Health Advice

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Health

Misunderstanding Ensues About The Dosage Of Eye Drops

Health Advice / Keith Roach /

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 74-year-old woman who was diagnosed with open angle glaucoma several years ago. My ophthalmologist has directed me to use Simbrinza three times a day in my right eye and Lumigan in both eyes at bedtime. I have been doing this for over a year. Both my eyes are always red. My right eyelid is very red and swollen, and it ...Read more

Reader Wonders If Older Vaccines Still Provide Protection

Health Advice / Keith Roach /

DEAR DR. ROACH: With the resurgence of measles because of declining vaccination rates, should we be wary of the same happening with smallpox (which was also thought to have been eradicated)? And as an aside, is my ancient smallpox vaccination of 1952 still protecting me? What about my equally ancient (circa 1962) polio vaccine? -- C.C.

ANSWER...Read more

Not Everyone With Blockages In Their Arteries Needs Surgery

Health Advice / Keith Roach /

DEAR DR. ROACH: I have HIV and pulmonary hypertension. I was part of a research study, and a scan found blockages of about 50% in my carotid arteries. I've never had any symptoms or a stroke. Do I need to have surgery? -- V.P.

ANSWER: In general, screening for blockages in the carotid arteries that provide blood flow to the brain is not ...Read more

Abdominal Cramps Could Be The Cause Behind Atrial Fibrillation

Health Advice / Keith Roach /

DEAR DR. ROACH: I'm a generally healthy 60-year-old man. Last week, I had some abdominal cramping, and while I was on the toilet, I noted the abrupt onset of a strange feeling in my chest as well as abnormal, irregular and fast heartbeats. My watch has an electrocardiogram (EKG) function, and it immediately said I was in atrial fibrillation at...Read more

Baby Boomer Born In 1949 Most Likely Immune To Old Diseases

Health Advice / Keith Roach /

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a baby boomer who was born in 1949. I was vaccinated against polio as soon as it was available, and I was most likely exposed to measles and whooping cough. It was during the period when moms held get-togethers to expose their children in a semi-controlled way.

I volunteer with an organization that has many events for ...Read more

Reader Wonders Why Symptoms Sometimes Follow Vaccination

Health Advice / Keith Roach /

DEAR DR. ROACH: My question relates to a situation where a person gets a vaccine for, say, flu, COVID or shingles and is later exposed to the virus. Is it possible that as the vaccine is helping your body fight the virus, you develop symptoms such as inflammation, a mild sore throat, headaches, etc.? I wonder this because sometimes it seems ...Read more

Hypertension Diagnosis Hasn't Been Discussed With Patient

Health Advice / Keith Roach /

DEAR DR. ROACH: I took the diet drug Redux in the late 1990s. It was pulled off the market due to correlated heart issues. I saw a cardiologist and learned that I had mild to moderate mitral stenosis with regurgitation. It was watched over a period of years, and they eventually determined that I was stable and had few to no symptoms. So, after...Read more

Olive Oil Can Serve As A Remedy For Several Ailments

Health Advice / Keith Roach /

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 76-year-old male in good health. I go to the gym three days a week, eat well, and fast one day a week. I have been reading about taking a tablespoon of olive oil at night as a remedy for all kinds of things such as digestion issues and arthritis. I tried it, and I swear that the first day after ingesting, I felt less ...Read more

New Cell-Free DNA Testing Not Recommended For P. Vera Patient

Health Advice / Keith Roach /

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am 85 and healthy apart from polycythemia vera, for which I take aspirin. I was interested in the new blood test for cancer. Is it worthwhile? -- M.N.

ANSWER: When screening patients for cancer, the goal is to find a test that leads to a beneficial outcome for the person being screened -- ideally an outcome where they are less...Read more

Reader Who Experiences Sleep Paralysis Writes In For Advice

Health Advice / Keith Roach /

DEAR DR. ROACH: My question to you is about an affliction I have struggled with since childhood. Apparently, it is called sleep paralysis. As explained to me in an old newspaper article, it is when your brain is awake, but your body is still sleeping. This leads me to have minor to moderate panic attacks!

It has lessened as I've aged, and I'...Read more

Patient With High Total Cholesterol Gets Recommended A Statin

Health Advice / Keith Roach /

DEAR DR. ROACH: Can you please explain what is cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein and the significance of a high HDL cholesterol value? What about non-HDL cholesterol? I have had cholesterol tests for the past 30 years with HDL readings that had a low of 68 mg/dL and a high of 117 mg/dL. Two first-degree relatives also have high HDL ...Read more

A Dry Cough Persisting For A Decade Might Indicate Asthma

Health Advice / Keith Roach /

DEAR DR. ROACH: I also have a dry cough that's been going on for about 13-14 years. I'm a healthy 62-year-old and read that it is called "cough variant asthma." I would like to know more about this but really can't find anything about it, except that it will eventually get worse if it's not treated. I was checked twice in the past 15 years for...Read more

Using Stevia In Coffee Is OK For Borderline Prediabetic Patient

Health Advice / Keith Roach /

DEAR DR. ROACH: In a recent column, you OK'd stevia, which I had heard could negatively impact our microbiomes. I am borderline prediabetic, and I had stopped using stevia accordingly. However, I hate unsweetened coffee. Can you comment on stevia's impact on our microbiomes in your column? -- M.M.

ANSWER: I wish I could give you an answer that ...Read more

Woman Unable To Lose Weight Despite Exercise And A Good Diet

Health Advice / Keith Roach /

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 69-year-old female in excellent health, other than having been treated for breast cancer eight years ago. (I underwent surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, then five years on an aromatase inhibitor.) Since then, I have gained 40 pounds. I am 5 feet, 2 inches tall, and weigh 178 pounds. I have been unable to lose the weight ...Read more

 

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