Dear Dr. Roach: I am an 82-year-old male and started experiencing shortness of breath about 14 months ago. The condition continues to deteriorate. I’ve had an echo stress test, nuclear stress test, pulmonary test, chest X-ray and CT scans, all coming back negative. Recently, a cardiac CT scan showed blockage in two arteries: 70% in […]

Dear Dr. Roach: I am a 79-year-old woman who was diagnosed with heart failure six years ago. I exercise almost daily and have had low blood pressure all my life (my systolic pressure varies between the high 70s and low 100s). I have a body mass index of 22. I recently started a prediabetic diet […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I have suffered from constant headaches for years. I have had an evaluation by a neurologist, with all kinds of X-rays and scans. Who in the medical field deals with headaches that never go away? They may get to a dull ache, but I always know they are there. — C.V. ANSWER: […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I’m a vegan, and my multivitamin is my only source of B12. It states I’m getting 200% of my daily requirement. Is that sufficient? — M.E. ANSWER: People who are strict vegans — that is, those who consume no animal products at all — will not get any vitamin B12 and will […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 71-year-old male, 6 feet 1 inch tall, weigh 240 pounds and have atrial fibrillation. It has not impacted my lifestyle. About 90 days ago I had meniscus surgery called a “clean out.” Afterward, my orthopedic surgeon said I should be much better, even though there was significant arthritis. The […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 76-year-old man in good health. Around February 2021, either just before or just after my first COVID vaccination, I noticed a difference in my taste. I am aware that this can be related to COVID infection. My smell is OK and while I can taste fruits, vegetables, juices, wine/beer, […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a retired 76-year-old female in good health who exercises regularly. During the pandemic, I have been cautious, wearing a mask and avoiding crowds. I received both shots of the initial vaccine, followed with the booster shot in early October. I visited my doctor for my annual wellness check. I had […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I read your recent article about spleens. Our daughter, who is 54 years old, recently had an MRI or CT scan due to another issue and the doctors were baffled as to what they saw. It turns out that she has “polysplenia.” We were all shocked, and especially since those who are […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 79-year-old woman with osteopenia. I had the FRAX assessment and was told my 10-year probability of major osteoporotic fracture percentage is 19.4%, with a hip fracture probability of 5.7%. Unfortunately, I broke my wrist in a traumatic fall backward last year, landing on a concrete patio. My doctor has […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: My 96-year-old mother has stage 5 kidney disease (GFR is 12) along with congestive heart failure. She’s not your typical 96-year-old — she is sharp as a tack, still attends church weekly and is involved with the assistance league! She is going to need to start some type of dialysis soon. We […]