Health Advice
/Health
Medicines Usually Maintain Efficacy Past Their Expiration Dates
DEAR DR. ROACH: I recently tested positive for COVID using an expired home test, and I self-isolated for five days. I also realized every Tylenol, antihistamine, DayQuil, NyQuil and allergy pill that I had was past its expiration date. Some were only expired by a few months, but most were expired by two to four years. I guess I don't get sick ...Read more
Alect2 Has A Better Prognosis Than Other Types Of Amyloidosis
DEAR DR. ROACH: I recently saw a friend who had been diagnosed with ALECT2 amyloidosis, a form of chronic kidney disease that is not well-understood but is considered fatal. Her illness was first misdiagnosed. She is in her late 60s and seems to be aging gracefully. She never was a heavy drinker or a substance abuser, and she's not diabetic. ...Read more
Does Weight Or Size Play A Part When Dosing Medicine?
DEAR DR. ROACH: I watch several programs about zoos on TV. When they are dealing with animals, the weight/size of the animal always seems to come into play when medicating them. This applies whether it's an initial tranquilizer dart, anesthesia, or follow-up medications like antibiotics and steroids.
Why then does my adult friend who weighs ...Read more
Red Skin And Intense Muscle Aches Develop After Taking A Statin
DEAR DR. ROACH: I was treated for high cholesterol and triglycerides with a statin. But I developed red skin and intense muscle aches, so I had to stop taking it. I've read that people of Finnish descent cannot take statins.
My doctor says that there is a shot available to take at home every two weeks. Is there evidence that I would be able ...Read more
PSA Score Continues To Rise Amid Negative Biopsy Results
DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 74-year-old male in relatively good health. The only prescribed medication I take is 5 mg of amlodipine daily. My issue is my PSA score. In 2004, I had a UTI, and the urologist told me that my prostate was enlarged. At the time, my score was somewhere between 1.5 and 2 ng/mL. He then did a procedure with a laser that ...Read more
Can Sciatica Be Relieved Through Steriod Shots?
DEAR DR. ROACH: I am wondering what the best treatment is for sciatic pain. Would a steroid shot help? The pain is behind my knee, down the outside of my leg and now on my foot. -- J.F.
ANSWER: "Sciatica" is a general term for a process that compresses the nerve roots, causing symptoms such as pain, numbness, tingling and loss of reflexes. ...Read more
Patient With Paradoxical Vocal Cord Motion Seeks New Treatment
DEAR DR. ROACH: I'm a 71-year-old man, and seven or eight years ago, I was diagnosed with asthma using the challenge test. I was prescribed Symbicort, which helped me exercise a little better. (Exercising is the only time I can tell I have asthma.)
A couple years later, I was diagnosed with paradoxical vocal cord motion disorder (PCVM) by the...Read more
Skin Reacts And Swells Badly After Being In The Sun
DEAR DR. ROACH: I am not a sun worshipper. Whenever I go out, I cover up, slather on sunscreen, and stay in the shade. Last summer, I took a trip to the beach. I slathered up and stayed in the shade for about an hour. I went for a short swim, came back in, then rested in the shade. On the walk home, my face and eyes started to swell. By ...Read more
Brown Semen Usually Doesn't Present A Health Concern
DEAR DR. ROACH: I am an 85-year-old male. Other than being a Type 2 diabetic, I am still active and in good health. I do have a concern; on the rare occasions when I do ejaculate, the small amount of semen that comes out is brown. When I told this to my urologist, he said that it isn't a problem.
However, when I checked online, I found a ...Read more
Breaking Down The Causes And Symptoms Of 'long Covid'
DEAR DR. ROACH: I read last year that nearly 20 million Americans were living with long COVID, but I understand that the number is much higher now. Can you explain exactly what long COVID is and how it is treated? -- J.S.B.
ANSWER: Persistent symptoms after an infection are not unique to COVID. Many people will have cough or asthma ...Read more
Temporary Vision Loss Could Signify A Transient Ischemic Attack
DEAR DR. ROACH: My father is in his mid-60s and recently underwent surgery to repair mitral valve prolapse. Everything went smoothly, and his recovery has been good, with the exception of this morning. He has resumed smoking (after telling his doctors that he quit), and he experienced a dizzy spell where his vision in one eye became hazy, then...Read more
Does Intermittent Fasting Raise The Risk Of Heart Disease?
DEAR DR. ROACH: I read a recent headline that said people who fast intermittently have an increased risk of heart disease. Is there merit to this story? -- K.O.S.
ANSWER: Intermittent fasting is an increasingly common weight-loss strategy. The two most common approaches of intermittent fasting are alternate-day fasting (eating nothing one day...Read more
Red Light Treatments For Neuropathy Don't Show Much Benefit
DEAR DR. ROACH: I have neuropathy in my left foot. It feels very hot on the bottom. My neurologist thinks it is from my sugar level, but I got my A1C down from 6.2% to 5.6% and do not have neuropathy in my right foot. A friend said that he has had some relief with red light treatment, but he experiences tingling in his feet. Does red light ...Read more
Night Sweats And Hot Flashes Continue For Over Two Decades
DEAR DR. ROACH: I am 72 years old and otherwise fairly healthy, but I am writing to you in desperation. I have talked with every doctor I have had in the past 15 years, and no one has been able to give me any help. I have had severe hot flashes for over 22 years, and I am miserable. The first eight years consisted of night sweats when I ...Read more