Joe and Teresa Graedon| Standard-Times
Q. I suffer from chronic leg pain. My doctors have tested me, and all they can say is that it might be due to nerve damage. They suggest support hose.
I bought some medical support hose, but they are very expensive. I thought I could save money with regular support pantyhose.
It feels strange to wear them, but they really help my legs feel much better. Is it a problem to wear women's pantyhose? My wife bought them for me, but she worries someone might think I am gay for wearing them. Is there anything else I could use, or is she worried over nothing?
A. Pantyhose don't provide as much support as medical support hose. On the other hand, if they relieve your leg pain, we see no reason to spend money on more expensive stockings. As long as you are not parading around in shorts, you shouldn't attract undue attention.
If you are trying to start a family, pantyhose might be troublesome. They could raise testicular temperature and reduce sperm count. If that's not an issue, your wife can relax.
Q. You had a letter from a woman worried about her husband's lack of energy. He was on atenolol, Norvasc and furosemide for high blood pressure. She asked about his low potassium.
As I read her letter, I became concerned that he may have heart failure. I've been a cardiology nurse for 14 years. Fatigue is one of the hallmark first complaints of heart failure, which is common in people with hypertension.
Norvasc can worsen undiagnosed heart failure. I hope he will see his doctor for evaluation of his "no energy" complaint. Heart failure is the No. 1 reason for admission into the hospital today, and there are safer blood pressure medications.
A. Heart failure is extremely dangerous and is increasing at an alarming rate. Symptoms may include shortness of breath, nighttime cough, fatigue and swollen ankles.
The current controversy over the diabetes drug Avandia involves an increased risk of heart failure. Norvasc also seems to increase this risk (American Heart Journal, Jan. 2007). Atenolol can also contribute to fatigue.
Q. I live near a national park and walk my dogs in the woods. There are ticks everywhere.
I stop and pull ticks off myself every few minutes, but I hate to just throw them back in the bushes where they will wait for me the next time I go for a walk. Is there an easy way to kill or dispose of them?
My dogs have been vaccinated against Lyme disease, but I understand there's no vaccine for me. I surely don't want to catch this disease!
A. Put on insect-repellent-containing DEET before you leave home. Spray shoes and socks, and tuck your trouser legs into your socks. Carry a roll of Scotch tape in your pocket. Whenever you spot a tick, use the tape to trap it. Once it is sealed in tape, it can't escape.
Q. You once had an article about some people needing Armour Thyroid because Synthroid doesn't contain T3. I want to thank you for saving my sanity and life.
Since 1993, I have been on Synthroid and, more recently, Levoxyl. I have been telling my doctor and nurses that this stuff doesn't work for me, but no one listened. When I stopped the drug for several months, I couldn't tell the difference.
I found your article and gave it to my physician's assistant. She was reluctant to prescribe Armour Thyroid, but she did. In less than a week and a half, I have more energy than I've had for 14 years. I no longer suffer tiredness that was like being almost dead.
I wish I had demanded Armour sooner. Why doesn't the medical establishment listen to the patient? Instead of letting me know about Armour Thyroid, I was given antidepressants.
A. You are not the only person who has been prescribed an antidepressant for symptoms of low thyroid. Correcting a thyroid imbalance often addresses symptoms such as depression, fatigue or mental slowness.
The use of Armour Thyroid is controversial. Some people do not appear to convert the hormone T4 (found in Synthroid and Levoxyl) into the active form, T3, efficiently. Armour desiccated thyroid contains both forms of the hormone, although endocrinologists dispute whether they are in the correct proportions.
Joe Graedon is a pharmacologist. Teresa Graedon holds a doctorate in medical anthropology and is a nutrition expert. E-mail them via their Web site: www.PeoplesPharmacy.com
