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Pharmacology/Questions Answered by Expert Dr Alan Galbraith
| Subject | Date Asked |
| Adderall xr | 12/15/2010 |
| Q: I woke and took my adderall like I do everyday, only then I realized it was only 1:00am and I usualy ... A: Pharmacologically speaking it is probably OK to take this dose ie it will most likely cause no real ... | |
| Adverse reaction to antibiotics | 12/11/2010 |
| Q: My husband has been taking 800-160 tablets of bactrim ds and augmentin 875-125 tablets. I cannot ... A: A few drugs can be "excreted" from the body in seminal fluid but in extremely small amounts. ... | |
| Calcium/Iron | 12/4/2010 |
| Q: My mom has been asked to take calcium (osteoporosis) and iron (mild anemia/vegetarian) supplements. ... A: There are a few medicines which both calcium and iron preparations can interfere with their ... | |
| Severe reaction to aspirin | 12/3/2010 |
| Q: Twice in the last week I have taken 1-325 mg enteric-coated aspirin for sinus headache. Both times ... A: It sounds like a reaction to the aspirin but I cannot be 100% certain. Allergies can develop and ... | |
| decilon | 12/1/2010 |
| Q: what is the dosage of decilon/decilone forte? A: It all depends which one and also what condition the drug is to be used for. In some conditions the ... | |
| Mesalamine | 11/26/2010 |
| Q: 2 questions, hope you don't mind. Years ago I used a hair dye and had a bad reaction to the skin ... A: I am not sure about PPDA but mesalamine can be considered to be a sulpha drug. It may not be the ... | |
| Urine drug tested positive for Benzos | 11/25/2010 |
| Q: I am a healthcare professional and have never failed a drug test in my 53 yrs. I was just offered an ... A: You need to take this up withj a anadvocate as you can see from my diatrivbe below drug tests in the ... | |
| bioavailability | 11/22/2010 |
| Q: I asked a question about bioavailability on 19 November 2010, and Alan Galbraith answered. I just ... A: Sorry Sue, they are all typing errors as I tend to type fast but with only one finger and often do ... | |
| bioavailability | 11/19/2010 |
| Q: I am a little confused over what bioavailability actually means. In your text, 'Fundamentals of ... A: There is still a biovailabity with topical apied drugs as they have to be absorbed through a ... | |
| PPI's | 11/10/2010 |
| Q: The proton pump inhibitors that are sold over the counter now, like Prilosec, Prevacid, Nexium, etc. ... A: Sometimes the PPIs just do a temporary fix depending upon the cause of the reflux etc. If after 2 ... | |
| Paxil and Aspirin | 11/4/2010 |
| Q: I am Type 1 Diabetic with panic issues and agoraphobia. I have been on 1 mg Ativan on an as needed ... A: There is no recognosed interaction between aspirin and Paxil. However, I would strongly recommend a ... | |
| parnate | 10/28/2010 |
| Q: What cough and cold medicines are compatible with parnate? A: You must be very careful here and my best advice to you is to go to drugs.com and go to their ... | |
| SNRI's | 10/23/2010 |
| Q: I have tried many different antidepressants for obsessive thoughts and depression and it seems the ... A: I am not aware of Wellbutrin causing a cough nor can fins ant reference to this in the drug ... | |
| simvastatin/zocor | 10/22/2010 |
| Q: my question is this... is it normal for the drug simvastatin to come out whole when I have a bowel ... A: This can sometimes happen with delayed/sustained/extended release tablets but as far as I know ... | |
| Metamucil and probiotics together | 10/14/2010 |
| Q: They say not to take Metamucil at the same time as medications. Can Metamucil and probiotics be used ... A: Metamucil only slows down or artially inhibits the absorption of some drugs by binding them to its ... | |
| Quitting smoking while taking Seroquel | 10/13/2010 |
| Q: I have been taking 300mg Seroquel a night for almost two years now for treatment of Bi Polar ... A: The first thing to say is congratulations in reaching the 30 days mark which is not easy and you are ... | |
| Pepto-Bismol | 10/3/2010 |
| Q: Does Pepto-Bismol affect the liver? A: I know of no evidence that the liver is affected. Very high doses can occasionally affect the liver ... | |
| Nitric Oxide Booster/Supplement | 9/27/2010 |
| Q: You seemed most appropriate to ask this question and apologies if I chose the wrong section. Do ... A: As far as I know any of these so-called NO boosters are of no use whatsoever. Regards Alan ... | |
| Testosterone question | 8/15/2010 |
| Q: I am writing to you because i could find no experts in the field of Endocrinology, my physician is ... A: The only way to be sure that the testosterone is being absorbed is to have it measured again. Also ... | |
| Phentermine | 7/28/2010 |
| Q: Greetings Dr. Galbraith, I have been taking one 37.5 mg. Phentermine tablet every day for about 10 ... A: I agree that it is best to stop this drug and wean yourself off it slowly. It, as you probably know, ... | |
| Smoking | 7/21/2010 |
| Q: I quit smoking for over a year, but started back about 6 months ago (3-4 packs per week). I have to ... A: Nicotine and its metabolites do not stay long in the body and I cannot foresee you showing up a ... | |
| Opiate antagonists. | 7/2/2010 |
| Q: What are Opiate antagonists. A: They are drugs which are antagonistic ie work against the opiate group of drugs such as heroin and ... | |
| Drug half-life | 6/20/2010 |
| Q: I'm studying pharmacology. I know what half-life means - how long it takes for half of the drug to ... A: The following is an extract from my textbook on half-lives: Drug dosage and blood levels The faster ... | |
| Hydracodone(except 10/500 | 6/18/2010 |
| Q: I have a bulging disc,heriated disc,pinched nerve,and degenertive arthritus.I have been to 3 ... A: This is the first I have heard that one cannot be operated on because one is taken an opiate such as ... | |
| DM ii | 5/16/2010 |
| Q: age 50 weight 98 height 5.7 + after failure in alone metformin Dr has prescribed gliclazide 80 mg ... A: Metformin is best taken with meals whereas with glicazide it is not so important. What is important ... | |
| funny "spells" | 4/29/2010 |
| Q: Galbraith, My 89 year old grandmother is in good health but has mild dementia. she started having ... A: Reglan should not do this and what is happening is probably a cyclical type of senile dementia but ... | |
| Infant GERD - Zantac | 4/28/2010 |
| Q: What is the correct dosage for a 16-17lb six month old infant? He is currently receiving 2ml of ... A: The normal dose would be as prescribed. Obviously I cannot say over the Internet if the dose should ... | |
| Are there any drug interactions with these meds? | 4/18/2010 |
| Q: I take 20 mg Citalopram, 60 mg fluoxetine and 0.75 mg Risperidone daily. I also take 40-60 mg ... A: Fluoxetine and risperidone when taken together can theoretically cause severe heart problems and the ... | |
| Prescription Medicine's | 4/11/2010 |
| Q: I take the following medicine's....Lisinopril 5mg; Atenolol 25mg; Plavix 75mg; simvastatin 80mg; ... A: Deaar Mark The simvastatin works best if taken at night. The Ecotrin best and Niaspan best after ... | |
| Moclobemide and Duromine? | 4/10/2010 |
| Q: I'm interested in taking diet pills to assist in losing the 23kg that I gained during six months of ... A: Moclobemide is very unlikely to cause weight gain whereas Lexapro is so this may be the answer. ... | |
| Medicine Doses | 4/5/2010 |
| Q: Galbraith, If there are two versions of the same medicine, one is extended release and the other ... A: Theoretically the extended release version will maintain more steady blood levels than the 100mg 3x ... | |
| Morphine reaction | 3/11/2010 |
| Q: Just over three weeks ago I dislocated my shoulder in a sporting accident and to help with the ... A: The detached feeling is relatively common and nothing to worry about as are nausea and slight fever ... | |
| pharmacology | 3/9/2010 |
| Q: use of Mirtazapine for depression is rational or not?which is first choice for it? A: I am not sure what you mean in your second question. Anyway, mirtazapine is a commonly used ... | |
| Drug and anti-depressant use. | 3/6/2010 |
| Q: I have got my 25 year old daughter living back at home after being at univercity and living in ... A: Having three daughters of my own, I can emphasize with your concerns but really do not have the ... | |
| Zocor | 3/2/2010 |
| Q: My doctor just recently put me on Zocor for my high cholesterol. I'm suppose to take it at bedtime ... A: The body makes most of its cholesterol while you are sleeping hence the drug is more efficient taken ... | |
| enteric coated aspirin | 2/20/2010 |
| Q: I understand that NSAID medications can cause gastric bleeding because they inhibit the Cox enzyme ... A: Aspirin is acidic and can directly cause stomach damage. The enteric coating avoids this direct ... | |
| Duromine | 2/19/2010 |
| Q: How dangerous is it for a 65 year old female to take 30 mg. daily? No other serious health ... A: I cannot recommend this drug at all as any weight loss is usually quickly regained upon cessation. ... | |
