DEAR DR. ROACH: Please give me your opinion on the drug Rybelsus. It is advertised on TV as a wonder drug to reduce the A1C count for diabetics. My last A1C level was 6.8. My only problem with taking Rybelsus is that, in the package insert (or medication guide), it reads “not recommended as the […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: My doctor invariably prescribes four 200 mg Advils (ibuprofen), to be taken three times every 24 hours for a few days. I suspect this will create useful peaks, but also create unwanted troughs, compared to taking a smaller dose more frequently that results in the same aggregate dose every 24 hours. My […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I’m a 74-year-old woman with good cholesterol numbers and normal blood pressure. I’ve exercised regularly since I was 17 (that’s 57 years), and weigh 98 pounds. I have no history of heart attack or stroke. Still, my doctor is giving me a strong sales pitch to take a statin with no mention […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I have read that dietary potassium is very important in reducing heart disease risk, along with reducing sodium. I use a potassium-based salt replacement at home. Is there a maximum amount I should use? Why don’t restaurants offer salt substitutes for people who want to reduce sodium and heart risk? — T.S. […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: My question regards the results of my fasting glucose tests for the past couple of years. I am 81 and weigh around 150 pounds. The medications I am taking concern me, with relevance to the A1C levels of my quarterly blood work. My A1C levels have mostly been near mid 5%; last […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: Would it be possible for you to explain my recent diagnosis of monoclonal gammopathy of uncertain significance (MGUS)? Apparently, 3% to 5% of the population over the age of 50 show this blood abnormality. My last M-Spike result was 0.2 g/dL. — A.M.P. ANSWER: By definition, MGUS has no symptoms, so many […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I recently had a COVID booster. Not even considering that the vaccine might impact my annual mammogram, I had my mammogram done the day after my vaccine. I had no ill effects from the vaccine. I was not advised against having the mammogram so soon after the vaccine. Because of a concern […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: For over 20 years, I have experienced difficulty with getting enough sleep at night. I typically get between five and six hours of sleep per night. I fall asleep quickly at about 10 p.m., but wake up between 3:30 a.m. and 5 a.m., unable to fall back asleep. I have tried various […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: You recently answered a question from a reader with a friend who had sudden hearing loss with tinnitus after experiencing vertigo and dizziness. You attributed the hearing loss to sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL). I have been dealing with Meniere’s disease for over eight years, and the symptoms you described are identical […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I have been diagnosed with vitamin D toxicity, according to the blood work from a month ago — my result was 122 ng/mL. I was taking high doses of vitamin D3 in pill form (15,000 IU a day for three years) bought from a drugstore. I have stopped taking it, but I […]