Drug Information
Blood Pressure Roulette: Is Finding the Right Dr…
Nearly half of all American adults have high blood pressure. That represents roughly 120 million people, and most will eventually be encouraged to take medication. But blood pressure roulette is an un…
Is Your Aluminum Antiperspirant Setting You Up f…
People take their aluminum antiperspirant for granted. They apply it every morning like clockwork because of a fear of body odor. No one wants to offend co-workers, friends or family members. That's e…
Taking Thyroid Medicine Properly
Millions of people suffer from an underactive thyroid gland. That is why the synthetic thyroid hormone levothyroxine (Synthroid, Levothroid, Levoxyl, Unithroid, etc.) is one of the most widely prescri…
Do You Love Your Liver Enough?
Most Americans have no idea where the liver is located or what it does. They generally ignore this organ until something goes badly wrong, such as cirrhosis or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Admit…
Should You Take Aspirin for your Heart? The Answ…
One of the most confusing questions in modern medicine has been: "aspirin for your heart?" This inexpensive old drug has been praised, dismissed, recommended, restricted and re-evaluated more times th…
Oral Ketamine for Depression: Game Changer or Fa…
Oral ketamine has been a tantalizing possibility for people with hard-to-treat depression. Instead of traveling to a ketamine clinic for pricey IV infusions or using a nasal spray (esketamine, aka Spr…
Paradoxical Excitation from DPH Sleeping Pills
When you think about sleeping pills, you probably imagine medications that make you drowsy. After all, the whole point of sleeping pills is to help you fall asleep easier. In recent years "PM" pain re…
Unbearable Itching After Stopping Antihistamines…
This website is devoted to helping people make informed decisions about their health. To do that, people need information from health professionals and other patients. Over the years, more than 30 mil…
It’s Not Nice to Fool Mother Nature: Time to R…
For decades, athletes and weekend warriors have been told to treat a sprain or strain with RICE: Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. Add a couple of ibuprofen tablets, and you have what many physici…
Dangerous Drug Side Effects: Why We Tune Out the…
Why don’t Americans care more about adverse drug reactions? Perhaps we assume that bad things only happen to other people. Or perhaps dangerous drug side effects have become so familiar that we no l…
Lisinopril and Angioedema: A Life-Threatening Si…
Lisinopril is the most frequently prescribed blood pressure pill in the United States. At last count, over 20 million Americans take this ACE (angiotensin converting enzyme) inhibitor daily. Except fo…
Science, Marketing, Ideology, and Mythology in t…
Dennis Miller, R.Ph. is a retired chain store pharmacist. His book, The Shocking Truth About Pharmacy: A Pharmacist Reveals All the Disturbing Secrets, can be downloaded in its entirety at Amazon for …
Best Home Remedies for Restless Legs Syndrome
Restless legs syndrome (RLS) affects 5% to 15% of adults (Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, Dec. 15, 2016). That means as many as 30 million Americans suffer from RLS. Roughly 6 million people are s…
Hidden Memories in Alzheimer’s Disease: An…
For generations, families have watched loved ones disappear into the fog of Alzheimer's disease. As memory fades and communication becomes challenging, many assume that the person they once knew and l…
Pills or Shots for Obesity? New Foundayo Pills v…
The FDA approved oral Wegovy (semaglutide) on December 22, 2025. Eli Lilly received approval for its pill, Foundayo (orforglipron), on April 1, 2026. It will be a fight for America’s fat. Instead of…
The Ultimate Allergy Survival Guide: From Sneezi…
For many people, allergies are little more than a nuisance—runny noses, itchy eyes and an occasional sneeze. But an Allergy Survival Guide becomes essential when allergies trigger asthma, severe s…
Will Exercise Help Wegovy Weight Loss Last?
Unless you have been hiding in a cave, you have assuredly heard of GLP-1 agonists. Although these drugs were originally developed to help treat type 2 diabetes, they have made headlines because of the…
Can GLP-1 Agonists Fix What Ails You — and War…
Popular drugs approved for diabetes control and weight loss produce many other effects in the body as well. Drugs like semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) have helped some people cut back on alcohol consump…
Hormones and Breast Cancer: Why the Confusion Wo…
For decades, women have been caught in the middle of one of medicine's most contentious debates. The question seems simple enough on the surface: does hormone replacement therapy (HRT) increase the ri…
Are You Taking A Sleeping Pill That Messes with …
Sleeping pills are big business. That is especially true for over-the-counter drugs. Millions of people take “PM” pain relievers regularly because they fear they may not fall asleep easily. Diphen…
How Well Does Ritalin Work for ADHD?
