EXHIBITS
`
`Proceeding/Serial No: 91184978
`
`Filed:
`
`2/22/2011
`
`Title: EXHIBITS TO THE JAN. 13, 2011
`
`DEPOSITION OF ROHINISH HOODA FILED
`
`WITH ESTTA ON 2/22/2011
`
`Part: 2
`
`of
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`3
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`His team's failure to disclose the biopsy in February, while McCain was still fending off primary
`rivals, and the minor surgery this month reflected the campaign's sensitivity to questions about
`the 71-year-old candidate's age, health and abilities to carry out presidential duties.
`
`"Sen. McCain enjoys excellent health and displays extraordinary energy," Eckstein said, and "I
`and my colleagues can find no medical reason or problems that would preclude Sen. McCain
`from fulfilling all the duties and obligations of the President."
`
`The conference call with the medical team followed the limited disclosure of more than 1,000
`pages of medical records to a pool of reporters, who were allowed access to them for three hours
`but not permitted to make copies.
`
`Following the limited document dump at the start of a long holiday weekend, the campaign also
`released the top two pages of the 2006 tax returns of his wife, Cindy McCain, showing she made
`more than $6 million from her family's beer distributorship and paid $1.7 million in taxes. The
`couple file their taxes separately. rsisk@nydai|ynews.comWHAT'S AILING JOHN AGE:
`71 HEIGHT: 5-feet- 9WE|GHT:163 poundsvertigolnvasive melanoma removed fromleft temple in
`2000Cataract surgeryArthritis in both shoulders, likely to need artificial jointsMelanoma removed
`from left shoulder in 1993Me|anoma removed upper left arm in 2000Melanoma removed from his
`nose in 2002Kidney stonesPo|yps removed from colon earlier this yearSurgery to reduce
`enlarged prostateArthritis in right kneeSquamous cell carcinoma removed from right shin earlier
`this yearBLOOD PRESSURE: A robust 134 over 84 CHOLESTEROL: A healthful 192BODY
`MASS INDEX: A healthful 24He was a two-pack-a-day smoker until quitting in 1980WHAT HE'S
`TAKlNGSimvastatin to lower cholesterolHydrochlorothiazide to prevent kidney stonesAmiIoride to
`preserve potassium Baby aspirin to ward off heart attackZyrtec/ Claritin/Flonase for nasal
`allergiesAmbien CR to help him sleep when trave|ingA multivitamin tablet
`
`
`The Monterey County Herald Online (Monterey, CA)
`Headaches, allergies a bad mix
`May 23, 2008
`
`Dear Dr. Gott: I suffer from headaches associated with allergies and have tried numerous
`medications without much success. With spring here, the grass growing and flowers blooming,
`I'm really in a bind to find something I feel safe taking. Do you have any suggestions?
`
`Dear Reader: Allergies and headaches can be difficult to deal with and seem to affect us all at
`some point in our lives. Worse still, they seem to occur only at important occasions or other
`inappropriate times. You don't indicate what you have taken for relief, so I hope I can point you in
`the right direction.
`
`Visit your local pharmacy to see what is available over the counter. There are several allergy
`products on the market. You may want to try Claritin, formerly a prescription medication now
`approved for over-the-counter sale. The newest prescription-turned-OTC is Zyrtec. If you stop the
`allergies, you should be able to prevent the headaches.
`
`If you prefer homeopathic choices, I recommend Sinol, which is the first headache nasal spray
`registered with the Food and Drug Administration. It is purported to relieve headache pain and
`also comes in an aIIergy—re|ief spray. It supposedly reduces, prevents and/or stops sinus pain, as
`well as congestion and inflammation. It is nonaddictive and free of harsh side effects.
`
`If you need some guidance, speak with a pharmacist, who may be able to provide more
`information about the types of medication that will best control your symptoms and provide
`prompt relief. If you still have questions, make an appointment with your primary-care physician
`for his or her recommendations.
`
`McNeil 000393
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`

`
`Dear Dr. Gott: My husband is suffering from nerve damage caused by knee surgery. He is
`currently using Lidoderm patches and Neurontin to help control the pain. The patches cause him
`to have a bad taste in mouth, and the Neurontin makes him very drowsy. He would rather use
`something natural and stop the prescription medications. Do you have any suggestions?
`
`Dear Reader: Nerve damage is a common consequence ofjoint surgery. in most cases, it is
`minor and short-lived. Your husband, however, appears to have severe damage with resulting
`pain. His doctor has taken appropriate steps to help him, but nerve pain can be very difficult to
`treat. Also, your husband needs to return to his physician to report the side effects of the
`medications.
`
`I have received many letters from people with nerve pain in their feet caused by diabetes. I often
`recommend Neurontin. However, your husband is currently taking it and would prefer a
`nonprescription, so l recommend Vicks VapoRub rubbed onto the affected area as often as
`needed. Many patients have had stunning success, but it doesn't work for everyone. If this is the
`case, I recommend you return to the surgeon for further advice.
`
`Write to Dr. Gott c/o United Media, 200 Madison Ave., 4th fl., New York, N.Y. 10016.
`
`
`Associated Press
`A look at McCain's health records
`
`May 23, 2008
`
`Republican presidential candidate John McCain's campaign allowed The Associated Press to
`review his medical records, spanning 2000 through May 2008. Highlights of the records:
`
`--His most recent complete physical was in March; his latest checkup was last week.
`
`--Blood pressure was 134 over 84. Optimal is below 120 over 80, and high blood pressure begins
`at 140 over 90. An in-between reading is sometimes called prehypertension, but McCain's doctor
`said other recent readings were lower and his blood pressure is normal.
`
`--Total cholesterol is a healthy 192, below the worrisome 240 level. His so-called bad or LDL
`cholesterol is a healthy 123. But his so-called good or HDL cholesterol is 42, below the
`recommended 60.
`
`--He weighs 163 pounds and is 5 feet 9 1/2 inches tall.
`
`--His BMl, or body mass index, was just under 24, which puts him at upper end of normal; 25 or
`higher is oven/veight.
`
`--He has had four separate melanomas removed, in 1993, 2000 and 2002. Most were very early
`stage forms but one, a spot on his temple in 2000, was invasive cancer deemed "intermediate-
`stage" melanoma. He has had no sign of melanoma since 2002, but has his skin checked every
`three or four months. Doctors frequently remove precancerous lesions and in February removed
`a small, early squamous cell carcinoma, an easily surgically cured skin cancer.
`
`--Doctors removed common benign growths called polyps during a routine colonoscopy in March.
`Doctors often screen patients with polyps more frequently, as they can be precancerous.
`
`--He has suffered occasional bouts of dizziness, usually when standing suddenly, since 2000 that
`repeated tests concluded were harmless vertigo.
`
`--In 2001, he had successful minimally invasive surgery to reduce an enlarged prostate, common
`in older men, and shows no sign of prostate cancer.
`
`McNeil 000394
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`

`
`--His medications include simvastatin, part of the popular statin family of anti-cholesterol drugs; a
`baby aspirin, commonly prescribed starting in middle age to prevent heart attacks; Claritin, Zyrtec
`or Flonase as needed for seasonal allergies; the sleeping pill Ambien as needed during travel;
`and HCTZ, or hydrochlorothiazide, to prevent kidney stones.
`
`--McCain's stress test showed no signs of blockages, and his ejection fraction, a measure of the
`heart's pumping strength, was a very healthy 60 percent.
`
`--He has small kidney stones and benign kidney cysts that don't impact his kidney function, which
`is normal.
`
`
`CNN.com
`
`McCain in ‘excellent health,‘ doctor says
`May 23, 2008
`
`FOUNTAIN HILLS, Arizona (CNN) -- -- There's no medical reason to prevent Sen. John McCain
`from being president, the doctor for the presumptive GOP nominee said in a statement the
`McCain campaign released Friday.
