Dear Pharmacist



Dear Pharmacist: My wife insists on buying that special vitamin E-enriched toilet paper, and it's very expensive.

Besides, I submit to taking oral multivitamins daily because she makes me. Please tell her that my rear is not deficient in vitamin E. -- W.F., Portland, Ore.

Dear W.F.: I'm not going there, but I will tell you that many people like this toilet tissue for the sheer comfort of it. In fact, vitamin E is very soothing to delicate skin, especially for people who suffer from hemorrhoids, fissures or other skin irritations down under.

If that is the case, you are not flushing your money down the commode.

Dear Pharmacist: Other than milk, where can I get vitamin D in my diet? -- G.M., Lancaster, Pa.

Dear G.M.: It's found in cod-liver oil, egg substitutes, herring, mackerel, salmon, sardines and tuna.

Dear Pharmacist: My breasts are extremely sore and I don't know why. I am 74 and have osteoporosis. I take Actonel weekly. Is this a hormone? I also take Menest. -- W.S., Ocala

Dear W.S.: Actonel is not a hormone. This bone-building medicine belongs to a class of drugs called bisphosphonates. Fosamax, another popular drug, belongs to this class, too.

Bisphosphonate drugs do not act like estrogen or progestin hormones, so they usually do not affect the breasts. Their side effects are often associated with the stomach and esophagus.

But Menest, which is a mixture of several estrogen hormones, is another story.

When we're growing, estrogens aid the development and maintenance of female sex organs and characteristics. As we age, estrogens also play a role in protecting the heart, the female organs and the brain. They also promote bone strength in post-menopausal women.

Unfortunately, the side effects of Menest include breast enlargement and tenderness.

See your doctor to explore this side effect, and to possibly make changes to your drug regimen.

This information is not intended to treat, cure or diagnose your condition. Always consult your physician. For more details, visit or write to Suzy Cohen, Lifestyle Department, Sun-Sentinel, 200 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301.

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