Chelation therapy and a fool

My alternative healthcare practitioner recommends I undergo chelation therapy for my headaches. Is this safe?

Chelation therapy is bogus and so is your healthcare provider. Chelation therapy is dangerous and not approved by the FDA for treatment of headaches. I seriously urge you to see a reputable neurologist for your headaches. There are too many quacks in medicine, especially the alternative healthcare practitioners. Most do not know the arse from the mouth. In real medicine, chelation is only used to treat heavy metal poisoning. There is zero evidence that headaches are due to heavy metal poisoning. Please if you want to life a long life without hassles, stop seeing this fool.

Cut bile duct during surgery

My daughter who is 22 recently had her gallbladder removed. During surgery her bile duct was cut. Will she be okay?

 First I suggest you get the medical chart and go to a lawyer- cutting the bile duct is big deal. I think you will have a good case because the procedure is often relegated to junior residents. Cutting the bile duct indicates either too much haste, lack of anatomy knowledge or just bad surgeon (of which there are plenty). Second it is hard to know how they repaired the cut bile duct. No matter what how they repaired it, she may develop some narrowing of the duct in future, which may need ballooning every now and then. But see a lawyer because the damages are enormous.

Fatty liver causes

I am 48 years old and have been diagnosed with fatty liver. How did I get this because I do not even drink alcohol?

The number one cause of fatty liver in the USA is metabolic syndrome. This syndrome includes a combination of obesity, diabetes and high levels of fat in your blood. Alcohol is not the only cause. There are other drugs and metabolic disorders that can also cause fatty liver. Unfortunately, there is no quick treatment for this disorder. You need to eat right, lose weight and avoid alcohol. Make sure you do not take medications that affect the liver adversely- so read about the side effects of the prescription your doctor gives you before ingesting it.

Fatty liver treatment

Is there a specific treatment for fatty liver?

No, there is no specific treatment for fatty liver. The only treatment is a change in diet and avoiding alcohol. So far use of anabolic steroids has not shown any benefit. The best advice is lose weight, because in some cases it has been shown to reverse fatty liver.

Herb for essential tremor

I am a 44 year old and have been diagnosed with essential tremor. Is there a herb which I can take?

 Am sorry but I am not a herbalogist or an alternative healthcare worker. I have been trained as a conventional medical doctor and only know about drugs that work for essential tremor. The two drugs often prescribed for essential tremor are primidone and propranoiol. Both work in about 50-60% of patients. Alcohol can momentarily stop the tremor, but is not a practical solution for long term control. There is surgery, but I do not recommend it. As far as herbs are concerned, I have no clue. 

Most of the herbal market is associated with poor quality control. Fakes and counterfeit products dominate the market. Go and see a good neurologist before you embark on a regrettable journey with herbs.

Topiramate for essential tremor

Recently my doctor suggested I try topiramate for my essential tremor, what do you think?

Absolutely not. The drug has been evaluated in trials and was only marginally better than a sugar pill. Plus, in the trials many people dropped out because of side effects. The drug is also very expensive. My advice is go with propranolol. It is cheap, effective and has been around for 80 years. It is a safe medication.

Female with no energy

I am a 28 year old female and recently I have gained weight and started to feel very cold even when it is warm outside. I have no energy and feel tired. Is this related to my sinus medications?

 I think you may have an underactive thyroid gland. Go and see your doctor and get some blood work done. The results take less than a day. If you have an underactive thyroid, you may need to take thyroid hormone, which will reverse all your symptoms in no time.

Fenugreek for diabetes

I am a type 2 diabetic and have read that fenugreek can lower blood sugars. Is this true?

Not that is Bullshit. Studies on fenugreek have been done but the results are difficult to interpret. Some people claimed that the blood sugars came down and others said that there was no change. Most of these studies were non-randomized and sponsored by the manufacturers of fenugreek. Whenever you read that a study is sponsored by a pharmaceutical company or a manufacturer of a herb, that usually means the results have been fudged.  If you want to live a long healthy life without the complications of diabetes, dump fenugreek and see a doctor. There are some good medications to lower blood sugars. Stop fooling around with diabetes-it is not a pleasant disorder to mess with.

Sex with stranger and blisters

I am a 23 year old female and recently had sex with a stranger at a party. Now I have broken out in painful sores on the outside of my vagina. How do I know if this is herpes?

In most cases, an astute physician can make a diagnosis of herpes by the history and physical exam. However, when you go for the physical, the physician may obtain scrapings from the vaginal area and send them to a lab to confirm that this is herpes. There are not many infections that present like herpes and so in most cases, the lab test is not done. Among the STDs, herpes is the most painful.

Herpes genitalis

Does herpes from the vagina spread to other parts of the body?

No, herpes type 2 is limited to the genital area. The virus for some unknown reason loves the genitals and won’t spread to other parts of the body. It is not a life threatening infection, but once you get herpes genitalis, you wont forget it for a long time.

Diabetes and impotence

I am a 53-year-old diabetic and have had diabetes for the past 7 years. In the last year, I have noticed that I am unable to get erections. Is this related to my medications? My blood sugars appear to be well controlled?

One of the complications of diabetes is autonomic neuropathy. This affects many organs systems and it appears it has affected your ability to have an erection- the condition is irreversible. Loss of libido or failure to have an erection is not well understood because even people with well-controlled diabetes develop it. The only way to treat it with the use of Viagra like medications.

Treatment for corns

I have several corns on my toes, how can I get rid of them?

First, many people do not know the difference between corns and callous. Corns occur on the top of the toes, whereas Calluses occur on the sole or the bottom of the feet. The best way to treat corns is to get them removed with a blade. You can ask the provider  to numb the toe and gently slice of the corn in layers. The hard central core must be removed to prevent recurrence. Some doctors use electrocautery, but this is very painful and also more expensive. Try wearing wide shoes which are not too narrow at the toe. In addition, apply a moisturizer to the feet regularly.

Natural water pill

I have been told I have high blood pressure and need to take a water pill. Is there a natural water pill available?

 

There are many products in the food supplement industry that are touted to act as diuretics. Herbals products that are claimed to act as water pills include hydrangea root, couch grass, ginger root, uva ursi leaf and marsh mallow root. However, I should tell you that there are no good studies to show that these herbal products work. In addition, there is ZERO quality control about these products. There is no such thing as an FDA outside of North America- so manufacturers of health and food supplements do whatever they feel like. There is ZERO quality control and sometimes the herbs are spiked with real pharmaceuticals.

You may want to consider diurex, which is an over the counter water pill. Caffeine is not recommend because it has many adverse effects. My best advice to you is go and see a doctor. There are several water pills in conventional medicine which are effective and very cheap. Even though these pills do have adverse effects, these are mild and at least you know what you are taking.

Blood pressure and low potassium

I am on a blood pressure pill and almost every 2 weeks I have to have a blood test to check my potassium, which is always low. Is there a blood pressure pill I can take which does not lower my potassium?

Your doctor must be real dumb. There are several pills that do not lower potassium and have been around for 80 years. Ask your doctor for spironolactone or triamterene. These water pills do not cause lowering of potassium. As long as your kidneys are working fine, these pills wont cause marked increased in your potassium. However, you still need to undergo a blood test every few months to ensure that the potassium is not becoming high. When you take spironolactone or triamterene, avoid eating too many bananas or foods that contain potassium. So learn to read labels. These pills are not expensive and there are generic versions available.