A Peek Into An RN's Medicine Cabinet
Aug 02 '00
When it comes to non prescription medications, I am sold on generic store brands. I will discuss a number of over the counter (OTC) medications in my own personal medicine cabinet, and explain why I selected each product.
Antihistamines
The fertile Delta between Stockton and Sacramento, CA is notorious for being one of the allergy capitols of the U.S. While we love the verdant variety of flowering and fruiting trees, we put up with a lot of watery eyes, sniffles and sneezes.
Besides generic nasal allergy symptoms, histamine blockers such as Dimetapp and Benadryl are useful for persistent itching, rashes and hives, and have the sometimes useful side effect of helping me sleep.
I have saved as much as 66% for generic brompheniramine maleate, (grape flavored Dimetapp elixir), and around 50% savings for generic versions of diphenhydramine hydrochloride, (Benadryl).
Antifungal Agents
While not a very pleasant subject, most people at one time or another suffer from ringworm, athlete's foot, or yes, jock itch. There are plenty of topical ointments, lotions, powders and sprays out there, and the key is to look for the active ingredient. While recently pricing Lotrimin cream, I noticed a drug store's brand with the same active ingredient as Tinactin: tolnaftate. Savings? About 50% for the same one ounce tube of identical product.
Bulk Laxatives
If you insist on getting your grains and vegetable roughage via a tablespoon and a glass of water, there are plenty of name brand products on the market. Heavily advertised are Metamucil, FiberCon and Citracel.
Many drugstores carry a like product, and the active ingredient to seek out is psyllium. If the generic or store brand type isn't orange flavored, mix it up with orange juice, or a diet product such as fruit flavored Crystal Light.
Bulk laxatives are less harsh on the system than cathartics like castor oil, cascara or Ex Lax, and does have one advantageous side effect. Similar to those soluble and insoluble natural fibers, psyllium will help lower your total cholesterol between 5 and 15% if used daily.
One tip about any bulk laxative, is they should be taken with a minimum of 12 ounces of liquid. In the presence of too little fluids psyllium can form a concrete-like blockage that can cause many more problems than garden variety constipation.
Multi-Symptom Cold & Flu Products
Honestly, products like DayQuil and NyQuil have been the difference between me calling in sick for work, being up all night with a hacking cough or being able to function fairly well on the job and get a decent night's sleep, respectively. A local drugstore chain, Long's, puts out a line of capsules, that active ingredient for ingredient, are the same in all respects.
Instead of $8.00 for each, I pay $4.00, and I have yet to notice any difference in symptom relief. I can't abide the liquid, and I don't care if it is supposed to taste like oranges or cherries, it still makes me gag every time. If you prefer the liquid, and the list of active ingredients, (including milligrams of product per dose), is the same, you should realize similar savings.
In Conclusion
Like most people, I live on a paycheck to paycheck basis, and I prefer to be frugal when it comes to cosmetics, (store brand versus Buf Puf sponges), and OTC medications and have found if you shop carefully, always comparing labels, it is possible to have the health care products you need, without spending needlessly for brand name recognition.
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Member: Casey Stewart
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