DEAR DR. ROACH: I think my 75-year-old husband has polymyalgia rheumatica, and I understand it has no definitive cause. He gets severe unbearable pain alternating between his neck and hips every few weeks. It seems that the only treatment is prednisone, but he does not want to take it. What else can we do? — […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am 62 years old and postmenopausal. I am reading more about bioidentical hormones giving added protection to the heart and brain, in addition to helping with hair loss and weight gain. However, it seems that the only way one can obtain these hormones is through nontraditional, functional medicine doctors. I haven’t […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a female who is 68 years old and in generally good health. In September 2021, after a couple episodes of faintness when tilting my head back, I was given a CT angiogram with contrast. The diagnosis was fibromuscular dysplasia (the report noted a “beaded appearance” of the artery), with no […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I had lab work done recently and received a panic call from the doctor’s office that my vitamin D level was 29 ng/mL. I needed to start 50,000 IU once a week for 12 weeks immediately. I am confused how I could be deficient of the sunshine vitamin since I live in […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: A friend has been diagnosed with high blood calcium, and when I googled it, the results concerned me. Can you give information on this and how to discuss it with the doctor? I want to forward the column to my friend, and hopefully, the information encourages/helps with the medical discussions between my […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I recently read a book where a person who suffered from anxiety and depression found that Adderall gave relief from the effects of anxiety and depression. My initial thought was that this could help a person focus and perform, almost like a stimulant. Currently, Xanax is a nice option that appears to […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 67-year-old Caucasian female in generally good health. In 2022, I was found to have asymptomatic atrial fibrillation (AFib). I underwent electrical cardioversion in the hospital, but the AFib continued periodically throughout the past year, according to my heart monitor. Six weeks ago, a 14-day Holter monitor showed a 65% […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 62-year-old white male who is 5 feet, 11 inches tall and weighs 205 pounds. I have diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. I was recently diagnosed with “moderate to significant coronary disease” by a CT coronary calcium scan. This was based on a finding of “severe calcification in […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: A very healthy male friend in his upper 50s has to make a decision whether to accept or decline his very aggressive urologist’s decision to do a biopsy of his prostate. It seems that the only thing prompting this decision is a recent prostate-specific antigen (PSA) reading of 4 ng/mL, which has […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I was prescribed iron for a low iron level due to “microcytic anemia.” I couldn’t tolerate oral iron because of constipation and hemorrhoids, so my doctor prescribed iron infusions. But I had an allergic reaction, and I continue to have sore places all over my body. I am not in great pain, […]