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Home
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Your Medical Questions Answered!
by Joseph B. Leibman, MD
Diplomate, Board Certification of Emergency Medicine
I received a very nice letter from a retired physician who is
taking medication for pain. While I am against Vioxx, I also
feel that at his age taking NSAIDs -- the ibuprofen type
drugs -- is a high risk for bleeding in the digestive tract.
Alternatives include Paracetomol, the cheapest and with the
best track record, Algolysine Forte -- a mild reliever -- and
various pain therapies such as TENS or pain clinics.
I have also received a letter concerning the use of
psychiatric drugs. I know they do alter thought processes,
but we have progressed significantly since sanitariums where
drugs were used that usually increased the time of
hospitalization and gave us nightmares of mental institutions
in the Soviet Union. Newer drugs are safer and more
effective, and many times a patient can function normally. I
am not sure of your particular question. We still as yet do
not have a good treatment for personality disorders which
include hysteria, antisocial etc. but we are hopeful. Write
me in care of the Yated.
A message from GlaxoSmithKline, sponsor of this
column. Seroxat is Glaxo's antidepressant and is very
effective. It really can normalize a life in someone who is
not able to function due to depression. Ask your doctor about
Seroxat.
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