Q: I had occasional rashes in my armpits and under my breasts until I found that washing with generic selenium sulfide dandruff shampoo got rid of them. I follow the wash by wiping with generic Listerine.
Now I regularly wash these areas with the shampoo. I also use it for the rosacea on my face. I suspect that yeast and fungi are the culprits.
A: Rashes may have various causes. Some people may be sensitive to ingredients in their underarm products. Others may harbor yeast on their skin.
Since your rashes respond so well to selenium sulfide and mouthwash with thymol, eucalyptol and other herbal oils, you could well be right that yeast is causing the trouble. These antifungal compounds are good at discouraging yeast.
Rosacea (also called acne rosacea) is thought to be associated with an unusually high density of normal skin mites called Demodex (Dermatology Online Journal, Vol. 21, Issue 9, 2015). This condition responds well to permethrin or ivermectin applied to the skin (Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology online, Sep. 7, 2016).
Doctors don’t know if these mites are associated with more yeast on the skin, but many readers have reported they can calm rosacea by washing their faces with selenium sulfide shampoo.
Q: Are there antidotes to anticholinergic drugs? I have taken Benadryl, Paxil and oxybutynin for years.
I have read that such drugs can affect the brain. I feel as though my memory is half-gone.
I am 83 and had a very good brain and a high IQ. I am worried and hope there are ways to reverse my mental decline.
A: There is growing recognition that drugs affecting the brain chemical acetylcholine can impair mental function, especially in older people (JAMA Neurology, June 2016). The medications you mention all have anticholinergic activity and could impact your memory.
Your doctor may be able to reduce your exposure to this type of medication. Lowering the anticholinergic burden might possibly be helpful. Appropriate exercise and a Mediterranean diet also may benefit your brain.
To help you discuss your concerns with your doctor, we are sending you our Guide to Drugs and Older People. It contains lists of medications that may be inappropriate for seniors. Anyone who would like a copy, please send $3 in check or money order with a long (No. 10), stamped (68 cents), self-addressed envelope to: Graedons’ People’s Pharmacy, No. O-85, P.O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027. It also can be downloaded for $2 from our website: www.peoplespharmacy.com.
Q: Because of concerns about side effects of PPI acid-suppressing drugs, I have switched to Tums. I rely on two or three of these antacids to control my heartburn. Is that safe? What else could I do?
A: If you are regularly taking Tums Extra Strength 750, you could be getting more than 2,000 mg of calcium carbonate daily. If you also are getting calcium from other sources, you might be getting too much.
There is growing concern about the safety of high doses of calcium. Some studies suggest increased risk for cardiovascular disease in men taking calcium supplements (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, March 1, 2016). You may want to consider less powerful acid suppressors such as cimetidine, famotidine and ranitidine. Other options include DGL (deglycyrrhizinated licorice), ginger and chamomile.
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