ArcaMax

DEAR DR. ROACH: My son has been diagnosed with a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak. I had never heard of this. He has been told that his brain pressure is lower than normal. This caused him to have severe headaches, and he says that his ears feel like they are going to explode. He can only be up about 2-4 hours, then he has to lay down again. ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I have found what seems like an almost-magical way to stop the progression of the common cold and a cure for it. I am a reasonably healthy 84-year-old male with a medically sound lifestyle. Historically, I have gotten about two common colds per year that always starts with nasal congestion. It rapidly progresses to a runny nose...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 78-year-old male in relatively good health. I only take losartan for my blood pressure. Over the past year, my urine has gotten quite foamy. The internet suggests that this means a high amount of protein from protein drinks, high physical activity, or a kidney problem.

I saw my primary care physician, and they analyzed ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: About 12 years ago, I had a scan done to look for the cause of a problem that I was having for many months: pain in my abdomen and vomiting. (It turned out to be Barrett's esophagus, which was found with a scope.) Fortunately for me, I read the report from the scan. The report said there was a spot on my kidney that ought to be...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I was diagnosed with advanced osteoporosis years ago. I started taking vitamin K2 because I read that it helps move calcium from the blood into the bones. Fast forward to last year, my doctor had me do a scan to check for arterial plaque because my total cholesterol went over 300 mmol/L. I had declined her recommendation to ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: In 2016, I was fortunate to survive a saddle pulmonary embolism (PE). I was sent home from the hospital with an Eliquis prescription. My medical providers ran several blood tests, but no known reason was found to have caused the PE. My cardiologist recommended staying on Eliquis for one year because of the severity of the clot....Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: My wife and I are planning a three-week trip to South Africa and three other countries nearby. We need to take the antimalaria drug Malarone for 26 days, so we did a trial run of four tablets each. Shortly after our first dose, my wife got very itchy skin on her head, ears and upper body that continued for several days after we...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am an 80-year-old woman in good health with low blood pressure, and the only medication I take is levothyroxine. A 6-by-5.5-mm aneurysm was discovered in my brain, and the scan shows one lobular protrusion that may be of concern for rupture.

I am trying to decide if I should go through with a procedure, but I am not sure ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: About 45 years ago, I came down with a rash on my chest and stomach from taking ampicillin. I was told never to take penicillin again. I'm allergic to many antibiotics, which makes treating me (an elderly person) very challenging.

Now my doctor feels that I should be able to take ampicillin. The pharmacist would not fill out ...Read more

DEAR DR ROACH: My husband will be 80 in a couple of months. He is experiencing what I fear is primary progressive aphasia (PPA). He will not agree to get tested. Five years ago, a neuropsychiatrist diagnosed him with slight cognitive deficiencies. He struggles to find words, uses incorrect words, and has a poor concept of time. His short-term ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 71-year-old male in good health. I read your recent column on the use of proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs). About eight years ago, I was hospitalized for 10 days due to a severe case of pancreatitis. The pain was beyond horrible. A scan indicated that I had a severe infection. It was finally determined that it was caused by ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am an 88-year-old male who has been taking tamsulosin twice daily for several years because of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). In October 2023, my urologist added finasteride once daily. One year later, in October 2024, I developed extreme tenderness on my left breast that wrapped around my left side.

I had a routine ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: I was offered a low price to get abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) screening. Is it worthwhile? Who should get screened? -- K.D.

ANSWER: The aorta is the largest blood vessel in the body that comes directly off of the heart, goes down through the chest and diaphragm via the aortic hiatus, and into the abdomen. From there, it ...Read more

DEAR DR. ROACH: In 2022, I took a trip to France to visit friends and sightsee. My hip/leg pain started after I spent my days walking and climbing stairs in Paris. (I walked 16 miles one day!) I rested during the evening and took ibuprofen before going to bed. I did not stop my activities because this was a special trip.

Later during my ...Read more