Dr. Paul Donohue

12 - 1:26am

Dear Dr. Donohue: I was washing the clothes of my 17-year-old son when I found a tin of chewing tobacco. Needless to say, I was very upset. I confronted my son about it after school. He told me that a lot of his friends use it and that it is “no big deal — at least I’m not smoking!” I told him it is a big deal because it is just as dangerous as cigarettes and I reminded him of our family’s history of cancer. My father, his two brothers and two of his sisters all died of different cancers.

Donohue: Wry neck disrupts life 12/25/12 - 1:14am

Dear Dr. Donohue: I was recently diagnosed with dystonia of the neck. I went to countless doctors before I finally saw a neurologist, who made the diagnosis. Are not very many doctors familiar with this condition? I would appreciate any information you can give on it. — P.N.

Donohue: Anorexia mostly an illness of young women 12/20/12 - 1:08am

Dear Dr. Donohue: Please do a column on anorexia. My 19-year-old granddaughter, who had plans of becoming a model, is now hospitalized because of it. She is nothing more than skin and bones. I believe she was about to die. This bright girl, even when she was skinnier than a rail, believed she was too fat. Is there hope for her? — A.N.

Donohue: Readers describe varied effects from multivitamins 12/18/12 - 1:04am

Dear Dr. Donohue: I took a multivitamin faithfully for 20 years. I also have asthma. I wheezed every day. I ran out of the vitamin and forgot to buy more. Ten days without a vitamin and the wheezing stopped. — S.W. Dear Dr. Donohue: I used a variety of multivitamin brands. They all gave me a pain in the stomach. I take the vitamins separately and have no trouble. — E.D.

Dr. Donohue: Celebrex remains controversial med for some 12/15/12 - 1:41am

Dear Drs. Donohue and Roach: I have arthritis in both knees and have taken Celebrex for years for it. I am unsure how long I should keep taking it. What is your opinion of Celebrex? Also, could stem cells ever be used for joints? — L.H.

Dr. Donohue: Spectacular progress made in AIDS treatment 12/13/12 - 1:24am

Dear DRs. Donohue and Roach: I read your column every day, but I haven’t seen anything about HIV. Please tell me what the life expectancy of an infected person is. Is there any hope for someone if the medicines he or she is on stop working? Are there new medicines out there? — Anon.

Dr. Donohue: Rosacea: Facial redness, acne and some patches of tangled blood vessels 12/11/12 - 1:01am

Dear Dr. Donohue: My father and I have rosacea. I have it worse. I get acne on my face, along with redness, and now I have scarring. I never had acne when growing up. I was diagnosed three years ago with rosacea. Sometimes I don’t leave the house because it’s so bad. I have tried a lot of medicines, but nothing has been a solution so far. Is there anything you can suggest? I’m sick of dealing with this. — J.O.

Donohue: Stopping symptoms of GERD does not always signal cure 12/08/12 - 1:07am

Dear Dr. Donohue: I have been diagnosed with GERD and Barrett’s esophagus. My doctor put me on 20 milligrams of omeprazole once daily, and it seemed to work well. I read about the bone problems with omeprazole and stopped taking it because I also take phenytoin (Dilantin), and I have a balance problem: My fear is that I could fall and break a bone.

Donohue: Try medicines before surgery for enlarged prostate gland 12/06/12 - 1:05am

Dear Dr. Donohue: I have to trot to the bathroom many times during the day and many more times at night. Is this due to my prostate gland? I’m 74 and wasn’t bothered by bathroom visits a year ago. Does this mean surgery for me? How do I know if this is prostate cancer? — R.R.

Donohue: Plantar fasciitis high on list of heel pain causes 12/04/12 - 1:01am

Dear Dr. Donohue: This is the second time I have had plantar fasciitis. The first time was more than five years ago. A doctor outlined a program for me, but I have forgotten the details. Will you give me a refresher course? — L.O.