The People's Pharmacy®

Tune in to our radio show on your local public radio station, or sign up for the podcast and listen at your leisure. Here's what it's about: Aspirin was first developed and marketed more than a century ago. As an... (Read More)

Women rely on their birth control pills to prevent pregnancy, and for the most part that confidence is well placed. But a manufacturing error by pharmaceutical giant Pfizer could lead, experts surmise, to unintended conceptions. The birth control pill Lo/Ovral-28... (Read More)

This website has become a community where people share their favorite home remedies and natural food therapies. If you would like to keep up with the unusual remedies that other people have found helpful, you might consider subscribing to our... (Read More)

Q. I was very upset to read your response to a question about the blood thinner Coumadin. You listed several drugs that may interact with Coumadin; one of them was Tylenol. I am a heart valve patient. My cardiologist is... (Read More)

Q. I'm not one to take pills. I don't even keep aspirin in my house. But I have medicine in the barn for my horses and use it when I've got to have some for myself. I have a bad... (Read More)

Q. I take simvastatin, and I am concerned that my cholesterol may be too low (143, HDL 46, LDL 75). My mother died at age 64 from a massive stroke. Somewhere I read that very low cholesterol increases the risk... (Read More)

Q. After 30 years of atrial fibrillation (A-fib), I started taking magnesium, fish oil and vitamin D daily. I think this regimen keeps my A-fib spells down to one every few months, usually triggered by caffeine. A. Atrial fibrillation requires... (Read More)

Q. After eating prepared mangos over the holidays, I bought some to peel and slice myself. I even chewed on the seed. Bad mistake! By the next day, I was itching under my chin. This became swelling around my mouth... (Read More)

Q. I am 55 and was diagnosed with osteoporosis last April. I just learned that I am deficient in vitamin D. I have felt fatigued and mentally foggy as long as I can remember. Could I have been vitamin D... (Read More)

Q. I have been diagnosed with pruritus ani, itching around the anal area. This condition causes itching so intense that it can keep me up at night. My doctor ruled out hemorrhoids and other causes. I was told to stay... (Read More)

Q. My aging parents belong to a generation that never questions anything a doctor says. They both take so many medications they can barely keep track of everything. Here is just a partial list: amlodipine, diclofenac, pravastatin, furosemide, atenolol, amiodarone,... (Read More)

Q. I have had COPD for decades. After taking azithromycin for about 15 weeks I am feeling well for the first time in over 20 years. A. A placebo-controlled study found that the antibiotic azithromycin can reduce flare-ups associated with... (Read More)

Q. I used to have heartburn and took drugs to treat it for several years. I later learned that hot peppers could help, so I purchased a bottle of cayenne pepper capsules. I take just one a day with food.... (Read More)

As the adage goes, "There's no such thing as a free lunch." This phrase dates back to the 19th century when bars would offer their patrons a "free lunch" so long as they bought something to drink. The meals were... (Read More)

Q. I have a long history of anxiety and panic attacks. I am also a performing musician, which can often cause performance anxiety. I have been prescribed Xanax (alprazolam) off and on over the years along with a myriad of... (Read More)