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Concerned about brother’s health
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • MONDAY, JULY 3, 2017
TOMORROW’S HOROSCOPE
By Holiday Mathis, Creators Syndicate Inc.
Dear Annie: I am over 70 years that it isn’t just a problem of over-
old and in failing health. My step- eating? — Concerned Brother
Dear Concerned: Your letter is
brother, “Tom,” is 58. Although he
is still working, I am sure that he a testament to what a blessing sib-
will soon have to stop because over lings can be. It’s great you’re still
the past few years, he has become looking out for your brother. I’m
steadily more obese, and the doc- not a doctor, but it sounds to me as
if Tom could have hypo-
tors seem unable to find a
DEAR
thyroidism, which slows
cause or remedy, nor do
down the metabolism. The
they really seem to care.
ANNIE
most important thing you
He now weighs almost 700
can do for your brother is
pounds. I love my brother
encourage him to seek the
and am worried about
opinion of another doctor.
what will happen to him
Offer to take him to the
when I am gone. I have
appointment yourself if
always been reasonably
it would help. Finally, be
slender, and my brother
Lane
sure to take care of your-
doesn’t seem to eat much Annie
Creators
Syndicate Inc.
self, too. I’m sure Tom
more than I do, and he cer-
is as worried about his
tainly doesn’t eat cake, pies
or other junk food, nor does he eat brother as you are about him.
Dear Annie: I’m a psychiatrist.
large portions.
When I look around, it seems For decades, I’ve treated patients
as if obesity is becoming more for attention deficit hyperactivity
and more of a problem in the U.S. disorder (ADHD). You recently ran
What happens when obese peo- a letter from “Missing My Space
ple are unable to work, but are too Cadet.” He was concerned about
young to receive their Social Secu- his wife, who, after being pre-
rity benefits? What happens when scribed an “amphetamine medica-
they become too old and infirm to tion” for ADHD, became laser-fo-
care for their own basic needs? I cused on work and was no longer
can’t understand why the medical fun-loving. She was also described
profession doesn’t assign a higher as sleeping and eating more on
priority to the treatment of obesity. days when she didn’t take it.
As you said, she may be abusing
Why can’t more people understand
her medication, but another possi-
bility (more likely, in my opinion)
is that the prescribed dose is sim-
ply too high for her. Most patients
— and more than a few prescribers
— do not realize that with ADHD
medications, there is usually a
fairly small difference between the
dose that does nothing and the dose
that has unwelcome side effects or
that the correct dosage can vary
widely from person to person.
Thus, rather than simply prescribe
a standard dosage, doctors must
conduct a single-case experiment
for every patient. This requires
close communication between doc-
tor and patient. But if both aren’t
careful, the patient can continue to
be prescribed the wrong dosage.
For this reason, I think your
advice that the husband and wife
go together to the next appoint-
ment was very much on target. My
guess is that the problem could be
easily solved by lowering the dos-
age. Unless the woman is taking
more than the prescribed dosage,
the word “abuse” is not applicable.
— A Psychiatrist in New York
Dear Psychiatrist: Input from
medical professionals such as you
is always helpful. You’ve raised a
great point. I’ve passed this infor-
mation along. Thank you.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). The moment you
decide to impress yourself, the adventure will
be on! (But if you are hung up on impressing
anyone other than yourself, it will cause a
delay in your journey to greatness.)
a child into your heart even though you prob-
ably already knew that children have a way of
bruising the hearts they live inside with their
naive will. When that part comes, you’ll handle
it and be stronger for it.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). There is some
heaven here on earth, and you want to expe-
rience it. Also, heaven on earth wants to expe-
rience you. When you approach the moments
with this in mind, the portholes open.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). It will take
a great deal of personal restraint not to say the
thing on your mind, but if the idea seems the
least bit unhelpful or has the slightest chance
of causing offense, it won’t be worth the breath
it takes to utter it.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Those with many
opinions may have few facts. As for the ones
who have plenty of both, they’re worth listening
to today. You may not agree, but you’ll come to
a resolution faster for learning what they know.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). Orphans and
strays will be attracted to your generosity
and compassion. Your posse will get bigger
and bigger. The growth won’t be the least bit
draining to you. In fact, you’ll get back more
than you give.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Counting the cost isn’t
the same as paying the price. In fact, often
those who paid didn’t count. The bottom line is
that you don’t have to know the bottom line to
do the right thing.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Living well is
spending your life in your own way. You realize
exactly what way that is by being forced to live
by other people’s rules and figuring out, “This
just isn’t me.”
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Don’t be in too
much of a rush. If you want everything yester-
day, you miss the opportunity to learn how it’s
made, earned and delivered. There is wisdom
and creativity hiding away in the origin story.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). You have taken
FRANK AND ERNEST
BLONDIE
THATABABY
SALLY FORTH
PHOEBE AND HER UNICORN
B.C.
LOLA
DILBERT
SIX CHIX
BIZARRO
MUTTS
NON SEQUITUR
BABY BLUES
WIZARD OF ID
ZITS
ROSE IS ROSE
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Enduring
love isn’t always so visible in the action of your
daily life. There are those you communicate
with in thought only who continue to influence
you in ways both minute and remarkable.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). The luckiest
thing you can do today will be to teach others
born in another time. It doesn’t matter if they
are older or younger than you; there’s much of
value to impart about the experience of your
own particular slice of time.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Usually, you
can see quite well with your heart, and its
vision extends as far as needed or becomes
microscopic for things that are very small or
extremely close. It can even see what’s invisi-
ble. Your heart will never need glasses.
TOMORROW’S BIRTHDAY (July 4). You’re
so often asked to be creative, look for the
opportunity inside of a problem, rise above the
situation. You do an excellent job of that, but
you deserve a break from it, too. The next 10
weeks hands you good luck you don’t have to
work for. You had this coming. Invest in August.
Domestic transformation comes in December.
Leo and Scorpio adore you. Your lucky num-
bers are: 9, 30, 2, 26 and 4.