DEAR DR. DONOHUE: A reader wrote to you concerning a cough he had had for 10 years. During that time, he had seen many physicians and taken many medicines, to no avail. You were able to identify that cough as being one that is uncommon. The reader followed your advice and the properly prescribed medicine […]

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I am a generally healthy 55-year-old man. Five years ago, I began to have some erectile dysfunction. Then two years ago, I had occasional hot flashes. I saw an allergist, who discovered that my ferritin (iron) level was out of the ballpark. It turns out hemochromatosis runs in my family. I have […]

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I had a kidney stone three years ago, and it was pulverized with sound waves. I had them again last year. My doctor hasn’t submitted them for analysis, so I don’t know the kind of stones I had. He hasn’t given me any information on diet or medicine. Will you please furnish […]

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: This 87-year-old, slightly overweight male has a major problem — shingles. That disease has now spanned 17 months of my life. The usual medical treatments have been tried, without success. Currently, holistic medicine was added, also with no relief. The only hope I have for this daily stabbing pain is that someday […]

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I am a 97-year-old man. My aortic valve has been closing for many years. Now it has become serious. I have congestive heart failure. I turned down an operation to put in a new valve because of my age. Would you tell me something about a procedure I saw on TV where […]

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I have some questions on walking as an exercise. Does it really count as exercise? How much do you have to do? How long do you have to walk? What’s the meaning of 10,000 steps? Do you have to do the entire walk at one time, or can you break it down? […]

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: About two months ago, I wrote you inquiring about the shingles vaccine for polio victims. Will the vaccine cause the polio virus to reactivate, or will it cause a severe case of shingles? — N.J. ANSWER: People born after the polio vaccine became available in 1955 have little appreciation of what a […]

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I would appreciate your input on an infection and/or allergy that my wife has on her fingers. The thumb and first two fingers of both her hands exhibit a red and swollen cuticle around the nail. She has had the problem since her 30s, and she is presently in her 70s. She […]

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I am 71 and still suffering from hot flashes. Isn’t this unusual? I don’t know a single woman of my age or 10 years younger who still has them. Why do I? What can I do for them? — R.J. ANSWER: Menopausal hot flashes come from a flood of warm blood into […]

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: Please tell us how safe the anti-incontinence pills such as Detrol LA are. As an active, healthy lady, 81, I can’t go anywhere because I wet my pants, and often I don’t even know I did. You need to know that I have never been overweight, and have had a prolapsed bladder […]