Fighting alcohol cravings

Q: Do you have any information on drugs that can combat alcohol craving? I am close to a person I would like to help.

A: ReVia (naltrexone) has been available for several years to help diminish alcohol cravings. A long-acting injectable form called Vivitrex is undergoing study. Naltrexone may cause nausea, fatigue and headache.

The Food and Drug Administration recently approved a new drug called Campral (acamprosate). It seems to help those who have stopped drinking maintain abstinence. Side effects might include flatulence, diarrhea, nausea and headache.

Neither drug is a magic wand. Both are most effective when used as part of a comprehensive treatment plan with strong social support.

Hair growth and thyroid treatment

Q: For years I suspected that my thyroid gland was not working well, though my doctor found nothing wrong. I lacked energy, had no sex drive and was always constipated. My cholesterol levels were high despite a vegetarian diet.

When my hair started thinning, that was the last straw. An endocrinologist diagnosed me as "borderline" hypothyroid and put me on Armour thyroid. I have more energy, and my sex drive is improved. Will my other symptoms go away? How long will it take for my hair to grow back?

A: A sluggish thyroid gland can account for a wide range of symptoms, including hair loss, dry skin, fatigue, depression, high cholesterol levels and constipation. In a case reported in The Lancet (Feb. 5, 2005), hair growth recovered dramatically with six months of treatment for thyroid insufficiency. The patient's blood pressure and cholesterol levels also dropped, with no treatment other than levothyroxine.

Anise, licorice taste similar

Q: I've read that licorice can cause salt retention, excess potassium loss and elevated blood pressure. Is the Italian liqueur Anisette flavored by licorice?

A: Anisette might taste like licorice, but it is flavored with anise. There should be no licoricelike danger.

In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them c/o King Features Syndicate, 888 Seventh Ave., New York, NY 10019, or e-mail them at pharmacy@mindspring.com or via their Web site: www.peoplespharmacy.org