Good luck, and keep us posted,
"We are each of us angels with only one wing, and we can fly only by embracing each other." -lucian de crescenzo
Re: Re: Re: vns therapy side effects
Being the odd one out but let me tell you my experience with the one and only CYBERONICS and VNS!! I DISLIKE THAT COMPANY and feel very betrayed by them.
I have intractable epilepsy after undergoing the removal of a malignant brain tumor in 2003. I was told my seizures where going to get better but they got worse.
I was 25yrs old married and had two beautiful children. I actually worked worked two blocks away from CYBERONICS BLVD. where the lovely "miracle devices" are being made.
So,I was convinced after a year of pure hell and not being able to return to work and my life taking a complete 360 to have the VNS installed. I went to the Houston Medical Center and within a matter of 2hrs I was admitted for a night stay in the hospital. Surgery was over and done with and the next a.m. I went home.
Well, what was the % for someone developing a post-op infection or there body trying to reject the device. If I recall it is like 0.4%. I was lucky enough to be one of those people!!! I had to get a picc line put in and 5 weeks of I.V. antibiotics because my body was literally trying to push the device back out. It was rejecting it. YOU SHOULD SEE MY SCAR!! IT IS GORGEOUS!!!
6 weeks later I had my device turned on. The moment it went on I noticed something was not right. I continued having it turned on for 6more months every week. I got it turned up to a pretty high and rapid cycle. I noticed it helped with my gran-mal seizures but the amount of pain it was causing me was making me a living night mare to live with. Sometimes I would tape my magnet over my device just to shut it off.
After about 8 months of this I just had it turned off. Then 3 months later I decided after my many fights with my husband to call Cyberonics and ask them what they thought about why it was hurting so much. My nuerologist didn't care and I refused to go back to my surgeon who come to find out by cyberonics was no longer allowed to put the devices in anymore. They suggested I go and see another doctor. So,I did.
I got to the appointment and he immediatly looks at my throat,my chest,and my armpit area and says "Your device isn't implanted right." Something Just Isn't Right There! I was rescheduled to go back under the knife exactly a week later for a revision or possibly to take it out. He said the surgery will take an 90 minutes. It took 8hrs!! 8hrs to clean up the mess the other surgeon left behind and to clean up the mess from the defective lead wire that was broken out of its protective casing wrapped around my vagus nerve.
I still have my VNS in because I am meeting again with a plastic surgeon to see if any of this scar tissue can be cleaned up from the moronic surgeon who tore me apart. However,there was a defective lead wire that caused damaged too and that bee stinging that you describe. More like a million in my case. I still don't think to highly of this thing and I think I will feel better when other manufactuers start making it and CYBERONICS stops holding the Monopoly on it.
However,look it up on the FDA website about the casing on the wire on their devices. It is not something they are proud to let know they have been cited for and have a problem about.
Good Luck!!
Re: vns therapy side effects
how long after the placement of your vns did you develop the infection? i too had this problem. my placement was in january & my wound was totally healed. in april i developed a 'hole' in my incision line. to make a long story short, after 4 surgeries (the last one being where they removed the wires from the vagus nerve), lengthy hospital stays,too many doctor visits to count & 4 months of continuous iv antibiotics at home. i had picc lines twice, because the first one developed an infection, then i had a central line put in for the iv antibiotics. the lead wire actually was coming through my neck. it is hard to find info regarding other's having this problem. i changed neurologists & spent 5 days in the hospital to track my seizure activity, only to find none.
Re: vns therapy side effects
The only problem that I have is when it is set real high, I get a tooth ache. So what i did was I went to my Dr. told him it was too high, he turned down but kept to where if I or someone swiped my magnet, I feel the tooth ache. Also when it is set high. It sounded like I had been running, and out of breath, when I talked.
Re: Re: Re: Re: vns therapy side effects
Amanda, I have also been having lots of problems. My doctor and ER doctor have said that it is because of where the VNS is placed at this point. I have been going through pain. I can't seem to catch my breath at times. It is contracting on my left hand said of my neck. My surgeon said it would need to be repositioned but has taken a different stance this last time I talked with him. He says there is nothing he can do. I can't use it right now because of all the trouble it is causing for me. My neurologist office said that were going to call Cyberonics a couple of days ago and I haven't heard anything more. This is turning out to be a nightmare.
I hope that not many people have this problem. I hope you are better.
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: vns therapy side effects
These side effects are NOT uncommon and Cyberonics IS aware of them. They do not want the public to know of them. I went thru the same thing in 03 and had mine turned off. It was not a lead impeadance. It was not a generator malfunction.
I was in contact with Cyberonics and they were aware of several other people who have had the same problem. If you read the MAUDE reports from the FDA, you will see several that have been filed.
Even though the unit is off, I still have terrible pain in my neck, jaw. Stinging sharp, often sudden. This is damage to the Vagus nerve and/or facial verve. A lifetime souvenier from a temporary fix.
Please understand, VNS Therapy has been FDA approved for use as an adjunctive therapy in reducing the frequency of seizures in adults and adolescents over 12 years of age with partial onset seizures that are refractory to antiepileptic medications. There is no guarentee it will work, or how long it will work for.
It is permanent! The generator and leads can be safely removed, but NOT the electrodes that wrap around the Vagus nerve. I know of only one doctor in Texas who even attemps to remove them and that is on pediatrics only.
You CANNOT have an MRI. The FDA and Cyberonics have very specific guidelines for recieving an MRI but many places will refuse to do an MRI is there is a generator still in the body. You should NOT wear any kind of bone stimulator. You should avoid electromagnetic fields and that INCLUDES metal detectors. They can cause malfunctions of the unit. It is not recommended for those with sleep apnea or asthma, because it makes those conditions worse.
