|
 |
Last Updated: December 23, 2009 |
Q: Do you carry Dermatix silicone tape for scars?
Though we do not carry the Dermatix brand we carry a similar product called Mepiform made by Molnlyke Healthcare. Mepiform is a self-adherent scar care dressing with soft silicone and Safetac technology. Mepiform is packaged sterile in single packs with five sterile packs per box. The dressing is available in three sizes: 4 x 30 cm, 5 x 7.5 cm and 10 x 18 cm. For information on prices and availability please call Market Drugs Medical toll-free at 1(800) 282-3913.
Q: At 27 years of age I had a total hysterectomy, I am 40 now. They have taken me off of testosterone injections a few years ago. Is there any other way I can get testosterone again?
Testosterone can be supplemented in many forms including injections, patches, topical gels, or other custom compounded formulations. All of these do require a prescription from a licenced physician. It would be important to consider why the testosterone was started initially as well as why it was discontinued before restarting on supplementation.
It is also important to monitor your other hormones including estrogen and progesterone, as you would typically require supplementation at your age following a total hysterectomy.
Q: Is there Aspirin in Aleve?
No, there is not. Aleve contains a medication called naproxen sodium which is similar to aspirin in that it is an anti-inflammatory medication belonging to the same drug class known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID). As an anti-inflammatory it is more potent then aspirin but it does not have the same blood thinning effect that aspirin would. The blood thinning caused by aspirin lasts 7-10 days while the same effect caused by the naproxen would last 12-24 hours.
Aleve is a product that is not currently marketed in Canada. Naproxen and naproxen sodium are considered prescription drugs in Canada. Aleve contains 225mg of naproxen sodium. Naproxen can be obtained in Canada with a prescription in a variety of strengths.
**Update**- July 16, 2009--Aleve is now available in Canada in a 220mg tablet. Over-the-counter Aleve can be bought in bottles of 24 tablets. 100-count bottle may be accessed from the pharmacist behind the counter. Aleve is not available over-the-counter in British Columbia, Quebec or Newfoundland.
Q: What oral contraceptives are available on the Canadian market?
As of April 2009 the following oral contraceptives are available in Canada:
Q: What is Loratine?
In the USA & Poland, Loratine, is the brand name for the drug loratidine. It is marketed in Canada under the more recognizable brand-name Claritin®. Loratidine is an antihistamine used for treatment of allergies and hay fever. Symptoms include a runny nose and itchy, watery eyes. It can be bought over the counter without a prescription from a doctor.
Q: What is celiac disease?
Celiac disease is a disorder of the small bowel, where the body produces an immune reaction to gluten in the diet. The immune cells damage the mucous lining, causing inflammation as well as nutrient deficiency because the bowel has difficulty absorbing food. This inflammation and malabsorption continues as long as gluten is consumed.
Physical symptoms may include bloating, diarrhea, weight loss, abdominal pain, full-body rash, nausea and vomiting (children), anemia, osteoporosis, and in the long term- malignancy.A doctor or gastroenterologist will examine family history, symptoms, blood tests, and a biopsy of the small bowel.
Complete elimination of gluten from the diet is necessary for treatment; celiacs improve after a few weeks on a gluten-free diet. A celiac cannot eat wheat, rye, or barley containing products, but rice, corn, sorghum, millet, and uncontaminated oats are safe because these grains are genetically different.
For more information about this disease and about celiac diets, visit the Canadian Celiac Association’s website at http://www.celiac.ca.
Q: Where can I find nitrogen in Edmonton?
Try calling Airgas Canada Inc. at 780.452.5400 or any other oxygen company.
Q: What are Tubi-Grip stockinets?
Tubigrip is a brand of mild compression tube. It is made of cotton and latex and gives a compression of 8-10 mmHG. It comes in a roll of 10 meters in various diameters zied "A" - "G" .There is another type of graduated compression Tubigrip known as "shaped". They are designed for lower leg compression to help reduce mild swelling and hold down wound bandages. Market Drugs Medical carries both types in stock. For pricing and availability please call Market Drugs Medical toll-free 1(800) 282-3913.
Q: I take prednisone to treat my Rheumatoid Arthritis. Why does it cause me to sweat and urinate excessivley?
Prednisone, which is a synthetic hormone similar to hydrocortisone, mimics naturally occuring adrenal gland hormones. These adrenal gland hormones are involved in various regulatory processes in the body, including fluid balance, temperature regulation and reaction to inflammation. So, it is possible for prednisone to cause excessive urination, sweating and other hormone related effects. Speak with your doctor about possible treatments, if these side effects worsen or become untolerable.
Q: Where can I find Prolotex Therapy Gloves?
Prolotex Gloves are used as a natural heat retension glove for arthritics. We do not carry that brand , however we do carry the Thermoskin Natural Heat retention golves which are made of neoprene. For pricing and availability of the Thermoskin gloves please call Market Drugs Medical toll-free at 1(800) 282-3913.. Prolotex Gloves are made of a composite material containing ceramic which retains heat. They are available in the United States through therapygloves.com.
Q: Can you tell me where in the world we can find Hollister Premium
bag clamps? There are no such items in the 2006 drug tarrif. Thanks
Hollister pouch clamp #8770 are available at any Hollister Dealer in the world. The product is a clamp for the bottom of a drainable ostomy pouch. Most Ostomy products are not listed on drug lists.
Q: What is DME?
DME is an abbreviation used in Canada and the United States for Durable Medical Equipment. DME can withstand repeated use, are primarily and customarily used to serve a medical purpose and are generally not useful to a person in the absence of illness or injury. Examples of DME include wheelchairs, walkers, crutches and canes as well as bed pans, heat lamps/ pads, hospital beds and special toilet seats.
