Tagamet may work to get rid of warts
A: Tagamet (cimetidine) is used to reduce stomach acid and cure ulcers. A chance observation suggested it might stimulate the immune system to cure warts.
Research to test this off-label use has been inconclusive. Some dermatologists consider use of Tagamet for warts to be quackery. Others say it is helpful. Side effects — headache, drowsiness, confusion or dizziness — are rare.
Q: How long can you use a drug beyond its expiration date?
A: Those dates are frequently flexible. In many states pharmacists automatically use a one-year expiration date even if the medication has a longer shelf life.
When in doubt, ask your pharmacist.
Q: For years our family was plagued with canker sores. Then we read that the toothpaste ingredient sodium lauryl sulfate might be to blame. We eliminated it, and the sores disappeared.
A: One small study suggested that eliminating SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate), a foaming agent in toothpaste, might indeed curtail canker sores.
Q: I must respond to the podiatrist who slammed home remedies for toenail fungus. A few years ago, I repeatedly soaked an infected nail in a vinegar/water solution and afterward applied Vicks VapoRub. Eventually, the nail grew back as good as new.
A: Dozens of people responded to that podiatrist. They reported positive experiences using diluted vinegar soaks, Vicks VapoRub or tea tree oil. One pharmacist wrote: "I would like to point out some facts about the FDA-approved drugs the podiatrist prefers (Lamisil, Penlac, Sporanox). Does this doctor know that Penlac's success rate for a complete cure, according to the manufacturer's prescribing information, is only 5.5 percent to 8.5 percent AFTER 48 WEEKS? When using Sporanox, the percentage of overall success rises to a dizzying 35 percent.
"Also, does he know the costs of these medications? According to Walgreens.com, one bottle of Penlac costs $72.99. To reach 48 weeks of treatment once a day to a single affected nail, we will conservatively estimate that the patient will need six bottles of the lacquer (one bottle approximately every other month). So Penlac will cost the patient, without insurance, $437.94 to reach an outstanding 8.5 percent cure rate.
"For Sporanox, one PulsePak costs $255.99. This is a 14-day supply. The manufacturer recommends taking the medication for 12 weeks, bringing the patient cost, without insurance, to $1,535.94!
"No wonder people are looking for alternatives to these medications."
Pharmacologist Joe Graedon and nutrition expert Teresa Graedon can be reached through their Web site, www.peoplespharmacy.org, or by mail, P.O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717.