| Escitalopram and Mirtazapine combo - Uncomfortable feeling | 2/13/2010 |
| Q: My current medication is as below: Escitalopram: 10mg(morning) - 36 days (started 8th Jan) ... A: I seem to be getting lots of questions about both these drugs these days - just shows you how much ... | |
| Treatment Resistant GAD & PANIC DISORDER | 2/5/2010 |
| Q: I AM 48 YEARS OLD. I SUFFER FROM RECURRENT MAJOR DEPRESSION (3 EPISODES), Generalized Anxiety ... A: The maximum dose can be up to 2 g per day, (increased to this gradually). Therefore 500mg is OK but ... | |
| digoxin | 2/3/2010 |
| Q: My 86 yr old mother has stopped taking her digoxin because it makes her feel ill (often vomits too). ... A: This is a problem with digoxin but it it is usually prescribed as a necessity for good heart ... | |
| Diclofenac | 2/2/2010 |
| Q: I use hydrochlorothiazide for blood pressure. My doctor has prescribed diclofenac for arthritis.The ... A: It is generally not advisable to give diclofenac with HCT because of the strong potential for kidney ... | |
| phrmacology | 1/29/2010 |
| Q: can we give lowest dose of mtaprolol (12.5 mg) to a patient of acute anterior MI coplicated by ... A: Please refer to this site http://www.drugs.com/pro/metoprolol.html for details regarding the use of ... | |
| ibuprofane & paracetamol | 1/24/2010 |
| Q: is there a time after swalowing ibuprofane & paracetamol at which they have the maximum effect? ie ... A: Yes but there is a great deal of individual variability. On average ibuprofen reaches its maximum ... | |
| side effect of vyvanse | 1/20/2010 |
| Q: I take 50 mg of Vyvanse and effexor xr 75 mg daily. I take 15 mg of restoril at bedtime. I am ... A: I cannot say what you must discontinue without knowing why you are taking these drugs. All I can say ... | |
| Vitamin D Deficiency | 1/19/2010 |
| Q: Dr Galbraith Good Morning I just found out I am very very low in Vitamin D. Dr. prescribed ... A: This dose is used when you are having problems absorbing the vitamin from the gut rather than being ... | |
| Milk Thistle | 1/18/2010 |
| Q: I am determined to go cold turkey with alcoholfor two months, breaking my old record (one step at a ... A: There is not a lot of evidence that milk thistle is of much benefit but it may and will not do any ... | |
| methotrexate | 1/16/2010 |
| Q: Dr. Galbraith, My Rheumatologist (who isn't sure if I have arthritis yet) put me on methotrexate ... A: The problem is that drugs such as Motrin can increase the toxicity of methotrexate. The combination ... | |
| False Positive Urine Drug Test | 1/14/2010 |
| Q: I just recently gave birth to a baby girl..during the labor they did a drug test on my urine and it ... A: All the pharmacy panel on this site get frequent questions on these false positives for every ... | |
| Seroquel vs Ativan for anxiety | 1/12/2010 |
| Q: Galbraith, My question is, since Seroquel and Ativan have different mechanisms by which they control ... A: I think that what you are saying is absolutely correct. In my opinion, Ativan is and only should be ... | |
| Vyvance and tics | 1/9/2010 |
| Q: Soon after beginning Vyvance for adult AHAD I began to experience tics in my toes and now my mouth. ... A: There is no real answer to this question as it is a matter of wait and see. Vyvance usually ... | |
| Side Effects | 1/3/2010 |
| Q: Prescribed Hydrocodone / Homatropine for a cough. Stopped taking it after I felt like what were ... A: It is most likely that the homatropine caused the problem although I cannot be definite. This drug ... | |
| Anxiety Meds | 12/23/2009 |
| Q: I used to take 5 mg of valium for sleeping purposes and sometimes during a stressful time in my ... A: Taking Xanax like this or any other benzo should cause no problems as long as it is only ... | |
| Anxiety Meds | 12/22/2009 |
| Q: I used to take 5 mg of valium for sleeping purposes and sometimes during a stressful time in my ... A: Tranxene is in the same category as the other drugs mentioned and can cause exactly the same ... | |
| what is abilify for? | 12/19/2009 |
| Q: I've been studing brand to generic drugs and what they are for to become a pharmacy technician, and ... A: Great minds think alike. I have always been concerned ever since aripiprazole has been released that ... | |
| pharmacology | 12/6/2009 |
| Q: explain how the following could affect the rate of absorption of a drug into the blood of a drug ... A: 1. Procaine penicillin when given IM releases the active antibiotic slowly into the bloodstream as ... | |
| vyvanse/marijuana | 11/17/2009 |
| Q: I have recently found out that my 17 yr old is experimenting with marijuana...I am concerned about ... A: Vyvanse has been reported to cause some personality changes but this is uncommon when used ... | |
| Class | 11/13/2009 |
| Q: I am taking a neuropharmacology course and I'm horrible. I don't know if you could direct me to a ... A: I would recommend, initially a general textbook on pharmacology rather than one specifically on ... | |
| epinephrin | 11/12/2009 |
| Q: does epinephrine increase the peristaltic activity on GIS? Especially colon? A: Adrenaline actually slows down the acivity of the gut rather than speed it up. In times of severe ... | |
| urine test | 11/8/2009 |
| Q: my daughter is bipolar. the medications she uses are depakote and celexa. she recently was given a ... A: None of these medications should show positive for benzodiazepines. False positives are so common ... | |
| Liver Damage Concerns w/ Prozac and Nexium | 11/4/2009 |
| Q: My husband started taking Nexium 40mg per day to treat stomach pain - possibly ulcers several weeks ... A: Both alcohol and Nexium can raise liver enzymes although it is uncommon with the latter. Prozac is ... | |
| Metronidazole and Vancomycin for CDiff | 10/31/2009 |
| Q: I would be most grateful for your views on the following questions. Upon a +ve diagnosis for ... A: In most infections it is now recommended that antibiotics be only taken for two more days after ... | |
| Metronidazole and Vancomycin for CDiff | 10/30/2009 |
| Q: I would be most grateful for your views on the following questions. Upon a +ve diagnosis for ... A: Metronidazole (250mg qid) is usually used for at least 10 days when about 75% of patients respond. ... | |
| Mixing Cipralex & Depakine | 10/23/2009 |
| Q: My husdband 33yrs, is taking Cipralex 10 & Depaking Chrono 500 mg, his doctor told him that there is ... A: This is a common combination for panic attacks and bipolar conditions and is very effective. I have ... | |
| Best Statin on market to NOT lower male hormones -affect sex drive? | 10/10/2009 |
| Q: I am asking for my husband, he is 45 yrs, thin, no early family history of heart disease but can not ... A: It is very unusual for simvastatin or any other related drug to cause amn increase in sex drive or ... | |
| pharmacology | 9/29/2009 |
| Q: i want to know that,the drugs which increase and decreases the gastric ph.i want to alter dastric ph A: Any antacid will raise the pH of the stomach eg anything containing calcium carbonate, magnesium ... | |
| oxicodone | 9/25/2009 |
| Q: I was prescribed yesterday oxicodone by my doctor to deal with an strong vaginal pain related with ... A: Oxycodone is addictive but only occasionally when used for pain control and even then would not ... | |
| Overdose on allergy pills | 9/24/2009 |
| Q: My friend wasn't really sober when she took her allergy pills - Telfast/Allerga; she took 4 pills. ... A: Allegra and Telfast are the same and should cause no problems at this dosage even with alcohol. She ... | |
| Xanax long term side effects | 9/16/2009 |
| Q: Galbraith, I have a question i cant seem to find a answer for...my mom was addicted to both vicodine ... A: Your Mum really needs good psychiatric help here to sort out her severe problems. Vicodin is off the ... | |
| Mixing Miralax and Citrucel | 9/11/2009 |
| Q: My GI doctor has me taking citrucel every day. Is it okay to mix this with Miralax if I am going ... A: Both of these laxatives are not absorbed from the gut and will not do any harm if taken together. ... | |
| detoxing from marajuana | 9/10/2009 |
| Q: A friend of mine has been a marajuana smoker for nearly 40yrs. He decided to stop on his 57th ... A: The effects of marijuana on blood pressure is very variable but it can occasionally push BP up ... | |
| pharmacologist/pharmacist | 9/8/2009 |
| Q: Could you please tell me the basic difference between a pharmacologist and a pharmacist? ... A: Both study in detail pharmacology which is the science of drugs eg what they are used for and how ... | |
| Ambien past expiration date | 9/6/2009 |
| Q: I have an ambien prescription from January 2006. I was wondering if this medication is still safe to ... A: I can tell you it will be safe and unless exposed to extreme heat and/or moisture will still be OK. ... | |
| azithromycin 250mg | 9/4/2009 |
| Q: I got this medication for chest infection because I had very bad cough. A month ago I had very low ... A: This antibiotic can occasionally reduce one's platelet count. I am having difficulty understanding ... | |
| tablets | 9/3/2009 |
