Allergies
How to Ease Nasal Congestion with Saline
Allergies can be maddening. Sneezing, congestion and a feeling of spaciness can make each day a trial. To make matters worse, decongestant nose sprays are only supposed to be used a few days at a time…
The Perils of Cold Weather Shipping of Medicines…
Baby, it’s cold out there! Many parts of the United States are either experiencing freezing temperatures or soon will be. As I write this, it's very cold in all the usual places: Colorado, Idaho, Mo…
Cure or Catastrophe: The Unpredictability of Med…
Physicians who prescribe medications like to believe that their choices are based on evidence. In fact, there is a mantra that most prescribers have embraced: “Evidence Based Medicine,” abbreviate…
What Are the Alternatives to an EpiPen? neffy?
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…
Can You Overcome an Afrin Addiction?
Have you ever become addicted to your nasal spray? Millions of people do. Decongestant nasal sprays can be used safely for only a few days before they start to produce rebound congestion that can be q…
From Seasonal Sniffles to Constant Congestion: C…
Are you sneezing more than ever? What about a stuffy nose? Do you wake up stopped up? You’re not alone. The CDC estimates that 60 million Americans suffer from allergies. Some people endure seasonal…
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…
Show 1403: Managing Year-Round Allergies with Me…
This week, our guests share their expertise on how to deal with sniffles and congestion, whether you are reacting to seasonal triggers or suffer from year-round allergies. Can you reduce the amount of…
Are There Natural Ways to Reduce Allergy Symptom…
The CDC estimates that roughly 60 million Americans suffer with runny nose, sneezing and nasal congestion during the course of the year. For many of these, the culprit is seasonal allergens such as po…
Nighttime Nasal Congestion | Is There a Non-Addi…
Do you breathe through your mouth when you sleep? A lot of people do. That’s because they experience nighttime nasal congestion. It’s not pleasant. Your mouth gets terribly dry and scuzzy. Nightti…
Show 1398: Protecting Children from the Perils o…
This week, we talk with the People’s Pharmacy Pediatrician, Dr. Alan Greene, about the incredible proliferation of plastic particles in our environment and our bodies. Children are especially vulner…
Should You Use NasalCrom for Your Allergies?
How do you manage your allergy symptoms? Sneezing, stuffiness and itchy red eyes are more than a bother. Unfortunately, many of the medicines you might take for relief can have unpleasant side effects…
Zyrtec Withdrawal Is a Nightmare
Cetirizine (Zyrtec) is an antihistamine often used to treat allergies, nasal congestion or hives. It is considered a second-generation non-sedating antihistamine. In other words, it doesn't make you d…
Can You Trust Canadian Online Pharmacies?
The FDA has a peculiar philosophy about drug importation. It allows pharmacy chains, drug wholesalers, big box discount drug stores, nursing homes and lots of other drug distributors to purchase drugs…
Allergic Reactions May Require Extra Epinephrine
Serious allergic reactions, called anaphylaxis, can be life-threatening. The immune system overreacts to a threat such as a bee sting or a peanut. In response, the body goes into overdrive, releasing …
Can You Ease Sinus Woes by Avoiding Dairy?
Hay fever and other seasonal allergies can cause a lot of discomfort. The congestion such allergic reactions cause can lead to sinus woes that seem to last a long time. But what if the problem is not…
Stopping Antihistamine Leads to Unbelievable Itc…
Every so often, doctors discover something from their own experience as patients that they didn't learn in medical school and haven't heard from their colleagues. Often, the symptoms of withdrawal fr…
NasalCrom Is a Forgotten Allergy Treatment That …
People who suffer from allergies rarely get the respect they deserve. Complain about arthritis, chest pain or diabetes and you will get lots of sympathy. Describe your drippy nose or ask about effecti…
Is Phenylephrine a Worthless Decongestant? FDA&#…
What took the Food and Drug Administration so long to determine that a common cold and allergy drug does not work? Phenylephrine (PE) is almost 100 years old, having received a patent in 1927. Its eff…
Reader Spanks Us Over Phenylephrine Decongestant…
Last fall I wrote a nasty article chiding the FDA for its delayed action against cold, cough and allergy pills containing the phenylephrine decongestant. That’s because I had written about this prob…
Show 1360: The Pros & Perils of OTC Drugs
In this broadcast, we answer listeners’ questions about over-the-counter drugs. If you have bought a medicine without a prescription, how do you use it wisely? Dr. Stefanie Ferreri, Distinguished Pr…
Stinging Nettles Soothe Seasonal Allergy Symptom…
Allergy season may differ depending on geography and what plants grow in the area. Seasonal allergy symptoms usually trouble people most during autumn or spring seasons. Many people use antihistamines…
Does It Make Sense to Order Your Own Laboratory …
At one time, only physicians could order laboratory tests such as thyroid-stimulating hormone or cholesterol. Now, however, many companies offer lab tests direct to consumers using the internet. Does …
Should You Take NasalCrom for Your Seasonal Alle…
Are your allergies ferocious this fall? Many people would still welcome advice on how to cope with hay fever and other seasonal allergies. Decongestant sprays work quickly, but you can only use them f…
Should Pharmacists Be Able to Prescribe Behind t…
Many countries give pharmacists the authority to prescribe a substantial number of medications. The pharmaceuticals they can offer patients are labeled BTC for “behind the counter” drugs. They inc…
Bee Product Propolis Can Cause Uncomfortable All…
If you were to search online information about propolis, you'd probably encounter a number of products containing it. Why would manufacturers add propolis to their supplements or body care products? S…
Can You Overcome Allergies with Xlear?
