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Daily Column

June 30, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
I am writing in response to the letter asking for help with hemorrhoids. I, too, suffer from them and had difficulty finding products that actually worked to relieve symptoms. I finally found Rutin. It is over-the-counter, inexpensive and for me, works within 20 minutes. The manufacturer states on the bottle that it can be used for hemorrhoids, poor circulation, varicose veins and more.

I also have a solution for skin that bruises easily or appears blotchy. I simply chop or grind a naval orange, peel and all and then eat it with a spoon. I usually mix in some crush pineapple and artificial sweetener to make it taste a bit better. I generally eat one crushed orange over several servings rather than all at once. It generally takes a few days before the bruises and blotches start to clear up. [Read more...]

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Sunday Column

June 29, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
I read your column frequently and am always impressed with your responses as they shed light in areas that most other physicians are not aware of. I am hoping that you will be able to do the same for me.

My wife is 80 years old and we have been married for more than 50 years. Until four years ago she was outgoing, energetic and of sound mind, body and spirit. Since then she has become a shell of her former self. I remember this change was precipitated by her no longer wanting to drive. She came to me, out of the blue and said she no longer felt comfortable driving and wanted to see a neurologist. My wife is a very guarded person and is not fond of going to the doctor so I surmised that she had been experiencing some type of problem. She was diagnosed as having dementia and placed on Aricept, Namenda and (despite telling him she wasn’t depressed) Zoloft. [Read more...]

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Daily Column

June 28, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
My husband, who is in his 70’s, has developed a strong odor. It smells like hair that needs to be washed despite the fact that he showers and washes his hair daily. By the end of the day the smell is so strong that I can smell him from several feet away.

This has been going on for a couple of years and during that time he has tried several different types of shampoos with no change. He finally spoke to his doctor who didn’t know what to do. Please help.

DEAR READER:
There are various ailments that can cause a person to develop a strong body odor. One of the most common is kidney disease. I suggest your husband return to his physician for a complete exam and blood tests. Once the results are in, you and your husband should sit down with the doctor to discuss what they mean and if a referral to a specialist is in order.

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Daily Column

June 28, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
I love your column. It’s been very beneficial to my family in many ways.

I took Zelnorm over a year ago until my doctor said the FDA had taken it off the market and it was no longer available. Since I was suffering from chronic constipation, it was very helpful in regulating my system. I’ve had nothing but problems now that I’m not using it. I’ve tried a number of prescription drugs, over-the-counter stool softeners, and just about everything I can find. Nothing works like Zelnorm did. Hopefully there will be minor changes to the drug and it will become available again in the near future. Until then, are overseas markets reliable and trustworthy? The generic name is Tegaserod and I see it can be bought from online pharmacies.

DEAR READER:
Zelnorm, a product manufactured by Novaritis, was introduced to combat irritable bowel syndrome and constipation. [Read more...]

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Daily Column

June 27, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
Ever since my son had hemorrhoid surgery two years ago, he has constantly experienced irritation when eating any food containing sugar or spices. Could this be an allergy or something needing a repair job? He’s been to several doctors, but they don’t have much of an answer for him.

DEAR READER:
I am not sure whether the irritation you mention refers to his anus, abdomen, or if he has indigestion; I’ll go with evacuation. Spicy foods can certainly be difficult to digest and expel. Perhaps sugar has the same effect on him. In any case, I would simply recommend he avoid the irritants that could represent an allergy of sorts and, pardon the pun, eliminate the problem.

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Daily Column

June 27, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
My child suffers from constant ear infections and we have been told he may require surgery to place tubes in his ears. I don’t want to do this but hate to see him in so much pain. Are there any non-surgical options?

DEAR READER:
While I don’t know the reason for your child’s repeated ear infections, I will fill you in on one non-surgical item available on the market. In 2005 the FDA approved the Ear Popper, a non-invasive, non-drug related prescription device for treating fluid in the middle ear, Eustachian tube dysfunction, otitis media, pain from travel in an airplane, hearing loss, and fullness from sinus conditions and colds.

Popping of the ears is common and is nature’s way of relieving pressure imbalances of the middle ear. When the natural method doesn’t work, pressure in the middle ear becomes higher or lower than in the outer. Fluid can accumulate and [Read more...]

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Daily Column

June 26, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
I’m writing regarding your past column concerning the side effects of Actonel. I’ve taken Fosamax and Boniva for osteoporosis and had a terrible reaction to both. The first one put me in the hospital for five days because I was having the same symptoms as a heart attack. The Boniva that I was switched to gave me the same reaction, just not as bad. Still, it was enough to scare me. My doctor said we would never try those medications again.

DEAR READER:
As I originally reported, Actonel is ordinarily a beneficial drug. However, some people suffer side effects. Most are mild and do not justify discontinuing the drug, yet some are extremely serious. Chest and back pain, esophageal stricture, joint pain, nausea, diarrhea, back and abdominal pain, hypertension, urinary tract infections and more have been reported. As I’ve said in the past, [Read more...]

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Daily Column

June 26, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
I was diagnosed as having Parkinson’s disease. While I’ve apparently had the condition for a long time, my posture is the same as it has been for many years. In fact, everything is the same.

DEAR READER:
As I am sure you are aware, Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurological disorder that occurs when nerve cells in a part of the brain die or become impaired.

Early symptoms are extremely subtle and vary. Some individuals might have difficulty getting out of a chair, handwriting might appear cramped, the sense of smell or memory might be affected, and irritability and depression might be observed. More obvious symptoms include tremor of the hand or mouth, muscle rigidity, slowed movement, gait abnormality, and urinary incontinence or constipation. Postural instability and other features may come in to play as the disease progresses. [Read more...]

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Daily Column

June 25, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
I’m at my wit’s end. My problems are all musculoskeletal in nature.

I’m a 65-year-old woman. Last August my right knee began hurting and I could not bend it. I don’t remember injuring it. After an X-ray that was negative, my doctor gave my knee a cortisone shot and I followed up with physical therapy for eight sessions. That helped until I wrenched my right foot while going down a step. My knee also twisted with the action. It was first believed there was a hairline fracture of the 5th metatarsal and my foot was in an air cast for eight weeks but it turned out the injury was to the tendons and soft tissue, not bone, confirmed by an MRI. After nine visits to the physical therapist for my foot I was “almost” better and I started resuming my daily activities. That’s when my knee started the same problems all over again. To make matters worse, [Read more...]

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Daily Column

June 24, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
I have been using decolorized iodine for my nails which have been splitting and shredding. It has worked wonders. When I went to get another bottle, the pharmacist was out and had to order it. In passing, she said she had highly recommended it to treat nail fungus. I have no idea how effective it is, since I never had a fungus problem. Perhaps this will help your readers.

DEAR READER:
I have seen a HUMCO brand of decolorized iodine that can be used for split and shredded nails. There probably are other brands available, but the regular bottle on pharmacy shelves is red and leaves a stain when applied to the skin. Because iodine is used as an antiseptic, it probably does work on nail fungus as your pharmacist suggested. Thanks for the tip.

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