`
`"At the present time, Sen. McCain enjoys excellent health and displays extraordinary energy,"
`said Dr. John D. Eckstein, an internal medicine specialist at the Mayo Clinic who has treated the
`candidate for 16 years.
`
`"While it is impossible to predict any person's future health, today I can find no medical reason or
`problems that would preclude Sen. McCain from fulfilling all the duties and obligations of
`president of the United States."
`
`McCain, who turns 72 in August, would be the oldest person to be elected to a first term as
`president if he wins in November. He has been treated for skin cancer three times and was a
`prisoner of war in the Vietnam War for 5‘/2 years.
`
`McCain has had no recurrence of skin cancer since it was surgically removed in 2000, Eckstein
`said.
`
`"We continue to find no evidence of metastasis or recurrence of the invasive melanoma as we
`
`approach the eighth anniversary of that operation," he said.
`
`"This was most recently confirmed with his comprehensive examination and tests" in March, he
`noted,andwith Dr. Suzanne M. Connolly's skin examination on May 12.
`
`"The prognosis for Sen. McCain is good because the time of greatest risk for recurrence of
`invasive melanoma is within the first few years after the surgery."
`
`Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN's chief medical correspondent who reviewed the medical records, found
`new details about the 2000 operation.
`
`The surgeon, Dr. Michael Hinni, wrote in the records that "through an abundance of caution," the
`surgery was aggressive, removing some of the senator's lymph nodes as well as the tumor.
`
`McCain developed swelling beneath the skin and had to be taken back for a second operation.
`
`Hinni said the prominence of the senator's left jaw is not a sign of cancer.
`
`McNeil 000395
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`

`
`"This is a result of an absence of soft tissue on the face in front of his ear that makes the
`
`masseter (the chewing muscle) over the jaw appear more prominent," he said in the statement
`the campaign issued. "To be clear, the swelling is not due to any evidence of cancer."
`
`McCain is checked for skin cancer every three to four months, Connolly said in the statement.
`
`He has been treated for bladder stones and has kidney stones, the clinic said, but they do not
`affect urologic function. He has no evidence of cardiovascular disease.
`
`The senator has used the Mayo Clinic in Arizona since 1992. He checks in under a pseudonym.
`
`McCain's cholesterol levels are potentially worrying, Gupta found, but his blood pressure is good.
`
`Heart disease, the leading cause of death in America, could be a risk factor for McCain because
`of his age and family history, making his blood pressure and cholesterol levels relevant.
`
`His father, Adm. John S. McCain Jr., died of a heart attack at age 70.
`
`The statement listed the medications McCain takes:
`
`- Simvastatin, a cholesterol-lowering medicine
`
`- Hydrochlorothiazide, for kidney stone prevention
`
`- Amiloride, which preserves potassium in the bloodstream
`
`- Aspirin, for blood clot prevention
`
`- Zyrtec, an antihistamine, which he uses as necessary for nasal allergies
`
`- Ambien CR, used as necessary to help him sleep when traveling
`
`- A multiple-vitamin tablet
`
`He does not take pain medication to deal with the after-effects of his Vietnam injuries, which
`resulted after his ejection from a plane in 1967 and torture as a POW, the clinic said.
`
`A leg and both his arms were broken when a Vietnamese missile shot down his U.S. Navy A-4E
`Skyhawk over Hanoi. He also was stabbed with a bayonet and punched by a mob that discovered
`him.
`
`McCain is releasing his medical records voluntarily. He did the same when he ran for president in
`2000.
`
`The two Democratic presidential candidates, Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, haven't
`released their doctors’ files.
