The FDA approved Sanofi-Aventis to begin sales of Allegra, currently a prescription antihistamine allergy medication, to be sold over the counter (OTC) as of March 2011. On the market for approximately 15 years, Allegra has been fighting off generic copycat medications since its patent protection expired in 2001. Designation as an OTC medication means that Allegra has been able to prove that Allegra can be used safely without professional supervision.

Remember, when taking allergy medications, that you should:

• Pay careful attention to package label instructions for use, side effects, and when you should call the doctor.
• Ask the pharmacist about specific questions such as possible interactions with other medications or foods.
• Follow label instructions exactly as indicated. Increasing dosages does not provide additional benefits. It merely increases the risks of side effects.

According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, approximately 40 million Americans fight chronic allergies due to grass, trees, weed pollen, mold spores, dust mites, cat, dog and rodent dander, and cockroach droppings. Allergy symptoms manifest as a result. These typically include coughing, sneezing, itchy eyes, runny nose and scratchy throat.

Clarinex, Xyzal and Astelin are some of the more commonly prescribed allergy medications in addition to Allegra. Allegra will be facing competition from OTC antihistamines including Benadryl, Claritin and Zyrtec.

Prednisone Side Effects

Anyone ever experienced the joys of Prednisone? Well lemme tell ya! A while back I experienced the joys of prednisone to address some back pain due to a fall, and the resulting prednisone side effects. Now... to be fair... the doctor did warn me that some of the prednisone side effects would involve weight gain. He said that I MIGHT experience an increase in appetite and/or sudden weight gain. Might?? MIGHT?!?!?!? There were no mights about it! I literally dropped clothes off at the dry cleaners... picked them up 10 days later... and couldn't even get my leg into my pants! ACKKKKK!

So... drastic times call for drastic measures! I decided to try one of those "unhealthy," fad diets that I have been seeing a lot of buzz about. The HCG Diet. You buy this bottle of drops and place 6 drops under your tongue 6 times a day. And you go on a 500 calorie a day diet. Seems to me that you would lose weight just from being on such a restrictive amount of calories each day? But I looked at their FaceBook page and from their 65,000 members... did not find any unhappy or snarky comments. So that in itself said something to me -- unless of course their customer service people are really quick to remove them. (Always a possibility).

I called the company and talked to the customer service rep. She claims that the drops keep you from getting hungry, and reset your metabolism while you are starving yourself (my words - not her's - LOL!). The claim is that as you gradually resume a normal, HEALTHY diet after reaching your goal weight and enter the maintenance phase, you will not regain the weight. She also says that the drops have you losing weight from the problem areas, rather than places you don't want to lose from. We'll see. I got my drops and started the "load phase" today. The load phase takes place on days 1 and 2 of the diet.

During these 2 days, while your body is loading up on the staving off hunger part of HCG, you get to eat anything and everything you want. This is kinda fun! I will keep you guys posted on my progress over the upcoming weeks, and leave some tips on how to do the HCG Diet should any of you decide you are crazy enough to try it yourself ;)

Posted via email from momsdaword's posterous

Most Common Birth Control Side Effects

When my younger daughter started taking "the pill," she started experiencing many of the hormone-related birth control side effects that I'd taken for granted for years. With there being so many options on the market today, and Google-info-geek that I am, I thought it might be an idea to check into the ways to alleviate birth control side effects... mostly so I wouldn't have to listen to her whine ;)

Headache, Dizziness, Breast Tenderness: Wait it out. Once your body gets used to the influx of hormones from "the pill," these symptoms will likely subside all on their own. If not? Talk to your doctor about switching brands.

Nausea: Nausea will also subside after a few months. Remember that birth control is tricking your body into thinking it is pregnant, so you are experiencing the equivalent of morning sickness. If you are taking an oral contraceptive pill, try taking it with some food. If you are using NuvaRing or a contraceptive patch, you may need to switch methods entirely.

Breakthrough Bleeding: Now this is a birth control side effect that can drive you completely crazy! Mostly because you never know when it will happen. If you are on the pill, try taking it at exactly the same time every day. Spotting can also be prevented by taking an anti-inflammatory or additional estrogen. Discuss it with your doctor if it continues.

