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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (April 23, 2016)
8 B SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ SATURDAY, APRIL 23, 2016 TO YOUR GOOD HEALTH Once a neat freak, dad now a hoarder DEAR DR. ROACH: I know you’re not a psychiatrist, but I hope you can help. My dad was a single par- ent raising us kids, and he was always clean when it came to housework. Every room in our house was almost spotless. But lately, we have noticed him becoming a hoarder and being more disorganized. By that, I mean keeping weeks-old newspapers on the floor, the kitchen table, everywhere, and he gets upset if we try to help him clean. He’s 79. Could it be a sign of senility or Alzheimer’s disease? — R.S. ANSWER: Hoarding behavior can have several psychiatric causes, and, indeed, a psychiatrist may be neces- sary to make the diagnosis. However, odds are that your dad always had some form of obsessive-compulsive disorder, and with age has become worse. There are other possibilities. Fronto-temporal dementia, a type of SALOME’S STARS ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Temper your typical Aries urge to charge into a situation and demand answers. Instead, let the Lamb’s gentler self emerge to deal with a problem that requires delicacy. TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) You are aware of what’s going on, so contin- ue to stand by your earlier decision, no matter how persuasive the counter- arguments might be. Money pressures will soon ease. GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) By all means, have fun and enjoy your newly expanded social life. But don’t forget that some people are depending on you to keep promises that are very impor- tant to them. CANCER (June 21 to July 22) You need to wait patiently for an answer to a dementia that is distinct from Alzheimer’s disease, has a variant in which personality and behavior changes are prominent, but given the history of what sounds like unusual cleanliness habits, I would suspect that OCD is the most likely diagnosis. There usually is a long delay from the time symptoms begin until the time the diagnosis is made. A diagnosis needs to be made before treatment — be it medications, psychotherapy or some combination — can begin. Treatment can improve not only the hoarding behavior but also the distress your dad is feeling. A psychiatrist or psychologist is the expert in making the diagnosis and for treatment. The booklet on Alzheimer’s disease details the symptoms of this common illness. Readers can obtain a copy by writing: Dr. Roach — No. 903W, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803. Enclose a check or money order (no cash) for $4.75 U.S./$6 Canada with the recipient’s printed name and address. Please allow four weeks for delivery. DEAR DR. ROACH: A year ago, my internist prescribed Evista for mild osteopenia, but my gynecologist said she would not have put me on medica- tion yet. Two of my friends also have osteopenia, but they have not been pre- scribed medication. I stopped taking Evista last month, because of my fear of developing blood clots. What is your view on this? — N.S. ANSWER: Osteopenia simply means “too little bone,” and it is a risk factor for developing osteoporosis. Most experts would treat osteopenia by ensuring that you are getting ade- quate calcium and vitamin D, and see- ing that there are no other causes for your osteopenia, such as low thyroid level or medications that can lower bone density, such as cortisone. Although there may be reasons to treat osteopenia before osteoporosis devel- ops, medicines like raloxifene (Evista) are reserved for the more serious con- dition of bone loss, osteoporosis. Raloxifine does decrease the risk of fractures. Raloxifene has risks: It increases the risk of blood clots by about 1 person per thousand over five years. However, it decreases the risk of breast cancer. Thus, raloxifene is a poor choice for someone with an increased risk of clots, but a very reasonable choice for women who need treatment for osteoporosis and also have an increased risk for breast cancer. workplace problem and not push for a decision. Remember: Time is on your side. A financial matter needs closer attention. LEO (July 23 to August 22) You now have information that can influence that decision you planned to make. But the clever Cat will consult a trusted friend or family member before making a major move. VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) Good news: You’re finding that more doors are opening for you to show what you can do, and you don’t even have to knock very hard to get the atten- tion you’re seeking. LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) Your gift for creating order out of chaos will help you deal with a sudden rush of responsibilities that would threaten someone less able to balance his or her priorities. SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) Congratulations. Your energy levels are coming right back up to normal — just in time to help you tackle some worthwhile challenges and make some important choices. SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) The sage Sagittarian should demand a full explanation of inconsistencies that might be cropping up in what had seemed to be a straight- forward deal. CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) A conflict between obliga- tions to family and to the job can create stressful problems. Best advice: Balance your dual priorities so that one doesn’t outweigh the other. AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) Don’t guess, speculate or gossip about that so-called mystery sit- uation at the workplace. Bide your time. An explanation will be forthcoming very soon. PISCES (February 19 to March 20) Boredom might be creeping in and causing you to lose interest in a repeat project. Deal with it by flipping over your usual routine and finding a new way to do an old task. Siuslaw N ews ! 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