Dr. Paul Donohue Good Health



Dear Dr. Donohue: I have two daughters, ages 49 and 54, and a daughter-in-law, 53. All three are going through menopause. My daughter-in-law has a problem with leakage of both breasts. Is this normal? Your opinion would be appreciated. -- R.C.

Dear R.C.: Breast leakage is a somewhat common problem, but only in about 5 percent of these women does it indicate serious trouble. All the same, your daughter-in-law must report to her doctor to be sure she is not in that 5 percent.

The cancer issue is the first to address. Most cancer-related leakage is blood-tinged, and usually the leakage is from only one breast.

Ductal ectasia is a more common cause. Here, the milk ducts beneath the nipple are inflamed and clogged. The color of leaking material is gray to green.

Breast cysts can cause leakage. So can thyroid disease. Stimulation of the breasts promotes drainage.

Women runners often develop irritated breasts that leak fluid.

Your daughter-in-law has much to talk over with her doctor.

Dear Dr. Donohue: I take Coumadin for atrial fibrillation. My last protime (a test for blood coaguability) was low. I have been told to cut down on green, leafy vegetables. I am eating them to lose weight. What can I do? -- B.O.

Dear B.O.: People take Coumadin to thin their blood so it doesn't form clots. Atrial fibrillation causes clots to form. Pieces of clots can break loose, travel to the brain and cause a stroke. Coumadin works by interfering with the action of vitamin K, the clotting vitamin.

Kale, spinach, collard greens, broccoli and brussels sprouts can work against Coumadin. However, you can eat them in small to moderate amounts.

Dear Dr. Donohue: You said a cross-country airplane trip gives you as much radiation as a mammogram. You've taken away my fear of mammograms but have caused concern for airplane flights. Is the radiation additive? -- J.Z.

Dear J.Z.: Everyone on planet Earth is subject to the natural radiation from space and from the ground. You have no worry from airplanes. Pilots live in them, and their cancer rates are no different from the rest of us.


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