DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 76-year-old man. Some time ago, I had a blood clot in my leg. They removed the blood clot and now the blood flow in my leg is back to normal, but my foot swells up every time I stand on it. But when I put my foot higher than […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I wear a face mask whenever I go into a store. My problem is that even wearing a mask for a short time gives me a scratchy throat the next day, causing me great anxiety because I fear that I have contracted the coronavirus. That scratchiness does dissipate during the day, but […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: In the coronavirus pandemic, many people are getting tested for 1) active illness and 2) antibodies. What’s the value of an asymptomatic person getting tested for an active infection? Do we even know if having antibodies gives you any protection? I’m reluctant to get tested for either if it can’t really alleviate […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 71-year-old woman recently diagnosed with gout. I have been put on colchicine and allopurinol. Are these the best medications? Will it ever go away? I have it in my right foot, but I worry about my left foot. Why the feet? I don’t drink. What kind of diet would […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am an 85-year-old working 20+ hours a week in retail. I have just returned to work after being furloughed because of the pandemic. My associates and I are required to wear masks, averaging seven hours daily. We feel as if our breathing is being compromised, as we are breathing in our […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: My 90-year-old mother lost her sense of smell several years ago. We think it was related to a new medication. I read that vitamin A deficiency can be responsible for this, and I have reason to believe she has a real deficiency. She also has poor night vision, dry eyes and skin […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 70-year-old man with chronic back pain. I first started having serious back pain in college after spending much of my time hunched over a drawing board. Later, as an architect, my back pain reoccurred frequently. About 20 years ago, after having terrible sciatica in my left leg, I had […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 51-year-old male in very good health. I have had blood tests taken yearly for the past 15+ years. Nearly every test shows high hemoglobin. My average is 17.4, but has been as high as 18.1 within the past several years. (Anything above 17.5 is considered high.) My primary care […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I’m a 71-year-old male in reasonably good health. At a recent routine checkup, my primary-care physician suggested I consider taking Lipitor 10 mg. My total cholesterol is in the 150-160 mg/dL range, although my LDL is slightly elevated, and my HDL is slightly low and has been for many years. My usual […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I’ve never smoked, drank alcohol or used illegal drugs. My doctor says I’m in great health. My only vice is drinking diet soda, and I drink three or four cans a day. I’d like to know what you think about it. I know it’s not great for me, but I figure it’s […]