Q: My doctor prescribed atenolol for high blood pressure. Over the years, I have experienced a lot of side effects: fatigue, brain fog, insomnia and nightmares as well as hair loss. My asthma has become a lot worse.

I thought these problems might just be due to hitting middle age. I am a 48-year-old African American woman and many of my Black friends were having the same troubles. Then I learned that about 80% of them were also taking atenolol.

I quit the medication and started feeling much better. Several of my friends are weaning off their pills, too. Is there anything we should know?

A: Physicians have been debating the role of beta blockers as first-line blood pressure medicines for years. An editorial in the journal Hypertension (Jan. 12, 2022) questions whether beta blockers such as atenolol are optimally effective for Black patients.

There are many treatments other than beta- blockers that can help control high blood pressure.

Q: I’ve had pollen and other allergies since I was 13 — a long time ago. I went to an allergist who had me bring him a full vacuum cleaner bag from my home. It contained dust, cat hair and probably pollen. He had a serum made from it and gave me shots. I’ve never had problems with cats or dust since then, but I still reacted drastically to ragweed.

To address that, he prescribed NasalCrom. Unfortunately, he neglected to tell me that it would be a week or two for it to take effect. After a few days, I decided it didn’t work. Several decades later, I discovered that it worked spectacularly if I kept taking it regularly.

A: NasalCrom (cromolyn sodium) is often overlooked in treating allergies because it is not an antihistamine, a corticosteroid or a decongestant. Also, as you mentioned, it must be taken preventively.

NasalCrom is no longer a prescription product. This mast cell stabilizer can be purchased over the counter. Many pharmacies no longer carry it, but it is available online. As you discovered, this nasal spray takes a few days to work but can be highly effective.

Q: I was prescribed hydroxychloroquine to deal with the pain of rheumatoid arthritis. The response was positive. The pain was under control.

However, after taking it for three months, I began to have red spots and skin problems on my hands, arms and legs. My dermatologist diagnosed a reaction to the medicine and instructed me to stop taking it and apply a steroid cream to the affected areas.

Was hydroxychloroquine tested for its long-term effects? Is this reaction common? It seems to be diminishing but I wonder if it will totally disappear.

A: Skin reactions to hydroxychloroquine are well-recognized and can be serious. Some people develop Stevens-Johnson syndrome, while others may experience toxic epidermal necrolysis. Both of these conditions may be life-threatening. Such reactions can be delayed several weeks or months.

We’re glad you are getting better, but you may want to check in with an allergist or immunologist. Stay out of the sun to avoid making the problem worse.

Q: An endocrinologist recommended that I try to keep my vitamin D levels between 50 and 60 to help my thyroid and avoid pre-diabetes. My level recently hit 82.

Since I was then told to take my supplement every other day, I am guessing that is too high. What can you tell me about the benefits and risks of this vitamin as well as the appropriate blood level?

A: Most experts counsel patients that 25 hydroxyvitamin D (the compound measured in a blood test) should be above 30 and possibly not higher than 50 ng/mL. A level of 82 is definitely on the high side, so it is smart of you to cut back a bit on your supplement.

In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Send questions to them via www.peoplespharmacy.com.