komaroff
Use of red yeast rice is unregulated, little studied
Dear Doctor K: My last two blood tests showed that my cholesterol is too high. My doctor wants me to take a statin drug, but I’d rather use a natural remedy.
Fat cell hormones cause damage throughout body
DEAR DOCTOR K: Why is abdominal fat worse for your health than fat around the hips and thighs?
Mild endometriosis unlikely to affect fertility
Dear Doctor K: I have endometriosis. Could this affect my fertility?
Epidural injections for sciatica pain
Dear Doctor K: I have terrible pain from sciatica. Will epidural injections help?
Side effects of Pradaxa unknown
Dear Doctor K: My wife has atrial fibrillation. Her medication was recently changed from warfarin to Pradaxa. Her doctor says the new medicine does not require regular INR tests and is just as effective.
Take steps to prevent future bone loss
Dear Doctor K: I’m a woman in my 40s. Both my mother and grandmother had osteoporosis. What can I do now and in the coming decades to reduce my risk?
Some teens’ anger is more than just moodiness
Dear Doctor K: My 19-year-old son is always angry. Is this a normal developmental stage, or should I be concerned?
Kidney disease linked with diabetes
Dear Doctor K: I have Type 2 diabetes. My doctor said that kidney disease is a potential long-term complication of diabetes.
Eat lunch to keep energy level up
Dear Doctor K: Can you give me some tips for eating a healthy but satisfying lunch?
‘Sundowing’ not really understood
Dear Doctor K: My wife is in her late 70s. Lately she appears very tired and agitated in the evenings. I talked to a doctor friend who said she might be “sundowning.” What is sundowning, and what can we do about it?
Tests help find cause of incontinence
Dear Doctor K: I’m a 65-year-old woman with urinary incontinence. My doctor isn’t sure what’s causing it, so I need to have urodynamic testing.
Establish safety rules for child home alone
Dear Doctor K: My husband and I work full time, and we have a daughter in middle school. Is it safe for her to be alone after school until we get home from work?
Patience and lifestyle changes relieve BPH
Dear Doctor K: I have BPH. I have some urinary symptoms, but because I work from home they’re not difficult to manage.
Baby’s development may take some time
Dear Doctor K: My new baby was born with an undescended testicle. What should we do?
New drugs have made leukemia curable
Dear Doctor K: My uncle was recently diagnosed with leukemia. I’d like to learn more about it.
Steps to care for parents from afar
Dear Doctor K: How can I help care for my elderly mother? She lives alone, but not close enough for me to visit regularly.