If this implanted in a child younger than 12 and the child experiances adverse effects or has become damaged, Cyberonics will claim USER ERROR! Be sure, VERY sure you are willing to put your child at these risks.
At the present time, I have been made aware of several children who have had their pitutary gland damaged from the VNS. This gland controls growth and these kids are living at both ends of the extreme, from zero developement to unbelievable growth. This may be a rare phenomenon, or may just be coming to light.
Children do however, on a whole, respond better to the VNS than adults.
Find out all the information you can and go with your intsincts. Do not allow yourself to be pressured by marketing fluff or sales reps.
Read the Patient and Physician Manuals. They are downloadable and available at http://www.vnstherapy.com/epilepsy/hcp/manuals/default.aspx
I also recommend http://www.vnsmessageboard.com
This board is devoted only to VNS patients with over 500 members.
To the readership, I am late
To the readership,
I am late to responding to this thread as I just happened upon it. While I cannot share experiences and/or knowledge from the standpoint of Epilepsy I am experienced, knowledgeable and continuing in my research as it relates to the VNS Therapy as it is utilized for TRD (Treatment Resistant Depression).
I am not a patient but I am a very long-time support person and health care advocate and activist and I share our experiences with the VNS Therapy in an informed proactive website and message forum I use as a repository for my research, thoughts and opinions and the sharing both of the pro's and con's of this treatment option.
The site name is: VNSdepression.com
The link to the site is: http://www.vnsdepression.com
As I read through a number of these personal experiences I find the individuals discussing the amplitude and increasing the amplitude settings and yet no one is discussing the other parameter settings such as the pulse width and/or the frequency.
From our experiences many of the side-effects such as jaw and neck pains etc experienced by my spouse were overcome by adjusting and lowering the pulse width and/or frequency settings, for instance, while attempting to increase amplitude.
As part of my advocacy I encourage education of the patient and/or his/her support persons to make informed and un-coerced medical decisions in collaboration with a compassionate, trusted, knowledgeable and licensed health care practitioner.
While I do read here of individuals lambasting Cyberonics my position is that the relationship is between the patient and his/her physician and any additional assistance from the manufacturer is a plus. I'm curious if any of these participants when encountering side-effects from their medications contacted the pharmaceutical company and lambasted them for their product? As a knowledgeable and informed support person and having seen my wife through numerous treatment options I am well aware of the many side-effects and complications but the fact remains that the nature of her illness is life threatening and our attitude is "Nothing ventured, nothing gained†as we enter into the "Trial and Error Approach to Wellness.â€
My wife has experienced many serious side-effects from several AED which are crossover medications being used for TRD (Treatment Resistant Depression) and unlike some we do not alarm and bash any therapies knowing full well while our negative experiences are also to be shared others are obtaining efficacy and benefits from the very same therapies.
I think it is also incumbent to separate in this instance the surgical procedure and potential side-effects from the therapy itself to be able to better understand and to make an intelligent and objective assessment. While there are reporting to the FDA and recordings of experiences in the MAUDE report one also has to carefully assess and understand what they are reading. As one particular individual I am aware of continually cites this document and has made allegations of deaths from the therapy the fact remains that no deaths have been attributed to the VNS Therapy and many of the MAUDE reports go unanswered in terms of being able to gather further and more detailed information.
I also wish to point out that the prosthesis allows for the interrogation of the lead by a lead test which when properly executed by a trained physician should document a break and/or malfunctioning of the lead.
What I feel is necessary are calm, education, careful assessment and collaboration with one's physician(s) and them making informed decisions.
My wife has been implanted almost 7 years with one replacement surgery for the pulse generator. Both her surgeries have been uneventful experiences with the surgical scars being minimal and of little concern to her aesthetically. She also experiences no sensations as the prosthesis cycles 24/7/365. I've also listed her settings for informational purposes only and not to suggest one follow suit.
Most importantly of all after some 37 years of searching, pain and anguish my wife has been obtaining almost continuous efficacy and benefit from this therapy like no other.
If one has some time try perusing the website and the various articles of information I've researched and collected. Maybe there's some information one might have missed to assist in achieving one's wellness.
VNS Settings
Output Current (milliamperes) 2.25
Signal Frequency (Hertz) 20
Pulse Width (microseconds) 130
Signal On Time (seconds) 60
Signal Off Time (minutes) 3
Magnet Current (milliamperes) 0
Magnet On Time (seconds) 7
Magnet Pulse Width (microseconds) 500
Re: To the readership, I am late
"Herb" does not have epilepsy, or depression. "Herb" does not have VNS in his body, therfore cannot speak FIRSTHAND of side effects of problems with side effects, surgeons, the company, etc. One thing "Herb" has failed to mention, he and his wife lied and decieved Cyberonics just to get her into the studies.
"Herb" also omitted, he owns stock in Cyberonics. Conflict of interest?
Re: To the readership,I am late
I do agree he should not of been permitted to be involved in the testing unless someone in his family had documentation stating he or she had the VNS in his or her body, period.


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text:
...as the Nominations Were Announced!
The Emmy Award
Photo NBC
Top stars from several east coast and west coast soaps gathered to announce the nominations for the 31st Annual Daytime Emmy Awards.
But what happened in the room as they were making the announcements?
What happened after the announcements were made? Here's your Inside the Bubble look at the stars and the fun they had on on the day.
In addition, NBC will be hosting the 31st Annual Daytime Emmys this year, and we've got your first looks at the official logo!
NBC's Official Daytime Emmy Awards Logo
The Announcers amid a rash of photographers.
