Q. For over 25 years I have been using Listerine full strength in a spray bottle for sunburn. An old fisherman told me about it when I got a severe sunburn from sitting in a boat on a lake and got burned so bad that I looked like a lobster.
The people I tell say this remedy works for them too. It stops the pain instantly. I keep it in my travel bag, in a zipper-top plastic bag to avoid spilling.
I don’t like Listerine as a mouthwash but it’s great as a sunburn treatment. You don’t have to touch the skin and hurt yourself even more while you’re applying it.
A. This is a fascinating use for Listerine we’ve not encountered before. Perhaps the menthol or eucalyptol in the original flavor Listerine have cooling properties. Thanks for sharing your remedy.
We’d be disappointed, however, if you had many opportunities to use it. Dermatologists tell us that multiple sunburns increase the risk of melanoma and other skin cancers. Why not put a bottle of sunscreen in that plastic bag along with the Listerine, so you’ve got prevention as handy as the cure?
Q. I’d like an effective insect repellant without DEET. What can you suggest?
A. Look for new products containing picaridin (Cutter Advanced) or oil of lemon eucalyptus (Repel Lemon Eucalyptus, Off Botanicals).
Q. I have been taking atenolol in the morning and evening to reduce my blood pressure. Now my doctor wants to add additional medications because the atenolol is not doing the job.
I think the medicine is slowing me down. I am tired all the time, short of breath and depressed. My cholesterol used to be low and now it is over 250. Could any of this be caused by the atenolol?
A. There is growing concern within the medical community about the effectiveness of the beta-blocker atenolol (Tenormin) for lowering blood pressure. A review of the scientific literature (Lancet, Nov. 6, 2004) casts doubt on the drug’s role in treating hypertension.
Atenolol can cause fatigue, depression and breathing problems. Atenolol and some other beta-blockers may also raise triglycerides and lower good HDL cholesterol.
We are sending you our Guide to Blood Pressure Treatment with more information on atenolol and other drugs for this condition, side effects, and some non-drug approaches to blood pressure control. Anyone who would like a copy, please send $2 in check or money order with a long (no. 10) stamped (63 cents), self-addressed envelope: Graedons’ People’s Pharmacy, No. B-67, P. O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027. It can also be downloaded for $2 from the Website: www.peoplespharmacy.com.
Please discuss your treatment with your doctor and do not stop atenolol suddenly. That might trigger chest pain or even a heart attack. Other medicines used to treat hypertension should not cause the side effects you are experiencing.
Q. I want to thank you for writing about licorice. My husband had open-heart surgery last year. He is on so many medicines, but no one can figure out why his blood pressure won’t stay down.
After reading your article, I know. He eats licorice every day. He has all the symptoms you mentioned—muscle cramps, fatigue and irregular heart rhythms. No more licorice in our house.
A. Thanks for sharing your experience. Natural black licorice is a lovely treat, but it must be eaten judiciously by healthy folks and avoided by people with heart problems or high blood pressure.
The People's Perspective on Medicine