Hydrodephalue, a rare but often correctable form of dementia DEAR DR. DONOHUE: My mother is 86. Up until eight months ago, she was very active and very social. She still drove a car. Since then, she has suffered a big decline. Her memory is bad, and she can’t seem to focus on anything. She gives […]

Pre-participation athletic exam should be thorough DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I played high-school football in the late 1940s. One of my teammates died during a game. The memory has never left me. It was said he had a heart attack, but that sounds preposterous to me. He was only 16. My two grandsons are playing now. […]

Bladder infection usually is not deadly DEAR DR. DONOHUE: A 62-year-old female goes to the doctor on Wednesday for a urinary-tract infection. An antibiotic is prescribed and the patient is compliant in taking it. On Friday at 10 p.m., she vomits uncontrollably. EMS transports her to the hospital. Her skin is warm. All vitals are […]

Raising good cholesterol DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I need advice on how to raise my HDL cholesterol. It remains pretty much at 35 mg/dL (0.9 mmol/L). I exercise for 45 minutes at least three days a week. I drink a glass of red wine almost every night. I don’t want to take medication to correct this […]

Body fat needed for menstrual periods DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I am 18 and have not had a menstrual cycle for five months. My blood tests showed that I do not have polycystic ovarian syndrome. My doctor suggested I go on birth-control pills, but I refused because of their side effects. According to my mother, the […]

Paget’s disease due to out-of-control bone remodeling DEAR DR. DONOHUE: Four months ago, I was diagnosed with Paget’s disease. Cortisone shots haven’t helped me. Pain medicine works, but it messes up my body. I have been active for a 65-year-old, but I am very limited now because of hip pain. I searched the Internet but […]

Prostate cancer treat or not treat? DEAR DR. DONOHUE: On one hand, I have been told that many men die with prostate cancer but few die of prostate cancer. On the other, statistics are announced stating that prostate cancer is in the top five causes of death in men! Hello? My doctor has not ordered […]

Minor head injuries require major attention DEAR DR. DONOHUE: My son is the quarterback for his high school’s football team. My husband believes he’s good enough to win a scholarship to college, something that would be a godsend for us. In his last game, he got blindsided and was on the ground for a few […]

Don’t need a book for dash diet details DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I need to obtain a copy of the DASH diet you spoke of. Where can I get it? — L.K. ANSWER: I can give it to you here. You don’t need a book. You don’t even need a formal printout. DASH is “dietary approaches […]

Vitamins for macular degeneration DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I am turning to you for help. My mother tells me that her eye doctor says she has macular degeneration. Already she’s preparing to live in a nursing home, since she says she faces blindness. Yesterday she was driving a car, keeping house for herself and had an […]