Cameron Mathison (Ryan, AMC), Heather Tom (Kelly, OLTL), Robert Newman (Josh, GL), Tamara Tunie (Jessica, ATWT), Charles Divens (Chad, PAS) and Bryan Datillo (Lucas, DOOL)
Photo (c) NBC
The NBC Contingent. Passions Charles Divens (Chad) and Days of our Lives Bryan Datillo (Lucas). Looks like this announcement came as a surprise to Datillo!
Photo (c) NBC
Bryan Datillo (Lucas, DOOL)
Photo (c) NBC
Charles Divens (Chad, Passions)
Photo (c) NBC
Cameron Mathison (Ryan, AMC), Heather Tom (Kelly, OLTL), Charles Divens (Chad, Passions), Bryan Datillo (Lucas, DOOL), Tamera Tunie (Jessica, ATWT) and Robert Newman (Josh, GL)
Photo (c) NBC
More on the Daytime Emmy Nominations
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text:
SCOTUS announcement is a setback for ethanol
Jul 3, 2014
Midwest corn ethanol's possible inroads into a potential 1.4-billion gallon California market suffered its biggest defeat yet when the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) announced last Monday it would not hear a case brought by the industry against the state's lowcarbon fuel standard.
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Five students were injured when a portable building they were in was lifted into the air in Lincolnshire.
More tornados were spotted over Warwickshire and Cornwall, there was flooding in Bristol and trains in York were disrupted by a lightning strike.
The bad weather comes just weeks after England's hottest July on record.
Televisions blown up
The BBC Weather Centre said Bingley in Bradford was the wettest place in England on Thursday with 1.52in (3.85cm) of rain during the day, but many places had around 0.4in (1cm) in just an hour.
An isolated 15-minute downpour near Penzance in Cornwall on Thursday evening caused a wave of mud, grit and water which fire crews had to clear with high-powered hoses.
The Consumer Council for Water was warning customers in the South, East Anglia and Midlands that heavy rain could cause flooding if sewerage systems filled with water.
Thousands of commuters were facing delays after lightning struck the signalling system at York just before the Friday morning rush hour, with both local trains and services to London and Edinburgh affected.
Parts of Barnsley Hospital in South Yorkshire were forced to close on Thursday afternoon after flooding in the accident and emergency and radiology deparments.
A care home in Greater Manchester was evacuated on Thursday afternoon when a bolt of lightning struck a chimney, causing it to collapse, cutting electricity supplies and blowing up eight televisions.
Twenty people had to be evacuated from their homes in Weston-super-Mare in Somerset after a nearby electricity substation was struck by lightning, caught fire and exploded.
'Hectic day'
Ten houses in Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire, were struck by lightning but there were no reports of injuries.
The tornado in Lincolnshire hit an area where archaeologists and archaeology students were working inside a sand and gravel pit at Baston, near the Cambridgeshire border.
The building was lifted into the air and dragged 70ft - four people were taken to Peterborough Hospital with minor injuries.
The tornado seen over Warwickshire during the Thursday evening rush hour, lasted a few minutes according to witnesses in areas around Warwick and Leamington Spa.
A far more severe tornado caused substantial damage in nearby Birmingham in August 2005.
Julie Barwell of Breague, in west Cornwall saw a tornado come close to the ground twice before disappearing.
"It was a very thick tunnel to start off with and it got narrow and narrower and came down but it didn't touch the ground.
"If it had been in the other direction it would have come right above us."
A downpour caused a wave of mud and water near Penzance on Thursday forcing 20 householders to bail out their front gardens while fire crews cleared roads.
The BBC Weather Centre said Thursday was "a hectic day" with vicious storms and torrential downpours.
Rain is expected to continue into the weekend, with the test match between England and Pakistan at the Oval in London, and the V Festival on twin sites in Staffordshire and Essex among events which could be affected.
Most Popular Now | 56,514 people are reading stories on the site right now.";


text:
Rhett Smith, who is a family therapist, pastor to youth and families, and a guy who spends a good bit of time thinking about how technology impacts our relationships raises a great topic on his blog today in a post titled, Are We Fooling Ourselves To Think Intimacy Can Be Created Online Through Social Media?
His post focuses on the difference between self-revelation and self-presentation. To summarize, self-revelation is letting people see who we really are, which is essential for intimacy. Self-presentation is projecting an image of how we want people to see us, which is the antithesis of intimacy, because it hides who we really are.
So, the issue is whether social media can foster self-revelation which produces intimacy or whether it just fosters self-presentation which lacks intimacy.
Self-Presentation in Social Media
When we post to social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, we choose what we want to reveal and we leave out what we don't in order to project the image we want people to have of us, whether it's funny, authoritative, spiritual, wise, high-class, connected, or whatever.
In fact we not only choose what we reveal, but we choose how we reveal it by the words, tone, and symbols we use.
Rhett makes the point that even those who strive to be humble and authentic are still choosing to self-present themselves in that way.
Of course, this happens offline as well. We all wear masks when we're with other people and choose what about ourselves we reveal and how we characterize those things. So, my question is…
Do you think online interactions are more prone to self-presentation than offline interactions. If so, why?
But before you respond, I want to throw out a few thoughts.
First, it's been said that in a conversation only 7% of the communication is the actual words used, the other 93% is tone of voice, gestures, and body language. When we communicate through social media we're only communicating the 7%. And even if you're a prolific Facebooker or Twitter, you're likely to communicate a few hundred words a day via social media compared to the thousands of words we speak each day. In the end, only a very small percentage of what we communicate makes it through our internal filters onto social media. That makes our social media communication much more likely to be controlled and thus self-presentation.
