TODAY IS FRIDAY NOVEMBER 9TH AND I SAID I WOULD TALK ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO HAVE A REALTIONSHIP WITH ONE PHARMACY AND ONE PHARMACIST WHO KNOWS YOUR MEDICAL HISTORY AND WHAT MEDICATIONS YOU TAKE AND ANY PROBLEMS YOU MAY HAVE HAD WITH THOSE MEDICATIONS.

JUST LIKE A RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR DOCTOR A RELATIONSHIP WITH A GOOD PHARMACIST CAN REALY HELP YOU TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR HEALTH CARE. BY HAVING THAT RELATIONSHIP YOU CAN USE THAT PERSON AS A RESOURCE FOR WHAT DRUGS YOU TAKE, AND HOW OFTEN TO TAKE THEM, AND TO SAFELY STORE THOSE MEDICATIONS. YOU CAN USE THAT PHARMACIST TO CHECK WITH TO SEE IF YOU CAN OR CAN NOT TAKE SOME OTC DRUGS. IN ONE CASE I HAD A PATIENT WHO WAS GOING TO BUY SOME ASPIRIN WHO WAS ALREADY ON A BLOOD THINNING PRODUCT, I STOPPED THIS PATIENT FROMA FATAL OUTCOME BY STOPPING THE SALE.

REMEMBER THAT WE AS PHARMACISTS ARE YOUR SOURCE OF MEDICATION INFORMATION JUST AS WE ARE OFTEN THE SOURCE OF INFORMATION TO THE PHYSCIAN.

THE HOT NEWS TODAY IS THAT IF LOOKS LIKE MERCK AND CO. IS GOING TO SETTLE THE HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF LEGAL ACTIONS WITH REGARDS TO VIOXX. ALTHOUGH MERCK HAD WON MORE THAN 70% OF THE CASES IN COURT THEY WOULD LIKE TO PUT THIS PART OF THEIR HISTORY BEHIND THEM AND MOVE ON.

ON MONDAY I WILL START TALKING ABOUT THE CONDITION THAT SOME 20 PLUS MILLION OF US HAVE, DIABETES!!! THE SIGNS, SYMPTOMS, HOW WE TREAT IT AND WHAT THE OUTCOMES COULD BE AND SHOULD BE. THIS IS A SUBJECT NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART AS I HAVE BEEN DIABETIC FOR YEARS!!!

TODAY IS NOV 8TH AND ITS TIME TO TALK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU GET THAT WINTER COLD AND HOW TO TREAT IT, AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT THAT DRY WINTER SKIN.

LETS WORK BACKWARDS, THE AIR IS MUCH DRYER THIS TIME OF YEAR AND YOUR SKIN CAN GET SO DRY, AND YOU LIPS AS WELL.

SINCE MOISTURE IS WHAT IS MISSING, THEN MOISTURE IS WHAT YOU NEED TO PUT BACK INTO YOUR SKIN. THE ANSWER IS A PRODUCT WITH THE MOST MOISTURE IN IT AND THAT IS NON GREASY!! EUCERIN, EITHER CREAM OR LOTION, CREAM IS BETTER. ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS APPLY THE CREAM OR LOTION ONCE OR TWICE A DAY. VASELINE ALSO MAKES SOME OUTSTANDING PRODUCTS THAT WILL REMOISTURIZE YOUR SKIN. SOME HAVE A ODOR TO THEM SO BE CAREFUL AS SOME FOLKS ARE ALLERGIC TO THIS ODOR.

YOUR LIPS AS WELL SHOULD BE KEPT MOIST, VASELINE WORKS WELL, AND SO DOES CHAPSTICK OR ANY FORM OF A CHAPSTICK.

YOU MAY ALSO WANT TO INCREASE YOUR INTAKE OF FLUIDS (NON- ALCOHOL) FLUIDS. THIS IS ONE OF BEST WAYS TO MOISTURIZE.

