Get to the bottom of dizzy spells
Q: I am one of your faithful readers who thought I would never have to write you for help, yet here I am asking for your opinion.

Ease off meds to prevent kidney disease
Q: I believe I have damaged my kidneys with the excessive use of Excedrin over the last 30 years. My blood urea nitrogen level was flagged on my blood test with a level of 21. I was diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome several years ago, and I frequently have to urinate. I didn't realize the use of Excedrin was so bad until recently. I have completely stopped using it but now wonder if the damage is reversible. Is there anything I can do to make my kidneys healthier?

Lifestyle has man cruising toward disaster
Q: My husband is 71 years old. He eats few sweets and fats, very little red meat and doesn't consume salt. He also takes vitamin supplements. He has coronary artery disease that bothers him very little, so he assumes he is OK. He gets minimal exercise and sleeps a lot. He smokes a half pack of low-nicotine cigarettes and drinks 3 ounces of tea mixed with 14 ounces of gin daily. He insists that his smoking and drinking won't hurt him and refuses to quit either.

Spoonful of soda helps medicine go down
Q: As a senior citizen, I am forced by my gastroenterologist to have a colonoscopy every few years. As anyone who has undergone this ordeal knows, the solution that you that must drink to cleanse your system beforehand has what is undoubtedly the worst taste in the world.

'Spotting' after hysterectomy not normal
Q: I have a problem that no doctor seems to think is serious, but I am very worried.

Reader gets to the root of gastrointestinal distress
Q: For about four years, I have been battling what I consider chronic diverticulitis that was diagnosed by MRI. During one of the past four years, I had a flare-up every nine weeks. I was put on antibiotics each time and was finally told to see a surgeon. This cycling made me think that surgery was not the answer (for me, at least), and I began looking into dietary supplements. I took Xango for over a year, and it seemed to keep the diverticulitis in check for a while. Then I was back to flare-ups and antibiotics, and I was again told to see a surgeon.

Man taking 19 meds; some unnecessary
Q: You recently wrote a column about a gentleman who was taking 16 medications. My husband, who is 82, is taking 19.

Co-workers mock chronic pain sufferer
Q: Could you please explain to your readers what fibromyalgia is and how painful it can be?

Could medication be causing mental fog?
Q: I am a 66-year-old woman. Three years ago, my RLS started bothering me to the extent that I had to take medication. I take one Requip tablet before I go to bed. Over a period of several months, I've noticed that my long-term memory is failing. Is it possible that this is a side effect of Requip? If so, can you suggest another treatment for RLS that is effective but less harmful and can be obtained without prescription?

What causes eye-socket cholesterol deposits?
Q: I have cholesterol deposits in my eye sockets. They first appeared when I was in my early 30s, at a time when I was very athletic. My cholesterol level was so low that I tested out in the rare category. I went to an allegedly reputable eye surgeon, who told me I had cysts. He removed them surgically, leaving me with no eyelashes on the outside corners of both eyes, one eye a different shape than the other and scarring in the lower lash line. The deposits ultimately returned, and now there is a considerable amount below both eyes. I also have very small deposits above my eyes.

Don't rush to meds for diabetes treatment
Q: My recent nonfasting glucose was 102, and my A1C was 6.21. My physician wants to repeat the A1C in three months, and, if it is still elevated, he will recommend oral diabetic medication. What is your opinion? I am 82.

Reader sees red on grocery-store meat
Q: My in-laws insist that beef sold in most supermarkets is dyed red, and they soak their meat to remove the dye. Is this true?

Try over-the counter ointment for toenail fungus
Q: I have had toenail fungus for 15 or 20 years. It has spread to all my toes despite my attempts to cure it. I used tea tree oil for about six months with no change, iodine for about four weeks with little change and soaking my nails in Listerine nightly for six or eight weeks with no change. I have used Vicks VapoRub twice now, the first time for six months with change only in one toe, but it didn't last. My most recent experience with it has not shown any results, despite using it twice a day for one year. I put it on liberally and then put on socks.

Check on dad's 35-pound weight loss
Q: My 86-year-old father has lost 35 pounds within the last eight months. He saw his primary-care physician when this started, and he was sent for CT scans, an MRI, digestive system studies, blood tests and a colonoscopy. All results were negative. He had only one diagnosis -- unexplained weight loss.

Reader can't seem to get his fill of air
Q: I am a 79-year-old male in reasonably good health for my age.

Vitamin C might help with purpura
Q: I have had severe purpura on my arms for the last two years. My doctor told me there is no remedy, and I will have to live with it. I'm tired of constantly wearing long sleeves. What can I do to get rid of these spots? Taking vitamin C seems to help some.

