ArcaMax

DEAR DR. ROACH: Are there any studies that show who might be more seriously affected by COVID, whether it's based on risk factors such as genetics, vitamin deficiencies, etc.? -- F.F.

ANSWER: There are many disease conditions that put a person at risk for a severe illness if they get infected with the virus that causes COVID. These include ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 73-year-old who underwent successful treatment for prostate cancer, using hormone suppression and radiation in 2015. After the treatment concluded, my testosterone level increased back to 435 ng/dL, and my PSA remained below 0.1 ng/mL. I was once again able to perform sexually, although not at the same frequency I did ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am an active, 5-foot-2-inch, 125-pound, 72-year-old Caucasian woman without a history of known osteoporotic risk factors, other than demographic ones. I exercise daily, eat calcium through food, take 2,000 units of vitamin D, and follow a Mediterranean-style diet.

My last dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan showed a ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I had a total thyroidectomy in July 2022 for Graves' disease. All the time leading up to this and almost all the time since, I've only had one short "active" period of thyroid eye disease (TED). My only noticeable symptom was double vision, but it went away after surgery.

However, in May of this year, I suffered a dog bite in ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: How much power do you think administrative employees in a doctor's office should have over patient care? I like my doctor and his nursing staff, but I'm quite upset about a situation where a specialist from out of town faxed a request for a CT scan to my primary care physician's office. The assistant that received the request ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: My friend is 63 years old. She was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease two years ago. She started having tremors probably two years before her diagnosis, but they were being attributed to longtime use of a psychiatric medication that was prescribed for her bipolar disorder. She is opting not to take any medications for Parkinson...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: After 11 years of medical uncertainty, over 50 doctors, and my daughter's diligence, my 19-year-old granddaughter was finally diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS). This is a rare condition that affects the connective tissues and comes with a variety of issues, most of which she has experienced.

While it was a blessing ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I'm 85 years old and in basically good health for my age. I am an active nonsmoker, eat healthy, practice tai chi, and enjoy having many friends. I have no reason to experience extreme anxiety.

Yet, for months, I have had unexplained blood pressure spikes. The highest I had was 243/127 mm Hg, and this is when I called local ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: My blood sugar level is around 150 mg/dL on average without medication. With metformin, I have diarrhea 24 hours a day. I am 82 and very active. I walk about six miles a day on average. I tried to tell my doctor about the severity of my problem, and with a smile, he said, "Metformin can do that."

I insisted on a replacement ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: It was less than five years ago that I had a TURP (transurethral resection of the prostate) surgery for slow urination. It is not at a critical point yet, but it feels like my urine flow is slowing down again. How often do men who've had a TURP surgery require a second operation?

A normal prostate is the size of a walnut. As ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: Why is it that certain medications warn against possible infections in the perineum? I saw an ad for Jardiance that warned against this. Just now, I viewed a Farxiga ad, and there was the same warning spelled out in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen. This seems very specific. What is it about the perineum that makes it ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I would like your opinion and advice. I am a very healthy 77-year-old man, and I walk about two miles each morning. Generally, I enjoy one wheat beer every afternoon, and my primary care physician has told me to feel free to continue with it. I've read that moderate drinking can be good for one's health, but I've heard that it ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I had all the symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) when I was younger. I could go six months without having my period. I had all the other symptoms, too, like oily skin and facial hair. It's a terrible thing for a young teenage girl. I also had trouble getting pregnant; though, fortunately, Clomid worked well for me ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I'm a generally healthy, 63-year-old woman. I haven't been feeling well for months. I have experienced bloating and a poor appetite, and I'm not eating much. But somehow I am gaining weight. I started having diarrhea, and my doctor did a culture and found that I have E. coli.

They started me on antibiotics, and the diarrhea is...Read more