Commit Lozenges - the "first stop smoking lozenge". It has a unique "Dosage Selector" based on how soon you smoke your first cigarette in the morning.

How to be a better patient . . . 10 simple questions patients must ask their pharmacist:

The American Cancer Society is offering a free booklet on lifestyle guidelines for colon cancer prevention. People can request this by sending a self-addressed stamped envelope to:

Stop Colon/Rectal Cancer Foundation
P.O. Box 1616
Barrington, IL

or

By going to their website at: www.coloncancerprevention.org

A sugar free Glucosamine and Chondroiton Drink mix. It helps to regenerage cartilage. Glucosamine and chondroiton has been available - but only in pill form.

For a 30 day supply it runs about $18.00.

Tums "Smooth Dissolve" . . . tablets dissolve fast in your mouth and don't leave you with a gritty texture. They are available in peppermint and assorted fruit flavors. Each tablet has 300g of calcium at a cost of about $5.00 per bottle.

Decongestant nasal sprays . . . they will help with nasal congestion - but use them for no more than 3 days. After about 3 days, the nasal spray causes rebound which means the nasal spray causes the congestion.

Atrovent and Combivent inhalers . . . they are used in asthma and other breathing disorders. The public and a lot of health professionals are not aware that the suspending agent in these inhalers is a soya lecithin. Soy is from the same plant family as peanuts. So - we have to be careful that the person using Atrovent or Combivent is not alergic to peanuts, which could create a potentially life threatening allergic reaction.

The makers of Tylenol (McNeil Corporation) is awarding higher education scholarships to students who:

- Demonstrate leadership in community and school activities
- Major or intend to major in a health related field

To apply - go to their website www.tylenol.com

How to get a proper fit when people buy walkers - :

A new web site created by Memorial-Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. It gives information on herbal interactions and side effects.

The new HIPAA regulation, which is the Health Insusrance Portability & Accountability Act.

This tells people how their medical information may be used and discussed by the pharmacy. It is a bureaucratic mess. We have people read a 6 page document and sign a roster that they are aware that we are protecting their privacy. Doctors also have to do this.

Basically, we are telling people that we will not disclose anything about their health care . . . something we have always done anyway at Thrifty Pharmacy.

A new eye drop called Restasis. This is the first eye drop of it's kind for patients who suffer from chronic dry eye disease.

Dry Eye problems can be a real problem for people with arthritis, menopausal women, etc. Restasis works by increasing tear production. . . not just alleviating the dryness.

It is by prescription only.

A study reported in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. The study showed that children with asthma and dust mite allergy may be able to markedly reduce their need for inhaled steroids by incasing mattresses and pillows in polyurethane covers.

A reminder about the dangers of using pill-minders . . . weekly/daily pill containers . . . people put their medicines in them for a week. Many times I see the medicines getting mixed or people forgetting which medicine is which, because they are no longer labeled out of the prescription bottle.

Also - very important - is not to use the containers when traveling! If airport security found unlabeled medicines - they could detain you.

Drugs from Mexico. While in Mexico last week - husband, Bob, had dysentary . . . so I went to a pharmacy and asked for Lomotil - because I knew I could buy it over the counter. The pharmacist got me a retail packaged box . . . the problem was - the chemical was not Lomotil - but was the chemical loperamide, which is Imodium-AD - not the same thing at all!!!

My concern with this is what if it had been a life sustaining heart medicine and was not what is was supposed to be! The average person would only recognize the brand name, not the chemical name, and it could be detrimental.

Sunburn - with summer starting - we need to make sure to apply a sunscreen with SPF of 30.

For a sunburn, apply aloe vera gel with lidocaine . . . keep it in the refrigerator and it feels fery cooling when applied to burned skin.

Try to avoid the sun between 10 am and 2 pm.

Consulting your pharmacist before buying over the counter drugs.

Your pharmacist can provide you with special counseling on drug interactions, disease states and side effects.

People tend to think if you can buy it over the counter it is safe for everyone - not true! So don't go to a discount store and buy over the counter medicines on your own. Ask a pharmacist first!

The counterfeit Lipitor . . . they look just like the real Lipitor, but will not lower cholesterol!