SO YOU GOT THAT COLD, YOU ARE SNIFFLING, SNEEZING, YOU HAVE A COUGH AND YOUR EYES ARE PERHAPS RED AND WATERY AND YOU JUST FEEL NOT RIGHT.

TREAT THE SYMPTOMS, THAT IS ALL YOU CAN DO, IF WE EVER CURE THE COMMON COLD MANY MANY OTC DRUG PRODUCTS WILL NO LONGER BE NEEDED.

IF YOU ARE CLOGGED, AND HAVE NO RUNNY NOSE THEN IT IS DECONGESTANT THAT YOU WANT, BUT THESE PRODUCTS RAISE YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE SO YOU CANNOT TAKE THEM IF YOU HAVE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, A THYROID CONDITION OR GLACOMA!!! SUDAFED CAN BE PURCHASED AT THE PHARMACY COUNTER AND MOST LIKLEY YOU WILL NEED SIGN A BOOK FOR PURCHASE IN SOME STATES!!! SUDAFED DOES MAKE A PRODUCT CALLED SUDAFED PE THAT WORKS JUST AS WELL AND YOU DO NOT NEED TO SIGN FOR THAT PRODUCT.

IF YOU DO HAVE HIGHT BLOOD PRESSURE THEN CORICIDIN HBP IS THE PRODUCT FOR YOU, OR YOU CAN BUY THE STORE BRAND. IT HAS THE CORRECT MEDICATIONS IN THEM THAT WILL NOT RAISE YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE, AND AS OF THE MOMENT THEY ARE THE ONLY ONES WHO MAKE A PRODUCT FOR COLDS FOR FOLKS WITH HIGHT BLOOD PRESSURE/THYROID CONDITIONS /AND/OR/GLACOMA.

IF YOU ARE DRIPPING OR HAVE A RUNNY NOSE THAT ANITHISTAMINES IS WHAT YOU WANT, TRADITIONAL LIKE BENADRYL WILL DRY YOU UP BUT MAY MAKE YOU SLEEPY, SO THERE ARE SOME PRODUCTS OUT THERE THAT ARE NON DROWSY ANTIHISTAMINES LIKE CLARITAN OR LORATIDINE, OR THE STORE BRAND OF THOSE OR ALEVERT!!! THESE DRUGS ARE NICE BECAUSE THEY DO DRY YOU UP AND THEY DO NOT MAKE YOU DROWSY AND THEY MOST OFTEN A ONCE A DAY DRUG.

SOME PRODUCTS HAVE A LITTLE OF BOTH, ANTIHISTAMINE AND DECONGESTANT IN THEM AND OFTEN ADD PAIN KILLER LIKE ACETAMINOPHEN IN THEM AS WELL. SO IF YOU ARE TAKING SOME TYLENOL FOR ACHES AND PAINS MAKE SURE YOU LOOK AT WHAT ELSE YOU ARE TAKING AND JUST HOW MUCH TYLENOL IT HAS IN IT SO YOU DO NOT EXCEED 4000MG OR 4 GRAMS PER DAY, AS OVER THIS AMOUNT WILL DAMAMGE YOUR LIVER.

ARE YOU COUGHING, IF SO THERE ARE TWO APPROACHES TO THE COUGH, EITHER QUITE THE COUGH OR MAKE THE COUGH PRODUCTIVE AND BRING UP THE STUFF THAT IS MAKING YOU COUGH AND THEN THE COUGH GOES AWAY.

FIRST IF THE COUGH IS NOT PRODUCTIVE AND YOU COUGHING NOTHING UP, AND IT FEELS LIKE YOU HAVE NOTHING TO COUGH UP, THEN YOU WILL NEED TO QUITE THE COUGH, SO ANYTHING WITH DEXTROMETHORAPHAN WORKS WELL, OR DM!!!
ROBITUSSIN DM AND IT IS THE DM THAT STOPS THE COUGH, SOME SAY IT IS A STRONG AS HAVING PRESCRIPTION CODEINE BUT WITH NO SIDE EFFECTS. IF YOU TAKE AWAY THE DM PART OF THIS DRUG ALL THAT IS LEFT IS GUAFENISEN, AND THAT IS THE DRUG THAT HELPS YOU BRING UP THE STUFF OUT OF YOUR CHEST THAT IS CAUSING THE COUGH AND DISCOMFORT!!

