I am a diabetic, and I do check my blood sugar fairly regularly. I usually get between 110 and 175, and occasionally it can be higher or lower. My doctor tells me that he does a blood test that checks sugar for 3 months, and that he thinks my blood sugar is running higher. My question is - how can he know what the blood sugar is?  Was it high on that blood test, and he is just guessing? What do you think?
While the doctor will check your blood sugar every time he sends the blood work and will
Vertigo
by Dean Heller MD July 20th, 2012 | Ask the Doctor
I have had dizziness for the past few months, and my doctor sent me to an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) doctor who told my I have a type of dizziness called vertigo. Is this common, and why does he think this is an ear problem?
Vertigo is not just dizziness, it is an abnormal sense of movement. Frequently, you can get what feels like you or the room is spinning. The ear is involved in your balance and movement, and it is frequently a cause of vertigo. When this occurs transiently, and comes and goes, it is usually fairly
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Vertigo is not just dizziness, it is an abnormal sense of movement. Frequently, you can get what feels like you or the room is spinning. The ear is involved in your balance and movement, and it is frequently a cause of vertigo. When this occurs transiently, and comes and goes, it is usually fairly
Adenosine Stress Test
by Dean Heller MD July 13th, 2012 | Ask the Doctor
My doctor wants me to do a stress test; however, I am unable to walk on the treadmill, because I have a bum knee. He said he can do a test with chemicals instead, but that sounds dangerous. He says it is safe, but is that true?
Cardiologists use certain chemicals that basically simulate exercise in order to perform stress tests to look for blockages in the heart arteries. Some of these chemicals raise the heart rate to mimic exercise, and others just dilate (or open) the arteries a little extra to see how the heart performs under stress.You may
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Cardiologists use certain chemicals that basically simulate exercise in order to perform stress tests to look for blockages in the heart arteries. Some of these chemicals raise the heart rate to mimic exercise, and others just dilate (or open) the arteries a little extra to see how the heart performs under stress.You may
Chronic Myeloid Leukemia
by Dean Heller MD June 29th, 2012 | Ask the Doctor
My father, who is 72, was diagnosed with CML. From what I understand, this is a blood cancer. They are telling him that he can live with this for many years with agressive treatment. He does not want to take medicine. What would happen if he does not want to take any medication at all?
CML is Chronic Myeloid Leukemia. This disease is usually different that an acute leukemia, and it is commonly very responsive to medical therapy. A few cases will progress to a more acute form of leukemia, and have to be treated with more aggressive chemotherapy. For
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CML is Chronic Myeloid Leukemia. This disease is usually different that an acute leukemia, and it is commonly very responsive to medical therapy. A few cases will progress to a more acute form of leukemia, and have to be treated with more aggressive chemotherapy. For
Age and Fertility
by Dean Heller MD June 22nd, 2012 | Ask the Doctor
I am 39, and I just finished my PhD. I have spent so much time in school and on my career that I have not had time to think about having a family. At my age, what is a reasonable time frame to start having kids? I would like to have two. Should I rush it now, and just try and get pregnant immediately?
Well, that obviously depends on your personal circumstances. From a medical standpoint, it is certainly preferable that you start as soon as possible. The eggs that your ovaries have are a fixed number from birth, so
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Well, that obviously depends on your personal circumstances. From a medical standpoint, it is certainly preferable that you start as soon as possible. The eggs that your ovaries have are a fixed number from birth, so