Every year as allergy season arrives, people who suffer from allergies look for solutions. Antihistamines such as cetirizine (Zyrtec), fexofenadine (Allegra), levocetirizine (Xyzal) or loratadine (Cla…
Show 1329: Dealing with Dangerous Food Allergies
In this week’s episode, food allergy expert Dr. Edwin Kim will join us in the studio to answer your questions about dangerous food allergies in real time. Email us [radio@PeoplesPharmacy.com] or cal…
Prednisone Side Effects: Deal With The Devil?
Prednisone can be a life saving drug. It saved my sanity when I developed sudden hearing loss in one ear. That was a really scary experience for someone who depends on hearing to be able to do live ra…
Can Quercetin Control Your Allergy Symptoms?
Hay fever season is looming, and many allergy sufferers may be wishing they had a way to prevent the misery of sneezing and sniffling. One reader made a serendipitous discovery: quercetin taken for gl…
Prednisone Withdrawal: Can You Ever Stop Cortico…
Corticosteroids are powerful double-edged swords. One side of the blade is beneficial. It can save lives. The other side can do incredible harm. Balancing the benefits against the risks of drugs like …
NasalCrom (Cromolyn Sodium) Is Surprisingly Help…
It is that time of year: sniffling, sneezing and snorting because of allergies. Such symptoms didn't used to be a big deal. During a time of COVID-19, though, people look at you with anxiety and trepi…
The Itch That Won’t Quit | Itching After Stopp…
Chances are good that you have seen a Xyzal commercial on TV. You see an animated owl with a distinctive accent. He wears a monocle…presumably to give this wise owl some extra authority. He lets you…
Stopping Zyrtec (Cetirizine) Led to Itchy Nightm…
Over six years ago we heard from a reader who had used the antihistamine cetirizine (Zyrtec) to ease allergy symptoms. In preparation for allergy tests he tried stopping Zyrtec. He noted that: "w…
Can You Take Quercetin for Your Allergies?
Quercetin is a flavonol, an antioxidant compound many plants make. Scientists have been studying this compound since 1857. Within the last decade, they have identified a number of health benefits it c…
Mystery Allergen Nutmeg Is Tough to Avoid
Have you ever had to track down a mystery allergen? The sleuthing needed to figure out what is causing allergic symptoms can be quite daunting. One reader describes a dramatic discovery of a nutmeg al…
Does Watermelon or Pineapple Make Your Throat It…
When we start to describe a healthful diet, we always mention fruits and vegetables. But while most people can enjoy a big slice of watermelon on a summer afternoon, some absolutely cannot. Does fruit…
Do Flonase and Nasacort Harm the Sense of Smell?
The benefits of steroid nasal spray for allergies are significant. There are, however, some side effects that you may want to know about before you start using them. A loss of the sense of smell or ta…
Solve Spring Allergy Symptoms Safely!
This spring has been especially heartening. We went from a really hard winter to a time of renewal. Watching everything turn green has given a lot of people hope for the future. But for tens of millio…
Should You Report Drug Side Effects to the FDA?
Have you ever looked for a drug’s side effects on the web? That is where most people go these days for medication information. It’s a surprisingly terrible way to get drug data. That’s because m…