Health Advice
/Health
Stress Tests And Calcium Score Tests Are Complementary
DEAR DR. ROACH: I am an 81-year-old man (5 feet, 2 inches tall at 122 pounds) in good health, except that I have Type 2 diabetes. My A1C level has been in the range of 6.3% to 6.8% for the past five years with the help of metformin. Five times a week, I walk on a treadmill for 15 minutes (about a mile) with 25 minutes of stretching exercises, ...Read more
Low Iron Stores Due To Thalassemia Call For An Evaluation
DEAR DR. ROACH: I am Greek and have thalassemia minor. In general, my red blood cells are much smaller than typical ones, and my iron content is significantly low. Every time I see a different doctor who prescribes a blood test, they always emphasize that my iron content is low and that I should take iron supplements.
I am not sure this is ...Read more
Elderly Man Weighs 84 Pounds Decades After Stomach Removal
DEAR DR. ROACH: Is 18 years a record for living without a stomach? A family member had stomach cancer when he was 70 and had his stomach removed. He consulted with a dietician and has been able to eat small but frequent meals and take enzymes, vitamins, and other things. But slowly, he lost weight.
Now, at 88, he is down to 84 pounds. His ...Read more
Atorvastatin Prescription Brings On Extreme Exhaustion
DEAR DR ROACH: I am a 74-year-old woman who has been on 40 mg of atorvastatin for years. During the past year or two, I started feeling tired all the time. I did have spurts of energy at times, but mostly everything started feeling like an effort.
It got so bad this past year that I avoided anything needing much effort. I'd cancel meetings ...Read more
Plaquenil Prescribed For Lupus Causes Severe Gas Pains
DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 77-year-old female. After experiencing hair thinning for over a year, I was diagnosed with incomplete lupus by a rheumatologist. My blood markers were high, but I don't have typical symptoms. My primary care physician and cardiologist aren't convinced, and I don't "feel" like I have it.
I started taking Plaquenil, which...Read more
Obstruction Of The Urinary Tract Leads To Very Painful Urination
DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 63-year-old male in good health. A few weeks back, I could not urinate while standing. The only way I could was by laying on my side, and it was very painful with a burning sensation. I went to urgent care and was then sent to an imaging center. My prostate gland wasn't appreciably enlarged, so I was sent to the ...Read more
Ozempic Dosage Can Be Increased If/When A Plateau Is Reached
DEAR DR. ROACH: After about 10 months of being on Ozempic and working my way up to a 1-mg dose, I lost 40 pounds effortlessly. Sugar cravings disappeared as if by magic. I then noticed myself drifting backward and craving sweets again. My doctor increased my dose to 1.7 mg of Wegovy instead of 2 mg of Ozempic. I find myself continuing to crave...Read more
Understanding The Mechanisms Behind A Nuclear Stress Test
DEAR DR. ROACH: I had a comment about your recent column on nuclear stress tests. As an 87-year-old person who has experienced atrial fibrillation and a mild stroke, I have had two nuclear stress tests done. In both cases, I told the supervising nurse that I wanted to go the max limits they would allow. Even though I attempted to prepare by ...Read more
84-Year-Old Debates Starting Statins Due To High Cholesterol
DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a healthy 84-year-old who exercises regularly, eats meat and dairy sparingly, doesn't smoke, and has a BMI about 25. (I'm 6 feet, 1 inch tall, at 185 pounds.) My yearly wellness test was excellent, except my cholesterol and LDL levels were 250 mg/dL and 150 mg/dL, respectively. What is the risk/benefit level of statins for...Read more
Doctor Claims Acyclovir Needs To Be Stopped Before Vaccination
DEAR DR ROACH: I'm 60 years old now. I never had chicken pox as a child but was tested as an adult, and I do have the antibodies. I've been on a standard dose of acyclovir for 15 years after I had a severe neurological reaction to a potential but unconfirmed herpes simplex infection.
My doctor said there is evidence that maintenance acyclovir...Read more
Provider Suddenly Refuses To Renew A Prescription Of Raloxifene
DEAR DR. ROACH: I am an 85-year-old woman in relatively good health. I had been taking raloxifene for approximately 45 years. My doctor at the time said that since I had a complete hysterectomy, I should be on it for the rest of my life to help prevent breast cancer and osteoporosis. My bone density is normal.
A few months ago, my provider ...Read more
Urologists Disagree On Finasteride For An Enlarged Prostate
DEAR DR. ROACH: I was diagnosed with an enlarged prostate two months ago. I thought it was another kidney stone I needed to pass, but I had a totally blocked urethra. I was sent home from the emergency room with a two-week catheter. My urologist prescribed 5 mg of finasteride and alfuzosin.
I spend winters in Florida, but my urologist in ...Read more
The Use Of DMSO Isn't Recommended Based On Potential Harm
DEAR DR. ROACH: I'm interested in consuming dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO). I've read it will destroy the root of cancer and hasten the healing of broken bones, ligaments and strained muscles. My question is whether it is OK to consume the suggested amount of DMSO?
My aortic valve was replaced with a mechanical valve three years ago. After 12 months ...Read more
Man Continues To Use Nicotine Gum After Quitting Smoking
DEAR DR. ROACH: I have a good friend who is almost 77 years old. He was a heavy smoker until about 14 years ago. He decided to quit smoking and used nicotine gum to help with this process. It's my understanding that nicotine gum should only be used for a fairly short period of time to help a person quit smoking.
However, he is still using it ...Read more