| Q: why do tablets have a bitter taste ? Thanks Bob A: Not all tablets have bitter tastes but many have. The main reason for this is that most drugs are ... | |
| Metaprolol Tartrate (lopressor) | 8/30/2009 |
| Q: I am a 27 yo female. I am scheduled to undergo a coronary cat scan this comming Thursday morning. ... A: I tend to agree with you here as in Australia Lopressor is contraindicated in persons with a ... | |
| phentermine/hcg | 8/26/2009 |
| Q: I was wondering if it was okay to take 30mg of Phentermine, and also give myself a shot of 175 units ... A: It is OK to take HCG and phentermine at the same time but I'll point out two things. Weight loss ... | |
| Blood Pressure | 8/24/2009 |
| Q: I am taking (Benicar 40mg/12.5 and Toprol Xl 50mg) My Blood Pressure reading is 150/100. If i drink ... A: Sorry I should have noticed it was Benicar with HCT because of the 12.5. Lercanidipine is a calcium ... | |
| black stools | 8/23/2009 |
| Q: I was diagnosed with H pylori a couple of weeks ago by my gastroenterologist, he prescribed a ... A: I would expect that this would stop after 3-4 days but I have seen reports of up to a month and am ... | |
| Blood Pressure | 8/22/2009 |
| Q: I am taking (Benicar 40mg/12.5 and Toprol Xl 50mg) My Blood Pressure reading is 150/100. If i drink ... A: There are no reported interactions between pomegranate juice and these drugs so go ahead and drink ... | |
| black stools | 8/21/2009 |
| Q: I was diagnosed with H pylori a couple of weeks ago by my gastroenterologist, he prescribed a ... A: Ptlera contains a substance called bismuth which can help kill this bacteria but unfortunately also ... | |
| Constipation from valium. | 8/20/2009 |
| Q: I am taking 4mg of valium TID. I think its slowing my GI tract and contributing to a reduction in ... A: Valium mainly causes relaxation of striated muscle and has very little effect on smooth muscle so ... | |
| SSRI(Celexa) with Oral DMSA to remove mercury | 8/19/2009 |
| Q: Galbraith, I am curious, can one take SSRI such as Celexa(Citalopram) while taking ... A: As fas as I can discern there is no interaction between DMSA and citalopram. I am not 100% sure but ... | |
| false positive w protonix | 8/18/2009 |
| Q: I recently tested positive for marijuana on a random 10-panel. I take Protonix 40mg & I know that ... A: A positive is apositive whether false or not. The screen will not say what one it is. The lady you ... | |
| Vicodin use/possible liver problems | 8/16/2009 |
| Q: I was originally prescribed vicodin for back pain 5 or 6 years ago. I quickly became addicted to ... A: The hydrocodone in the Vicodin will not be causing any problem with your liver but the acetaminophen ... | |
| antidepressants contibuting to hiatal hernia? | 8/14/2009 |
| Q: I was just diagnosed with a 2-3 cm sliding hiatal hernia. In the brochure I was given there is a ... A: I know of no valid evidence that supports what Meducate says and would be very hesitant to believe ... | |
| Pomegranate & High Blood Pressure | 6/15/2009 |
| Q: My husband takes Tritace 5mg and Lapitor 20mg everyday for blood pressure and cholesterol . At the ... A: There should be no problems with this but as pomegranate juice has only recently been readily ... | |
| Medication Side Affects | 5/21/2009 |
| Q: I am taking synthroid and digoxin every day. The last couple years my feet and lower legs swell ... A: Synthroid should not do this and neither should digoxin. However, it could be that you are not ... | |
| B12 Readings | 5/20/2009 |
| Q: I have just had my vitamin b12 readings done and they are 275. Is the normal range 200-900?? I have ... A: Like your doctor I can say you have not got B12 deficiency.You have stated the normal range ... | |
| Adipex - Phetermine | 5/16/2009 |
| Q: I'm looking for a doctor in Tallahassee, fl that prescribe this medication for obese patients. A: As far as I know you can be prescribed this drug by any doctor in Florida but many are reluctant to ... | |
| depression medication | 5/13/2009 |
| Q: I have a question pertaining to medication used to treat depression. I was medicated from 1994-2000 ... A: This combination of antidepressants was away over the top (without the others?) in my opinion and I ... | |
| possible kidney failure | 5/12/2009 |
| Q: recent blood tests indicate that my father's kidneys are not functioning as well as they used ... A: Drinking plenty water or watery fluids is the best way to help. I would not add any extra vitamins ... | |
| Safety of Zetia | 5/11/2009 |
| Q: Have heard some negative issues about Zetia......I would like you professional opinion in regard to ... A: Zetia should only be used in certain severe cases of hypercholesterolaemia and usually in ... | |
| Xanax | 5/9/2009 |
| Q: I was prescribed Xanax. I have read up on Xanax and it also can give someone what one article ... A: Xanax munchies is much more common when this drug is abused rather than used for clinical ... | |
| Plavix | 5/6/2009 |
| Q: I am a recent post stent pt.(3/18/09)right coronary artery that was 99% blocked(only symptoms were ... A: You did, most likely, have a heart attack but probably not in the conventional sense. I have to ... | |
| Pomegranate interaction w/ b.p. meds | 5/4/2009 |
| Q: I take Benicar and Norvasc. I read about pomegranate interaction with cal-channel blockers, and ... A: Pomegranate has a similar interaction with some drugs as grapefruit juice but it is not usually very ... | |
| sulfa drugs | 5/3/2009 |
| Q: A couple years ago I used a dye on my hair that contained PPDA (para-phenylenediamine)and developed ... A: PPDA is not a sulpha compound and as you say is completely unrelated to them. Sulphur is an element ... | |
| opioids and chocolate | 4/29/2009 |
| Q: Is it true that opioids are found in raw chocolate nibs? And what is the percentage found if it is? A: As far as know there are no opioids in chocolate. However, substances in chocolate stimulate the ... | |
| Distinguishing between new use and metabolite burn off | 4/24/2009 |
| Q: I have a boyfriend that was doing UA's in a community corrections facility. He admitted to use of ... A: As you know already marijuana metabolites can be stored in the fat cells and released over a long ... | |
| Use of polymaltose ferric hydroxide Iron (III) for six months+side effects to zinc levels?? | 4/23/2009 |
| Q: Hallo,i was taking feric hydroxide polymaltose iron+Folic acid at age of 13 because i had iron ... A: I cannot really see, in view of my first answer, why you are worried. Even though there was a ... | |
| wellbutrin | 4/21/2009 |
| Q: I recently started taking wellbutrin for depression and was wondering if it was possibly affecting ... A: This is not a recognised effect of Wellbutrin but is common with some other antidepressants. I would ... | |
| Mom & Meds | 4/19/2009 |
| Q: , You helped me recently with a question related to the use of Amitiza for my mom. Caucasian: 81YO; ... A: Yes, it is the same. It can cause aspiration pneumonia when used for a long time and in a recumbent ... | |
| Mom & Meds | 4/18/2009 |
| Q: , You helped me recently with a question related to the use of Amitiza for my mom. Caucasian: 81YO; ... A: As you know I have no experience with lubiprostone but from my knowledge of it it may help top ... | |
| Use of polymaltose ferric hydroxide Iron (III) for six months+side effects to zinc levels?? | 4/15/2009 |
| Q: Hallo,i was taking feric hydroxide polymaltose iron+Folic acid at age of 13 because i had iron ... A: I think this is my first question from Greece - we love Santorini and Athens. Appended is a ... | |
| Alprazolam | 4/14/2009 |
| Q: Galbraith, I have social anxiety disorder. My doctor put me on Alprazolam, which helped my SAD, but ... A: I tend to agree with you here as clonazepam is not as good as alprazolam for SAD. I also partially ... | |
| Elevated AST and sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim | 4/8/2009 |
| Q: Good afternoon, Dr. Galbraith. I just finished taking the antibiotic sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim ... A: Yes, this ntibiotic can cause an elevation in some liver enzymes but this is generally nothing to ... | |
| brith control and anitbiotics | 4/7/2009 |
| Q: I was wondering if two and two go together, will my birth control still be effective with ... A: Antibiotics can decrease the effectiveness of the OCP and it would be prudent to use some other ... | |
| hi | 3/27/2009 |
| Q: I have to take geodon for depression and anixety and I have pre diabetes , will geodon give me type ... A: Checking your blood sugar occasionally while on Geodon will settle your mind and if necessary the ... | |
| Penicillin VK | 3/26/2009 |
| Q: Dr. Galbraith, I had a bad infection of a tooth and had it removed by an oral surgeon on 1-27-09. ... A: Sometimes antibiotics cause wheat are called, superinfections, of the gut and this could be the ... | |
| false positive on urine test | 3/24/2009 |
| Q: my childrens mother left my kids with me two and a half years ago because the department of social ... A: Dextromethorphan is similar in some ways to methadone but in a properly conducted analysis there ... | |