`
`McNeil 000396
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`

`
`EXHIBIT 68
`
`

`
`Zyrtec Press Clippings
`November 2007 — October 2008
`Part 2
`
`CNN: CNN Newsroom
`
`Obama Courts Cuban Americans; Fire Erupts on U.S. Aircraft Carrier; Hagee Controversy
`Continues
`
`May 23, 2008
`By Barbara Starr, Jeffrey Toobin, Susan Candiotti, John Zarrella, Don Lemon, Brianna Keilar, Dr.
`Sanjay Gupta, Abbie Boudreau, Wolf Blitzer, Susan Lisovicz
`
`LEMON: Yes. Well, the release of John McCain's medical records puts a spotlight on presidential health.
`Being president is one of the most powerful and most stressful jobs in the world.
`
`Dr. Connie Mariano has a unique perspective on all this. She was White House physician for President
`Clinton and both President Bushes. And she joins us now from Fountain Hills, Arizona.
`
`Thank you very much forjoining us here today.
`
`OK, so we have been looking at the medical records. And real quickly, just up front, I want to show you,
`these are the stats from John McCain's medical records. It has his age —- 71 years old; his height -- 5'6"
`tall, although we heard from Sanjay Gupta at one point it said he was 5'9"; 170 -- 163 pounds; and his
`B.P. would be 134 -- which is his blood pressure -- 134 over 84.
`
`How does that seem to you?
`
`Does that seem fairly normal for someone of his age?
`
`DR. CONNIE MARIANO, FORMER WHITE HOUSE PHYSICIAN: For his age, it appears appropriate.
`
`LEMON: It appears appropriate. OK, what is it, real quick, is he 5'6" or is he 5'9?"
`
`(AUDIO GAP)
`
`LEMON: Can you hear me, doctor?
`
`MARIANO: Go ahead.
`
`LEMON: Yes. I'm saying what's with the discrepancy in height here?
`
`Is that just something that's not a big deal?
`
`MARIANO: You know, I don't know whether or how they recorded it and whether the different records
`have varied according to that. So, you know, what was the current one and depending on what it was,
`you know, 10, 20 years ago, he's going to lose some height. You worry about osteoporosis -— osteopenia,
`thinning of the bones. So there will be variations in height over time. LEMON: OK. So he may have gone
`from 5'9" to 5'6" depending on how his body reacted to age.
`
`MARIANO: Yes.
`
`LEMON: OK, we've heard...
`
`MARIANO: My...
`
`LEMON: Go ahead.
`
`,N,,,,,,,,,,,Tmm
`max 1-mm. up _
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`McNeil-PPC, rm,
`3 ‘W’
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`Opp. No, 91 134973
`Walgreen Co,
`
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`
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`
`Rolninish Hooda; Opposer Test Dcp Ex 63
`
`McNeil 000397
`
`

`
`MARIANO: My question is whether his physician, his internist, has noted this, whether he had back pain
`and other things that come to mind, certain conditions that can cause sudden accelerated height loss. So
`that's something that unless his physician has noted at, that should be looked at.
`
`LEMON: When we had when we spoke to our Dr. Sanjay Gupta here, as well, there were a litany of, you
`know, ailments that seemed minor that were listed off here. And it also talked about his cholesterol, which
`was 192; LDL bad cholesterol, 123; HDL, good cholesterol, 42. And then it talked about the medications,
`doctor, that he was on and it listed a whole, you know, thing from Zyrtec to Ambien to multi- vitamins to
`Hydroclorazide -- all kinds of things taken here. And all you say, or would you think, pretty normal for
`someone with his medical condition, right?
`
`MARIANO: They're fairly common medications. I think they had also mentioned he does take Ambien for
`sleep occasionally.
`
`My question is how often he takes that? Is it on a regular basis?
`
`LEMON: OK. The big question here is should John McCain be elected president, should the American
`people be worried, from anything that you have found in these medical records?
