Prescriptions and common sense - read the instructions....

Did you know that the average American can only read at about a 6^th grade level – this means an average of 7 words per sentence and 2-3 syllables per word.  Shocking I know – but also works into the idea that the average American has an IQ of 100 or less (though my friend in education says it is way lower – and she wasn’t talking about the students, mostly the administration).

Now, when I say all this – I am not talking about YOU because I know you are much brighter – but here are only a few examples of what people do with their prescriptions….and all of these are true stories.

• Story 1 - Customer gets an antibiotic prescription for a child’s earache – Instructions are  “Give one teaspoon by mouth twice a day”…Customer calls back later to ask how she can keep her kids ear from getting all sticky – and  says that she is having a hard time giving a whole teaspoon.  Pharmacist knows immediately he customer has been putting the medicine into the child’s ear.….

• Story 2 - Customer gets a prescription for a suppository.  Instructions are “Unwrap suppository and insert into rectum every 6 hours as needed”.  Customer calls back later to complain that the suppositories are very uncomfortable. Pharmacist knows immediately that the caller did not UNWRAP the suppository before inserting it into the correct place….

• Story 3 - And again - customer gets a prescription for a suppository.  Instructions are “Unwrap suppository and insert into rectum every 6 hours as needed”.  Customer calls back to complain about how bad “those pills taste” or “those pills you gave me are really greasy”.  In this case the pharmacist is clear that the customer unwrapped the suppository but ate it instead.  Perhaps the customer did not know what “rectum” meant…. 

In fact, story 3 has happened with ear drops, vaginal medicine and topical medicine etc. – when the customer failed to listen to or read the instructions, then ate the medicine rather than putting it where it should go.

Actually the most common failure of medication administration is the customer that uses a teaspoon or tablespoon from the silverware drawer to give one “teaspoon” or “tablespoon” - neither of which are accurate as both give about half the medicine that is supposed to be taken.  In most cases – an oral syringe or other accurate measuring device is given by the pharmacy along with the medicine – and some doctors have started writing in milliliters to force the customer to use an accurate device.  This however, does not stop some customers of doing it wrong. FYI – if you didn’t know, a teaspoon is 5 ml (milliliters) and a tablespoon is 15 ml (or 3 teaspoons). 

• Story 4 – Customer comes in to get a prescription filled.  Pharmacist tells the customer that insurance won’t cover the prescription.  Customer becomes irate – stating that the physician prescribed it, insurance has to cover it…becoming louder and more agitated.  Pharmacist again tells customer that the insurance will not cover it and that if medicine is wanted, they will have to pay cash.  Customer says “How do you know that MY insurance won’t cover it?” and squints eyes at pharmacist who (now exasperated) says “It’s called technology”.

Actually, some of the best stories have come from my nursing and paramedic students – which are truly gross and mostly involve “lost” articles and food such as a tuna fish sandwich “lost” in the folds, a sweet potato “lost” in an orifice resulting in leaves emerging from said orifice, or a “massaging device” lost in an orifice in the “on” position…really a subject for another time…believe me there is more where that came from.

You might be able to treat your cold without regular "Medicine"...

A couple of days ago, I came down with symptoms of a cold – the “common” cold.  This was after all three of my kids had or were already infected.  It probably started with my oldest kid – who in turn probably got it at the local germ cesspool known as a school where a whole bunch of other germy kids gather on a daily basis.

This cold was a little different as it took almost two weeks for me to get it after he had it – which meant the “incubation” time was 7-14 days – longer than most colds.  Probably it was Respiratory Sincytial Virus (RSV) which can be dangerous and even deadly in small infants.  In older children it causes a fairly intense cold and in adults it usually causes a minor illness – doesn’t really mean you don’t feel like garbage, you just don’t feel like you are going to die.

RSV is one of the most common causes of “croup” which is characterized by a barking and sometimes spasmodic cough.  In children, this often leads to a buildup of congestion – which can lead to infections such as ear and sinus infection, along with pneumonia.  I say it was probably RSV – but it could have been an adenovirus, a parainfluenza virus – or a number of others.  Point is RSV is not an emergency except in small children.  You should take your kid for treatment if they can’t breath, have a high fever, have been sick for more than a couple of days…etc.  Use your common sense or someone else’s if you have none of your own (apparently a lot of people don’t).

Aside from waiting until the bacteria have grown in the stagnant mucous – and aside from the over-the-counter meds that you can give or take, there are also a number of home or natural remedies that can help treat a cold – or even a worse infection such as the flu.

• MOST OBVIOUS – wash your hands frequently with soap.  DON’T touch nasty tissues or drink after someone else.  If you have touched something or someone – WASH YOUR HANDS and DO NOT touch your face or eat.
• Spending a little time in a steamy room – can help to moisten and liquefy mucous so that it can

The eCigarette – Is “vaping” better or worse than smoking?

I am ashamed to admit that I have been a 1 pack a day smoker for nearly 20 years.  If you know that I am well over 40 – even with rounding - simple math will tell you that embarrassingly, unlike most other smokers – I didn’t start when I was a teenager.

