Dr. Roach regrets that he is unable to answer individual letters, but will incorporate them in the column whenever possible. Readers may email questions to ToYourGoodHealth@med.cornell.edu or request an order form of available health newsletters at 628 Virginia Dr., Orlando, FL 32803. Health newsletters may be ordered from www.rbmamall.com.
DEAR DR. ROACH: My adult son has lost over 100 pounds on an intermittent fasting diet (16 hours fasting per day) and now wants to continue fasting in the morning and just eat a heavier lunch and dinner to maintain his new weight.
The last time I saw my urologist, I asked him to check my testosterone level because it hadn’t been checked in a couple of years.
Many seniors, like myself, have received pneumonia shots within the past five years. Since the flu and coronavirus can result in a form of pneumonia in a severe case, would these shots be helpful to prevent or treat this virus even slightly?
DEAR DR. ROACH: My 18-year-old daughter has had digestive problems on and off for a few years now.
DEAR DR. ROACH: At the end of January, I had my yearly physical, and my doctor recommended that I start taking a statin drug. I am a female, 71 years old and take no prescription drugs now. At the end of the physical the doctor told me that I am “very healthy.”
Our excellent insurance allows for a yearly wellness visit at no cost. My regular copay is a very reasonable $10.
DEAR DR. ROACH: Short of amputation, what’s the best one can expect in minimizing the sporadic but harsh symptoms of restless legs?
DEAR DR. ROACH: My son had a pacemaker placed in 2013 and got it checked every four months. He developed an ulcer on his coccyx. He was being seen every two or three weeks in a wound clinic, and I was told it was 98% healed.
DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a male, 67 years old, and I am afflicted with urinary problems -- having to urinate several times a night, burning after urinating and the need to urinate often in small amounts only.
DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a very active 78-year-old woman. I had a CT scan for calcium and an aneurysm of the ascending thoracic aorta was found. In 2014 it measured 3.6 cm and in 2019 3.7.