| Can Lithium Cause Diverticular Disease? | 3/23/2009 |
| Q: I am 22 years old, and have been experiencing regular abdominal pain and bloating for several years. ... A: I have done a literature search and can find no reference to lithium causing diverticulosis. It can ... | |
| Aspirin nighttime | 3/22/2009 |
| Q: G., I am currently taking Aspirin night time for sciatica pain relief at nights. But I am ... A: When you say Aspirin night time - I take this to mean aspirin at night time. The correct way is to ... | |
| tramadol/autopsy results | 3/21/2009 |
| Q: I recieved my sisters autopsy results which was ruled a suicide by tramadol. My sister was an RN ... A: I tend to agree with the autopsy results as I doubt these levels could have been obtained by ... | |
| AAA repair and alcohol | 3/20/2009 |
| Q: My husband, 76 had AAA repair on a Thur @ 5pm. Fine next day until 5 pm when we found vodka on his ... A: This sounds very mysterious and I have never heard of alcohol being given here. Considering heavy ... | |
| alcohol and the body | 3/19/2009 |
| Q: As a biology student, I am quite curious about the effects of alcohol on the body.What does alcohol ... A: I have appended the appropriate section of my textbook on alcohol for your information. It's not too ... | |
| Duromine and Fluroxtine | 3/17/2009 |
| Q: What are the effects when Duromine and Lovan are taken at the same time? Is it harmful? A: I have appended possible dangers of this combination. Regards Dr Alan Galbraith In general, ... | |
| Drug Interaction | 3/14/2009 |
| Q: I am a 63+yr.old female, with medical problems. Was on gemfibrozil for 2 months or so. Have ... A: You should see if you can get a pharmacist who does their own compounding and maybe can make lactose ... | |
| I am worried to take propranolol and effexor | 3/13/2009 |
| Q: Galbraith, I have a quick question for you. Lately I have been having alot of anxiety and panic ... A: I would not be worrying about the Effexor at all, combined with propranolol or not. It can only but ... | |
| Panic Disorder and Vistaril | 3/12/2009 |
| Q: I suffer from panic D/O. Due to a recent event and loss of insurance I now cannot get a prescription ... A: Very surprised anyone would prescribe Vistaril for this and mot surprised it did not work. The best ... | |
| medicine | 3/11/2009 |
| Q: Can Adderall be taken with remeron A: There are no recorded interactions between these two drugs but that is not tio say there are none. ... | |
| HGH | 3/9/2009 |
| Q: I've recently read a full-page article, in one of Canada's most respected magazine, on HGH(Human ... A: I can be very succinct here. As far as I am concerned this type of article is all hype. I have ... | |
| Adderall and Aurorix (Moclobemide) | 3/7/2009 |
| Q: not sure if my last question went through. I wanted to know if I can take Adderall and Aurorix (an ... A: Even though moclobemide is OK with many drugs/foods etc that were contraindicated with the older ... | |
| false drug test | 3/6/2009 |
| Q: First let me say thank you for taking the time to read my question. My cousin had a drug test done ... A: False positives (as are false negatives) are relatively common as many laboratories in the US (where ... | |
| expiration date on medication | 3/5/2009 |
| Q: Would there be any adverse side effects of taking Carisoprocol 350 6 years after expiration date A: Carisoprodol is fairly stable and does not degenerate into anything dangerous. If it has been kept ... | |
| medicine | 3/4/2009 |
| Q: i found two different pills one has IP190 and 500 on the back the other has m367 on it im wondering ... A: IP190 is naproxen, an antiinflammatory/analgesic drug rather like aspirin but a bit stronger. ... | |
| Dystonic Reactions | 2/28/2009 |
| Q: My question is about dystonic reactions. Is there something biologically that predisposes a person ... A: I would say that the predisposition to dystonia is inherited and there is not much one can do about ... | |
| SSIR, withdrawal symptoms? | 2/23/2009 |
| Q: Well, where to start... I 've surrefered from panic attacs since 1992. Mid-90- I was put on Paxil ... A: It is unusual, to say the least, to suffer from such severe withdrawal symptoms from SSRI use. ... | |
| Methylprednisolone | 2/20/2009 |
| Q: Good morning! On January 27 I had all four of my impacted wisdom teeth taken out. The surgeon ... A: The most likely scenario is that it will only be late, if not you may miss a month. It would be very ... | |
| baby aspirin | 2/19/2009 |
| Q: Recently someone told me if I take baby aspirin it will help improve circulation and help with my ... A: As far as I know and I am pretty sure I am correct, aspirin, baby or otherwise has no affect on the ... | |
| Methylprednisolone | 2/17/2009 |
| Q: Good morning! On January 27 I had all four of my impacted wisdom teeth taken out. The surgeon ... A: Methylprednisolone quite commonly causes menstrual irregularities and these will be only temporary. ... | |
| ulcers | 2/16/2009 |
| Q: G., I have recurring ulcers and have been on Nexium twice a day for almost 2 years now and recently ... A: As I said yesterday you really need to know the eact cause and there must be one to get a proper ... | |
| ulcers | 2/15/2009 |
| Q: G., I have recurring ulcers and have been on Nexium twice a day for almost 2 years now and recently ... A: Without knowing the cause of your ulcers it is difficult to suggest anything but Nexium. I assume ... | |
| Prescription Drug Abuse | 2/11/2009 |
| Q: My adult stepson suffers from severe anxiety/panic disorder, and has a history of abusing ... A: THere are several options open. 1. is to see a physiotherapist with a view towards designing back ... | |
| gastrointestinal | 2/10/2009 |
| Q: Would taking antacids like tums or pepcid complete cause calcium deposits in the body to form. If ... A: Antacids with calcium compounds must be taken in almost astronomical amounts before there would be ... | |
| methadone script | 2/6/2009 |
| Q: Received a script for methadone 10mg 3x day, started it yesterday, but am quite fearful of the ... A: You are on many drugs and I am not suprised about your concern and I would be questioning why you ... | |
| Advise Request | 1/31/2009 |
| Q: I have been under stress for last many years. Due to that now I have got some anxiety disorder and ... A: Mebeverine is OK and so to is levosulpiride. It was another drug with a similar name and use ie ... | |
| good supplemental vitamin to take | 1/30/2009 |
| Q: ) I have been taking an MAO inhibitor (nardil) for over twenty five years now and I wondered if you ... A: I cannot see Nardil causing a reaction with any minerals, it just does not make sense. It could be ... | |
| Soma and facial twitching | 1/29/2009 |
| Q: I have been on Soma for about a year. I am a pretty healthy 26 year old female. I weigh 130lbs, ... A: This effect of Soma is not unknown but usually occurs only after too much has been taken. I would ... | |
| prescription drug reaction | 1/28/2009 |
| Q: I recently took a drug test and it came back positive for marijuana which is impossible. Could that ... A: Dip stick tests are notoriously unreliable and must be confirmed by a proper laboratory analysis. ... | |
| Atacand (candesartan cilexetil) and grapefruit | 1/25/2009 |
| Q: Galbraith. I take 4mg of Atacnd daily. I have looked everywhere for information about a possible ... A: This one I am fairly confident about as I take this drug too. As far as I am concerned there is no ... | |
| decilon | 1/24/2009 |
| Q: what is the difference of decilon and decilone forte and wt is that for?,.and what is the side ... A: These products are only available in the Philippines but I am going to give you the details for the ... | |
| augmentin and ex | 1/23/2009 |
| Q: im currently taking Augmentin(ten days) and im on my third day. its my birthday this weekend and i ... A: Firstly Ecstasy is a very dangerous drug and has frequently caused sudden death especially in ... | |
| Chemical makeup of tea's silvery needles. | 1/19/2009 |
| Q: Certain green teas and most white teas produce a shiny, silvery needles when brewed, that are ... A: The silvery needles are leaf hairs from the main green leaves. I cannot find their exact composition ... | |
| cannabis and the brain | 1/15/2009 |
| Q: Galbraith, I noticed that in an answer you gave to a young woman last June, you wrote: "Please ... A: Your abstract is on cognitive decline and whereas I was referring to the inducement of psychosis of ... | |
| Geodon vs. Abilify and weight gain/ diabetes | 1/13/2009 |
| Q: I have been taking Geodon for a few years now and it works really good but have been thinking about ... A: I would advise staying on the Geodon unless there is compelling reasons to change. I would not pay ... | |
| Constipation/Laxatives | 1/11/2009 |
| Q: I`ve suffered with constipation for the last 4-5 months. I used Senna tablets for a while but then ... A: Firstly, constipation is more related to straining at bowel movements rather than time between the ... | |
| vitamins | 1/9/2009 |
