Inspector finds problems with Chinese product
Q. I once worked for a pharmaceutical company that ordered a raw ingredient, diphenhydramine, from China. I was a quality-assurance inspector and had to inspect incoming material.
That ingredient was trashy, with what looked like a lot of floor sweepings and black blobs of something I could not identify. I placed all of that shipment on reject. I came in to work the next day and was told by the boss that he had authorized the release of that ingredient to be used in production.
When I left work later that day, I called the Food and Drug Administration and reported the whole thing. I don’t know if the FDA acted on my complaint, but I called in the next day and quit my job.
A. We forwarded your shocking story to the FDA but have not received a response. Diphenhydramine is an antihistamine found in dozens of allergy medicines as well as sleep aids and nighttime pain pills.
Past experience with adulterated heparin and milk products, as well as pet food, suggests that Chinese ingredients require careful quality monitoring. A recent report from the Institute for Safe Medication Practices concludes, “It is increasingly clear that the nation is experiencing serious problems in ensuring that generic drugs are manufactured with adequate quality control.”
Q. My mom has been addicted to laxatives for more than 30 years. Last year she had to be operated on because her anus had constricted to the point where not even a pencil would have passed. She was one step away from a blockage.
Four months later, she had to go back for the very same problem due to lack of postoperative instructions. The only advice she was given this time is to take Metamucil three times daily.
Now she complains that she has no bowel movements at all. I am so worried. What should she do? I tell her to be patient, but she feels very uncomfortable not being able to “go” daily.
A. Chronic laxative use can impair the ability of the digestive tract to function normally. The dependence on chemical stimulants often leads to a vicious cycle of constipation. It will take time along with plenty of fluid and fiber for your mother’s bowel to recover its normal activity.
There are some simple approaches in addition to fluid and Metamucil that may be helpful. Boiling 2 tablespoons of flaxseed in 3 quarts of water and consuming 2 ounces of the liquid daily is one. Chewing sugarless gum is another. A magnesium supplement of 300 to 500 mg per day can be helpful, so long as her kidneys are healthy.
We have also heard from many people that Power Pudding (applesauce, wheat bran and prune juice) can be useful. We have a recipe for this and many other suggestions in the Guide to Constipation we are sending you. Anyone who would like a copy, please send $2 in check or money order with a long (No. 10), stamped (44 cents), self-addressed envelope to: Graedons’ People’s Pharmacy, No. GG-30, P.O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027. It also can be downloaded for $2 from our Web site: www.peoplespharmacy.com.
Q. My pain-clinic doctor put me on 50,000 units of vitamin D twice a day. That’s 100,000 units a day, and it seems like a lot. The pharmacy called to verify the prescription. Is this dose safe?
A. That is an extremely high dose of vitamin D. It may put you at risk of toxicity. Please check back with your doctor or get a second opinion.