Disc problem causes lower-back pain
Q: I have lower-back pain and would like your opinion about what I should do. I had an epidural injection in April 2006 but still have pain. I also saw a chiropractor but couldn't afford to keep going. I have enclosed the results of an MRI of my lower back I had done in September 2006. I am a 57-year-old female.

Good diet eases acid indigestion
Q: My husband and I started your no-flour, no-sugar diet several weeks ago after purchasing your first book. After just a few days of religiously following the diet, I discovered that the acid indigestion that had been plaguing me for a very long time had disappeared. I searched your book from cover to cover for an explanation but couldn't find one. My husband noticed the same thing and doesn't need to use antacids as long as he stays with the plan.

Variations in blood pressure are normal
Q: I'm in my late 50s, a type A personality and have been overweight my entire life. I lead an active lifestyle with weight training and walking. I've been practicing some deep breathing to calm down before going to bed because I tend to be on the go physically and mentally throughout the day, and it is hard to sleep.

Reader suffers from severe, long-lasting menopause
Q: I am 57 years old and going through menopause. I have suffered for 10 years with hot flashes. I took Prempro for two years, which successfully alleviated 95 percent of the hot flashes. I currently take Levoxyl daily to suppress two goiters on my thyroid gland. My thyroid tests are always normal, but my doctor says that I need to take the medication for the rest of my life to avoid future problems caused by the goiters.

Overmedication leaves woman sleepy
Q: My 82-year-old mother has been diagnosed with panic disorder and anxiety. She is currently taking 100 milligrams of Ativan and 100 milligrams of Zoloft. When she takes these in the morning, she is wiped out and cannot seem to function until around 6 p.m. Could the dosages be too high for her? She has always been sensitive with medications, so I am wondering if, by the time 6 p.m. comes around, the medications are out of her system. Perhaps this is why she feels better later in the day. She doesn't have a problem sleeping. She is physically healthy otherwise and does not want to nap all day. It is frustrating for both of us.

Add appropriate exercise to weight-loss plan
Q: I have been reading your column for many years and have a great deal of respect for your advice. I think your diet of no sugar and no flour is perhaps the best way to lose weight, but my problem is to lose weight in the right places. Does it matter where the calories in respect to where the weight goes? I am 81 years old, 5 feet 3 inches tall and weigh 125 to 130 pounds. I don't feel that I need to lose much, but every ounce I eat seems to settle on my belly and hips.

Prolieve new therapy for enlarged prostate
Q: I recently underwent a procedure for an enlarged prostate, called Prolieve. I was told by my urologist that a complete reversal of my problems would take up to four weeks. However, after three and a half weeks, my symptoms have returned (frequent urination, urgency and lower back pain).

More sleep isn't enough for tired teen
Q: I am a 17-year-old female, 5 feet 9 inches, 130 pounds, athletic and in relatively good health.

Reader cures cramps with vitamin B-6
Q: The cures for leg cramps discussed in your column have been of interest to me because 50 years ago, my husband and I were troubled with them. At that time, I read an article written by a doctor who recommended vitamin B-6. We began taking one tablet a day, and a short while later, the cramps were gone.

Parkinson's could be stable for years
Q: I'm a 53-year-old retired male. I was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease about eight years ago, for which I take five medications. Since day one, my symptoms have been very mild. I have a resting hand tremor. Most people are unaware there's anything wrong with me.

Melatonin finally puts reader's night terrors to rest
Q: I wanted to write to you in the hopes of helping someone else with my problem, night terrors.

'Sticky' blood is a serious concern
Q: I am a 61-year-old male with no heart problems or recent surgeries. In June 2004, I developed a blood clot in my left lower leg, which then resulted in a pulmonary embolus (clot) in my right lung. I was admitted to my local VA hospital and put on 5 milligrams Coumadin daily. My PT/INR was kept in the 2.0 to 3.0 range. I continued the medication until October 2006, when I was told I could stop it. All was well until February 2007, when I developed multiple pulmonary emboli in both lungs. This time, I did not have any of the leg symptoms. I again went to the VA hospital, where I was put on 5 milligrams of Coumadin every day. I was told that I would have to take it for the rest of my life.

Natural remedy relieves RLS symptoms
Q: For a full year, I was afflicted with a restless leg-type syndrome that developed into frequent violent shakes and jerks in my whole upper body. This became very bothersome and disturbed my sleep when it occurred at night, as it often did.

Choices for managing pain of PMR
Q: I have been taking prednisone, 10 milligrams daily, for 14 months for polymyalgia rheumatica. I cannot take less than 8 milligrams without having a lot of pain in my wrists and hands. I have researched this and discussed my concerns with my rheumatologist, who has put me on methotrexate (four tablets of 2.5 milligrams once a week) to try to wean me off the prednisone. Is this the lesser of two evils? I worry about the long-term side effects of both medicines and, more importantly, how to cure the PMR. Any suggestions?