| Q: I have been taking Vitamin B12 pills and Folate pills every day for the past six months. But I would ... A: There should be no problems withdrawing either unless you are deficient in either of them which is ... | |
| nausea | 1/4/2009 |
| Q: maxolon, phenergan and zofran, i have also tried ginger and pepermint all with little benefit, i ... A: Anxiety can cause nausea but I am not convinced that drugs like Xanax or Valium are the answer as ... | |
| Statins and Red Wine | 12/22/2008 |
| Q: Is it okay to drink red wine and use simvastatin? I know that I should avoid grapefruit juice and ... A: Yes, it is OK and in fact in moderation will help with your cholesterol problems (ie no more than 4 ... | |
| Fish Oil Supplements | 12/21/2008 |
| Q: Galbraith, I remeber Dr. Oz, who is featured on "Oprah" and public television recommending 2 gms. ... A: It is usually about 2 g of the omega-3 fatty acids that is recommended for brain and cardiovascular ... | |
| nausea | 12/20/2008 |
| Q: maxolon, phenergan and zofran, i have also tried ginger and pepermint all with little benefit, i ... A: I would think that the nausea is almost certainly coming from the hiatus hernia especially since the ... | |
| Positive Drug Test | 12/11/2008 |
| Q: Would any of the following drugs cause a postive drug test for crystal ... A: With the proper. precise and accurate analysis available to day there is no reason for false ... | |
| Positive Drug Test | 12/10/2008 |
| Q: Would any of the following drugs cause a postive drug test for crystal ... A: None of these drugs are directly related to the amphetamines and if all taken on prescription there ... | |
| medication side effects | 12/7/2008 |
| Q: I am a 39 yo fem. I had my thyroid removed Aug 08, due to massive goiter. I was put on Levothyroxin ... A: Paroxetine is usually well tolerated and any adverse effects often diminish with time. However, what ... | |
| Pomegranate & Tea Juice / blood pressure | 12/5/2008 |
| Q: I am a 62 year old woman whose blood pressure has been 110/70 my entire adult life. 4 months ago I ... A: The increase in weight could cause a slight increase in blood pressure and your figures are ... | |
| milk and peptic ulcers | 11/25/2008 |
| Q: I tried the gastroenterology forum but nobody was available. A GI Dr. told me something in milk ... A: There are probably to things in milk that give this quality. The calcium present can neutralise acid ... | |
| drug | 11/22/2008 |
| Q: I am ashthamatic , it aggravates because of worms I havebeen suggested that dewormin regulary would ... A: I really need to know which type of worms are you infected by since their complete eradication is ... | |
| VYVNASE MEDICATION | 11/20/2008 |
| Q: Is it normal for a child who is taking Vyvnase to sleep all day long and has trouble waking up? This ... A: His mum should definitely consult with the prescriber. It is not common but Vynase can cause ... | |
| How long diazepam stay in body | 11/14/2008 |
| Q: I'm 6'2 weigh 160 lbs i was given 5mg of diazepam how long will it stay in body. Thank ... A: Diazepam stays a long time in the body and it is impossible to predict accurately when it will be ... | |
| Motrin | 11/12/2008 |
| Q: I used to work in a pharmacy so I kind of have an idea about some medicines, my question is, I took ... A: Motrin almost certainly is causing this and milk may help (being slightly alkaline). If milk does ... | |
| urinalysis | 11/11/2008 |
| Q: I had a false positive for benzos. I take suboxone, klonidine, seraquil, naprosyn, stool softener, ... A: Every week all experts (pharmacology) on this site get similar questions to this and we generally ... | |
| wellbutrin side effects | 11/9/2008 |
| Q: If I am going to experience side effects from wellbutrin xl 150 mg when should I expect to begin to ... A: I have appended the list of adverse effects associated with Wellbutrin but please note many people ... | |
| Avelox vs Thyroid Medication | 11/6/2008 |
| Q: I take Synthroid everyday for hypothyroidism. I had my dosage lowered last year because I started ... A: There are no reported interactions between these drugs but that does not guarantee there are none ... | |
| Can I continue taking dihydrocodiene? | 11/1/2008 |
| Q: Im a 31 year old male and was diagnosed with viral tonsillitus 4 weeks ago and spent the first 3 ... A: I may be biased towards dihydrocodeine as I was involved in its development in the early 1960s!. ... | |
| Niacin to increase HDL | 10/26/2008 |
| Q: I have a question about taking Niacin to increase HDL cholesterol. I have read that it is a safe ... A: Niacin can increase HDL and lower triglyceride levels but must be taken in high doses (up to 5g a ... | |
| Abilify vs Geodon | 10/24/2008 |
| Q: I have Bipolar I with psychotic features and need to be on an antipsychotic. I currently take only ... A: Geodon is probably as likely to cause a weight gain as Abilify but it does not necessarily follow. ... | |
| salvia | 10/22/2008 |
| Q: My 25 year old son is experimenting with a recreational drug called "salvia". He ordered it over ... A: There is a craze about smoking this plant product in most countries as it is still legal (except for ... | |
| Testosterone level | 10/19/2008 |
| Q: my 19 year old son took a Testosterone Blood Spot test for the number of symptoms he is having. The ... A: The best solution here is to get a prescription for testosterone gel which is applied to the upper ... | |
| Seroquel and quitting smoking | 10/17/2008 |
| Q: Since quitting smoking in June my Mother who is taking Seroquel 25mg to help her sleep, has started ... A: Seroquel is unlikely to be producing any of these effects, none falling into recognised adverse ... | |
| Vyvance | 10/10/2008 |
| Q: My new Dr gave me 70mg Vyvance for ADHD (undiagnosed) I am a 69 year old male who has had a history ... A: I tend to agree with you that your two problems need to be treated separately. Obviously you will ... | |
| AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR | 10/7/2008 |
| Q: I had a cocaine and alcohol addiction for 25 years. I been clean for 14 months. I went to my ... A: Again I think that this could be due in part to the drugs but it may also involve a personality ... | |
| AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR | 10/6/2008 |
| Q: I had a cocaine and alcohol addiction for 25 years. I been clean for 14 months. I went to my ... A: The most likely drug in your regime to cause this could be the Zoloft which can cause abnormal ... | |
| About Tranxene and Xanax | 10/5/2008 |
| Q: I had been taking Xanax half of 0,5mg around midday and half of 0,5 at night before sleep for ... A: After 2 months on these drugs cessation can cause withdrawal effects. The time usually stated for ... | |
| About Tranxene and Xanax | 10/4/2008 |
| Q: I had been taking Xanax half of 0,5mg around midday and half of 0,5 at night before sleep for ... A: Your problem is not all that unusual but it is going to be difficult to treat these cycles of ... | |
| Zoloft and Wellbutrin | 9/30/2008 |
| Q: I am taking 50 mg Zoloft and 150 mg Wellbutrin and would like to have an occasional beer or two. ... A: Realistically a small amount of alcohol such as a couple of beers will do no harm when on these ... | |
| intramuscular vs sub-cutaneous injections | 9/17/2008 |
| Q: Could you please explain to me the benefits of intramuscular vs sub-cutaneous injections? I'd think ... A: Why reinvent the wheel? I’ve been lazy here and have attached this information as written for my ... | |
| Novocaine (procaine) | 9/16/2008 |
| Q: a recurring experience I have is a frequent urgent need to urinate not too long after I get injected ... A: I have never heard of this before nor can I find anything in the literature to suggest any diuretic ... | |
| SSRI's | 9/15/2008 |
| Q: I have a question I hope you can help me with. I have been experiencing general anxiety and panic ... A: I see your concern and I would think that it is possible you would have a similar reaction as all ... | |
| Accutane and IBD | 9/11/2008 |
| Q: My daughter, age 20, has suffered with acne since the age of 13. She has tried antibiotics, birth ... A: I am attaching the details regarding Accutane and IBS taken from Medscape’s database for your ... | |
| ssri switch | 9/8/2008 |
| Q: Doctor; I had been prescribed Prozac for a number of years and had success. Due to knee replacements ... A: I am slightly confused here as to why you were taking Prozac as it is not very useful for pain ... | |
| panic attack | 9/6/2008 |
| Q: My 18-yr old son has very infrequent panic attacks- a couple last year, one this year(he just ... A: There is no alprazolam or similar drug available but there is no reason why potent anxiolytics be ... | |
| Prostap | 9/1/2008 |
| Q: I had injections from Oct last year for 3 months to shrink endometriosis. Since i have suffered hair ... A: Melanie. Prostap is leuprolelin and is very similar to that of gosarelin to which I addressed my ... | |
| Prostap | 8/31/2008 |
| Q: I had injections from Oct last year for 3 months to shrink endometriosis. Since i have suffered hair ... A: I am presuming you were give goserelin by injection and this drug can lead to hair loss on occasion ... | |
