DEAR DR. ROACH: My wife is 51 and has generally struggled with constipation for as long as I’ve known her (many decades). Several weeks ago, an extended period without bowel movements began. She regularly uses Miralax, fiber bars, other laxatives, and even prune juice, to no effect. She has been giving herself an enema, but […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 73-year-old man who has recently been diagnosed with moderate-to-severe arthritis in my right knee. I am trying to figure out a healthy way to manage my chronic knee pain. Is there any danger in the long-term use of acetaminophen? I take an anticoagulant (5 mg of apixaban daily), so […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I have a serious problem with my fingernails splitting and coming off at the edges. I have tried biotin and keratin for almost a year without results. I am an 89-year-old man who takes ibrutinib, Valtrex, allopurinol, cetirizine, and recently Eliquis and metoprolol succinate. Is there a solution for this sore, uncomfortable […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I read your recent column on shingles. I am 66 years old and in fairly good health. I had both Shingrix shots about five years ago. I take hydroxyurea for polycythemia vera (PV). Around Aug. 1, I noticed some spots on my forearm that appeared to be a spider bite. I went […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: Having seen a lot about forever chemicals in print lately, I’ve found a charcoal filter pitcher that removes forever chemicals from water, in addition to the usual contaminants. In my city water, they’re 5-10 points above the nationally accepted concentration. Is it worth the effort to use this pitcher for drinking, rinsing, […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I contracted COVID on the last couple of days of a cruise in August. COVID ran its course, but I contracted a nasty lung infection that took about three weeks to clear. Following this, I developed severe achiness in my knees, to the point that I am still walking stiffly and, at […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 72-year-old woman who has been taking Adderall for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) for years. I recently got diagnosed with “nonobstructive coronary artery disease” by a CT angiogram. Do I need to stop taking Adderall? — V.P. ANSWER: The studies designed to answer this question have shown mixed results. […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: A recent fall split the skin below my left eye. I went to the emergency room to see if it required stitches. Since I complained of a headache in the back of my head on the left side, they ordered an MRI, which showed “atherosclerotic vascular disease with mild small vessel ischemic […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a healthy 63-year-old woman. I walk or do the elliptical four to five times per week for 30-40 minutes, and I also do strength training at the gym three times per week. I eat most of my meals at home, and I eat mostly healthy — daily salads, fruits, fish […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: My 85-year-old mother-in-law had a mild heart attack a few days ago. She didn’t immediately take the nitroglycerin she had on hand. She has a pacemaker, and it reported the event to her heart doctor. Upon seeing the anomaly, her doctor called and asked her to undergo a nuclear stress test. She […]