People don't need to panic - it only involves a small quantity of Lipitor. It involves a repackaging company that suppposedly re-packed the Lipitor before selling to the wholesaler.

All people need to do is call their pharmacy and see if the pharmacy bought any of the re-packaged Lipitor.

Thrifty Pharmacy does not buy re-packaged.

Gloves in a Bottle . . . a lotion that rapidly absorbs into and bonds with the outer layer of skin, creating a protective layer that won't wash off while retaining your skin's natural moisture.

It comes off naturally as your skin exfoliates. It is great for people in medicine who wash their hands so frequently, people who work in grease or chemicals, mechanics, for working in the garden . . . :)

It is over the counter and costs about $6.95 for a 2 oz. bottle. Come by today for a sample and . . .

Remember today is the day for:

Prilosec is going over the counter in September. It will be the prescription 20 mg. strength. The price will be less than $1.00 a pill, compared to about $1.35 a pill for the prescription version.

This will only be a good thing for people that have been paying cash, because if they had insurance, they paid a copay that in most cases was considerably less.

Please be reminded to not just take Prilosec over the counter without consultilng your doctor.

Mark your calendar:

The benefits of dry roasted soy beans for lowering the blood pressure of females.

A recent study found, that after eight weeks of eating 1/2 cup of dry roasted soy beans per day, the blood pressure of female patients systolic blood pressure (the top number) was reduced by 10% and the diastolic pressure (the bottom number) by 7%.

Soy nuts are also a great source of fiber.

You may come by Thrifty Pharmacy for a sample of dry roasted soy nuts and remember:

Coral Calcium . . . having been wary of this product for some time - information is coming through to provide cautionary measures to the consumer.

Coral Calcium is calcium carbonate with magnesium and traces of other minerals. Now it seems there may be lead in it also.

It is recommended to avoid this product, as lead can be toxic.

Zanfel . . . I have seen so much poison ivy . . . remember, it has a chemical that binds with the chemical uroshiol, that the poison ivy plant gets on you and washes it off. So the spreading and the itching stops immediately.

Cost about $35.00, but is a miracle.

Remember - Bethany BalloonFest 2003 is August 8th and 9th - and - Thrifty Pharmacy is selling tickets this year at both pharmacies.

Reminding everyone about poisonings.

Everyone should have Ipecac if they have children around - but remember not to use the Ipecac unless you first contact the Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222. You need advice first.

Pamphlets outlining the guidelines on poisonings will be provided at the BalloonFest August 8 & 9.

Tickets to the Bethany BalloonFest are available for sale at both Thrifty Pharmacies - come see us at either pharmacy and the BalloonFest this weekend!

Brand name vs. generic drugs. A drug is given a 17 yr. patent and when it expires, other drug companies can make the same drug at a reduced price because the general company did not have the expense of research and development.

The generic must contain the exact same chemical and the exact same amount of the active ingredient. The only thing that might be different is the tablet fillers. So save money and buy generic and also remember that most insurance companies are only payig for generics when they are available.

The pain at the injection site of an immunization.

Dr. Dani Lynch is compounding a transdermal gel to apply directly to the injection site. It will reduce the redness and pain for the 24 hours after the immunization. It contains ibuprofen and lidocaine . . . the ibuprofen helping with the inflammation and the lidocaine acting as a local anesthetic.

The child or adult can still take an analgesic by mouth. The amount needed for that day after an immunization can be bought at Thrifty Pharmacy for $15. Ask for "After Shot."

On-line pharmacies and reasons to avoid them.

This is indicative of most on-line pharmacies - not all. So - if people are using on-line pharmacies - ask questions.

Prilosec will be available over the counter September 16th.

It will be the 20 mg. - the same as the prescription strength - but the cost will be 85¢ a capsule - compared to what it is by prescription - over $4.00 per capsule.

The importance of completing a round of antibotics!

If someone only takes the antibotic until they feel better - then their infection is not completely killed out, resulting in a resurgance of the infection in a couple of weeks.

This will also cause resistance to antibotics.

Please consider the timing - as kids have been in school just long enough to start passing infections.