BOTH THE PLAIN AND THE DM ONLY WORK IF YOU DRINK LOTS AND LOTS OF WATER, IT HELPS GET THE DRUG TO THE SITE OF ACTION.

ROBITUSSIN MAKES OTHER PRODUCTS AS WELL, SUCH AS CF, OR COLD FORMULA, BUT AGAIN BE CAREFUL THESE PRODUCTS HAVE ANTIHISTAMINES AND DECONGESTANTS IN THEM THAT CAN MAKE YOU SLEEPY AND RAISE YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE, ASK THE PHARMACIST AT THE COUNTER IF THEY ARE RIGHT FOR YOU.

IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU TRY TO BUY YOUR PRODUCTS WHERE YOU ALSO GET YOUR PRESCRIPTIONS FILLED SO A PHARMACIST WHO EITHER KNOWS WHAT YOU TAKE ON A REGULAR BASIS OR CAN CHECK YOU PROFILE TO SEE IF THERE ARE ANY POTENTIAL INTERACTIONS FOR SIDE EFFECTS THAT YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT.

A RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR PHARAMCIST IS A MUST, ITS LIKE THE REALTIONSHIP WITH YOUR DOCTOR, YOU CAN GET SOME GREAT ADVICE FROM A PHARMACIST.

TOMMORROW WE WILL TALK ABOUT WHY YOU SHOULD ESTABLISH THAT RELATIONSHIP AND HOW IT SAVED ONE PATIENTS LIFE.
YOU CAN E-MAIL ME WITH QUESTIONS AT brucegreenwald@sbcglobal.net with your QUESTIONS, SO TILL TOMMORROW, TO YOUR HEALTH.

TODAY IS NOV 7TH, 2007 AND I SAID I WOULD TALK ABOUT MEDICATIONS YOU CAN USE FOR CHILDREN OR INFANTS ONCE THEY BEGIN TO EXPERIENCE THE FLU OR FLU LIKE SYMPTOMS.

RECENTLY THE FDA ASKED ALL PHARMACIES AND DRUG STORES TO PULL OFF THE COUNTER 8 OR SO OTC MEDICATIONS FOR SMALL CHILDREN THAT WERE USED FOR COUGH AND COLD AND FLU LIKE SYMPTOMS. THE REASON WAS SIMPLE, YOU HAD TO GIVE TO THAT CHILD A DOSE SO SMALL THAT YOU GOT NO EFFECT FROM THE DRUGS OR YOU GAVE A DOSE SO LARGE THAT IT MAY HAVE HURT THE CHILD. YOU HAD TO GIVE SO MUCH DRUG THAT THE CHILDS LIVER COULD NOT HANDLE THE DOSE OR YOU WOULD SEE SOME VERY STRANGE SIDE EFFECTS LIKE AN INVERSE REACTION TO ANTIHISTAMINES. SO IT WOULD NOT MAKE THE CHILD SLEEPY BUT INSTEAD CAUSE SOME VERY OFF THE WALL WILD ACTIONS.

RATHER THAN WARN YOU OF ALL OF THESE POTENTIAL SIDE EFFECTS IT WAS DECIDED TO RECALL THE PRODUCTS.

IF YOU HAVE A CHILD THAT IS 2 YEARS OLD OR OLDER THERE MAY STILL BE SOME NICE COMBINATION DRUGS ON THE MARKET, HOWEVER, IT MAKES MORE SENSE TO GO WITH SINGLE PRODUCTS LIKE ACETAMINIPHEN FOR FEVER AND HEADACHES AND PAIN, A STRAIGHT ANTIHISTIME LIKE CLARITAN FOR NASAL SYMPTOMS. REMEMBER THAT COMBINATION PRODUCTS MAY HAVE SOME ACETAMINOPHEN ALREADY IN THEM SO BE CAREFUL!!!

