Ask the Doctors

Dear Doctors: I am going to have a major abdominal surgery. My doctor says it is likely that I will be needing strong pain medications after. My question is about opioids: How long can you take them a... more

Dear Doctors: I am a junior in college. I enjoy being around people, so I live in the dorms. Last year, my roommate was depressed, and I also got to feeling down. This year, the girl I live with is ch... more

Dear Doctors: I started taking meds for depression. When I let my doctor know at my last visit, he told me about a study that says running also helps with depression symptoms. Do you know anything abo... more

Dear Doctors: My doctor wants me to hydrate more, but I find it difficult to drink the 64 ounces of water per day he recommends. I have a protein shake with 8 ounces of milk each morning -- does that ... more

Hello, dear readers, and welcome to a bonus letters column. Our inboxes are brimming with your questions and comments, so we’ll get right down to business.... more

Hello, dear readers, and welcome to the monthly letters column. We hope everyone is recovering from the lost hour in the daylight-saving annual time shift. Speaking of which, we have had several lette... more

Dear Doctors: My fiance and I plan to have kids someday. I was wondering if it would be beneficial to keep our babies’ umbilical cords, which would be full of stem cells. We would like to know how tha... more

Dear Doctors: I had a total hip replacement. I also have arthritis. It has made it hard to get back on my feet. My doctor is wanting me to try aquatic physical therapy. Is it all that different from t... more

Dear Doctors: I keep hearing about the complications that can happen when you have the measles and how they can land you in the hospital. I just saw on the news that getting the measles can mess up yo... more

Dear Doctors: I’ve never seen measles, and don’t know that I would recognize the symptoms. My children are vaccinated, and I had two shots as a kid. Am I still covered, or do I need a booster? My dad ... more

Dear Doctors: I burned myself on the stove, but it didn’t look bad so I wasn’t worried. The next morning, the skin had turned red and the burn was all swollen. What’s the right way to take care of a b... more

Dear Doctors: My husband and I usually make a few resolutions for the new year. This year, I skipped it because I never follow through, and I wind up feeling bad about myself. My husband did OK for ab... more

Dear Doctors: Has there been any progress in figuring out how to treat long COVID? I have been dealing with the symptoms for two years, and my doctor seems to have given up. Is anyone even doing resea... more