I tried to start smoking when I was 13, 14, and 15 – it seemed like a good idea at the time but always resulted in nausea, dizziness and an extreme desire to lay down on the nearest flat surface to recover.  These flat surfaces included a backseat and several episodes of lying on the ground – including places such as a gas station parking lot and my best friends driveway.  In any case – I didn’t actually become a smoker until I went to my TEN year high school reunion – at the old age of 27!  How dumb is that?

By that time I was a healthcare professional – a pharmacist – and well aware of the dangers of smoking.  By that point in my life – I still wanted to seem cool in front of these people who had haunted me in high school and beyond even though I really had nothing in common with them but my adolescent past.

Smoking, in particular nicotine is one of the most addictive substances on the face of the earth.  It is more addictive than cocaine, alcohol, marijuana, amphetamines, anxiety medication, muscle relaxants, pain medication – and yes, even heroin.  In fact, even heroin addicts will tell you that though heroin withdrawal is immediately painful – if you can go through the withdrawal – quitting heroin is easier long term than quitting smoking.  By contrast, quitting drinking or quitting anxiety medication can be life-threatening but still not as hard as quitting smoking.

To be fair to myself – I hate smoking – it is one of the nastiest, smelliest and downright disgusting habit a person can have and I have tried just about everything out there to quit.  This list includes the patch, nicotine gum, lozenges and lollipops, plain candy, herbal cigarettes, exercise, abstinence and prescription medication – to no avail.  My husband has also been an intermittent smoker for his entire post-puberty life (possibly before) and has an extremely “addictive” personality.  He can “quit” at any time with seeming no negative effects from his point of view.  From the point of view of those who have to live with him, in truth for about FIVE days – he is a raving jacka$$.  But I digress.

Because of his “a$$iness” (in general and not just while he is quitting smoking), I have failed at abstinence – because I become a raving B!tch – which he does not tolerate well.  Consequently, I have continued to smoke.

A few years ago, congress voted to add more taxes onto cigarettes – I escaped this monetary javelin for the first year by buying tobacco in bulk, cigarette “tubes” and a machine to make my own which cost about &1.50 per “pack” vs. the near $7 that actual packs were – but then congress wised up and increased the price of my bulk tobacco from $13/can (about a pack) to $45 a can.  So I was stuck paying at least $5/pack with a lot of hassle – but I kept going for reasons stated above.

A couple of years ago – eCigarettes made their debut.  Electronic cigarettes involve a liquid that is heated by a battery device and inhaled.  It provides the nicotine but little of the “other” stuff in cigarettes – the “smoke” exhaled is largely water vapor, quickly disseminates and doesn’t smell.  In fact it can even be obtained in flavors.

I resisted the eCigarette for a long time – even though my best friend (oddly from high school) had raved about how great hers was.  My husband called me one day from the local “vaping” store, saying that he was going to buy a kit.  This included 2 batteries, 2 reservoirs, a bottle of nicotine “juice” and a case – for $129.  You can actually get them cheaper on the internet.  In any case once we paid for the initial investment – we had 2 devices that cost in maintenance about $1/day each, vs. the near $14/day we had been paying for both of us.

He took the bait first – used it for a week or so – and then quit (he was still and a$$ for several days). But he quit with less frustration.  Still I resisted until diminishing financial support forced me to reconsider – so I tried it, costing me about $30/month vs. the $210 I had  been paying. 

About the same time – the medical community and the FDA said they were going to investigate and possibly start regulating eCigarettes because the risks were yet “unknown”, had not been studied and may contain toxins, harmful to human health.  Oddly, the FDA does not regulate the consumption of tobacco which contains literally thousands of toxins – probably the worst of which are carbon monoxide (the same stuff that people use to commit suicide by locking themselves in their car) and tar – which is mostly what gunks up your lungs and causes cancer.

This is a clear representation of the government’s ironical behavior in what they choose to regulate.  Common sense will tell you that inhaling vapor from an eCigarette is much less harmful than smoke.  Any attention to the news will tell you that the government is doing a piss poor job of inspecting tons of crap, including sheet rock, medication and children’s toys that pour into the US by a ton on a daily basis and is sold to the unwitting American consumer.

The medical  community, large pharma and the tobacco lobby cannot stand to have anything that is not under their control available to the public – especially if it circumvents the large number of dollars that are made from both cigarettes and traditional “stop-smoking” regimens.  The AMA and the tobacco lobby are huge, influential entities in Washington – i.e. in the pockets of elected government officials.  Despite all the hullabaloo, even my dad, who still has a drugstore in a small town and who quit selling cigarettes years ago – carries a version of the eCigarette. He said that some people just can’t quit and this is way better.

The point is that nicotine is a very addicting substance – it has a weird mechanism of action where it simultaneously causes a bit of a calming affect while at the same time provides a bit of stimulation – which is why it is hard to quit, because there is a double reinforcement mechanism.

In any case, my journey to quit smoking is on the road – I haven’t touched a cigarette in over 6 weeks.  I can also decrease the nicotine in the “juice”, thereby slowly getting rid of the amount of nicotine in my eCig – and eventually quitting, in a controlled manner which will be a lot easier on those who are forced to be around me in these troubled times (a little melodrama).

