Health & Fitness
Many pain relievers have side effects
JOE GRAEDON, TERESA GRAEDON, TERESA GRAEDON
King Features Syndicate
Published: July 28, 2012
Q: I can't take aspirin or other over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen or naproxen. They all make my stomach hurt! I am having trouble with joint pain, though, and wonder what you can suggest. Tylenol works, but I hate to take too much.King Features Syndicate
Published: July 28, 2012
A: Anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB), naproxen (Aleve) and aspirin, as well as prescription pain relievers such as Celebrex, diclofenac and meloxicam, all can irritate the digestive tract. They also may raise blood pressure or trigger irregular heart rhythms.
Acetaminophen (Tylenol) does not bother the stomach, but with regular use it, too, can raise blood pressure and harm the liver, kidneys, ears or lungs.
The Guide to Alternatives for Arthritis that we are sending you provides information on medications such as salsalate that are less likely to irritate the stomach. Nondrug approaches such as turmeric, fish oil, tart cherries, pineapple and gin-soaked raisins also may offer relief without side effects. It also can be downloaded for $2 from our website: www.peoplespharmacy.com.
Q: I have a friend who was diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment last year. Several years ago, she began having trouble with numbers and simple math, so she retired from teaching but took a position as an administrator. She did fine with that until her retirement a couple of years ago.
She takes several drugs, including Detrol, atorvastatin, lisinopril, Namenda, levothyroxine, Aricept and sertraline. She also likes grapefruit juice with breakfast. Could any of these drugs together with the juice be contributing to her cognitive impairment? I'd be grateful for any information you can send.
A: Drugs for bladder control such as tolterodine (Detrol) and oxybutynin (Ditropan) can cause confusion and interfere with memory. Grapefruit can raise blood levels of the cholesterol-lowering drugs atorvastatin, simvastatin and lovastatin. This may lead to overdosing and impaired mental function.
We are sending you our Guides to Drugs and Older People and Grapefruit Interactions. They contain lists of drugs that should be avoided by older people as well as medications that interact with grapefruit. Each guide also can be downloaded for $2 from our website: www.peoplespharmacy.com.
The combination of sertraline, atorvastatin, grapefruit and Detrol could be contributing to your friend's mental difficulties (International Journal of Clinical Practice, July 2009).
Q: Before I was diagnosed with prostate cancer, I was exhausted most of the time. My doctor tested the level of vitamin D in my blood after my diagnosis. It was at 12 — well below the minimum!
I just read that vitamin D might reduce the risk of developing certain cancers and that people with adequate levels of this vitamin have better survival stats. How much should I be getting? Is it better to get your vitamin D from the sun or from a pill?
A: Evidence is growing that adequate vitamin D levels reduce the risk of developing many types of cancers (Dermato-Endocrinology, April/May/ June 2012). Women with higher vitamin D levels had better survival after diagnosis with breast cancer (Carcinogenesis online, May 23, 2012).
A large study showed higher vitamin D levels were associated with a lower likelihood of lethal prostate cancer (Journal of the National Cancer Institute, May 2, 2012). One protocol suggested benefits for men with prostate cancer who took 4,000 international units of vitamin D-3 daily (Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism online, Apr. 16, 2012). This dose is high, so please check with your doctor.
We are sending you our Guide to Vitamin D Deficiency with details on testing, signs of deficiency and appropriate dosing. It also can be downloaded for $2 from our website: www.peoplespharmacy.com.
Fatigue is a classic sign of vitamin D deficiency, as are muscle pain and weakness. Some experts think that several minutes of sun exposure a few times a week is better than oral supplements, but this is controversial.
Write to Joe and Teresa Graedon in care of 4you, The Tampa Tribune, 200 S. Parker St. Tampa, FL 33606, or email them via their Web site: www.PeoplesPharmacy.com.