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Thursday, March 11, 2010 – Daily News – 5A OPEN: 7 days a week 5:30am - 9pm 259 S.Main St., Red Bluff Not valid with other discounts. 2 EGGS 2 SLICES BACON 2 PANCAKES Offer Good Everyday 5:30-8AM ONLY $ 1 99 Dine in only, No substitutions Coffee 59¢ Dear Annie: I've been married to ''Mitch'' for seven years, and we have a 4-year-old son. Mitch pro- vides well for us, and everyone at his job thinks he's the best. Unfortunate- ly, we see a different side of him at home. Mitch is diabetic. Some- times he doesn't take care of himself. When he hasn't slept enough or eaten enough, he behaves like a mean, bratty child. We were recently invited to his parents' home for dinner, and he announced that he wasn't going to eat anything. On the drive home, he took a nap, and when he woke up, he had no memory of the way he had acted. I've noticed that a lot of his ado- lescent behavior takes place when we are with his family. He treats them horribly and never apologizes. Mitch even saw a counselor who pointed this out to him, so he quit going. A year ago, Mitch tried another counselor, who told him he was perfectly fine and maybe we should try marriage counseling. We did, but it didn't help. I feel as if I am married to a preschooler. If Mitch doesn't get his way, there's a fight. He resents my family, so I've stopped spending time with them in order to avoid conflict. I feel trapped. I would leave, but I cannot support my son on my income alone. I no longer enjoy being with Mitch and am thankful when his job takes him out of town for several days. Any advice? — Frustrated Dear Frustrated: Some of this is Mitch's refusal to regulate his blood sugar lev- els. But that is a conscious choice on his part and gives him an excuse to be rude and inconsiderate. Please try counseling again, and ask Mitch to come with you. If he refuses, go without him. Dear Annie: I am a 57- year-old lady, getting mar- ried for the second time. Is it appropriate for a woman my age to wear an ivory wedding gown as long as it is not too extravagant? No veil or train. It would be a long, suit-type style. The second question is about wedding gifts. We have two full households and don't need any- thing. Can we say ''no gifts required'' or ''gift cards appreciat- ed'' so our guests don't waste their money? I wouldn't put it on the invitation, but rather in an attached card. Third, it's a destination wedding. Should I provide a list of accommo- dations near the reception? Finally, do you have a recom- mended source of wedding etiquette for second marriages? — New Bride Dear Bride: Yes, to the first question. A long, suit-type, off- white gown without a veil or train would be perfect. No, to the second. It is inappropriate to put anything in the invitation envelope about gifts. Spread the word to a close friend or relative, and let that person notify guests who ask. Third, it would be lovely to give your guests a list of available accommodations, and you might also check to see whether you can get a group discount. Finally, libraries, bookstores and Web sites are filled with etiquette advice. (You can't go wrong with Peggy Post.) Dear Annie: I read the letter from ''Not a Fan,'' whose husband thinks the big-screen TV is all his and won't let the rest of the family watch it. This man is nuts. While your reply was a good start, it does not fix the problem. You two recommend counseling for many people with less serious issues. This man has a family and needs to straighten up and act like it. He has some kind of mental problem. — Clinton Township, Mich. Dear Clinton: The man seems a little obsessed and controlling about the TV. However, counseling is only effective when someone is willing to work on the problem. We doubt Hubby would bother, and without his cooperation, there's little chance she can change his behavior. 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. Diabetic husband acts like a child at times Annie's Mailbox by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar FEATURES DEAR DR. GOTT: Recently, on a popular TV program, a per- son was com- menting on addictive drug usage. She was borrowing drugs from other peo- ple and also tak- ing what she was prescribed. For some time now, I have thought I've been overdosed by my physi- cian. I am presently tak- ing 31 — yes, 31 — pills a day. Recently I was pre- scribed Lyrica. I lost use of my limbs, falling sev- eral times. I wonder why my doctor never takes me off any of the other medications before adding a new one. That much medication mixed together can't be