Q: What medications should be taken for adult ear infections?
To properly answer this question one has to first determine where the infections is (inner, middle or other part of the ear) and what antibiotic is the infecting bacteria suseptible to.
It is essential that you see a physician to determine where the infection is. If it an outer ear infection from swimming, it can be treated simply with Burrows solution or other over the counter products.
Infections can be viral, bacterial or fungal. Each type of infection is treated differently. Ear infections would typically be bacterial or viral typically. If the infection is viral, we let the infection run its course and treat symptoms such fever, allergies etc. with acetaminophen, pseudoephedrine and loratine.
It is best to do a swab and culture any infections to determine which antibiotic would be best. Examples of antibiotic would be: amoxicillin, azithromycin, sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim, clarithromycin and cefrazodil.
Q: What are some of the new drugs on the market?
A:Drug manufacturers worldwide spend billions of dollars on research and development of new drugs each year. For many individuals, these new drugs will improve their quality of life. Though there are too many new drugs to mention all, here are a few that may be of interest to you.
Lantus® (insulin glargine) -- a long acting human insulin analog for once-daily administration in the treatment of Type I or Type II diabetes. For more information visit www.lantus.com
Strattera® (atomoxetine HCl) -- a non-stimulant drug for th treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). For more information visit www.strattera.com
Xolair® (Omalizumab) -- for the treatment of moderate to severe allergy-related asthma.For more information visit www.xolair.com
Ortho Tri-cyclen® Lo (norgestimate/ ethinyl estradiol) -- a triphasic oral contraceptive with a lower estrogen content. For more information visit www.thepill.com
Q: What is your take on anabolic steriods? From what I hear, all the myths about it, are only true in some circumstances, and that steriods can be great for you.
A. The pharmacologic effects of anabolic steroids include the ability to increase muscle mass and decrease body fat. This effect is often desired by many athletes and thus anabolic steroids are used fairly often in the sports industry for performance enhancement.
However, strong evidence concludes that anabolic steroid use is associated with liver damage, shrinking of the testicles, cardiovascular disease, narrowing of the arteries, high blood pressure, heart attacks, and sudden cardiac death. These conditions appear to occur even in very young and previously healthy individuals who have began using anabolic steroids.The benefits of anabolic steroid use must be weighed against the risks. Anabolic steroids may be useful in the treatment of various medical conditions including failure to gain or maintain normal weight after severe illness or injury, such as breast cancer, certain types of anemia and hereditary angioedema. Therefore, if required to treat a valid medical condition anabolic steroid use may be of overall benefit as assessed by your doctor.
Nevertheless, in the case of performance enhancement, the health risks associated with anabolic steroid use likely far outweigh the potential benefit of performance enhancement.
Q. I love your approach on the web, you are really catering to your clients, thank you. Will you be updating the site frequently?
A. The site is monitored on a daily basis and generally updated weekly.
Q. Is it true that antibiotics do not do anything for ear infections?
A. Antibiotics do help with infections however in some cases, like childhood ear infections, antibiotic treatment has become less effective. This problem is due largely to the increased use of antibiotics. Bacteria and the other microorganisms that cause infections are astonishingly resilient to drugs that are produced to kill or weaken them. The more often that one uses an antibiotic, the more likely the infection-causing microorganism has found a way to resist the antibiotic. This resistance is aptly called antibiotic or drug resistance.
One alarming result of the increase in antibiotic resistance is that when a serious infection occurs, the older, commonly used antibiotics become less effective or even non-effective. When this happens a more potent and expensive antibiotic will have to be used.
Your own body is a very capable infection-fighting machine and can often end an infection in about seven days. Allowing your body to try and "fight off" minor infections on its own will help build up your own body’s resistance to the infections as well as decreasing the likelihood and severity of the same infection in the future.
Ask your pharmacist, nurse or doctor to find out when you should wait out the infection, use over the counter medications, visit your doctor or the emergency room.
Q. I heard that taking too much Tylenol can kill you. Is that true? And is it the same with Aspirin?
A. While acetaminophen (Tylenol®) is a very safe drug to take for pain and fever, there are limits as to how much a person can take daily before it becomes dangerous. Acetaminophen can cause liver damage in high doses and even at lower doses in some people with an already compromised liver. Adult daily dose should not exceed 4 grams/ day and doses for children are in accordance to age and weight.
In contrast ASA (Aspirin®) is not associated with any liver damage but can cause gastrointestinal (GI) bleeds and Reye Syndrome and can interact with many common medications. Consult your doctor or pharmacist to see which pain killer is most appropriate for you.
Q. Before going on my trip to the Amazon it was recommended that I get the malaria vaccine. I’m on anti-depressants and I was told that I may experience side effects like hallucinations and abnormal, often bad dreams. Why is this?
A. A frequent medication used to prevent malaria is mefloquine or Lariam®. While mefloquine is a very effective in malaria prevention it has been associated with neuropsychological side effects including nightmares and hallucinations. It s not recommended for those with a history of seizures, depression or anxiety disorders, however there are other medications available for malaria prevention. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for alternative choices available to you.
Q. Should I be taking ANY prescription drugs if I’m pregnant or nursing?
A. The susceptibility of the baby to adverse effects from drugs depends on the extent of exposure and the baby’s sensitivity. Ideally, no drug should be taken during pregnancy or nursing. Drug therapy can pose a challenge and is often weighed against two factors—maximum safety to the baby as well as therapeutic benefits to the mother. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for advice.
