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Monday, March 14, 2011 – Daily News – 3B FEATURES Sorbitol can cause hives Wanton widower warrants withdrawal DEAR DR. GOTT: I am writing in regards to your column about the woman with activity-induced hives. I, too, had a problem similar to that of the reader. I had gone to have a facial and bought some of the products they offered. About a week or 10 days later, I started get- ting hives. They would appear out of nowhere. If I bumped my arm, a few minutes later I would have hives in that area. As it progressed, my feet and hands would swell up. My lips would swell even with pressure. Sometimes the hives would appear like a thou- sand mosquito bites, and within 10 minutes would disappear. Some days all I could do was sit on the couch because I didn’t want to cause the hives to appear. This went on for months. I went to my reg- ular doctor and saw an allergist. The specialist could find nothing that I was allergic to that would cause hives like I was experiencing. I was on Allegra for more than a year. During all this, I gave my daughter the cleanser I had gotten after the facial. After about a year, I quit taking the Allegra and didn’t have any hives. I was OK for a while. I started using the cleanser again, and the hives came back! Years earlier, when I was pregnant, I read about sorbitol and learned of some of the problems it can cause. I had been tak- ing an antacid for heart- burn when I was pregnant and had had an unex- plained case of diarrhea that went on for several weeks. Fast-forward to the facial cleanser: It con- tained sorbitol. Since then, I have found that several mem- bers of my family cannot tolerate anything with sor- bitol in it. Sugar-free gums (sweetened with sorbitol) give my youngest child diarrhea within 30 min- utes. My younger sister has hives like I do when she uses products such as shampoo, soaps and beau- ty products that contain sorbitol. My aunt gets hives after eating sugar- free candy. So, when I read this letter to you, and saw that the woman had been on Weight Watchers. I thought she was likely using diet products with no sugar that were sweet- ened with artificial sweeteners, such as sorbitol. It is also used in some immu- nizations, such as Gardasil. Dr. Peter Gott DEAR READ- ER: Sorbitol is a known laxative. In fact, it has been added to certain medications specifically for that reason. Actidose with sorbitol is one of those medications; it is used to bind poisons and other toxic substances in the body, and then aid removal by inducing a bowel movement. Sorbitol is also available by prescription as a urologic irrigation solution used to remove debris and prevent infec- tion following bladder and other urinary-tract surg- eries. Side effects include allergic reaction (hives, rash, difficulty breathing, itching, etc.), chest pain, vomiting, confusion, diar- rhea, seizures, changes in heart rate and more. Sorbitol, as you already know, is also used as an artificial sweetener in many sugar-free products and as thickener and humectant (aids moisture retention) in cosmetics and many other products. It can also be produced within the body and can cause eye and nerve dam- age in diabetics. So while there is no escaping all sources of sorbitol, people sensitive to it should read labels and reduce exposure. Readers who are inter- ested in learning more about allergies can order my Health Report “Aller- gies” by sending a self- addressed stamped No. 10 envelope and a $2 check or money order made payable to Newsletter and mailed to Newsletter, P.O. Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092-0167. Be sure to mention the title or print an order form off my web- site link at www.AskDr- GottMD.com/order_form. pdf. 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. Dear Annie: My beloved sister, ‘‘Dawn,’’ died last year following a long battle with cancer. Her husband of 43 years was a caring and capable caregiv- er. At the memorial service held in their church, ‘‘John’’ spoke tearfully of their love. Ten years ago, their marriage was rocked by John’s affair with an old classmate. They went through counseling and worked things out, but there were times when Dawn suspected he was unfaithful. She stayed with him, however, and before she died made me promise to remain on good terms with John and continue to include him in family gatherings. However, just four months after her death, John began seeing ‘‘Mary.’’ She is now his constant companion, staying in his home and even going with him on vaca- tions that Dawn would have loved. He has brought her to church and introduced her to friends. This has broken our once-close family. Dawn’s oldest son no longer speaks to his father because of what he claims is ‘‘ample evidence’’ that John was unfaithful during his mar- riage. I have tried to keep an open mind, even meeting Mary, but my siblings have concluded that John’s relationship with her is a slap in the face to our sister and has made a mockery of their marriage. My sib- lings will have nothing to do with either of them. Shasta Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation organiza- tion is opening registration for its 11th annual Run For The Wild to take place on Saturday, April 2, in the Anderson River Park. The 5-mile run is one lap around the park. There will be the 2-mile Walk/Rabbit- Run and The Hatchling Quarter-Mile that is open for preschoolers through fifth grade students. The 2 and 5-mile events begin at 8:30 a.m. and the quarter-mile run begins at 10 a.m. Registration by March 26th for adults is $15 and for persons under 18 years of age is $8. T-Shirts are offered only to pre-registered runners for an additional cost of $7 per Annie’s Mailbox by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar How do I remain faithful to the promise I made to my sister when I am heartsick with what John is doing? I realize his love life is no longer my business, but how do I get past the feelings of disgust and anger that the two of them sleep together in the bed my sister died in only four months ago? — Heartbroken Dear Heartbroken: Some widowers are so lone- ly that they often find com- panionship much sooner than the rest of the family thinks is decent. Please try not to judge John for this. The promise you made to Dawn does not mean you must be chummy with John and Mary. It means you should continue to invite John to occasional family events (not all of them) and stay in touch. Anything more is entirely up to you. Dear Annie: My sister is two years older, and we share a lot of the same interests. The problem is, she likes to go into my room and take whatever she wants. I have asked her many times to stop, but she won’t. I asked my parents about buying a lock for my room, but they don’t think it’s such a great idea. They offered instead to find a suit- able punishment for my sister, but it hasn’t made any difference. My parents have suggested I hide my stuff, but why should I have to hide things because of her? What can I do? — Frustrated Sister Dear Frustrated: It is quite shirt. Late registration is an additional $5. Run For The Wild entries are available at the Fleet Feet, at various workout places in Shasta County and at the shastaw- ildliferescue.com, Sweatrc.com websites. For more information, visit www.shastawildlifer- escue.com, call 275-2816 or email liveoak4@com- pair.net. All Run For The Wild proceeds benefit Shasta Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation, Inc. which is a non-profit 501(C)3 organization that provides care for the wildlife we share this community with when they are injured or orphaned, until they can be released back to the wild. Shasta Wildlife Rescue common for siblings to annoy each other this way, and usually, in time, it stops. But parents need to set and enforce the rules. Your parents did not find a ‘‘suitable’’ punishment, because it didn’t work. They need to try something else. In the mean- time, buy your own lock and use it to keep your valuables protected in a closet. Dear Annie: ‘‘Not Looking For- ward to Easter’’ said her mother demands that she spend every holi- day with her — without her hus- band, who is not welcome in her home. In the past seven years, my daughters have taught me to not be a demanding mother, expecting them to do as I think they should. As adults, my daughters have the right to live their lives as they choose. Hopefully, this mother will stop complaining and demanding so she can have a good relationship with her daughter and grandchildren. By allowing her daughter that freedom, their relationship will improve, and the respect will be freely given between them. — Learned That 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. Run For The Wild race/walk scheduled & Rehabilitation is having its Baby Shower/Open House to be held at the Center at 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., April 2, in Anderson River Park in Anderson. Take a tour of the facili- ty before the big influx of babies start arriving and find out what we‚re all about! Free admission. Baby shower favors will be given out to the first 50 chil- dren who arrive. Get up close and personal with the Educational Animals that go out to the public for edu- cational programs. If you would like to bring a Baby Shower gift to help the organization defray the cost of running the cen- ter, please check our web- site at www.shastawildlifer- ecsue.com or call 917-0930 for a complete list of items such as paper towels, toilet paper, Science Diet dog/kit- ten food, ProPlan feline growth dry food, surgical gloves, heating pads, laun- dry soap, peanut butter, thistle and finch seed, etc. For more information, visit www.shastawildlifer- escue.com, call 275-2816 or email liveoak4@com- pair.net. All Run For The Wild proceeds benefit Shasta Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation, Inc. which is a non-profit 501(C)3 organization that provides care for the wildlife we share this community with when they are injured or orphaned, until they can be released back to the wild. Support our classrooms, keep kids reading. 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