DEAR DR. ROACH: I’m writing to request a second opinion regarding my cholesterol situation. After 20-plus years (I’m 66) on statins, I have become concerned about perceived muscle fatigue. I went off Vytorin for two months and had a blood test. Before going off, my numbers were HDL 56, triglycerides 60 and LDL 111. After […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I was a registered nurse for more than 45 years, and I admit that I am old-school. I specialized in emergency-room and cardiac care. I always ask for copies of my office notes and test results for my records, and I see a frightening trend among physicians. In the past five years, […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: Radiation can be used to treat cancer, but I’ve heard that radiation from too many CT scans and X-rays can cause cancer. What is the difference? I’m 72 and have had close to 25 CT scans over the years, mostly of my sinuses. Do I have an increased risk of getting cancer? […]

Uveitis is inflammation of the middle eye DEAR DR. ROACH: For the past several months, I’ve had problems in my right eye. The eye was bloodshot and painful, and vision was blurry. I was diagnosed with uveitis, and the doctors didn’t know why it happened. I’ve had full lab work and chest X-rays. I have […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: In January 2014, I was bitten by a mosquito in the Caribbean and came down with the Chikungunya virus, which I still have. I took naproxen for about three months for the Chikungunya from April to July 2014. In August, I started having chronic diarrhea, which continues to this day. I have […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I have been diagnosed with prediabetes (A1c 5.8) and kidney failure (eGFR 58, creatinine 0.97). I am confused about which problem to address through diet. I was advised to eat wheat bread and oatmeal for breakfast, and now I am told that wheat and oatmeal are not good for my kidneys. I […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I get all of my medicine by mail. Since the manufacturers stress keeping the pills at cool room temperatures, I wonder what the excessive heat does to them. The medicine must cook all day in the mailbox — way over 100 degrees here in Florida. I wonder how much the pills or […]