Cohen - The 24-Hour Pharmacist

The information presented in this book is based on the training and professional experience of the author. The treatments, herbs, vitamins, and supplements recommended in this book should not be taken without consulting your physician to be sure they are right for you with your particular medical condition. Appropriate laboratory and clinical monitoring is essential, even when using relatively safe and natural treatments. This book was written for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended to treat, diagnose, or cure your condition. It is just intended to open your eyes so you can explore all potential options for health and wellness. The author and the publisher expressly disclaim all liability for any injury that may arise from the use of the information contained in this book.

You always remember those pivotal points in your life. I had been working in nursing homes for about seven years where I was responsible for monitoring the medication of about 1,000 patients. I was frustrated by the job because, although I was able to be helpful to these elderly people, I wished I could have helped them avoid the state they were into help them be healthier in the first placeso they wouldnt end up needing so much medication.

One evening, my husband burst into the house, and instead of his typical hello, he said, Suzy, I was stuck in traffic and I got this great idea! I imagined two tickets to Vail for a romantic getaway. Instead, he said, I saw it! I had a vision and saw your picture in the newspaperyou are going to write health articles and help lots of people! He went on for a few minutes, throwing in concepts such as TV, radio, and lecturing.

Thats nice. Do you want gravy with your mashed potatoes? I was certain that by dessert he would be over the whole idea. After all, I barely knew how to work our new computer and Id never written anything except Christmas cards and my To Do list. Write for newspapers? He must have had too much coffee. Aside from all that, the idea of public speaking sent shockwaves through my body, and suddenly I got my own vision, something along the lines of a Valium and smelling salts. But then I thought about it.

Since I have an open mind and my loving parents taught me that if I put my mind to something I could achieve it, I decided to try. I was already deeply entrenched in the medical profession as a clinically trained pharmacist, and I knew the power of pillstheir virtues and their dangersand I wanted to share that information, as well as all the great news about natural cures. It took two years and a bunch of respectful no thanks, but eventually an editor gave me my first big break. I wrote one column each week for his paper, The Lake City Reporter , for about ten thousand readers. Today, my column circulates to over 24 million readers a week and is sold internationally. I routinely do TV, radio, and lecturesand its fun! I am passionate about health care, and my mission is to get you as healthy as possible. No matter what happens or how bad you feel today, there is always hope. You are holding this book for a reason. Medications can be valuable to your health, but you must keep your mind open to all your options. Listen to the quiet inner voice that guides you, and thank you for letting me be your 24-hour pharmacist.

T he most frequent question I get as a pharmacist is What can I take for more energy? The answer isnt two cans of Red Bull or a NoDoz tablet! Cmon, ladies, were only fooling ourselves if we think these temporary pick-me-ups will cure us. They wont, although I confess my personal favorite is a caramel macchiato with whipped cream. But seriously, coffee, caffeine tablets, soda pop, and energy drinks all eventually worsen your condition because they lift you temporarily but further exhaust you in the long run. If youre tired, your body is telling you somethingso lets figure out what its saying.

Drained or Depressed?

If you tell your doctor that youre tired and overwhelmed, you may be found Zoloft deficient. Ive taken to calling depression a Pez dispenser diagnosis because its dumped out so frequently. Maybe youre just spent, not sad. Of course, sometimes fatigue and depression go hand in handbut not always. In a moment, Ill outline the many faces of fatigue so you can see who you identify with.

But most importantly, dont let your doctor prescribe antidepressants until youve ruled out other causes of fatigue, particularly low thyroid hormone, adrenal burnout, imbalanced hormones or side effects from medication.

If you are already on antidepressants and dont think you need to be, DONT stop taking them abruptly; work with your doctor to taper off. You could face serious withdrawal reactions if you stop suddenly.

The Many Faces of Fatigue

Working Wanda She stays up late, works too much, and simply has to cross off every single item on her To Do listno wonder shes tired! Though her general health is still fine, shes headed for trouble if she doesnt learn to curl up like a noodle sometimes. She needs to put the word NO in her vocabulary sometimes.

Morning Mary Shes almost always tired in the morning (and maybe other times, too). She holds onto weight because theres a breakdown somewhere in her thyroid gland that lowers circulating hormone levels.

Juggling Janet This busy lady has run herself ragged, and now her adrenal glands just cant pump out any more of the stress hormones that used to rev her up and help her meet lifes challenges. Shes tired in the morning and okay by middaybut crashes hard between 3 P.M. and 5 P.M. Some Juggling Janets catch a second wind at night, but the true hallmark of this type is that fatigue is unrelieved by sleep or rest.

Stupor Woman Shes tired morning, noon, and night the result of low thyroid, imbalanced hormones and low adrenal hormone! Her fantasy? To hook herself up to an IV drip of amphetamines! All kidding aside, many gals with all-day fatigue (and of course people suffering with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and fibromyalgia) have both thyroid and adrenal imbalances.

Sleepy Sally This poor woman is tired because she suffers from insomnia, which could be the result of low thyroid, low adrenals, medications, depression, anxiety, or diet. She should finish this chapter just in case, then jump to Chapter 8 on Insomnia.

Did You Get Mugged by a Drug?

Hundreds of popular medications are drug muggers, stripping your cells of the energizing nutrients you need. As a result, you turn into an exhausted medication mummy. The good news: When you know which nutrients are depleted by medications, you can replenish them and start enjoying your life again!

Oral Contraceptives and Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)

Drugs that contain estrogen mug your body of precious B vitamins, magnesium, tyrosine, vitamin C, and zinc, turning you into a Morning Mary or Juggling Janet because of the thyroid and adrenal compromise. This is so common, I cant tell you how frequently I dispense a birth-control pack along with a 30-day supply of thyroid meds. Incidentally, you could be dealing with low testosterone because birth control pills deplete this hormone too. You wont get pregnant while on birth control, but without testosterone, you dont feel like doing it! Other drug-mugging effects of contraception and HRT include: fatigue, cervical dysplasia, PMS, skin problems, moodiness, gastrointestinal (GI) problems, cardiovascular problems, weak bones, depression, and infections. See Chapter 11 (Monthly Madness) to find out how to feel better while taking these medications.