Second, usually when we think of social media with think of posts to Facebook and Twitter. These are public communications to hundreds or even thousands of people. Imagine in the real world if you were to stand up and say something in front of hundreds or thousands of people. It would probably be pretty well thought out. It would tend to be self-presentation. So, comparing public social media posts to the offline relationships we develop in small group and one-on-one settings is not really a fair comparison. We should also consider emails, private messages, and posts to private groups, which I would argue are much more self-revealing and intimate.
Third, if you consider blogs to be a part of social media, they are one online setting where self-revelation and depth of thought may exceed the offline world. How often do you have conversations like this about relationships and technology offline? Or take for example, the post I wrote Tuesday Digging Deep: Leading When You Have No Energy. There are not many people whom I've been that self-revealing with offline.
So, now that I've said my piece, let me throw it back to you…
Do you think online interactions are more prone to self-presentation than offline interactions. If so, why?
Do you think it's possible to develop intimacy online through social media?[image by napalmnikki]


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From Uncyclopedia, the content-free encyclopedia
- Good job. --UtarEmpire 06:28, 9 September 2006 (UTC)
edit OMG, FRONTPAGE MATERIAL
NOMINATE,, but how?
- Go to VFH, place a nomination there, then tag this article with {{VFH}}. --UtarEmpire 05:14, 10 December 2006 (UTC)
edit Stuff that someone might consider messing with and adding... and ya...
"In a 2006 study conducted by Student Monitor, a New Jersey-based limited liability company specialising in research concerning the college student market, Facebook was named as the second most "in" thing among undergraduates, tied with beer and sex and losing only to the iPod." It'd be awesome if someone could uncyclopedia that quote and add it to the article. Qoou 16:42, 16 February 2008 (UTC)
- Add also Pump and dump to the "See also" section ;-) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pump_and_dump —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 126.96.36.199 (talk • contribs) 09:44, May 18, 2012 (UTC)
edit Lol - It's getting eerily like MySpace
I think this should be in the article somewhere --ScottBurnan 12:40, 9 September 2008 (UTC)
edit Bottom links...
The domain expired, so the external links should be replaced.
edit It's almost the truth
The funny thing about this page is that it mostly is actually the truth from the horse's mouth about Facebook... It could be edited to be more crazier.
- "It
couldshould be edited to be more crazier."
- Fixed. I really think this article is waaay too serious for the satirical potential Facebook has..
edit Anthem
It does not mention here that The Police wrote an anthem for Facebook years ago. As the official anthem of facestalking everywhere, it should be included.
edit Your business is addicted to likes
If you do not work for McDonalds, and the above statement is untrue, do be kind as to bugger of. --18.104.22.168 08:24, May 24, 2012 (UTC)
edit Losing sleep because we're not certain what "facebooking" is?
Go to bed! because neither is http://www.collinsdictionary.com/submission/2379
Apparently, "The act of using modern technology to communicate to multiple friends at a time" is: "a duplicate suggestion. The word is already under consideration" says(WordMonkey (Editor) on 6 Aug 2012) Mankind can start to understand space travel and "Dark Matter" but we still can't quite pin down what "facebooking" means. Fascinating. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Maxchillin (talk • contribs) 188.8.131.52 14:47, August 13, 2012 (UTC)


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Who Will Walter White, Dexter, and Daryl Dixon Vote For?
By now, you've likely heard just about every single person you know (and don't know — damn the limitless world of social media!) proclaim their opinions about the presidential election. Your friends, your family, your favorite celebrities — they've all made themselves very clear about who they want to be the nation's next Commander-in-Chief. But despite the progressive efforts to extend this sort of avenue for free speech to everyone in the country, there is one demographic whose voice remains unheard: fictional characters. Tragically, there is no platform for the likes of your beloved television companions to express their views on politics and key issues.
As such, we can't claim to know what the likes of our favorite TV characters would say regarding the 2012 election. We don't know if, say, Walter White would vie for Mitt Romney. If Dexter Morgan would opt to reelect Barack Obama. If Abed Nadir would write in Harrison Ford. That's not up to us to decide. But it is up to you. After all, this is a democracy.
It's important to figure out your small screen friends' political alignments. After all, if you're going to let anyone influence you on which candidate to choose, it might as well be someone who's been at least considered for an Emmy. And so, below is a list of some of the best men and women currently residing within the district of your DVR, complete with a brief summary of the values they might be considering upon casting their ballots this year. Look through, and let us know who you think they'd be voting for to lead the nation through 2016.
Walter White
Age: 51
Residence: Albuquerque, N.M.
Profile: Small business entrepreneur; personal vendetta against certain government departments (specifically, the DEA); favors science over religion; millionaire
Claire Dunphy
Age: Early 40s
Residence: Los Angeles, Calif.
Profile: favor of stricter neighborhood safety; strong family values; supports adoption rights for same-sex parents
Jessica Day
Age: 30
Residence: Los Angeles, Calif.
Profile: Teacher (unemployed); supports the arts; lives in squalor; has an iPhone
Dexter Morgan
Age: 41
Residence: Miami, Fla.
Something: Civil employee; in favor of the death penalty
Abed Nadir
Age: Mid 20s
Residence: Greendale, Colo.
Profile: Student (unemployed); supports the arts; practicing Muslim, but ideologies are largely rooted in science (-fiction)
Daryl Dixon
Age: Around 30
Residence: Post-apocalyptic Georgia
Profile: Ostensibly opposed to gun control and animal rights; begrudgingly believes in contributing to the community
So let us know! Who do you think these characters would vote for? And what other favorites of yours might weigh in this year?
[Photo Credit: AMC]
Which Channel's Election Results Should You Watch?
'South Park': Cartman Holds The Key To The Election?
Melissa Joan Hart Chooses Romney: What, Like We Care?
