DEAR DR. ROACH: I’m 74 years old and have been very healthy. I take only Synthroid. My cholesterol and blood pressure were high, but I didn’t want to take medication for fear of side effects. Last July, I had a stroke, leaving me with mouth and leg numbness. My neurologist told me not to eat […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I read in your column recently that you suggested saw palmetto to a male reader who was having difficulty with his blood pressure dropping due to medications prescribed for his enlarged prostate. That was causing frequent trips to the bathroom and a weak urine stream. I have read a number of articles, […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I’m a 69-year-old woman with hypothyroidism. Although my TSH score is in the high-normal range, a new doctor recently increased my dosage of levothyroxine just slightly because of fatigue, joint aches and more. I feel great again. My question: When the “normal” levels of TSH were determined, were they for everyone? There […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a healthy 90-year-old woman. I enjoy playing tennis and bridge. A week ago, I started to take the drug metformin. I do not have diabetes. The reason for taking it is that I read an article about it by an expert in longevity. My only concern is that the drug […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I read your column faithfully, but I can’t recall you ever addressing urinary incontinence in women. As it’s a subject that’s not normally addressed socially, I wonder if you can tell us what can be done about it. — O.P. ANSWER: Urinary incontinence is a big and important topic. Twenty-five to 60 […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I discovered that when researchers set out to induce insulin resistance and obesity in lab mice, they use monosodium glutamate (MSG)! Then, reading labels in the grocery store, I found that MSG is in just about everything, from cereal to sausage patties! So, if MSG causes obesity and insulin resistance in mice, […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I would like your advice concerning my 75-year-old boyfriend, whom I have known for eight years. He had what I suppose would be called a nervous breakdown two years ago. He was admitted to a mental hospital for seven days. He came out on olanzapine, lorazepam and Wellbutrin, and now has been […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I recently went for an annual checkup, and was told that I am anemic. Other than advising me to take iron pills, I was told to see my gastroenterologist. Upon seeing him and advising him that I’m feeling fine (no problem with GERD or any other conditions), he wanted to schedule me […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: In your recent column about the prognosis for a patient with esophageal cancer, what about offering the patient the option of just doing nothing? I suspect this may contradict your training. Clearly this course would seem especially hard, given her caregiver role. But in some cases, perhaps like this one, the range […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 68-year-old woman diagnosed with osteopenia. My hip T-score is -2.3, and lumbar spine T-score is -1.6. My doctor suggested medication, but I am concerned about side effects. Is this really necessary? Can I safely wait? I am very active, eat a well-balanced diet and take calcium and vitamin D […]