FDA's New Cigarette Labels- Wonderfully GROSS!

Let's hear it for the FDA! Cigarette boxes will no longer carry the simple boxed warning that smokers have come to ignore over the last couple decades. Instead of these simple printed words, now there will be nine different graphic images with accompanying appropriate messages. "WARNING: Smoking is addictive"- showing a man smoking from the hole in his tracheotomy (a hole in the neck surgically created for patients on ventilators long term), or "WARNING: Cigarettes cause fatal lung disease" with a picture of healthy pink lungs next to horribly diseased lungs. I think my favorite, though, is the one I posted above, with the yellowed teeth and cancer sore rotting on the lip.

I believe we need to address tobacco addiction at the age and interest level of the smoker. Teens rightly aren't terribly concerned with emphysema at age 60, nor lung cancers even as early as their 40s. They MIGHT listen, however, to concerns about bad breath and yellow teeth. An older smoker, however, may believe tooth whiteners and listerine will fix any transient problems, but the threat of stroke or heart attack from tobacco-related disease might hit home.

Whatever the age, I am pleased to see new marketing strategies put in place to shake up the routine. The FDA will be rotating pictures/messages to be sure that smokers are barraged with new warnings as they begin to be desensitized to the first batch.
Smoking is VERY addictive, and I have yet to meet a smoker over the age of 30 who doesn't wish they had never picked up that first cigarette- even those who steadfastly maintain they enjoy smoking and "don't care if it kills (them)".

BOTTOM LINE: If you still smoke, PLEASE talk to your doctor and find out what options you have to help you QUIT for LIFE.

FDA Warning: Cough Medication DANGER!

Yesterday the FDA issued a warning regarding a medication that has frankly NEVER been on my radar as a dangerous drug- Tessalon (benzonatate). Sadly, there have been five deaths reported in children under the age of 2 after accidental ingestion of this medication, which is a gel capsule and looks like candy or a bath bead.

Is the medication safe for adults? Yes. Tessalon perles are indicated for cough suppression in patients over the age of 10. In my practice, I have found that the drug has a high variability in effectiveness, but rarely has any side effects. Many patients love this drug because it works well to suppress their cough without making them feel goofy or sedated, like the stronger narcotic cough syrups tend to do.

I think the real take home message here is that ALL medications, ESPECIALLY those that "look pretty", need to be in CHILD-PROOF containers AND put away out of reach from little hands. There are far more accidental poisonings from common over the counter medications and vitamins, and ALL PILLS should be stored behind locked cabinets when you've got children in your home (living there or visiting!)

BOTTOM LINE: Please have a special, truly CHILD-PROOF medicine storage area in your home, and realize kids always have and always will stick things in their mouths without thinking!

Leg Cramps Killing You?

Okay, on a more serious note today, there is a way leg cramps could kill you. Unfortunately, the prescription drug, quinine sulfate, that has been used off-label for decades as an effective cure for nighttime leg cramps is once again having continued reports of serious side effects- from bleeding to kidney damage to death.

If you are taking this medication and you notice bleeding gums, easy bruising,or blood in your urine- go immediately to your doctor and she will need to check your blood count, with special attention to your platelets (the team members that cause your blood to clot.)

So, what are you to do if you swear by this drug? First of all, please discuss it with your doctor. Make sure you have been recently checked for low iron stores (a ferritin level) to be sure that isn't the real cause of your leg pain. Your physician will examine you and possibly check a few blood tests.

If all is normal, here is one alternative medicine thing to try. Don't laugh (although I did chuckle when my dear patient first told me about this!). Try sleeping with a bar of soap. Yes. What brand? Whichever one you prefer. There are actually a few scientific studies that have shown promise with this, though I'll be the first to say I wont expect this to help everyone. On the plus side, though, there are no serious negative side effects from sleeping with a bar of soap under your pillow or covers!

BOTTOM LINE: If you take quinine for leg cramps, it's time for another discussion with your doctor!