ArcaMax

DEAR DR. ROACH: I contracted influenza A nine weeks ago, which was confirmed by a nasal swab. I had my regular flu vaccine in mid-November, but it was no match for this virulent strain. I was sicker than I can remember, and COVID seemed mild in comparison. During the illness, I developed a sinus infection and was prescribed an antibiotic that ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I recently had a CT scan, and my score was 184. My cardiologist put me on 40 mg of Lipitor, which I reluctantly took for three weeks until I developed severe pain in my feet and hands. I stopped taking it, and the pain went away. I'm a 64-year-old male in excellent shape. I'm currently taking a chelation supplement, vitamin K2 ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: My husband and I recently welcomed our new granddaughter. She is 2 months old and therefore several months away from receiving her first MMR vaccine. We live in Texas, and while there are currently no known measles cases in our area, we are aware that it could happen due to the highly contagious nature of the virus.

I am 65, ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I'm a female who is 63 years old. My blood pressure is 110/70 mmHg. I'm 98 pounds, and my heart doctor believes that I might be one of those people who produces cholesterol. My total cholesterol is 241 mg/dL, my LDL is 168 mg/dL, and my HDL is 65 mg/dL. My doctor did a calcium score, and the result was 31. Should I take ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: Two years ago, my doctor (whose patient I had been for many years) decided to switch to a concierge practice. He charged $2,000 annually per patient. Neither my husband nor I chose to participate. We found a new doctor who we have been very happy with for the past two years. Now he has decided to go concierge as well.

He is ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 71-year-old male with Type 2 diabetes. My last A1C test showed a value of 7.8%. I have been taking Mounjaro weekly, which lowered my weight by about 20 pounds and my A1C level by about 0.5%. I also take diltiazem for hypertension, a statin, and one metformin pill per day. I read an article in the newspaper stating that ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I'm pretty certain that I have Raynaud's disease. I develop white, burning and tingling hands if I don't keep warm, even with heavy gloves on. I notice it on the golf course during the wintertime if I'm not bundled up. My doctor up here in Canada agreed with my self-diagnosis but offered little in the way of a treatment or ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I thought you could help with a stubborn problem. I am a healthy and active 78-year-old woman who, I admit, likes to look younger than my age. The problem is my skin, especially on my hands and arms; I get these bruises that look unsightly and take a while to resolve. I hear it is from age-related thin skin. My friends of this ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I have recently begun seeing a new physician who dictates into a recorder during my entire exam. I find this very off-putting and don't know what to do. Here is an example:

Doctor: What brings you in today?

Me: I have a sore throat.

Doctor speaks into to the recorder: Patient presents a complaint of a sore throat today.

...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I'm a 65-year-old male. On my recent semiannual checkup, my labs showed an AST level of 53 U/L and an ALT level of 62 U/L. I am concerned about nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. In addition to losing weight, is 800 IU of vitamin E potentially beneficial? -- H.C.

ANSWER: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: Could you offer any general advice on how patients should weigh the risks versus benefits when they are prescribed a drug that lists many potentially serious side effects? I once had a specialist suggest that I do a trial of a drug for a noncardiac issue, but my cardiologist cautioned me not to chance it because both my heart ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 70-year-old man and have been taking finasteride for hair loss for about five years. I realized while reading your recent column that I have the sexual side effects the letter-writer described. I had been unable to obtain a satisfactory erection even when taking 150 mg of sildenafil, which is three times my prescribed ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: My husband had left knee replacement surgery three weeks ago. He has had continuous unrelenting pain since. He was initially on hydrocodone with acetaminophen alternating with tramadol. This barely touched the pain. We were referred to a pain specialist who prescribed hydrocodone, but our insurance wouldn't allow it. He is also...Read more