DEAR DR. DONOHUE: My wife’s father is 91 and was in excellent health until a month ago. He began to experience pain. He barely could rise from the sitting position. Many blood tests were run, and he was referred to an orthopedic clinic. He underwent a physical exam from an internal medicine specialist. He was referred to a neurologist, who performed an EMG (electromyogram, used to detect nerve-muscle problems).

Since he had polio at age 34, the neurologist diagnosed post-polio syndrome. Will you comment on it? Since the polio generation is reaching older ages, I thought it would be helpful to make others aware of this illness. — G.S.

ANSWER: Thanks to the polio vaccine, many people know little about polio or the fear it used to provoke in people of all ages. The polio virus destroys nerve cells that activate muscles. The infection causes varying degrees of paralysis and, in some instances, death.

Now a percentage of people who were victims of polio in the bad old days are having to deal with a second blow from that old infection — post-polio syndrome. It’s not a resurrection of the polio virus. What happens is this: Nerves adjacent to the ones destroyed by the polio virus took over some of the duties of the killed nerves. That allowed many polio patients to carry on their lives effectively.

At older ages, those neighbor nerves are dying from the strain of having to do double duty. That results in a resumption of pain and weakness in the affected muscles.

There’s no medicine that rids the burden of post-polio syndrome. But pain relief is achievable. Pacing oneself improves muscle weakness.

Your father-in-law and his family can obtain timely information on this syndrome from the Post-Polio Health International, a group of devoted people who have dedicated themselves to spreading the word about this illness. Their phone number is 314-534-0475, and they can be reached on the Internet at www.postpolio.org.

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: This past April, you referred to a new eye-injection drug, Eylea, for macular degeneration. My wife has wet macular degeneration. Is Eylea intended for wet macular degeneration? — R.S.

ANSWER: It is intended for wet macular degeneration. About 10 percent of macular degeneration is the wet variety. Fragile blood vessels sprout up behind the retina and macula, and leak fluid.

If your wife has been getting good results from the two older wet macular degeneration drugs, Avastin and Lucentis, she should stick with them. If not, her doctor might recommend Eylea. It’s much more expensive than Avastin.

The macular degeneration booklet provides the details on this quite-common eye problem that shows up at older ages. To obtain a copy, write: Dr. Donohue — No. 701, Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Enclose a check or money order (no cash) for $4.75 U.S./$6 Can. with the recipient’s printed name and address. Please allow four weeks for delivery.

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: You mentioned fexofenadine in connection with quelling the itchiness of young children who have large reactions to mosquito bites.

I took it for many, many years as a prescription. I have been told the manufacturer, Teva Pharmaceuticals, no longer makes it.

If it is available, how do I obtain it? It worked wonders for my allergies and for itching. — N.K.

ANSWER: Sanofi-Aventis, the original manufacturer of that antihistamine drug, still makes it under the brand name Allegra.

It is now available without a prescription. You shouldn’t have trouble finding it.

Dr. Donohue regrets that he is unable to answer individual letters, but he will incorporate them in his column whenever possible. Readers may write him or request an order form of available health newsletters at P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Readers may also order health newsletters from www.rbmamall.com.

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