| Benadryl interaction with beta blockers | 8/27/2008 |
| Q: Dr. Galbraith, I have previously read that benadryl may inhibit a certain enzyme that breaks down ... A: Yes, there is the possibility of an interaction but I have nor seen anything that quantifies this ... | |
| Side effect of warfarin | 8/26/2008 |
| Q: I have been on Warfarin for 4 years since a D.V.T. I was given Clectain when in hospital for the ... A: Firstly the itch from a mosquito bite is not due to an anticoagulant but is an allergic response to ... | |
| Plaquenil | 8/23/2008 |
| Q: I was diagnosed with SLE last Spring, and began a treatment of Plaquenil. Almost immediately I ... A: Strange that this happened so quickly as it is usually after taking the drug for prolonged periods ... | |
| nystatin | 8/21/2008 |
| Q: Can you tell me what dose of nystatin to take for candida in my gut? The nystatin I have is 100,000 ... A: How do you know you have intestinal candidiasis? Anyway the dose is 500,000 to 1,000,000 units 3 ... | |
| False Positive | 8/17/2008 |
| Q: In early July I tested positive for marijuana on a random drug exam at a level of 143 ng. I am told ... A: This seems to be a recurring problem with random drug tests. All the pharmacology experts on this ... | |
| medication | 8/16/2008 |
| Q: I know i shouldn't be doing this but i started taking effexor 37.5 mg which i had and i didn't tell ... A: Propranolol only helps with the physical aspects of panic attacks rather than the anxiety and/or ... | |
| questions about SSRIs and Benzodiazepines | 8/7/2008 |
| Q: Well first off i will start off by telling you i am 15 years old and have been seeing a ... A: Firstly I doubt if the psychiatrist will prescribe an anxiolytic as they are usually only good for ... | |
| Tinnitus | 8/6/2008 |
| Q: Dr. Gallbraith, First, let me say thank you for answering my previous question on the same ... A: Tinnitus is not reported as an adverse effect from propranolol but adverse effects which are rare or ... | |
| treatment maintenence | 8/5/2008 |
| Q: ... i am on an average dose of 40mg daily of methadone for a morphine addiction following an ... A: Methadone should actually help to control the diarrhoea and I think that the cause must be ... | |
| Ziprasidone and mania | 6/27/2008 |
| Q: Could you please help me understand the following paragraph? Are they saying that ziprasidone with ... A: I can see why this paragraph is a tad ambiguous but I would have liked to see it in context. ... | |
| psych drugs | 6/21/2008 |
| Q: Dr. Galbraith, Thank you for being a resource! Wow! How wonderful! I am trying to assist my 63-yr ... A: I am obviously not in a position to say definitely whether your sister should be taking these drugs ... | |
| prozac, vytorin, and alcohol | 6/20/2008 |
| Q: I currently take 40mg of fluoxetine in the morning and 10/20 of vytorin in the evening. I like to ... A: I’ll probably repeat some information of which you are probably already aware. Both ezetimide and ... | |
| Chantix and hair loss | 6/15/2008 |
| Q: Galbraith: I have taken Chantix for 3 weeks and am going to stop because my hair is thinning so fast ... A: This is the second time I have had this reported to me and it makes me suspicious about this drug. ... | |
| levothyroxine,marijuana & zoloft | 6/14/2008 |
| Q: i've been taking levothyroxine for over 10 yrs., zoloft for 4yrs and smoking pot for 3yrs (heavy ... A: There are no reported interactions between these drugs so far. However, I will point out that it is ... | |
| Drugs causing darkening of skin? | 6/13/2008 |
| Q: I started taking a combination of Plaquenil and Biaxin about a month ago for chronic Lyme Disease. ... A: B. Plaquenil can certainly cause skin blemishes and are usually bluish-black discolourations both ... | |
| Ziprasidone (Geodon) and Valproic Acid | 6/1/2008 |
| Q: Can both be taken together? Sincerely, Jennifer A: There are no reported interactions with these two drugs. So it can be said that an interaction is ... | |
| antivert and meclizine | 5/30/2008 |
| Q: Could you please tell me whether antivert and meclizine are the same thing? If not, what is the ... A: They are exactly the same. Antivert is one trade (proprietary) name for the antihistamine, meclozine ... | |
| Hair loss and Chantix? | 5/28/2008 |
| Q: Galbraith. My girlfriend has taken Chantix for 2.5 months. She's never missed a pill and it ... A: The crazy dreams etc are quite common with Chantix but if they are only minor, they are nothing to ... | |
| Methadone for pain | 5/27/2008 |
| Q: I asked you some questions a couple of years ago regarding methadone for pain - you gave me some ... A: I am not a pathologist but would suspect the brownish froth could be related to her emphysema with ... | |
| I need advice on drug testing | 5/23/2008 |
| Q: I am a very infrequent marijuana smoker. Most of my exposure occurs at random college parties, but ... A: Unfortunately the active compound in marijuana, THC takes a long time to exit from the body and can ... | |
| Adderall tolerance in2-3 days?! | 5/22/2008 |
| Q: I started AdderallXR at 10mg. I did not notice an effect until I took 20mgXR at once. I felt the ... A: Your question is long and involved and I have no ready answers for you. All I can say is that you ... | |
| Nexium long term use and med student syndrome | 5/14/2008 |
| Q: I am a second year med student and possibly having med student syndrome but I just read a GI ... A: A lot which is written about drugs is often scaremongering. I am not saying that adverse effects ... | |
| decilone forte | 4/27/2008 |
| Q: My brother has been taking decilone forte tablet for many years now without doctors prescription. ... A: Not a good thing to take these tablets without medical advice and he will probably need professional ... | |
| synthroid | 4/25/2008 |
| Q: I am 58,no health issues except for being overweight and having an extremely slow metabolism. I ... A: You may have what is called - "metabolic syndrome" which is much commoner than was previously ... | |
| vyvance | 4/17/2008 |
| Q: what is vyvance A: Funny to get this question today as it was only yesterday that I was reading for the first time ... | |
| genetic polymorphism | 4/13/2008 |
| Q: using CYP2C19 as an example, explain what is meant by genetic polymorphism of drug metabolising ... A: It is late in Australia and this is an involved question. If you give me your email address I'll ... | |
| switching antidepressants | 4/1/2008 |
| Q: Dr. Galbraith - My mother is 76, she has suffered chronic depression for many years, and has been on ... A: I am appending a fact sheet on switching antidepressants seeing you are clinically minded and should ... | |
| Drug-Drug interactions | 3/31/2008 |
| Q: Galbraith: Can there be any drug-drug interactions (increased/decreased plasma levels) between ... A: I know of no interaction between these drugs that would affect the concentration of either drug. ... | |
| miralax | 3/14/2008 |
| Q: I'm 55 and have generally been chronically constipated my whole life. I'm now taking Miralax almost ... A: Miralax works by preventing the absorption of water from the bowel (not completely, of course) and ... | |
| Is a lethal overdose of oral methamphetamine possible? | 3/13/2008 |
| Q: This may seem like an odd question, so I'll explain my purpose up front. I am writing a piece of ... A: The estimated LD50 of methamphetamine is 720mg per Kg. This means that for a 70Kg person it would ... | |
| Viagra/Cialis | 3/4/2008 |
| Q: What are the effects of viagra/cialis on a young healthy male not needing them? Lots of people today ... A: Most healthy young men have no adverse reactions to these two drugs but below find the list of ... | |
| cipralex to paxil | 3/4/2008 |
| Q: ..I recently came off Cirpalex 10 mg which I was only on for 2 1/2 months and started Paxil CR 12.5 ... A: I am surprised that you had these withdrawal effects changing to a similar drug in most respects. So ... | |
| gallstone flush | 2/28/2008 |
| Q: What do you think about the 'natural cure' for gallstones which involves drinking only apple juice ... A: Sorry for the delay but the site has been down for some time. Gallstones are usually ... | |
| tamoxifen | 2/21/2008 |
| Q: what is the likely effect of being administered with tamoxifen when one's liver is failing , ascites ... A: Tamoxifen only rarely affects the liver even when it is failing. However, I think it is really up to ... | |
| stopping a med in mid course | 2/19/2008 |
| Q: What are the possible risks of stopping an antibiotic (minocycline) before finishing it's doses due ... A: There are no risks whatsoever but she may need to substitute with another antibiotic depending on ... | |
| Avelox | 2/13/2008 |
| Q: My doctor prescribed Avelox for a lung infection, and I have slowly developed panic/anxiety attacks ... A: Avelox can rarely cause central nervous system disturbances including depression. As far as I know ... | |
| difference? | 2/12/2008 |
| Q: What is the difference between Lorazepam and oxazepam?? Thank you very much for your time and help. ... A: They are both benzodiazepines and have similar actions on the body. Both can cause sedation but ... | |
