DEAR DR. DONOHUE: My husband and I are in our 50s. Both of us had an exam this year from different doctors. Blood tests showed that we both have hepatitis C. Neither of us feels sick, and neither of us ever remembers acquiring this infection. Our doctors say we don’t need any treatment. What is […]

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I need a second opinion, so I’m coming to you for it. I am an 80-year-old man and have had an abdominal aortic aneurysm for five years. It has reached a size where my doctor says surgery is needed. He suggested a graft through an abdominal incision. My brother, three years older […]

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: My daughter, age 10, walks with a slight limp. She never said anything about pain, so I have let this ride. My sister visited us, and she thinks my daughter’s right shoulder is higher than her left and believes the reason is unequal leg lengths. Could it be? — S.S. ANSWER: It […]

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I twisted my ankle playing basketball, and it’s still swollen and hurts three weeks later. Shouldn’t it be better by now? I didn’t use crutches. Should I have? My brother wants me to ask a question for him. He has sprained his ankle three times in the past year and a half. […]

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: My husband and I have a 2-year-old son who is in day care while we work. Last week he came down with what we thought was a bad cold. We were concerned, so my husband took him to the pediatrician, who made a diagnosis of fifth disease. When the doctor learned that […]

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: You’ll think I’m an overprotective, helicopter mom, but I am never at ease when one of my three young children has what I think is just a cold. I have no idea if they need to see a doctor for something that could be more important. Can you give me some pointers […]

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: My doctor gave me some very unsettling news. He says I have cataracts in both eyes. I haven’t been able to sleep since he told me. My aunt was blind later in life. I don’t know the cause, but I do know that life was very tough for her. I haven’t contacted […]

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I have pseudogout. It’s hard for me to explain to people, so I either tell them I have gout or I don’t tell them anything. Will you do me a favor and explain it in the paper? I’ll cut it out, carry it with me and give it to people who ask […]

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I am a 16-year-old high-school student taking an anatomy and physiology class. We were recently assigned a project in which we must research health concerns and present both sides of the issue. I am researching the effects of performance-enhancing supplements on teenage athletes. I would appreciate your perspective. — J.Y. ANSWER: I […]

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I have a single, 50-year-old son who had an emergency gallbladder operation a few years ago. The surgeon remarked that he had a fatty liver. His own doctor dismissed any treatment. I am concerned. My son is 6 feet 4 inches and weighs around 170 pounds. He cooks some, but he also […]