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Buying Prescriptions Online: Is It Safe?

LearnVest — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 00:15:44 PDT

We're thrilled to present this smart LearnVest story here on Savvy!

Sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll.

There isn’t anything you can’t get on the internet anymore–and for a lot less (though we’ll take our chances on the last of the trio before the other two).

As for the drugs (doctor-approved, not the other kind), prescription medications can really add up, so it’s no wonder that online pharmacies have grown in popularity over the past ten years.

Granted, shopping at an online pharmacy sounds dodgy because it’s harder to get a sense of who’s dealing. And some suspicion is warranted: In 2010, the production and selling of counterfeit drugs was estimated to be a $75 billion industry.

But, there are also a number of safe online pharmacies that will process prescriptions and deliver medications to your door, many of which offer legitimate discounts (especially if you’re willing to buy generic).

Buying drugs online can be a great way to save money on prescriptions, as long as you do it responsibly. Here’s what you need to know.

Kiddie Wellness: Medicine You Should Avoid Giving to Your Tot

LilSugar — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 06:00:57 PST

Tis' the season for your lil one to catch a cold or the flu. Before you reach into the medicine cabinet to treat him on your own, read this list of medicines to avoid giving your child from BabyCenter. Best practice says when in doubt, contact his pediatrician, but check out the slideshow for a few tips before even picking up the phone.

Source

Check Those Expiration Dates

FitSugar — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 09:30:00 PST

Last night I made myself a salad for dinner, in my favorite ceramic bowl my best friend gave to me, I might add. Well, my mind was elsewhere as I was going up the stairs and needless to say, me and my dinner ended up splattered across the steps. My beautiful bowl cracked and I got cut in 3 places.
Poor me, right? Well, I went to get a band-aid and some Neosporin and just happened to check the date first. Exp: 2003! I couldn't believe it. Had it been THAT long since I bought a new tube?

This led me on a quest to discover what else was lurking in my bathroom, way too old for my own good. An hour later, I had filled my bathroom garbage with tons of expired stuff.

Although some would say those dates don't mean a thing, but for me, I'd rather be safe than sorry. Why take a drug if it isn't as effective as it can be. If it's past the date - it's getting trashed.

So take it from me and do yourself a favor - go through your medicine cabinet and your extensive supply of products. Get rid of expired over-the-counter medications like old bottles of Advil and Pepto Bismol.

Want to know what else? Then

read more Chuck all old vitamins or prescriptions like the ones you used 2 years ago when you had your wisdom teeth pulled. Ditch anything that's questionable or that you haven't used in the past year. Check your condoms too. Throw out any make-up that's over 3 months old. If you can't remember when you bought it, that's probably a good indication that it's too old to use. Fit's Tips: Make a list of all the new supplies you'll need to buy, and if you know you don't use it much, try not to buy the "super-size me" bottle of it. If you run out, you can always buy more.

"My Boyfriend Is a Jerk"

Tres Community — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 03:05:00 PST

This question is from a Group Therapy post in our TrèsSugar Community. Add your advice in the comments!

My boyfriend makes such hurtful comments that he has me crying at least once a week. I also see him checking other women out right in front of me. I know that he feels unattractive and I wonder if he says stuff to me because he feels inadequate. He has told me my butt is too big and my breasts are too small. He told me I should have breast augmentation to just have a lift. He wants me to set up a three way with another woman. To be honest I love him and hate the thought of sharing him. He makes me feel inadequate in every way. I have started to take prescription anxiety medicines frequently because I am in tears most of the time. He told me the woman he wants to have for our three way and she is pretty but I feel like why should I be there if he wants her why not just have her and let me go? I don't understand him at all. He wants to talk about marriage but I could never marry this man. Every time I try to break free something he says brings me back. I want away from him and I don't want to get pulled back. Why can't I stay away from him. I deleted him from my cell phone, I deleted him from my email. I have blocked his text messages. What else can I do to keep from being pulled back in?

Have a dilemma of your own? Post it anonymously to Group Therapy for advice, and check out what else is happening in the TrèsSugar Community.

Obama Compromises on Contraception

Annie Scudder — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:20:55 PST

Despite the fact that 99 percent of women who have ever had sex - religious or not - have used contraception, the Obama administration's decision to make birth control free under all employer health insurance packages has caused a controversy. Today, the White House announced that it will make a change to its new policy to accommodate religious institutions, such as Catholic hospitals and universities, who do not want to cover prescriptions like the pill. Under the compromise, religious employers would not have to offer free birth control. Rather, insurance companies themselves would have to provide free contraception to workers at religiously sponsored institutions if the worker requests it.

The original policy, similar to laws that already exist in states like California and Oregon, would have required groups affiliated with religious institutions, like hospitals, charities, and universities, to provide insurance plans that cover birth control for free. Churches themselves would be exempt. But some religions, like the Catholic Church, oppose all forms of birth control, and leaders, especially the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, put pressure on the White House to change course, threatening to make this a major campaign issue.

So far, it looks like the compromise has pleased both sides. Planned Parenthood's President Cecile Richards said it "does not compromise a woman's ability to access this critical birth control benefits," and Sister Carol Keehan, the president of the Catholic Health Association of the United States, says she is "pleased and grateful that the religious liberty and conscience protection needs of so many ministries that serve our country were appreciated."

7 Reasons You're Not Sleeping

FitSugar — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 20:15:42 PST

Difficulty sleeping can make the night long and the following day feel even longer. Ads for prescription sleeping pills run frequently on late-night TV, bu adopting healthy sleep habits can be as effective as medication, with no side effects. Here are reasons you may be suffering from insomnia.

Are Your Birth Control Pills Safe?

Shape — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 04:06:17 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Shape here on FitSugar.

Last year during my annual exam, when I complained to my doctor about my terrible PMS, she was quick to pull out her pad and give me a prescription for the birth control pill Yaz. "You're going to love this," she said. "All of my patients that are on it think it's the best. It's even helped some of them lose weight!"

Less PMS and not having to worry about my weight? I was sold, even though I'd only intended to talk to her about lifestyle and/or diet modifications since my birth control needs were already taken care of. Before I stopped into the pharmacy, however, I looked up the pill online (Paging Dr. Google!). The results were anything but the lovefest I'd been promised. In fact, the information I found scared me so badly that I never filled that prescription.

Am I Normal? Your Top Six Sex Questions Answered

It quickly became evident that I wasn't the only woman concerned when Yaz and it's sister pill Yazmin, two of the most popular pills on the market, came up for review by the FDA after reports that the manufacturer may have hid and minimized critical health risks. But is the hysteria warranted?

Find out how safe birth control pills are after the break!

After Two Years Off Shelves, Prescriptives Is Back

Miriam Lacey — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 12:32:30 PST

Rejoice, Prescriptives fans: your favorite brand is back after a two-year absence from department stores. To obtain the brand's excellent concealer and even Calyx, its cult-favorite fragrance, all you now need do is brave the wilds of the Internet.

Like Shu Uemura before it, Prescriptives has gone online-only, an increasingly popular solution for companies with loyal followings but small US market sales. The most obvious drawback is that the brand's signature service, Custom Blend, is only available to those who already had their color profile done before Prescriptives left stores. If you haven't got your color profile online, though, don't lose hope. You could always buy a couple of bottles of foundation and re-create it at home.

What We're Sweet on: an $11 Wrinkle Reducer

Miriam Lacey — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 10:09:10 PST

Retinol is one of the few topicals that are incontrovertibly proven to reduce fine lines and improve skin texture. You can get prescription retinoids like Retin-A, but if you want a gentler, over-the-counter option, you'll find that not all serums are particularly effective. Which is why the retinol facial serum ($11) from Sally Beauty Supply is an amazing deal. It contains a huge dose of retinyl palmitate in a gentle base, so you get immediate results without any "adjustment" period for your skin, and it's so inexpensive that you don't have to feel guilty about using it on your décolleté, shoulders, or anywhere else that needs to get its glow back. Just don't forget to use sunscreen, since it does make your skin solar-sensitive.

Should Plan B Be Over the Counter For Girls Under 17?

Tara Sharp — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 11:20:00 PST

An initiative to make Plan B available over the counter for all ages has been vetoed. The FDA recommended yesterday that based on scientific data the morning-after pill is safe, effective, and should be available to women of all ages without a prescription. But an official from the US Department of Health and Human Services nixed the decision on the basis that girls under 17 don't have the maturity to understand the use and risks of Plan B.

Those who support the FDA's recommendation believe girls will be too scared to ask their parents or doctors for a morning-after pill prescription, and that having it more easily accessible will help prevent teen pregnancies. But antiabortion groups are happy with the decision to keep the drug prescription-only for girls 16 and under, with one spokeswoman saying, "they make vulnerable women and girls even more at risk to abusers who may acquire the drugs to cover up their criminal behavior."

Even President Obama defends the Plan B decision "as the father of two daughters."

But I want to know, what do you think about the accessibility of the morning-after pill? Should young girls be able to use emergency contraception without a prescription, or do you believe they aren't mature enough to handle it on their own?