| Depomedrol for knee ( 27, male ) | 2/1/2008 |
| Q: I have been prescribed Depomedrol mp 40 mg #2 by my doctor. Is it 2 pills or injections ? It says ... A: This is an injection and is usually given directly into the joint (in your case the knee joint). It ... | |
| peg | 1/29/2008 |
| Q: itook the 10oz bottle of magnesium sulfate and 4liter of peg for a colonoscopy prep and i was real ... A: This is a rather old fashioned regime for bowel washout as it can cause electrolyte imbalance which ... | |
| Valrpoic Acid and Alprazolam | 1/23/2008 |
| Q: I have a questions in regards to valproic acid and its possible similarity to alprazolam. I know ... A: This is one of the pharmacological conundrums. Valproic acid does not seem to have any effect on ... | |
| dopamine | 1/21/2008 |
| Q: For many years I have suffered from chronic mental tiredness and a foggy head with poor ... A: How do you know it is not adult ADD? It does not sound like hypothyroidism to me so I tend to agree ... | |
| dopamine | 1/20/2008 |
| Q: For many years I have suffered from chronic mental tiredness and a foggy head with poor ... A: Definitely not cocaine as it eventually destroys the person taking it no matter how attractive it ... | |
| Reaction or Not? | 1/7/2008 |
| Q: In the past I have had some itching after taking antibiotics so I have stopped them, I was recently ... A: Itching can sometimes be due to stress but it does seem to be related to pa penicillin allergy. ... | |
| stomach disturbs sleep | 12/21/2007 |
| Q: stomach disturbs sleep 1 I have problems with sleeping. These problems started with a series of ... A: I think the site on tryptophan talks a lot about depression because insomnia and depression go hand ... | |
| stomach disturbs sleep | 12/20/2007 |
| Q: stomach disturbs sleep 1 I have problems with sleeping. These problems started with a series of ... A: This is quite involved but reading through this twice, I do think that your problem is more ... | |
| medicine | 12/15/2007 |
| Q: I'm 56 years old and have had chronic constipation since about 21. Usually I just ignore it (after ... A: I have appended the patient handout for Miralax which answers your question. As it says it is not ... | |
| HF/Pletal | 12/8/2007 |
| Q: My nearly 90 year old father with severe HF, severe CKD, and severe PAD, has just been prescribed ... A: The commonest adverse effect of Pletal are headache and diarrhoea, which occur in about a third of ... | |
| med toxicity? | 12/7/2007 |
| Q: I am a 33 y/o female in overall good health except for the following: bipolar 2 disorder and ... A: Yes, I agree with you regarding the lithium only and would not be overly concerned about the other ... | |
| Oxygen tox | 12/5/2007 |
| Q: Late sign of oxygen toxicity include all of the following except 1.tracheal 2.persistent cough ... A: Again distractor 1. does not make sense but I am presuming it refers to tracheal irritation which is ... | |
| Menthol | 12/1/2007 |
| Q: i have recently started consuming 'Halls' a little excessively i was wondering if there are any ... A: There was a report years ago that said too many menthol cigarettes could be neurotoxic and ... | |
| Possible drug interaction? | 11/30/2007 |
| Q: I am hoping you can help me with something. I am currently using the NuvaRing form of birth control, ... A: I tend to agree with the second pharmacist in that there is a risk of pregnancy when taking ... | |
| Manerix or Aurorix | 11/27/2007 |
| Q: The MAO inhibitor Manerix (Aurorix) is of interest to me. I would like some help in clarifying some ... A: Moclobemide is an enzyme inhibitor not a reuptake inhibitor. The inhibition of MAO-A (an enzyme that ... | |
| tobacco usage test | 11/25/2007 |
| Q: I recently had to have some tests done for insurance purposes. Basic stuff. Blood pressure, Body ... A: As far as I know smoking marijuana won't show on a test for tobacco. However, if you had been ... | |
| hi | 11/21/2007 |
| Q: what is the usage of cefixime? A: The following lists the uses of the antibiotic, cefixime. I have retained the names of the bacteria ... | |
| antibiotics | 11/19/2007 |
| Q: I have been experiencing flu-like symptoms (coughing; sneezing; nasal discharge;..) since halloween. ... A: Either the cephalexin or penicillin VK will do for the infection you have, presuming it is ... | |
| avelox | 11/17/2007 |
| Q: my doctor prescribed me avelox 400mg tabs to take to clear up a persistant sinus infection. after ... A: Yes, it can have lots of potentially bad adverse effects but most are very uncommon and, personally, ... | |
| Most potent vs most selective SSRI | 11/16/2007 |
| Q: According to scientific literature, Paxil remains to be the most potent reuptake inhibitor of 5HT ... A: Potency refers to the amount of drug needed to create a response and is not related to selectivity. ... | |
| Effexor and Wellbutrin | 11/13/2007 |
| Q: I was wondering if you add wellbutrin to effexor if it will help with the side effects? Like weight ... A: I do not think that this would help but it may be worth try if your doctor agrees. If your thyroid ... | |
| knee disorder | 11/5/2007 |
| Q: I have been taking glucosamine and Chondroitine Sulphate for some time now. Can I take Shark ... A: No problems whatsoever but there is not a lot of hard evidence that shark cartilage does much good. ... | |
| pharmacology | 11/2/2007 |
| Q: Which compartment do you think sulphadimidine distributes into? A: Appended is a paper on the distribution of sulphadimidine in pigs. I would think tht the same would ... | |
| streriods and HRT | 11/1/2007 |
| Q: i would like to know which type of steriods are used to treat hypogonadism A: In a female, oestrogens either natural or synthetic are used. In males, androgens, either synthetic ... | |
| Drugs | 10/26/2007 |
| Q: why it is easier to use an intravenous bolus dose of a drug to calculate the Vd rather than using an ... A: To calculate the Vd of a drug the dose given must be in the bloodstream all at once. If given by ... | |
| drugs | 10/24/2007 |
| Q: What factors apart from genetic polymorphisms would alter the rate of metabolism of sulphadimidine ... A: You obviously understand the science behind drug interactions to mention polymorphisms etc, so I'll ... | |
| prilosec otc | 10/13/2007 |
| Q: my doctor put me on prilosec otc and a different doctor started me on antibiotics. i got a yeast ... A: I cannot guarantee it but it is probably OK to take the Prilosec now. I presume you were on one dose ... | |
| Stool Softeners docusate sodium | 10/10/2007 |
| Q: If you take this does it have the potential to cause diarrhea and nausea and possibly upset your ... A: Diarrhoea is common with high doses and prolonged used but could occur with only dose. Abdominal ... | |
| constipation | 10/8/2007 |
| Q: haemodialysis patient suffers constipation. The patient receives Movicol for relief. Is Movicol ... A: The patient is on Sevelamer because of necessity due to the kidney problems. Lansoprazole does not ... | |
| lansoprazole | 10/1/2007 |
| Q: .I have been taking lansoprazole 15mg daily for the past 2 years and am symptom free since then. I ... A: Lansoprazole and related drugs are considered to be very safe in most patients even in the long ... | |
| overdose morphine | 9/29/2007 |
| Q: My Mother in law had a serious back operation 3 years ago. She has been on morphine pain killers ... A: The dosage mentioned of morphine is high but not if your M in L has been on it a long time. ... | |
| antidepressants | 9/23/2007 |
| Q: I was wondering why one cannot mix SSRIs and MAOIs, I tried to look it up and I found an article on ... A: MAOIs as monoamine oxidase inhibitors and as such inhibit the enzyme which breaks down monoamines eg ... | |
| withdrawal of risperdal | 9/21/2007 |
| Q: My son is 22yrs old he had an acute psycotic break he is on 1mg risperdal for about six months ... A: I cannot really answer this question without knowing all the facts. However, some psychotic illness ... | |
| PVC's and bupropion | 9/20/2007 |
| Q: Galbraith, Have you seen any studies showing bupropion to be effective in suppressing frequent ... A: The drugs manufacturer only mention palpitations as a possible adverse effectbut not PVCs as such. ... | |
| common cold medications | 9/10/2007 |
| Q: I've heard one of the main holdups to finding a cure for the common cold is that it's too hard to ... A: The main reason, I believe, is that the virus that causes the common cold changes its make-up so ... | |
| heart medications | 9/3/2007 |
| Q: I have had a recent PAT, tachycardia that lasted over an hour at 150, and a year ago, atrial fib ... A: Cartia should not cause constipation and both drugs are compatible. You are correct that Synthroid ... | |
| Effexor | 9/1/2007 |
| Q: I hear that the norepinephrine effect of Effexor kicks in at the dosage of 150mg or more. In your ... A: Try these two sites - the second is mainly on duloxetine but refers to venlafaxine too. I personally ... | |
| Adderall | 8/14/2007 |
