Community ClicksQ: My doctor prescribed Nexium to alleviate stomach symptoms.
Shortly after starting this drug, I began having back pain and aching joints.
I have gained 10 pounds even though I am not eating any more food.
I feel so weary every day I can hardly continue my usual routine.
I have consulted a rheumatologist, who had nothing to suggest but a pain reliever to mask the aches.
Could these problems be traced to the Nexium?
What else can I do to ease my heartburn symptoms?
A: According to the prescribing information, drugs such as Nexium, Prevacid, Prilosec and Protonix may infrequently cause back pain and fatigue as well as muscle and joint pain.
Occasionally, people have experienced unexplained weight gain, just as you did.
Please talk to your doctor about these problems so that you can find a different approach for your stomach trouble.
We discuss many natural ways to control heartburn in our book Favorite Home Remedies.
It is available at www.peoplespharmacy.com or by sending $8.95 and $4 shipping and handling to: Graedons’ People’s Pharmacy, Dept. FHR, P.O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027.
Q: I went to the hospital for an unrelated problem that prompted an X-ray and CT scan. The doctors found five nodules in my lungs.
I met with a pulmonologist to discuss this.
After I mentioned that I put Vicks in my nostrils every night, as I have for 10 years, and he looked at my CT scan, he diagnosed me with lipoid pneumonia.
I am 41 and in very good health, so this was quite a surprise.
I thought it was important to share.
A: Several years ago, we started warning readers not to put Vicks VapoRub in their nostrils.
A pulmonologist alerted us to the possibility that one of the ingredients in Vicks, petrolatum, could get into the lungs and cause chronic inflammation.
We got quite a few indignant responses from people who said they had been doing this for years.
Here is just one example: “I read your warning not to put Vicks VapoRub in your nose.
That’s stupid. I’ve been stuffing my nose with Vicks for years, and I have never once come down with pneumonia.
You can tell that to your know-it-all doctor.”
Your experience demonstrates that the pulmonologist’s warning was on target.
Thanks for letting us know.
Q: The letter about the girl on the pill who developed blood clots in her brain caught my eye.
At 21, my daughter was on the pill and being treated for bronchitis.
She began having trouble breathing, fainted and ended up in the emergency room with blood clots in her lungs.
Tests showed that she has a prothrombin gene mutation that, with estrogen, is a time bomb.
I recommend that the other girl get tested.
My daughter was in the ICU for a week and on Coumadin for a year.
If she gets pregnant, she will be a high-risk patient.
A: Estrogen in oral contraceptives or hormone replacement therapy interacts with certain gene mutations to put women at higher risk for blood clots (Metabolism, March 2001).
Since estrogen rises naturally in pregnancy, your daughter would be at increased risk then (British Journal of Haematology, October 2003).
There is more information about this genetic concern at www.23andme.com.
Q: I have had a significant cat allergy for more than 25 years, but I recently got a cat on a trial basis after my dog died.
Another dog would be just too difficult, but I like having a companion animal.
I’ve been treating symptoms such as wheezing and itchy eyes with prescription medicines (including an inhaler, eyedrops and Flonase).
I started brushing my teeth with Crest toothpaste for sensitive teeth after hearing a caller on your radio show say it helped his asthma.
Now my allergy symptoms have almost completely disappeared.
I’m only using Flonase because I know I have a cat allergy!
Why is this working?
A: We were surprised when a caller told us that Crest Sensitivity Toothpaste had helped his asthma.
The active ingredient is potassium nitrate (saltpeter).
This compound was used long ago as a treatment for asthma and arthritis.
We doubt that there could be enough potassium nitrate in toothpaste to have much pharmacological activity, but we find your story fascinating.
Changing your toothpaste is certainly a low-risk approach to dealing with allergy symptoms.
Q: Much to my surprise, I was diagnosed several months ago with depression and anxiety.
I have had a number of life adventures the past few years, and I guess they have caught up with me.
The doctor gave me a prescription for Celexa, but I have not tried it yet.
I am very hesitant to start an SSRI, as I have read about side effects and difficulties getting off it.
Are there any more benign remedies I could try?
I bike daily, try to eat right and continue to fight through day to day, but the battle is wearing me down.
Am I being overly concerned about Celexa?
A: SSRI-type antidepressants such as citalopram (Celexa), fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil) and sertraline (Zoloft) can help ease symptoms for some.
They don’t work for everyone, and there are numerous potential side effects.
In addition, it can sometimes be hard to discontinue such drugs.
Even more vigorous exercise might be helpful (Psychosomatic Medicine, September-October 2007), as may supplements such as fish oil or the herb St. John’s wort.
We are sending you our Guide to Dealing With Depression so that you and your doctor can discuss these concerns and evaluate whether nondrug approaches such as light therapy, talk therapy or high-dose fish oil might be appropriate.
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. E-7, P.O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027.
It also can be downloaded for $2 from our website: www.peoplespharmacy.com.
Q: I am in good health but have trouble both getting to sleep and staying asleep.
This may run in the family, since my dad also had trouble with insomnia.
I have tried everything but nothing seems to work completely.
I am now taking Ambien, and I wonder if it would be safe to add melatonin to it.
Send me information to help with this problem.
A: We found only one study that addressed your question.
Researchers in France found elderly volunteers were more sedated soon after taking slow-release melatonin plus Ambien than after taking either pill alone (Human Psychopharmacology, December 2008).
The next day, though, memory and motor skills were no worse than when people took Ambien alone.
There were no safety problems, but be sure to go straight to bed after taking your sleeping pills.
You may want to consider some nondrug approaches.
We are sending you our Guide to Getting a Good Night’s Sleep with a list of dos and don’ts, as well as foods, herbs and other supplements that can be helpful.
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. I-70, P.O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027.
Or download it for $2 from www.peoplespharmacy.com.