Channing Tatum to Be Named Sexiest Man Alive by 'People' (REPORT)


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Liberated Pixel Cup is a go!
This weekend the Liberated Pixel Cup started its art contest, which will run until the 30th of June. You can check out the style guide and the existing assets here (includes a interactive HTML5 demo).
Reasonable prizes for the winners and runner-ups might motivate you to contribute, but judging will be only after the second phase of game prototyping, which ends on July 31st.
But even if you don't win, you can be sure that your contributions will be a very valuable part of the resulting FOSS game content pack, so every small addition counts.
Good luck!


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The 2010 Allstate Sugar Bowl football game is set with the Cincinnati Bearcats facing the Florida Gators on Friday, January 1, 2010 at 8:30 p.m. ET (FOX). Tickets for the Sugar Bowl are available through our preferred vendor TicketNetwork.com.
In their only meeting in 1984, Florida defeated Cincinnati 48-17 in Gainesville.
- 2010 Sugar Bowl Tickets – TicketNetwork.com


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Michael Bacharach, Beyond Individual Choice: Teams and Frames in Game Theory. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2006. xxiii + 214 pages. USD 35.00 (cloth)
No abstract is available for this item.
If you experience problems downloading a file, check if you have the proper application to view it first. In case of further problems read the IDEAS help page. Note that these files are not on the IDEAS site. Please be patient as the files may be large.
As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to look for a different version under "Related research" (further below) or search for a different version of it.
Volume (Year): 130 (2007)
Issue (Month): 3 (March)
Pages: 495-497
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|Web: http://www.springer.com/economics/public+finance/journal/11127/PS2
References listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
- John C. Harsanyi & Reinhard Selten, 1988. "A General Theory of Equilibrium Selection in Games," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262582384, July.
- Bacharach, Michael & Stahl, Dale O., 2000. "Variable-Frame Level-n Theory," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 32(2), pages 220-246, August.
- Bacharach, Michael & Bernasconi, Michele, 1997. "The Variable Frame Theory of Focal Points: An Experimental Study," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 19(1), pages 1-45, April.
- Selten, Reinhard & Abbink, Klaus & Buchta, Joachim & Sadrieh, Abdolkarim, 2003.
"How to play (3 x 3)-games.: A strategy method experiment,"
Games and Economic Behavior,
Elsevier, vol. 45(1), pages 19-37, October.
- Reinhard Selten & Klaus Abbink & Joachim Buchta & Abdolkarim Sadrieh, 2000. "How to Play 3x3-Games A Strategy Method Experiment," Bonn Econ Discussion Papers bgse3_2001, University of Bonn, Germany.
- Selten, R. & Abbink, K. & Buchta, J. & Sadrieh, A., 2002. "How to Play 3x3 Games : A Strategy Method Experiment," Discussion Paper 2002-39, Tilburg University, Center for Economic Research.
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Thank you for visiting Flexipads Tie-on Lambswool Bonnet 150mm / 6in FLE40010 on toolwall.co.uk
We bring the products from many websites to one website for you to search, save and compare.


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Stacy A. Wojtecki
Stacy Wojtecki lives at 20 Elberon Ave. in Ward 1, District 2, with her husband, Democratic Councilman Joe Wojtecki, and their three children Joseph, Alexander and Christian. She is Treasurer of the Hawthorne Democratic Organization and has served as Campaign Treasurer for multiple Hawthorne Democratic campaigns. In addition to political involvement, Stacy has served as President of Washington Elementary School PTO, of which she was a member for over 8 years. She has also been Recording Secretary for the Hawthorne Soccer Association, as well as a soccer coach. The Wojtecki's are parishioners at St. Anthony's Church.
Upcoming EventsNo events scheduled
Message of the Day
Rome wasn't built in a day. But brick by brick, we're building up the democratic party in Hawthorne.


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I am a great, great, great grandson of Asiel Snow. I enjoyed your article about the founding of Snowville. I am trying to learn about my Snowville ancestors and would appreciate any infomation you can pass on. Thanks again.
One of the pioneers who lived in the land that became Pulaski County, Va., was a man by the name of Asiel Snow.
Coming from the northeastern part of America, Snow and his family settled in the area now known as Christiansburg. He was a maker of fine furniture of his day, and a master craftsman.
One a trip through the area south of the New River delivering a load of furniture by horse and wagon, he came upon the crystal clear waters of Little River.
He was so fascinated by the beauty of the place that he realized right off that this was the place where he would establish the town of his dreams.
Knowing this would be the ideal site for a dam to furnish waterpower and suitable land on which to establish a town, his plan began to take shape.
It was not just a dream.
Snow made it all come to pass. He moved his wife and nine children to the area, and started to build.
Logs were floated or dragged from the timberland to be used as material for construction of the dam. The year was about 1830.
Snow and his large family would be a good nucleus for the citizenship of the town. They must have been hard workers, because by the year 1850 the town had a trip hammer forge for processing iron, an oil factory that converted flax seed to linseed oil and a sawmill operated by a man named Snell.
They said Snell was slow that' why they nicknamed him Snail.
Here in the burgeoning village was a carding mill where wool was worked into yarn. This was also the place where wool was packed into cloth bags for shipment north. It was necessary that pins be used to fasten the tops of these bags of wool.
At this point, necessity became the mother of invention. Since pins were scarce, someone came up with the idea of using the long vicious looking thorns from the nearby hillsides. Gathering thorns became the source o f income for village youngsters.
Other businesses were the general store, grist mill, tannery, blacksmith shop, shoe factory and blast foundry, where scrap metal was made into cooking utensils. Also, fine swords were produced in Snowville.
