I am stressed out that I may not be able to get my pain medication, Vicodin. I’ve taken it for years, following a work accident. I’m not addicted. I really have pain but the pharmacist told me that it’s going off the market. Please tell me he’s wrong. I can’t live without it. …
Dr. Helene Leonetti responds to questions and comments from readers about bioidentical hormones, progesterone cream, Dr. John Lee, thyroid, the effects of getting tubes tied and more…
Over the past few years controversy has erupted over the risk of developing breast cancer with estriol therapy. A study from Sweden (Rosenberg et al, 2006) suggests that estriol can increase risk of lobular carcinoma when used for five years or less, and decrease the risk when used for more than five years. Unlike estriol however, oral estradiol and progestins continue to increase risk after five years. The results of this study may appear to be confusing, but can be explained by the differences in cancer initiation and cancer promotion by different types of estrogen.
… For the rest of us who can’t afford real HGH, there are dozens if not hundreds of pseudo-HGH treatments, none of which have been shown to have the benefits of real HGH. They are marketed under names such as pro-HGH, homeopathic HGH, HGH enhancers, secretagogues and releasers.This is code for: “there’s no actual HGH in this product,” but you would never know that from the advertising and marketing.
Q: My doctor has me taking natural progesterone sublingual pills—twice a day because she says the progesterone cream can build up under the skin. What do you say to that?
Photosensitive reactions are very unpredictable. Some people get severe sunburns and brown splotches in their skin, some get redness, tenderness, a rash, hives, or other types of inflammation (such as swelling or generalized pain), while others, experience no reaction whatsoever. Some skin reactions are permanent. Also, just because you do not have a problem with medication now, doesn’t guarantee smooth sailing every time you take it.
The push is on to reform health services financing before the August Congressional break. Will haste give us another problematic law like No Child Left Behind? Or is it more important to pass something, anything, to get the ball rolling?
Dear Pharmacist, My grandfather moved in with us last year. He is 86 years old and relatively healthy. He does not take any medication but says that eating asparagus is his “medicine.” He asks my wife to cook some every day but this is rather annoying. I know some foods have health benefits, does asparagus? […]
Dear Pharmacist,
I’ve had diabetes for 12 years and now I have kidney disease. My doctor just prescribed lisinopril, but after talking to the pharmacist I’m concerned that there is more I should be doing to protect my kidneys. What else should I consider?
Answer: The kidneys continuously filter your blood to strain out waste products. Without functional kidneys we would die within minutes. Many people, including non-diabetics, have the beginnings of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and don’t even realize it….
I often feel startled by life as many physicians do; startled by the vast intricacies of life, and humbled by the almost unfathomable complexities. But these days, I am concerned that for many in my field the wonder is waning, drowning.