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Daily Column

March 31, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
I am a 64-year-old female. I would like your opinion on my current urinary problem. For the last two years I have had recurring bladder infections. My primary physician sent me to a urologist who has done every available test. I have had X-rays, MRIs, scrapings and bladder emptying tests. They found that I have a kidney stone but it doesn’t appear to be bothering anything so it was left alone.

When these infections first started, there were several antibiotics that seemed to work. Now there is only one, Macrobid 100 mg. I take it two times a day for a full course immediately followed by Bactrim 400/80 mg once every night. My urologist said the Bactrim is supposed to “clean” my urine while I sleep.

I have followed these instructions for more than a year now. This therapy does not work. Three to five days after I finish the Macrobid, I have another infection! I am very worried about my kidneys. Will they eventually get infected too? What will happen when the Macrobid stops being effective? I have asked these questions of my urologist and the response is that only time will tell. Please help.

DEAR READER:
You appear to have a resistant chronic infection. This means that the infection is not being completely eradicated after finishing the course of Macrobid. This may be happening for several reasons. The most likely cause is that you are not being given the medication long enough. This could also explain why the infection is not responding to as many medications as it previously was. (If an antibiotic repeatedly fails to kill all the bacteria, they will eventually build up a resistance to it, making the medication ineffective.) Another possibility is that the infection is already in your kidneys. Kidney infections can be very difficult to treat because antibiotics do not readily penetrate the outer layers. A final option is that you have a combination infection. For example, the bacteria were not eliminated properly, built up a resistance to every antibiotic but Macrobid, moved into your kidneys and are persisting. In either case, I believe that you should take an extended course of antibiotics. Rather than the standard 10-day course (which I assume you receive on a regular basis), your urologist should try a one or two month course followed by testing to ensure the infection has been eliminated.

As an aside, the Bactrim does not appear to have any effect on your infection, if symptoms return after the Macrobid is stopped. Speak to your urologist about discontinuing the medication.

If your urologist is unwilling to listen to your concerns and make some appropriate changes to your current treatment, you should find someone else. A new physician will also bring a new perspective to the situation and may have other suggestions or treatments. If you decide to make the change, I recommend you seek out someone who is well-versed in chronic or recurring bladder infections in women.

This situation is not best handled by a wait-and-see format. Without proper treatment, the infection will only worsen. You need a physician willing to try different options.

Good luck and let me know how this turns out.

To give you related information, I am sending you a copy of my Health Report “Bladder and Urinary Tract Infections”. Other readers who would like a copy should send a self-addressed, stamped number 10 envelope and $2 to Newsletter, PO Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092. Be sure to mention the title.

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Daily Column

March 30, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
I read your articles about the bar of soap under the bed sheets. It helped the cramps my wife was getting at night. I thought that Dial liquid soap applied to the arthritic area of my left food might be stronger and work better so I tried it. It worked well, so then I applied some to my aching lower back. Again, it helped. I then put some on my stomach and had trouble that day with lightheadedness after sitting for a short time.

I decided to check out the soap and found that most, if not all, antibacterial soaps now have triclosan in them. This can create dioxins which are highly toxic even in very small amounts. This can also create chloroform. This may have been what relieved the pain in those areas but now I wonder if it is safe to use these soaps even sparingly.

DEAR READER:
My understanding is that dangerous compounds in antibacterial soaps are only a problem if they are swallowed. I believe that you are safe to continue using your present produce for bathing or the soap-under-the-sheets therapy. However, if you feel uncomfortable, try using a regular soap that does not contain antibacterial agents, such as Ivory and others.

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Sunday Column

March 30, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
When I was 19, I had my acne burned off with X-rays. Twenty years later, it came back so I took tetracycline for thirty years. My acne didn’t disappear but started to change so my primary care physician sent me to a dermatologist. I was told that the acne was being replaced by rosacea.

I couldn’t tell the difference in the early stages of the transition. About a year later, however, the change was very apparent. At this point I was put on minocycline twice a day and have taken it for over six years.