Asiel Snow was a man of great foresight and good fortune, and evidently a born engineer.
One thing he could not foresee was the eventual location of the great "Iron Horse." When the railroad was routed near, but not through the town, the days of Snowville as a boomtown, were over.
It seemed like everything connected with the great transportation and trade industry grew rich, while thousands of Snowvilles across the country started to go in the opposite direction.
There are still signs of grading for the railroad, but the rails were never put down. Signs are all that's left.
Signs of strip mining in the nearby hills that refuse to grow anything green. But on a hillside on an April day, one might see the lush green of the thorn bush, another reminder of Snowwille's past.
Lloyd Matthews is a retired and surveyor and a historian who lives in Pulaski
I am a great, great, great grandson of Asiel Snow. I enjoyed your article about the founding of Snowville. I am trying to learn about my Snowville ancestors and would appreciate any infomation you can pass on. Thanks again.
Larry – I am researching the Snow and Bullard families, specifically trying to tie Asiel Snow to any specific Snow families in Massachusetts. I would be glad to pass on what I have and would love to correspond.
Mr. Matthews, you wrote an article a couple of years ago on a Methodist minister by the name of John Collingsworth. I am a direct descendant of Eleanor Collingsworth and her husband, Rev. Cecil, a Methodist minister. Do you know if Eleanor and John Collingsworth are related? I am a native of Pulaski, VA.
Joe Branson
My great grandmother was Asiel's Snow's daughter. Her husband was a Mr. Frost from Snowville. I do not have the dates of their marriage or births or the given name of my great grandmother. My grandfather, Clarence Miller Frost, was born January 1, 1864, in Snowville. I would very much appreciate any help you can give me.
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Tennessee authorities are investigating the discovery of a vehicle in the waters of Watauga Lake, at least one person dead inside. station reports that at about 9:20 p.m., Tennessee Highway Patrol Spokesman Sgt. Bill Miller confirmed a car was located in the rural lake and that at least one person was found dead in the vehicle, but that
Miller did not release specifics about where the car was found, when, or how many people were found dead. Miller said "No names are being released and no preliminary information is available until we make family notification and the coroner's office has completed the autopsy."


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This is a reprint of "Good News," the weekly reflection written by Campus Ministry staff and students that is distributed at Sunday Masses in the Chapel of St. Thomas Aquinas.
When you need a break, need to study, or need to take a nap … Common Ground is your home. When you want a place to spend time with friends, watch a movie, or cook … Common Ground is your home. When you want to read the newspaper and drink hot chocolate in front of a cozy fireplace … Common Ground is your home. When you want to play foosball or bumper pool, or swing in a hammock … Common Ground is your home. When you need to make a phone call, grab something to drink, or even go to the bathroom between classes … Common Ground is your home. And when the day is long and you just need to spend some time alone … Common Ground is your home.
Common Ground can be explained in so many ways, but in just a couple words: UST's home. It's a house located at 2154 Summit Avenue that's open all day long for students, staff, and faculty to use. There is a furnished kitchen, dining room, large living room, porch, TV/Game room, prayer and meditation room and a great hammock in the front yard. One of the best parts of Common Ground is that it isn't a club — it's a community that each person at St. Thomas is a part of. Some people swing by to use the house once a month, and some are there every day. Everyone is welcome, and new faces soon become old friends.
Students on campus use it to be in a house, to have a kitchen to cook in, a fireplace to sit by on comfortable couches, a TV room to sprawl in. Commuters use it when they don't have time to go home, to make lunch, study, relax in between classes, or even stop to use the phone. Everyone uses it as their own home because that's exactly what it is.
Four of us live at Common Ground. We're dedicated to building community among ourselves and with you. We help plan events and keep the house running. Every morning we have prayer (7:45 a.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday and 7:30 a.m. Tuesday and Thursday). It lasts about 15 minutes — you can start your day in the best way and still get to class on time. Come every day or any day you can. We also pray the Jubilee rosary every Thursday night at 10 p.m. — this is a rosary with special intentions for the social justice themes of the Jubilee Year. The first Sunday of the month at 5 p.m. is a Lutheran Service followed by a dinner, and once a month we host a candlelight Mass — all are welcome. Common Ground has tons of events throughout the year. Don't miss our Coffee Houses — they bring in musical and comic talent from across the campus. Our first one is Friday, Oct. 22. Keep your eyes open for more activities coming up this semester.
Common Ground has opportunities for you — help us plan activities, or be a hospitality host and welcome others into the house throughout the day. Please give us a call, if you want to know more, at (651) 699-6801. Have a fantastic semester, and the next time you walk by 2154 Summit Ave., stop by and check it out!


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EXCLUSIVE: Greg Berlanti has sold his first project under his rich new overall deal with Warner Bros Television — a legal drama to be written by his frequent collaborator Marc Guggenheim. The project, entitled Guilty, has landed at Fox with a script commitment with penalty said to be in the put pilot range. It centers on a brilliant, morally questionable defense attorney who, after being falsely convicted of fraud and stripped of his legal license, uses his unorthodox methods to solve the cases he's been prohibited from handling and to ultimately exact revenge on the men who set him up. This marks the latest legal drama project for Guggenheim, who is a former lawyer. His first produced work was an episodic script for The Practice. He also worked on NBC's Law & Order and ABC's In Justice, and co-created with Berlanti the supernatural legal drama Eli Stone. Guggenheim, who also is a longtime comic book writer, most recently executive produced alongside Berlanti the ABC Studios superhero family drama No Ordinary Family. Their joint credits also include this summer's feature Green Lantern, which the two co-wrote, and the short-lived WB drama series Jack & Bobby, which Berlanti co-created/executive produced under his first overall deal with Warner Bros TV. Berlanti recently returned to the studio after a five-year stint at ABC Studios. Guggenheim and Berlanti are executive producing Guilty for WBTV and Berlanti Television.
