DEAR DR. ROACH: I read your recent response to a man having withdrawal issues from short-term Paxil use. Could you take a shot at a bigger, yet related problem I have? I have been on 9 mg bromazepam daily for over 40 years. I am now 75. My diagnosis was manic depressive, which is now, […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: My husband has been an alcoholic for 30 years. I have recently started to sleep in our living room due to his smell. He is furious! I have not slept well for so long — I know it’s affected my health. He doesn’t want me sick, but he is making me sick. […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I have been suffering from fatty liver for the past 10 years. Is there any medication to reverse it? — A.A. ANSWER: Fatty liver is a very common finding that refers to the accumulation of excess fat in the liver cells. The most common cause, in people who do not drink excess […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I have been diagnosed with bursitis on my left hip, and my pain management doctor says she can give me an injection to help. I had one last year by an orthopedist. The pain management nurse recommends my orthopedist do it because they use X-ray to guide the injection. But if X-rays […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: Could you discuss Elmiron side effects and the pending lawsuit? I have been on this for years for interstitial cystitis and am worried about staying on it even though it is the only relief I can find. — C.H. ANSWER: “Interstitial cystitis” is a term used for chronic bladder pain when no […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I have been diagnosed with degenerative disc disease and spinal stenosis. A spine specialist has advised surgery to fuse vertebrae in two places. I have already had surgery to remove a herniated disk on both these vertebrae and spinal epidurals with limited success. Recently a friend suggested inversion therapy using a teeter […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: Is there any risk starting the two-step process for the new shingles vaccine given the COVID-19 virus? My husband had the original shingles vaccine, and he has also contracted shingles. Should he get the new vaccine? He doesn’t believe it is necessary. — L.M. ANSWER: Several people have asked whether the new […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: Is prediabetes reversible, and if not, is it permissible to eat sweets and starches in moderation if you have it? — C.W. ANSWER: In many cases, prediabetes can be reversed. In North America, by far the most common type of diabetes is Type 2, and a major risk factor is being overweight. […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am 65 and get very little exercise due to a below-the-knee amputation I had 27 years ago. Although I have a prosthesis, I experience open sores. I have been diagnosed with severe arthritis and severe osteoporosis. My doctor has me taking alendronate, calcium and vitamin B. A recent column of yours […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am 80 years old. Two years ago, I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. I am taking methimazole 10 milligrams, two tabs daily. Whenever the endocrinologist reduces the tablets to once daily, my TSH remains low. I am also taking metoprolol. I read on my computer that beta blockers interfere with the absorption […]