Q. I have had nosebleeds all my life. Some are minor, but some have been so severe that I have been taken to the emergency room. My veins have been cauterized several times. My pockets are always stuffed with tissues.

A few years ago, my ENT suggested using Afrin-soaked cotton balls in my nose to stop a bleed. This treatment was quite successful. However, I found “Nampons” (nosebleed plugs). They are small, individually wrapped plugs with a clotting agent. They really work, and they’re so convenient. I keep them in my purse or pocket and am always prepared.

A. Thanks for alerting us to this interesting product. When the plug goes into a bleeding nostril, it expands to exert pressure on the affected blood vessel. It also absorbs blood. In addition, it contains a clotting agent called micro-oxidized cellulose.

Q. You heard from a reader who was on the blood pressure pill HCTZ and having trouble. She should discuss this drug with her doctor.

I was on it for years, thinking it was a harmless “water pill.”

When I switched doctors, the new one did a study of my problems, symptoms and prescriptions. We discovered that HCTZ was raising my blood sugar. Years of use probably contributed to my diabetes diagnosis.

In addition, this diuretic counteracts the effects of losartan on potassium. Losartan increases potassium levels while HCTZ lowers them! This is confusing.

A. Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) is a common diuretic (water pill) used to treat high blood pressure. It is frequently added to other blood pressure medications. Researchers recognize that HCTZ can raise blood glucose levels, even though they don’t fully understand the mechanism (Frontiers in Pharmacology, March 28, 2025).

You are correct that the effects on potassium can be confusing. Diuretics like HCTZ deplete the body of this crucial mineral. Both ACE inhibitors, like lisinopril, and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs), such as losartan, tend to preserve or even boost potassium levels. That is why it is crucial to monitor potassium while on such medications.

Q. I had toenail fungus, and a foot doctor prescribed 90 days of a pill that he said might cause liver damage and might not get rid of the fungus. When I asked my internal medicine doctor, he casually suggested smearing Vicks VapoRub on the nail.

I used Vicks nightly with plastic wrap over the Vicks to keep it from coming off on my socks. I think my body heat and the plastic helped the Vicks penetrate better. My toes now look great after four months, and my heels look good too!

A. Toenail fungus can be quite challenging to treat. As your foot doctor told you, oral antifungal prescriptions such as terbinafine or itraconazole can harm the liver.

A trial of topical Vicks VapoRub makes sense. We first heard about this alternative treatment from a foot care nurse in Massachusetts.

Other nurses have also embraced this approach (JANAC, January-February 2016).

There are only a few studies involving this old-fashioned aromatic medication. Ingredients in Vicks do have anti-fungal properties, though.

You can learn more about using Vicks VapoRub against toenail fungus in our “eGuide to Favorite Home Remedies.” This online resource may be found under the Health eGuides tab at www.PeoplesPharmacy.com. You will find many other inexpensive approaches to common conditions in this guide. Treating nail fungus requires patience, as the nail grows so slowly.

In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them in care of King Features, 300 W. 57th Street, 41st Floor, New York, NY 10019, or email them via their website: www.PeoplesPharmacy.com. Their newest book is “Top Screwups Doctors Make and How to Avoid Them.”