Fox Buys Legal Drama From Greg Berlanti and Marc Guggenheim
23 Comments
They don't get any nicer than Guggenheim. Congrats!
Are you high? Or did you only work with him in the early years, before it all went to his head?
Sounds like the same ol' boring legal show that's bought EVERY development season. Notice the key words: "brilliant" but "morally questionable" attorney who uses "unorthodox methods" to blah blah blah SNORE. Insert "doctor" for "attorney" in the previous sentence and you have Fox's latest medical show. Insert "detective" for attorney and you have Fox's latest cop show. I would bet a million bucks that Berlanti and Guggenheim used the word "edgy" in their pitch and instantly gave the development executives a hard-on. And people wonder how so much crap ends up on TV.
You have a complex.
At least you know how to abuse the double quotations — I imagine they stand in for air quotes. Now THAT'S original. High five, Quentin! And if you think that's crap, start storing up on toilet paper 'cause you're gonna need it to wipe your tushy for the next 100 episodes. Try for double ply though. It's less rough on your tender bottom.
Boohoo, are you the PR for these creators? Sounds like it. Also this show sounds like fusion between Suits and Burn Notice.
Ugh. Talk about a negative Nancy.
Good to see these guys getting more work. Eli Stone, No Ordinary Family and Green Lantern? The second half of this article is just a list of mediocrity and failure. Does anyone even take into consideration people's actual credits and talent anymore or is Hollywood determined to just keep giving the same twelve dudes opportunity after opportunity to bore us all to tears?
You've just asked the great mystery of Greg Berlanti. When his biggest success was a midling show on the WB, why did ABC Studios and now Warner throw money at him?
Must be amazing in the room…
Wasn't this similar to The Guardian on CBS? THAT was a great show. Fox doesn't know how to accurately market legal dramas, due to their core demo.
Greg and Mark are a dynamic duo. Can't wait to read this collaboration. Congrats to them!
Congrats to both Marc & Greg much deserved. Humm… now if only they could work in a few musical numbers or just Loretta Devine.
Another legal series on television. How…boring.
What have you done lately?
If anyone is going to make a legal show, it should be Guggenheim.
I don't like Greg Berlanti working with Marc. They've only had one good project together(Jack and Bobby) and I suspect that was only good because of Vanessa Taylor and the countless other heavy hitters that show had. Berlanti himself just hasn't been that great ever since he left The WB(network). Such a shame to see him meandering like this.
Watch out David Kelley! BAM!!!
As long as it keeps them away from destroying another major franchise with idiotic cliche-ridden script.
Love Marc Guggenheim, and totally miss really good legal shows. He's such a nice guy and I can't wait to see what I'm sure will be an awesome show!
Both very smart and talented guys who will write a great legal drama. Eli Stone was great!
Lord, that photo was taken 20 pounds ago…
Congrats to Marc, one of the nicest individuals in the business! Best of luck on the new project.
Love Marc, smart guy and talented writer. He does look a little like Uncle Fester but hey, two out of three, right?


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New to Medicare Session offered Feb. 22
Going on Medicare soon or just interested in how it works?
Aspects of Medicare Parts A, B, C & D will be covered, as well as information on supplemental insurance to Medicare and how to report Medicare fraud and abuse, during a session Friday, Feb. 22, from 10 a.m. to noon at East Terrace Cooperative, 2155 6th Lane SE, Cambridge.
There is no cost to these sessions but they do need your registration so they may have the proper amount of materials available. Call Amy Tvedt at 1-800-333-2433 ext. 83026 and leave a message with your name and phone number so they may include you.
St. John Lutheran Pork Chop Dinner
The Mission Society of St. John Lutheran will host the 16th annual Pork Chop Dinner and Silent Auction on Saturday, Feb. 23. The dinner and auction will start at 5 p.m. The bidding for the auction will close at 6:45 p.m.
This the final fundraiser before MSOST departs for Nuevo Lardeo, Mexico. Everyone is welcome.
The dinner will include pork chops, mashed potatoes, vegetable, coleslaw, pickles, buns, coffee, milk and pie. Tickets are available at the door: Adults $8, children (6-12) $6 and children 5 and under free. All proceeds go to help Nuevo Lardeo, Mexico.
St. John Lutheran is located in Weber, halfway between Isanti and North Branch on Co. Rd. 5 and then one-and-one half mile south on Co. Rd. 12 (Jordell St.)
55+ Refresher and Certification Classes
Save at least 10 percent on your car insurance for the first time when take the 8-Hr. 55+ Certification Course for the first time or when you renew your discount by attending the 4-Hr. Refresher Course. Classes are offered by Braham Community Education and taught Bill Dingman, certified MN Safety Council Staff.
• 55+ 4-Hr. Refresher Course is Thursday, Feb. 28 from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. and held at the Braham Area High School. Cost is $16 and you must pre-register by Thursday, Feb. 21.
• 55+ 8-Hr. Certification Course is Saturday, March 16 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and held at the Braham Area High School. Please bring a bag lunch. Cost is $16 and you must pre-register by Wednesday, March 6.
For further information or to register you may go online to braham.k12.mn.us, fill out the registration form in the brochure you received or call the call Community Ed office at 320-396-2677. Office hours are Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Senior Dance
A Senior Dance featuring music by Michael Elsenpeter will be held at the East Bethel Senior/Community Center on Friday, March 1, from 1 to 4 p.m. Cost is $5 and includes lunch. The center is located one mile east of Hwy. 65 on 221st Ave.
