DEAR DR. ROACH: In your recent answer to a question from “P.H.,” you replied, “For many people, that [the release of sugars, from digestion of carbohydrates] increases the risk of diabetes.” Your predecessor, Dr. Donohue, commented less than a year ago (and sounding as if he had made the point multiple times, previously), that sugar […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I was diagnosed at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota with interstitial cystitis. They treated me by stretching my bladder for five full days, putting medicine in the bladder, and put me on the drug Elmiron. About every two years this had to be done, and it really did help me. At the […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I’m at my wits’ end. I just returned from seeing my husband’s doctor with him, and I’d gone this time to be sure the doctor knew how my husband’s use of painkillers has escalated. He began using painkillers a few years ago and now is using the medication daily. Often, he’ll take […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 69-year-old woman who was diagnosed three months ago with a 90-percent-blocked left renal artery, which was stented. Because my blood pressure was difficult to control following surgery, I was prescribed amlodipine and metoprolol. Approximately 10 years ago, I was diagnosed with a 65 percent to 70 percent blocked right […]

DEAR DR ROACH: I am a 57-year-old woman, and I have been taking oxybutynin, 5 mg, for about 10 years for overactive bladder. I was told that I would get a very dry mouth. But for the past two years, I have had not only a dry mouth, but very dry skin, loss of hair, […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 58-year-old female. About 10 years ago, I was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome after having flu symptoms. I had paralysis from my elbows to my fingers and from my knees to my feet. I was not diagnosed right away and did not receive any treatment. It took about three to […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: Some time ago, there was a letter from a woman whose spouse was having intestinal problems. Specifically, he would have a bowel movement every time he ate, often four to five times a day. Usually, he would have to rush to get to the bathroom in time. My husband has this same […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I would appreciate your insights concerning the health risks of tattoos (body art). I have heard that tattoo ink can get into the bloodstream, and over time can damage the liver and kidneys. The tattoo craze seems to have spread everywhere recently, and I wonder if people know all the health risks. […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: Could you please give any insight into CRPS, formerly known as RSD? My 17-year-old daughter was diagnosed with this condition three months after an arm injury. She is currently under the care of several doctors and therapists. This has been very traumatic for my daughter and our family. We are trying to […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: Although I am an otherwise perfectly healthy 68-year-old New Englander male, my libido has abandoned me. I am not just saying it has tapered off; I’m saying it’s all but entirely gone. When the problem began a few years ago, my physician prescribed testosterone (Androgel). Blood tests show that my current free […]