My skin has always been very oily and I have inordinate amounts of seborrheic keratoses, some too big to freeze off. Now, if I stop my minocycline for three weeks, what looks like pus drips off my nose. Once I start the medication again, it takes another four months to get back to normal.

Is there any way off this treadmill? Like me, it’s old.

DEAR READER:
Rosacea is an increasingly common, chronic condition with about 14 million sufferers. It primarily affects the face but can also appear on the chest, scalp, ears and neck. It is generally characterized by redness on the checks, nose, chin or forehead. There are four types of rosacea, subtype 1 (flushing and persistent redness), subtype 2 (persistent redness with red bumps and pus-filled pimples), subtype 3 (thickened skin usually with enlargement of the nose) and subtype 4 (affects the eye, usually dry eye, tearing/burning, swollen eyelids, recurrent styes and more).

Rosacea has no known cause but it is believed that those with fair skin who blush/flush easily are at higher risk than others. It occurs in women more frequently. However, affected men tend to have severe or advanced cases. There is no cure but, with early treatment, it can be controlled.

Treatment generally starts with oral antibiotics and topical creams. These usually bring the condition under immediate control and is then maintained with long-term use of topical therapy. Some individuals may receive treatment with intense pulsed lights or lasers. Some may have visible blood vessels removed, nasal deformities from excess tissue corrected or doctors may attempt to reduce extensive redness.

If you would like more information, I recommend you visit the National Rosacea Society’s website, www.rosacea.org.

You also mentioned seborrheic keratoses. These are benign, non-invasive skin growths that usually develop around midlife or after. They generally appear as sharply margined, raised, yellow/light tan to black waxy or scaly oval lesions on the face, chest, shoulders and back. Because they are benign and harmless, you do not need to worry about them. They can be a nuisance if they are irritated or rubbed by clothing or are cosmetically unsightly. Your dermatologist may be able to remove or reduce the appearance of the larger lesions with other procedures, such as curettage (scraping) or electrocautery if they truly bother you. In some instances, two of the procedures will be used in conjunction (usually cryosurgery and curettage or electrocautery and curettage). Seborrheic keratoses have no known cause but may be related to sun exposure. Normally only one or two will appear over many years. See your dermatologist if the lesions start to bleed or if they appear rapidly because this may be a sign of skin cancer.

A dermatologist is your best bet. Ask him or her about possible treatment options and express your concerns about the current treatments you are receiving for your skin disorders. You may choose to go to another dermatologist for a second opinion. Your dermatologist appears to be handling your care very well. Good luck and let me know how this turns out.

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Daily Column

March 29, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
I read your column everyday and hope you can help.

My 50-year-old daughter has developed an allergy that causes a very itchy rash over her entire body. Tests have not determined the cause. She has been on prednisone and is now being weaned off. She has extreme pain over her entire body, especially her feet and is having trouble walking. She has been told that this is a side effect of going off the medication but that other tests cannot be carried out until her body is clear of the steroid.

Is there anything that can relieve the symptoms of withdrawal? Her job requires her to be on her feet most of the day and she is having a hard time functioning efficiently at work.

DEAR READER:
Severe itching can be caused by an allergy, but it can also reflect kidney disease or hidden cancer. Therefore, I suggest that your daughter have further testing performed once the effects of the prednisone have disappeared. To the best of my knowledge, prednisone withdrawal symptoms only occur if the drug is stopped abruptly or is tapered off too quickly. If her doctor is removing the medication too quickly, it could explain her pain. I suggest she speak to him or her and voice her concerns.

As an aside, the pain is a result of cortisol withdrawal. The body makes cortisol naturally until medication, such as prednisone or other corticosteroids, are introduced. Because the body makes only minimal amounts, the adrenal glands (which produce cortisol) shut down in the presence of the medication. It takes time for the body to resume its normal functioning . It can one week to several months to wean down properly from corticosteroid therapy.

Rarely, some individuals will not return to normal function, especially if the dosage and frequency are high and long. If this occurs, medication to replace the missing cortisol must be taken to avoid symptoms. If it is not, serious illness and death occur.

