Managing chronic venous insufficiency

Dear Doctors: Can you please address chronic venous insufficiency? My doctor has advised me to use compression socks and elevate the legs. I find the socks hard to put on, and elevating my legs above my heart is another challenge. Help!

The impact librarians have on people

Ispent yesterday with more than 5,000 librarians.A few were library aides, and some were library trustees. But the thing they all had in common was libraries.I never thought much about how libraries work, probably because they work so well.

Enthusiasm for book club dwindles

DEAR HARRIETTE: I started a book club around eight months ago, and I advertised it on my community’s Facebook page. I was so excited because the first time I hosted, it was a success. More than 30 people came, and the discussion we had on the book was amazing.

Reader gets involved in mom, grandma’s fight

DEAR HARRIETTE: My mom has always had a troubled relationship with my grandmother, primarily due to growing up in poverty, surrounded by so much uncertainty. Due to her upbringing, my mom vowed to provide her children with a better life than what she had.

Eustachian tube dysfunction causes blockage

Dear Doctors: A year ago, I had fluid in my eustachian tubes that didn’t clear.I ended up needing drainage tubes and sinus surgery. Both tubes are now clogged with thick gunk, and my hearing is worse. What would cause this? Is there anything that can stop it from happening?

DO JUST ONE THING

• If mosquitoes are turning your backyard into a buzzing nightmare, consider recruiting an unexpected helper: bats. A single bat can devour as many as 1,000 mosquitoes in one night, making them one of nature’s most effective pest controllers.

Reader is apprehensive about boyfriend’s kids

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have been going out with this guy for a few months now. He’s great. His energy makes me feel comfortable, we have great conversations and he is well-mannered.

Tonsil stones may be cause of bad breath

Hello, dear readers! Welcome to the monthly letters column. You have been keeping our mailboxes busy, so we will dive right in.– A recent column about tonsil stones prompted a reader with chronic bad breath to wonder if this might be the cause.

Manager feels disconnected from co-workers

DEAR HARRIETTE: I recently started working as a manager of a bank in New York City, and I’m having a hard time fitting in socially because most of my co-workers come from extremely wealthy families. They often talk about their extravagant weekend plans that include skiing or taking weekend trips.

Stress just one factor in high cortisol levels

Dear Doctors: I’m a 64-year-old man with Type 1 diabetes and very high cortisol from stress at work. I can’t lose weight despite lower calories, exercise and GLP-1 meds. I have a fatty liver and elevated bilirubin, which have never caused problems.