ArcaMax

DEAR DR. ROACH: I'm a healthy 70-year-old female who still works full-time and plays tennis regularly. I'm 5 feet, 6 inches tall and weigh 140 pounds. My concern is my memory, especially my speech. English is my second language, but I've been in the United States for over 40 years. Words often disappear from me when I need them and come back ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I read your column every day. I haven't seen any information on chronic kidney disease (CKD). There are many articles on the internet about this subject, telling us how to combat it with easy, at-home remedies. Most articles discuss how to cleanse your nephron filters with things such as pumpkin seed oil, cinnamon, etc.

I'm a ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: After learning that my brother drank a recommended solution to detox his body of worms, I did a little research. Sources claim that parasitic infections are found in many unsuspecting people. They claim that 300,000 people have Chagas disease per year, and cysticercosis causes the hospitalization of 1,000 people per year. About...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I read your response to a recent question regarding drugs to reduce cholesterol levels. In your response, you talked about the risks of taking niacin and its potential side effects. You commented that statin drugs remain the first-line treatment for reducing heart disease risk and for people who are at an increased risk.

As a ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: My son, who is 28, has always had issues with his gut. Almost everything passes through his intestines quickly. He frequently sees undigested vegetables in his stool. He had intestinal pain and underwent upper and lower GI scopes because the doctor suspected Crohn's or inflammatory bowel disease. But he found nothing other than...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I'm a woman of 54 with somewhat limited mobility due to back pain. Perhaps for this reason, my primary care physician ordered a DEXA scan in 2023 and again in 2026. I was alarmed when the recent scan showed osteopenia in five of the six areas that were tested. I thought the 2023 scan was normal, but when I revisited it, I saw ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: My mother lives with me. She's 88 and on hospice. She's totally bedridden. Her brain is fine, but her body has failed her. The problem is that if I try and get her out of the bed for anything (a change of scenery, to change the sheets, etc.), within minutes of getting her into a wheelchair, her blood pressure crashes, and she ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I was diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) at the age of 46. The course of the disease was mild for me with only three identifiable MS attacks (in both my spine and brain). Although I initially resisted treatment, I took Copaxone shots for seven years before my neurologist believed that it was safe to ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: About four months ago, my doctor switched me from a combination of 5 mg of amlodipine and 100 mg of Losartan daily (which I'd been taking for several years) to 10 mg of amlodipine only. Things went just fine until very recently, when I started developing some annoying skin problems. I've noticed wart-like growths and itchy, ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I'm curious about peptides. I read that they're incredible health cures and effective at lowering weight and high cholesterol. People say that major pharmaceutical companies are suppressing them because they offer better cures at cheaper prices. Is there any credibility to these claims, and should I take them, mainly by self-...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I have a friend who had gallstones and ultimately had her gallbladder removed. When they went in, they saw lots of infections, cleaned her out, and put drains in her liver. She's been feeling awful and weak, and she wants to get a second opinion. Which type of specialist should she see? -- D.L.G.

ANSWER: Treatment for a ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I'm an 83-year-old female who's in good health. I don't take any prescriptions, and I'm not overweight. I donate blood regularly, work out at a gym, and hike. I started taking 50 mg of trazodone in January 2019 for its side effect of helping with sleep. It helped somewhat, so my doctor increased the dose.

One evening, I rose ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I'm currently in the final stages of recovering from osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ). Getting a diagnosis took two months, all of which I spent in excruciating pain. I finally found someone that has knowledge of ONJ. Can this condition recur if I continue taking Prolia? -- N.L.

ANSWER: ONJ is a rare side effect of denosumab (...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: My daughter, who's 44 years old, was recently diagnosed with rectal cancer. It's stage III and contained. She has no cancer in her liver, lymph nodes, rectum or colon. Her doctor is going to start her on a more aggressive chemo than he first thought of, then radiation. Since the cancer's contained, once it's removed, would her ...Read more