DEAR DR. ROACH: There is much mainstream news recently about the health risks of using natural gas appliances. I am 75 and have survived playing with mercury from broken thermometers as a child, a lifetime of cooking and home heating, and hot water from natural gas. I certainly don’t advise playing with mercury, but how […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: My husband’s doctor is repeatedly pushing statins on my husband. His cholesterol was high in the past and is still slightly high (239 mg/dL — borderline high). I’ve checked the heart risk calculator. It said his risk is 22.1% and goes down to 16.6% if he goes on statins, which is still […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am an 85-year-old female who has had primary biliary cirrhosis of the liver for many years. I have been on 300 mg of ursodiol taken three times a day for all those years, with no problems until now. I currently have severe itching all over my body. I am now taking […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 71-year-old man who recently had a bone density scan. The test showed I had mild bone loss, and I was told I needed to go on medication. I was prescribed a vitamin D and calcium supplement as well as 70 mg of Fosamax to be taken once a week. […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am looking for some clarification on cystitis glandularis. My 53-year-old son was recently diagnosed with this condition. He has been experiencing urinary frequency/urgency for more than two years. He is in excellent health and works out religiously, but he does smoke. Online research provides conflicting opinions. Some sites indicate that it […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: Due to a slight genetic risk of breast cancer (my Tyrer-Cuzick Model score was 20.6%), my doctor wants me to get breast MRIs with contrast annually. I am concerned about long-term exposure to the gadolinium-based contrast dye. I’ve learned that this heavy metal is considered safe, but traces of it can be […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: My husband is an over-the-road truck driver, and he is 68. He has been on metformin for a long time, and I have been reading that this medicine does not help bring down blood sugar. He is also using human insulin two times a day. What I want to know is if […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I have a degenerating L5-S1 disc as well as osteoarthritis in my left hip, and both are bone on bone. I will eventually need a hip replacement and possibly back surgery, but I’m trying to prolong anything until I get on Medicare in eight months. I stay as active as I can […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I would like your thoughts as to the danger that high levels of radon gas pose to owners and residents of a first-floor condominium. We reside in a condo located on a golf course in Naples, Florida. As a result of my work as a realtor, the sale of homes and condos […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: In a recent column, you said that using salt substitutes can reduce blood pressure and that, across a population, this would result in far fewer heart attacks and strokes. While lowering blood pressure would have that effect, my understanding is that there is no significant research showing benefits from lowering salt intake […]