Q:
Dear Dr. Si,
Could you please tell me what my vitamin B-12 level should be? JR, Camus, WA
Osteoporosis medicines may damage bone
Q:
Dear Dr. Si,
Why do some medicines that are used to prevent osteoporosis actually cause bone loss in some people?
GT, Norfolk, VA Read More >>
Tendon rupture caused by an antibiotic
Q:Dear Dr. Si,
My 72 year old husband has been using a steroid inhaler for breathing problems and was given a prescription for the antibiotic Levaquin. Within a few days both of his Achille’s tendons ruptured. Could you please tell me more about this problem? N.S. Eclipse, VA
Do calcium pills increase the risk of heart attack?
Q:Dr. Si, I recently read that taking calcium supplements can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. I take calcium tablets so am wondering if this is something I should be concerned about? R.S., Hastings-on-Hudson, NY – SDH
Drug interactions and Geodon
Q:My 82 yr old Mom takes hyzaar, coumadin, and now geodon. Can you tell me if this is a lethal cocktail mix? She has been on geodon for 1 month because of depression due to PTSD and it has not helped. If anything it has made her more anxious, and depressed, rather than happy. There is no joy in her life right now. – SDH
Sleep medicines and falls
Q:Dear Dr. Si, We are working to reduce the number of falls in our facility and are wondering about the role of hypnotic agents. Can all sleep medicines result in falls? – WS, Portland, OR
My Mom is taking 16 different medicines! Can a geriatric pharmacist help?
Q:Dear Dr. Si. I have parents that are 81 and 82, my mom is on 16 different medicines for all kinds of stuff we have no family history of. I read an article in the readers digest that a geriatric pharmacist can look over a medication list and see if some of the medicines might be unnecessary and causing side effects. We feel that the many different pills they are taking are making them tired and physically unable to perform every day tasks. Could this be true? We are thinking about taking them off most of their medicines and seeing how they feel. – DMD
Should I take Alzheimer’s medication?
Q:Dear Dr. Si, I’m 57 years old and am becoming increasingly forgetful. My mother developed Alzheimer’s disease in her late 60’s and I’m concerned that I may develop it too. How can I get a prescription for Aricept? Do you think I should start taking Aricept? Will that prevent me from developing Alzheimer’s disease? – VC, Williamsburg, VA
Is there a difference between Vitamin D2 and D3?
Q:Dear Dr. Si, My Mom was recently started on a medicine for osteoporosis called Reclast®. The doctor also prescribed calcium but Mom can’t swallow those big calcium pills. Will the calcium that she gets in her normal diet be sufficient so she doesn’t have to fuss with those pills? – SW, Portland, OR
Mom can’t take those big calcium pills
Q:Dear Dr. Si, My Mom was recently started on a medicine for osteoporosis called Reclast®. The doctor also prescribed calcium but Mom can’t swallow those big calcium pills. Will the calcium that she gets in her normal diet be sufficient so she doesn’t have to fuss with those pills? – SW, Portland, OR