Canadian Pharmacy » Archives for April 2006

Rather than just covering up the symptoms, Relenza is a medicine used to treat influenza at its source. Relenza attacks the flu virus and prevents it from spreading inside your body.

Who can take Relenza?

If flu symptoms have appeared within the last day or two, you or anyone in your family above 7 years of age may consider taking Relenza. If you’re not sure whether you’re dealing with a cold or influenza, read more about how to tell the difference and what to do.

Common symptoms of the flu include sudden onset of fever, headache, fatigue, cough, body aches, and sore throat. Always talk to your doctor to find out if the medication is right for you or your family members.

Who should not take Relenza?

People with asthma and other lung diseases should not take Relenza, as they may be at a higher risk of developing a dangerous breathing problem called bronchospasm. If you’re managing asthma symptoms with maintenance medication, you may also want to review asthma relief with Advair.

You should not take Relenza if you are allergic to zanamivir or any other ingredient found in the medication. Also, make your doctor aware if you have any type of chronic condition, including lung or heart disease, if you are allergic to any other medicines or food products, or if you are pregnant.

How fast does Relenza work?

For adults and children with the flu who take Relenza, recovery time is approximately one day faster on average than for those who choose not to take it. For comparison, you can also read about flu prevention and treatment with Tamiflu.

How should Relenza be stored?

Relenza should be kept at room temperature below 77 degrees Fahrenheit (25 degrees Celsius). Keep Relenza out of reach of children as it is not in a childproof container.

What are some common side effects?

The most common side effects in adults and adolescents have been:

• headaches
• nausea
• diarrhea
• vomiting
• nasal irritation
• bronchitis
• cough
• ear, nose, and throat infections
• dizziness

For children, side effects can be:

• ear, nose, and throat infections
• vomiting
• diarrhea

If side effects persist or worsen while taking Relenza, please be sure to contact your doctor. If you’re looking for additional symptom relief options, see our guide to over-the-counter drugs used to fight colds and flu.

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NORVASC helps control high blood pressure and can be used to treat angina. By relaxing your blood vessels, Norvasc allows blood to flow more easily through them. The final outcome is lower blood pressure and decreased angina.

What is high blood pressure?

Hypertension (High blood pressure) comes from blood pushing too hard against your blood vessels. Although it is still unclear as to why high blood pressure occurs, there are several known factors that contribute to this condition. If you’re also looking for everyday habits that may help, see these ways to lower blood pressure naturally.

• Obesity
• Eating too much salt
• Drinking too much alcohol
• Lack of physical activity
• Stress
• Race
• Family
• Age

What is angina?

Angina is a pressure or dull pain in the chest area. It is commonly felt as discomfort or as a heavyweight on the chest. Angina may spread throughout the chest and the arms. It is often felt in the shoulder or upper part of the left arm. The effects of angina may also be felt in the chin, back, wrists, and hands. Some common activities that may cause angina are:

• Climbing stairs or a hill
• Going outside on a cold day
• Eating a big meal
• Smoking
• Sexual activity
• Emotional stress

What are the side effects of Norvasc?

• Tiredness
• Headache
• Dizziness
• Feet or ankle swelling

If side effects persist or worsen, be sure to contact your doctor. If you’re taking more than one medication, it may also help to review these medication questions to ask your doctor.
The active ingredient in Norvasc is amlodipine. People who are allergic to amlodipine should not take this drug.

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How does Prevacid help acid reflux disease?

Prevacid, commonly known as a proton pump inhibitor, helps prevent stomach acid production (usually during digestion) by turning off many of the acid-producing pumps found in your body. Which in turn, greatly reduces the searing pain that occurs when stomach acid backs up, or refluxes, into the esophagus.

Can ulcers be healed with Prevacid?

Gastric ulcers (stomach ulcers), duodenal ulcers (ulcers in the first part of the intestine), and even stomach ulcers caused by continuous use of pain medications called NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen) have been proven to be alleviated with daily use of Prevacid.

Research has shown that 4 out of 5 H. pylori-negative (bacteria known to cause peptic ulcers) patients on NSAIDs remained ulcer-free after 12 weeks.

What are some symptoms of acid reflux disease?

The most common symptom of acid reflux disease is persistent heartburn. Other symptoms may include:

• A sour taste in your mouth
• Difficulty swallowing
• Coughing or hoarseness
• Belching or regurgitation
• Chest pain not related to your heart

Common side effects.

You may have a low occurrence of diarrhea, abdominal pain, and nausea. Other serious stomach conditions can not be ruled out with symptom relief.

If side effects persist or worsen while taking Prevacid, consult your physician.

You might want to re-think diets where counting calories is involved. According to new research, this isn’t the best way to lose weight.