good for a person. Please tell me what a person should do. We not only can't afford it; we cannot get around. DEAR READER: Unfortunately, you do not provide a medical history outlining what conditions you might have that require med- ication, but obviously there are a few. Some medications are most effective if taken three or four times a day — such as at breakfast, lunch, dinner and at bed- time. That might account for some of your drugs. Another thought that comes to mind is that you may be seeing more than one physician. Could this be the case, with both sources pre- scribing without the knowledge of the other? Believe it or not, this scenario is quite com- mon. I am inclined to think that you are not "over- dosing," but you may be overprescribed. Overdose refers to the intentional or accidental ingestion of a much higher than recommend- ed dose of a given med- ication. I strongly urge you to make a list of all your medications, their strengths and the num- ber of times per day you take each one. Request an appointment with your physician to dis- cuss the regimen you are on. Ask what, if any- thing, can be reduced or eliminated. Keep in mind that some medica- tions prescribed for a specific condition are sometimes used for an entirely unrelated disor- der. And they work well. So determine why you are taking each prescrip- tion and if there are common side effects of which you should be aware. For exam- ple, Lyrica is commonly pre- scribed for f i b r o m y a l g i a , pain from shin- gles, partial seizures and sev- eral other condi- tions. Split doses are taken twice daily. Perhaps the prescribed dose was too strong ini- tially, or it reacted adversely with one of the other medications you are taking. Side effects of Lyrica depend on the amount pre- scribed. Higher doses are more likely to cause dizziness, sleepiness, blurred vision, weight gain and dry mouth than are lower ones. This is true of many medica- tions — both prescrip- tion or over-the-counter drugs. I cannot comment on whether the woman interviewed on televi- sion abuses drugs. From what little you said about the show, it appears she does have a problem. What I must emphasize emphatically is that absolutely no one should take medication prescribed for someone else. Drugs can interact adversely, and the risk is compounded if a person is on more than one drug. Unfortunately, bad reactions aren't discov- ered until they occur, which, in some cases, might be too late. No one should run that risk. Determine why you take what you take. If appro- priate and acceptable, ask your physician to consider a trial without some of them. To provide related information, I am send- ing you copies of my Health Reports "Fibromyalgia" and "Consumer Tips on Medicine." Other read- ers who would like copies should send a self-addressed stamped No. 10 envelope and a $2 check or money order for each report to Newsletter, P.O. Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092, or download an order blank from my Web site, www.AskDr- GottMD.com. Be sure to mention the title(s). Dr. Peter Gott is a retired physician and the author of the book "Dr. Gott's No Flour, No Sugar Diet," available at most chain and i n d e p e n d e n t bookstores, and the recently published "Dr. Gott's No Flour, No Sugar Cookbook." Patient takes a raft of pills daily Dr. Peter Gott The Tehama County Resource Conservation District is offering a free workshop, "Water-Wise Landscaping," to be held 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. The workshop is open to everyone and will be held at the Tehama District Fair- ground, Jr. Art Building. This is the second in a series of three workshops on gardening, landscaping, and creating defensible space from wildfire around your home. The Water- Wise Landscaping work- shop will include presenta- tions on how to make your yard water wise, determin- ing soil type and watering needs, how to build up your soil, scheduling irri- gation of your landscape, how to install and maintain an irrigation system, and carbon sequestration. The workshop will include a demonstration of how to install an irrigation system. Interested parties are asked to RSVP for the workshop and can receive additional information by contacting the Tehama County RCD at 527-3013, Ext. 3. Free Yard and Gar- den Evaluations are also available to Tehama Coun- ty residents. Courtesy photo Proper scheduling of irrigation and maintenance of your yard's irrigation system can keep plants healthy and use water wisely. Free Water-Wise Landscaping workshop offered Have a news tip? Call 527-2151, Ext. 112