DEAR DR. ROACH: I just started taking strontium for my bones. I have osteoporosis. Will strontium help improve my bone density? — L.S. ANSWER: Yes, strontium will increase your bone density; a better question is whether strontium will reduce your likelihood of getting a fracture, and that answer probably is yes. However, the best question […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: Will you write about orthostatic hypotension? I’ve been told I have this disorder. I’m a retired 86-year-old man in fairly good medical shape. I want to regain my regular activities. My regular doctor put me on labetalol. I think he is researching this a bit himself. This apparently is not a frequent […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: Several years ago, I started going to a new doctor, who said that the way to get the correct cholesterol number is to divide the HDL into the LDL, and if the answer is not 2.5 or lower, I have a problem and should be taking steps to lower it. I am […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I read your response to the 67-year-old woman whose insurance wanted her to have a routine urinalysis, which you felt was unnecessary. Being such a simple test to do, with no pain or downside to the patient, why wouldn’t you recommend it? For women, it can catch chronic infections that are sometimes […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: Articles on strokes or TIAs rarely mention that they can be caused by a congenital heart defect. I had a family member with a patent foramen ovale, found at age 54, after he’d had several strokes. He had surgery to repair it and has been well ever since. I would like to […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I’m writing to request a second opinion regarding my cholesterol situation. After 20-plus years (I’m 66) on statins, I have become concerned about perceived muscle fatigue. I went off Vytorin for two months and had a blood test. Before going off, my numbers were HDL 56, triglycerides 60 and LDL 111. After […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I was a registered nurse for more than 45 years, and I admit that I am old-school. I specialized in emergency-room and cardiac care. I always ask for copies of my office notes and test results for my records, and I see a frightening trend among physicians. In the past five years, […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: Radiation can be used to treat cancer, but I’ve heard that radiation from too many CT scans and X-rays can cause cancer. What is the difference? I’m 72 and have had close to 25 CT scans over the years, mostly of my sinuses. Do I have an increased risk of getting cancer? […]

Uveitis is inflammation of the middle eye DEAR DR. ROACH: For the past several months, I’ve had problems in my right eye. The eye was bloodshot and painful, and vision was blurry. I was diagnosed with uveitis, and the doctors didn’t know why it happened. I’ve had full lab work and chest X-rays. I have […]