DEAR DR. ROACH: I read your recent column on long-haul effects in COVID compared to the flu. About 14 years ago, a young neighbor caught some kind of virus. His wife said he was never the same after that. He was in his mid-40s. There were several fundraisers in the area to try to raise […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I read your recent column on long-haul effects in COVID compared to the flu. About 14 years ago, a young neighbor caught some kind of virus. His wife said he was never the same after that. He was in his mid-40s. There were several fundraisers in the area to try to raise […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 72-year-old woman in good health, but I have been plagued for years with muscle cramps and spasms in my legs. My physical therapist suggested magnesium supplements. I have been taking these supplements for about four years with good results. About a year ago, I started having very loose bowel […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I would like to ask you a basic question about COVID-19 booster shots, since no health authority seems to answer it directly. Why should I get a booster if the booster is based on the original alpha version of the virus from more than two years ago? Even if the booster shot […]

Dear Dr. Roach: I am an 80-year-old female and have been on 10 mg Elavil for 30 years to help me sleep. I have been having reflux problems from time to time for quite a while. I have been diagnosed with LPR (laryngopharyngeal reflux). I have read that there could be a connection between Elavil […]

Dear Dr. Roach: I have had microscopic colitis since 2013 and have been prescribed 3 mg of Entocort every day. I have some good days but mostly not-so-good days. Changing my diet does not seem to help, and I have been advised that this problem will continue for the rest of my life. I am […]

Dear Dr. Roach: Several months ago, I started adding 25 grams of whey protein to an afternoon smoothie each day. I was worried about muscle loss after reading an article. I have seen the sagging muscles and skin in my arms and thighs. I am a 71-year-old woman who plays tennis twice a week and […]

Dear Dr. Roach: Your recent article on electrolytes reminded me of my mother’s experience. At 89, she was dizzy, fainting and falling. I took her to her doctor. Her blood tests showed dangerously low levels of electrolytes, and I was told to get her to the emergency room quickly. The doctor there determined that her […]

Dear Dr. Roach: Your recent article on electrolytes reminded me of my mother’s experience. At 89, she was dizzy, fainting and falling. I took her to her doctor. Her blood tests showed dangerously low levels of electrolytes, and I was told to get her to the emergency room quickly. The doctor there determined that her […]

Dear Dr. Roach: I am a 60-year-old woman at the end of a five-year regimen of hormone therapy. My doctor has advised me to eventually stop use of estrogen and progesterone by this summer, as she says women have an advanced risk of breast cancer at this stage. Another friend a few years younger than […]