Can Excessive Sitting on the Job Thicken Your Waist ?
If you want to trim down that thick waist, you’ll need to spend less time sitting on the job.
Not only are desk jobs linked to bigger stomachs, but they’re linked to a bigger risk of heart disease. (more…)
How to Get 15,000 Steps a Day if You Have a Desk Job
You can get in 15,000 steps a day even if your boss won’t allow a treadmill desk.
There are ingenious ways you can make the step count rack up by the end of the evening. (more…)
Why Does Keflex Smell & Taste Like Smoke with Smoky Aftertaste?
Keflex stinks so bad that when I open the bottle to give my father a pill, I hold my breath. Keflex tastes like smoke & leaves a “burnt cigarettes” aftertaste, he says.
Keflex (cephalexin) is an antibiotic that comes in capsule form.
An article at abcnews.go.com points out that doctors may not have ever held the drugs that they prescribe, and hence, don’t know just how “stinky” they can be – and this would certainly apply to Keflex.
The article also points out that if a drug is “foul smelling,” this could be enough to make the patient stop taking it.
My father balks most times I give him the 500 mg Keflex, which is four times a day, prescribed due to a skin infection.
I first began suspecting that the Keflex capsules were more than just bad smelling when my father did not take the pill I set before him and instead continued napping.
If something stinks bad, it probably TASTES bad, even though it’s not chewed but swallowed whole.
Not only does Keflex taste like smoke, but it leaves an aftertaste that he describes as being like burnt cigarettes.
According to a pharmacist who was interviewed for the abcnews article, there are no studies on the effects of patient adherence to taking medications that stink or taste bad.
Thank goodness the prescription is for one week, though four times a day.
My father finally came upon a solution to neutralizing the stink odor and aftertaste of Keflex:
He takes it with his orange-flavored B12 pill.
The article cites patients complaining that their prescribed drugs smell and taste like sour milk, fish or even like skunk.
What does the FDA say?
Shelly Burgess, an FDA spokeswoman, told ABC News that the organization is aware of bad odor complaints.
She explains that the complaints “are not necessarily indicative of drug quality or safety concern,” and that the stinky quality “can occur as a result of the chemical composition of the drug product itself.”
So I guess we can assume that the reason Keflex smells and tastes bad – even if it’s described as smoky – that this is due to the chemical composition of the drug.
Remember, drugs aren’t supposed to smell good, but it would be nice if a safe coating could be applied to neutralize offensive odors and tastes.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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Top image: Shutterstock/ARENA Creative
Source: abcnews.go.com/Health/WellnessNews/doctors-learn-drugs-stinky/story?id=9844575
Elderly Falls: Tell Doctor & Risk Coumadin Prescription Stop?
What a real catch-22:
An elderly person on Coumadin takes a bad fall, but if you take them to the doctor this will result in a prescription cancellation for the blood thinner. (more…)
Can Unilateral Tinnitus of Acoustic Neuroma Seem Bilateral?
Should you exclude acoustic neuroma as the cause of your tinnitus if the “ringing” is in both ears?
Ninety-five percent of acoustic neuroma patients have the tumor in only one ear.
The remaining five percent have a tumor in both ears (bilateral).
The remaining five percent of patients with tumors in both ears have a genetic disorder called neurofibromatosis 2.
If you have NF2, you probably already know it, as most patients begin developing signs by their teens or early 20s.
So let’s talk about AN in a non-NF2 person; the tumor will be unilateral. Often, tinnitus is the first symptom.
When a patient reports unilateral tinnitus to a doctor, the doctor should take special note of this as being suspicious for an acoustic neuroma.
Though very rare (2,000-3,000 diagnoses yearly in the U.S.), an acoustic neuroma needs to be ruled out in cases of unilateral tinnitus.
The vast majority of unilateral tinnitus is NOT caused by an acoustic neuroma – which is benign and slow growing.
A person with tinnitus that seemingly comes from both ears may feel a sense of strong relief due to the following thought process:
“This can’t possibly be an acoustic neuroma because I hear the tinnitus in BOTH ears!
Whew! Here I am, fearing I have some kind of TUMOR that might need radiation treatment or whose surgical removal might cause permanent hearing loss – but thank God, these things affect only one ear.”
I was reading some posts on an AN site by patients; they were describing their initial symptoms related to these noncancerous masses.
What got my attention was a post by a woman who said that her tinnitus, before the surgical removal of her acoustic neuroma, had been in BOTH ears – and she did not have the NF2 genetic disorder.
You may think, How is that possible, both ears?
I posed this question to Brandon Isaacson, MD, F.A.C.S., Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX.
Dr. Isaacson explains, “Tinnitus is most commonly perceived on the same side as the tumor but can occur in both ears.
“The hearing pathways crossing in the brainstem is the likely mechanism why it can be perceived in both ears.”
So there you have it. You are not automatically off the hook from an acoustic neuroma just because the tinnitus is bilateral.
Dr. Isaacson’s
research interests include cochlear implants, endoscopic ear surgery and acoustic neuroma. His clinical interests include all aspects of otology and neurotology, with a special focus on skull base surgery.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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Top image: Shutterstock/Florida Chuck
Source: cancer.net/cancer-types/neurofibromatosis-type-2/cineurofibromatosis-type-2printer
Can Cymbalta Cure Irritable Bowel Syndrome ?
Cymbalta is sometimes prescribed off-label for patients who suffer from IBS.
And some patients swear that Cymbalta has cured them of their irritable bowel syndrome.
But what’s really going on here?
“Unfortunately, IBS is a chronic disorder for many patients,” begins Dr. Brian Lacy, MD, of Dartmouth Hitchcock Med Center, who specializes in functional disorders of the gastrointestinal tract and author of “Making Sense of IBS.”