Decreased Libido: Adjust your method. Switching to a more testosterone based product will take care of this in a jiffy ;)

Mood Swings: If your hormone-based birth control method is indeed causing mood swings, all hormone based products will likely have the same effect. Doctors usually prescribe an anti-depressant to combat mood swings due to birth control.

Cost: My daughter is still trying to get over the fact that her health insurance provider covers Viagra for their male members, but not her birth control! (Come to think of it, I am still trying to get over that too!) Check into coupons for your birth control prescription. Coupons, discounts and patient assistance programs are usually available from the manufacturer's website. Talk to your doctor and pharmacist about samples, rebates and exclusive savings offers.

Pregnancy! Yep, pregnancy! My daughter got pregnant her third month into being on "the pill." After she figured she was regulated and ready to depend on it as her sole means of birth control. Starting on a hormone-based birth control method can be tricky and usually requires adjustments over time. Sometimes your dose isn't high enough to prevent an unwanted pregnancy. While we would not trade our (now 2 year old) bundle of joy for anything!... you may want to use a back up method until you are sure that you are on the right dose... and of course taking your pill as close to the same time as you can every day helps too :) If you miss a day, be sure to use an alternate method for sure!



Disclaimer: This content is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please talk to your doctor for specific information about addressing side effects from using various methods of birth control. 

Posted via email from momsdaword's posterous

Medical Marijuana Legal in Washington DC

A democratic Congress did not overrule the Washington, D.C. Council bill allowing the district to establish up to eight medical marijuana dispensaries where patients can purchase the drug. Congress had 30 legislative session days to review the bill that was approved by the D.C. Council in May of 2010. Now that the bill has cleared Congress, patients will likely have to wait several months for Mayor Adrian M Fenty and the D.C. Department of Health to establish marijuana dispensary licensing regulations.

The law passed by the District of Columbia allows allows patients with cancer, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS and other chronic ailments to possess up to four ounces of the drug. Patients will not be allowed to grow their own marijuana for medical use. Medical marijuana will need to be purchased from licensed companies once a patient has obtained a doctor's permission. Patients who prove financial need will be eligible to purchase medical marijuana at reduced cost, or receive it free of charge.

Medical marijuana sales are also subject to the district's 6 per cent sales tax.

Washington, D.C. residents voted to allow medical marijuana use in a 1998 referendum. Until last year, Congress blocked the city from enacting that referendum.

This announcement comes just a few days after the startling news from the Department of Veterans Affairs that will formally allow veterans being treated at its hospitals and clinics in states that have legalized use of medical marijuana to use it. The directive, expected to take place during the week of July 26, 2010, is designed to clarify conflicts between federal laws outlawing use of marijuana and the 14 states that currently allow medicinal use of the drug. The new policy will not permit VA doctors to prescribe marijuana, but alleviates the concerns of VA patients who use the drug and are concerned about losing access to all prescription pain medications if caught.

Doctors may still modify a treatment plans if a veteran is using marijuana, or opt to discontinue other pain medicine if there is a risk of interactions, but the decisions will now be made on an individual basis. Veterans have fought for this change for many years, citing marijuana's positive effects on physical and psychological pain, as well as its role in diminishing side effects of specific medical treatments.

Tylenol Still Feeling the Pain

Five months ago (in January 2010), McNeil Consumer Healthcare, a division of Johnson and Johnson, recalled millions of Tylenol and Motrin products stemming from complaints of an "unusual moldy, musty or mildew-like odor. Four times over the last seven months, McNeil has had to recall products. A variety of McNeil products have been included in the recalls: Tylenol, Zyrtec, Motrin, Benadryl as well as its children's line of non-prescription drugs.

On June 5, 2010, McNeil announced it was expanding the original January recall because some products were "inadvertently ommitted from the initial recall." UNBELIEVABLE! The drugmaker has now added four additional lots of Benadryl allergy ultratab tablets (100 count), and one product lot of extra strength Tylenol rapid release gels (50 count) to the recall.

McNeil's string of recalls has garnered a great deal of attention from the FDA. According to the FDA compliance office, the FDA has "serious concerns about the company's control over the quality of its drugs and the company's failure to aggressively investigate and correct quality problems." The case has been referred to the crime division, and criminal prosecution is a possibility.

Posted via email from momsdaword's posterous