People’s Pharmacy | Weight loss medication linked to muscle loss
Q. My son stopped taking Wegovy due to strength loss. His job requires physical power, and he noticed that he wasn’t able to do as much as usual. Shouldn’t doctors warn patients about this when they prescribe these weight-loss drugs?
A. A study of GLP-1 weight loss drugs like Wegovy was presented recently at a medical meeting. The scientists reported that about 35 percent of the weight lost could be attributed to muscle.
Another reader shared these thoughts about weight loss medications: “Doctors need to make sure their patients know about muscle loss and prescribe strength training and adequate protein intake when prescribing GLP-1 drugs. If they monitor with simple body scans, they can set a minimum calorie goal to avoid muscle wasting. If the patient can’t maintain muscle, the drug is too strong. The goal is slow, steady weight loss while preserving muscle.”
Q. When my husband went for his regular dental cleaning, the dentist said that his gums were severely swollen. He recommended a periodontist and also asked if my husband was taking blood pressure medicine.
That raised a red flag. I started looking for information online and found that amlodipine can cause severe gum swelling. We immediately took him off amlodipine. After several visits to the periodontist, they have determined that they have to do surgery on the gums to the tune of $3000.
A. Amlodipine can make gums swell. It can also cause fluid retention and swelling in the legs and feet, to the extent that some people need larger shoes. Other common side effects include dizziness, fatigue, nausea, stomachache, drowsiness, flushing and heart palpitations.
Your husband should check with his physician about a different medication for blood pressure control. He may want to prepare for that meeting by reading our eGuide to Blood Pressure Solutions. This online resource is located under the Health eGuides tab at www.PeoplesPharmacy.com.
Q. My husband has developed seborrheic dermatitis on his scalp and face. We tried various shampoos for his scalp, but nothing helped until we started using plain old original Head & Shoulders. He uses it twice a week and hasn’t had a breakout on his scalp since we started this regimen a year ago.
A. The original Head & Shoulders dandruff shampoo contained zinc pyrithione (ZPT) as its active ingredient. Seborrheic dermatitis is linked to overgrowth of a yeast called Malassezia. These microscopic organisms require oil to grow, and they often find plenty of that on human skin. When they dominate the skin microbiota, they can cause irritation and inflammation. The result is seborrheic dermatitis, which is similar to dandruff but may also affect eyebrows, ears and other parts of the face.
As you have discovered, ZPT is effective at controlling Malassezia and preventing overgrowth (Medical Mycology, Feb. 4, 2021). Presumably any shampoo containing ZPT would be helpful, but we see no reason for you to switch away from the one that is working for you.
Q. I take the antidepressant bupropion. The last bottle I got has such an awful smell I gag every time I open it.
I took it back to the pharmacy. They smelled it, smelled theirs, and said ours smells the same, so it’s ok.
I have been taking bupropion for years and have never encountered such a smell. It is HORRIFIC!
A. The medicinal chemists who developed bupropion (Wellbutrin) have told us that a bad smell indicates problems in the manufacturing process. Ask the pharmacy if they could fill your next prescription with a different generic. It should not smell!.
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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.peoplespharmacy.com. Their newest book is Top Screwups Doctors Make and How to Avoid Them (Crown).