DEAR DR. ROACH: I’m a 70-year-old woman. Last October, during my annual physical, blood tests showed that my iron levels were extremely high. My doctor did additional blood tests for hemochromatosis and concluded that I didn’t have it. She suggested that I donate blood every three months to keep the iron levels down, which I […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I recently had surgery, and my blood pressure was monitored with a catheter. The readings were higher by 30 to 40 points compared with cuff measurements taken at the same time. They were having a hard time getting the catheter readings down to 170. I am wondering which readings are to be […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 66-year-old female in good health. In May 2017, my Pap smear showed that I had an infection of Candida glabrata and an itchy fungal infection in my rear-end area. My family doctor prescribed nystatin and triamcinolone cream to treat the fungal infection, which seemed to help, and a six-day […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I’m a 74-year-old male. I take Zocor, flecainide and a baby aspirin each day. For the past year, whenever I bump either arm, I get a large blood bruise that lasts for about a week or two. I don’t even remember some of the bumps. Is there something lacking, such as vitamins, […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: Is there any evidence that taking turmeric prevents cancer? I have a friend who is convinced that it does. — M.S. ANSWER: There are hundreds of cancers, some of which we can treat and a few of which we can prevent. Turmeric cannot, unfortunately, prevent all cancers. There are reasons to think […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I share some of the same providers as other family members, and occasionally I will get from a support staff person: “We just saw your family member last week” or “How is your family member doing”? But sometimes there is a slip from the provider themselves: “Well, you know this runs in […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I’m an 88-year-old woman whose platelets went into the 500,000 range. I was sent to a hematologist/oncologist, who said it was a bone marrow disease. I was put on hydroxyurea 500 mg. A couple of months later, a blood test showed enlarged red blood cells, which I understand is from the hydroxyurea, […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 68-year-old female. I’m in good health, take no medications and work at a desk job all day. I urinate at 5:30 a.m., once at lunch and once before bed, and I do not drink any beverages after 6 p.m. If I can go that many hours without urinating during […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I wondered what your reaction is to the recent study suggesting that taking an 81-mg aspirin daily has no/little benefit for anyone who has not already experienced heart disease or blood vessel issues (stroke) and may pose more risk in the form of stomach bleeding than benefit? I have been taking the […]

DEAR DR ROACH: I am a female, mid-50s in very good health. I’m considering donating a kidney to a friend’s adult son, who has been on dialysis for several months. I’ve read quite a bit about it, but can you give me your concerns as if I were your good friend? I understand that any […]