Again – the big point is, no matter what alarms the mainstream media reports directly from the government’s health – no matter that adolescent and teenage use of eCigarettes has doubled – they aren’t smoking, they likely aren’t starting with eCigarettes and it isn’t nearly as harmful as the actual smoke.  Notice carefully that NONE of the information is comparing the drop in cigarette use to the increase in eCig use.  That information would actually allow you to think for yourself – which they don’t want you to do. 

In the meantime – I will continue to “vape” while those around me are relieved that they no longer have to smell the cigarette smoke and hear the morning hack.  Just my opinion.

Does your kid “fake” being sick? – Probably…

Last week, my oldest kid woke up coughing.  He didn’t have a fever (which is one of the two absolute reasons you are supposed to keep your kid home) and wasn’t vomiting (the other reason) but he was coughing in a barking like manner.  It truly sounded awful.  Other than that, he did not appear to be in massive discomfort – I kept him home anyway.

In the past – when the kids were younger, I often kept them home for sniffles, clothing issues, sleepiness, arguments that occurred before school, general moodiness and such – as well as fever, vomiting, diarrhea and extreme coughing.  During those times – I pretty much let them do what they wanted if they felt good enough and were behaving. 

As they have grown older – I no longer let them stay home for piddly issues – and when they do, they are required to stay on the couch or in bed, take medicine when I say and eat/drink what I tell them.

Back to the story – the oldest boy stayed home – restricted to the couch.  He was given cough medicine, cough drops and ibuprofen for the throat pain.  Later in the afternoon, he did develop a bit of chest congestion and I think he swallows the phlegm he coughs up.  This is way gross to some people but actually ok with me because the one body fluid I cannot deal with is “sputum” – also called phlegm or “lugies” (loogies?) – what a disgusting thing – makes me wretch.  Anyone who spits up something from their nasal passages or lungs at my house is required to go outside or into the bathroom, WITH the door closed before spitting it up. Phlegm is not allowed in the house (though I still have a hard time convincing my husband of this rule).

OK – back to the story again.  In the afternoon he complained of nausea – ran into the bathroom and said he was going to throw up.  He did not – but then he almost never vomits while I puke at the drop of a hat.  I looked around for some sprite or ginger ale – nada.  We did however have some regular soda (Coke) so I poured a half of a can into a cup with some ice.  The carbonation will help the stomach AND the medicine “Emectrol” for nausea in children is basically coke syrup.

I only gave him half a soda because he is a sugar hog and is massively affected by sugar – no matter what the health professionals and dumb-a$$e$ that spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on such nonsense when you can ask most any mom…in addition, the kid doesn’t need the calories, seriously.

About 2 seconds after he swigged down the half-soda he was given.  He looked around for the other half of the can.  Then he made eye contact with me, ducked his head and ran straight to the bathroom where he “fake” wretched.  He came out and said that his “stomach still hurt” and he” felt like vomiting.” (Imagine mom mimicking giant whining 10-year old boy) Upon hearing this, I replied “No. If you feel like puking, then go do it – you will actually feel much better”.

Surprisingly – he gave up easily – because he was faking.

Basically at one time or another, kids will fake being sick – I did.  Once when I had been sick, I pretended to be sick for several more days – I stayed home a week but my mom still thinks that I was faking the whole time because she busted me.  In Junior High, I used to call home for her to come and get me, this was actually because I was afraid of the highly aggressive girls at school as I lived in kind of a rough town.  My husband discovered that cold milk would make his stomach hurt – so he would put the milk in the freezer to make it really cold, drink it on an empty stomach and then vomit in order to stay home.  The best one was putting the thermometer up to the light to make it go up – problem was that it usually ended up reading something like 140 – kind of hard to believe that one.

A friend of mine told me that he and his brother played sick several times one year – the dad got sick of it.  He went to the drugstore and got some ipecac (which was used to induce vomiting in case of a poisoning – not used much anymore but still available) and gave it to both boys.  It tastes horrible and causes profuse vomiting almost immediately.  The dad said “you wanted to be sick – well now you are” and then went to work.

Even my perfect brother played sick.  It is a normal part of childhood – but you do need to find out if they are really sick or if not, why is it they want to stay home?

Sometimes it is a simple case of boredom – as it was with my perfect brother.  He found “Bill Nye the Science Guy” to be much more interesting than 5^th grade.  He is now a trauma surgeon at the age of 30 – so it didn’t hurt him too much.

Sometimes it is a case of bullying.  Sometimes it is a case of constipation or some other illness that is undetectable.  Sometimes they don’t like a teacher, the food, the building, their clothes, a subject, or a number of other things. 

Sometimes a little tough love is required – get your butt up and go to school….NOW!

Herbal Therapy: Using Tea Tree Oil

Tea Tree Oil is an essential oil extracted from the leaves of the Melaleuca Alternifolia plant that can be used to treat a variety of skin disorders. It has been used successfully to treat a number of infection and irritation based skin disorders.

The “Tea Tree” was discovered when explorer James Cook traveled from Great Britain to Australia in the late 1700’s. The aborigines introduced the explorers to the wonders of the plant which they used by crushing the leaves and applying directly to a cut. It was named the “Tea Tree” by Cook’s group after they made a tea out of the leaves. Shortly thereafter, its use spread to Europe and was widely used.

