"I tried soaking the hair with Listerine and rinsing with vinegar. IT WORKED! I wish I had known sooner."
Neither Ulesfia nor Listerine kills nits, so the treatment needs to be repeated after they've had a chance to hatch.
Question: : I am 51 years old, and my doctor says I can't take estrogen or other hormone replacement therapy because I am very prone to blood clots. Do you have any recommendations for natural remedies for hot flashes and insomnia?
The hot flashes for the past few weeks have been every 15 to 30 minutes, day and night. I'm not getting enough sleep, and I am tired all the time. I work full time, so I need to be able to rest! Any information you can send would be greatly appreciated.
Answer: : Although hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can be effective against hot flashes, it is not for everyone. Estrogen increases the chance of blood clots, so it is too risky for women like you. Even bioidentical hormones from natural sources could be dangerous.
There are other approaches, both natural and pharmaceutical. Antidepressants such as Effexor, Paxil or Pristiq can ease hot flashes, but they have many side effects and might be difficult to stop. In Europe, doctors prescribe St. John's wort together with black cohosh for hot flashes. A different herbal extract, Pycnogenol, may also be helpful for these symptoms.
Question:: Recently, someone complained to you of excessive sweating. That person might have an endocrine problem. I used to sweat so much that I would ruin my clothes. This stopped once I had my hyperactive thyroid removed.
Answer: : Excessive sweating can be a symptom of too much thyroid hormone. We hope that girl's doctor has checked her thyroid function.
Question:: Two weeks after I suffered a thighbone fracture that had started as a hairline stress fracture, a friend alerted me to your column citing an article in the Journal of the American Medical Association (Feb. 18, 2009).
I showed it to my doctors, and we all agreed that my fracture was caused by long-term use (12 years) of Fosamax. My surgeon said that this was the strangest fracture he had ever seen; that the femur looked normal, but that it had broken in a location and at an angle that was extremely odd.
There is no warning on the Fosamax label of such a possible side effect. I think it is important for women taking osteoporosis drugs to get more information about side effects. My surgeon is seriously considering doing a hip replacement at the first sign of another hairline fracture.
Answer:: When an article was published in the New England Journal of Medicine (March 20, 2008) suggesting that drugs intended to strengthen bones might cause fractures instead, it created quite a stir. The controversy rages on, and experts are still arguing about the risk.
Some scientists speculate that long-term use of drugs like Actonel, Boniva, Fosamax and Reclast may suppress bone turnover and could lead to brittle bones and stress fractures. Anyone on such medications who experiences thigh pain should be evaluated.
In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them in care of this newspaper or e-mail them via their Web site, PeoplesPharmacy.com.
