GRAEDONS | The People's Pharmacy Gynecologist recommended Albolene

Q. My husband and I have read questions in your column about personal lubricants. Many years ago, my gynecologist told me to use Albolene.
It is a mascara remover, but has nothing harmful in it. It melts on contact and leaves no residue or odor. A small dab lasts a very long time. (We have been using the same jar for 10 years.) It is available in most drugstores at a reasonable price.
A. You're not the first reader to praise Albolene as a personal lubricant. Designed as a moisturizing cleanser, Albolene contains mineral oil, petrolatum, paraffin, ceresin and beta carotene. It is distributed by Numark ([800] 331-0221).
Q. I walk three miles five days a week and play 18 holes of golf on the other days. Despite this exercise, my cholesterol has gone up in the past few years.
I was prescribed Zocor, and since then I have had nothing but trouble. The stomach cramps subsided after a few months, but I have been suffering from depression. This is completely unlike my usual attitude. My doctor said he would prescribe an antidepressant, but instead I discontinued the Zocor and now feel much better.
The doctor says it is not the Zocor, and that I need to stick with this drug. But I would rather feel like my old self again. What should I do?
A. We urge you to discuss this issue with your doctor again. Depression has been reported as a possible side effect of drugs like Zocor. But you should not ignore the need to control your cholesterol. Your doctor might be able to prescribe a different medication that does not affect your mood.
We are sending you our Guides to Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs and Heart Health for a more detailed discussion of statin side effects and other options. Anyone who would like copies, please send $3 in check or money order with a long (No. 10), stamped (60 cents), self-addressed envelope to: Graedons' People's Pharmacy, No. CL-75, P.O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027.
Q. When readers ask you about heartburn, you should tell them to get medical attention. This could be a symptom of a much more serious disease, such as Barrett's esophagus.
My son had only minimal symptoms, but testing revealed he has this condition that could lead to cancer. He now takes Prevacid daily and must be scoped every year.
A. People often take heartburn for granted, but your caution should be heeded. When acid splashes up into the esophagus from the stomach, it can cause a chronic irritation that leads to cellular changes. Untreated, these may become a precursor to cancer of the esophagus. Acid-suppressing drugs such as Prevacid, Prilosec or Nexium can protect this delicate tissue from acid damage.
Q. When I take aspirin for a headache, the pain relief only lasts four or five hours. How long does aspirin remain in the body, and why do you have to stop taking it several days before surgery?
A. Pain relief that lasts four or five hours is standard for aspirin. Although aspirin is quickly eliminated from the body, it produces long-lasting anti-clotting effects. This is why your surgeon might advise you to stop aspirin a week before surgery to prevent excessive bleeding.
XIn their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them in care of King Features Syndicate, 888 Seventh Ave., New York, NY 10019, or e-mail them at pharmacy@mindspring.com or via their Web site: www.peoplespharmacy.org. Their newest book is "The People's Pharmacy Guide to Home and Herbal Remedies" (St. Martin's Press).
& copy; 2004 King Features Syndicate, Inc.