ask-the-doctor
I was recently diagnosed with 2 Tarlov cysts on the S1 section of my back. I get sciatica nerve pain constantly. Meloxicam stops my pain for a few days. But as soon as I stop the medicine, the pain restarts. I read quite a bit about it on the internet, but treatments don?t look very hopeful. What do I do now?
I’ve been active in sports my entire life. I had debridement surgery on my right ankle one year ago. It’s still painful. Have there been any medical advances to either replace the cartilage (synthetic or real) or re-grow cartilage?
For around 12 years, I’ve suffered from sunset to sunrise from severe cramping and uncontrollable leg jerks that responded to no known medical treatment. Is this restless leg syndrome? What’s the best treatment?
I have Hepatitis C. My viral load did not respond to treatment with ribavirin and interferon. What else can I do?
Have there been any advances in the treatment of burning mouth/tongue syndrome. I went to a pain management center for it, but they couldn’t help.
I had either an insect or tick bite on my leg about 4 months ago. It has left a bump that is red and itchy. This never happened before after a bite. Is this common? Anything I can do?
At 78 years old, I am in pretty good shape. A couple of years ago, an echocardiogram showed a small leak in my mitral valve. A year later, a follow-up test showed some leakage in my tricuspid valve. The valves aren?t causing me any problems right now, but how will I know if they need to be repaired? I like to exercise, but don?t want to make these valve problems worse. Is it okay for me to walk on a treadmill at a speed of 3 to 4 miles an hour and lift light weights?
Is there a good screening test for pancreatic cancer?
Is there a difference between the prescription Zoloft and the generic version? I started taking Zoloft 8 years ago, but switched to the generic version over a year ago because it?s free with my prescription coverage. I think I?ve gained weight since the switch. Is it possible that the generic version causes me to gain weight when Zoloft didn?t?
I have been suffering from a skin rash for about 10 years. A large patch of my skin constantly itches, and the skin is thick and feels like leather. I have gone through almost every ointment on the market, and none works. I went to a new doctor and he said that my rash was neurodermatitis and recommended an antidepressant. I was surprised. Have you ever heard of using a mood-altering medication to treat a skin rash?