DEAR DR. ROACH: I need a second opinion. I was diagnosed with familial hypercholesterolemia about 30 years ago and have gone through about six doctors (ranging from internist to surgeon to general practitioner) during that time. My new doctor, having never treated this condition, is now asking me, “How aggressive do you want to be?” […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: My 70-year-old husband’s mantle cell lymphoma is being treated with chemotherapy, including doxorubicin, and he received his first cycle at MD Anderson, where they took 48 hours to infuse the doxorubicin chemo. When this cycle was repeated at our local hospital, they administered it as a push in just a few minutes. […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: Do you know anything about injection sclerotherapy for hemorrhoids? Are there any other new treatments? — H.F. ANSWER: Hemorrhoids are a normal part of our anatomy, but they cause problems such as bleeding and itching, and they can develop blood clots. Hemorrhoids may be internal or external. External hemorrhoids rarely need more […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a healthy 79-year-old with a question about the blood thinner Xarelto. I take it for occasional atrial fibrillation. I hear that it can be dangerous. My doctors don’t seem worried, but I am. I have had rectal bleeding in the past, which wasn’t serious but was scary. I can’t take […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 44-year-old man with chronic headaches and migraines. Should I worry about the long-term effects of taking an NSAID (such as diclofenac) at least once a week? — G.W. ANSWER: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are among the most commonly taken classes of drugs in the world, with 17 million Americans alone […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 77-year-old female. I had a left-breast lumpectomy (with some lymph nodes removed) about 15 years ago, leaving me with a much heavier right breast. I don’t know whether this plays an important role with my problem. Since the surgery, I have had a problem controlling underarm odor. I do […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am writing about platelet donations. As a way of giving back, I donate platelets. I was wondering if there is a time that a person should stop donating, based on age or difficulty. I am 61 years old, and the past three times I’ve donated, I felt uncomfortable in some way. […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: Can exposure to infectious mononucleosis trigger or cause rheumatoid arthritis to flare up and become active? I would appreciate your comments. Thank you. — J.C. ANSWER: The Epstein-Barr virus — the cause of infectious mononucleosis (although there are other germs that can cause a similar picture) — has been associated with rheumatoid […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: Two years ago, my grandfather (a 90-years-young Navy veteran) had a nasty fall and, in an attempt to break his fall, fractured a bone in his hand. He was taken by ambulance to the hospital, where he was dismissed with the suggestion of a sprain, without any diagnostic imaging. Cut to months […]