Dr. Evan Levine's Open Salon Blog

Pradaxa Could Kill You! Call Your Lawyer Now!

Mon, 14 May 2012 19:05:21 -0400

A patient anxiously waited to see me today. He was concerned that I had prescribed a medication, to prevent a stroke, as a result of his irregular rhythm ,that could cause him to hemorrhage to death. “It’s all over the TV,” he told me. “I saw it on the commercials. Pradaxa is causing people to bleed to death and I stopped it. I don’t think I should be taking a drug that can make you bleed like that. People are suing too.”

I am writing for the Leftist Review now.

Please read more about how some lawyers are frightening patients and possibly convincing them to , inappropriately, stop their medication.

http://www.leftistreview.com/2012/05/19/your-medication-can-kill-you-call-your-lawyer/evanlevine/

I do not allow Google ads on my site but I do mention businesses that have given exceptional service. One was VONA Masonry. When many contractors seem to run for the hills, if something goes wrong, The Vona Family came back to my home three times, and over four years, to make sure the pavers they had set were in good condition. If you think you are getting a great deal, from some small contractor who promises you great service, as I mistakenly did in the past, think again!

I would not hesitate to use the Vona Family for any masonry work and I am very thankful for their superb work and honesty.

http://www.vonamasonry.com/about.html

Two Things Most People Don't Know About Statin Drugs

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 23:03:40 -0400

PT Barnum Once Said ……

Before I get to the six percent rule I wish to voice the truth about the statin drugs many of us take to lower our bad cholesterol – the Low Density Lipoprotein ( LDL) component. They are saving lives, they are preventing heart attacks and strokes, and they should not be stopped unless there is a real good reason to.

There are the bottom dwelling types, the snake-oil salesmen, and the foolish out there who are attempting to scare many of us into stopping their lifesaving medication because they have potential side-effects, as every single drug, vitamin and food can have. And there are plenty of patients who should not be taking statins and who can have serious adverse effects from them. Recently the FDA did site a small but definite increase in diabetes in patients who take statins and yet, in spite of this, issued the following statements:

“Statins have been shown to significantly reduce the risk of heart attack and heart disease.”

“The new information should not scare people into stopping taking the drugs.”

"The value of statins in preventing heart disease has been clearly established."

"Their benefit is indisputable, but they need to be taken with care and knowledge of their side effects."

Since this latest warning, some patients have called me to let me know that they will no longer be taking their statin medication. Of these patients, many claim they listened to other “experts” on television and the radio and have found better alternatives to lowering their cholesterol. In my opinion, if you go out and purchase some crap talked up by some TV doc, some supposed wizard, or some clown hawking their natural and safer product, you are going to pay for it, with increased risk of stroke, heart attack, and death, not to mention the cost of the junk you just bought. I'm not a big fan of Big Pharma but at least they are regulated and do invent drugs that can be very helpful, like statins. The OTC stuff, sold on TV and the radio, by some snake-oil salesmen, is hardly regulated and meant to steal as much money from you as possible.

The Six Percent Rule:

Doubling the dose of your statin drug will not double it's effect. Doubling your dose of 20 mg of Zocor (simvastatin) will not lower your LDL from 140 to 70. The general, and quite accurate, rule is that doubling any dose of any statin will get you another 6% reduction in your LDL cholesterol.

If your are visiting your physician, and he raises your Zocor from 10mg to 20mg, because he wants your LDL reduced from 100 to 70 then, he ain't going to get you to that goal. More, likely, your LDL cholesterol will lower to (you do that math) around 94, or well short of your goal of below 70. In cases like this, it is often best to switch the statin to a more potent one, like Lipitor ( artorvastatin) or Crestor ( rosuvastatin). Lipitor is twice as potent as Zocor and is now a generic drug ; the retail price for it will be falling significantly this year. Crestor is twice as potent as Lipitor and is still a brand drug so be prepared to pay more for it.

In the patient I discussed, I suggested he change his medication to Lipitor 40 mg or Crestor 20 mg since that would lower his LDL ( you can do the math) by about 48 percent or down to below 70. Some physicians may suggest that you add a drug like Zetia or Niaspan, since they will also help you get your LDL numbers to goal, but these combinations don’t seem to protect you from stroke and heart attack as well as just using a statin by itself.

AndroGel - My Husband Gave My Daughter a Beard

Sun, 18 Mar 2012 23:03:51 -0400

My husband had trouble doing the naughty

Soon after he turned just over forty

So he went to a doctor for testosterone gel

And began to feel stronger and just kind of swell

But soon my daughter began to look weird

And now she’s the one who is sporting a beard!

Some of you know my opinion about testosterone replacement and my belief that, in the long run, it may make you stronger but also increase your risk for strokes, heart attacks, and an early exit. If you haven’t read my opinion about male hormone replacement, which is based on real trial data, then you can read it at: http://open.salon.com/blog/dr_evan_levine/2010/07/10/low_t_the_tv_ads_say_you_should_take_some_testosterone

But what I failed to realize, and I suspect most of us haven’t thought about, is the risk, especially young girls have, who are exposed to men who take this gel. Even the makers of AndroGel, by far the largest supplier of this stuff warns about this risk. Below are the warnings published by Abbott Labs in their package insert (prescription drug information) for AndroGel:

Potential for Secondary Exposure to Testosterone and Steps to Prevent Secondary Exposure

Secondary exposure to testosterone in children and women can occur with the use of testosterone gel in men. Cases of secondary exposure to testosterone have been reported in children with signs and symptoms including enlargement of the penis or clitoris, premature development of pubic hair, increased erections, and aggressive behavior.