Although his study is too small to be definitive, a Brigham Young University researcher states that “intuitive eating” will help you shed those pesky pounds – sounds tempting doesn’t it?
In the small study, conducted by food sciences professor Steven Hawks, 15 female college students were identified as intuitive eaters and 17 were not. Both groups were then tested to determine how healthy they were.

Test results showed that lower body mass index, lower triglyceride levels, higher levels of high-density lipoproteins (carry cholesterol through the bloodstream), and decreased risk of cardiovascular disease were all found to be significantly related to intuitive eating.

Most people have great success with intuitive eating and find that they feel free around food, eat what they want without feelings of withdrawal, attain and maintain their natural weight and eat healthily. But most importantly there comes a feeling of vitality and acceptance of one’s body.

The 3 main steps to intuitive eating for healthy weight loss:

• Embrace body acceptance and a view that dieting is harmful.
• Learn how not to eat for emotional, environmental, and social reasons.
• Interpret your body’s signals, cravings, and hunger while responding to them in a healthy and positive way.

CLARITIN contains an antihistamine – a type of medicine that blocks the action of histamine, a natural substance in your body that is released by your immune system during an allergic reaction.

What is an allergy?

An allergy is a response by your body’s immune system to something that is generally harmless. When you come into contact with these ordinarily harmless substances – pet dander, pollen, dust, and mold – the immune system overreacts. People who have this reaction have “allergies”.

Can you outgrow your allergies?

Allergies, for most people, are grown into not out of. While some people can become less sensitive to certain substances simply by avoiding them, it is nearly impossible to avoid exposure to certain pollens, molds, and dust.

Are they allergies or a cold?

Even though colds and allergies may seem the same, symptoms of seasonal allergies usually last longer than that of a cold – usually 7 to 10 days. If your mucous is runny and clear, sneezes occur in rapid succession, eyes, ears, and mouth are itchy, and you are not noticing any fever or muscle ache…you probably have an allergy.

Some simple guidelines to help with your allergies:

• Start taking CLARITIN as soon as symptoms start. Keep it close at hand, you never know when an allergic reaction may happen.
• Know your foe. Understanding what sets off your allergy symptoms will help you decide how to avoid it.
• Beat the clock. Peak pollen production occurs between 5 AM and 10 AM , so try to plan outside activities at other times of the day.
• Check the daily forecast. Try to avoid the outdoors when counts are high. After heavy rains pollen has been washed from the air, making post-shower outings more comfortable. Watch out for dry, windy days when pollen can be particularly intense.
• Always use as directed. Be militant about taking medications according to the directions on the package. Dedication to correct times and dosages is crucial to your treatment plan’s success.
• Mask your symptoms. Sure it may not look pretty, but giving yourself some relief by wearing an inexpensive painter’s mask when you’re working in the garden will be a blessing in disguise.
• A quick change will do you good. Pollen that may have been collected on your hair or clothes can be taken care of with a fast shower and changing your outfit.
• Be wise when it comes to washing. Removing pollen can be done nightly by showering and washing your hair. Don’t line-dry clothes outside.
• Keep the air clear. While driving, roll the windows up and set the air conditioner on recirculate. At home, keep windows closed. Use air-conditioning and change filters often.

CLARITIN is an over-the-counter medication, making it easier for you and your family to beat those nasty seasonal allergies.

How birth control pills can help control menstruation.

Most women live comfortably with monthly menstruation and appreciate the predictability of the cycle. A monthly cycle will often reassure women that their bodies are working as they should. But for many, menstruation can be painful, incapacitating, and an annoyance that can disrupt daily activities.

One way of taking control is menstrual manipulation, this refers to changing the way birth control pills are taken to delay or stop menstruation. For women who are able to take oral contraceptives, this is good news.

Often women will take the traditional combination oral contraceptive consisting of 21 pills of estrogen and progestin, followed by 7 days of inactive pills (placebos)- with bleeding occurring in the placebo week. By taking the birth control pills continuously for six, nine, or 12 weeks and following with a week of inactive pills, periods are delayed to week seven, 10, or 13 respectively. Taking active birth control pills continuously will stop menstruation altogether.

Is it wrong to skip your period permanently?

There are no known adverse consequences of never having a period while on combination birth control pills. However, determining the long-term effects of extra hormones on women is still being researched. If continuous use leads to fewer days with periods, the real issue is how important predictability is for women.

Why are women seldom offered the choice to skip their periods?

Not all doctors accept this practice, so the issue remains debatable. Also, some women – even if they have menstruation-related problems – like to keep their natural cycle. It gives them the reassurance of not being pregnant.

What are some common side effects of birth control pills?