Cymbalta Cannot Cure IBS Despite what Happy Patients Claim
“There is no medication currently available that can cure IBS,” says Dr. Lacy. “Cymbalta is approved by the FDA for the treatment of depression.
“Although no medical studies have evaluated Cymbalta (duloxetine) for the treatment of IBS, some health care providers use this medication off-label to improve symptoms of abdominal pain.
“Other medications are FDA approved for the treatment of IBS symptoms, and two in particular may help abdominal pain.”
Relief of symptoms, or symptom management, is not the same as a cure.
Dr. Lacy recommends for those suffering with constipation due to IBS a medication called LINZESS.
LINZESS may dramatically improve both constipation and abdominal pain,” he says.
Other patients suffer from diarrhea rather than constipation, and for those individuals, Dr. Lacy recommends Viberzi (eluxadoline).
“It may improve both symptoms. Both of these medications require a prescription, so please make sure that you discuss these with your health care provider to determine if one of these might improve your IBS symptoms.”
Dr. Lacy combines his love of science, medicine and people to uncover the causes of symptoms like stomach pain, gas, bloating, diarrhea, constipation and regurgitation.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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Top image: Shutterstock/Twinsterphoto
Can a Digestive Problem Cause a Metal Taste in the Mouth ?
A metal taste in your mouth can be caused by a serious medical condition including cancer, but it can also be triggered by a disorder in your digestive tract.
“In the occasional patient, acid reflux (GERD) can cause the production of frothy secretions in the mouth; this is called waterbrash,” explains Dr. Brian Lacy, MD, of Dartmouth Hitchcock Med Center, who specializes in functional disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, and author of “Healing Heartburn.”
A metal taste in the mouth from a digestive issue?
Dr. Lacy says that this waterbrash “results from acid refluxing into the mouth and stimulating the salivary glands to make a bicarbonate-rich fluid.
“In some patients this may taste a little metallic. Otherwise, patients with IBS or chronic constipation are not more likely to report a metallic taste than others.”
So if you have irritable bowel syndrome or a benign chronic constipation, and you then begin experiencing this phantom taste sensation, you’d be wise to report it to your doctor.
What about cancer?
Cancer as a cause is actually not likely, but not impossible: More causes of a metal taste in your mouth.
Dr. Lacy combines his love of science, medicine and people to uncover the causes of symptoms like stomach pain, gas, bloating, diarrhea, constipation and regurgitation.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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Top image: ©Lorra Garrick
Can a Long IBS Flare Mean Something Serious; Should You Worry?
Panic often sets in when a person’s IBS flare seems to be going on and on without any let-up. (more…)
Double Hip Replacement Guidelines for Walking on a Treadmill
If you’re recovering great from your double hip replacement and walking well without assistance, here are smart treadmill guidelines from a surgeon, even if you’ve never before used a treadmill. (more…)
Ribbon Stools Caused by IBS vs. by Colon Cancer: Comparison
Both colon cancer and IBS can cause stools to come out like ribbons.
We’ve all heard that thin flat bowel movements are something to be concerned about.
“Ribbon” or “pencil” shaped stools are almost always on symptom lists for colon cancer, which can affect adults of any age, though it’s far more common in men and women over 45.
But irritable bowel syndrome, too, can alter the shape of bowel movements to come out thin and long.
Ribbon Shaped Poops from IBS vs. Colon Cancer: Appearance Comparison
Patients are often concerned about the frequency, shape and texture of their bowel movements,” says Dr. Brian Lacy, MD, of Dartmouth Hitchcock Med Center, who specializes in functional disorders of the gastrointestinal tract and author of “Making Sense of IBS.”
What is a normal stool?
“It is important to first understand what is considered normal with regard to stool frequency,” begins Dr. Lacy.
“A large study performed years ago in Britain determined that the average range of bowel movements is three per day to three per week.
“Stool form can also range from loose to firmer. This depends on a number of factors, including diet, stress, exercise and medications.
Ribbon-like stools can occur in younger patients and generally represent strong contractions of the colon flattening out the stool.
Freepik.com
“In the absence of warning signs (low blood count, unintentional weight loss, evidence of blood in the stool or a family history of colon cancer in a first degree relative), the occasional occurrence of ribbon-like stools is usually nothing to be concerned about.
“However, in a patient who is older, or in a patient with warning signs as mentioned above, ribbon-like stools could mean something serious, such as a lesion in the colon.
“This should be discussed with your health care provider who can perform a careful abdominal and rectal exam and order tests as appropriate.”
Comparison of Appearance in the Toilet Bowl of Ribbon Stools from Colon Cancer and Those from Irritable Bowel Syndrome
“Spasm in the colon which can cause a ribbon like stool is common in IBS patients,” explains Dr. Lacy.
“But, the appearance may be the same as someone who has partial obstruction or who has colon cancer.
“However, someone with colon cancer likely has other symptoms (e.g., weight loss, anemia, blood in the stool).
“That is why those are considered warning signs and warrant evaluation and a colonoscopy.”
In a colonoscopy a doctor uses a long, flexible tube with a camera at its end, called a colonoscope, to look inside the colon and rectum.
The procedure helps doctors check for inflammation, precancerous polyps and of course, colon cancer.
A colonoscopy is necessary for a diagnosis of IBS, because IBS is a diagnosis of exclusion.
If this article provided you with helpful information or reassurance, please consider supporting my work through Ko-fi. Donations help me continue writing detailed medical content that’s easy to understand.
Dr. Lacy combines his love of science, medicine and people to uncover the causes of symptoms like stomach pain, gas, bloating, diarrhea, constipation and regurgitation.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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