Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/24628
Saturday, February 5, 2011 – Daily News – 5A FEATURES Is medication to blame for insonmia? DEAR DR. GOTT: I not only read but have scrapbooks full of your articles. For more than a year now, I have had insomnia nightly for two or more hours; dry mouth (for which I use Biotene, which helps a little); night sweats that cause me to change my bedclothes every night and sometimes twice; muscle discomfort from my elbow to my shoulder when my arms are out or above my head; gas (for which I use Beano, which only pre- vents gas when taken just before eating); and consti- pation, missing a day or two of evacuation on occa- sion. For my dry mouth, my doctor thought Allegra could be the cause. I stopped taking the Alle- gra, but it didn’t help. I have osteoarthritis, RA, diverticulitis, a hiatal hernia, GERD, gastritis and microvascular ischemic disease. My medications include pred- nisone, methotrexate, Syn- throid, Prilosec, Lipitor, folic acid, senna S, Viactin and calcium with vitamins D and K2. I have a mor- phine pain pump and still have 10 Ambien left from a 2009 prescription. I’m allergic to niacin and corti- sone and cannot take aspirin or aspirin products because of the methotrex- ate. All medications except the morphine have been taken for years, and during periods of insom- nia, I have something to eat. My primary doctor does extensive fasting lab work every six months. My rheumatologist orders lab testing every eight weeks, and my pain con- sultant says the morphine can be causing the gas but doesn’t believe it has any- thing to do with my other problems. All lab work has always come back nor- mal. Please help! DEAR READER: Let’s start at the beginning. Insomnia can be the result of a chemical imbalance in the brain such as depres- sion, stress and/or anxiety; medical conditions such as pain, arthritis, GERD, an overactive thyroid; nico- tine and eating too much too late in the evening; medications to include antidepressants, allergy medications, antihista- mines, decongestants; and, finally, simply bad sleep- ing habits. You already qualify for a number of the causes. Beyond that, you may be unaware that you have sleep apnea or rest- less-legs syndrome, which can interfere with sleep patterns. Testing to rule out these conditions can be performed at a sleep center if necessary. Dry mouth is often a side effect of medication, specifically blood-pres- sure reducers, muscle relaxants, antidepressants, antihistamines and anti- anxiety drugs. The use of tobacco can also cause or contribute to the problem. Use a fluoride rinse or brush a fluoride gel onto your teeth before bedtime. Don’t use alcohol-contain- ing mouthwashes. Avoid foods that are high in acid or sugar. Limit your intake of caffeine, and try an over-the-counter saliva K W I K K U T S Family Hair Salon $200 REGULAR HAIRCUT off with coupon Not good with other offers 1064 South Main St., Red Bluff • 529-3540 Reg. $13.95 Expires 2/28/11 Dr. Peter Gott substitute. You say you are using Biotene but don’t mention which type (mouthwash, toothpaste, gum, balancing gel, etc.). This product can cause excess gas. Night sweats can be caused by hormone therapy, antidepressants, leukemia, hyperthyroidism, non- Hodgkin’s lymphoma, damage to the autonomic nerves and a number of other conditions. Muscle discomfort of the upper extremities may result from nerve impinge- ment, a correctable prob- lem. Constipation may be due to an excess of calci- um and vitamin D. I ques- tion your morphine pain pump because it is usually for temporary use; there- fore, it could be the cause of a great deal of your problems. Gas can be caused by foods high in fiber, such as whole grains, legumes, and fruits and vegetables. Beyond that, we swallow air every time we eat or drink, eat too fast, or drink through a straw. Most lower-intestinal gas is pro- duced when bacteria in the colon ferments carbohy- drates that fail to be digested in the small intes- tine. Gas can also be caused by the use of laxa- tives, diverticulitis, Crohn’s disease, constipa- tion and food additives. Try drinking peppermint tea, eating slowly, and chewing your food thor- oughly. Experiment with “grazing”: eating five or six smaller meals through- out the day instead of a few larger ones. Discontinue eating when you awaken in the middle of the night. Elimi- nate fried foods, reduce dairy products, and keep meticulous records of what triggers attacks. Stop napping during the day if you currently do so. Make your sleeping area con- ducive to sleep by being quiet and dark. Then seek the assistance of your pre- scribing physician(s) to determine whether you can successfully discon- tinue or reduce the dosage of any of drugs. This can be accomplished with only one or two medications at a time. To hit the entire regimen at once will not provide the information you are seeking. To provide related information, I am sending you copies of my Health Reports “Sleep/Wake Dis- orders” and “Consumer Tips on Medicine.” Other readers who would like copies should send a self- addressed stamped No. 10 envelope and a $2 check or money order for each report payable to Newslet- ter and mailed to Newslet- ter, P.O. Box 167, Wick- liffe, OH 44092. Be sure to mention the title(s) or print an order form off my website at www.AskDr- GottMD.com. 