DEAR DR. ROACH: It was less than five years ago that I had a TURP (transurethral resection of the prostate) surgery for slow urination. It is not at a critical point yet, but it feels like my urine flow is slowing down again. How often do men who’ve had a TURP surgery require a second […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: Why is it that certain medications warn against possible infections in the perineum? I saw an ad for Jardiance that warned against this. Just now, I viewed a Farxiga ad, and there was the same warning spelled out in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen. This seems very specific. What is […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I would like your opinion and advice. I am a very healthy 77-year-old man, and I walk about two miles each morning. Generally, I enjoy one wheat beer every afternoon, and my primary care physician has told me to feel free to continue with it. I’ve read that moderate drinking can be […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I had all the symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) when I was younger. I could go six months without having my period. I had all the other symptoms, too, like oily skin and facial hair. It’s a terrible thing for a young teenage girl. I also had trouble getting pregnant; though, […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I’m a generally healthy, 63-year-old woman. I haven’t been feeling well for months. I have experienced bloating and a poor appetite, and I’m not eating much. But somehow I am gaining weight. I started having diarrhea, and my doctor did a culture and found that I have E. coli. They started me […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am an 80-year-old obese woman with high blood pressure that is being controlled with nifedipine and losartan. Over a year ago, I noticed that my small toe on my left foot was becoming numb, and my left foot and ankle were swollen by the middle of the day. I told my […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: Three months ago, I caught a respiratory virus on a trip to South America. According to my ENT doctor, my ear canals are clear, and my sinus infection (if I, indeed, had one) is all cleared up now. Labs show that I didn’t have COVID or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). I am […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 67-year-old male in good shape. I have Crohn’s disease and have been taking one tablet of mercaptopurine for the past eight years. This is the only medication I take, and if I eat bland, exercise, and keep stress down, I feel good. I was at the dermatologist, and she […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I have a question about suntanning. First off, I want to say that I get yearly skin cancer checks, love the sun, and hardly ever use suntan lotion. I monitor my time outside, so as not to get a sunburn. I see warnings about certain days being high ultraviolet (UV) days. Are […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: In 2022, my primary care doctor recommended that I get a PSA test. Even though I did not believe in it, he was a very caring doctor, so I had the test done. My result showed a PSA score of 38 ng/mL. I saw a urologist and had a biopsy that showed […]