For decades the stimulant drug Ritalin has been a mainstay in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. It is also sold under the generic name methylphenidate and brand names…
Are There Alternatives to an EpiPen? neffy? Prim…
Several years ago, there was quite a fuss about high prices and shortages affecting EpiPen emergency allergy injections. This epinephrine shot is used to avert anaphylactic shock that can be life thre…
The Pros and Cons of Topical NSAIDs Like Voltare…
When the FDA allowed drug companies to sell NSAIDs over the counter we were concerned. That's because drugs like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, etc) and naproxen (Aleve) came with some pretty serious si…
Dangers of Antidepressants: Life Savers or Hidde…
Americans are taking antidepressant medications in huge numbers and the trend is upward. The most recent data show that: "Overall, antidepressant use increased from 9.8% in 2019 to 11.4% in 2023" (Cur…
Pediatrics–What Are You Thinking about Generic…
by Suzanne Robotti, MedShadow Foundation The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released a policy statement this week on the bioequivalency of generic drugs to brand name drugs. Their conclusion sta…
Which Diuretic is Best for Hypertension? HCTZ or…
When a patient is diagnosed with high blood pressure that is not controlled by diet, exercise or other lifestyle interventions, doctors start writing prescriptions. One of their first-line drugs is al…
New Ways to Stop Nosebleeds
More than twenty years ago, we got our first letter about using cold car keys against the back of the neck to stop nosebleeds. As you will see, we thought it was a bit bizarre. Keys to Stop Nosebleeds…
Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) Side Effects, Diabete…
We suspect that hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ or HCT for short) is one of the most prescribed drugs in America on a daily basis. HCTZ is taken regularly by over 15 million people. Many doctors believe tha…
Suffering Side Effects from Mirapex for Restless…
Restless legs syndrome, or RLS, doesn't sound like a serious health condition. (Maybe that's why doctors and researchers sometimes call it Willis-Ekbom disease.) This neurological condition results in…
Does Your Medicine Have a Boxed Warning? Why You…
When people are poised to participate in risky activities, they are supposed to follow safety protocols. For example, sky divers exercise proper precautions and procedures before each jump. No commerc…
When Doctors Prescribe and Patients Push Back
Dennis Miller, R.Ph. is a retired chain store pharmacist. His book, The Shocking Truth About Pharmacy: A Pharmacist Reveals All the Disturbing Secrets, can be downloaded in its entirety at Amazon for …
Do Treatments for Knee Arthritis Do More Harm Th…
Steroid shots and arthroscopic surgery have been mainstays in the treatment of pain and inflammation brought on by knee arthritis. Many people try to delay knee replacement as long as possible, especi…
Do Heartburn Drugs or Antihistamines Trigger RLS…
What causes Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS)? Check with most medical authorities and you will learn that “there’s no known cause” (Mayo Clinic). Symptoms are often blamed on a chemical imbalance in…
Can Aspirin Help Prevent Sunburn? Surprising Sci…
It's that time of year when people start stocking up on sunscreen. Whether it's gardening, a trip to the beach, a picnic in the backyard or a game of golf, sunscreen, protective clothing and a good ha…
When Blood Pressure Treatment Raises the Risk of…
For decades, doctors have emphasized the importance of lowering blood pressure to prevent heart attacks and strokes. With good reason! The CDC estimates that: "More than 843,000 Americans die of heart…
Will FDA Fumbles and Firings, Chaos and Cutbacks…
The Food and Drug Administration is in the middle of a meltdown. I do not recall so many high-level departures in such a short time in the middle of a presidential term. Many readers of this newslette…
Is There a Downside to Ashwagandha?
Have you been looking for natural ways to get some sleep? That is certainly understandable. When you are worrying about family members and friends, you may not be able to sleep well. Some herbs could …
Hormone Therapy for Bones and Libido: Osteoporos…
For decades, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has been controversial, caught between fear and renewed enthusiasm. Now, a growing number of women are asking a different question: could Hormone Therapy…
When Doctors Prescribe Ozempic for Weight Loss
If you have been reading our newsletter, you know that semaglutide is one of the hottest medications in the pharmacy. For months, this self-injected diabetes drug was "Currently in Shortage." Why woul…
How to Get Rid of a Wart with Tagamet (Cimetidin…
Warts can affect almost anyone. For reasons that are not clear, children seem especially susceptible. In theory, their immune systems are working well, so they should be more resistant to viral infect…