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 […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 63-year-old female. I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia several years ago, and I’m starting to think that there is a link between it and my other ailments. I take 300 mg of gabapentin three times a day, and recently started taking 20 mg of amitriptyline once a day. I have […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: Please tell me about Celebrex. I am 86 years of age. I took it 15 years ago, and it helped me not to be so stiff. Now my present doctor will not prescribe it for me. I have tried several different medications, but I don’t get the results I got with Celebrex. […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 55-year-old male. After five or six days of thinking I had pulled a muscle in my bicep, I was diagnosed via ultrasound with an unprovoked, extensive deep-vein thrombosis in my left upper arm. I’m glad I made the decision to have it checked out. I have no family history […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: My friend was diagnosed with H. pylori. He was treated and then later he was given a stool sample test. This test showed “negative,” and he was told that it means he does not have the H. pylori bacteria anymore. No more medication was given to him, and no special or restricted […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I’m 64 and healthy. I’m very petite at 4 feet, 10 inches tall. I’ve had a low weight most of my life, keeping around 95 pounds. Two years ago, after retiring and being less active, I got up to 110 and maintained it for a year. Then I got married and am […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: My brother had four ministrokes in five days. They can’t find what caused it. He was in a university hospital for seven days. — M.L. ANSWER: A stroke is defined as a neurologic deficit (such as weakness or difficulty speaking) that lasts for more than 24 hours. For deficits that last less […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am being treated for macular degeneration with injections of Lucentis into the eye. My cardiologist has determined that I have atrial fibrillation and wants to prescribe the anticoagulant Coumadin (warfarin). My non-medical mind senses that these two drugs have opposing functions relative to blood clotting. Am I right? — H.W. ANSWER: […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I’m vegan, primarily for ethical reasons, but I also enjoy the health benefits. There are so many more nondairy milks on the market now than when I went vegan, 23 years ago. I especially enjoy the taste of soy, coconut and almond milks, but from a health perspective, which is best? — […]