Druggist For The People
Four score and seven minutes ago (about an hour and a half) your physician brought forth, upon her desk, a new prescription, conceived in best medical practice, and dedicated to the proposition that all generics are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civilian war, testing whether that medication, or any medication so conceived, and so dedicated, can help us long endure. And maybe we can feel good at the same time. For forty years as a pharmacist, I've been building bridges - from the doctor to those in need of important drug information - you. With respect for the listener, and from the perspective that it is better to apply a recommended course of therapy than it is to comply with an ordered course, the goal here is not to provide specific answers about your drug therapy, but rather to help you generate the questions that will that will empower you in this. Toward that end, there will be weekly podcasts, very often with guests who will be "the people".
Episodes
77 episodes
Constipation - The OTC Options
Summary: Not all laxatives are created the same. Discussed in this episode are the nonpharmacologic options to relieve constipation, and the OTC Laxative options available should nonpharmacologic efforts fail. Included ...
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20:50
Thoughts, Feelings, Food, Drugs and Your Holiday Chemistry
Summary: The chemistry of your mind and body are almost always changed by the medications you take. But there is more to it than that. These changes are changing, in response to both your medications and in response to ...
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18:54
The Patient is a Person - Removing Healthcare Prejudice (Bias)
Summary: Preconceived notions within healthcare professionals about what another person might be, before we have a direct, open and genuine interaction with them, can derail the best treatment for that person. To provide the ...
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23:27
An Orange & Red Bloodsucker (with six legs) – Bedbugs!
Summary: Why have bedbugs reemerged? What to do if bitten? And how to manage and prevent possible bedbug infestation. Topics:· Sleep Tight 01:30· &...
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15:51
Meds and Good People in a Disaster Zone: Hurricane Helene
Summary: This episode recounts the experience of Hurricane Helene in North Carolina, from its arrival to the continued recovery. Being smart about what's fact or fiction, being there for your neighbors, and being prepared for a pote...
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23:20
Filling a Prescription – Why Is This Taking So Long?
Summary: What’s happening on the other side of the prescription counter? Probably more than you think. Safety and appropriateness of the drug regimen is an ongoing process, and it may slow down the speed with whic...
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16:23
Money, Money, Money…and Medications
Summary: Paying $75,000 dollars for a car because you want to have a back massage between home and work is one thing, but to face exorbitant costs because you want to live a healthy and longer life is a tough pill to swallow....
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19:49
neffy® nasal spray– emergency epi without a needle
Summary: neffy® nasal spray received fast track approval from the FDA on August 9, 2024 for the emergency treatment of type I allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, in adult and pediatric patients who weight at least 66 p...
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23:24
Opill Update – It’s Out There Now
Summary: Previous podcasts (July 2023) have covered The Pill and the newly approved, progestin only, OTC oral contraceptive – the Opill. The Opill is on the shelves and available online now. This episode provides a brie...
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16:03
Body and Mind and Being Kind – Another Drug
Summary: There are more ways to change your chemistry than taking drugs. Kindness. Being helpful, generous, and considerate – without expecting anything in return – has positive effects upon both the body and mind. ...
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15:23
Chemical Restraints
Summary: Chemical and Physical Restraints are frightening terms, and yet the use of one or the other is sometimes necessary. This episode discusses the appropriate use of chemical restraints to treat agitation, as well as what may ...
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20:03
The Prescription Cascade
Summary: To get the maximum benefit and minimize the risks of your meds, stay involved. Monitor, journal and communicate with your healthcare team to make sure your meds include only those that you actually need. Avoid ...
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12:17
Pill Dysphagia, Sister Hildegard and Candy...It Can Be a Hard Pill to Swallow
Summary: If it’s a hard pill to swallow, you’re not alone. In this episode we discuss why not to crush or break certain medications and possible techniques to help in overcoming pill dysphagia. As usual, consult your ph...
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25:07
Sunscreens, Sun blockers, Chemical Sunscreens and Physical Sunscreens–What's Up With That?
Summary: SPF and Broad Spectrum Protection From UV Rays – A more detailed discussion of protecting your skin from the damaging effects of UVA and UVB radiation.Topics· Chemical &Ph...
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20:43
SPF & Broad Spectrum Protection - Understanding Sunscreens - A Brief Discussion
Summary: Just a little reminder about the negative (and positive) effects of Ultraviolet Radiation (both A & B), the options for managing those negative effects, and the drugs that may cause photosensitivity. Topics
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9:23
Is My Generic Drug Actually Equivalent?
Summary: This episode discusses what makes a generic drug equivalent to a brand name drug, according to the FDA, and why some variability is okay - and unavoidable. Also discussed is the importance of monitori...
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19:43
Vraylar – A ‘Lift’ for Treating Major Depression
Summary: If you’re watching your TV, we’re seeing what you see: Drug Ads. In this episode, we take a look at Vraylar as an add-on to your current antidepressant. So bottom line, what is it, this Vraylar? ...
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22:57
Proton Pump Inhibitors & Dementia
Summary: The Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPI’s), which include Prilosec, Prevacid, Protonix, Aciphex, and Nexium, are a very effective group of drugs to treat heartburn and reflux, but as with every other drug, there might be side effects and...
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23:08
Poison Ivy - Facts, Fiction & Remedies (OTC & Rx)
Summary: If you have poison ivy, can you spread it to someone else? If the poison ivy is dead, can you still have a reaction if you touch it? Where else can you get poison ivy, besides touching the plant? This epi...
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17:55
Panic Attack Meds: Paxil, Prozac, Effexor XR, Xanax, Klonopin
Summary: When the panic attack comes from what’s inside, where do you hide? It’s thought that a panic attack is physiologically very much like a flight or fright response, comparable to encountering a Grizzly bear on a trail.&...
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28:20
Blood Thinners – Aspirin to Xarelto
Summary: Blood clot formation and breakdown happens all the time. It’s when the body potentially forms clots where they aren’t needed (AFib) that we run into problems: strokes and heart attacks. In this episode we make t...
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27:24
Xeljanz & Opzelura – What the Flip is a JAK Inhibitor?
Summary: The drug ads float images of happy people across the room, with a voiceover discussing the mechanism of actions of the drug (JAK inhibitor) along with an undercurrent of warnings and side effects of the drug. One of t...
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25:07
Anticholinergics - Over 600 Meds Cause This Type of Side Effect
Summary: This episode introduces a phrase uttered thousands of times every day regarding medications: anticholinergic side effects. A brief discussion follows about how and why these side effects may occur, what these side eff...
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13:29
Rescheduling and Legalizing Marijuana - Understanding the Difference
Summary: Marijuana is currently considered by the government to have the same abuse and dependency potential as heroin (Schedule 1), and yet 27 states have legalized marijuana either for medicinal and/or recreational use. This makes...
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20:52