Opinion

When in life does one come to confront the tough truth that each of us will eventually die? In my years as an internist caring for young and old alike, some people understand this early, and some people never get it. In denying death, we intensify our fear of it. Usually, however, it is sometime during their 50s that people first look into the eyes of death. Put it off as we may, the hard certainty is that we are all aging and one day an end will come. Shakespeare described advanced age in his play As You Like It, Act II, Scene VII (All the world’s a stage): “. . . Last scene of all, That ends this strange eventful history, Is second childishness and mere oblivion, Sans (without) teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.”

Dear Amy: Many years ago, when I was in my early 20s, I dated a guy and fell in love. He broke up with me very abruptly and I was extremely broken-hearted.

DEAR DR. ROACH: Some prescription medications have a warning that they may have an interaction or reaction to grapefruit. Is it dangerous to continue to eat grapefruit even if you’re on these meds, or is that an overreaction of some kind? I love grapefruit, and it’s really hard to give it up. -- D.K.

Q: I’m overweight and have Type 2 diabetes and want to start taking one of the medicines that everyone is clamoring for called semaglutide, I think. Is that a good idea? -- John G., Madison, Wisconsin A: Semaglutide was originally designed as a Type 2 diabetes medication, but when folks saw that it promoted weight loss, they started using it off label. Now one brand, Wegovy, is Food and Drug Administration approved for weight loss. Two other brands (with lower doses) are approved only for Type 2 diabetes. They’re Ozempic and Rybelsus.

Dear Amy: I recently attended a community band concert, which was spoiled by small children in the audience, crying and fussing. To make matters worse, the family was sitting at the front of the auditorium, so they added to the distraction by not only walking the entire length of the auditorium to remove the crying children, but returning with them later – all the way to the front.

DEAR DR. ROACH: I read your recent article about migraines. I'm a millennial who started getting brutal migraines beginning in 2001. I saw several neurologists and took different medications, but nothing really helped.

Q: What's all this noise about how dangerous gas stove fumes are -- especially for children's health? Do I really have to switch to an electric stove? -- Mary T., Chicago A: Gas stoves are common in some urban areas -- 73% of households use them in New York City; 80% in L.A. Overall, they are in 35% of U.S. households, mine included. Recently, several studies highlighted the health hazards associated with the off-gassing that happens not only when the stoves are being used but even when they are turned off. It appears that the stoves emit nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, benzene, formaldehyde, methane and fine particulate matter -- all potentially harmful to your health. And in multifamily homes and apartments that use gas stoves, nitrogen dioxide levels are significantly higher than in single-family homes.

Ask Amy: Advice for the Real World Dear Amy: My wife and I have been married for 13 years. We both recently turned 40.

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 68-year-old male who has used cannabis for 51 years. During that time span, I graduated from high school and college with two bachelor's degrees and two master's degrees, and I spent 35 years as an accomplished educator, motivational speaker and author. I have been married to the same person for 31 years and have a wide circle of friends.

Dear Amy: I’m a woman previously in a relationship with a man for more than 10 years that ended badly. He was married and divorced twice before and had three adult children, all of whom I loved and who loved me.