The People's Pharmacy

Q: I read in your column that a man had good luck with astragalus root for Raynaud's phenomenon. I tried it, and within days it had worked like magic.

A: People with Raynaud's may experience pain when fingers or feet are exposed to cold. Chinese healers have used astragalus root to improve circulation and boost immunity. Animal research confirms that this herb may indeed enhance blood flow.

Q: All my life I have had a strong sex drive. During the past few years, however, I have had some difficulty maintaining an erection.

My urologist prescribed Cialis, which works pretty well. But he scared me by saying I should see a cardiologist. I have no chest pain or other symptoms of heart disease, so why is he insisting that I have my cholesterol measured and get a stress test?

A: Erectile dysfunction can be an early warning of coronary artery disease. A new study suggests that older men with erectile dysfunction are at double the risk of angina or a heart attack (Journal of the American Medical Association, Dec. 21, 2005).

Q: My job was outsourced last year, and I lost my health coverage. I take Lipitor, Norvasc, Altace, Toprol-XL and Actos. My wife takes Fosamax and Aciphex.

We found that ordering our medicines from Canada saved more than 40 percent. Our doctors helped out by prescribing a higher dose of some drugs so we could split pills and save even more. Other readers might want to benefit from our experience.

A: Ordering from Canada can provide significant savings. Buyers must beware, however. There are concerns that many online drugstores claiming to be Canadian are actually located elsewhere. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspections reveal that many drugs ordered from such sites came from other countries. A few were counterfeits.

If your doctor verifies that it is safe, pill-splitting can be an excellent way to save money.

Q: I have had asthma all my life. Two years ago my doctor prescribed Advair after a three-day stay in the hospital.

The day I started using Advair my life changed. I have been symptom-free for two years. If Advair were to be pulled off the market, I believe it would be a death sentence for me.

A: The FDA is not planning to take Advair off the market, but it will require a stronger warning. While it might be helpful for you, some patients experience hard-to-treat asthma episodes while taking Advair.

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 via their Web site: www.peoplespharmacy.com