Dear People’s Pharmacy: I’ve been reading your columns about using saltpeter in homemade plant food. A very good fertilizer for houseplants is birth control pills.
Dear Reader: Birth control pills are a tad on the expensive side, but this isn’t the first time we’ve heard they can stimulate plant growth. Our daughter did a grade school science project comparing birth control pills to fertilizer, aspirin and plain water. The radishes receiving a birth control pill solution did best.
Dear People’s Pharmacy: Am I crazy or could tamoxifen cause my eyes damage? I take this drug to prevent a recurrence of breast cancer.
Dear Reader: Millions of women are taking Nolvadex (tamoxifen) to prevent a return of breast cancer. There is no doubt that this drug is a life saver. But as valuable as tamoxifen may be, there are some precautions that need to be taken. Although it is a relatively rare side effect, eye damage has been reported. The cornea, retina and optic nerve are susceptible. Periodic eye exams to detect early changes are essential for anyone on tamoxifen.
Dear People’s Pharmacy: I am a great believer in vitamin supplements. My physician approves my program so I feel safe. My only question is whether we are protected as consumers. How can we know that the supplements we buy actually contain the amounts of vitamins and minerals that the labels claim?
Dear Reader: We wish we could assure you that the Food and Drug Administration monitors all vitamins, but that is not the case. To a large extent the feds trust the manufacturers to police themselves.
The only way to be sure of what you are getting is to ask the company to provide a laboratory analysis of your supplement lot number. A reputable company should be willing to supply you or your pharmacist with this information.
Dear People’s Pharmacy: My doctor wants me to take an aspirin every day for my heart, but I think it is affecting my breathing. I have been wheezing after climbing stairs or shopping. Can I still get heart protection if I cut back on the dose?
Dear Reader: There may not be any dose of aspirin that is safe for you. People with asthma are especially sensitive and often need to avoid this useful drug.
— The People’s Pharmacy appears every other Tuesday. Write to Joe and Teresa Graedon, 235 E. 45th St., New York, N.Y. 10017.
