ArcaMax

DEAR DR. ROACH: My daughter was recently visiting and tested positive for COVID. Since my last COVID vaccine was eight months ago, I searched for how much protection I still had and understood the response to be little to none. So, why is the recommendation for vaccination only once per year and not more frequent so that we always have some ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I'm a generally healthy 73-year-old man. I recently had blood work done and was incidentally noted to have high liver tests (ALT and AST). My doctor ordered a sonogram, which said that my liver was "diffusely echogenic, consistent with fatty infiltration." I used to have an occasional drink, but I haven't had any alcohol for ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I had a pituitary tumor that was discovered over 25 years ago. For years, I had an MRI with and without dye every six months. Then it changed to once a year. Can you get damage from too many brain MRIs? -- D.J.

ANSWER: An MRI uses powerful magnetic fields to take pictures of the body, and the resulting detail of soft tissue (...Read more

DEAR DR ROACH: In a recent column, you wrote about reducing cholesterol with the help of statins along with a PCSK9i, such as Repatha or Praluent. My question is: Are these PCSK9is at all beneficial if one cannot take statins? -- D.C.S.

ANSWER: Yes, PCSK9 inhibitors are very effective at lowering cholesterol and reducing the risk of heart ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I read that there is updated advice on who should get the COVID vaccine based on age and risk factors. How many Americans were hospitalized for COVID who did not have these latest qualifying risk factors? -- N.R.

ANSWER: Although the most recent update on the licensing of the COVID vaccines from the Food and Drug Adminstration ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 78-year-old male who is in pretty good health. I keep my blood pressure under control and exercise five days a week at a gym, doing 30 minutes of cardio and lifting light weights. However, I have osteoporosis. As I have declined to take medications such as Fosamax due to their potential side effects, my doctor has ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am an active male in my 70s and in good health. I exercise, eat healthy, and keep my weight down, and my blood work comes back perfect. I have a unique situation that I haven't read about before and can't find any information about.

I have a mass growing in my scrotum that has been there for many years, and upon examination,...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a soon-to-be 85-year-old healthy woman. I take a statin and baby aspirin (I assume because of my age) and have my gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) under control. I have scheduled gallbladder surgery for late next month, and I am having doubts about this so-called simple surgery.

My recent symptoms have been ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I was diagnosed with stage 4 high-grade ovarian cancer in September 2024. I underwent a major surgery after the tumor shrank in March. I see a top doctor at a renowned hospital, and I trust him. I went through seven rounds of chemo with three different meds. I handled it well as I am very fit and 64 years old.

I am now on ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I see people walking everywhere with weighted vests. Is this a good idea for exercise? -- M.B.W.

ANSWER: In my opinion, there are plusses and minuses about a weighted vest. On the good side, they increase the intensity of workouts and activate muscles that don't ordinarily get much exertion during a walk. The abdominal and ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a woman aged 58, and I have very high blood pressure from a fall that dissected my aorta. I somehow survived and am thriving. Well, the last time I checked my blood pressure about a week ago, it was 193/119 mmHg, which is low for me. It's usually around 220/130 mmHg, give or take.

I won't take meds because I have only one...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I'm a 65-year-old and otherwise healthy male. After spending the past five years believing that my trembling hands were the result of essential tremor, a second DaT (dopamine transporter) scan (the first one was misread, I guess) and a neurologist at a teaching institution confirmed that I am and have been suffering from ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I have been suffering from strong pain on my left knee for a long time. An MRI was performed, which showed an "extensive degenerative tear throughout the body and a posterior horn of the medial meniscus." It also showed a "flap tear of the body and an anterior horn of the lateral meniscus, with meniscal tissue displaced ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: A cardiologist recently suggested that I should consider taking a statin because of my "borderline" cholesterol level. So, I took a dive into the details of statin therapy. I learned that although statins are thought to reduce the chance of a cardiovascular event by up to 50%, the actual reduction is very small.

I presented ...Read more