DEAR DR. ROACH: My brother-in-law is 57 and has pancreatic cancer the size of a golf ball. He is on his second chemo treatment. The doctors first want to shrink the tumor. They eventually want to take out the tumor. Do you think this is wise? He does not have cancer anyplace else in his […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: My husband of 53 years passed away six years ago. Since that time, I have been unable to cry. I have always cried easily and found it a tremendous help in minimizing sadness, stress and pain. In the past six years, there have been many sad situations in which I could not […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: You recently wrote an article on the risk of heart disease with aspirin and anti-inflammatory drugs. What about acetaminophen (Tylenol)? I have been taking this for many years of pain following spinal surgeries. — C.S. ANSWER: There have been some studies that have shown a mild increase in risk of heart disease […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am an 84-year-old woman, and have always been a good walker. Three months ago, I fell down and could not get up from the floor. I was not in pain, but I could not move my right leg. I went by ambulance to the hospital, where X-rays and many other tests […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I read your recent column on inflammatory bowel syndrome, which I have had for years. I could not go out to eat without having to go to the restroom before leaving. It got so bad that I couldn’t go to weddings, picnics, etc. I started using Metamucil, which did help and made […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: Does a diuretic like Lasix (furosemide) have any negative effect on kidney function after being taken over a period of 16 years in connection with congestive heart failure? — E.T. ANSWER: Furosemide (Lasix) is a powerful drug. It prevents the kidney from being able to reabsorb water and salt, which are then […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: Again and again, I read how vital quality sleep each night is. Well, for many years now, I have not gotten any. I have followed many suggestions, from supplements to acupuncture, without success. The only reasonable amount of sleep I get comes via a sleeping pill, which I take only when I […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I’ve heard of people using hydrogen peroxide (3 percent) as an emetic. How dangerous is this practice, and is it effective? — B.G. ANSWER: Hydrogen peroxide taken internally is neither safe nor effective for any medical indication. An emetic is a substance that makes people vomit, and they are seldom if ever […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am having trouble controlling my warfarin intake to keep my blood test results within the 2-3 range that my pulmonologist recommends. I had an almost complete saddle blockage in my chest several years ago, and I don’t want it to happen again. I have cut broccoli, spinach and dark-green salad ingredients […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: For a year now, I have had such terrible pain in my pubic area and down my inner thighs. An X-ray (for another problem) showed that I have osteitis pubis. I have read about it online and found that there is no real treatment for it. My doctor prescribed hydrocodone with acetaminophen […]