DEAR DR. ROACH: In 2000 (at age 53), I had a mastectomy with a TRAM flap reconstruction. In 2010, I began experiencing lower back pain. I did physical therapy and have continued those exercises since then, but the back pain worsened last year. I began also doing low-impact aerobics classes and water therapy. X-rays at […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: Several years ago, I attended a presentation about insomnia. A registered nurse discussed how, in her career as a nursing home nurse, she had many residents with insomnia. She stated that she had amazing success with these residents. The snack they gave residents was crackers and cheese or peanut butter crackers. I […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: Would you please comment on common or uncommon issues that might be expected in a pregnancy at age 57? I am overall very healthy, with no issues other than slightly elevated LDL. I have not gone through menopause. I had four full-term pregnancies, the last at age 35 (after which I had […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I was seeing my primary care physician every six months for about five years. We had mutual respect, and I enjoyed seeing him. Then, I got diagnosed with breast cancer and had to see other doctors for a long time. Meanwhile, the spinal stenosis my primary care physician had diagnosed was becoming […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: My boyfriend recently was diagnosed with an aneurysm. The report says the abdominal aorta is 3.02 cm in largest dimension and recommends screening every six months. Do we need to see a cardiologist for a second opinion? Is there medication to help? — B.S. ANSWER: The aorta is the largest blood vessel […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: My daughter is 4 years old and has, in the past five days, developed measles. She was vaccinated at 9 months and has been treated with antibiotics, Tylenol and vitamin A supplements. What concerns me is that she is now experiencing seizures, even without a fever. They are not grand mal seizures, […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: My husband’s doctor is telling him to have his gallbladder removed because sometimes he has pain in his right side. They did all kind of tests, but he has pain when he drives long hours or when he eats salads, not fried or fatty foods. Can you tell me more about the […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I get horrible fever blisters when I go on any tropical vacation and am exposed to lasting sun. These blisters develop on my lower lip. I have tried sunscreen, but nothing has worked. On my most recent trip, the blisters appeared on the final day and took nearly three weeks to heal. […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am 69 and take medications for blood pressure and cholesterol, as well as plenty of vitamins. I have had many medical conditions (e.g., Meniere’s disease and lower back pain) that eventually were resolved. I’ve been diagnosed with conversion disorder by two doctors whose opinions I respect. Both doctors assured me that […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I received the first dose of Shingrix this week and had pretty severe side effects, though in the range of what can be expected: high fever (101.5), intense shivering, a severe headache and 12 hours of extreme fatigue. The entire reaction began 11 hours after the shot and ended 18 hours after […]