I suggest your daughter have blood work to test the function of her kidneys, a potassium level and certain cancer markers (available for breast cancer). A high potassium level (often caused by kidney disease) may be the culprit. If this is the case, I suggest she be examined by a nephrologist (kidney specialist). If her cancer markers come back abnormal she should be examined by her gynecologist or an oncologist. On the other hand, if everything appears normal, she should continue with the allergist.

If your daughter is having severe pain and side effects, she must be weaned down more slowly. If her physician is unwilling to do so, she should find a new one. Good luck and let me know how this turns out.

To give you related information, I am sending you a copy of my Health Report “Allergies”. Other readers who would like a copy should send a self-addressed, stamped number 10 envelope and $2 to Newsletter, PO Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092. Be sure to mention the title.

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Daily Column

March 28, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
My 22 year-old niece has a terrible problem that I’m hoping you can help me with. She has not washed her hair in about a year. It is matted together. She wears it in a pony tail with a scarf over that. No air can get to her scalp at all. She couldn’t get a brush through it if she tried. Oh, she has not showered either! When her mother confronts her about showering and washing her hair, she simply refuses.

Is there anything you can advise us to do? We’re really worried.

DEAR READER:
Your niece appears to be suffering from a psychological disorder, part of which is a compulsion to refuse help. Aside from the social implications of her orientation, there are potential health consequences, such as skin infections and irritations.

I believe that the family should work together in arranging a crisis intervention that will include your niece’s physician, family, and other concerned individuals. The goal should be to convince your niece to undergo counseling and accept medical assistance. If she doesn’t have a physician, she should select one or understand one will be selected for her. She can then make an appointment for an examination, or be aware once again that one will be made for her.

In any event, she needs intervention. This is a difficult problem that should be addressed.

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Daily Column

March 28, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
I have received information from a friend that you have a theory that spraying nitroglycerin on the hands and feet of a neuropathy patient may be of some help. I’d like to know where I can get this spray.

My husband has peripheral neuropathy. He is not diabetic and the pain is mild. He needs a cane to keep his balance when walking and is losing function of his hands. In November 2006 he was in hospital for treatment with massive IV steroids and IV immunoglobulin. Each treatment lasted four hours. Unfortunately, they made him very sick and he was forced to stop.

We are willing to try anything to improve the function of his hands. Where can I get nitroglycerin spray for him?

DEAR READERS: Nitroglycerin is a prescription medication. Most pharmacies carry it but without physician approval you cannot purchase it. Speak with your husband’s neurologist about this possibility.

He may also wish to try prescription Neurontin which has been proven useful in lessening the pain of neuropathy.

A final option is Vicks VapoRub or similar store brands. Many of my readers have had amazing success by simply rubbing the product on the affected areas two to three times a day. It is also inexpensive, safe, easy and best of all, doesn’t require a prescription. I recommend your husband give this a try first and move onto the other options should it not work.

To give you related information, I am sending you a copy of my Health Report “Dr. Gott’s Compelling Home Remedies”. Other readers who would like a copy should send a self-addressed, stamped number 10 envelope and $2 to Newsletter, PO Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092. Be sure to mention the title.

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Daily Column

March 27, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
I am over 60 years old. I have a past history of average blood pressure (120/70). This past year or so, it has been 110-130 over 48-54. I am worried that the low diastolic number is a health concern. I had chemo treatments a few years ago and wonder if this is somehow related. An ultrasound showed no major problems.

DEAR READER:
A low diastolic blood pressure is of no concern whatsoever, unless you are experiencing lightheadedness or fainting. I doubt that your previous chemotherapy is playing a role. I recommend that you check with your doctor to make sure I am not missing something. He or she may wish to monitor your blood pressure more closely.

To give you related information, I am sending you a copy of my Health Report “Hypertension”. other readers who would like a copy should send a self-addressed, stamped number 10 envelope and $2 to Newsletter, PO Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092. Be sure to mention the title.

