Drugs can cause suicidal thoughts

Q. My 33-year-old son committed suicide five years ago while he was taking Prozac. Apparently neither the doctor nor the pharmacist warned my son or his wife that Prozac could cause suicidal thoughts.

My son had two precious children whom he loved very much. Now they are without a father.

Losing a child was 100 times more painful than the deaths of my parents.

People should be told about other ways to manage depression, such as counseling, vigorous exercise or even an herb such as St. John’s wort.

A. We are so sorry to hear about the death of your son.

The Food and Drug Administration first issued a warning about the possibility of suicidal thoughts linked to antidepressants in 2004.

Initially, the caution applied to children and adolescents. It has been expanded to include young adults.

Although many people can benefit from antidepressants, others experience intolerable side effects. Suddenly stopping drugs such as citalopram (Celexa), paroxetine (Paxil), sertraline (Zoloft) and venlafaxine (Effexor) can be difficult.

You are right that alternative approaches can sometimes be helpful in managing depression. For more information, we offer a CD of an hourl ong interview with Dr. Tieraona Low Dog on “Mental Health Naturally” together with our Guide to Dealing With Depression. Anyone who would like them, please send $12.99 in check or money order to: Graedons’ People’s Pharmacy (Dept. CD-788-E7), P.O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027.

Q. I’d had a problem for months with a flaky, itchy eyelid and swelling near my eyelashes. It was miserable. My doctor prescribed an antibiotic ointment that helped but didn’t cure it. Wiping with a baby-shampoo solution did little.

Then I read that this condition (blepharitis) is a form of dandruff. I immediately put a squirt of T/Gel (dandruff shampoo) in a bottle of water, wiped it on my eyelid with a cotton swab and rinsed. I used it morning and evening for two days. After that, the problem was completely gone and has not returned.

A. Blepharitis is inflammation of the outer edge of the eyelid. Symptoms can include redness, itching, flaking and crusting around the eyelids. The condition can be caused by a staph infection and should be diagnosed and treated by a physician to keep it from spreading. Topical antibiotics can be helpful.

Doctors frequently recommend warm compresses and periodic cleaning with dilute baby shampoo. If it is a chronic problem, blepharitis can be very hard to eradicate.

Your solution is innovative, though we could find no studies showing that Neutrogena T/Gel dandruff shampoo is effective against blepharitis. On the other hand, there is a possibility that this skin condition is caused in part by a yeast infection related to seborrheic dermatitis. If so, your treatment makes sense.

In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them in care of The Vindicator or e-mail them via their website: www.PeoplesPharmacy.com. Their newest book is “Recipes & Remedies From The People’s Pharmacy.”

2010 King Features Syndicate Inc.