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Archive for September, 2008


Daily Column

Tuesday, September 23rd, 2008

DEAR DR. GOTT:
I am a 54-year-old female. One year ago I had a DEXA scan which showed severe osteopenia. I have GERD and a hiatal hernia and cannot take biphosphonate pills so my doctor put me on Boniva IV.

My question however, doesn’t have to do with the medication. Just before having the DEXA scan, I noticed several enlarged bones in my right foot and ankle. I was tested for Paget’s disease but the results were negative. At my last physical exam, my doctor noticed that my left shoulder blade had enlarged. I have seen several doctors and none can tell me what is causing my bones to enlarge. Do you have any ideas?

DEAR READER:
Because you do not say what type of testing you have had and what types of doctors you have seen I can only give you general suggestions. If these are repeats of what has been done or said, I apologize. (more…)

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Daily Column

Monday, September 22nd, 2008

DEAR DR. GOTT:
My 10-year-old grandson had corrective surgery for Hirschsprung’s disease when he was an infant. He has been experiencing fecal leakage since then. He gets quite embarrassed but he can’t keep from having “accidents”. I was wondering if Kegel exercises would be of benefit to him. Any help you can offer would be appreciated.

DEAR READER:
Hirschsprung’s disease is a condition of the large intestine. It causes problems with passing stool because of missing nerve cells in the intestinal muscles. It is present from birth (congenital) and has no known cause.

Hirschsprung’s occurs in one out of every 5,000 births and ranges from mild to severe. In mild cases, babies often have minimal symptoms and may not be diagnosed until early childhood. Severe cases may lead to bowel obstruction, necessitating emergency surgery. (more…)

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Sunday Column

Sunday, September 21st, 2008

DEAR DR. GOTT:
I am a 62-year-old female, 5’ 11” and weighed 165 pounds before all the problems.

In August 2007, during a four day stay at my beach house in Mexico, I developed watery diarrhea up to 12 times a day. Four days after returning home I saw my physician and he said I must have picked up a bug in Mexico. I have been going there fore 35 years and have NEVER gotten anything before, but thought there is always a first. He prescribed Cipro for seven days with no results so I was given another seven day round. When that failed to help, I was given Flagyl and had blood work and stool samples taken twice. Everything was negative. He then switched me to another medication but I was still having the watery diarrhea up to eight times a day, mostly during the morning and evening. I started losing weight. (more…)

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Daily Column

Saturday, September 20th, 2008

DEAR DR. GOTT:
My 31-year-old son has retina pigmentosa. His sight has been decreasing little by little. We know it is an incurable disease. Will you comment if science has made any inroads in this field and if there is a place in the United States or Europe where they are doing any trials? Do you have any suggestions, other than vitamin A, on how to prolong his vision?

DEAR READER:
Retinitis pigmentosa is an eye disease with damage to the retina, a nervous tissue membrane that receives images of outer objects, carrying signals to the brain via the optic nerve. This relatively uncommon condition can be caused by numerous genetic defects and tends to run in families. In fact, the Ocular Molecular Genetics Institute’s seminar at Harvard Medical School has recognized more than 45 genes for this condition. (more…)

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Daily Column

Friday, September 19th, 2008

DEAR DR. GOTT:
I am a 47-year-old female with a peculiar problem. When my blood sugar levels are low, I yawn. This can be very embarrassing when I’m in the middle of a business meeting, or trying to carry on a conversation with a colleague. What’s going on?

DEAR READER:
The symptoms of low blood sugar are anxiety, agitation, a feeling of hunger, dizziness, palpitations, and more. Some individuals with the condition become glassy-eyed and stare off into space without realizing what they are doing. Low blood sugar tends to cause some other individuals to become fatigued. As you have discovered, that fatigue causes some individuals to yawn, even at inappropriate times.

