Health Advice
/Health
Deciphering Whether There's A Link Between Tinnitus And Statins
DEAR DR. ROACH: As a 69-year-old female, when my cholesterol reached 250 mg/dL, I was prescribed and started taking 10 mg of rosuvastatin daily. I soon noticed a constant ringing/buzzing in my ears. Six months later, my cholesterol was down to 183 mg/dL. Another four months have passed, and the tinnitus is worse than ever and keeps me up at ...Read more
Covid Vaccination Is Still Recommended For Those Over Age 65
DEAR DR. ROACH: I'm a 78-year old man who was diagnosed with asthma about 10 years ago, after a severe coughing attack left me unable to breathe. Since then, everything has been pretty much under control with Symbicort or Singulair. While I assumed that it'd be a good idea to get a COVID vaccination each year due to my asthma, both my general ...Read more
Explaining The Process Of Radioactive Thyroid Cancer Treatment
DEAR DR. ROACH: I'm a 74-year-old male who is in good health and works out. I recently had a thyroidectomy for thyroid cancer and had my entire thyroid removed. This month, I'm scheduled for a radioactive thyroid treatment. I understand this should cleanse any remaining cancer that was left around this area. I was told to drink plenty of ...Read more
How To Report That A Patient's License Needs To Be Revoked
DEAR DR. ROACH: A former neighbor who's experiencing a gradual cognitive decline from dementia recently received a letter from our state's DMV saying that her driver's license was being revoked because of a letter she received from her neurologist. She steadfastly maintains that she's fine and there's nothing wrong with her, although those of ...Read more
Diagnosis Of Opmd Is Likely In Man With A Family History Of It
DEAR DR. ROACH: Many of my dad's side of the family -- from my grandmother to my uncles and aunts, as well as their kids -- have had oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy (OPMD). Most people started having symptoms around age 65, and I'm 64. My dad had a bad heart, got the eyelid surgery for OPMD, and used a walker since his late 60s. I didn't ...Read more
An Mri Is Superior Than A Ct Scan In The Case Of A Neoplasm
DEAR DR. ROACH: I have a pacemaker that was installed in January 2024. This is a newer model that's said to be safe for those who need an MRI. I have a neoplasm that was recently discovered in the parotid gland on the right side of my head.
The doctors at a referral hospital attempted to do a biopsy on the mass in the center of the gland. But...Read more
Woman Succumbs To A Prion Disease, Aka 'mad Cow Disease'
DEAR DR. ROACH: Have you ever discussed prion disease in your column? It afflicts one in 1 million people, swiftly kills its victims in a matter of days, and is incurable. People commonly know it as "mad cow disease." I recently lost a great friend to a prion disease, and she truly was one in a million. It's a nightmare to endure. -- R.
...Read more
Woman Weighs Treatment Against Her Potential Risk Of Fracture
DEAR DR. ROACH: I'm a very healthy and active 74-year-old woman, and I'm also quite proactive with my health. I get bone scans done every two years and have osteopenia in both my hips and spine. But because of a T12 fracture in 2018, which was followed by a kyphoplasty, I was recently recommended to see a specialist for more extensive blood ...Read more
Some People Do Well With Lower Doses Of Glp-1 Agonists
DEAR DR. ROACH: I've been on Zepbound for about eight months. I've had fantastic results as far as weight loss, and I'm building muscle back. The problem is that I've constantly had to push back on increasing my dose. I started at 2.5 mg, then 5 mg, then 7.5 mg. My body couldn't handle 7.5 mg, so I asked to go back to 5 mg. My weight loss ...Read more
Natural Cmv Immunity Isn't Fully Protective Against Reinfection
DR. ROACH WRITES: A recent column on congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV, a herpes virus that is similar to EBV -- the virus that causes classic mononucleosis) stated that pregnant women who've had CMV are protected from further infections. But an expert on CMV -- Dr. Sallie Permar, MD, PhD -- wrote in to say that it's possible to reacquire CMV ...Read more
Loss Of Taste And Smell Persist In Man After A Car Accident
DEAR DR. ROACH: My 82-year-old husband is unable to smell or taste. This has been the case since 2024, when he was hit by a car while out for a walk. He sustained a compression fracture to his spine. While he wasn't knocked out, he did get thrown backward and sustained some trauma to his head. Since then, he's had no sense of smell or taste. ...Read more
Scuba Diver Experiences Nausea Due To Nerve Compression
DEAR DR. ROACH: I'm a scuba diver, and I recently purchased a dry suit that is expectedly tight on my neck. During my first dive with it, I pulled the hood down, and within a few minutes, I immediately felt nauseous before even entering the water. I also briefly felt lightheaded and faint. I removed the hood, loosened the neck a bit, and tried...Read more
Explaining An Adverse Drug Reaction Called Dress Syndrome
DEAR DR. ROACH: Could you explain what happened to me with a condition called DRESS syndrome? I had back-to-back urinary tract infections (UTIs) that were about six weeks apart. For the first one, I was treated with three days of an antibiotic, and it went away. For the second, I was given another week of the same antibiotic.
My UTI symptoms ...Read more
Know The Difference Between A Pacemaker And A Defibrillator
DEAR DR. ROACH: What's the difference between a pacemaker and a defibrillator? -- T.S.B.
ANSWER: Both are implantable devices to treat electrical problems of the heart. A pacemaker is a much older device; the first implantable pacemaker was made in 1958.
The heart has an electrical system, which coordinates the mechanical activity of the ...Read more
