Raisins reduce nighttime bathroom visits

Q. A while back, I read in your column that eating raisins before bedtime could control nighttime trips to the bathroom.

For the past three years, I have suffered from urgency urination. My physician prescribed oxybutynin twice a day.

This helped quite a bit for the daytime. It did not help much for nighttime urgency.

When Oxytrol patches came out, I tried them instead. Again, the daytime problem was mostly controlled, but I would still have to get up five or six times every night, and sometimes I did not get to the bathroom in time.

After reading your article, I tried eating raisins before bedtime and had my first good night’s sleep in a long time! This has been working for me for weeks now.

I didn’t know the right dose, but I have settled on nibbling about 1/4 cup of raisins between 9 and 10 p.m. (I usually go to bed at 11 p.m.)

Now I only have to get up perhaps once during the night, usually without the urgency that was so troubling. I am delighted to learn about this.

A. A number of other readers also have reported benefit. Raisins don’t come with the same side effects as oxybutynin, which can cause dry mouth, constipation, blurred vision, urinary difficulties, headaches and dizziness.

A downside to this raisin remedy is extra calories. One reader noted that she also was delighted that she went from getting up five times a night to once a night, but after two weeks she had gained 4 pounds. You may have to compensate for the raisins by cutting back on snacks or desserts.

Q. Is it harmful to take Crestor and red yeast rice together? My doctor prescribed Crestor, but I also have been taking red yeast rice. I would like to get my cholesterol level low enough so I would not need to take Crestor.

A. This is not a good idea. Red yeast rice contains some natural statins that work in the same way as rosuvastatin (Crestor). Increasing the dose of statins could lead to side effects such as muscle pain, headache, fatigue, stomachache, nausea and joint pain. Long-term use of high doses of statins could lead to cataracts, diabetes and nerve damage.

Q. I was diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy in September. I could barely walk. My feet felt swollen, like I had a pair of water balloons strapped to the soles of my feet. I couldn’t feel the ground to keep my balance!

According to the doctor, my blood tests from the lab revealed a very low B-6 level. He immediately prescribed pyridoxine (vitamin B-6). Within a couple of months, my peripheral neuropathy has essentially disappeared.

When I looked online for more information, I found a story on your website about someone whose nerve damage was caused by excessive vitamin B-6. What is a safe amount?

A. Vitamin B-6 is crucial for nerve function. Both too much and too little can harm the nerve system.

The recommended daily intake from food is under 2 mg. We suggest keeping supplemental vitamin B-6 at or under 100 mg daily unless a doctor has recommended a higher dose and is monitoring.

In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them in care of this newspaper or email them via their Web site: www.PeoplesPharmacy.com. Their newest book is “Top Screwups Doctors Make and How to Avoid Them.”

2015 King Features Syndicate Inc.