Its use as an antifungal is documented during World War II but in the 1940’s it fell into disuse due to the development of penicillin and subsequent antibiotics. It’s effectiveness was proven in a number of clinical trials dating back to the 1920’s investigating such topics as athlete’s foot, toenail fungus, acne and dandruff.

In the 1970’s, tea tree oil use once again became popular and has since been on the rise due to interest in natural medicines and increasing bacterial and fungal resistance to traditional medicines. Oil from the plant is extracted using steam distillation methods. The compound terpinen-4-ol is thought to be responsible for most of its activity; however the extract contains a number of terpinoids all of which demonstrate some activity.

Tea tree oil has been successfully used to treat a number of skin infections and disorders such as:

• Acne – apply directly to affected area or mix a few drops with normal facial cleanser and use as normal
• Cuts, burns, scratches, insect bites, skin infections, boils – apply directly to affected area
• Seborrheic dermatitis, dandruff – apply directly to scalp with cotton ball or mix with shampoo
• Athlete’s foot – apply directly to affected area with cotton ball
• Thrush, periodontal disease – mix several drops with mouthwash or warm water, rinse and spit
• Eczema, psoriasis – mix a few drops with non-irritating lotion and apply to affected area
• Lice – works best as a preventative by mixing a few drops with regular shampoo and/or conditioner
• Yeast infection, vaginitis – apply a few drops to the tip of a tampon and insert vaginally

Tea tree oil is generally considered safe for topical use but should not be taken internally as it can be toxic if ingested. Minor skin irritation may occur if used in a sensitive area and occasionally specific skin allergies are noted. If you experience a worsening of any condition, additional inflammation or symptoms of allergic reaction use should be discontinued.

Tea tree oil is widely available at any health food store and at many drugstores, grocery stores and large discount stores such as Wal-Mart or Target. In addition, many body care products made with tea tree oil such as creams, lotions and shampoos are now commercially available. Though, in my experience you will always get greater benefit by purchasing tea tree oil and adding a few drops to the shampoo, lotion or cream just prior to use yourself.

Coffee For Headaches

Periodically, my husband wakes up with a huge headache. He gets up, takes acetaminophen or ibuprofen and it doesn't work. then he sits around moaning.

I am a coffee drinker. Each morning I try to have at least 2 cups of coffee before the children get up. I am such a coffee addict - that I don't even wait until new coffee is brewed and start the day by drinking whatever is left in the pot. I also drink coffee in the afternoon. I do this, not so much because I like coffee but because it helps me stay awake since I am chronically sleep deprived.

I also do this because if I do not, I will get a caffeine withdrawal headache. Yes, like millions of Americans and people around the world, I am a caffeine addict. I do not really see this as much of a problem since there seem to be many health benefits to drinking coffee. There also is not a short supply of coffee - it is readily available so I have no plans to quit soon.

The thing is, while I readily admit I am a coffee addict - my husband will not. Each time he wakes up with an unexplained headache....I politely say, "Perhaps you need some coffee." Of course his response is to glare at me. He used to argue that coffee would not help and then finally after an hour or so, drink it out of spite. Lo and behold, it worked - every time.

So this time, I did not even say anything. I simply went and poured a cup of coffee and handed it to him. He glared at me and then drank it without saying a word. Amazingly (that's sarcasm), in about 15 minutes - he felt better.....at least he has learned not to argue.

Kids with allergies…medicine unsafe….give me a break!

I was born in Oklahoma – the land of all flowering trees, grasses and all known allergens. I had allergies that were severe enough that my mother thought I would die….seriously. I had ear infections every 6 weeks and regularly visited a “pediatric allergist” who refused to take out my tonsils or put ear tubes in because he was not sure I would survive the surgery….seriously. I had full allergy testing performed and was taking allergy shots by the time I was four. Let me tell you this was over 35 years ago and they did not have “scratch” testing for allergies. They used to fill little cups with allergen solution and set them on 4 needles imbedded in your arm or back and wait for 15 minutes or so for a reaction. I don’t remember much about it but it must have been torture for my mother. By the time I was four, I was also taking adult strength allergy pills – not kids allergy liquid but adult tablets. I know this because my mom used to put one under my tongue as she dropped me off at day care and say “run in and get a drink of water to swallow it.” At the time – this was not considered dangerous and this way she knew that I got my medicine on time and it would last the rest of the day.

Fast forward many years. I now have 3 children – 6 and under. They all have allergies. Fortunately, we don’t live in Oklahoma so they are not quite as severe but as we do live in Central Texas – they are certainly noticeable and bothersome. Consequently, I have had to give them allergy medicine almost every day since they were infants.

A couple of years ago, the American Pediatric Association in conjunction with drug manufacturers came out with a statement that medications given for colds and allergies to children under two years of age are ineffective and could be unsafe. Because of this, all over the counter cold/allergy medication formulated for infants and toddlers were removed from the shelves of your local drugstores and grocery stores. All children’s cold/allergy medicine had to be relabeled to eliminate dosing instructions for children under 2. Cases and cases of cold medication were actually thrown away. A year or so later – this was repeated for children under 6. Now there is news that the same situation may be repeated for children under 12…..What is next….18? 21? 30? All cold medicine for all ages?