`
`MARIANO: I did look over the records that the Mayo Clinic has released and there wasn't anything there
`that worried me. The only thing I would question or ask his doctors to clarify or go on the record is the
`issue of any prior history of substance abuse, alcohol use, whether they're concerned about that; whether
`there's in question of neurological deficit, whether there are mental status changes, whether there's any
`evidence of mood disorder that may become a problem in the future.
`
`LEMON: OK. Now we know about the melanoma, which many Americans suffer from. And we tell people,
`you know, to wear their sunscreen and what have you, to take care of your skin, to make sure you're not
`out in the sun a lot. That would not appear -- or would it appear to be something that is of -- that is of
`concern here?
`
`MARIANO: No. He's pretty much clear. His physicians did a sentinel node biopsy at the time of his
`surgery. He's been followed very closely by an excellent dermatologist, Dr.
`
`Suzanne Connolly, who I know very well, at Mayo. And he's essentially clean of recurrence of that
`melanoma. And he gets very, very good surveillance on that. So I don't think that's an issue.
`
`LEMON: OK. And the other concern here that, you know, prisoner of war. He has gone through a lot.
`
`Mental health -- in the records, what can you tell us about that and what do you know about that?
`
`MARIANO: You know, I have not seen his prisoner of war records. I think what people need to look at is
`how is he at this current time. You know, I think the biggest test in terms of mental status is really the
`campaign in and of itself.
`
`When they're on the road, they're doing 18-hour days. They're constantly answering questions. You
`members of the press are hammering them for questions, trying to catch them, whether or not they are
`astute enough to listen to the questions and answer it correctly. So that's a tremendous mental status
`test, if anything, is to survive a presidential campaign, and then ultimately to go to the convention.
`
`How are they in terms of their speaking? Are there any lapses of memory?
`
`And then how well do they think on their feet?
`
`I think that's a very good test as to how they're operating mentally.
`
`LEMON: Dr. Connie Mariano is a former White House physician.
`
`McNeil 000398
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`

`
`We thank you for joining us in the CNN NEWSROOM.
`
`MARIANO: Thank you.
`
`LEMON: And a reminder, you can see more on this topic this weekend. Doctor Gupta explores the health
`demands of being commander- in-chief and the challenges facing presidential doctors. It's a one hour
`special report, "The First Patient: Health and The Presidency." You can catch that Saturday and Sunday,
`8:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. Eastern on CNN.
`
`KEILAR: Talk about the school of hard knocks, that is the teacher giving a student the smackdown.
`
`(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
`
`KEILAR: A major agreement has been reached in the fight against what some people view as human
`slavery. This is the end of a long battle between advocates for migrant workers and a major fast food
`chain.
`
`And here to tell us more about this now is CNN's Abbie Boudreau with our Special Investigations Unit.
`
`What's going on here?
`
`ABBIE BOUDREAU, CNN SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS UNIT CORRESPONDENT: Well, Burger King
`has agreed to pay a penny more per pound for tomatoes. That may not seem like much, but advocates
`say it will help make a huge difference for those that work in the Florida's fields.
`
`The Burger King increase follows similar increases by McDonald's and Yum! brands, which operates
`Taco Bell, KFC and other restaurants. Burger King also says it will ensure it will not buy from growers with
`poor working conditions.
`
`Now, this is a story we told you about when went to Immokalee, Florida few months ago. Police told us
`how some workers were held as slaves living and working in deplorable conditions, making hardly
`enough money, if any, to survive.
`
`Today's decision is being applauded by Senator Bernie Sanders, who announced the agreement between
`Burger King and the Florida-based Immokalee workers.
`
`(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
`
`SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I), VERMONT: With poverty in America increasing, with millions of people
`working longer hours for low wages, with a race to the bottom taking place, it was important for some of
`us to find out where that bottom was. And I expect that bottom is in Immokalee, Florida.
`
`AMY WAGNER, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, BURGER KING: We, along with other industry leaders,
`recognize that the Florida tomato harvesters are in need of better wages, working conditions and respect
`for the hard work that they do every day.
