DEAR DR. ROACH: After reading your recent column on difficulty swallowing, I wanted to write in about my experience with dysphagia. An endoscopy with dilation and biopsies confirmed that I had eosinophilic esophagitis. My gastroenterologist suggested a one-food elimination diet. I am allergic to the protein in milk, so no dairy products for me! It’s […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: My question is about amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). I have been diagnosed with this horrible, debilitating disease and don’t know where I am headed. I went to a hospital for a second opinion and additional testing to rule out other possible causes of this numbness. Nary a test was done; the neurologist […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 23-year-old woman. Recently, my friend experienced a problem with high blood pressure, and for about five days, I followed her diet, which consisted of no added salt or sugar. While taking care of her, I checked my blood pressure once or twice, and it was normal. However, after almost […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I have a 3 mm piece of shrapnel lodged in my skull bone. This is a result of military action back in 1967. A recent X-ray continues to show the shrapnel after all these years. I would say that the piece is half in and half out of the skull bone. At […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I’m an 83-year-old healthy woman. In 2019, I became aware of a little bulge in my groin and suspected an inguinal hernia. It was confirmed by my family doctor. Given its small size and the fact that it gets reduced easily, we decided to wait and watch it. An ultrasound revealed that […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am wondering if there is any link between low iron and depression/anxiety. I am a 37-year-old woman, and I started taking Lexapro a few years ago. I upped my dose last year because I wasn’t feeling great, and my doctor and I decided that it was a good step to take. […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I have lymphedema in both legs, and I’m undergoing drainage every day for two hours for the next two weeks. They wrap my legs with four to five different wraps and lightly massage them in an upward motion. I sleep in a recliner, and I sit in my wheelchair most of the […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: Would you recommend the most reliable literature source(s) for vitamin and supplement information and interactions? For instance, health magazines give these examples of supplement information: — Take magnesium with vitamin D3 for best absorption. — Do not take magnesium with zinc or iron supplements. Take it hours apart to avoid poor absorption […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: My second inguinal hernia operation resulted in pain and a lot of blood in my groin area. I can understand why I was prescribed acetaminophen, but I am confused about ibuprofen. It’s a blood thinner, and I am not sure if my blood needed thinning, since there was plenty of blood in […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I’m a 71-year-old male in excellent health, and I don’t take any medications. Recently, after experiencing mild headaches, mild muscle aches, a runny nose, sneezing, coughing and a sore throat, I went to an urgent care facility near me to find out which of the viruses I had been infected with. After […]