People's Pharmacy

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Dandruff Shampoo Works For Jock Itch

Posting Date: 06/10/2002

Controlling the gas has become so difficult that I don?t want to go out with friends, attend church or even visit relatives.

A. It?s always a good idea to keep a record of foods and of ?flatus events,? so you can figure out which foods to avoid. But medications can be an overlooked source of both flatulence and constipation. Both Actonel and Paxil have been linked to these side effects. Perhaps your doctor could consider alternate drugs.

We are sending you our Guides to Constipation and Digestive Disorders with a list of drugs that may aggravate constipation and solutions for gas and irregularity. Anyone who would like copies, please send $3 in check or money order with a long (no. 10) stamped (57 cents), self-addressed envelope: Graedons' People's Pharmacy, No. GG-33, P. O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027.

Q. Is prescription Motrin better than over the counter ibuprofen? A friend of mine is taking prescription Motrin, which is rather expensive. I told him he could substitute nonprescription Motrin or Advil and save money, as long as he takes the same number of milligrams. Is this advice okay, or is there something special in the prescription product?

A. You are correct. At the same dose, nonprescription ibuprofen is identical to prescription Motrin.

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In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them in care of this newspaper or e-mail them via their Web site: www.peoplespharmacy.org.Their newest book is The People's Pharmacy Guide to Home and Herbal Remedies (St. Martin's Press).