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Keep a list of prescriptions handy

By HELOISE Syndicated columnist Dear Heloise: I’m a longtime reader of your column in the Daily Breeze, in Torrance, California, and I have a hint that I’d like to pass along: I have a habit of keeping a list of my prescriptions in my wallet because whenever I visit a new doctor or specialist, the first thing they ask is which medications I’m taking. This came in very handy recently when I was involved in a severe car accident, and the EMTs asked me the same question in the ambulance. I was able to give them the list, and they radioed this to the ER, saving everybody’s ...

Dear Annie: Caught between sister and aunt

Dear Annie: My sister, "Ellen," has an extensive history of being the victim of sexual abuse, which has caused her a lot of trauma. I'm so proud of all the work she has done to process and work through much of this. However, she tends to have very skewed and strong views on most things. We ...

Dear Annie: Gently supporting a sister in need

Dear Annie: My younger sister, "Clara," moved to my town last spring after a painful breakup. She was fragile, devastated and desperate for a fresh start. I opened my home and my heart without hesitation. I drove her to job interviews, invited her for dinner several nights a week, included her ...

To Your Good Health: Nurse becomes infuriated by constant screening demands

DEAR DR. ROACH: How do I get primary care doctors to understand that I do not do any health screenings and that their badgering only infuriates me more. My feeling is that if you're not going to treat me, why test me? I only need the doctor for prescriptions and referrals to a specialist if I ...

Dear Annie: Heartbroken over fading friendship

Dear Annie: I'm hoping you can help me make sense of a situation that feels so small on the surface, yet so big in my heart. A few months ago, my closest friend, "Melissa," and I fell into one of those quiet, accidental distances. Nothing dramatic happened. No argument. No betrayal. Just ...

To Your Good Health: Thyroid symptoms continue amid normal blood tests

DEAR DR. ROACH: I have low thyroid levels. My blood tests say that the levels are OK, but I still have all the symptoms. I received biological hormones, which helped a lot, but yams bind to the levothyroxine pills. -- S.P. ANSWER: The symptoms of low thyroid levels can be very nonspecific. ...