DEAR DR. ROACH: I’m 87 and have survived melanoma, which is now under control. I garden, grow flowers and landscape daily. I keep busy two to three hours a day outside. But last week I was winded from a 12-step steep staircase. I was amazed. My doctor noted that I have “nonrheumatic mitral valve insufficiency.” […]
Dr. Roach
Is a foot box the answer to relieving nighttime foot cramps?
DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a very healthy 74-year-old male. I am not on any medications and enjoy normal blood pressure and great stats from my regular bloodwork. I weigh 140 pounds and have been exercising every day faithfully for decades. A couple of years ago, I started getting cramps in both legs throughout the […]
Lifestyle changes can be life-changing, with dedicated effort
DEAR DR. ROACH: I ran across a recent article of yours about carotid artery stenosis. In this article you state that “there is no miracle food, drink or supplement that can clear out arteries.” This is actually not true. I’d like to point out Dr. Dean Ornish’s work as well as Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn’s work […]
Testing for tuberculosis recommended only for those at risk
DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a nursing student in my 30s and originally from the Philippines. As part of my testing, I had a skin test for tuberculosis, which was positive. I had a friend in the hospital recently with tuberculosis. My doctor has recommended that I get treated for latent tuberculosis. What does this […]
Balancing the risks of heart disease and stroke
DEAR DR. ROACH: Your recent article on statins/strokes piqued my interest since you mentioned that statins might cause hemorrhagic strokes. My husband had a hemorrhagic stroke in 2014, cause unknown. The stroke caused aphasia and seizures. He was prescribed Crestor 10 mg and then increased it to 20 mg. His calcium score is very high. […]
Husband’s heart is at risk, even with OK cholesterol
DEAR DR. ROACH: My husband and I are both 72 and of normal weight. I have fought high cholesterol and triglycerides for many years and have taken various statins for a long time. My triglycerides still trend high, but my other numbers are now normal. My husband eats a ton of processed meats, all the […]
A question of shrinkage
DEAR DR. ROACH: I’m an 81-year-old man. About two years ago, I began to realize that my testicles were shrinking, and they are now about the size of a marble. I have asked my primary care doctor and urologist about this, and the reply is that nothing can be done about it. I have read […]
Reader looks to mushroom microdose for help with depression
DEAR DR. ROACH: I am battling depression and have a question about psilocybin. I stopped taking Effexor for my depression because I did not like the side effects. I also tried SAM-e, which had only a small effect. So, for the past three months I have been trying cognitive behavioral therapy, using certain tactics. I’ve […]
Usual leg swelling protocol applies to chronic DVT symptom
DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 47-year-old woman. Five years ago, I developed a blood clot in my left leg after fracturing my ankle and being immobilized for several months. I was put on a blood thinner, and my ankle healed. Recently that leg started swelling again, and I went for an ultrasound. I was […]
Most cases of H. pylori infection stem from unknown causes
DEAR DR. ROACH: Could you give some additional information about H. pylori infection? I was diagnosed with it recently, via biopsies taken during an endoscopic procedure. I was given instructions on antibiotics to be taken, which I followed through on. When talking to my doctor’s physician assistant, I asked what could have caused the infection, […]