Air scents can rub sinuses raw
Q. For years, I had woken up in the middle of the night unable to breathe through my nose. This disrupted a good night’s sleep, as I would have to get up and sit for 20 to 30 minutes waiting for my sinuses to drain.
I blamed it on lack of humidity, since it never happened while I was vacationing at the beach twice a year.
I recently read that home air fresheners contain formaldehyde and petroleum distillates, aerosol propellants and p-dichlorobenzene (PDB) that can irritate nasal passages. I immediately unplugged all my air fresheners, and after one day I was amazed with the results.
I have now slept straight through the night for about two solid weeks. Who would imagine that plug-ins could cause such sinus misery?
A. Air fresheners contain a variety of chemicals that may irritate the respiratory tract. PDB, found in mothballs as well as air fresheners, could result in reduced pulmonary function (Environmental Health Perspectives, August 2006).
Other compounds found in air fresheners include phthalates. These are often used to carry fragrance in consumer products. Phthalates also are used to make plastic products pliable. These chemicals are controversial because they are hormone disruptors and potential carcinogens.
Q. I have had thinning hair since I started on blood pressure meds. I had to switch to a short haircut. Since then, I have been put on atenolol, Norvasc, Diovan and enalapril. I suspect the beta blocker is responsible for the fact that you can see more scalp than hair.
Even with the shortest, punkiest cut, you see scalp, and it is embarrassing. I now own a myriad of wigs, but I can’t seem to get used to them.
When women lose hair due to chemo, it is met with empathy. Saying it’s my blood pressure pills doesn’t provoke the same reaction. I am now 62, so this has been going on for years, but it has become much worse since I started atenolol.
A. Hair loss is frequently an underappreciated side effect of medications. Prescribers may not mention this complication.
You are right that atenolol, like other beta blockers, can cause hair loss. Diovan, amlodipine (Norvasc) and enalapril are somewhat less likely to trigger this reaction. Finding the best blood pressure treatment that doesn’t cause hair loss will require some sleuthing by your doctor.
To help you with this discussion, we are sending our “Guide to Hair and Nail Care” with a list of medications that cause hair loss. 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. H-31, P.O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027. It also can be downloaded for $2 from our website: www.peoplespharmacy.com.
Q. Whatever happened to Pepcid? I have not been able to find it in stores, especially Pepcid Complete. What product would you recommend as a replacement?
A. Pepcid Complete is an over-the-counter product for heartburn. It contains an acid-suppressing drug called famotidine plus a fast-acting antacid combination of calcium carbonate and magnesium hydroxide.
The company (Johnson & Johnson) has had its share of manufacturing and packaging difficulties during the past year, with recalls of products such as Tylenol, Benadryl and Sudafed, as well as Pepcid. A spokesperson assures us, however, that Pepcid Complete should be back on pharmacy shelves within a few weeks.