Community ClicksQ: I suffered both flatulence and abdominal pain for more than three years to a degree of misery I’d like to forget.
I had lots of tests for digestive problems, but they showed no problem, and my doctors could offer no help.
Eventually I figured out that my prescription medicine was causing the problem and stopped taking it, with my doctor’s permission.
I am pain-free and no longer suffer from excessive gas.A: Many medications can cause stomach upset and flatulence.
Some include osteoporosis drugs like Fosamax, cholesterol-lowering drugs like Tricor and even pain relievers like naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn).
We have a more complete list, along with a discussion of treatments for flatulence, constipation and heartburn, in our Guide to Digestive Disorders.
For a copy, send $3 in check or money order with a long (No. 10), stamped (61 cents), self-addressed envelope to: Graedons’ People’s Pharmacy, No. G-3, P.O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027.
Or download it for $2 from www.peoplespharmacy.com.
Q: I am a nurse, and one of my patients has a success story that may interest you.
His pre-surgical tests showed an HbA1c above 8, indicating that his blood sugar had been above normal for months.
He decided to start taking a cinnamon supplement.
When I saw him two months later, his HbA1c was 6. Wow!
He’s also been taking a teaspoon of yellow mustard, which contains vinegar and turmeric, after every meal.
It muddies the research, but it has been good for him.A: Thanks so much for sharing this story. HbA1c is a blood test that reveals long-term blood-sugar control.
Keeping the level below 7 is considered desirable.
Not everyone benefits from cinnamon, but we have heard from readers that a supplement can be helpful.
There is even some research to support this approach (Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology, May 2010).
Both vinegar and turmeric can help reduce the rise in blood sugar after eating, so we’re not surprised that mustard might be beneficial, too.
Q: I am a 54-year-old male, and I have noticed a dropoff in sexual performance as well as in other parts of my life.
I have seen commercials for products that are supposed to boost testosterone.
Do such products work?
Is there a downside?A: Men who have low levels of the male hormone testosterone may experience fatigue, reduced sex drive, diminished muscular strength and weaker bones.
Although boosting testosterone levels can reverse such symptoms, this hormone may produce some unexpected negative consequences.
A small study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (July 8, 2010) reports that men who received testosterone via a topically applied gel experienced improved arm and leg strength and increased mobility.
They had more cardiovascular complications, however, including heart attacks.
The study was halted
prematurely because of safety concerns.
Until we have better data on both the benefits and the risks of supplemental testosterone, we think it’s wise to be cautious about raising your hormone level.
Q: I have taken levothyroxine for several years, but my insurance keeps changing the brand (from Synthroid to Levothroid to
several generics).
I have had progressively deteriorating hypothyroid symptoms (weight gain, fatigue, muddled thinking, high cholesterol, low sex drive, constipation, brittle nails and painful joints).
Where can I find the information I need to convince my doctor I need a better approach?
I did well on Armour Thyroid years ago when I was first diagnosed, but my current doctor doesn’t like it.A: Although the Food and Drug Administration has approved many generic levothyroxine products as bioidentical to Synthroid or Levothroid, physicians and patients report that not all generic products seem to be identical to each other.
A person taking generic levothyroxine might need to have the dose recalibrated every time a different generic is dispensed.
Because this requires blood tests and a doctor visit, the insurance company’s savings from the generic could be wiped out.
We are sending you our Guide to Thyroid Hormones, with a discussion of Armour Thyroid as well as the finer points of adjusting the dose of levothyroxine.
For a copy, send $3 in check or money order with a long (No. 10), stamped (61 cents), self-addressed envelope to: Graedons’ People’s Pharmacy, No. T-4, P.O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027.
Downloaded it $2 from www.peoplespharmacy.com.
After shortages that had many patients frantic, the company that makes Armour Thyroid reports that it is once again shipping common dosages.
Q: I’ve just read about the “hot water” remedy for mosquito bites. I, too, seem to be a mosquito magnet and have found Vicks VapoRub is a magical remedy.
I have no idea how or why it works, but it does!
A little dab rubbed on and around the bite not only soothes the itch but takes the swelling down as well.
Can you explain this?A: Others have told us that Vicks VapoRub can ease itching from mosquito bites.
We tracked down a review article in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology (November 2007) suggesting that menthol (an ingredient in Vicks) has been used since antiquity to ease itching. It works by affecting itch receptors in the skin.
These same receptors react to the pain caused by very cold temperature.
Q: Last year, you had information about taking the homeopathic medicine Rhus tox to prevent a reaction to poison ivy.
I took two tablets twice a day for a week in March, as suggested, and a month later I repeated that regimen.
It works!
I get poison ivy very easily and severely, and usually need steroid tablets and shots to clear it up.
My encounter with poison ivy this summer has resulted in only a few small blisters, which went away after I used an ivy scrub.
This would never have happened without taking Rhus tox. A: The idea behind homeopathy is that exposure to a very dilute concentration of the toxin (in this case, poison ivy) somehow teaches your body how to handle it.
Rat research does suggest that Rhus tox has anti-inflammatory properties (Homeopathy, April 2007), but human research is scanty. Avoiding poison ivy whenever possible is always the best bet.
Q: At my 40th high-school reunion, we indulged in some “girl talk.”
My dear friend told us about arginine cream.
She got a prescription for this to improve her sexual response and swears it is working well.
The instructions are to apply it to the clitoris about 20 minutes before sexual activity.
Is this too good to be true?
I’d like to get good information on this compound, and I hope you can help.A: L-arginine is an amino acid found in many foods.
It is a building block for
nitric oxide, a powerful
natural vasodilator.
When L-arginine cream is applied to the feet of people with diabetes, it appears to improve blood flow and temperature (Diabetes Care, Jan. 2004).
We could find no published research on the effectiveness of L-arginine cream for female sexual dissatisfaction, but a clinical trial is pending.
