My dad has a bad heart. He is 73, and goes into the hospital every other month with fluid in his lungs. Â The doctors tell us he is on good treatment, and the only additional treatment would be a heart transplant. Â We did find a doctor who said he can use "stem cell treatment" in the heart, and he has good results, but he can't do this in Texas where we live. Â We would have to travel to somewhere in the Caribbean, so he could do it there. Should we do this?
Your father has what doctors call a cardiomyopathy,
Study on Omega 3 Supplements
by Dean Heller MD June 7th, 2013 | Ask the Doctor
I take Omega 3 Fatty Acids from the vitamin store, but they make me burp up this fishy smell. I am 39, but I did have a heart attack about five years ago, and I have been doing really good since then. Should I continue to take these supplements?
Well, that is a very timely question, as there was a recent study that looked at a group like you, those who have a history of heart disease. With the standard dose of fish oil, 1 gm or less, there was not a significant benefit in people who already have a
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Well, that is a very timely question, as there was a recent study that looked at a group like you, those who have a history of heart disease. With the standard dose of fish oil, 1 gm or less, there was not a significant benefit in people who already have a
Blood Glucose Monitors
by Dean Heller MD May 31st, 2013 | Ask the Doctor
My mother is a diabetic and has been having a terrible time with her blood sugar recently. She checks it in the evening, and it is high, so she takes extra insulin. But she wakes up at 2 or 3 in the morning sweating and feeling lousy. We give her some juice immediately and she starts to get better after a few minutes. Because she feels so bad, it is hard to check her sugar at that time. Is this common, and what can we do?
Diabetics can experience change in the insulin requirements at different times, so this is
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Diabetics can experience change in the insulin requirements at different times, so this is
Fibromyalgia Explained
by Dean Heller MD May 24th, 2013 | Ask the Doctor
I have been having pain that occurs at rest in the middle of my chest. I am a 29 year old girl. My doctor ran a few heart tests and told me it was not my heart. He thinks I have fibromyalgia. What is that and how does he know this?
Fibromyalgia is most common in younger women about your age and into the 30's and 40s. People with fibromyalgia tend to get pain throughout their entire body, but certainly it can be in the chest area, and it is commonly associated with costochondritis, or inflammation of the chest wall.
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Fibromyalgia is most common in younger women about your age and into the 30's and 40s. People with fibromyalgia tend to get pain throughout their entire body, but certainly it can be in the chest area, and it is commonly associated with costochondritis, or inflammation of the chest wall.
Depo-Provera Explained
by Dean Heller MD May 17th, 2013 | Ask the Doctor
My doctor tells me that there is a birth control injection that lasts three months. He said it has been out for quite some time, and he has had good experience with it. What are the general thoughts about this type of birth control? Because I forget my pill a lot, he said it was a good idea for me.
The Depo-Provera birth control shot has been on the market for years. It can be helpful for people like yourself, who have trouble remembering the daily pill. It is quite effective, with success rates similar, or even a little better
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The Depo-Provera birth control shot has been on the market for years. It can be helpful for people like yourself, who have trouble remembering the daily pill. It is quite effective, with success rates similar, or even a little better