Borderline high cholesterol doesn't need meds
Q: I recently had my cholesterol checked. My total was 212: LDL (bad) 111, HDL (good) 84 and triglycerides 86. My family physician suggested I start taking 20 milligrams of Zocor. I am a 69-year-old fairly healthy female. I am not overweight and don't smoke. I exercise and do not have a family history of heart problems, but I am concerned about the side effects of this medication should I start it.

Get to the bottom of dizzy spells
Q: I am a 90-year-old female with high blood pressure, heart trouble and arthritis. I am on prescription medication for my blood pressure and heart and use over-the-counter Mineral Ice for my arthritis. I also take vitamins C and E and omega 3 fish oil.

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 three 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.

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. 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 ?

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?

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.

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. 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.

Cause of pain could be from exercise
Q: Recently, I began experiencing a burning sensation on my skin in a line that runs from my lower shoulder blade out to the midpoint of the back of my upper arm. That sensation has turned into an intermittent throbbing pain. I am wondering if I have stretched a nerve that would cause the pain, as I have recently added stretching to my exercise routine. The new exercise involves sitting on a seat while holding onto handlebars and rolling backwards to stretch my arms and back. I've also been hanging from a bar, allowing my 120 pounds of body weight to stretch me. If this is a nerve stretch, is there anything that can be done for the pain?

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.

'Sticky' blood is a dangerous 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 Coumadin every day. I was told that I would have to take it for the rest of my life.