Q. My 26-year-old daughter has been on Effexor for a little more than one year for anxiety.

Q. My 26-year-old daughter has been on Effexor for a little more than one year for anxiety. Recently, she forgot a dose, and the following day she experienced what she described as an electrical sensation from her feet to her head.
The sensation went away when she took the required dose that evening. She is on the lowest dose of Effexor and would like to stop taking it before getting pregnant. Should she be concerned about stopping this medication?
A. She should discuss her plan to start a family with her doctor, since she might need help getting off Effexor. New data suggest that when pregnant women take some Prozac-like antidepressants, the risk of heart and lung complications in newborns may increase.
Effexor lasts such a short time in the body that even a missed dose might trigger withdrawal symptoms.
Q. I am planning a cruise in two weeks. I have suffered from seasickness. I'd like to take medication along on my trip as a precaution. Do you recommend the "patch" or other medications?
A. You might want to take along some ginger. Chinese sailors have used this herb for thousands of years to ease their symptoms of motion sickness, and medical trials have confirmed that ginger may be helpful. You can find ginger pills (1,000 mg) in your health-food store.
Another option includes the over-the-counter drug Dramamine, though it can cause drowsiness. Some people find acupressure wristbands (Sea-Band) helpful.
The prescription patch Transderm Scop can also prevent motion sickness, but it may cause dry mouth, drowsiness, disorientation, blurred vision and difficulty urinating.
Q. Is there anything that can be done to prevent swimmer's ear?
A. Swimmer's ear (otitis externa) is a painful infection of the ear canal. This common problem can be a consequence of water remaining in the ear after swimming. To prevent it, have the swimmer tip the head to one side, and pull that ear gently back and forth to release water after swimming. Repeat the maneuver on the other side.
If this does not work well enough, some physicians suggest drying out the ear with a rinse of half alcohol and half vinegar.
Others recommend eardrops made of one part white vinegar to four parts water. This solution acidifies the ear canal and makes it inhospitable to fungus or other infections.
You can also buy eardrops: Auro-Dri, Star-Otic or Swim-Ear. The new recommendation for treating swimmer's ear is for topical antibiotics.
In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them in care of this newspaper or e-mail them via their Web site: www.Peoples-Pharmacy.com.
& copy; 2006 King Features Syndicate Inc.