DEAR DR. ROACH: What effect, if any, does alcohol consumption have on swelling in the legs, ankles and feet? I drink only when I go out for dinner or have guests, typically a cocktail and a glass of wine; no swelling in those instances. However, I noticed that after a few days on vacation, when […]
Dr. Roach
Posted inDr. Roach
drroach083115
Tips for reducing eye strain DEAR DR. ROACH: Would you mind providing some guidelines for preventing eye strain? I’m a graduate student, so I spend a lot of time reading, both from computer screens and from books. I will always need to read to get things done, but I’d also like my eyes to last […]
advertisement
Posted inDr. Roach
Metformin treats insulin resistance in diabetes
DEAR DR. ROACH: My friend’s wife, who is 70, has a fasting glucose level of around 200. She is perhaps 40 pounds overweight with blood pressure of around 145/80. I do not think she eats an excessive amount of carbohydrates. She does take a lot of nutritional supplements. How long would it take a drug […]
Posted inDr. Roach
Risks, benefits of HPV vaccine for boys
DEAR DR. ROACH: What are your thoughts on the pros and cons of HPV vaccine for boys? — L.P.B. ANSWER: There are risks and benefits to the individual, but also benefits to society. The HPV vaccine should really be considered an anticancer vaccine, since its goal is to reduce infection from the kinds of human […]
Posted inDr. Roach
SAMe supplement can be effective for arthritis
DEAR DR. ROACH: Please tell me about the supplement SAMe. I am a woman, 58, who suffers from osteoarthritis from my exercise routine, which is three days of heavy lifting with free weights and 15 miles of jogging each week. I love the workouts but not the pain it causes in my hands, knees and […]
Posted inDr. Roach
The best BMI for a long life
DEAR DR. ROACH: I am an 81-year-old man in good health. I am 5 feet, 11 inches tall and now weigh 175 pounds after intentionally losing 15 pounds through a combination of diet and exercise. I feel better at this weight than I did at my former weight, but my doctor says the studies he […]
Posted inDr. Roach
Early satiety often due to IBS
DEAR DR. ROACH: I was successfully treated for H. pylori five years ago. I continue to have stomach pain, which has been diagnosed as gastritis. For the past three weeks, when I eat even a small amount of food, I feel extremely full and bloated for hours. I have irritable bowel syndrome, which gradually has […]
Posted inDr. Roach
Limited use of antibiotics is best policy
DEAR DR. ROACH: I understand that the overuse of antibiotics can harm the good bacteria in the intestinal tract, as well as the bad. While I don’t feel that I am abusing antibiotics, I have been prescribed two courses in the past five years. I wonder what action can be taken to try to ensure […]
Posted inDr. Roach
After Hep C is treated, what about cirrhosis?
DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 59-year-old woman who was recently diagnosed with hepatitis C and cirrhosis. I have never been a drinker. I was treated with Harvoni for three months. I understand the medication is intended to cure the hepatitis C. What about the cirrhosis? My doctor hasn’t explained any of my long-term effects […]
Posted inDr. Roach
Cause of bisphosphonate/hair loss link unclear
DEAR DR. ROACH: I took 70 milligrams of alendronate once a week due to the results of my bone mineral density scan performed in April this year. At that time, I was diagnosed with osteopenia. I recently researched the side effects of this drug and decided to discontinue its use. My first symptom of this […]