Pancake Breakfast
A Pancake Breakfast will be held Sunday, March 10, at the East Bethel Senior/Community Center from 8:30 a.m. to noon. Cost is $5, under 10, $2. Pancakes, french toast, sausage, juice and coffee will be served. Scrambled eggs can be purchased for an additional $.50 per egg. The center is located one mile east of Hwy. 65 on 221st Ave.
Presentation on 'Christ in the Passover'
Pastor Bob Jonsson invites all to hear a presentation of 'Jews for Jesus' at First Baptist Church on Friday, March 29 at 7 p.m. The topic will be 'Christ in the Passover.'
'Jews for Jesus' is an agency that proclaims that Jesus is the Messiah of Israel and Savior of the world. The late Moishe Rosen, a Jew who has believed in Jesus for over 35 years, founded the organization. However, Dr. Rosen was quick to point out that he did not "start" Jews for Jesus. 'Jews for Jesus' began about 2,000 years ago, around 32 C.E., give or take a year. Jesus' first disciples were Jewish, and there have been some Jewish people who have believed in him ever since."
To the 'Jews for Jesus,' believing in Jesus makes sense in light of the Jewish Bible and in light of their experiences as "believers."
For those who argue that Christianity contradicts the meaning of Judaism, the 'Jews for Jesus' say there are answers, which their representative will be happy to discuss after the presentation. Call First Baptist Church at 763-689-1173 for more information. There will be no admission charge.


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Local stocks are poised to open little changed as Wall St rebounded from earlier losses.
What you need2know:
• SPI futures -3 at 5374
• AUD at 93.54 US cents, 95.25 Japanese yen, 67.74 Euro cents and 55.74 British pence.
• On Wall St, S&P500 +0.7%, Dow Jones +0.6%, Nasdaq +0.3%
• In Europe, Euro Stoxx 50 -1.3%, FTSE100 -0.6%, CAC -0.9%, DAX -1.7%
• Spot gold tumbles 1.9% to $US1302.69 an ounce
• Iron ore adds 0.1% to $US117.10 per metric tonne
• Brent oil up 0.2% to $US109.26 per barrel
• LME three-month copper flat at $US6667 a tonne
What's on today
Australia: building and construction activity; Westpac-Melbourne Institute Leading Indexes of Economic Activity
US: housing starts, Federal Reserve Beige Book, industrial production
China: monthly indicators including Q1 GDP
A survey of 13 economists by AFP saw a median forecast of 7.3 per cent growth for China in the first three months of the year, which would mark the fourth slowdown in the past five quarters, putting China on track for its worst annual performance since 1990.
Stocks to watch
Hartleys Research is maintaining a "speculative buy" on Icon Energy (ICN) with a target price of 23¢.
Morgans said it has a clear preference for Crown Resorts (CWN) over fellow casino operator Echo Entertainment (EGP) and wagering groups Tabcorp (TAH) and Tattersalls (TTS), in a note about its "high conviction buys".
The federal government may delay the announcement of which investment banks will manage the $4 billion float of Medibank Private until after the Easter holiday period, the Australian Financial Review is reporting today.
The US dollar has pared gains against the euro after rising tensions in Ukraine sent US bond yields lower and capped demand for America's currency.
In late afternoon trade in New York, the euro was down 0.08 per cent at $US1.3809, after having retreated around a half per cent on Monday. The greenback was up 0.01 per cent against the Japanese yen, at 101.85 yen, and was up 0.06 per cent against the Swiss franc , at 0.8803 franc.
The US dollar index, which measures the dollar against six major currencies, was last up 0.09 per cent.
Base metals are lower, led by nickel, as investors sold risky assets on worries about demand in top consumer China and on concern about tensions in Ukraine.
Nickel, mainly used in stainless steel, fell the most as investors also locked in profits following a rally to 14-month highs due to a ban on ore shipments from top exporter Indonesia and concern about supply from Russia, another top producer.
Three-month nickel on the London Metal Exchange fell as much as 3.7%. It was untraded at the close, but last bid at $US17,650 from $US17,790 at the close on Monday.
Iron ore price at risk of slump amid China financing crackdown | A crackdown in China on financing backed by commodities risks unleashing a flood of iron ore sales from tens of millions of tonnes sitting at Chinese ports, raising the prospect of price slump.
United States
Stocks ended higher after a volatile session on Tuesday, lifted by gains in Coca-Cola and Johnson & Johnson, though weakness in Apple, Tesla and Netflix limited the Nasdaq's advance. After the close, Yahoo reported first-quarter sales that beat expectations.
The Labor Department said its consumer price index increased 0.2% in March as a rise in food and shelter costs, especially rental housing, offset a decline in gasoline prices. Economists had expected a 0.1%rise.
Coca-Cola reported better-than-expected quarterly revenue as it ramped up spending on marketing and advertising, boosting sales in emerging markets such as China.
European stocks sank on Tuesday, resuming last week's sell-off as worries over escalating tension in Ukraine and weak updates by bellwethers including Nestle spooked investors.
SABMiller, the world's second-largest brewer by sales and which has a large exposure to Africa, China and other emerging markets, posted a modest rise in full-year lager sales volumes, sending its shares down 2.3%.
Ireland nudged up its growth forecasts for 2014 and 2015, reversing a trend of downgrades over recent years but the government is sticking with planned tax increases and spending cuts to reduce a still high budget deficit.
What happened yesterday
Stocks rallied on Tuesday on signs the world's biggest economy is growing and confirmation from the Reserve Bank of Australia that interest rates are set to remain low. The S&P/ASX 200 index rose 29.3 points, or 0.55pc, to 5388.2