PayPal Fraudulent Email

So I got an email this morning - supposedly from PayPal - asking me to verify my identity. ::ding ding ding:: Didn't sound right at all. It looks very official - using the same format as the PayPal website and including links to the real PayPal website, but the link they want you to go to in order to 'verify your identity' is not a PayPal address.

The text of the email is:

Dear paypal user, We would like to inform you that we are upgrading our server to install a better protection software. So please click here and fill in the registration form again to renew your account.

Paypal Administration.

Thank you for a using PayPal!

From the actual PayPal website:

Q. How can I tell the difference between a real PayPal email and a fake one?

A. The term "spoofing" and "phishing" have been used to describe the act of collecting personal information using a fake email in order to commit identity theft, credit card, and Internet fraud. If you click on a link included in an email you're not sure is from PayPal, make sure the address at the top of the browser window you're brought to reads exactly www.paypal.com/us. PayPal emails will address you by first name, last name, or business name, and NOT by "Dear PayPal User" or "Dear PayPal Member."

If you are ever uncertain about the validity of the email or the email links, open a new web browser window and type in www.paypal.com/us.

If you think you have received a fraudulent email, forward the entire email to spoof@paypal.com and then delete it from your email account.

I know you all are smart enough to already know this, but hey, I figured it couldn't hurt to let people know this was happening, you know?

Headaches

So... I have an awful, horrible, really bad headache. I get them pretty regularly. And I feel like rambling about it. Don't know why. LOL

I couldn't tell if this headache this morning was vascular - like a migraine (Common migraine is a disorder involving recurrent headaches, which may be accompanied by symptoms other than headache but which rarely include a preliminary warning (called an aura).) - or inflammatory/muscular - like a tension headache (A tension headache is a condition involving pain or discomfort in the head, scalp, or neck, usually associated with muscle tightness in these areas.) Actually, looking at all the headache descriptions on Yahoo Health, I know now that it's probably a mixed tension migraine (A headache with features of both tension headache and migraine headache.) So I guess I did the right thing, 'cause I took medicine for both kinds. LOL

Now, I'm not clueless about medicine. I was a pharmacy technician for 10 years, and in addition to my formal training, I picked up a fairly extensive knowledge of pharmacology over the years.

So, here's a quickie review of OTC (over-the-counter or non-prescription) analgesics (pain relievers).

Aspirin - I personally avoid it, because it bothers my stomach. It's an anti-inflammatory, meaning it's good for pain caused by swelling or muscle strain. But it can definitely irritate the stomach lining, so people prone to ulcers should probably avoid it or talk to their doctor first.

Acetaminophen (Tylenol) - a good general analgesic. Mechanism of action isn't known, but it's not specifically an anti-inflammatory, so I use it for general, nonspecific pain. Doesn't bother the stomach the way aspirin can, but regular, prolonged use can cause liver damage.

NSAIDs - Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs. This includes ibuprofen (Motrin), naproxen sodium (Aleve) and ketoprofen (Orudis KT). Similar side effects as aspirin, and similar benefits as far as pain is concerned. I find them less irritating on my stomach, so I use these for inflammatory pain (I prefer naproxen sodium myself). Inflammatory pain can include menstrual cramps, muscle cramps, tension headaches, arthritis, etc.

So what I took this morning was Aspirin-Free Excedrin and Aleve. In most cases, you wouldn't take two kinds of analgesics at the same time, but the headache was that bad, and I couldn't tell if it was a migraine or a tension headache. Like I said above, I'm pretty sure it was actually a combination of the two.

Aspirin-Free Excedrin is acetaminophen plus caffeine. Caffeine is a vasoconstrictor - it constricts or tightens the blood vessels. So it's good for migraines because part of what causes them is a dilation of the blood vessels. (Specifically: Migraines occur when blood vessels of the head and neck spasm or constrict, which decreases blood flow to the brain. Minutes to hours later, the blood vessels dilate (enlarge), resulting in a severe headache. Inflammation around the blood vessels also occurs in some cases.) So caffeine and Tylenol are a good combo for migraines. If you can tolerate aspirin, the regular Excedrin is probably even better, since it addresses the inflammatory type of pain too.

DO NOT TAKE ASPIRIN AND A NSAID TOGETHER! Since they work in similar ways and have similar side effects, taking both would be akin to taking a double dose of one or the other. Just don't do it.

To the best of my knowledge, acetaminophen and aspirin OR acetaminophen and a NSAID can be taken together. Or if necessary, alternate them. If one only seems to last a couple of hours, take the other when the first seems to wear off. For example: 8am: Tylenol 10am: Motrin 12noon: Tylenol 2pm: Motrin Etc. Not that I recommend anything like that for any extended period of time. If you're in that much pain you should see your doctor.

Actually...

BIG FUCKING DISCLAIMER: I'm not a doctor, nurse, or pharmacist. I just play one in my LJ sometimes. Take everything above with a grain of salt - it's just based on my personal experiences and knowledge I've picked up over the years. Even though I graduated from a pharmacy tech program, I'm not licensed to dispense medical advice. I just like to ramble about it. K? Okay.

I'm going back to bed now. Later!

My babies

They were so cute just now, I had to take a picture and share. Aren't they adorable pretending to take a nap on top of their cage?? Awwwwww....

Bailey is on the left, and Kiley on the right.



I think they're both girls. They get along like two girls. This is not really a good thing, although I think they're becoming friends gradually. Kiley is still very territorial. But Bailey is a little sweetie. Her little chirps still have that baby warble sound to them. And I think she actually likes me. Kiley has never really liked me. ::pouting:: Oh well, she's beautiful, and sings very prettily, so it's okay. As long as she's nice to Bailey. LOL

They say if you're going to have 2 budgies (parakeets), you should either have 2 boys or a boy and a girl. But no... I had to get 2 girls. I think they'll be fine though. And they're so adorable!!!

::loves her birdy babes::