How old do you have to be to take otc drugs

How old do you have to be to take otc drugs

http://www.chacha.com/question/how-old-do-you-have-to-be-to-take-otc-drugs

Each package will tell you dosage suggestions. If under 18 might not be able to purchase cough syrup with dextromethorphan. ChaCha

Related Questions Answered on Y!Answers

Is H1N1 “Swine flue” really all that bad?

Q: K, it’s getting a little ridiculous now, people are going by what they heard from friends and in the press to get the be all and end all of definitive answers on a this virus. This isn’t so much a question as an attempt to make people research a little more before panicking. In this day and age with the ability to research at the click of a button we should really not be seeing this. A few points about H1N1. I say this as I seem to be seeing this swine flue crop up so much on the health board.1. H1N1 does not mean Swine Flue! Swine Flue is a type of H1N1 as are several other types of flue including seasonal flue. The media have decided in some cases to ask idiotic questions such as what is the difference between H1N1 and seasonal flue. It makes no sense, seasonal flue, all variations, Russian flue, Spanish Flue are ALL H1N1. Spanish Flue is one to be worried about which began in 1918 killing more than WW1 itself…it is also a missnomer, it had nothing to do with Spain. Avian Flue was a different type not H1N1 which had about a 60% mortality god knows how bad it was for the rest and the press reports on the cruelty to animals…had it mutated it would have been FAR worse than swine flue.2. Why does it kill kids more often than old people? it’s down to immunity, older people are more likely to have been around during previous epidemic or pandemics which exposed them to a similar strain and have built a certain degree of immunity to the virus, kids have not. People who have had transplants take immunosurpressive drugs, people with HIV have low immune defences and therefore have a higher chance of dieing. People in the health care system will be more likely to be exposed.3. Seasonal flue kills far more people every year than we have seen with Swine Flue despite Swine Flue being easier to spread. As much as people want to believe they have swine flue it may well be another type of flue. To know a blood sample needs to be taken otherwise you have no real idea, this practice was stopped due to the sheer numbers therefore the press figures are to say the least unreliable.4 Safety and the vaccine. The vaccine may have been rushed I do not knwo but it was based on the seasonal flue vaccine AN H1N1 virus. People get side effects from all drugs and vaccines though they never make it to press unless it can cause panic and help sell papers. The media are inherently irresponsible. You would take a paracetemol or OTC drug no problem though if your kid ended up blinded through SJS or worse TENS you’d be shocked though it does happen when given to a pool of millions of people.5. Mutation of the virus, all viruses can mutate even HIV. Bacteria can mutate too. This can be seen with certain drug resistance. Don’t take the drug as directed? Yes you can be responsible for your own demise. For example we can treat many infections but if someone screws up. In Asia anti biotics may be OTC and due to this people from there in Western countries may be put on other drugs for whatever ails them. Keep screwing it up, pass it onto someone and somewhere along the way you end up with something that can not be treated.6. Viruses are a complex thing, in the beginning the media made people think the end of the world was coming without a vaccine followed by a panic over the vaccine. It’s a classic manouvere.K, I’m done and I hope people can start researching this condition and start giving others a reality check. For starters Google H1N1 and ignore the news results, Wikipedia may be a good start point.

A: Gah your spelling is horrific. Gotta site sources there peaches, people get testy when you dont. http://vaers.hhs.gov/resources/2009H1N1Summary_Nov9.pdf <– Benign, severe, and fatal reactions to the H1N1 vaccine. This is run by the CDC.http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/04/28/regular.flu/index.html <– Jan to April number of Seasonal flu deaths, with the CDC’s weekly continued estimate from then until now.http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/11/12/h1n1.flu.deaths/index.html#cnnSTCText <– CDC new death total estimate for H1N1, it is still unconfirmed. http://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUSTRE5A25O720091103 <— swine flu is most deadly to those with underlying conditions, and those over weight, and those over 50.http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE58E6NZ20090916 <— quick work up explaining how and why Swine flu is less deadly than originally expected.http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTRE5824LW20090903 <— Total pediatric death rate due to swine flu this year to date. It also shows how almost ALL of those pediatric deaths were in children were SEVERE underlying conditions such as SP, and MD. http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=125791 <— this is a link to the CDC’s flu tracker forum, the second post shows a graph giving the pediatric mortality totals for the seasonal flu for the past few years. This year includes totals of both seasonal flu and H1N1, at a little over 100. But only 36 of those are H1N1, the rest are seasonal flu.

Pancreatitis, don’t quite fit into any causitive category, but a bit in some … Any GI’s out there?

