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SIUSLAW NEWS |
SATURDAY, JANUARY 7, 2017
TO YOUR
GOOD HEALTH
Is medication
risk worth the
benefi t?
DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a
76-year-old woman with diabetes.
My body, as I have been told, is bad
with arthritis, for which I have been
prescribed Celebrex. I have been
taking it for a few months now, and
am defi nitely moving around with
a lot less pain. I recently watched a
program that devoted the entire hour
to Celebrex. It scared me out of my
wits upon hearing the side effects
of the medicine. I am asking your
advice about whether to stop taking
the Celebrex. -- S.A.
ANSWER: All medicines have
risks, and in order to decide whether
you should keep taking the medi-
cine, you need to really understand
what the risks are and balance them
against the benefi ts you feel in your
ability to move around more easily.
SALOME’S STARS
ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Your
batteries should be fully recharged by
now, making you more than eager to
get back into the swing of things full
time. Try to stay focused so that you
don’t dissipate your energies.
TAURUS (April 20 to May 20)
You’re eager to charge straight ahead
into your new responsibilities. But
you’ll have to paw the ground a little
longer, until a surprise complication is
worked out.
GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Rival
factions are pressuring you to take a
stand favoring one side or the other. But
this isn’t the time to play judge. Bow out
as gracefully as possible, without com-
mitting yourself to any position.
CANCER (June 21 to July 22)
Reassure a longtime, trusted confi dante
In the case of Celebrex, we have
a pretty good idea of what the risks
are. Like all related drugs (including
ibuprofen and naproxen), celecoxib
(Celebrex) can damage the kidneys,
so it isn’t recommended for people
with kidney disease. There also can
be allergic reactions, which may be
related to allergies to sulfa drugs. A
few people have had vision changes.
However, the most concerning risk
is heart disease -- both heart attacks
and heart failure. These risks defi -
nitely are increased among users of
celecoxib.
However, the absolute risk is
small: There were about two extra
cases of all heart events, including
heart attack and heart failure, per
thousand people taking 400 mg once
daily, and six extra events in people
taking 400 mg twice daily. Those
risks probably are higher if you are
at increased risk for heart disease
(which you probably are, because of
your diabetes), but it still means less
than 1 percent of people per year. If
the medicine isn’t helping, the risk
certainly isn’t worth it. However,
only you can decide if the risk is
worth the benefi t.
Drug companies get into big trou-
ble when they try to hide the risks
of their medications, and honesty
demands that we admit that all drugs
and supplements have risks. Only
you can make that decision, but I
think it’s up to us as doctors to have
a frank discussion, especially about
medications intended to be taken
long-term.
DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a
72-year-old female. My doctor told
me four years ago that I would
need a Pap test only every two
years, which I have done. She told
me recently that I would not need
to have any more. My tests have
always been negative. I am con-
cerned, as I would rather be proac-
tive and know early if I had cancer.
What is your opinion, and what does
the American Cancer Society say?
-- B.L.S.
ANSWER: All of the lead-
ing organizations, including the
American Cancer Society, have rec-
ommended stopping screening at
age 65 for women with no history of
cancer and who have had adequate
screening, meaning three negative
Pap smears (or two negative com-
bination Pap and HPV tests) in the
past 10 years, with at least one in the
past fi ve years. The risk for cancer
in this specifi c group is very low.
that you appreciate his or her words of
advice. But at this time, you need to act
on what you perceive to be your own
sense of self-interest.
LEO (July 23 to August 22) You need
to let your warm Leonine heart fi re up
that new relationship if you hope to see
it move from the “just friends” level
to one that will be as romantic as you
could hope for.
VIRGO (August 23 to September 22)
Th ere’s still time to repair a misunder-
standing with an honest explanation
and a heartfelt apology. Th e sooner
you do, the sooner you can get on with
other matters.
LIBRA (September 23 to October
22) Expect a temporary setback as you
progress toward your goal. Use this
time to re-examine your plans and see
where you might need to make some
signifi cant changes.
SCORPIO (October 23 to November
21) Some missteps are revealed as the
cause of current problems in a personal
or professional partnership. Make the
necessary adjustments and then move
on.
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to
December 21) Jupiter’s infl uence helps
you work through a pesky problem,
allowing your naturally jovial attitude
to re-emerge stronger than ever. Enjoy
your success.
CAPRICORN (December 22 to
January 19) Set aside your usual reluc-
tance to change, and consider reassess-
ing your fi nancial situation so that you
can build on its strengths and minimize
its weaknesses.
AQUARIUS (January 20 to February
18) Some recently acquired informa-
tion helps open up a dark part of the
past. Resolve to put what you’ve learned
to good use. Travel plans continue to
be favored.
PISCES (February 19 to March 20)
Act on your own keen instincts. Your
strong Piscean backbone will support
you as someone attempts to pressure
you into a decision you’re not ready to
make.
Siuslaw N ews
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