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Dear Dr. Roach: My A1c test on blood sugar is always higher (prediabetes) than my fasting glucose test (normal) on the same visit to the doctor. Which result should I believe? My latest test at a doctor鈥檚 office showed that my A1c is 6.

Dear Dr. Roach: I have chewed nicotine gum for 15 years with tea or coffee. What are the dangers? V.B. Nicotine gum contains nicotine, obviously, and excess nicotine can cause multiple symptoms, including nausea and vomiting, dizziness and headache.

You think constipation isn鈥檛 important? If so, an article in the American Journal of Gastroenterology suggests you鈥檇 better think again. Annually, in the U.S., 700,000 people are seen in hospital emergency wards for this problem.

Dear Dr. Roach: I have had an autoimmune disease called bullous pemphigoid for the past four years. I originally was treated with prednisone therapy for over a year, which was then tapered and changed to mycophenolate.

Dear Dr. Roach: In the past year, I have had numerous transient ischemic attacks. I also have an abdominal aortic aneurysm and blockages in my carotids. Could a dislodged plaque be the cause of my TIAs? D.G.

Dear Dr. Roach: My daughter, in her middle 50s, is plagued with Raynaud鈥檚. The winter here in Illinois is hard on her. She wears heavy gloves, but still her hands are very cold. It affects her feet, too. P.S.M.

Dear Dr. Roach: I have heard for a while now that the black stuff on burnt toast is carcinogenic. I don鈥檛 eat it because it tastes bad, but now I hear that any browning on things such as bread and potatoes could cause cancer.

鈥楽top tapping your pencil!鈥� my teacher called out. I didn鈥檛. And one day, he walked to my desk, threw me to the front of the class, then tossed me out of the classroom.

Dear Dr. Roach: I have a question about a recent colonoscopy procedure I had. The procedure was the second I鈥檝e had, the first being when I was 50 (I鈥檓 now 60). I woke up this time with a lot of chest pressure, and felt like I was having heart pains.

Dear Dr. Roach: I鈥檓 a 33-year-old woman with an overactive bladder. It was keeping me awake at night with painful spasms telling me I had to 鈥済o鈥� every 45 minutes. I took oxybutynin for a while, but it stopped helping.