The medical establishment says that cold and allergy products do NOT work for children and that they may be unsafe. This is an outright lie.

The real problem is twofold. The first is that the medical community thinks the average American is too stupid to take medicine properly and especially that American parents are too stupid to know when children need medication and too stupid to give it properly. They claim that “hundreds” of children are seen each year in emergency rooms due to overdosing. Since we have become a litiginous society, the pharmaceutical industry and their insurance companies are unwilling to take the risk that some kid might get overdosed by his dumb parents….huh? I worked in hospitals and emergency medicine for many years and I don’t know of any cases that a child was harmed from an accidental overdose of allergy medicine. It would take way more than mom giving 1 teaspoons instead of 2…

The second reason is this: allergy and cold medication is still available in pediatric formulation for children – you just can’t buy it unless you visit a doctor. In fact, the last 3 times I have taken my kids to the doctor for a respiratory infection, I have been given a prescription for exactly the same medication I would have purchased over the counter. So the statement….these medications do not work is a LIE. If they didn’t work – why would the doctor prescribe it? The truth is they just want you to be required to see a doctor…..This in a time where many, many Americans including hundreds of thousands of children are not covered by health insurance –you have to see a doctor to get a prescription for medicine that was available 40 years ago…..sounds fair….(NOT).

In defense of the pharmacist

In case you didn’t know, your health insurance company doesn’t really want to pay for your treatment – of any type. One of the easiest ways for them to save money is to reject coverage for your prescription. Most often this is due to a “Non-formulary” medication.

A “Formulary” is a list of drugs which are approved for use in an insurance plan. These are medications they will pay for with no questions asked. There are also “prior authorization required” lists which they will pay for ONLY if your physician completes some certification documents that state that the medication in question is required. The problem comes in that the rules for why they might authorize payment vary widely from plan to plan….Sometimes they require documentation that you have “failed” on other therapies….Sometimes they require a letter from the physician…Sometimes they require the physician’s office to complete a specific form…Sometimes they require a medical review by their case manager…Sometimes they refuse to pay at all. In any case it is quite frustrating for both you and the pharmacist.

Essentially – they hope you will give up and go away or at least pay for it yourself.

Be assured - the pharmacist does not want to tell you that your prescription will not be covered. The pharmacist does not want to have to notify your physician or spend hours on the phone with the insurance company trying to find out exactly what information they need. The pharmacist does not want to make you wait for any of this. The truth is that a single pharmacist can and usually will spend hours each and every day negotiating the maze of insurance requirements to help you get your prescription paid for by your insurance company. The pharmacist is not getting paid for all of this extra effort. Most pharmacists are employees of a large chain and get paid a salary – no profit is included. The pharmacist who works for himself in an independent drugstore only gets paid what the insurance company will pay him – no matter what. Sometimes this means that the $250.00 prescription that you just received netted the pharmacy a whopping $8.00.
You might make it easier on yourself by contacting the physician’s office yourself – to help expedite the process. Occasionally, physician’s offices are slow in “getting back to” the pharmacy. When necessary you can also contact your benefits manager. It is actually their job to help you.

I guess the point is that the pharmacist really just wants to fill your prescription and give it to you. Try to take it easy on the poor guy (or girl). It is a really hard job – dealing with sick people and sick insurance companies all day.

Hippie medicine to the rescue

Just a few short years ago, if you believed that yogurt could cure what ails you, people considered you a hippie nutcase. Ok, well maybe it was more than a few short years. In any case, it wasn’t that long ago that physicians and the “legitimate” medical community did not believe in any type of “nutraceutical” medicine. That is to say that whatever you ate had no bearing on your general state of health. Vitamins were unimportant and people who claimed that natural bacteria – such as is found in yogurt – was helping them were dismissed.

Recently, the commercial medical community has latched onto the advantages of lactobacillius bacteria and its ability to correct digestive issues and restore balance to entire physiologic systems. We now have “Activia”, “Danactive”, “Fem-dophilius” and even “Phillips” probiotic capsules. In case you didn’t know, “Phillips” is the maker of “Phillips Milk of Magnesia” long known for treatment of diarrhea.

It amazes me that things that the “hippie-freaks” have known for years finally make it into the mainstream only when big companies can make money from it and now it is the biggest news in digestive and immune health. DUH.

I personally have been a big proponent of probiotics for many years. Doesn’t really matter if you eat natural yogurt with live cultures or take refrigerated lactobacillus capsules from your health food store….the stuff works. I recognized this when, as a young college student, I had a series of vaginal yeast infections. I treated them several times with over the counter antifungal vaginal products but they kept coming back. This particular ailment is one of the most agitating situations a woman can experience – not dangerous just really irritating. I came to a conclusion one day…..if the natural bacteria is gone, and now there is an overgrowth of yeast which causes irritation and itching…..and I kill the yeast off…..what grows next? So I went to the health food store and purchased some lactobacillus capsules to insert vaginally. Seemed kind of gross, but so was the yeast infection. After about 2 days – I was much, much better. Way better than the week it took the antifungal to work. Over the years I have continued to use and recommend this treatment. It always works.

