6 B
SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2015
TO YOUR
GOOD HEALTH
Most
medications
increase fall risk
DEAR DR. ROACH: You recently
wrote that antihistamines used for
sleep can increase the risk of falls. Are
there any sleep aids that don’t increase
fall risk? — C.A.L.
ANSWER: Since almost all med-
ications are associated with fall risk,
reducing the overall number of med-
ications should be a goal for all of us
who prescribe medication for older
people. Some medications are more
risky than others, such as the antihist-
amines I mentioned, but also prescrip-
tion sleep aids such as Ambien,
Lunesta and Sonata, antidepressants
such as amitriptyline (Elavil) and oth-
ers, diazepam (Valium) and related
drugs. Major tranquilizers such as
Seroquel are high risk.
Insomnia itself increases fall risk,
so effective treatment that doesn’t use
medications that cause problems the
SALOME’S STARS
ARIES (March 21 to April 19)
Careful, Lamb. Taking on too many
tasks at one time can cause you to cre-
ate more snarls each time you try to
work your way through the tangled
mass. Best to handle one job at a time.
TAURUS (April 20 to May 20)
Making bold moves is what Bovines
do. But the best moves are made with
lots of data to provide backup just in
case you charge into an unexpected
complication. A new relationship
shows promise.
GEMINI (May 21 to June 20)
Sharing credit for a job well done is
easy for you to do, but not necessarily
for your partner. But fair is fair. Don’t
let yourself be denied the right to have
your contributions recognized.
CANCER (June 21 to July 22)
Communication is important to help
next day is the goal. Melatonin works
for some people; melatonin 0.3 mg
might be effective and appears to have
a lower risk of falls. Better still, non-
drug treatment such as cognitive
behavior therapy, including sleep
hygiene, has no risk of medication-
associated falls and may reduce over-
all fall risk by improving sleep.
Basics of sleep hygiene include
avoiding long (longer than 20 min-
utes) naps, avoiding bright light
(including TV and computer) before
bed, reserving the bed strictly for
sleep and maintaining the same bed-
time and wake time every day. A CBT
therapist can give much more detailed
and personalized information.
DEAR DR. ROACH: After a terri-
ble bout of IBS, my doctor tested me
for C. diff, and it came back positive.
He put me on an antibiotic and told
me I was just a carrier. Can you please
explain to me what it means to be a
“carrier”? I would hate to think that I
might pass it on to my grandchildren
by touching them, or changing their
diapers, etc.
I work in a hospital and feel I have
a “dirty” secret, because all I get is,
“Just wash your hands.” Any informa-
tion that you may have on the subject
would be greatly appreciated. —
M.D.
ANSWER: A carrier is someone
who harbors a condition but who has
no symptoms of the condition. There
is a possibility of passing on a condi-
tion when you are a carrier.
In your case, the bacteria
Clostridium dificile, universally
called “C. diff,” is present in about 3
percent of all healthy adults. However,
somewhere between 20 percent and
50 percent of patients in hospitals and
long-term-care facilities have asymp-
tomatic C. diff. The spores of C. diff
are very, very difficult to eradicate and
can be found on many surfaces, and so
hospital workers as well as patients
may become infected (with symptoms
of diarrhea) or can be carriers. This
may be how you acquired the bacteria.
Current guidelines do not recom-
mend treatment for carriers. The most
important way to prevent your passing
on the infection is good hand-wash-
ing. The best method is warm water
and soap after using the bathroom.
(My hospital recommends singing
“Happy Birthday” in your head twice
to be sure you are washing long
enough.) Alcohol sanitizers are inef-
fective for C diff. By being meticulous
in hand-washing, you can minimize
the risk of passing on the bacteria.
bridge a gap that can lead to problems
at home and/or at the workplace. Find
a way to get your points across before
the breach becomes a chasm.
LEO (July 23 to August 22)
Relationships, whether business or
personal, need to be watched carefully
for signs of trouble. Any negative indi-
cations should be dealt with before
they become too burdensome.
VIRGO (August 23 to September
22) Congratulations. A more positive
aspect highlights much of the Virgo’s
week. You should find others more
receptive to your suggestions, and also
more likely to act on them.
LIBRA (September 23 to October
22) All work and little play could wear
the Libra’s usually positive attitude
down. Take some much-needed time
off. Perhaps a short jaunt with some-
one special is the way to go.
SCORPIO (October 23 to
November 21) This is a good time to
expand your view from the known to
the unfamiliar. Confronting new situa-
tions could be challenging, but ulti-
mately also could be extremely satisfy-
ing.
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to
December 21) Giving advice to those
who just want validation for what
they’re doing can be unsettling. So
back off and save your counsel for
those who really appreciate it.
CAPRICORN (December 22 to
January 19) Cultivating a more posi-
tive attitude not only makes you feel
better about yourself, but also has an
upbeat effect on those around you,
especially that certain someone.
AQUARIUS (January 20 to
February 18) Keeping the lines of
communication open and accessible is
the key to establishing the right foun-
dation on which to build an important
and meaningful relationship. Stay with
it.
PISCES (February 19 to March 20)
Before agreeing to act on a request,
consider using your perceptive Piscean
talents to see what might lie hidden
beneath its surface and could possibly
cause problems later on.
Siuslaw N ews
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