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TO YOUR GOOD HEALTH: Some need pain meds after their surgeries

DEAR DR. ROACH: I’m frustrated that my physicians aren’t giving me adequate pain relief. I had a shoulder repair with three severely torn tendons and a torn labrum, and the surgeon cut and moved my biceps tendon. I was given 20 mg of hydrocodone and APAP 5/325 mg for pain! Are the doctors legally prevented from giving me pain medication? — J.F. ANSWER: This makes me frustrated to hear. There aren’t legal barriers to giving a patient medication to reduce pain, but opiates such as hydrocodone should be given cautiously and with consideration for its potential for abuse. There ...

Bridge by Steve Becker

Pinochle is a crazy, mixed-up game — at least to anyone not familiar with it. Not only does the deck contain 48 cards instead of 52, but there are no cards lower than a nine. What’s more, there are two queens of spades, two aces of hearts, and, in fact, every card has a twin —an identical twin, no less. And, to add to the confusion, the cards rank in order from the ace down to the nine, just as in bridge, but with one exception — the ten is higher than the king! Now, my friend John, an inveterate pinochle player who never had a kind word to say about bridge — though he ...

There’s whey more to it

Global consumers want more protein in every bite, but the dairy industry is struggling to give it to them. Athletes and older adults have long used smoothies and shakes blended with whey protein concentrate — a powdered byproduct of cheese-making — to build or maintain muscle. More ...

Psilocybin and cluster headaches?

Q. A doctor prescribed high-dose verapamil daily to prevent horrible cluster headaches. I've been taking it for the last eight years with great success but some undesirable side effects. Another option would be very welcome. Several years ago, one of my sisters sent me an article you wrote suggesting that psilocybin might reduce cluster headaches. Is there any more research about this use? Any information will be helpful. A. Cluster headaches consist of intense, usually one-sided pain that is excruciating. Worse, they repeat in cycles. As a result, anticipation of pain starting up ...

Health notes

To include or update items in the weekly Health News list, email information to tmunnell@tribtoday.com or dbigelow@tribtoday.com. The deadline for inclusion for next week’s list is noon Sunday. St. Joe’s at the mall Open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at the Eastwood Mall. • EXERCISE CLASSES AVAILABLE — Call 330-652-7542 to inquire and register. • FREE BLOOD PRESSURE SCREENINGS: 9 a.m. to noon and 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Tuesdays, and 9 a.m. to noon Wednesdays and Thursdays. • DIETITIAN AVAILABLE: by appointment every first and third Friday; no cost — call ...