That being said, I guess I am dumb – or stubborn and don’t always follow my own advice. I have told people for years – if you have diarrhea, try eating some yogurt or taking lactobacillus. Then a year or so ago I developed chronic diarrhea. I guess I figured that it was my due time – since I am over 40 and my grandmother had Irritable Bowel Syndrome for years and my grandfather had a colostomy at 35 or so due to Ulcerative Colitis. I just endured.

My husband, who is older than me has Diverticulitis (I call it an old man’s disease – which is very mean) and has bouts of severe abdominal pain which must be treated with 2 different types of antibiotics which leaves him with diarrhea so each time, I dutifully treat him afterwards with yogurt. Always helps.

Then I got really busy – didn’t have time for breakfast most days and started making myself a breakfast drink from fruit juice and….yogurt – because we already had it in our refrigerator. After a few days – damned if my “IBS” didn’t clear up. Actual formed poop…..! And as much as I hate commercialism in medicine….it was actually Activia yogurt that did it. That irritated me more than the fact that I had diarrhea for an entire year out of stupidity. I actually inadvertently took the “Activia Challenge” and it worked. No doubt, any live yogurt or lactobacillus capsules would have worked but apparently I am a slow learner when it comes to my own health.

Treating Hepatitis Naturally – (and other liver damage)

Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver – usually caused by a viral infection. Symptoms include – lethargy and fatigue, abdominal pain and/or tenderness, abdominal swelling, jaundice (yellowing of the skin) and elevated liver enzymes.

Common types are Hepatitis A – an acute condition – which is spread through contamination of the food supply such as raw oysters or contact with an infected patient. Hepatitis B – an acute or chronic condition – spread through IV or sexual contact. Some people infected with “Hep B” may never know they have been infected but become carriers. Hepatitis C is a generally a chronic viral infection of the liver though there may be a mild acute illness which generally passes unnoticed. People with “Hep C” may not notice that they are infected for months or even years after the initial infection meanwhile liver damage has continued to progress. There are other types of Hepatitis (D, E, and Non A-Non B) which are not common in North America but are generally similar to A, B, or C.

Medical Treatment of Hepatitis A is generally not necessary. The patient will be very ill for several weeks and may require the same type of care that a person with the flu would require but this will usually be accomplished by bed rest at home. If a person has been exposed to Hepatitis A, an intramuscular injection of Gamma Globulin may be given to help prevent infection.
Traditional medical treatment of acute Hepatitis B generally will be the same as Hepatitis A. Chronic infection of Hepatitis B may develop and will be treated similarly to Hepatitis C listed below though the antiviral portion may be different. An exposure to Hepatitis B may be treated with Hepatitis B Immune Globulin, but must be given within 24 hours of exposure. A vaccine against Hepatitis B is widely available and required for children in most areas.

Traditional medical treatment of Hepatitis C will generally take months or years and includes a strong antiviral medications such as Ribavirin along with an immune activator such as injections of Alpha Interferon (Intron-A or Pegintron) administered 3 times weekly. Interferon treatment is particularly unpleasant as it induces a flu-like state for 24 to 36 hours after the injection meaning that the patient will feel like they have a severe case of the flu for at least 3 days each week. It also may cause hair loss, chronic fatigue, insomnia, headache, joint and muscle aches, depression and extreme loss of appetite leading to significant weight loss. Most interferon users will have to supplement their diet with Ensure or other nutritional beverages because they cannot force themselves to eat and lose weight and muscle mass. In short, traditional treatment is extremely unpleasant and not entirely effective. Traditional treatment is very expensive and many insurance policies will not cover or only provide partial coverage leaving the patient unable to pay the balance. Other patients simply cannot tolerate the side effects and will choose to go untreated. Untreated Hepatitis C can progress to cirrhosis, fatty liver, liver failure and death. Untreated Hepatitis C patients also have a much higher incidence of development of Liver Cancer which is quite often fatal.

There is an alternative to traditional treatment which works very well for Acute and Chronic Hepatitis including “Hep C” and chronic liver damage caused by other conditions such as excessive alcohol consumption or liver damage caused by drugs of various types and other previous liver infections such as acute hepatitis (Hep A or Hep B).

THERE IS ANOTHER WAY
The alternative treatment involves a daily dose of natural supplements including herbs and amino acids which are protective and healing to the liver and dietary restrictions some of which may be temporary. Many patients find that the natural treatment will return their liver enzymes to normal or near normal levels even without traditional medical treatment. In essence – they will be cured, where traditional treatment failed. There are few, if any side effects to these therapies. One thing is certain however, a traditional physician – an MD treating liver conditions will most likely NOT sanction this therapy and the patient is on his own for research and treatment. In addition, insurance will NOT cover the supplements but the results are worth the money – both in savings over traditional medical costs and increased quality and length of life allowing the patient to return to normal activities – including work.

I am an advocate of this method simply because I have seen it work. I have seen it work when interferon was too painful, when interferon was too expensive and when interferon did not work.

