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Tuesday, October 1, 2013 – Daily News 3B FEATURES Antiviral medicines help ease shingles pain medicines; these DEAR DOCinclude codeine, TOR K: I've been tramadol and diagnosed with (when the pain is shingles. What can very severe) oxyI take for the pain? codone. DEAR READSome studies ER: Shingles, also led doctors to add known as herpes corticosteroid zoster or just drugs such as zoster, is caused Dr. K prednisone to the by the varicellaby Anthony L. zoster virus. It is Komaroff, M.D. treatment of shingles. However, as the same virus that causes chickenpox. Once more studies of this treatyou have had chickenpox, ment have been completthe varicella-zoster virus ed, it looks as though remains in your body's these medicines may offer nerve tissues. It is inac- more risks than benefits. You should also gently tive, but it can be reactivated later in life. This rinse your skin rash and blisters once or twice causes shingles. When the virus reacti- daily with cool water. vates, it causes a burning Your doctor may suggest or tingling sensation in the that you use antibiotic affected areas. A few days ointment on open areas. Shingles usually takes later, the virus causes a blistery rash. (I've put an seven to 10 days to run its illustration of this process course. Blisters may take on my website, AskDoc- several weeks to disappear torK.com.) Your affected completely. The duration skin may be so painful of pain is highly variable. people's pain and sensitive that you can- Most not even stand having decreases within two or your clothing touching the three months. However, a small numarea. One patient of mine with shingles on his fore- ber of people develop arm switched for several post-herpetic neuralgia weeks to wearing a short- and continue to have pain sleeved shirt to the office, for many months, or even something he never had years. Different medications from those used durworn to work before. If you're over age 50 ing the attack of shingles and have had shingles are effective. These pain for less than three include tricyclic drugs, days, the current recom- gabapentin and pregamendations call for doc- balin. These drugs alter tors to prescribe antiviral the way your central nermedicine to kill the virus vous system perceives that causes shingles. (If pain signals. If the pain is you are younger than 50 severe, then the more and very uncomfortable potent drugs used for the from shingles that began pain of shingles may also in the last three days, your be helpful. These include doctor may still prescribe oxycodone, morphine and methadone. antiviral therapy.) Other treatments for The two medicines recommended most often are post-herpetic neuralgia famciclovir (Famvir) and being evaluated, but as valacyclovir (Valtrex). yet unproven, include These antiviral medica- capsaicin, topical lidotions not only help shorten caine and acupuncture. the days of pain that you A shingles vaccine is have, they also help recommended for most reduce the risk of long- adults age 60 and older. lasting shingles pain, a Even though treatment condition called post-her- is effective, nothing beats preventing the petic neuralgia. The pain that accompa- condition in the first nies shingles can be place. intense. If the antiviral Dr. Komaroff is a medicine does not provide enough relief, you can physician and professor Harvard Medical take additional pain medi- at To send cines. Start with nons- School. go to teroidal anti-inflammatory questions, or drugs (NSAIDs) and AskDoctorK.com, acetaminophen. If neces- write: Ask Doctor K, 10 sary, your doctor will pre- Shattuck St., Second scribe more potent pain Floor, Boston, MA 02115. Oh Snap! The Daily News wants your photos: Cute kids, Adorable pets, Inspirational sights, Any shot you think readers would enjoy You might just see it in the Daily News Send pictures to editor@redbluffdailynews.com or drop off at 545 Diamond Ave. in Red Bluff. Include a caption. Woman feels stuck married to slob me. I feel totally trapped. I Dear Annie: I am a 57bought the house we are livyear-old woman, and my ing in and brought more husband is 61. We met money into the marriage. online and spent weekends However, because I am entitogether for seven months tled to his retirement benefit before getting married. I when he dies, he considers was deeply in love with our financial contributions to him for the first six months. be equal. Lately, my attitude and I didn't date for 12 years feelings have changed dra- Annie's before I met him and matically. This man drives thought we were very comme crazy and grosses me out. He is constantly clear- by Kathy Mitchell patible. I should have lived ing his throat and blowing and Marcy Sugar with him for at least a year, but I wanted to set a good his nose. He is flatulent and burps long and loud all day and example for my children. Please night. He's clumsy, and his memory don't suggest counseling. It won't is going downhill fast. He becomes change his personality or improve very defensive when I try to talk to his declining health and honesty. — him about any of this. I still love Regrets in Paradise Dear Regrets: The counseling him, but not romantically. I feel isn't for him. It's for you. You feel more like a best friend. I have to force myself to kiss trapped with a man you no longer him, let alone sleep with him, and wish to be intimate with, and the due to his denial, I have lost a lot of future you see is that of patient and respect for him. This was not the nurse. There's no point in beating man I dated. He retired six months yourself up over what you didn't ago and now sits around all day get- notice when you were dating. That ting stoned. He doesn't make happens to everyone. The question friends, and he needs open heart is what you are going to do about it surgery and a knee replacement and now. And that's where the counselwill require a caregiver very soon. ing can help. You need to sort out He knew I was a nurse when we how you feel, whether you are willmet, and I think he married me ing to stick it out and the emotional because of his overwhelming fear of cost to you. Dear Annie: Why do people being alone. I have spent decades taking care of people who are dis- make a big deal out of men who are abled, demented and in denial. I crossdressers? I am 43 years old, happily marnow see this marriage as a live-in ried and not gay. I'm a businessjob. He can't understand why my man, and I wear lacy lingerie with feelings have changed and blames breast forms under my suits every Mailbox Full Size $ Half Size 112 67 $ Per Month .50 that allows you to access top computer packed in every Word and other services box of cereal? I can't wait to see directly through your that! But in the meantime, a great laptop for $220 -- that comes browser. with 12 free Gogo in-air S a m s u n g Internet passes (did I Chromebook mention that?) -- simply starts in seconds, can't be beat. has virus protection I know you want one, built-in, and runs and I wouldn't doubt at all Google apps, which that you or someone you are available in the love really does need a Chrome Web store. It Samsung Chromebook. comes loaded with But please take the time leading Google prodto check the specs and ucts, such as Search, learn all about it by readGmail, YouTube and ing reviews and descripHangouts, so you can Mary tions before you proceed work, play, and do to checkout. 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The Samsung Chromebook is a great option for students of all ages who need a laptop to take to class every day. It's perfect for writing papers, taking notes, creating documents, browsing the Internet, listening to music, managing photos, reading email, and even streaming Netflix. Though the Chromebook has a built-in word processor, for the person who is used to using Microsoft Office products, Microsoft has a service called O f f i c e 3 6 5 (http://office365.microsoft.com/) Online: Publishes 24/7 www.redbluffdailynews.com Three additional online locations at no extra cost! Per Month In Print and Online Every Tues.-Thurs.-Sat. 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My beautiful wife of 20 years thinks I look hot in lingerie. When we go out to fancy restaurants, I dress up as a woman. I'm very passable, and our four teenage daughters are OK with it. There are straight women who wear men's clothing, and I never hear anything negative about them. — A Happy Father and Husband Dear Happy: Women who wear men's clothing generally do so because it is more comfortable. Men who wear women's clothing, which is decidedly less comfortable, often do so because it gives them a sexual thrill or satisfies some emotional need. (Some women dress like men for the same reasons.) The important thing is that your wife and daughters are OK with it. No one else's opinion matters. Dear Annie: I believe ''Native New Yorker,'' whose scratchy voice makes people think he is foreign, missed out on a lot of opportunities to have fun. His response to questions regarding his origin should be: ''I'm from Mars. Please take me to your leader.'' — C. 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