DEAR DR. ROACH: My husband, age 67, has had an increase in bowel movements in the past year or so. These are more watery or mucus-filled than ever before. They also are urgent. He had a colonoscopy that showed little, but the doctor recommended adding more fiber to my husband’s diet, which we have done. […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I recently was diagnosed with what my doctor thought was polymyalgia rheumatica. Although my blood work came back normal, I was put on prednisone anyway, which is doing nothing. I had been taking simvastatin for many years, and now it is thought that I am having a muscle reaction to the statin. […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 60-year-old female who has been diagnosed with spondylolisthesis and stenosis. My pain is severe in both buttocks and the backs of my upper thighs. I also have some lower-back tightness. Pain is relieved upon sitting or lying down. My orthopedic surgeon recommends a lumbar laminectomy and fusion. I’ve never […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: Dad is 84, and has been retired almost 25 years. He does little physical activity because of his gout and arthritis. He buys 60 pounds of unsalted, in-shell peanuts every two months. This means he consumes about a pound a day. This has been going on for several years. Previous crazes included […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: In 2010, at age 59, I had a heart attack. An angiogram was clear, and an echocardiogram showed no damage to the heart. I had some high blood pressure the previous year and was on one medication. At the time of the heart attack, I had been under extreme stress from dealing […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am 58 and have been diagnosed with granuloma annulare, which I’ve had for more than a year and a half. I have both rings (that start small, like a cigarette burn, and then get larger) and spots, which look like birthmarks. I tried changing my diet, but it didn’t have any […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: More and more summer clothing includes sunscreen. I’m concerned about the effects of sunscreen on our bodies all day and into the night, as we wear the same clothes that long. — T.P. ANSWER: First off, sunburns are very bad for you and predispose you to developing skin cancer, so I am […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: What can you tell me about Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease? My 13-year-old granddaughter has been diagnosed with this disease, and we have very little information. In fact, the EENT who diagnosed her said it was the only case he has ever seen. They did a biopsy of the lymph nodes and are treating her […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am in need of a hemorrhoidectomy. The specialist I saw is highly recommended and respected, and I trust him. However, the only procedure he recommended was the rubber-band procedure. I have heard pros and cons about this. We did not discuss any other method. Would it be possible for you to […]