DEAR DR. ROACH: I’ve had diverticulitis repeatedly since 2016. It’s been bad enough 10 times (with belly pain and fever) that I was given antibiotics. I’ve had it at least that many more times where I wasn’t as ill (usually just had belly pain), and I didn’t take antibiotics, since it went away on its […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I have Type 2 diabetes. My BMI is 29. My last A1C was 8.4%. I currently take metformin and glipizide. I’ve asked my doctor about the new medications, like Ozempic and Mounjaro, but he is reluctant to prescribe them. The past two times we’ve discussed it, he talked me out of it, […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I had a CT calcium scan, and my score was 530. My doctor said that this was high, so he put me on a statin (Lipitor). But it debilitated me with so much muscle pain that I had to stop. I am wondering if there is something other than a statin to […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: My daughter is in her 30s and has been experiencing infertility for several years. She and her husband have been tested, and the issue is her egg quality. She has had several rounds of in vitro fertilization with no success. At age 19, she was prescribed Accutane for her acne. She had […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: My husband is 81 and in good health. He doesn’t have any blood in his urine or any other abnormal symptoms. He recently had an X-ray done for lower back pain, and the radiologist observed abnormalities that resulted in a CT scan with contrast (oral and IV). The major finding is as […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I switched to nonalcoholic beer a week ago due to an upcoming fibroscan on my liver later next month. I was diagnosed with a mild fatty liver this past August. I’m experiencing insomnia, plus I get up to urinate five to six times a night. Previously, it was only two to three […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I take Eliquis. I have no stomach; it was totally removed as a preventative measure due to the risk of stomach cancer. So, I have been trying to find out how much of this expensive drug is actually being absorbed. So far, my cardiologist, my primary care physician, nor my pharmacist can […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: My childhood friend just emailed me that she has a 1.1-cm lesion on her lung. It was found on a CT scan. She’s having another CT scan today. She is a former smoker and has COPD. Is the lesion something that’s part of COPD? What’s the difference between a lesion and something […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: In February, I had a stroke. I received no warning, and the stroke affected my left side. My doctor put me on blood pressure medication, but not a blood thinner. The stroke has left me with numbness in my left side, but I can use my limbs OK. What I want to […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: In two weeks, I am supposed to get Botox injections in my bladder for an overactive bladder (OAB) and my frequent need to urinate at nighttime. Are these injections safe? Are there any bad side effects? How long do they work? — D.J. ANSWER: The initial treatment for OAB symptoms usually consists […]