`
`(END VIDEO CLIP)
`
`BOUDREAU: Burger King also says it will work in the Coalition of Immokalee Workers to improve labor
`conditions.
`
`When we were in Florida, police showed us how some of the workers lived in these primitive migrant
`camps. We've learned at least seven investigations into slavery are undewvay right now.
`
`KEILAR: Wow. And one penny a pound. I mean that's just -- it's amazing to even think about it.
`
`McNeil 000399
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`
`CNN's Abbie Boudreau -- you're with our Special Investigations Unit.
`
`Thanks for that.
`
`BOUDREAU: Thank you.
`
`KEILAR: Don.
`
`LEMON: Well, check this out. There it is. That's a teacher and he's giving a student the smackdown. The
`video, next.
`
`(COMMERCIAL BREAK) LEMON: OK. Now it's time for Caught on Camera. And this one was caught on
`a cell phone camera. That's a Florida middle school teacher giving a 14-year-old student the old
`classroom smackdown. The teacher resigned after the video came out, though. He says it was playful
`wrestling that went just too far. The principal calls it inappropriate. The 14-year-oId's family doesn't want
`to prosecute. He says itjust went a little bit too far.
`
`Time now to check in with CNN's Wolf Blitzer.
`
`KEILAR: He is standing in "THE SITUATION ROOM" to tell us what's coming up at the top of the hour --
`Wolf.
`
`WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: It did go a little bit too far.
`
`KEILAR: Yes.
`
`BLITZER: All right, guys.
`
`Thanks very much.
`
`Coming up, the former John McCain supporter, the pastor, John Hagee, he makes a public statement, as
`we just saw, about the news media, the candidate and what he wants to happen next. We're following
`through on this story.
`
`And John McCain's medical records released. Our own Dr. Sanjay Gupta pored through hundreds of
`pages and he learned some new details about the candidate's health. We're going to have complete
`coverage coming up.
`
`Also, it's a weapon and a video recorder. Some officers hope it will help sort out exactly what happens
`during police shootings. We're going to demonstrate exactly how this new technology works.
`
`All that, guys, and a lot more coming up right here in "THE SITUATION ROOM."
`
`KEILAR: Thanks, Wolf.
`
`LEMON: Thanks, Wolf.
`
`KEILAR: And when we come back, we're going to chat with Susan Lisovicz. She's all that and a bag of
`chips.
`
`But how much are those chips, anyway, in this era of rising prices?
`
`(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
`
`KEILAR: Let's head to Wall Street now and Susan Lisovicz.
`
`McNeil 000400
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`

`
`SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Brianna.
`
`Well, the barbecue index is something that's very upsetting.
`
`(STOCK MARKET REPORT)
`
`LISOVICZ: I'll see you guys next week. Have a great long holiday weekend.
`
`LEMON: You enjoy, Susan. Have a fantastic time, whatever you do.
`
`KEILAR: And let's head now to "THE SITUATION ROOM" --
`
`LEMON: -- and Mr. Wolf Blitzer.
`
`Take it away, Wolf.
`
`Content and programming copyright 2008 Cable News Network LP, LLLP. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
`Prepared by Voxant, Inc. ( www.voxant.com) No license is granted to the user of this material other than
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`long as they provide conspicuous attribution to CNN as the originator and copyright holder of such
`material. This is not a legal transcript for purposes of litigation.
`
`
`Paso Robles Press Online (Paso Robles, CA)
`Allergy season in full bloom
`May 22, 2008
`By Julia Bluff
`
`Those who are suffering from an itchy and scratchy throat, watering eyes and frequent sneezing can take
`comfort in the fact they are not alone — it is allergy season on the Central Coast.
`
`According to Templeton-based allergist and immunologist Dr. Shields Abernathy, allergies tend to peak
`from the end of February through early July while the blooming period is in full swing. Tiny grains of
`pollen, especially from oak trees and grasses, are currently drifting in the air, wreaking havoc on those
`who are genetically predisposed to allergies.
