expert type icon EXPERT

Ashley Mello

Pharmacist

Dr. Ashley Mello is a clinical pharmacologist practicing in Union City, CA. Dr. Mello specializes in developing and testing new pharmaceutical products, with specific focus on the correlation between drugs and diseases. Clinical pharmacologists optimize drug prescribing and prevent medication errors as well as contribute to new drug applications delivered to the FDA.
Ashley Mello
  • PALO ALTO, CA
  • Accepting new patients

What is the drug of choice for pancreatitis?

Usually the recommendation for pancreatitis is bowel rest. Meaning no eating or drinking but some water for a few days. If you are having a flare of pancreatitis you should see READ MORE
Usually the recommendation for pancreatitis is bowel rest. Meaning no eating or drinking but some water for a few days. If you are having a flare of pancreatitis you should see your doctor. There is no drug of choice

Is asprin bad for health?

Aspirin has fallen out of favor for pain relief among providers for a long time now. Because aspirin as the ability to cause your platelets not to stick together, there are high READ MORE
Aspirin has fallen out of favor for pain relief among providers for a long time now. Because aspirin as the ability to cause your platelets not to stick together, there are high risks of bleeding, especially in the gi tract, with continued aspirin doses at the levels needed for pain relief. Ibuprofen also can have this side effect, but not as strongly as aspirin. Tylenol with a little caffeine is a safer headache remedy as long as their are no reasons why caffeine should be avoided. Your pharmacist at any local pharmacy should be able to hear your current ailments and help you make sure what you are taking is safe.

Are there any approved anti-depressants for pregnant women?

I would speak with your doctor about this. Most anti-depressants have a category C for pregnancy, meaning in animals they may have caused harm, but harm has not been studied or READ MORE
I would speak with your doctor about this. Most anti-depressants have a category C for pregnancy, meaning in animals they may have caused harm, but harm has not been studied or confirmed in humans. Depression can be a very serious diagnosis and in the end, your doctor will be able to weigh the risk versus benefit for use of anti-depressants. Their are many pregnant women who have tried therapy alone while pregnant and it may not be enough. I would just make sure that your doctor is aware if you are trying to get pregnant or are currently pregnant so they can gauge the severity of your depression and determine the risk vs benefit.

Can aspirin cause stomach issues?

I would make sure the amount of aspirin your grandfather is taking is monitored by a doctor. Aspirin is a medication that can effect the platelets in your blood. If taken on an READ MORE
I would make sure the amount of aspirin your grandfather is taking is monitored by a doctor. Aspirin is a medication that can effect the platelets in your blood. If taken on an empty stomach or at high doses, there is risk of bleeding in the gut. Because of the bleeding risk, aspirin can absolutely have the side effect of blood in stool, stomach pain (potentially from stomach ulcers), heartburn, inflammation of the gut, and potential nausea and vomiting. I would make sure a doctor is monitoring how much he is taking and see if it is the best option for his arthritis pain.