DEAR DR. ROACH: In one of Dr. Donohue’s columns years ago, he wrote about pain in the rectum that he said was caused by “trapped gas” (as well as I can recall), and he recommended sitting on a baseball (or some kind of ball) for a bit and that would relieve it. It worked! I […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 68-year-old man, 5-feet-10-inches tall and weighing 223 pounds. Last January, my weight was up to 247, so I decided to diet and exercise in order to lose the excess. My goal is to get below 200. In a recent visit to my physician, I told him that I was […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: My regular cardiologist did a battery of screening tests (CT scan of heart, ultrasound of heart and abdominal vessels, stress test). Sure enough, one of the tests suggested blockages, and he said I should prepare to get an angiogram from an interventionalist to verify and possibly have stent(s) placed. My heart muscle […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: My brother is 71 and is having a very difficult time with an extremely low blood platelet count (20). He was supposed to have surgery, but cannot because of this issue. They cannot seem to find a cause or manage it well. He has been in and out of hospitals for three […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: For the past year, I have had hives on and off again, with the hives being more prominent in the morning than in the evening. I have been told by a dermatologist that it is a viral infection and that topical creams, antihistamines and/or steroids would only mask the virus but that […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: Could you please explain the difference between irritable bowel syndrome and irritable bowel disease? What is the treatment for each? I saw in a health magazine that there is a blood test to determine which one someone may have. — ES ANSWER: Although the two names are very similar, the conditions are […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I have been trying to lose weight, with no results. I have cut back on carbs and sugar. In general, I watch what I eat. I also go to the YMCA and work out — in the water mostly, because my legs hurt so much. I weigh 286 pounds. I would love […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a female, age 80, with controlled high blood pressure. I am mildly active, and though I tire easily, I have no complaints. My blood pressure in the past was difficult to control. I had a CT scan, which showed an aneurysmal dilatation of the ascending aorta, measuring 4.7 cm. Two […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I have read that many runners drink too much water and that this can be dangerous. What are the signs of drinking too much? — H.C. ANSWER: Exercise-associated hyponatremia (“hypo” means “too little,” and “natremia” means “sodium in the blood”) is common for endurance athletes, such as long-distance triathletes and marathoners. It […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: My pharmacy recommends that I switch to the generic to save a lot of money on each refill, as it’s exactly the same as the brand name. My neurologist is adamantly against this and says that generics vary too much and may not be effective. Who is right? I am paying the […]