DEAR DR. DONOHUE: My grandmother is the most important person in my life. Last year she was diagnosed with diabetes. I understand some things about diabetes, but not all. And a few months ago she was admitted to the hospital with congestive heart failure. Will you explain these conditions to me, and how I can […]

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I am hopelessly confused about what to drink when exercising in hot weather. I thought, and I’m sure I read it, that people need to tank up on water continuously when they’re active and the temperature is high. Now I see that it can be dangerous and even deadly to drink too […]

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I have been diagnosed with progressive supranuclear palsy. My balance has become bad, and I have become somewhat confused and can’t think clearly. I read and then don’t understand what I read. I don’t know anyone else with PSP, so I can’t compare my case with theirs. Do you know about this? […]

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I have a question about Valtrex and genital herpes. I had a few outbreaks of herpes in a year and was advised to take this medicine daily to suppress them. I have been taking it for two years. It gives me peace of mind, but I worry about permanent side effects. Can […]

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I recently had two nodules removed from my right lung. They were “necrotizing granulomas containing yeast consistent with histoplasmosis.” Now I am taking itraconazole. Will you tell me something about this? How serious is it? — R.D. ANSWER: Histoplasmosis is a fungus (yeast) found in many places, but mostly in the Midwest […]

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: Six months ago, my wife died in her sleep. She said she just felt shaky and tired out around 6 p.m. When I turned on my light at 4 a.m., I immediately knew she had died. I was told she died of congestive heart failure. She told me she had this two […]

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I was diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy. It is now beginning to make my feet numb, but not painful. Is there anything out there that might help the numbness? I am sure there are other folks with the same problem. — W.S. ANSWER: Other folks with peripheral neuropathy? How about 20 million other […]

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I injured my knee about a week ago and am in a castlike contraption that makes it hard to exercise. I plan to play my senior and third year of varsity football in the fall. I’m going to be way behind my buddies who are exercising every day. What can I do […]

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: Will you please explain the relationship between sarcoidosis and uveitis? My mother developed uveitis in her early 50s and was diagnosed with sarcoidosis 10 years later. I was diagnosed with uveitis at age 51, but don’t have a diagnosis of sarcoidosis — yet. My lungs are clear. My doctors suspect underlying sarcoidosis. […]

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I am a 65-year-old male. I was diagnosed with a vitamin D deficiency more than two and a half years ago. I have been on 50,000 IU of vitamin D weekly ever since. In a previous article, you stated that vitamin D is fat-soluble; it is stored in body fat. Can it […]