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Friday, November 19, 2010 – Daily News – 5A FEATURES Doctor unsympatetic to his patient’s pain DEAR DR. GOTT: Five years ago, I com- plained to my doctor about serious pain in the area of my gallbladder. The pain also extend- ed around to my back. A sono- gram was taken and the report came back normal. I went back to the same doctor two weeks ago to prepare for a colonoscopy. I com- plained about the same pain. He thrust his hand into that area; I screamed and my legs flew up. Another sono- gram was taken and came back normal. Well, there is nothing normal to me about hav- ing this endless pain and discomfort. Is there a more in-depth examina- tion? Can a gallbladder really hurt this long and still be normal? DEAR READER: It shouldn’t, but apparent- ly it can if a physician is unable to get to the bot- tom of this or any other issue. If surgery is per- formed and the gallblad- der is not removed, there is a probability that additional stones will form. The gallbladder is a small muscular sac located under the liver and near the upper por- tion of the small intes- tine. The liver produces bile, a substance that aids digestion. The bile is then sent through to the gallblad- der, which contracts when food enters the digestive tract. Unfortu- nately, some of the com- ponents of bile crystal- lize to form stones, a condition known as cholelithiasis. These stones may flow along with the bile but can become trapped in the duct, causing severe pain. When the stones pass through the duct or fall back into the gallbladder, the pain subsides. When blockage occurs, surgery may be necessary to prevent serious damage to the liver and other organs. Symptoms present with intermittent nau- sea, vomiting and pain in the upper right abdomen near the rib cage; radiation to the upper back is common. Acute cholecystitis presents with severe upper right abdominal pain, fever, chills, nau- sea and vomiting. Pain may radiate to the back or under the shoulder blades or appear on the left side of the body. Chronic chole- cystitis can present with gas, nausea and abdomi- nal pain following meals. Diagnosis might be made with the assistance of liver function tests, amylase or lipase levels and a complete blood count blood. Dr. Peter Gott Abdominal X- rays, ultrasound, CT and MRI may also be helpful. An oral chole- cystogram can help determine whether the gall- bladder anatomy is normal, allow- ing it to function proper- ly. A HIDA scan can help determine how well the gallbladder is func- tioning. Testing is pain- less and should not add to your stress level. There are alternatives to surgery, including lithotripsy and dissolu- tion therapy. ERCP (endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatogra- phy) can be used if stones are suspected. Surgeons have routinely performed laparoscopic surgery when blockage occurs. There are two meth- ods of removing the gallbladder — laparo- scopically or through open (traditional) surgery. However, a newer — albeit experimental — procedure is available that allows removal of the gallbladder without external incisions. It is known as natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery (NOTES). This advance- ment substantially reduces both pain levels and recovery time; how- ever; further testing and documentation is neces- sary before adequate data can be documented. Measures to reduce the possibility of devel- oping stones include the avoidance of alcohol, large meals, fatty foods and crash diets. Obesity and yo-yo dieting contribute to gallstones. Therefore, a careful weight reduction plan is appropriate. To give you related information, I am send- ing you a copy of my Health Report “Gall- bladder Disease.” Sensuous siblings spark seniors’ skepticism Dear Annie: My son and daughter-in-law have a 14-year-old son and a well- endowed 12-year-old daughter, and the two of them behave like lovers. They will sit crammed together in the same chair with their arms wrapped around each other, holding hands with their legs entwined. If he goes out- side, she follows. Their bodies are constantly touching each other. They even do this at family gatherings, and their parents seem oblivious. My granddaughter is usually the one who instigates this behavior, but my grandson goes along with it. My husband and I find it offensive, as does everyone else in the family. We are dreading the upcoming hol- idays. Someone should speak to your son. If you are unwill- ing to do so, perhaps you could enlist a relative, friend or even one of the children’s school counselors to suggest he pay more attention to his kids. Annie’s Mailbox by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar Dear Annie: When my wife and I were engaged, she bought a house in her name. We married five years ago, and she still has not put my name on our home even though all of my payroll checks are deposited into our joint account from which the mortgage is paid. I am not after her money or the My son and his wife both work and are not in the house when these children come home from school, which makes me wonder what goes on when the kids are alone together for hours. My husband doesn’t want to say anything to our son because he fears it will cause a rift. Our daughter-in-law has never liked us and keeps her distance as much as possible. What is your opinion? — Grandparents of Kissing Siblings Dear Grandparents: Parents need to supervise budding adoles- cents because their hormones and developing bodies can get them into trouble — even with a sibling. house, but I wonder what I can do to feel comfortable with this situation. We have three wonderful children, and we own two cars in both of our names, but not the mortgage. She makes more money than I do. Is this why? — Confused Dear Confused: Have you asked your wife directly about this? Even if your income were not helping to pay for the mortgage, you are a married couple with children and these things should be in both of your names. Some women, out of self-protection, are reluctant to cede sole ownership of their possessions. However, were the situation reversed, she surely would expect you to add her name to the house. Unless your credit history makes you