The supplements absolutely necessary are:

• Milk Thistle Extract (Silymarin) – 200-400mg three times daily aids in healing and rebuilding the liver – has been shown to cure liver cancer in rats
• Glutathione 500mg twice daily – liver protectant to avoid additional damage while repair is conducted
• N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC) – precursor to glutathione – immune enhancer – eliminates free radicals, helps the body neutralize and eliminate heavy metals and other toxins by chelation – should be taken with Vitamin C
• Vitamin C – eliminates free radicals, aids in removal of chelated metals and toxins shown above
• L-Methionine 500mg twice daily – detoxifies liver – prevents breakdown of glutathione
• L-Cysteine 500mg twice daily – detoxifies liver – prevents breakdown of glutathione
• Coenzyme Q – 60mg daily – eliminates free radicals, enhances immune function and tissue oxygenation

Also helpful particularly in first weeks of treatment –

• Free Form Amino Acid Complex – supplies necessary protein in immediately usable components to take strain off the liver while repair is conducted
• Raw Liver Extract or Dessicated Liver – promotes liver function by providing liver tissue constituents through diet to help rebuild liver
• Essential Fatty Acids from sources such as Fish, Omega 3 type supplements, primrose oil, shark liver oil – combats inflammation of the liver and lowers serum cholesterol which can be damaging to liver
• Lecithin – protects liver and mobilizes fat – aiding in preventing fatty liver
• Multivitamin complex
• B Complex (do not take more than 100mg niacin – B3 daily) – essential for liver functioning
• Calcium and Magnesium – essential for blood clotting factors which may be depleted in liver disease
• Maitake, shiitake, reishi mushrooms – antiviral effect
• Green and Black teas may decrease bilirubin levels – lowering jaundice effect

other recommendations for initial treatment – particularly in first weeks of treatment

• Eat raw vegetable and fruit diet when possible
• Consume no alcohol, acetominophen or other medications/drugs that affect the liver 
• Avoid fats, sugar, highly processed foods, raw fish, raw shell fish, animal protein (especially red meats)
• Drink plenty of water
• Spend some time in the sun (helps eliminate yellow skin which is caused by excess bilirubin, a by product of the liver)

After the first weeks of treatment – the patient will likely feel significantly better and modifications can be made such as decreasing supplements to once daily and slowly adding other foods into diet.

There are no guarantees that this will work and the patient will likely have to be on some supplementation forever but I personally have seen this essentially cure patients who were severely debilitated by either the disease or the treatment or both. Several patients were given terminal prognoses and have basically cured themselves….

Natural Therapy: Coffee Treats Asthma, Headaches and other Conditions

Everyone knows that drinking a cup of coffee will give you a little boost of energy. But, it can also treat and prevent a number of other disorders such as asthma, headaches, Parkinson's Disease, Type II Diabetes and colon Cancer.

Coffee as a Stimulant
While most people realize that the caffeine in coffee may wake them up in the morning, many do not realize there may be additional benefits to drinking coffee. Coffee has also been shown to improve mental performance and increase productivity at work. According to the National Coffee Association, 54% of adult Americans drink coffee on a regular basis. The average amount consumed is around 3 cups per day.

Coffee as Disease Prevention
The International Coffee Organization, states that it is also believed that since coffee contains a slew of antioxidants there may be benefits to the liver, brain and it may actually help prevent colon cancer. Coffee has also been shown to have benefits in prevention of Parkinson’s disease, Type II Diabetes.

Coffee Treats Asthma
Coffee’s primary stimulant activity is caused by the presence of caffeine. Caffeine is a member of the chemical group Xanthine derivatives which also includes Theophylline and Theobromine.
Theophylline is a powerful bronchodilator which has been in use for many years to treat asthma available by prescription as “TheoDur” and several other brand names. Theobromine, a related chemical is highly present in chocolate.

When medical help is not available, because of its caffeine, coffee can be used to treat an asthma attack. The Caffeine works similarly to Theophylline by constricting the blood vessels in the lung tissue leading to an opening of the airway and easier breathing.

Coffee Treats HeadachesBecause Caffeine is a “vasoconstrictor”, it can also be used to treat headaches. Some headaches, such as migraines are thought to be caused by a dilation of blood vessels in the brain. Drinking a cup of coffee can help to alleviate this condition. Many “migraine treatments” have caffeine as one of the active ingredient. This includes the popular over-the-counter pain relievers “Excedrin” and “Anacin” and the prescription products “Fioricet” and “Fiorinal”.

As a health care professional and natural therapy enthusiast, I have often recommended that people drink a cup of coffee in order to alleviate a headache. If it won’t completely treat the headache, it may help the pain reliever work better.

There are a few drawbacks to drinking coffee on a regular basis such as staining of teeth and possible bad breath, though good oral hygiene should minimize this effect. The worst potential side effect of daily use is that one may become dependent on the caffeine and develop a need to consume it daily. Withdrawal can be unpleasant and result in tiredness and withdrawal headaches which seem to be only treatable by consuming more coffee.

As coffee is readily available most everywhere in the world, it doesn’t seem to be much of a problem and the benefits appear to outweigh the drawbacks. So, drink up!

What's the deal with perimenopause?

