DEAR DR. ROACH: My thyroid gland was removed due to cancer in 2007. Since then, there have been continuous prescription changes while trying to find an effective dose. I am a 58-year-old woman, and menopause seemed to interrupt a correct dosage a few years ago. Why do I exhibit signs of hypothyroidism while taking Synthroid? […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: Recent blood tests have left me perplexed. My hemoglobin, hematocrit and MCV were slightly high. What might be the underlying cause of these elevations? What do hemoglobin, hematocrit and MCV refer to? Also, my hematocrit and MCV levels were high on the previous blood test, about a year ago. Now the hemoglobin […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: My mother is in her mid-60s and was diagnosed with osteoarthritis of the thumb last year. She is in good health. Conventional treatment thus far has consisted of multiple injections of triamcinolone and lidocaine coupled with splinting, as well as six sessions of physical therapy. Medications taken without relief were meloxicam, Limbrel […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: Can you explain what sundown syndrome is? My mother is 96 and has been diagnosed with it, but said they could do nothing about it. Is there some medication out there for this type of syndrome? She says she sleeps well. — P.S. ANSWER: The term “sundowning” is used to describe a […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: Recently, I read that the use of PPIs — namely Nexium, Prevacid and Prilosec — elevate one’s chances of kidney disease. Since I have been taking Nexium for years now for GERD, I am concerned. I have tried doing without it or taking a substitute, but nothing works as well as Nexium […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I hope you will offer your opinion on my experience with opiate medication. My wife is now on a combination of morphine pills to address chronic shoulder pain resulting from a fall. The reason it became chronic is because of a misdiagnosis, followed by errant X-rays and three unnecessary surgeries. She has […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: My doctor has put me on atorvastatin 20 mg. I am 71, with high blood pressure, and my HDL (good cholesterol) is in the 30s. My total cholesterol is now good, at around 180. After some research, I found out that if you have a thyroid condition, you might not need to […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am 67 years old and in good health. I had some thyroid tests that showed a mildly high TSH (6.7), but normal T3, T4 and free thyroxine index. I am not on thyroid medication, but my doctor said if the TSH gets much higher, we should talk about thyroid replacement. I […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am an overweight 68-year-old woman who wants to exercise. I would like to know what type of exercise I can do to help me lose weight. I am allergic to the chemicals in pools, so I cannot swim. Each knee has had a total replacement, leaving me with a limited range […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I’m 74 years old and have been very healthy. I take only Synthroid. My cholesterol and blood pressure were high, but I didn’t want to take medication for fear of side effects. Last July, I had a stroke, leaving me with mouth and leg numbness. My neurologist told me not to eat […]