Nose spray may help with sinus

Q: My 66-year-old husband clears his throat too much. He says he has drainage that has to be cleared in order to breathe. He has tried many products and techniques with no relief.

The prescription allergy nose spray didn’t help. We’d appreciate a solution.

A: We heard recently from a man whose wife had somewhat similar symptoms: “She has long bouts of coughing due to congestive heart failure and allergies that cause a lot of sinus drainage. The trouble is she reacts badly to most antihistamines. What can we try?”

We mentioned Nasalcrom (cromolyn). This over-thecounter nose spray is used preventively and reduces the inflammatory response to allergens.

Q: Can a United States physician prescribe to a Canadian pharmacy? I take Wellbutrin XL 300 and the price is absolutely outrageous in the U.S. The generic does not behave the same as the brand. I don’t doubt that there is 300 milligrams in the generic pills, but the way the drug is released is the problem.

My wife also pays a lot for brand-name Toprol XL to control high blood pressure. She says the generic metoprolol also has a release mechanism issue.

A: A doctor in the U.S. can fax prescriptions directly to a Canadian pharmacy. Patients could also attach a photograph or scan their prescriptions to an online pharmacy.

Prices for brand-name Toprol XL could average about $58 a month. In Canada, the same prescription might average $80 for a three-month supply.

You are right about the price of Wellbutrin XL 300. We found prices over $2,000 per month in the U.S. You could purchase this brand-name antidepressant from a Canadian pharmacy for a bit over $50 a month.