A product called "Simply Thick" . . . it is a thickening agent for liquids for people who have trouble swallowing due to certain medical conditions, such as a stroke.

Simply Thick has many advantages over other thickening agents:

It is a gel not a powder, so there is no graininess It has no taste It does not continue to thicken in hot or cold liquids, soda, even alcohol It is available in single use packets for convenience

A new area in each Thrifty Pharmacy called the Diabetes Shop! It is already set up in the Hefner pharmacy and will be soon in the Edmond location.

We have all the products diabetics need that previously have not been available - or in some cases - even known to be needed.

In addition to all the diabetic testing supplies Thrifty Pharmacy will carry:

FLU SHOT DATES:

If you have Medicare the Visiting Nurses will bill for the shot - otherwise the cost is $20.

A wart removal product called Wartner. It is different than traditional wart removers in that it freezes the wart on the spot.

The freezing kills the virus and the infected skin. After about 10 - 14 days the wart will fall off. The benefit to this proceedure is it works faster, is more effective and less irritating.

There are 10 applications in a box for $23 at both Thrifty Pharmacy locations.

The harmful effects of mouth piercing.

Although, it is trendy to have the tongue, lip or cheek pierced - the American Dental Association says the ornaments could cause serious dental problems . . . including recessed gums, loose teeth and tooth loss.

Tongue piercing may damage the gum tissue behind the lower front teeth and lip piercing may injure the gum tissue in front of the lower teeth.

New vitamins targeted especially for diabetics.

It is called Multi-betic. It helps diabetics maintain a healthy blood sugar level, provides superior anti-oxident protection for the eyes and promotes healthy nerve function. It is free of sugar, alchohol, artifical colors and preservatives.

Cost is about $13.00 a month.

A reminder to get the flu vaccine. The flu vaccine takes 2 weeks to kick in, so this is the perfect time to get the vaccine to keep you covered through the flu season - which is generally over late February.

Also, you need to know there are 2 confirmed cases in Oklahoma County and the flu is expected to be more severe this year.

Thrifty Pharmacy will still be giving flu shots every Monday through the second week in December.

A reminder about traveling with your medicines . . . you need to keep your prescriptions in their bottles - not just in one bottle or in the daily/weekly containers.

Recently, a patient was detained several hours in the Chicago airport because she had all her medicines in one bottle. They finally let her go - but took all of her medications - so she had to replace them all at her expense.

About "guaifenesin" being taken off the market. It is a drug that was by prescription and helped thin mucous secretions. A lot of people took it because it really did not have any side effects and helped unstuff the nasal passages and helped with drainage.

Now there is an over the counter product called Mucinex that is the same strength as the prescription product.

FLU SHOTS . . . F.Y.I.

CAUTION about use of antibiotics in the cold and flu season.

As the cold and flu season approaches, especially this time of year, we don't want to start taking antibiotics that we might have around the house, as antibiotics will not be effective unless you have a bacterial infection. And this time of year a lot of illness is due to viruses - not bacteria.

Antibiotics are ineffective against viruses andthis inappropriate use of antibiotics leads to resistance - especially in children.

The difference between Anti-histamnes and Decongestants and when to use them.

Anti-histamines:
Are for all allergies, running nose and eyes, and sneezing.
They will cause dry mouth and drowsiness.

Decongestants:
Are used for nasal congestion, when you cannot breathe.
They will tend to stimulate and keep you awake.

Also, before taking any anti-histamine or decongestant - consult your pharmacist, as they can interfere with many other medications and medical conditions.

The flu and flu shots . . .

This year's shot gives 70 to 90 percent protection against the Panama, Hong Kong and Caledonia influenza strains. The Fuji bug that's sending folks to the hospital is called a "drift strain" because it's a slight mutation of the Panamian strain. The flu vaccine is produced in early February, and at that time this year, the Fujian strain hadn't been identified.

The possibility of food poisoning - especially this time of year with people going to holiday parties. Hosts may forget how long food has been out of the refrigerator . . . bacteria can grow on food that is left out for an hour.

Bacteria on food can cause severe illness such as 3 days of non-stop vomitting and diarrhea. This can be a real problem for young children or the eldery - as they dehydrate very quickly and can end up hospitalized.