ArcaMax

DEAR DR. ROACH: I'm 80 years old. My doctor ordered a fasting blood test, which showed that my LDL cholesterol is 119 mg/dL; my HDL is 68 mg/dL; my cholesterol/HDL ratio is 3-to-1; my total cholesterol is 208 mg/dL; and my triglyceride level is 104 mg/dL. A recent CT scan of my neck that was done for other reasons showed some plaque buildup. ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: My husband recently passed away one week after his 80th birthday. According to his death certificate, he died of lung cancer (not a surprise) and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML), which was a total surprise. He was always a very healthy and vital man; he never had surgery or other medical problems.

He had his first-ever ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 66-year-old male who has been exercising regularly and eating much better these past few years after my doctor warned me that I was prediabetic. Still, after initial success, my A1C levels have been creeping upward again. I've hit 5.8% and now 5.9% during these past two years.

I've been thinking there is something in my...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 65-year-old man. In May 2023, I had a major heart attack. Three stents were installed. I have been doing well since the heart attack, except I now get bone and joint pain and aches. I have lost 85 pounds. My blood pressure is very good now, as is my cholesterol. My primary doctor advised me that 70 mg/dL is in the more ...Read more

DEAR DR ROACH: I am a 75-year-old male who has had benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) for about 20 years and have taken tamsulosin during this time. I have always had to urinate at least once per night and up to three to four times per night periodically.

Two weeks ago, I had a chocolate craving just before bed and had three Hershey's Kisses....Read more

DEAR DR ROACH: I'm a 68-year-old female with osteopenia. My doctor wants me to take a bone medication such as Boniva or Fosamax. I've read that folks with esophageal issues may be harmed by taking these. Can you explain why? -- C.M.C.

ANSWER: First off, we don't usually treat isolated low bone mass (osteopenia) with powerful medicines like ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I was recently diagnosed with grade 1 spondylolisthesis. I had been a runner for most of my life and had lifted weights for a number of years. Could these two activities have been the culprits?

I have a little numbness at times down my left leg and around my ankles. As long as I don't arch backward, I don't feel any pain. The ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am an 84-year-old male and have had atrial fibrillation for many years. In 2022, I had the WATCHMAN procedure. Prior to the WATCHMAN implant, I took Eliquis to help prevent strokes. During this time, I never had an issue with purpura spots. After the WATCHMAN, I took Plavix for six months and had many occurrences of purpura. ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 68-year-old male in excellent health. I had an exam that incidentally noticed a relatively small, internal iliac artery aneurysm. Since then, I have had annual CT scans to monitor the size. As of January, it had grown to 3.2 cm.

As we get closer to surgical intervention, my vascular surgeon only sees an "open" procedure...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: Do you have any recommendations to stop restless legs at night? My husband has been to many doctors to find a cause or a solution to stop them. His legs have raised up as much as a foot in the air at night, constantly jumping and causing many sleepless nights. No one seems to have a solution for him. -- J.O.

ANSWER: Restless ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I would like your opinion of probiotics. Do you think they would help with chronic diarrhea after having my gallbladder removed? -- C.F.R.

ANSWER: Probiotics are bacteria that are abundantly found in a healthy colon. They are thought to provide benefit to people in certain circumstances. Unfortunately, there is only proof of ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: My 22-year-old granddaughter had her first seizure less than a year ago. She had a few tests done, which showed that everything looked normal. She did an MRI, a CT scan and two electroencephalograms (EEGs). She was told that the seizures she had are non-epileptic ones and are much safer than epileptic ones.

She was put on ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: Does taking a medicine to reduce fever hurt? I read that fever is useful for the body to fight off infections. -- J.S.

ANSWER: There is some experimental evidence that higher temperatures help the body kill bacteria and control virus infections, but the magnitude of the benefit is probably small. Fever is an ancient and near-...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a healthy 55-year-old woman who eats well and exercises (with both weights and cardio) six to seven times per week. Four years ago, I was diagnosed with Lynch syndrome. (I have the "MLH1" genotype.) My primary care physician suggested testing after my sister died of cancer at the age of 48. (Doctors were never able to ...Read more