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. Grabby gathering guest getting gross Dear Annie: We live in a community made up mostly of retired couples who rotate having dinner get-togethers. One of the men in our group seems unable to keep his hands out of the ice bucket. His usual routine is to remove the ice tongs, stir the ice around with his hand and then lift some into his wife’s glass and his own. We’ve told him that this is unsanitary, but it seems to go over his head. When filling my glass after him, I will often go to the refrigerator to get ice, and he always says, ‘‘There’s still ice in the bucket.’’ Annie’s Mailbox by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar as his emergency contact and had given me a copy of his living will. I knew he had two children, but they did not have a close rela- tionship, and I had only a vague idea of their first names and where I thought they resided. After his death, I did His latest procedure is to announce to the whole room that he washed his hands before com- ing over. Then he dives into the ice bucket. Are we expecting too much? Two ice buckets, one for him and one for everyone else? — Phil from Philly Dear Phil: That is one solution. The other is to ask him why he doesn’t use the tongs. Some people find them difficult to grasp. Your friend may have some arthritis and not want you to know. Try putting a serving spoon in the bucket and see if it makes a difference. The hosts could also bring out the ice bucket and fill everyone’s glass at the beginning of the dinner, pre- cluding the need for your friend to stick his hands in it. Dear Annie: Two months ago, a dear friend died. He had named me everything I could think of to find them. So did the hos- pital and funeral home. A search of my friend’s pos- sessions turned up no infor- mation. The funeral director tried the sheriff’s office and the State Patrol. We all searched the Internet and came up with nothing. Two days ago, I received an irate phone call from his daughter, who claimed she recently found out about her father’s death via the Internet. She told me it was my responsibility to try to get in touch with her and accused me of having no morals. I was absolutely stunned and hurt by her accusations. I explained that everything possible had been done to locate her, and that I did the best I could with the information I had at the time. I later learned that she called the funeral home and my friend’s apartment manager, blaming them, as well. My friends tell me she probably feels guilty for not keeping in con- tact with her father and this is why she is lashing out. They say I shouldn’t blame myself, but I am heartsick at the thought that per- haps I could have done more in this situation. What do you think? — Sad Friend Dear Sad: We think your friends are right. You did nothing wrong, and the girl undoubtedly feels guilty. It’s easier for her to blame others than recognize that her father didn’t care if she knew about his death. Your job was to attempt to find the children, and you ful- filled your duty honorably. Our condolences on your loss. Dear Annie: This is in response to ‘‘Disappointed Church Mem- ber,’’ whose pastor wouldn’t pray for her husband because he attends a different church. I am Jewish, and at my syna- gogue, we say a Hebrew prayer for healing at each service. Before the prayer, a list of those who are ill is read aloud, followed by the ques- tion, ‘‘Does anyone have any other names?’’ It makes me proud of my faith to hear the names of both Jews and Christians. ‘‘Disappoint- ed’’ should tell her pastor that this is a common practice, not only among different churches but also across different faiths. — Southern Jew 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. Support sought for Sober Grad Night The Red Bluff Com- munity Sober Grad Organization is hoping it will be able to raise enough money to keep the Red Bluff High School Class of 2011 safe on its big night of graduation. A high school gradu- ation is a time for stu- dents and parents to cel- ebrate their accomplish- ments. The organization wishes that every stu- dent in the Red Bluff School District who receives a high school diploma would attend the sober grad celebra- tion. Sadly, not every graduate will attend. For some students the "right-of-passage" cele- bration gets out of hand, and a happy occasion can turn so quickly into a tragic event. A recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study con- firmed that the most commonly abused sub- stance by teenagers is not tobacco or illegal drugs – it is alcohol. • Teenage drunk dri- ving kills eight teens everyday. • 60 percent of teen deaths in car accidents are alcohol related. • About 90 percent of the alcohol consumed by youth under the age of 21 in the United States is in the form of binge drinking. • Binge drinking results in 1,300 deaths each year, making it the third leading cause of death among teenagers. The organization is working hard to make sure our high school graduates are safe on their big night. The key to a successful sober grad celebration is activities and prizes that will keep seniors engaged and active until the celebration is over. In today’s world, this is no small task. The cost of this celebration is around $30,000. The organization is sponsoring many fundraisers over the next six months. You will once again see pink flamingos flying into your neighborhood and it will be holding Round Table Fun Nights on Feb. 1, March 1, April 5 and May 3. A bunko night is scheduled March 18 and a yard sale on May 6-7. Stu- dents will be selling Round Table discount cards, as well. For questions or you to buy a coupon, visit or join the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/Sob ergrad, which offeres a PayPal donation link. Or you can make checks payable to Red Bluff Community Sober Grad Organization and mail it to P.O. Box 9311 Red Bluff, CA. 96080. Donations of any amount are greatly appreciated.