I did not choose to have any children until I was nearing the category "advanced maternal age" - read....old mom. I was almost 35 when I gave birth to twins (without the advanatage of fertility treatments) and then to my shock, I found myself pregnant again 13 months later. Within 21 months, I gave birth to 3 children by c-section. I then chose to have a tubal ligation.

Shortly thereafter, I began having problems with my menstrual cycle. Suddenly after years of being able to set my watch by when my period would come (28 days every month - arriving at 6am), I would sometimes go 45 days, 22 days, 37 days, 18 days. It had become totally irregular. I also experienced painful ovulation called "mittleschmerz disorder" and menstruation that was much heavier and much more painful than even when I was a teenager. The worst part was that I developed polycystic acne. This is much worse than "pimples". This is the type of acne where hard bumps form far beneath the skin. They are very painful, cannot be removed and last for months before going away - often leaving behind a scar. Great....my doctor said there was nothing wrong. My sister in law said it was because I had a tubal....huh? The last straw was when I actually had a hot flash.

I started doing some research after reading about bioidentical hormones from both Suzanne Somer's book and Robin McGraw's book. I learned a lot - it turns out that the main problem is that I am 40...really?

The main sex hormones: Progesterone, Estrogen and Testosterone exist in a balance and when one of them is deficient - the others can become "over expressed". This may result in symptoms of perimenopause.

Bioidentical hormone treatment is all the rage in Hollywood. Unfortunately, I was a stay at home mom and did not live in California nor did I have the financial resources to have my blood, sweat, saliva and other body fluids tested and treated with prescriptions specifically compounded for me. So I did a bunch of research and decided to take a risk and try natural progesterone cream from the health food store. My theory was that I could either get better, get worse or nothing would change.

At first I used 1/2 teaspoon as recommended - that turned out to be too much as I started feeling a little pregnant. I cut the dosage to 1/4 teaspoon rubbed on my inner arm or stomach each day for the 2nd half of my cycle (14 days after I start my period). I do this daily for 14 days of each month. It has been a miracle for me. My painful ovulation stopped, my periods are "normal" for me again, I don't get the acne and I haven't had anymore hot flashes. Really!

Treating the "Swine Flu" without Tamiflu

A few months ago, pharmacies couldn't give Tamiflu (oseltamivir) away. Pharmacies who had stockpiled for the regular flu season found that the 2008-2009 seasonal influenza virus was immune and consequently nobody was prescribing it. Now all the sudden there is a huge worldwide demand for Tamiflu and the related antiviral Relenza (zanamavir) due to the recent "Swine Flu" outbreak.

The "Swine Flu" is actually a virus that has genetic components of avian flu, at least two types of swine flu - from both Europe and Asia, and from the regular Influenza A. It has infected thousands worldwide and continues to spread. The media and governmental sources from many nations are currently giving numbers reports that conflict with anecdotal reports received from people in affected areas so the real numbers are actually unknown by the general public. Is it a pandemic? Many theories abound - from they aren't telling us enough to they are overblowing the whole problem.

Reportedly, this virus is sensitive to both Tamiflu and Relenza causing doctor's offices to experience a flood of inquiries for prescriptions. The problem now is that most pharmacies have run out of Tamiflu and likely Relenza and they will most likely NOT be getting more until the situation has passed. All supplies from manufacturers and drug suppliers alike are being diverted to governmental agencies to stockpile for this "impending" pandemic. Pharmacies, drugstores, hospitals and physician's offices who order replacements - will NOT receive them as the drug is "unavailable" to the public. So, if you don't have yours yet - you probably won't be able to get it.

So, what to do? What if you actually need it? There are some natural therapies which have been shown to have antiviral activity and that many people "swear by". Perhaps not as immediately effective as traditional medicine when taken after an infection but these herbal supplements can be taken upon exposure. With Tamiflu, you have to wait until you know you are sick. All of these supplements should be available at your local healthfood or vitamin store. Some can even be found at large discount stores such as Target and Walmart - though I personally plan to avoid places like that if an epidemic actually occurs.

• Elderberry extract, also known as Sambucol - contains a component called antivirin which reportedly blocks the virus from entering cells and has been proven effective in flu outbreaks
• Oreganol/Oil of Oregano - has been shown to be a powerful antiviral and effective against the "bird flu"
• Ginger - reportedly contains over a dozen antiviral components and shows antinflammatory and may help to reduce fever
• Garlic - has many sulfur compounds which have shown to be antiviral, antifungal and antibiotic
• Shiitake mushroom - long known for infection prevention in Asia, believed to boost natural interferon to inhibit viral activity

And - the old standby

• Vitamin C/Ascorbic Acid - long known for boosting the immune system, laboratory tests show high doses are useful for preventing viral infections

One interesting note - Echinacea and Goldenseal (which are usually recommended as "immune boosters" for the common cold) are NOT recommended for the swine flu because of the possibility of pushing the body's natural immune system response too fast resulting in an increased risk of hemorrhagic fever - which is believed to be a primary cause of death from the current "Swine Flu".
Obviously good hygeine is essential, hand washing, hand sanitization, avoiding crowded public places and taking general care of oneself. One should get plenty of rest, eat appropriately and stay hydrated to help ensure you are in good health if exposed to a virus.