Dermatologist defends poison-ivy treatment for wart
Q. Several weeks ago, you had a question from someone about using poison-ivy extract to get rid of warts. You suggested that this is a bad idea and not very safe.
I am a retired dermatologist and disagree with your opinion. It is much better to have poison-ivy dermatitis than a mosaic plantar wart. Poison ivy is a nuisance that clears in a week or two and is nicely controlled. Very severe cases are uncommon, but even those are no match for a mosaic plantar wart. Having one on the sole of your foot would be like walking on a 50-cent piece in your shoe.
If I can relieve a patient by scratching in a drop of poison-ivy extract and exciting an immune response to the wart, I have done a great favor for that patient.
A. We discouraged the use of poison ivy as a home remedy for warts because it requires great caution. A dermatologist who can apply an extract under controlled conditions would be much less likely to create a serious complication for a highly susceptible patient.
Thank you for sharing your expertise. We still think using poison ivy against warts is best left to professionals.
Q. I started taking lisinopril for high blood pressure in December. Soon after, I developed a nagging dry cough that wouldn’t stop. I have thrown up because the coughing was so bad. I also have had blood tests and chest X-rays. They all came back negative.
In desperation, I went to an ear, nose and throat specialist, who told me this kind of cough is common in people my age (50) due to postnasal drip. He knew I was on lisinopril but gave me an antihistamine and cough suppressant. They didn’t help.
I learned on your Web site that lisinopril can cause a chronic cough. I have not gotten a good night’s sleep in five months, and I am furious that none of the doctors I’ve seen suggested changing this drug. Can I control my blood pressure without medicine?
A. Don’t stop the lisinopril on your own, but do discuss this issue with your physician and request a different medication. ACE inhibitor hypertension drugs like lisinopril can cause a very persistent cough in susceptible people.
Many nondrug approaches can help lower blood pressure. Adopting one or more might allow you to get by on a lower dose of medication or eventually to phase off it, with your doctor’s help.
Weight loss, exercise, slower breathing and a diet rich in fruits and vegetables (especially beets and spinach) can all be helpful. For more details on nondrug options as well as the pros and cons of prescription medicines, we are sending you our Guide to Blood Pressure Treatment. Anyone who would like a copy, please send $3 in check or money order with a long (No. 10), stamped (61 cents), self-addressed envelope to: Graedons’ People’s Pharmacy, No. B-67, P.O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027. It also can be downloaded for $2 from our Web site: www.peoplespharmacy.com.
Q. I received an e-mail about using Listerine to keep mosquitoes away. Have you ever heard of this?
A. We haven’t seen any studies on the topic, but we, too, received an e-mail: “Those mosquitoes are pesky when you’re trying to have a good time. I put Listerine in a squirt bottle and squirted it all around the table and chairs where we were sitting outside. It worked! Those little bugs stopped biting!”