People's Pharmacy

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Choosing Chocolate For Good Health

Posting Date: 04/11/2005

A. Do not take St. John?s wort together with Paxil. The combination could lead to a dangerous excess of serotonin. This can cause tremor, agitation, dizziness, high blood pressure and irregular heart rhythms.

Tell your doctor about your situation. Although Paxil is prescribed for panic, some people experience anxiety and palpitations as side effects. Ask if another treatment might be appropriate for you. Cognitive behavioral therapy can be highly effective.

Be sure to get guidance on tapering Paxil gradually if you stop. This may help you avoid an unpleasant withdrawal syndrome.

Q. When I was a boy, Mother said we shouldn?t wear our hats in the house (and never at the dining table) because this would make us bald. Now I look around any restaurant and see both men and women wearing their baseball caps at the table. Will this cause baldness?

A. Perhaps your mother had manners in mind. We don?t know of any studies showing that wearing hats increases the risk of baldness. People who are self-conscious about thinning hair might be more likely to wear hats, though.

Q. My husband used to get awful canker sores. Then our dentist recommended he use baking soda to brush his teeth. He hasn't had a canker sore since.

A. Some people report that avoiding toothpaste containing the foaming agent sodium lauryl sulfate can help prevent canker sores.

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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).