Health

Q. I am an 81-year-old woman in excellent health. The only thing that might be worrisome is my LDL cholesterol of 181. I understand that is way over the acceptable level. I have no other risk factors for heart disease.

As they gain popularity, weight loss medications will be the focus of a Spokane talk by obesity expert Dr. Ellen Schur.

Q. I read in your column about nicotine patches helping with memory. I have been trying them, and I do feel sharper. I’m not sure if this effect is real or placebo. That said, my question is how long should I use the patches to get the maximum benefit? Will my brain fog return if I stop? Is this a lifetime commitment?

Q. Lots of people suffer with hemorrhoids, and I’d like to offer advice from personal experience. Ditch the wet wipes and toilet tissue for cleaning your butt after a bowel movement. Purchase a simple bidet toilet seat. After it rinses you off, just pat dry gently with toilet tissue. This drastically reduces the risk of getting hemorrhoids. If you do get them, soaking in a hot bathtub or sitz bath at least once a day works very well.

Q. I take pramipexole to treat restless leg syndrome. When I play casino games, I seem not to be able to stop playing. I have almost maxed out my credit cards.

Q. You have repeatedly criticized health care workers for making mistakes when measuring blood pressure. No one has answered my question of why a “proper” blood pressure reading requires me to assume a state that I exist in perhaps 1% of the time during an average day. That is, sitting in a chair, feet flat on the floor, arm level with my heart on an armrest, empty bladder and perfectly quiet for five minutes.