Flu advice found at pharmacy
Senior Angela Allred spent more than 20 days on bedrest over the Christmas Break due to a virus she calls “a mixture between the flu and a cold.”
“Doing the littlest things like taking a bath would exhaust me, but my biggest problem was the 103 fever,” Allred said.
She said she started feeling under the weather during finals week. She attributes her illness to “little sleep, stressing too much and running outside.”
Allred is just one of many students hit by sickness this winter. The problem, however, is many students are away from home and their family doctors when the symptoms hit. So what options are available to students who find themselves sniffling and doctor-less?
A common source often overlooked is the local pharmacist. A pharmacist does more than just count and push pills. Pharmacists have a doctorate degree that requires six years of studying about physics, inorganic and organic chemistry to obtain. According to the Pre-Pharmacy Informational Learning Leadership Society, a pharmacist is responsible, “for consulting patients about medication and answering any questions a patient may have concerning drug therapy … and are equipped with more extensive knowledge about medication than a medical doctor.”
“If you have any questions about a medication, just ask your pharmacist,” said pharmacist Reed Conger, owner of Reed’s Pharmacy in Hyrum.
Finding a good pharmacist however, can be like finding a needle in a haystack. The Cache Valley phone book has listings for more than 20 pharmacies. Here are a couple of helpful hints when choosing a pharmacist according to www.BurlintonFreePress.com:
* The pharmacy you go to should have an up-to-date computer system. The computer should maintain records on any allergies you have, so that the pharmacy staff can do a cross-check when you have a prescription filled.
* Ask whether the pharmacy’s computer program monitors drug interactions. This is a helpful tool for the pharmacist and can be vital if you have multiple prescriptions.
* Is it clean and well-lit?
*Does the pharmacy stock many different items to help out in the event you need extra care?
Washing hands frequently, staying away from tight, closed-in spaces and getting enough rest were at the top of many pharmacists’ lists about how to stay healthy.
Paul Price, a pharmacist at Spence’s North Pharmacy, said, “Get a flu shot.”
Price went on to explain about a relatively new drug, Echinacea, for those who may be looking for other options. It is an immunity enhancer that helps build up your white blood cells and help fight viruses. The drug is only helpful if taken about a month before being exposed.
In addition to local pharmacists, another helpful resource students may overlook is the USU Student Health and Wellness Center.
Senior Lindsey Nelson, a special education major, said she loves the Student Health and Wellness Center.
“The people there know me on a first-name basis,” she said. “They are just really friendly and get you in and out quickly.”
The center’s mission is “to provide basic medical care with outpatient, primary care, pharmacy, laboratory and health education services to the students at Utah State University in a convenient environment.”
The center is open daily 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and is located at 850 E. 1200 North.
So, for everyone out there who find yourself alone in the world of sickness, let a local pharmacist and Student Health and Wellness Center be the light that guides you back to the harbor of good health.
-stephhafen@cc.usu.edu