Pharmacists

When indie rocker Ted Leo comes to Los Angeles, he and his taut band the Pharmacists typically head to clubs like the El Rey and the Troubadour, where they played a packed, high-energy show last March that included a killer cover of the Waterboys' 1988 song "Fisherman's Blues. " Leo ? a tall, lean vegan who performs as if he's been plugged directly into the wall socket ? returns over the weekend, but he'll be flying solo, hauling his amp onto stages at the Mondrian Hotel (Saturday)

Drug interactions can lead to serious problems. Even taking something as seemingly benign as an over-the-counter cold medication could lead to an unpleasant, or dangerous, interaction with a so-routine-you-don't-even-think-about-it prescription drug. This panel of pharmacists can help sort out what drugs cause reactions and how to avoid unwanted ones. A live Web chat Thursday (noon EST, 11 a.m. CST, 9 a.m. PST) will feature Stefanie C. Nigro, assistant clinical professor at the University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy; Laura Hobbs, pharmacy clinical coordinator and director of the pharmacy residency program at Hartford Hospital; and Flora Harp, community practice resident for CVS/pharmacy.

Prosecutors have filed a forgery charge against a Beverly Hills pharmacist after L.A. County Sheriff Lee Baca personally launched a criminal investigation on behalf of the pharmacist's landlord, a well-connected businessman who has given Baca campaign donations and gifts. Prosecutors had declined to file charges against Afshin Nassir when detectives first submitted their case, but reconsidered after an appeal from the Sheriff's Department. Nassir had been in a dispute with Ezat Delijani that Beverly Hills police had concluded was a civil matter.

Got questions about medications? Get answers from pharmacist Briana Koertner, courtesy of a live health Web chat sponsored by the Daily Press of Newport News, Va. The chat takes place noon to 1 p.m. EDT (9 to 10 a.m. PDT) Wednesday. And don't worry if you don't know how to "chat"; there's a tutorial on the website. To participate, go to Ask the Pharmacist. If you can't make the live chat, you can read a transcript of it and past ones by going to an archive of "Live Chat Transcripts From Health.

Reports that illicit drug users may be targeting the trash at senior living facilities in search of discarded prescription-drug vials have sparked concern among a group of Santa Clarita Valley senior citizens, doctors and pharmacists. "We don't know to what degree it is happening, but it's probably happening a great deal," said Gene Dorio, a Santa Clarita physician whose patients are primarily senior citizens. "It's a potential loophole … a potential way to go under the radar and get illicit medication."

Your Nov. 30 package of stories on pharmacists ["RX: Take With Advice"] was very informative, but you and the pharmacists omitted two very important suggestions for readers: Carry a printed list of all your prescription and non-prescription drugs in your wallet or purse. Include name of drug and your dosage and frequency. I also have the list (mine and my wife's) as a memo on my BlackBerry. When you get a new prescription, read the literature that the pharmacy prints out and gives you. Arnold Daitch Northridge :: My grandfather was a pharmacist who used to compound some of his own medicines.

Your Nov. 30 package of stories on pharmacists ["RX: Take With Advice"] was very informative, but you and the pharmacists omitted two very important suggestions for readers: Carry a printed list of all your prescription and nonprescription drugs in your wallet or purse. Include name of drug and your dosage and frequency. I also have the list (mine and my wife's) as a memo on my BlackBerry. When you get a new prescription, read the literature that the pharmacy prints out and gives you. Arnold Daitch Northridge :: My grandfather was a pharmacist who used to compound some of his own medicines.

There's an old Jerry Seinfeld joke many pharmacists know all too well. It's the one in which he describes their "whole job" as taking pills from a big bottle and putting them in a little bottle. "I think that's how a lot of people see us," says Jeff Goad, an associate professor at the USC School of Pharmacy, with both frustration and good humor. FOR THE RECORD: Pharmacist advice: A Nov. 30 article about the role of pharmacists in providing drug information stated that pharmacists are generally paid on the basis of how many prescriptions they fill.

You're tired, hungry, cranky, and you've been waiting in line forever. Now your pharmacist is offering to discuss your new prescription -- the last thing on earth you want to do. Do it anyway. The warnings and descriptions on the obligatory information sheet are meant only for a general audience. Your pharmacist can offer pertinent details -- and emphasize the aspects most important for you. So don't go home without getting answers to these questions: What is the medication for?

Some drugs are so common that consumers -- at their peril -- don't think twice about them. But each drug, whether prescription or over-the-counter, poses risks. We offer a few details on five of the most-prescribed medications. Hydrocodone with acetaminophen Brand names: Vicodin, Lortab Description: A combination of a narcotic ( hydrocodone ) with a non-narcotic ( acetaminophen ) pain reliever, it's prescribed for moderate to severe pain. Pharmacists say . . . : Check the labels of any other medications you are taking to see if they contain acetaminophen, and only take one source of acetaminophen at a time.