Q. Journavx works for me. I rarely need an opioid like Norco (hydrocodone and acetaminophen) or an NSAID like Celebrex when I’m on it.
Now my pain specialist says it is limited to three months a year. So, I’m done for 2025.
She says she is doing everything she can to find a way around that restriction for her patients who have responded positively, as I have. Please help!
A. The pain-relieving drug Journavx (suzetrigine) was approved by the Food and Drug Administration on January 30, 2025. It is a completely new kind of non-opioid analgesic for moderate to severe acute pain.
It is possible that the word “acute” is the problem. This medication has not received a green light for chronic pain, which appears to be your problem.
Doctors can prescribe Journavx for trauma to tissue, such as after an accident or surgery. The problem occurs when someone has long-lasting pain.
The FDA does not regulate the practice of medicine, though. So, a pain specialist could prescribe Journavx longer than a few days or weeks. Insurance might not cover this pricey medicine for extended periods of time, though. With a GoodRx coupon, the cost could run between $480 and $520 for 30 pills.
Q. I wonder why you have not mentioned Alka-Seltzer for indigestion. I have found it really helps if I get heartburn in the middle of the night. Usually just one of the two tablets in the packet is enough, and it works pretty quickly.
This is super handy when I travel. I just take a couple of the foil packets in my toiletry bag because they don’t take up much space.
A. Alka-Seltzer got its start in the 1930s. This antacid used to advertise “Plop, Plop, Fizz, Fizz, Oh, what a relief it is!” That’s because the original effervescent tablets contained citric acid, sodium bicarbonate and aspirin.
When sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and citric acid are combined in a glass of water, you get a fizzy drink that helps neutralize stomach acid. It works quickly to ease heartburn symptoms. So does half a teaspoon of baking soda in 4 ounces of water.
You can learn more about Alka-Seltzer and many other options for easing heartburn at any time of the day in our “eGuide to Overcoming Digestive Disorders.” This online resource is available under the Health eGuides tab at www.PeoplesPharmacy.com.
In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them in care of King Features, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803, or email them via their website: www.PeoplesPharmacy.com. Their newest book is “Top Screwups Doctors Make and How to Avoid Them.”
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