| Q: I have been on Adderall for 6 weeks to deal with severe fatigue and cognitive issues. My doctor has ... A: Addreal can cause tachycardia (fast pulse) and you should really see your prescriber to see if he ... | |
| pharmacy | 6/26/2007 |
| Q: My daugher, 22 years old, was diagnosed with anemia ... long story short she was perscribed much ... A: Stool softeners do not usually cause any problems for reasonable periods of time and I would ... | |
| Lexapro | 6/24/2007 |
| Q: I just started seeing a Psychiatrist, who suggested I start taking Lexapro- starting as low-dose, ... A: It will not be dangerous but its activity could be lessened. Without analysis it is impossible to ... | |
| little white balls | 6/23/2007 |
| Q: I started taking effexor xr 75 mg a few weeks ago. I have noticed little white balls in my stool. I ... A: Nothing to worry about. This is the cast of the Effexor XR and is normal for some extended release ... | |
| What do you think? | 6/9/2007 |
| Q: I am a little hesistant to change a formula that has worked for three years. I had a horrible ... A: I tend to agree with your GP - Xanax can be very addictive especially with higher dose and can lead ... | |
| Depression and truck driving | 6/8/2007 |
| Q: Are Zoloft and Lexipro legal for commercial truck drivers? Are there substitutes for either of these ... A: Neither Zoloft nor Lexapro normal affect ones ability to drive but you would have check up with a ... | |
| Klonopin | 6/4/2007 |
| Q: Recently, my husband has been prescribed Klonopin for anxiety. We are trying to coneive, and I was ... A: In rare cases loss of libido and impotence can occur but you would no this. Sometimes libido ... | |
| Zoloft | 5/24/2007 |
| Q: Dr. Galbraith, My wife has not felt well for going on 3 months now. She has had bad headaches ... A: I see no reason for the Zoloft and it is almost certainly responsible for her awful feelings. I ... | |
| medication | 5/15/2007 |
| Q: i take: escitalipram, quetiapine, uniphyllin, temazapan, flixotide, serevent, ventolin, warfarin ... A: The drugs that could cause all of these symptoms are the escitalopram and quetiapine. The temezepam ... | |
| effexor effecting me | 5/14/2007 |
| Q: I'm already on 300mg of Welbutrin. I started 75mg of Effexor and felt noticeably better the first ... A: Is your doctor a psychiatrist? Anyway, Effexor is obviously not the best antidepressant for you and ... | |
| Drug-Drug interactions | 5/9/2007 |
| Q: Galbraith: Can any drug-drug interaction occur in 2 drugs that are major substrates of the CYP3A4 ? ... A: There has been no reported interaction between these drugs and since they are often combined, if one ... | |
| Adding Remeron to Nightly med mixture? | 4/20/2007 |
| Q: Dr, I have had chronic insomnia for over 10 years. I have been on many medications. For the past 2 ... A: Remereon is a very new drug and knowing its pharmacology I would be surprised if it interacted with ... | |
| stupid drug mistake | 4/17/2007 |
| Q: I had an acs 4 yrs ago, 2 stents. My Doc switched me from Lipitor to Crestor 3 months ago. I had ... A: I think I need more info from you re the Plavix ie did you take Plavix as it is not clear, it being ... | |
| Anxiety, GAD | 4/16/2007 |
| Q: I have had anxiety, GAD and panic attacks since I was seventeen, I am now fifty. I only have been ... A: It may be better if you get your psychiatrist to change you to one of the older antidepressants such ... | |
| amphetamines | 4/10/2007 |
| Q: I'm doing a research project on amphetamines and I'm having difficulty with how does the body try to ... A: The body cannot in itself fix the effects of amphetamines except by metabolising them. In overdose ... | |
| Dry Mouth | 3/29/2007 |
| Q: I have been on my medication for years but all of a sudden I am having an extremely dry mouth and ... A: Many drugs can cause dry mouth especially the bupropion but usually it would not come on suddenly ... | |
| hello | 3/27/2007 |
| Q: The patient has left side ulcerative colitis. The doctor prescribe him sulfasalazine 1g two times a ... A: I presume you mean prednisolone sodium metasulphobenzoate It is corticosteroid antiinflammatory and ... | |
| flomax | 3/25/2007 |
| Q: my husband is starting Flomax this Sunday night. He currently takes lisinopril/HCTZ (the HCTZ is a ... A: Ativan belongs to the same group of drugs as Tranxene and since he presumably does not have a ... | |
| flomax | 3/23/2007 |
| Q: my husband is starting Flomax this Sunday night. He currently takes lisinopril/HCTZ (the HCTZ is a ... A: No problem with the addition of Flomax. However, cardizem may intensify and prolong the action (eg ... | |
| generic verses brand name | 3/21/2007 |
| Q: My husband's doctor marked "no not substitute" on his last perscription of Synthroid. Before that he ... A: I see your predicament and with the lisinopril/HCTZ and Cardizem I see no reason not to use ... | |
| pill ID | 3/17/2007 |
| Q: large oval with the name Watson 305. what is it and how does it affect the body and mind? and if you ... A: Sorry about this - I must have written it when very tired (or drunk! - not really but I could have ... | |
| pill ID | 3/16/2007 |
| Q: large oval with the name Watson 305. what is it and how does it affect the body and mind? and if you ... A: The Watson 305 is propranolol grnerally used for high blood presure which some minor use.The help ... | |
| arthritis | 3/15/2007 |
| Q: .My dad who is 70 now and has osteo-arthritis since the last 20 years. He was managing well with ... A: If it is osteoarthritis and not rheumatoid arthritis, paracetamol is as good as Celebrex and does ... | |
| Nicorette | 3/14/2007 |
| Q: Fr. Galbraith I have always been a non smoker but recently used several 4mg Nicorette gums in order ... A: Nicotine itself does not last long in the body and its metabolites (by products) not much longer. I ... | |
| zantac for infants | 3/13/2007 |
| Q: My infant was prescribed zantac for gastric reflex and I would like to know if there are any side ... A: In adults side effects are uncommon with Zantac but its use in children is very limited. The ... | |
| Morphine | 3/8/2007 |
| Q: Mr. Galbraith, I recently failed a drug screen for opiates. After a GC/MS confirmation, it showed ... A: GC and especially MS are very specific and all I can say is that something is very wrong as none of ... | |
| Pomegranate juice & its effect on high blood pressure drugs | 2/26/2007 |
| Q: I have read a lot about the positive health benefits of Pomegranate juice. I also read where it may ... A: There is evidence that pomegranate juice helps lower blood pressure anyway which is good. ... | |
| research for novel | 2/25/2007 |
| Q: I'm Jennifer and I'm writing a novel in which my character has been poisoned by having forcibly ... A: Xanax will not kill everybody that ingests large amounts so there is no guarantee that it would ... | |
| pill ID | 2/25/2007 |
| Q: 1st one i think is xanax it is vary small off yellow one one side it has a line through it and the ... A: No 1 is alprazolam which is the generic name for Xanax. No 2 is oxycodone and acetaminophen ... | |
| vitamins | 2/23/2007 |
| Q: .i have an acidic stomach and get gastritis easily if i am not careful with my food. I wish to take ... A: There will be no deterioration over one day if the ambient temperature is not high eg over 40c or ... | |
| risperdal withdrawal | 2/17/2007 |
| Q: I have two questions about Risperdal. I am definitely a layperson. The first is about withdrawal. ... A: Lactation (called galactorrhoea because it is abnormal) is a well known adverse effect of Risperdal ... | |
| Lithium | 2/16/2007 |
| Q: do you know if there is any evidence of Lithium causing emotional bluntness/insensitivity? A: There is nothing in the regular monograph on lithium to suggest that it can cause these symptoms. I ... | |
| hoodia | 2/16/2007 |
| Q: I have a question about Hoodia, the supplement used for weight loss. My mom is on coumadin and ... A: I cannot find the exact constituents for Hoodia preparations. All i can say as long as your mother ... | |
Pharmacology
Answers by Expert:
Dr Alan Galbraith
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
I can answer most questions on most drugs. Answers can be given in either technical or layperson terminology. My main areas of interest are psychiatric, gastrointestinal and cardiovascular drugs.
Experience
I have been a university lecturer/head of department for almost thirty years, but am now retired. My research interests were alcohol, smoking and cardiovascular disease. I am already a well established and highly rated expert in the pharmacy section of this site.
Publications
Principal author of "Fundamentals of Pharmacology" Editions 1-4 published between 1994 and 2004 by Pearson Education, Australia. Author of the 5th edition published 2007.
Author of many scientific papers.
Education/Credentials
BSc(Hons);MSc;PhD;HECert
Awards and Honors
The 4th edition of my textbook was awarded the the Educational Book of the Year Award in Australia.
Past/Present Clients
See my profile in the pharmacy section.
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