"Antibiotic use is a short-term risk factor for symptomatic vulvovaginal candidiasis, either as a first episode or in form of recurrence. Increasing duration of antibiotic use is directly related with an increased prevalence of Candida vaginal infection." - Am J Obstet Gynecol 1999 Jan

"The spectrum of diarrheal disease associated with antibiotic therapy ranges from antibiotic associated diarrhea and colitis, to more severe pseudomembranous colitis, which is always associated with Clostridium difficile (CD)." - Acta Gastroenterol Latinoam 1996

The FDA approves unsafe drugs if they are effective enough.

"No drug product is "perfectly" safe. Every single drug that affects body will have some side effects. Since FDA considers both benefits and risks of all medications before approval, side effects are generally not serious. For every drug FDA approves, benefits are balanced against its risks. In addition, FDA makes sure labeling (package insert) outlines benefits and risks reported in tested population. You and your health-care provider should decide together if benefits outweigh risks for YOU. Talking about your medicines with your health-care provider is just as important and good for your health as a complete check-up and taking your medicine as directed." - Frequently asked questions from Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) at FDA

"The benefit-risk ratio weighs benefits provided by a drug, versus risks or safety problems that may be associated with use of drug. No drug can be considered to be totally safe. Drugs that are associated with more significant safety problems are expected to have sufficiently greater benefits to justify increased risk." - Questions and Answers from CDER's Over-the-Counter Drug Products Public Hearing (FDA)

What does benefit-risk mean to us?

"There are categories that, from my perspective, clearly fall out where benefits unequivocally outweigh risks... I think physicians very frequently discuss risk-benefit ratios for all sorts of treatments, and it ultimately comes down to a decision between patient and doctor." - Questions and Answers from CDER's Over-the-Counter Drug Products Public Hearing (FDA)

Adverse drug reactions (ADRs):

Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen "Gastrointestinal (GI) Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs) from +NSAIDs are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in arthritic patients taking these drugs... Clearly, need to develop newer NSAIDs with lower risks of ulcers and bleeding as well as symptomatic ADRs is still representing a major challenge." - J Physiol Paris 2001

High dosage Steroid use (e.g. in Asthma or COPD) "High dose of inhaled steroids may lead to adrenocortical suppression and hence estrogen deficiency in postmenopausal women" - J Allergy Clin Immunol 1989 Feb

"the daily dose, but not duration, of inhaled steroid therapy may adversely affect bone density" (osteoporosis) - J Allergy Clin Immunol 1995 Aug

"The potential risks of antiasthmatic inhaled steroid therapy are essentially dose-related and include oropharyngeal complications such as:

thrush and dysphonia, and systemic complications such as hyperactivity behavioural change hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis suppression facial and weight changes characteristic of hypercortisonism cataracts increased intraocular pressure dermal atrophy causing steroid purpura retarded growth in children and osteoporosis. A few cases of fracture or acute adrenocortical insufficiency have been reported." - Can Respir J 1998

This last article is subtitled "First do no harm" after Hippocratic Oath taken by most MD's.

Drug Misadventures: "Still, we know from studies published to date that drug misadventures account for: 8-10% of admissions of patients to hospitals 25% of admissions to hospitals by persons age 65 years of age or older 10-15% of visits to emergency rooms in some urban settings 4.5 drug order errors per 1000 drug orders in hospitals Significant decreases in quality of life (due to inappropriate prescribing, e.g., of hypnotics for elderly) 2 in 1000 deaths in hospitals, and Deterioration or destruction of specific organs." - from "Toward defining and applying a higher standard of quality for medication use in United States" from American Society of Health-System Pharmacists

So in summary, it's clear that no medicine is totally safe. Except perhaps prayer!

Hopefully comparison above is telling- risks of most western medical interventions are greater than in acupuncture.

So, I ask you- if it works and it's safer, why is it an "alternative"?

So make an appointment to get treated with acupuncture and herbs! In meantime, try out some of these dietary suggestions:

Cut back on your sugar intake. Take a break from coffee, chocolate, colas (tough for a lot of people, but think about feeling better!) Eat more tryptophan-rich foods such as turkey, bananas, figs, whole grain crackers, figs, and dates. Eat more foods rich in phyto-estrogens and progesterones: soy flours and beans, red clover sprouts, yams, and linseed. Eat more foods with high indoles: for example, brussel sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage.