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THE HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL
Can I get a higher dose and half the pill?
Dear David, currently I
am taking 0.075 mg levothy
roxine sodium daily for
hypothyroidism. I noticed
there is a score line on the
tablets where one can cut
them in half. Would it be
possible for my doctor to
prescribe the higher dose of
0.15 mg tablets with instruc
tions to cut the tablets and
take only one half tablet per
day?
Dear reader, scored
levothyroxine tablet can be
cut in half, so your physician
could prescribe the higher
dose for you. In fact, some
insurance companies now
recommended just this pro
cedure, for tablets that can
be halved (as a cost saving
measure for them - the
patient’s co-pay is often
exactly the same) since
fewer tablets must be pre
scribed.
Perry PD searching for fast food forgers
By MIKE GEORGE
HHJ Staff Writer
The Perry Police
Department is investigating
a mysterious forgery case at
the Harvey’s Supermarket
on Main Street. Police
released few details on the
case, but the three forgeries
resembled fast food payroll
checks - two from Wendy’s
and one from Arby’s -
according to Capt. Bill
Phelps with the Perry Police
Department. The forgeries
were reported on the
Morningside ES Student Council helps animals
.jf ‘
Wmmm::. *f3m* *
...
submitted
Morningside Elementary Student Council members collected food for the Perry Animal
Shelter. Student council members work to help their school and others in the commu
nity. One of the projects the students chose this school year was to help the local ani
mal shelter. The members decorated posters asking for pet food donations and hung
them throughout the school. Susan Sammons, who works at Perry Curves, also helped
to collect pet food for the Student Council. Members of the Perry Animal Control
Officer Hanna Barrett and Perry Police Officer Tony Sellers plus a few of the Perry
Animal Shelter volunteers and their children brought a truck to Morningside and the
students and volunteers loaded the food.
Troutman accepts citizenship award
Secretary of State Cathy Cox
(right) recently presented
Northside High School student
Daniel Troutman with a 2005
Excellence in Citizenship
Award. The Excellence in
Citizenship Awards recognize
high school seniors from
across the state of Georgia
who voluntarily give of their
time in the community, main
tain a good scholastic and
attendance record, and
through their leadership, set an
example for their fellow peers.
(submitted
Brown accepts citizenship award
Secretary of State Cathy Cox
(right) recently presented
Perry High School student
Catherine Brown with a 2005
Excellence in Citizenship
Award. The Excellence in
Citizenship Awards recog
nize high school seniors from
across the state of Georgia
who voluntarily give of their
time in the community, main
tain a good scholastic and
attendance record, and
through their leadership, set
an example for their fellow
peers.
(submitted
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• 1 -1
David Voltz
Pharmacy Q&A
voltzrph@hotmail.com
However, there are a few
things to consider before
deciding if this is something
you want to do.
First, check with your
pharmacist to find out
exactly what the cost sav
ings to you will be. Since you
are already taking the
POLICE
BEAT
evening of Aug. 27.
Lights out
Officer Andrew Borders
was patrolling on Ball Street
shortly before 2 a.m. Aug.
26. When he stopped a white
Jeep Cherokee with a tail
light out driven by Derek
Allen Leonard, 33, of 1101
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generic version of this prod
uct, there may not be that
much difference in price
between the strengths, even
if you receive a large quanti
ty-
Also, if your medication is
covered by an insurance
plan, they may have a day’s
supply limitation in the cov
erage that may negate any
truly significant savings by
limiting the number of
tablets that may be dis
pensed.
For example, the insur
ance company may allow
only 30 of the lower strength
or 15 of the higher strength
tablets to be dispensed
based on how many days of
therapy each of these quan
tities represent. Your phar
macist will be glad to discuss
your options based on your
specific situation.
Second, think about the
Tucker Road in Perry, he
found a green, leafy sub
stance, according to authori
ties. Leonard was charged
with possession of marijua
na-less than one ounce.
Phelps would not release
further details on the arrest
because the case is pending
trial.
Click it or ticket
Officer Kevin Noles was
patrolling on Perimeter
Road late in the morning of
LOCAL
convenience factor. Do you
really want to have to cut
tablets in half every day?
Some people just don’t want
the bother.
If this is not a problem for
you, then I would recom
mend that you purchase a
pill-splitter (also called a
pill-cutter) from your local
pharmacy in order to ensure
that your tablets are as
accurately halved as possi
ble. Make sure you know the
proper way to use the split
ter before leaving the phar
macy.
Lastly, levothyroxine is a
medication that requires
individualized dosing and
frequent follow-up lab tests
to monitor therapy. Half of
the higher strength tablet
may not deliver the exact
same dose as the lower
strength tablet. This may
Aug. 27 when he reportedly
noticed a woman driving a
green Honda Civic without
her seat belt fastened.
Khadijah Ceasar, 26, St.
Petersburg, Fla., was also
apparently driving with a
suspended license, according
to Phelps. She was cited for
both offenses.
Where's the fight?
Officer Jason Kelley was
dispatched to Roughton
Street shortly before 1 a.m.
Local student named To Reinhardt College Dean's Ust
Lori Roberts of Warner
Robins was among the 281
students named to the
Reinhardt College Dean’s
List for Spring Semester
2005.
A Reinhardt Dean’s List
student must maintain a
3.5 grade-point average
Perry Country Club
September 29, 2005-12:00 Noon
Y Purpose Y Time
To raise funds for Ken Simpson, an ! “ A 9^ c^ oon
outstanding Rotary Club member 1:0 ° Sno, S un Start
w Place f Cost
¥ Perry Country Club ® S4O per person
100 N. Davis Dr. sl6operteam
f , Date FimUTtaL
* September 29, 2005 Hole in one contest
Door Prizes
Registration
All fees must be paid by noon, September 29. For more info call Mike Gray at 987-1415
Sponsor Package Hole Sponsor: SIOO
Sponsorships are available Receives a sign on hole and lunch for two
Putting Green Sponsor: SIOO Club House Sponsor: $250
Receives a sign on green Receives a sign in clubhouse,
and lunch for two one team and lunch for four
Mulligans
Mulligans are available for $5.00 ea. Limit two per person. Purchase of
Mulligan entitles bearer to be eligible for door prizes.
Lunch
Registration includes lunch, cart and
18 holes. Lunch provided by
if^AVIS
jjjkdr oiL COMPANY
Club Raffle
Donate SIO.OO for a chance to win
a new set of Callaway X-18 irons!
You do not need to be present to
win.
Ken Simpson is an outstanding
Rotarian and devoted husband and
father. Please join us in raising funds
to help Ken in his battle against
cancer.
result in fluctuations (albeit
probably small) in blood lev
els of the medication.
While this most likely
wouldn’t cause any prob
lems, it would be best to dis
cuss this with your physi
cian. And if you do begin
halving tablets, it might be a
good idea to have a follow-up
blood level drawn after for
to six weeks of therapy. Of
course, the expense of the
lab test may also negate any
savings in prescription
price.
And keep in mind that
with thyroid medication, it
is a good idea to have a fol
low-up blood level done any
time there is any change in
dosage. This ensures that
you are receiving proper
therapy and minimizes inci
dences of symptoms and side
effects.
Aug. 27 when police heard
reports of a fight. When
Kelley got there, he found
Educ Suarez, 23, of 5
Roughton St., sitting in a
Dodge Caravan. After
administering a
Breathalyzer test, Suarez
was charged with drinking,
drunkenness and intoxica
tion.
Video Warehouse
prosecutes shoplifters
A 17-year-old Perry man
based on successful comple
tion of a minimum of 12
semester credits with no
grade less than a B.
With an overall enroll
ment around 1,000 stu
dents, Reinhardt is a four
year liberal arts institution
Perry Rotary Club
Fall Scramble
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2005 ♦
And make sure to discuss
the change with both your
pharmacist and physician
and make sure it is in your
best interest. Because no
cost saving is worth poorer
health.
Thanks to the reader for
their question and their
proactive role in their
healthcare.
If you have any questions
regarding medications or
pharmacy practice in gener
al, or comments, or sugges
tions for topics you’d like to
read about in this column,
just write to me. I can receive
email via voltzrph@hot
mail.com or postal mail at
Pharmacy Q&A, do The
Houston Home Journal, P.O.
Box 1910, Perry, GA 31069.
All questions are confiden
tial, so you don’t have to give
your name.'
was charged with theft by
shoplifting at the Video
Warehouse on Ball Street
Aug. 26.
According to Phelps, the
teen had concealed a DVD in
his pants, and was spotted
by a clerk in the store, who
called police. Officer Craig
Fowler made the arrest, but
did not reveal what DVD the
boy attempted to steal,
according to Phelps. The
captain declined to identify
the suspect.
with a residential Main
Campus in Cherokee
County and an off-campus
center in Alpharetta.
Affiliated with The United
Methodist Church,
Reinhardt offers programs
in 29 fields of study.
Name . .
Address
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1 1 Please assign me to a foursome
I I Please include these people in
—* my foursome
N a me, _________
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