DEAR DR. ROACH: I’m a 50-year-old male. I recently retired from the military after serving over 21 years, deployed three times to war zones. During this time, I received numerous vaccinations, including 11 anthrax shots. I’ve always had seasonal allergies, which seemed to get much worse about five years ago. I had been taking an […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 58-year-old male. Two years ago, after a routine physical, my bloodwork came back abnormal for liver function, especially the alkaline phosphatase. Prior to this, my bloodwork numbers were normal. Since then, I have had liver ultrasounds, an MRI and even a liver biopsy. They showed some slight inflammation of […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: My wife of 59 years has a number of health issues, of which the most devastating is Alzheimer’s disease. This year she was selected to participate in the study of a new investigational drug. She has been receiving a monthly injection of B-12 for a number of years. During the screening process, […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 77-year-old female in good health. I am 5 feet, 2 inches tall and weigh 125 pounds. I exercise regularly and eat a varied, healthy diet. For some years now, I have had what I consider too many bowel movements every day. I have complained to my doctor at my […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: Please help me find relief from the constant tingling in my right arm (from shoulder to hand) that started about a month ago. The doctors I have contacted don’t seem to give it any importance, but I am sure medicine has something that can give me relief. Which specialist should I see? […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I have a lot of chronic pain and an illness that makes me feel a lot of frustration because it doesn’t seem to matter how good I am about taking my medication, going for my labs, following my diet, etc. I am always tired and feeling unwell. Recently, I have been looking […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: My husband has Type 2 diabetes, and is on warfarin. He has a problem with diarrhea, and takes medicine for high blood pressure, kidney and bladder problems, and high cholesterol. When it comes to his diet, I am lost. There is so much he can’t eat with his diabetes, and he can […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: On a number of occasions, you have written about statins and mentioned their side effects, notably muscle damage. My physician put me on a statin about seven years ago, and after only 35 days I had a frighteningly bad episode. I gave up on the statins, but they left me with permanent […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I have Kaposi’s sarcoma. I do not have HIV. I have had several surgeries. The surgeon said he must take a large area. Now some small lesions are appearing again on my foot. Is there another way to treat this? I also am having some GI issues. Could they be related? I […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am an advocate of flu shots (and other immunizations) to protect both myself and others around me, and I have just had mine for this season. I have a friend, though, who refuses to get flu shots under the assumption that if she allows her body to confront the viruses and […]