`
`“An allergic person is just the opposite of an AIDS patient in that an allergic person has too good of an
`immune system," he said. “When foreignness, like oak pollen or mite material settles in our nose or our
`lungs, we all go to destroy it so it won't destroy us. Allergics destroy it so forcefully because of a genetic
`coding, that not only do they destroy it like normal, but the attack spills over and they hurt themselves."
`
`The immune overreaction leaves the sufferer with a runny nose and a stopped up nasal passage,
`sneezing, itchy and watering eyes and an itchy throat. In addition, some people experience tightness in
`the chest, wheezing and shortness of breath. These symptoms are often mistaken by the allergy sufferer
`as a common cold and are subsequently ignored in hopes that they will go away on their own, Abernathy
`said.
`
`“The way you differentiate is that a cold will last seven days and then stop, whereas allergies will continue
`on," he said.
`
`McNeil 000401
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`

`
`Additionally, many who have long suffered with allergies tend to forego treatment options in favor of
`toughing out the symptoms. Many patients go through what Abernathy refers to as “denial, minimization
`and accommodation.” The patient in denial refuses to believe that they even have allergies; the minimizer
`pretends that allergies aren‘t a big problem and the accommodator insists that they have had the
`symptoms so long that they have gotten used to them, he said.
`
`Allergies are incredibly common —— as many as one in five Americans suffer from them. Though allergies
`are rarely life threatening, they do have some very real consequences, Abernathy said.
`
`“There are plenty of studies that show that whereas allergies aren't life taking per se, they do cut down on
`somebody’s quality of life not being as effective at his or her work or school," he said. “So it is a big cost
`economically there.”
`
`Severe allergies lead to a number of direct complications, Abernathy said. Allergy sufferers may develop
`“Allergic Tension Fatigue Syndrome“ due to fighting the allergies all the time and literally lack of sleep.
`This makes students not perform at their maximum academically, athletically, or socially and places
`adults operating any heavy machinery or getting behind the wheel of a car into a risky situation. In
`addition, allergies may lead to life threatening complications as sinusitis, asthma, and frank anaphylaxis
`or an acute allergic reaction.
`
`Still, it is the annoyance of constant allergy symptoms that has most allergics concerned.
`
`“A non-allergic person just doesn't understand how totally affecting in bad way allergies can be to a
`person," Abernathy said.
`
`But there are a variety of very effective treatment options that cut down on the needless suffering
`resultant of allergies. The cornerstone of the al|ergic’s defense against airborne irritations is avoidance,
`Abernathy said. He recommends that those who have allergies try to stay indoors except in the early
`morning hours, after the dew has settled allergens in the air and before the wind has kicked them up
`again.
`
`‘‘If you stop that overactive immune system in the first place, then you would never have the inflammation
`engendered,” he said. “But you can’t live in a plastic bubble, so it never can be done perfectly enough."
`
`There are a number of over-the-counter medicines that are available to relieve those who are allergic to
`the symptoms that they suffer. Non—sedating anti-histamines, such as Claritin and Zyrtec, can be helpful
`for those over the age of 12. Sudafed, which can be purchased over the counter with a patient signature,
`can aid sufferers, provided they do not have any history of high blood pressure or heart disease. If
`symptoms don't improve with over-the-counter-remedies, patients should consult their doctor for more
`prescription medication options, Abernathy said.
`
`Still, for one out of four allergy patients, medication may not be enough. If the symptoms do not improve
`or the problem is chronic — meaning that a patient suffers from allergies more of the year than less —
`Abernathy suggests allergy shots.
`
`“By giving you gradationally larger amounts of what you are allergic to, we teach your body that it is a
`friend, not a foe, so you don't mount as aggressive of an attack or the attack cuts down to normalcy," he
`said.
`
`Eighty percent of those who undergo allergy shots get a positive response in terms of the severity of their
`symptoms.