· Physicians should advise patients of the reported signs and symptoms of secondary exposure which may include the following:

· In children; unexpected sexual development including inappropriate enlargement of the penis or clitoris, premature development of pubic hair, increased erections, and aggressive behavior

· In women; changes in hair distribution, increase in acne, or other signs of testosterone effects

· The possibility of secondary exposure to testosterone gel should be brought to the attention of a healthcare provider

· Testosterone gel should be promptly discontinued until the cause of virilization is identified

Strict adherence to the following precautions is advised to minimize the potential for secondary exposure to testosterone from testosterone gel in men [see FDA-Approved Medication Guide]:

· Children and women should avoid contact with unwashed or unclothed application site(s) of men using testosterone gel

· To minimize the potential for transfer to others, patients using AndroGel should apply the product as directed and strictly adhere to the following:

· Wash hands with soap and water after application

· Cover the application site(s) with clothing after the gel has dried

· Wash the application site(s) thoroughly with soap and water prior to any situation where skin-to-skin contact of the application site with another person is anticipated

· In the event that unwashed or unclothed skin to which testosterone gel has been applied comes in contact with the skin of another person, the general area of contact on the other person should be washed with soap and water as soon as possible.

“To MINIMIZE the potential transfer to others, patients using AndroGel should wash hands in soap and water after applications.” I don’t know about others reading this but this statement truly frightens me. I’m not sure if the ladies reading this are cognizant of this but in my fifty years of observation , I have watched too many men leave bathrooms without stopping at the sink, and I can only assume they are not much better at home when they schmeer the AndroGel on their body.

So imagine if someone’s dad, or the man handing out food at the kid’s cafeteria, or the piano teacher, or the man schmeering your kid’s bagel with cream cheese ( double schmeerer) , or any man who is in contact with your kids who takes this stuff everyday and is not assiduous in his hygiene skills , likely too many, then touches your kids, they could give them a huge boost of testosterone!

My guess is that if we called in 100 patients who admittedly use AndroGel, and test their hands for testosterone that we would find too many with it all over their hands ready to wipe it on anyone they come into contact with. I discussed the possibility of doing this simple study with some in the media but guess they were too interested in the life of the Kardashians.

I decided to throw out the AndroGel for our protection

When I noticed our seven-year-old had an erection!

I do not accept any fees for the posts below. This is just a simple way for me to show my appreciation for exceptional service.

I was having trouble with my internet and phone access for the past two weeks. When Comcast could not diagnose the problem, instead of not fixing it, a Plant Operations Officer, James Geisen, volunteered to come here at 10PM when the service went down and fixed the problem. I cannot express more gratitude to Mr. Geisen and Comcast for providing me with this exceptional service.

Best tree guys around. I had a wonderful experience and saved quite a bit of money using this tree service. If you need to reach a great tree service call Ted at 203 247 2602

Glass Guys in Ridgefield CT: 203 544 1201 Great service and superb pricing. I needed some new mirrors and they responded faster than anyone else and had the best price as well. They did a wonderful job.

Mike's Towing & Collision Center at One Chestnut Street, danbury , CT 06810. Our car was recently hit by a large van. We took it to Mike's towing, after Geico suggested we use them. It was the best decision we ever made. When I got there Geico was there, the rental car was waiting for me, and we left after about fifteen minutes. The car was repaired perfectly and the process was simple.

Romeo Ramov Lawn Services in Ridgefield: After trying three companies I was lucky to find Romeo. He is honest, does a great job, and his prices are very good. What more can you ask for. Outdoorsrvcs66@gmail.com

Ted's Roofing : Ted is not only the best roofer but also a good friend and I became friends with Ted because of the great service he provided and because he is just a wonderful and caring person. marty244@sbcglobal.net or 203-247-2602

Patrick Creehan Attorney: A kind, smart, and caring individual . Pat did two or my mortgages and also estate planning. Tel: 2034380441

The greatest cabinet makers. They took my ordinary kitchen and created something spectacular! Great wormanship, wonderful owners and staff, and very good prices. http://www.scanga.com

Cohen's Fashion Optical , located in the Danbury Mall, did what they promised to do this week when I brought my glasses in that were scratched0-- the replaced them. A few years ago when I had a similar problem at another store, that also guaranteed their glasses for a year, I was told that the scratch that i had was too large to meet their guarantee. For that, I thank Lesley and the entire staff at Cohen's Optical.

Dental care: We were lucky to find Dr. Matthew Iwinski for our family dental care. He is very honest, doesn't jump to do an expensive procedure without giving it thought or discussing the alternatives, and he is great with adults and kids. His prices are very reasonable especially compared to the few dentists I reviewed. 203-966-5606