Dr. Rachel H. Evans, MD

Hello,
I would like to preface this by saying that I am not a medical doctor and cannot diagnose you. I believe that my email address may have been somehow attached to a physician by the same name. I am, however, a doctor of pharmacy and do have over 10 years of practice in recommending prescription, over-the-counter and natural medicine to patients.
You may want to be evaluated by a physician for a diagnosis, especially if you are having heart palpitations.
I understand that many patients do not want to take estrogen prescriptions. One positive thing about taking estrogen is that it not only helps you with your menopausal symptoms, but it also helps to prevent bone loss. If you choose not to take estrogen, you may want to talk with your physician about taking something that will help prevent bone loss. Of course, you should always take calcium supplements AND vitamin D to aid in the absorption of calcium.
There are some studies that show an over the counter progesterone cream, called Pro-Gest cream, can help with menopausal symptoms. It is very highly rated on Amazon and they have over 1000 reviews you can read about the product there. (It is available in many stores and websites. I have no association with Amazon, however I do order from them at least twice a week and find it is a great place to read reviews of products).
Another option that is effective in clinical studies is taking a prescription SSRI such as Prozac or Paxil. There are several more in this class of medications and have very low cost generics. I do want to note that studies have shown SSRI's to be effective for hot flashes ONLY and not other menopausal symptoms.
Many patients do find that bioidentical hormones are a better choice than traditional set dosed oral prescription hormones. These are a mixture of 3 different estrogens, progesterone and testosterone that are naturally found in your body and are specifically compounded by a pharmacy to match your needs based on your blood levels. Keep in mind that not all physicians prescribe bioidentical hormones. The prescriptions are usually in cream or lozenge form and are almost always not covered by insurance, so it is likely to be more expensive than prescriptions hormones available on the market.
Be sure to talk to your doctor about all of the options that are available and safe for you to take.

Water in the ear typically drains on the own, however in times that it does not, it can sometimes cause an infection commonly known as "swimmer's ear". There are some home remedies you could try, but the best way is to use over the counter drops containing alcohol and glycerin such as Swim Ear. The alcohol will bind to the water and should remove it from the ear canal. (My Dad is a chemist and used to have us use his lab-made concoction after we would go swimming). Do not insert anything into the ear canal such as Q tips or bobby pins as this can damage the ear and push the water further into the ear canal increasing the chance of developing an infection. See a doctor if you have signs of infection such as pain, irritation, burning, itching, redness or inflammation of the outer ear or pus like or foul smelling discharge.

Shingles occurs in those who have previously had chicken pox in their lifetime. The virus remains dormant in your central nervous system and rarely under high stress can cause a painful shingles outbreak. While someone cannot contract shingles, you can pass the virus to anyone who has never contracted chicken pox or had the chicken pox (varicella) vaccine. Once the blisters have formed crusty scabs, you are no longer contagious. Hopefully your doctor has prescribed an antiviral and a steroid taper. There are also topical numbing creams or ointments either over the counter or prescription (as well as prescription lidocaine patches) that can help if the rash is still painful. Post-shingles nerve pain can sometimes last for months to years after your outbreak, so let your doctor know if you have continued nerve pain after healing and medication can be prescribed. It is recommended that anyone over 60 that have contracted chicken pox in their lifetime receive the shingles vaccine. Even if you are not 60, I have seen that once you develop shingles, you have a higher risk of activating the virus again. Consult with your doctor for how long after your outbreak you should wait to receive the shingles vaccine.

Hello,
Thank you for the question. You may remain contagious for up to 24 hours after starting antibiotics. Make sure you do not touch the tip of your eye drop bottle to your eye. Place a finger under the eye and pull slightly to make a pocket and look up while placing the drops in your eye. If it is only affecting one eye, be careful to wash hands thoroughly after touching or treating that eye in order to not inadvertently infect the other eye. I would recommend either throwing out or sterilizing any makeup products or eye tools that have recently come in contact with the affected eye(s) that have been used right before and anytime after first experiencing symptoms. For irritation, I recommend using OTC lubricating drops or ointment (not at the same time as antibiotics so they don't get diluted) throughout the day and also placing a clean wet, warm washcloth on the eye to help soothe any pain or itching.
I hope this helps!
Thank you,
Dr. Rachel Evans