`
`‘‘It is remarkable how many of that 80 percent say it is one of the best things they have ever done for
`themselves or their children,” Abernathy said.
`
`Allergy sufferers are advised to consult a doctor before beginning any treatments.
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`News10.net (ABC; Sacramento, CA)
`Allergy Sufferers Pay the Price
`May 21, 2008
`By Karen Massie
`
`A few people were out in the Rose Garden at Sacramento's McKinley Park Wednesday. The blustery
`wind kept many people inside because they suffer from allergies.
`
`Allergist Dr. Stephen Nagy knows the swirling wind will stir up pollen and spell agony for his patients.
`
`"|'|| probably hear from them tomorrow and Friday," Nagy said. "They're going to have a lot of symptoms,
`eye itching, runny nose, especially some cough and wheezing."
`
`Some of his patients get allergy shots for long term relief. But not everyone can afford them.
`
`"The insurance co-pays will range anywhere from $5 to $15 for a shot. We ask patients to stick with them
`for at least year to see how they'll do. And usually that means one shot a week for 52 weeks," Nagy said.
`
`Allergy shots are tailor-made for each patient. They also have to pay for the antigen in the injection which
`is a combination of pollens and other things to which they're allergic.
`
`"The antigen charge is $200 to $600 per year. Based on your insurance, the cost may be 50 percent,"
`Nagy said.
`
`The cost forces many people to turn to over—the-counter (OTC) medications. If they want to use Zyrtec,
`one of the antihistamines on the market, they have to be prepared to pay.
`
`"For the brand-name Zyrtec, the cost is about 80 cents a pill. The generic version cost about 50 cents a
`pill," Nagy said.
`
`Zyrtec at a one local pharmacy sells for $23 for 30 pills. The dosage is one pill a day.
`
`"That leaves patients trying to control allergy symptoms with other less expensive OTC medicines," Nagy
`said. "We also tell patients to avoid what is that they're allergic to. Keep the house closed up and drive
`around with the windows up."
`
`Nagy pointed out avoiding allergens also comes at a cost. Allergy sufferers will have to either pay more
`for rising gas prices if they drive around with the air condition on and their windows closed or they'll have
`to pay for higher electricity bills to keep their homes cool.
`
`
`Globe Gazette Online (IA)
`Weather swings bring on allergies
`May 20, 2008
`By Kristin Buehner
`
`MASON CITY — Allergy season in Iowa is coming on strong, thanks to big swings in the weather this
`spring, experts say.
`
`Dr. James Oggel of Sioux City Allergy and Asthma says spring can be pretty intense for allergy sufferers,
`especially with a wild swing in temperatures —— 80 degrees one day, 40 degrees the next.
`
`He also says windy weather makes people miserable because the wind carries pollen farther.
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`Dr. Tim Dettmer, allergist at Mercy Medical Center-North lowa, said tree pollen count is high and grasses
`and molds are a big problem, too.
`
`“We've had a lot of people come in over the last couple weeks,” he said. ‘‘It’s really picking up, in
`correlation to changes in the weather.”
`
`Tree pollination occurs primarily in April and May, with grass pollen and mold high from spring through
`fall.
`
`Ragweed becomes a problem in the fall — August and September, Dettmer said.
`
`Allergy sufferers should be tested to determine what they are allergic to “so they know what to avoid
`and/or take medications for," he said.
`
`Medications range from allergy shots, which are the most effective alernative for people with severe
`allergies, to oral medications, such as Zyrtec or Claritin-D, over-the-counter medications.
`
`Another newer option is drops that go under the tongue.
`
`Dr. Alan Li, resident with Mercy's Family Practice Residency Program, also advises patients to wash out
`their nostrils with a saline solution whenever they come in from outdoors.
`
`To reduce exposure to pollen, it is important to keep house windows closed, especially in the early-
`morning hours, limit outdoor activities and be cons