Fountain Valley News - Your Hometown Community Newspaper

Office test alone can’t diagnose COPD DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a healthy 70-year-old woman. The only prescription medication I take is for dry eyes. I recently visited my new primary physician for the first time, and she had me do a... — Updated 1/19/2021

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a female, 16 years old. My white blood cell count is 16.6. I am suffering from so much weakness and pain in my legs, arms and shoulder area. I also have a cough and cold. Is it dangerous? What should I do for... — Updated 12/22/2020

DEAR DR. ROACH: After reading your recent column on mercury, I wonder how dangerous mercury amalgam for cavity fillings is. I’d guess that the amount of metallic mercury ingested is insignificantly small and of no consequence to... — Updated 12/1/2020

DEAR DR. ROACH: My question is about microscopic hematuria. I see a rheumatologist for sarcoidosis. Last year I had various lab tests, including a urinalysis. That test and several since then have shown microscopic hematuria. The... — Updated 10/21/2020

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 72-year-old woman in fair health. I had strong bones until I had gastric bypass surgery. Within two years, I developed osteoporosis. In 2016 my parathyroid hormone level was found to be elevated. However, it... — Updated 8/26/2020

DEAR DR. ROACH: My niece recently was diagnosed with breast cancer. Radiation was recommended. Her mother said that first she’d have to boost her immune system. Is it possible to actually do that? -- P.P.L. ANSWER: Radiation is... — Updated 8/12/2020

DEAR DR. ROACH: My husband had his gallbladder removed many years ago. In the past few years, he has had six ERCPs to remove gallstones from his bile duct, as he is still making them. He has been told to drink lots of water but... — Updated 8/5/2020

DEAR DR. ROACH: It seems that eating a healthy diet with an emphasis on nuts and seeds, fruits, vegetables and grains is the best choice for anyone. It’s been well-documented that omega-6 is inflammatory, whereas foods... — Updated 7/29/2020

Blood in the urine won’t just go away DEAR DR. ROACH: I’m a 92-year-old man in better-than-average health. I have had two episodes of blood in my urine in the past two months. I know this isn’t normal. At my age, I’d just... — Updated 7/22/2020

DEAR DR. ROACH: What can you tell me about fructose intolerance and/or malabsorption? Is there a genetic predisposition to this? Can it develop later in life? What are the symptoms, and how is it diagnosed? What type of doctor can... — Updated 7/15/2020

DEAR DR. ROACH: I have seen numerous articles extolling the advantages of eating nuts because they are a good fat. I often have wondered if it matters whether the nuts are raw or roasted. Would you please explain the difference... — Updated 7/1/2020

DEAR DR. ROACH: After giving myself allergy shots at home for years, my allergy doctor’s group has decided that it’s too dangerous for patients to do this anymore. The allergy practice will no longer send a vial unless you can... — Updated 6/24/2020

Numbness in the hands DEAR DR. ROACH: I’m 85 years old. I have numbness in my hands -- sometimes the right, sometimes the left; sometimes both hands or not at all. It lasts only a while. My doctor feels that it’s a pinched... — Updated 6/10/2020

DEAR DR. ROACH: I just turned 68. For the past couple of months, my ear canals have been very itchy. Also, my wife was constantly cleaning earwax out of my ears. Now for some reason I no longer produce earwax, but my ears itch a... — Updated 5/20/2020