TREAT THE ACHES AND PAINS AND THE UPPER RESPITORY SYMPTOMS WITH ACETAMINOPHEN AND ANTIHISTAMINES, IF THE CHILD HAS AN UPSET STOMACH THEN GO TO THE PHARMACY COUNTER AND ASK FOR A RECOMMENDATION, DO NOT JUST PICK UP A PRODUCT AND PURCHASE IT!!! SOME PRODUCTS HAVE HIDDEN ASPIRIN IN THEM LIKE PEPTO BISMOL AND THAT CAN CAUSE REYES SYNDROME WHICH CAN BE FATAL.

BE CAREFUL OF SOME PRODUCTS LIKE NYQUIL, THEY ARE GOOD PRODUCTS BUT THEY MAKE YOU SLEEPY BECAUSE THEY ARE OFTEN 40% ALCOHOL AND THEY HAVE BROMIDE SALTS WHICH CAN BE TOUGH FOR YOUR LIVER TO DIGEST, AND THEY MAY LEAVE YOU A BIT HUNG OVER THE NEXT DAY.

IF THIS PERSON IS YOUNGER THAN 2 YEARS OLD, CALL YOUR PEDIATRICIAN, AND GET A RECOMMENDATION!!!

TOMMORROW WE WILL BEGIN TO TALK ABOUT ALL THOSE NASTY COLD WEATHER CONDITIONS FROM THE COMMON COLD TO DRY CRACKED SKIN AND WHAT IS OUT THERE TO HELP YOU SELF MEDICATE.

TODAY IS NOV 6TH 2007 AND I PROMISED TO TALK ABOUT MEDICATIONS YOU USE ONCE YOU GET THE FLU.

WHEN YOU START TO FEEL ACHE, TIRED, HAVE A FEVER, UPSET STOMACH, AND YOU WOULD SAY "I HAVE THE FLU" IT MAY BE TIME TO START TO SELF MEDICATE. IF YOU HAVE OTHER MEDICAL CONDITIONS LIKE HEART OR KIDNEY PROBLEMS OR DIABETES, IT MAY BE TIME TO SEE YOUR DOCTOR, HOWEVER , IF YOU ARE OTHERWISE A HEALTHY ADULT YOU MAY WANT TO TRY TO SELF MEDICATE AND DO ABOUT ALL YOU CAN WHICH IS TREAT SYMPTOMS.

FIRST AND FOREMOST STAY AWAY FROM ASPIRIN TO BRING DOWN FEVER, AND STICK WITH TYLENOL OR ACETAMINOPHEN. REYES SYNDROME IS A KNOWN SIDE EFFECT OF USING ASPIRIN WHILE HAVING A VIRAL INFECTIONS SUCH AS THE FLU!!!
THAT COULD BE FATAL, SO NO ASPIRIN.

AS AN ADULT YOU CAN TAKE UP 4000MG OR 4 GRAMS OF TYLENOL A DAY, OR 1000 MG EVERY 6 HOURS OR TWO EXTRA STRENGHT TABLETS EVERY 6 HOURS. NO MORE THAT 4000 MG PER DAY OR YOU BEGIN TO DAMAGE YOU LIVER. BE CAREFUL MANY OTC PRODUCTS SUCH AS COUGH AND COLD PREPARATIONS HAVE TYLENOL IN THEM AND CAN ADD TO YOUR TOTAL DAILY INTAKE!!! READ THE LABEL AND MAKE SURE YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TAKING. IF YOU ARE AT THE DRUG STORE AND YOU ARE NOT SURE, ASK THE PHARMACIST, WE WILL CHECK FOR YOU, THAT IS OUR JOB AND WE MAY BE ABLE TO RECOMMEND BASED ON WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT YOUR HEALTH.

IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING UPPER RESPITORY SYMPTOMS LIKE RUNNY NOSE OR STUFFY NOSE, THERE ARE SOME GREAT OTC DRUGS THAT CAN HELP. REMEMBER THIS SIMPLE RULE, DECONGESTANTS RAISE BLOOD PRESSURE AND WIND YOU UP AND GIVE YOU ENERGY, ANTIHISTAMINES FOR THE MOST PART MAKE YOU SLEEPY, AND DRY YOU OUT. HOWEVER, THERE ARE NON DROWSY ANTIHISTAMINES THAT DO NOT MAKE YOU SLEEPY LIKE CLARITAN OR LORATIDINE. ANTI HISTAMINES DO NOT RAISE BLOOD PRESSURE

OFTEN WE COMBINE THESE DRUGS AS THEY CAN OPEN YOU UP AND DRY YOU OUT, SO YOU GET A LITTLE SLEEPY AND LITTLE EDGY, IT MAKES FOR A BALANCE SO YOU FEEL ALMOST NO SIDE EFFECT.

SOME OF THESE PRODUCTS HAVE TYLENOL OR ACETAMINOPHEN IN THEM AS WELL SO BE CAREFUL YOU DO NOT GET TO MUCH OF THIS.

IF YOU HAVE AN UPSET STOMACH, YOU CAN BUY OTC PEPCID OR TAGAMET, OR GO TO A LIQUID ANTACID. SEPERATE THOSE ANACIDS BY 30 MINUTES FROM ALL OTHER MEDICATIONS, THEY OFTNE ABSORB ANYTHING IN YOUR STOMACH INCLUDING ANY DRUG YOU MAY TAKE!!!

TOMMORROW WE WILL TALK ABOUT WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR KIDS GET IT OR AN INFANT OR BABY GETS THE FLU AND THE ISSUE OF THE FDA PULLING SOME OF THESE DRUGS OFF THE MARKET

SHOULD YOU HAVE QUESTIONS PLEASE E-MAIL THEM TO ME AND I WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH AN ANSWER, SO TO YOUR HEALTH TILL TOMMORROW

REMEMBER THAT UNLESS YOU HAVE AN ALLERGY
TO EGGS, YOU SHOULD GET A FLUS HOT, YOUNG OR OLD

ADVICE ON PRESCRIPTION AND OVER THE COUNTER DRUGS
FROM PHARMACIST BRUCE GREENWALD

TODAY IS NOV THE 5TH AND ITS TIME TO START THINKING ABOUT GETTING A FLU SHOT. THE MOST COMMON QUESTION I GET CONCERNING THE FLU SHOT IS CAN I GET THE FLU FROM THE SHOT.??

THE ANSWER IS NO!!! THE SHOT THAT YOU WILL GET HAS DEAD VIRUS IN IT. SO YOU HAVE NO CHANCE OF GETTING THE FLU FROM THIS SHOT, HOWEVER YOU MAY EXPERIENCE SOME SIDE EFFECTS FROM THE SHOT.

I GOT MY SHOT LAST WEEK BECAUSE I AM DIABETIC AND I WANT THE SHOT AS EARLY AS I CAN GET IT, IT TAKES TWO WEEKS TO TAKE EFFECT!! ONCE I GOT THE SHOT I HAD A SMALL PAIN IN MY ARM FOR ABOUT 6 HOURS, AND I FELT A LITTLE ACHE IN MY MUSCLES FOR ABOUT 24 HOURS. I HAD JUST A SLIGHT FEVER FOR A DAY, BUT ALL THIS IS SO MUCH BETTER THAN GETTING THE FLU, WHICH AS A DIABETIC CAN PUT ME IN THE HOSPITAL!!

TOMMORROW WE WILL TALK ABOUT HOW TO TREAT THE FLU ONCE YOU GET IT, AND PLEASE FEEL FREE TO E-MAIL ME YOUR QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS ABOUT THE FLU SHOT OR ANY OTHER RX DRUG OR OTC DRUG. I HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU SOON