I can give you some guidelines, but recommend you meet with your physician to be assured my suggestions are appropriate for you. (more…)

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Daily Column

Friday, September 19th, 2008

DEAR DR. GOTT:
I have had a great difficulty with mouth ulcers for the past three years. I‘ve seen a dentist, oral surgeons, ENT specialists, and general practitioners. I finally went to a local medical clinic when my mouth became so sore I couldn’t talk, only to be told by the doctor on call that he didn’t have any idea what the problem was. His recommendation was I should brush the inside of my cheeks, tongue, and all areas that had sores with an electric toothbrush, rinse with full strength peroxide, followed by a water rinse. He said it would burn like fire, but would help. I did this twice and the sores disappeared. I‘d already had negative testing for herpes, thrush and oral diseases, so I decided to give it a try. After following his direction, I no longer suffer for days waiting for the lesions to clear up. They’re gone in less than 24 hours. Perhaps this will help some of your readers. (more…)

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Daily Column

Thursday, September 18th, 2008

DEAR DR. GOTT:
My 30-year-old daughter has had eczema since birth. She has tried just about everything possible. Do you have a simple remedy like your banana skin for psoriasis?

DEAR READER:
Eczema is often extremely difficult to control. It stems from a malfunction of the body’s immune system. The condition is known as an itch that rashes. When the uncontrolled urge to scratch occurs, further skin irritation results, often causing rash, scaling and crusting lesions.

There are many triggers causing eczema. They include animal dander, dry skin, harsh soaps, showering too frequently, using too hot water, and more. The most effective control is to keep the skin moisturized. A good moisturizing lotion with vitamin E is recommended. (more…)

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Daily Column

Thursday, September 18th, 2008

DEAR DR. GOTT:
My husband has been diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome by his physician. He’s extremely uncomfortable and isn’t getting a lot of relief. What are his options?

DEAR READER:
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common disorder of the large and small intestines. It affects up to 15% of North Americans, with a predominance in females. Symptoms include gas, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, or a combination thereof. It can appear at any age, but is often found in younger individuals. Previous studies indicated IBS was caused by stress, but the condition is now thought to be a malfunction of the movement of the colon. Whatever the cause, it is uncomfortable for those who suffer from the condition.

For starters, your husband might modify his diet. (more…)

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Daily Column

Wednesday, September 17th, 2008

DEAR DR. GOTT:
I am having trouble falling asleep. My medications include Sinemet, Levoxyl, Wellbutrin, Actonel, and Valium. My supplements are grape seed extract, omega 3 fish oil, COQ10, and vitamins C, D, and B50. I would like to try melatonin to solve my sleep problem. Would it be compatible with my medications? I also have Parkinson’s disease but feel it is unrelated.

DEAR READER:
Let’s consider the big picture here. You are on a host of medications and supplements for your Parkinson’s, hypothyroidism, depression, anxiety, hypercholesterolemia, and osteoporosis.

I would like to clarify the dosage of Levoxyl you are taking for hypothyroidism. While I left out the dosages of the medications you are on, you stated you take 50 mg daily. This amount is beyond comprehension. (more…)

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Daily Column

Tuesday, September 16th, 2008

DEAR DR. GOTT:
A friend of mine who is a diabetic passed a simple suggestion on to me. Her ophthalmologist suggested she to take one tablet of chromium picolinate each morning.

DEAR READER:
Chromium picolinate is a combination of chromium and picolinic acid. Chromium is a naturally occurring mineral with minimal amounts found in meat, poultry, whole-grain breads and fish. The addition of the picolinic acid assists the body with the absorption of chromium and is popular on the market today.

Depending on the source of your information, it is purported to burn calories, control appetite, increase muscle tone, increase energy and lifespan, prevent acne, and more. On the reverse side, some scientific evidence states this supplement is ineffective. It is found in many herbal weight-loss remedies, (more…)

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All information contained herein was the opinion and view of the writer at the time the original column appeared, with content provided for informational purposes only.
Consult a physician before beginning any course of treatment, since ongoing research on a wide variety of topics may render some suggestions obsolete. Website © 2009 Gott & Storm LLC. Content is © 1995-2009 Newspaper Enterprise Association

Disclaimer: All information contained herein is the opinion and view of the writer. It is intended to provide helpful and informative material on the subjects addressed and is not meant to malign any pharmaceutical company, organization, religion, ethnic group, or individual. Readers should consult their personal physicians or specialists before adopting any of the recommendations or drawing inference from information contained herein. The writer specifically disclaims all responsibility for any liability, loss, risk -- personal or otherwise -- incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, from the use and application of any material provided.