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Daily Column

March 27, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
As odd as this sounds, I promise this is not a joke. When my husband sneezes, the air he expels as an odor to it. I would associate it with the smell of marigolds or musty urine. We have noticed this over the course of the last month or so.

I offer the following information in case it has any bearing (but we believe not).

He has been diagnosed with colitis but it is under fair control with diet. (He has been fairly closely following your no flour, no sugar diet.) He does not smoke anymore, having quit four years ago. He is a mild/moderate social drinker. His lymph nodes swell up on occasion but I assume that is from fighting off infection. It does not seem to have any correlation with the smell. He also has heartburn and uses antacids a few times a week. He takes vitamin C regularly but no other multi-vitamin. We cannot think of any major dietary or lifestyle changes in the last month that might cause this bizarre occurrence.

We wonder if ammonia-smelling sneezes have an obvious cause and should they be something to be concerned about? Is this something you have ever heard of before?

DEAR READER:
Ammonia-smelling breath is a well-recognized consequence of diabetes, kidney disease and liver disorders. Don’t ignore your husband’s symptom. He needs to be checked. Although the ammonia odor may simply reflect inefficient digestion that is characteristic of colitis and other intestinal disorders, I worry that a more serious situation is developing. Get him to your family physician for testing and let me know the outcome.

To give you related information, I am sending you copies of my Health Reports “Living with Diabetes Mellitus” and “Kidney Disorders”. Other readers who would like a copy should send a self-addressed, stamped number 10 envelope and $2 FOR EACH report to Newsletter, PO Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092. Be sure to mention the title(s).

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Daily Column

March 26, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
Please help. I have a male friend who is dizzy and nauseated all the time. He had had all kinds of tests and medications but nothing seems to help. It is very discouraging and he is starting to show signs of depression. His doctors don’t seem interested and we don’t know where to turn.

DEAR READER:
It sounds to me that your friend is nauseated and dizzy because of chronic vertigo. This is a problem that stems from his ear. He desperately needs to see an ear-nose-and-throat specialist. There is therapy available for this common condition.

While awaiting his appointment he may wish to try Lipo-Flavonoid which has shown vast improvement in some individuals. (Be sure to mention this to the specialist.)

To give you related information, I am sending you a copy of my Health Report “Ear Infections and Disorders”. Other readers who would like a copy should send a self-addressed, stamped number 10 envelope and $2 to Newsletter, PO Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092. Be sure to mention the title.

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Daily Column

March 26, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
My husband was diagnosed with a rapidly growing, malignant brain cancer in 2004. He was 57 years old.

After reading “Acid and Alkaline” by Herman Aihara and “Death by Diet” by Robert Barefoot, I immediately put him on a no bread, no flour diet (similar to your no flour, no sugar diet). My husband also started taking vitamins, minerals and some alternative herbs. He ate lots of raw or lightly steamed vegetables, fruits, teas, deep well water and no sugar drinks. He lost only 12 pounds during the eleven months of his illness. During that time he had two head surgeries, meningitis (contracted in hospital) and chemotherapy. The attending nurses said he was the most physically fit cancer patient they had ever seen. Although the cancer won, I feel his good health up to the last two weeks of his life was primarily due to his diet.

I now tell my friends, who want to lose weight, about this way of eating and your diet (since they don’t need to be as restrictive as my husband was). Most of them, however, don’t seem to know how to follow through and when hunger hits them, they grab junk food instead of something healthful.

I believe having a well-thought out plan including recipes will help most people who are really serious. I believe that if your no flour, no sugar diet had a recipe book, more people would be able to stick to the diet and can start enjoying the benefits of good health.

Please finish your book because I would love to order several copies when they are available.

DEAR READER:
Your suggestions for a well-thought out plan makes perfect sense to me; in fact, that is the thrust of my first diet book (Dr. Gott’s No Flour, No Sugar Diet). Many of my readers have asked about issues having to do with finding recipes to vary the foods they eat. To help them, I have my newest book (Dr. Gott’s No Flour, No Sugar Cook Book). It contains over 200 recipes. Both books are available at most bookstores or online at www.Amazon.com.

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