Limited studies have shown that extended OCs (oral contraceptives) have the same side effects as conventional OCs, such as:

• breast tenderness
• nausea
• headache
• mood changes
• leg cramps
• acne
• bloating
• weight changes

While the lower hormone content of currently prescribed birth control pills has been known to reduce the previous side effects, it has not been proven to lower the risk of blood clots. Women who are using the traditional or extended schedule should be familiar with the warning signs:

• severe abdominal pain
• chest pain
• coughing up blood
• shortness of breath
• sudden and severe headache
• eye blurring or loss of vision
• severe leg pain

If side effects persist or worsen, consult your physician.

You blink an average of 15,000 times a day. Still, pollen can get in your eyes. For seasonal allergy sufferers, pollen can cause allergic conjunctivitis – that’s when your eyes get red and swollen (and if you’re unsure whether your symptoms could be something more, see Eye Inflammation Symptoms (Uveitis)).

Experts at the National Jewish Medical and Research Center in Denver offer these techniques to get the red out:

• Wash your hands. During high allergy season, pollen is everywhere. You get it on your hands opening a car door, running your hands through your hair, or touching other outdoor surfaces. If you rub your eyes with those pollen-coated hands, they will only get more irritated. Washing your hands frequently can reduce the amount of pollen that gets in your eyes.
• Use saline rinses or artificial tears. These can provide significant relief by removing or diluting the pollen grains in the eye. If you’re using medicated drops as well, it helps to review Administering Eye Drops Correctly.
• Wear sunglasses. Sunglasses can reduce the amount of pollen that gets in the eyes by deflecting the wind carrying it toward you.
• Close the windows and use the air conditioner. This can reduce pollen floating in the air both in the house and in the car. (If you’re reacting to indoor triggers too, you may also want to read Battle against Microscopic Dust Mites.)
• Apply cold compresses. A bag of frozen peas or a moist washcloth that has been placed briefly in the freezer can reduce both itching and swelling when put on the eyes.
• Medications. Several medications can also help people whose eyes bear the brunt of their seasonal allergies. For people with mild symptoms, oral antihistamines can prevent irritation of both the eye and the nose(for example, our guide on help beat your seasonal allergies with Claritin). For those with more severe allergic conjunctivitis, doctors can prescribe several medications that can be applied directly to the eye. Talk with your doctor to learn what would work best for you. Use medications throughout the pollen season, not just once in a while, for the best effects, especially before you’re exposed to pollen.

Tamiflu attacks the influenza virus and stops it from spreading inside your body. Rather than simply masking the symptoms, Tamiflu treats flu at its source. Treatment of the flu virus and prescription of any antiviral medications like Tamiflu needs to happen within 48 hours of the first symptoms.

How can Tamiflu help protect you and your loved ones?

If the flu shot isn’t an option, or you’re simply waiting for the shot to take effect, you can still protect your family and yourself from getting the flu. A prescription written for an antiviral medication such as Tamiflu by your doctor may help:

• prevent widespread influenza outbreaks in shared living facilities, such as nursing homes and college dormitories.
• provide protection during the period of time needed for the flu shot to take effect.
• protect individuals who are unable to receive flu vaccinations. (If you are pregnant or allergic to eggs, ask your doctor about whether or not you should get a flu shot.)

Helpful tips to beat the flu.

• Rest.
• Drink plenty of fluids.
• Temporary relief ( ie. pain relievers – such as acetaminophen).

Are antibiotics a cure for the flu?

No. Antibiotics are only useful in the treatment of bacterial infections. The flu is a viral infection. Tamiflu and other antivirals are the only prescribed medications that can treat the flu.
Side effects of Tamiflu. Although generally well tolerated, Tamiflu may cause mild-to-moderate nausea or vomiting. Some less common side effects include bronchitis, vertigo and sleeplessness.
If symptoms persist or become worse consult your physician.

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NEURONTIN, also called gabapentin, can be used to relieve nerve pain that follows shingles in adults.
Commonly known as PHN (postherpetic neuralgia), the pain can last one to three months (in some cases, years) after shingles have healed. Studies of PHN show Neurontin greatly reduces patients’ pain. Neurontin may also be prescribed with other medications to treat partial seizures.
A closer look at PHN

PHN (postherpetic neuralgia) is the pain that continues after the rash from shingles heals. Caused by nerve damage from shingles, PHN is usually found in places where the rash occurred. About 10% to 15% of people who’ve had shingles can get PHN.
PHN is not the same for everyone. You may experience mild or very severe pain. It may be that the pain happens all the time or comes and goes.
Side effects of Neurontin
Some of the most common side effects are:

• Dizziness
• Vision problems
• Clumsiness
• Sleepiness
• Shaking or tremors
• Swelling of hands or feet
• Weakness
• Diarrhea

NEURONTIN may cause side effects that can be mild to moderate in severity.
If any new or unusual symptoms develop while taking Neurontin, be sure to contact your doctor.