HIV and ID Observations

November 8th, 2012

Steroids for Bell’s Palsy and the ID Doctor

OK, let’s imagine you’ve just gotten a call/email/text from one of your colleagues about Bell’s palsy; he/she is a busy PCP who periodically asks you very reasonable ID questions. I suspect it went something like this: COLLEAGUE:  Hi Friendly ID Doctor, quick question — I have a patient with Bell’s palsy — wondering whether to give him […]

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January 4th, 2012

How Does Herpes Treatment Trigger a Positive Test for Performance-Enhancing Drugs?

Here’s my guess on how many of this blog’s readers know the following “facts”: Acyclovir and related drugs are used to treat herpes: nearly 100% Ryan Braun, superstar left fielder for the Milwaukee Brewers, is facing a 50 game suspension for testing positive for elevated levels of a “banned substance”, most likely testosterone: 10% Braun has […]

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December 28th, 2009

Holiday Surprise: Generic Valacyclovir

Last week one of my patients went to refill a Valtrex prescription, and was offered generic valacyclovir for the first time.  It made him nervous, so he requested I write a “brand-name only” script. I confess the existence of a generic formulation of valacyclovir — which according to the PharmD here has been available for several […]

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