Health Advice

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Head Lice – Help!!!

Every parent’s heart sinks when they receive the dreaded note from school warning about head lice. Don’t worry – Jane Brennan from Brennan’s Life Pharmacy in Donabate is here to to give us advice and tips. The first thing to do is to check the child’s head. You will need some tea tree conditioner, a... Read more >

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Are You SunSmart?

We ask Jane Brennan from Brennan’s Life Pharmacy Donabate how to make the most of great sunny summer days whilst protecting our skin from harmful rays. Jane says “The Irish Cancer Society SunSmart program has great guidelines to keep us safe. See below for some useful tips and advice” Ways to protect your skin: Shade... Read more >

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Pollen Highs & Watery Eyes

Pollen Highs & Watery Eyes… Talk to Jane Brennan, your Hay Fever Expert in Donabate Are your eyes itchy, red or watery? Is your throat scratchy? Are you sneezing? Do you have itchy ears, nose or mouth? Do you have a blocked or runny nose? Do you wake up feeling exhausted? Hay fever can cause... Read more >

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Life Pharmacy Ireland – Live Better

Bringing you the best health advice for your family

NHS Choices - "The night sweats really got me"

(21/08/2014)

Barbara Hunt, a retired civil servant from Canterbury, Kent, has had a rollercoaster ride with the menopause and HRT.

“I was 51 when I had my first hot flush. My periods had been erratic for six months, so I realised I was approaching the menopause. Then the flushes started with a vengeance.

“My GP immediately suggested HRT. This was when it was being hailed as the wonder drug. I started off with patches. I still had periods, but at least the flushes went away.

“After four years, I heard about its possible side effects and decided to stop taking it. The flushes returned and I got night sweats, too. Heat would suddenly engulf me, then disappear just as quickly. The night sweats were really hard. I was waking up every half-hour and got so little sleep that going back on HRT seemed my only option.

“I started taking it again. To my relief, the flushes and sweats are a thing of the past. I’m now trying to wean myself off the patches by cutting a third off them each time. Having gone on HRT, it seems to be such a tough job to get off it. I sometimes wonder whether, if I’d never taken it, the flushes might be over by now.”