The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Page THE HERALD OUTLOOK Saturday July 1989 New antiarthritis drug does appear to be safe DR GOTT DEAR DR I have thritis and was placed on Voltaren Because this is a new drug I eel I am being used as a guinea pig What can you tell me about this medication DEAR READER Voltaren is a new anti arthritis medicine that was ex tested abroad before being marketed in the United States It ap pears to be safe but can react badly with other medicines including aspi rin anticoagulants digoxin lithium diuretics and antidiabetes medica tion The major side effects of Vol taren are indigestion peptic ulcer headache dizziness rash fluid reten tion and ringing in the ears The usual dose is milligrams three times a day with meals It is available only by prescription DEAR I am a 51-year- old female and have had an RID for 17 years My doctor says that because of my age and shrinking of the womb it could be growing into the tissue and should be removed Do I leave well enough alone have it out Xray the area or what My cycles are begin ning to become erratic and I am confused DEAR READER Intrauterine vices can with time migrate out of position to lacerate or perforate the uterus You are fortunate to have been problem free for years agree with your doctor that your should be removed You should use an alternative type of contraception tin til your menopause is complete and you have not had a menstrual period for a year To give you more informa tion I am sending you a free copy of my Health Report Contraception An Update Other readers who would like a copy should send with their name and address to Box 91369 Cleveland OH Be sure to mention the title GOTT My daughter has tag warts under her arm Her doctor says they could be connected with co lon cancer and should be checked pe riodically Shes only 27 Do you agree DEAR READER Some types of skin growths act as markers for the development of colon cancers in sus ceptible individuals Although colonic tumors would be exceedingly unusual in a woman of your daughter would probably be wise to follow her doctors advice The only checking- she might need would be annual tests for hidden blood in the stool These are simple and inexpensive Later the doctor may recommend a examination or barium en to investigate the colon you can cross this bridge later Of course your daughter has anolh option to obtain a second opinion from a gastroenterology a special in diseases of the colon The may disagree with your daugh ter doctor if the skin lesions are not the type associated with colonic can cer Or the able to give you further more specif ic advice DEAR Da GOTT My 79yearold father has a mild case of Parkinsons disease Hes currently on Sinemet He has no sex drive and tires easily Are these symptoms of the disease old age medication or diet DEAR READER Maybe all four Patients with Parkinsons disease may experience a loss of energy and sexual drive libido as will most peo ple with a chronic affliction Aging people commonly feel less sexy They have less libido and are less able to perform satisfactorily Their energy levels may be depleted a drug commonly used to treat Parkinsons disease can cause a faltering sex drive Unfortunately in some rare cases it can cause hot flashes and permanent erections too Weakness and fatigucare side effects of the medicine Poor diet and malnutrition are also common causes of fatigue and loss of libido Although your father may be expe riencing the consequences of his dis ease his age the medicine and his diet he could be helped His doctor can advise you about further testing to determine the cause of the prob lems then he can considertherapy such as the use of hormones or a change in the dose of Sinemet DEAR DR GOTT My 52yearold daughter is in the hospital for hyper thyroidism I understand she will be given a radioactive capsule that might make her nervous for a while What are your comments DEAR READER Hyperthyroidism an overactive thyroid gland means that too much thyroid hormone is pre sent in the body causing weight loss nervousness and rapid pulse among other symptoms There are three treatments Several medicines reduce the thy roid glands production of excess hor mone These pills must be taken lor months and can then be stopped nonetheless hyperthyroidism may re cur necessitating further therapy People can develop allergies to them and may have to consider other forms of treatment Surgery to remove part of the thyroid gland is useful in controlling symptoms if the gland is large or if there are discrete areas in the tissue that are overproducing is adminis tered in a capsule The iodine is trapped by the thyroid gland and the radioactive energy destroys the hor moneproducing tissue- This is safe effective therapy and rarely has to be repeated treatment may ulti mately lead to an underactive thyroid state requiring chronic thyroidhor mone replacement In order for RAI to be appropriate ly trapped in the gland it must be giv en while the tissue is active i e be fore other treatment is used The sudden rush of iodine to an already overactive gland can cause a tempo rary increase in symptoms This is usually not a problem because these symptoms jitters and palpitations can be easily controlled with beta- blocking drugs while the is working If your daughters doctors believe she is a suitable candidate for RAI and if she has been told of the poten tial side effects initial nervousness followed by possible thyroid underac tivity I believe this treatment is indicated A Directory of Services Offered in Our Community APPLIANCE SERVICE AIR CONDITIONING ACCOUNTING B00KKEEPMG INCOME TAX Button BOB YOUNG Mill St W Acton Ontario 8534534 JGS Appliance Service 8778448 Home Service Calls To AH Major Appliances 3S4 Hour AnswMiny Evening cafe upon AIR WEST pealing Air Conditioning AUTOMOBILE SERVICE ATLANTIC Fascia Syr Santo FREE EsMstas Espariaaca 77-163or13- Ywl Run Smooth TIRE SALE NEW USED TIRES 18 MOW COOKS SUNOCO 8775501 BRIANS BICYCLE CLINIC CONSTRUCTION CONSTRUCTION CUSTOM DES6N HOMES Your Plan Exptrt Dtp fORfAXTCOtMTtOUSalVKS nmm 8776338 DECK CONSTRUCTION Specialists In Deck Construction Pine or Cedar Design Ideas Supplied CRITERION CARPET Ltd Solving Georgetown First lor Years 8771012 128 Street Georgetown Will Baden PADLEY DESIGN CONSULTING 25 Years of Design In Residential SOLID OAK CONSTRUCTION MC CAUOEOROETOWN lanFalla 8774902 RESCOHMIND SALES SERVICE Residential Rural 8532572 NEWMANS Mini Hoe Excavation Trenching Landscaping Post Holes Fencing Gardens RototJIIed SMAU JOBS OUR 8530974 Excavating Trenching Post Holes Discing CM Doug 8732183 INSTALLATION Pin service NORTHERN LANDSCAPING ALL INSURANCE CLAIM 0ltl MM YARD CLEANUP turn after Mi y 8731200 EAGLE ENTERPRISES GOLDEN TOUCH SEALERS Protective Asphalt Sealing Farm Fence Sealing Una Painting Patchwork Foundation Sealing esldentlal Commercial Speciallazlng In Decks l P RENOVATIONS Painting Wallpapering Rec Rooms Bathrooms Ceramic Tiles 8778656