ArcaMax

DEAR DR. ROACH: I wonder if we can trust the health guidelines coming from government agencies. How will doctors make recommendations if the guidelines may not be scientifically rigorous? -- T.D.

ANSWER: For many decades, the recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control, the National Institutes of Health, the United States Food and ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I was recently diagnosed with diabetes and immediately changed my diet and exercise regimen. I was able to lose 17 pounds in about two months but have started to experience a feeling of something being stuck in my throat. Could the sudden weight loss have brought this on? I was sent to get an ultrasound on my thyroid, and it ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I read that in the 1700s, animal blood was transfused into humans to cure syphilis. Is this true? -- T.U.

ANSWER: The story is a bit more complicated. Transfusion from animals into humans was certainly done, with published reports dating from 1667, sometimes to treat fever and sometimes purely for scientific knowledge with paid ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 77-year-old female who recently had an abdominal and pelvic cat scan to rule out diverticulitis, and it came back showing a left staghorn calculus measured at 2-by-3 centimeters. This wasn't present in 2019. I have gas, gas pains, and diarrhea that is typical of IBS, which I have had for years. What causes this calculus,...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: Is there anything a person can do to make it less likely that a COVID infection leads to long COVID symptoms? Does activity help or harm a person in this case? -- L.B.

ANSWER: Before getting COVID in the first place, being vaccinated helps prevent a COVID infection, and even if you get infected, it probably reduces the ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: My husband has a pacemaker. We have an induction stove, and his cardiologist was uncertain if it was safe for him to use it. So, he does not cook on the stovetop and stays clear when I am cooking.

Is it safe for him to use at least the back burners? When I am out of town or just not home, he is afraid to use the cooktop. I ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 68-year-old male who weighs 130 pounds and is 5 feet, 7 inches tall. I am in good shape and work out regularly. I had my prostate removed in 2023 after about six years of active surveillance, and I just finished radiation treatment.

I've taken vitamins for as long as I can remember. I take Centrum Silver multivitamins, ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I have normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) and had a spinal tap a few months ago. It helped my brain fog, but my neurosurgeon didn't want to put in a shunt. I am 96. Can repeated taps help me? -- M.G.

ANSWER: NPH is a condition where the fluid inside the brain has a high pressure. It is unknown why this happens, but symptoms ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am considering a new supplement to help my bones. My recent DEXA scan shows osteopenia with a T-score of 1.1 in my lumbar spine. My hips have a T-score of -1.5, and my FRAX 10-year risk score for hip fracture is 3.4%. The supplement contains plant-based calcium, magnesium, vitamin D3, vitamin K3, boron, selenium, and other ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am 71 and began having urinary issues due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) many years ago. I took alpha blockers (Flomax, double Flomax and tadalifil), which didn't provide any improvement. I was never offered finasteride or dutasteride. I managed my urinary issues well by double-voiding before leaving the house and not ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a woman in my late 60s with a family history that includes an older brother who had a heart attack at a young age. My total cholesterol has hovered around 200 mg/dL for many years, but my HDL and LDL numbers are good.

A few years ago, I had a highly elevated level of lipoprotein(a), about 164 nmol/L. My doctor prescribed ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I have a friend who lives in Paraguay and had been diagnosed with chikungunya. It has been extremely painful for her for several years. Her doctor prescribed 90 mg of etoricoxib daily and a shot of duodecadron once a month.

I've never heard of chikungunya, and the medical care she is getting seems sketchy. I wish there was a ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: My grandson has just been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. I'm wondering which new therapies are out there for consideration in treating this. Are there any new discoveries involving gene-altering, pancreas transplants or something else? I am willing to join any study group that is looking at this or any other group that helps ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 52-year-old woman who was diagnosed with familial hypercholesterolemia in October 2024. I went through a cardiac workup for pain in my left arm and found this out.

My cardiologist put me on a statin (rosuvastatin), baby aspirin and telmisartan. Then, for my cholesterol, I was put on Repatha injections twice a month as ...Read more