a risk, we suggest you discuss this with her and ask that she explain her reasoning. Dear Annie: I am writing in response to ‘‘Tom,’’ who met the girl of his dreams at a restaurant and is having difficulty handling rejec- tion from her. He seems to be the victim of unrequited love, some- thing I have experienced more than once. My heart goes out to him. Rejection is never easy, especial- ly as we get older and see opportu- nities to find the right person slip- ping away. Unfortunately, for men, it seems that the person of our dreams is the college cutie who ignored us back in the day. Or maybe we were too busy pursuing an education and missed the chance to date during that time. As a 43-year-old male, I am adjusting my expectations and desires. There are many wonderful women closer to my age who would make terrific lifelong companions. I hope Tom gets over his desire for this much younger woman and searches for a more mature, yet equally desirable woman to share his life with. — Trey Dear Trey: We hope so, too. Annie’s Mailbox is written by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar, longtime editors of the Ann Landers column. Please e-mail your questions to anniesmailboxcomcast.net, or write to: Annie’s Mailbox, c/o Creators Syndicate, 5777 W. Century Blvd., Ste. 700, Los Angeles, CA 90045. Native Plant Society activities for December General Meeting Wednesday, Dec. 1, Chico Branch, Butte County Library, 7:30 p.m. Native Chicoan Jean-Phillippe Bergmann, graduate student at CSU Chico will speak about reproductive isolation in Mimulus glaucescens and Mimulus gutta- tus, two regionally endemic sister species. Spanning topics from pollinator behavior to microscopic interac- tions between pollen grains and ovules, his research focuses on how plants avoid hybridization. Campus Tree Tour Friday, Dec. 3, 10 a.m., in front of Bidwell Mansion See and hear about the marvelous old trees on the mansion grounds and the adjacent university campus-- over 200 species of woody plants. Many of these date back to the original landscaping around the mansion in 1870 and on the campus about 1890. Park in the man- sion parking lot for free. Tour finishes at 11:45 a.m. Woodson Bridge Valley Oak Restoration Planti- ng Saturday, Dec. 4, 9:30 a.m. Meet at Chico Park and Ride west lot or at the kiosk of Woodson Bridge State Recreation Area at 10 a.m. with lunch and drink. Wear gardening gear. We will be planting valley oak acorns in a new riparian area on the Sacramento River presently plagued with invasives. Nature walk through the new natural area included. Leaders: Jim, 530-846-1435 and Wes, 530-342-2293. would like a copy should send a self- addressed, stamped No. 10 envelope and a $2 check or money order made payable to Newsletter and forward- ed to PO Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092- 0167. Be sure to men- tion the title or print out an order form from my website www.AskDr- GottMD.com. Centerville Flume Sunday Dec. 5, 9 a.m. Meet at Chico Park and Ride west lot or phone for alternate meeting place. Bring lunch and water. On our annual stroll along one of Chico's most delightful walks we will see the last of summer's blooms (Lessin- gia, snapdragon, Camporum) and the first of the winter ones (manzanita, bay mistletoe). We have recorded more than 24 species in bloom along here over the past years. Leaders Gerry, 530-893-5123 and Wes, 530- 342-2293. Bidwell Park Banana Belt Hike Saturday, Jan. 1, 10 a.m. Bring lunch and drink to Horseshoe Lake parking area (Lot E) and wear hiking gear. Start the new year right with a brisk scramble up the north ridge above Horseshoe Lake. On windless/cloudless nights in the winter, it can be 10 degrees warmer up there due to a temperature inversion layer; hence we can often see the first of the new year's blooms. In previous years, we have seen blue dicks, goldfields, gaping penste- mon and purple mouse ears, among others. Last year buckbrush and comon manzanita surprised us. Lunch at an Indian rock shelter complete with bedrock mor- tars and running water (if it has rained). About 3 miles, back by 2:30 p.m. Bring your own bananas. Leaders Gerry, 530-893-5123 and Wes 530-342- 2293. Other readers who Chemist to discuss fate of the electric car the topic. Dr. Peter H. Gott is a retired physician and the author of several books, including “Live Longer, Live Better,” “Dr. Gott’s No Flour, No Sugar Diet” and “Dr. Gott’s No Flour, No Sugar Cookbook,” which are available at most bookstores or online. His website is www.AskDrGottMD.com. The annual meeting of the American Chemi- cal Society features chemist’s analysis of the fate of the electric car. “The Electric Car: Murder Victim, Suicide, or Still a Gleam in its Parents’ Eyes” is the title of a talk by James Postma, PhD, to be pre- sented at the Dec. 2 annual dinner meeting of the Northern Califor- nia Subsection of the American Chemical Society. 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You haven’t tried until you’ve tried us! Be our guest! Be our guest! Be our guest! Try Tehama County’s Premier Fitness Facility for free! You will need at least 3 visits to experience what our 30,000 sq.ft full service facility has to offer! • Classes • New and improved cardio sections • Strength train with the finest resistance equipment in Tehama County! Tehama Family Fitness Center 2498 South Main St • Red Bluff 528-8656 www.tehamafamilyfitness.com The cost is $25 gener- al admission and $10 for students. “Electric cars have existed since the incep- tion of the automobile,” said Postma, “but to date, have not penetrat- ed the consumer market to a significant degree.” Postma will present the significant advan- tages of an electrochem- ical energy source (bat- teries) relative to a com- bustion source for auto- motive power. He will also review the chal- lenges that have limited the success of electric car technology. The group will be asked to make some educated, but specula- tive, predictions about the scientific, engineer- ing and societal progress that will be necessary for the success of elec- tric cars. Those interested may reserve a seat by con- tacting Kathy Johns in the Department of Chemistry at 530-898- 5259 or kjohns@csuchico.edu by Nov. 22.