Q: 6 weeks ago, I went to my PD with what I thought was severe heartburn. I went to pharm. and he suggested Pepcid. I took it, no luck in an hour (like he said). I called and asked PD how long Pepcid takes to take it away, she said an hour, I said it’s been 4 hours and I was in agony. Severe abdominal pain, some vomiting, low grade fever. I had what I thought was the flu for 3 days prior (no pain, just didn’t feel well, diarr and low grade fever. She said come in. She took a blood test … Highly elevated Amylase and Lipase, somewhat elevated ALT, AST. Had weekly blood tests since then, and it’s been going down. Nearly normal Amylase, still 3 times normal Lipase (which is much lower than it was… nearly 3000). I read the following on internet as far as causes: 1) Alcoholism: “Alcohol is the leading culprit. Usually, it takes several years of heavy drinking — such as a 12-pack of beer of every day.” I drink, but not more than 3-4 drinks per night, 3-4 nights per week (if that!) however, I had a life altering even a few weeks before attack and did drink a bit more (nightly, maybe 4 drinks), but no ‘binge drinking’. Rarely drunk more than 4 times in the last year, no hangovers. 2) Gallstones: never had a symptom. 3) heridedary: nope, nobody. 4) Meds: rare cases of Lamictal and Ativan have been reported “after market, and reported on ‘compassionate please’ cases. I am on both. (BTW, Lamictal was raised from 150 mg to 200 mg 1 wk before attack, and due to stress, went from 1 ativan per day to 2-3). 5) no traumas. The pain was severe (I have little tolerance for pain), but not enough that I felt ER was necessary. Nor did she. I was still walking around and doing what shopping I had to do, etc. OTC painkillers helped. Background: 48 yrs old, F, somewhat healthy diet. I feel fine now. Having another blood test Monday. Also have history of ovarian problems…. recently, cysts, fibroids. Any known relation? Any herbal/alternative cures or remedies? Is this permanent? She says never another drink of alcohol, not even cough syrup. Is that true? Even socially, a couple here and there? Due to my two year history of drugs (antidepressants, Lamictal, Xanax, Ativan … all prescribed by Dr’s), I have also taken Milk Thistle and Alpha Lipoic Acid to counteract the med’s effect on liver. Just can’t find enough general information on this on the internet. Just doom, gloom, not so great mortality rates, and a future of horror to live with … kidney dialysis, heart failure, liver failure, extreme pain, narcotic addiction, surgeries. Please advise… Thank you and God bless.

A: Yes, she is absolutely correct. You were drinking a lot of alcohol before your onset of acute pancreatitis. It may not seem like a lot, but you really WERE drinking enough to cause pancreatitis. If you continue to drink and you have recurring episodes of it, you could end up with chronic pancreatitis. Anyway, you were very lucky as it seems like you didnt have a severe case of it. But unfortunately, acute pancreatitis can get very dangerous if you have a bad enough case of it (I interviewed a patient the other day who had it and was just getting discharged from the hospital 2 months later). So yes, stay completely away from any alcohol – its not worth the risk.

i am in pain all of the time?

Q: I am 50 years old, an LPN, so am on my feet a lot. I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia after experiencing non stop wide spread pain and fatigue for over 20 years. I am otherwise in excellent health. I left my PCP because I got tired of him telling me there was nothing wrong with me, and prescribing ativan, xanax and numerous anti depressants. I am not a Dr/drug seeker, and tolerated this for 20 + years. (it was his PA who determined with the symptoms, the normal labs, x rays, etc, that it was fibro, and i felt like a ton was lifted off my aching shoulders when I read everything i could find and knew I wasn’t crazy. I am seeing a new Dr this week, one who is the medical director where i work, she knows a little of my history, is very patient , very nice and always talks to me at work. so, i have a strange question. I have never asked for pain medication, ever. having tried neurontin,(insurance won’t cover lyrica) and presently taking cymbalta with no difference, how do you ask a dr for something for pain without it seeming like I am just another drug seeker? none of the OTC pain relievers work. I don’t sleep, even feel pain in dreams when I do! i am so uncomfortable asking for something, yet when I do feel pretty good, (like the day I had 2 vicodin in me after dental work) that i am a nicer person and more productive. so..how do you tell a Dr you need something without them thinking badly?I get migraines from tramadol.

A: I have read your post, and it is good that you were diagnosed properly with fibromyalgia. I don’t understand why you would be taking antidepressants, unless you also have a brain chemical imbalance. Otherwise, if this is a doctor you trust, then just level with him/her and go from there. I have been on an antidepressant for years, and it took me awhile to get away from the mindset of being a “junkie”. I have seen myself off my med, and it ain’t pretty. I hope this helps. Good Luck. WT