I sleep on my right shoulder and for the past few months I have been feeling pain from the elbow to my thumb. Lately the pain has spread to my other 3 fingers(index, middle and the ring finger). I have tried not to sleep on my side but it also hurts during the day time when I am doing something with my arm bent, like brushing my teeth or holding a book. I feel pain and numbness of the hand (fingers). The doctor told me to take Ibuprofen but my questions is, will this pain and numbness go away by taking the Ibuprofen?

I am worried. I have weighed the exact same (from 209-216) for over 10 years. I am 5’10" and understand I am obese. The problem I have is I have dropped 4 dress sizes in the last two years, but lost no weight with out any improvement in the amount of exercise or a better diet. I am wearing clothes that I have had for ten years that are loose on me now that were tight on me. I do not understand what is going on. I have been told that as women age they expand around the hips and stomach but that is where my clothes are the most loose. No other part of my body seems bigger as nothing is tight now where it was not before. I am 35 years old and have never had kids. I just married and am looking to have a child in the next few years. I want to be healthy when we start to try. Any ideas on what I should ask my doctor about?

My husband recently had a vasectomy. How do we know if the procedure worked?

I am losing hair. Do I need to start using Rograine or is it a temporary result of:

• A new diet started in last month eating 2/3 fruits and vegetables for every 1/3 protein and grain
• Dental work in last month - crown followed by root canal - many x-rays
• Menopause - I stopped over 10 years ago.

What should I do?

I had a partial hysterectomy (still have my ovaries) and my G.P. told me I didn’t need pelvic exams. Several of my friends who have had the same procedure get pelvic exams. Should I have one?

If I take Hormone Replacement Medication for my menopause symptoms, will I stop gaining weight?

In 1989 I had breast cancer, my hair came out and never fully came back to it’s original fullness. As of now I wear wigs. Is there anything else that I could do as far as vitamins or diet are concerned? I had chemo, went through a period of menopause for a year, but, I had no other problems. I am healthy.

I thought I had a urinary tract infection about three weeks ago and went on an antibiotic (Cipro). I am not feeling better and was told to go on Macrobid. It helped for awhile, however, the pressure, slight burning and frequency to urinate has returned. I was given Premarin and have used this for four nights, but I’m still not feeling better.

I did see a Urologist and all of the cultures have been negative. Any thoughts?

I’ve been on the Atkins diet for about 3 months and have reached a plateau, how can I get past this stage and lose the remaining pounds?

I have been taking birth control for a few months now. I accidentally dropped one down the sink so I took the next day one instead. Then that week I started my period even though I was still on the blue pills. I was reading that if you forget to take them the right way to throw out the current pack and start a new one, but I am still bleeding (not as heavy) but still enough to have to wear a pad or tampon.

Is this still normal since it has only been 3 months since I started taking birth control again (I am 42)?

Recent blood work revealed that my HDL is low. My new primary care physician seemed unconcerned. What can I do to raise my HDL level? My long time physician recently retired and scheduled blood work for me every three months. My new primary care physician is scheduling only every six months or 12 months. I am 80-years-old and get fairly good reports although my triglycerides and cholesterol are slightly elevated. Should I be concerned about this?

I am almost 65 and have stopped taking hormone replacement therapy after 20 years. I am sleepless and suffering from hot flashes. What can I take to lessen these effects?

I am an Estring (Estradiol Vaginal Ring) user. I have great difficulty removing it myself. Will it make a difference if I wait until my regular exam to have it removed? It will be 3 weeks later than the 3 month time period? I suppose the medication will be depleted by then. But is it that critical?

Is there a cure for LPR (Laryngopharyngeal) reflux? I am not a medication person and do not want to take Zantac forever.

I would like to know what Paget’s Disease is and what the symptoms are.

I am 71 and beginning to have some pain in my hips. I exercise three hours a week and walk 1/2 mile each day. Is it better to push through the pain or better to lay off for a day?

What are the most common causes for a swollen cervix without other symptoms?

How much is too much B-12? Does taking B-12 pills help one have more energy?

I am 55, post-menopausal and have been on the lowest dose of Vivelle-dot patch for 18 months. My skin is quite thin, most notably on the inner thighs, which appears striated and is tender and is prone to pimples. Would a higher dosage patch encourage the skin to thicken?

Can you please explain how carbohydrates affect our weight and how to figure out how many carbs you should have in your daily diet?