DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I suffered from psoriasis for years. I have been seen by three different doctors and have used a variety of cortisone creams, all with no lasting relief. I even took oral prednisone, but its effects were short-lived. Aloe and vitamin E didn’t help. My present doctor says I can go with hard-core […]

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I am thoroughly confused. Several months ago, I read of the benefit of wine for women. The conclusion was that it reduced a woman’s chances of heart attack and stroke by 30 percent. My husband and I have started to drink one glass of wine a day. Now comes a new report […]

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I need to know what a Clark’s nevus is. I am 53. In the past year, about 50 spots appeared on my body, and some have been surgically removed. I am fair-skinned. There is no history of melanoma in my family. How do you tell the difference between good and bad nevi? […]

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: My husband and I are in our late 50s. A year ago, we changed our lifestyle and diet to lose excess weight and become fit. I lost 10 pounds, and he lost 18. We are in good health and have good upper-body muscles via weight training. In spite of walking and bicycling […]

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I am recuperating from a kidney infection (pyelitis). The doctor did a culture of my urine, which showed a gram negative rod. What kind of infection is that? — S.B. ANSWER: The more common urinary tract infection is infection of the bladder — cystitis. Pyelitis, now usually called pyelonephritis, is an infection […]

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I have diabetes and have my blood sugar tested quarterly. I had been in the habit of testing my blood with a device provided to me by my doctor. I detected a difference in the reading I got and the one the lab got. I called and was told that the home […]

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: In 1989, I was diagnosed with Addison’s disease. I never was told how I got it. One doctor said I could have contracted tuberculosis of the adrenal glands. I worked for the New York City Health and Hospital Corporation for 18 years in engineering and maintenance. I have been on cortisone steroids […]

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: Please enlighten me and others who have osteoporosis about the possibility of the thigh bone suddenly breaking with little pressure applied. I saw two news pieces about Fosamax and its generic that reported many women had this happen. I stopped taking Fosamax when I heard this. I had taken it for five […]

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: Recently you stated that a waist measurement should be taken at the level of the bellybutton. I have seen this in a number of publications, and I wonder why. The bellybutton is located 1 1/2 to 2 inches below the waist. As a former dressmaker, I was told that the waist measurement […]

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: In high school I was a cheerleader, played on the girls’ basketball team and was a runner. I graduated five years ago. I remain active, but running is my only exercise. About six months ago I began to notice a slight pain in my kneecap. I managed to ignore it until two […]