ArcaMax

DEAR DR. ROACH: I read an article a few years back that said if you had vertigo, you more than likely would also have restless legs syndrome and/or hypnic jerks of the body. Did I read this right, or are these symptoms totally unrelated to each other?

I'm inquiring because I have all three conditions. I began with vertigo a few years back, ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am an 85-year-old woman who is physically, mentally and socially active and in quite good health, except for osteoporosis issues. The only medications I take are Maxzide for blood pressure, rosuvastatin for cholesterol, and Prolia injections for osteoporosis. My most recent cholesterol readings were 119 mg/dL (total), 58 mg/...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I'm a 70-year-old active dentist and pharmacist with chronic lower back pain. My MRI shows a compressed/extruded disc in contact with a specific nerve. It is extruded by 5 mm. I know that this is very common, and not all patients with compressed nerves are symptomatic. I have specifically located lower back pain and numbness in...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I read a recent column of yours in which you said that everyone who is my age can assume we've had measles. I remember having measles when I was in the second grade but have a vague memory of my parents calling it German measles, which I believe is rubella. If a person has had either, do they have immunity to both types of ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: My husband and I read your column regularly and appreciate your attention to science and facts, especially when addressing issues related to infectious diseases and vaccines. I am writing today because I am deeply unhappy about the repeated messages in the press to those born before 1957 -- or sometimes 1955 --who, as you wrote...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 69-year-old woman. I'm in good health despite various events that happened last year (i.e., a hole in my stomach lining, a loss of consciousness, a platelet-rich plasma injection in my elbow, and shoulder surgery). Also, I have asthma and a history of eosinophilic pneumonia, although it's been a number of years since I ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 72-year-old woman, and I have developed painful burning and tingling in my feet over the past several months, to the point that I cannot sleep many nights. Unfortunately, I cannot tolerate gabapentin on an ongoing basis, and topical anesthetic creams only help a little.

I do not have diabetes, but I do have significant ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I recently read this morning that the shingles vaccine, Shingrix, "may have a protective effect against dementia." It goes on to say the studies that have been conducted so far are only observational. Is this something that you could address? -- J.S.B.

ANSWER: There have been several studies showing that people who get a ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I just found out that I have a kidney stone. I'm 77 years old, and I don't want to deal with it. I've heard of potassium citrate and pulverizing it with sound waves. Are these options? -- J.M.

ANSWER: When a person gets a kidney stone, the goals are to manage any symptoms, determine if a person's health is at risk (especially ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 77-year-old female in good health. I am up to date on all vaccines, but I would like to know why after each COVID shot (about every six months), I have a debilitating reaction with flu-like symptoms. I ache all over, including my joints. This lasts for one to two days after the shot, and it's the only vaccine I react to....Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am 76 years old, and I have had an essential tremor for over six years. It has progressively gotten stronger, mainly in my hands. I have been reading about an MR-guided focused ultrasound and was wondering if you considered this safe. This involves creating a small lesion in the thalamus, which concerns me. -- S.F.

ANSWER: ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 74-year-old man with no major health issues. Over the past several years, I have been getting a COVID booster in the spring with a second booster in the fall, as well as a flu shot. At my age, is it still appropriate to get a COVID booster in the spring? Also, after getting an respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) ...Read more

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