chatwithketch

Q: Hi Doctor I just want to know something – can I get HIV when I eat soil mixed with urine and that urine is for someone who is HIV positive?

A: The more common variation of this story is being infected with HIV from eating food/fruits that have been ‘contaminated’ with HIV positive body fluids. That story has been making the rounds of the rumour mills since the early 2000s. The food/fruit has changed as it has circulated 😀 Is there any truth to this? No! Be careful about the pocket doctors who you listen to. Click on this link to read more about pocket doctors 😀

chatwithdrketch.com/2014/03/03/daily-health-tips-are-you-a-pocket-doctor/

Thus far, there is no documented evidence that eating food and by extension, sand or soil contaminated with HIV can cause the infection or AIDS. The virus is just too fickle for this to happen. It dies too quickly and loses its ability to divide and multiply outside the human body. The added complication posed by the acidic juices in the stomach means that the viruses don’t stand a chance J The one food-related HIV transmission occurred when an HIV positive care-giver pre-chewed some food and then fed same to an infant. So, if you practice this, with or without HIV, please just stop. It’s not hygienic…if we were to just discuss this from first principles, right?

There is however, some evidence that oral contact with body fluids can lead to HIV. This is rare and usually involved sexual contact.

I would suggest, you get tested anyway. You don’t lose anything but infection through this route is unlikely.

Now, the next problem I see with your question is the issue of eating soil! Why would you do that? Was it in error? Constantly eating non-food items like chalk, hair, glue, sand, clay etc, generally called pica, could be associated with some disease conditions like iron deficiency anaemia. Moving from one (eating soil) to another non-food item (ice cubes), could certainly be suggesting that something is wrong. Other causes include pregnancy, poverty and conditions like autism.

The exact cause of pica has to be found out as it puts one at risk of:

• Bacterial and parasitic infection from eating sand
• Constipation by eating things like hair or even obstruction of the intestines!

For details of this condition, please click on these links:

https://chatwithdrketch.com/2015/05/19/daily-health-tips-why-does-my-daughter-love-eating-soilsand/

https://chatwithdrketch.com/2015/04/01/daily-health-tips-is-it-healthy-to-eat-clay/

I suggest you go visit the hospital to check your ‘blood level’ (haemoglobin level). This will give an idea as to whether this is due to iron deficiency. Your doctor will exclude other causes and in some cases, if this is a compulsive behavior, mental health physicians may be required.

Q: Good morning Dr. I have been having this pain on my left breast for some days now. Though not severe but it’s giving me cause for bother. What could possibly be the cause ma’am?

A: Breast pain can be experienced as a burning or stabbing pain or it could be felt as soreness or heaviness. This usually occurs in the outer portion of the breast and may extend to the underarms and sometimes, all the way down the arms. Breast pain is commonly not a sign of cancer.

Breast pain could be cyclical, in which case, it is linked to menstrual cycle or non-cyclical, in which case it is not linked to menstrual cycle.

Cyclical breast pain occurs at about the same time every month, starting about 2 to 3 days before the menstruation starts and improving after the period. The intensity of the pain varies during the period. This pain is thought to be related the effect of hormones and so women on hormone replacement therapy after menopause may experience this breast pain too.

Non-cyclical breast pain may be due to mastitis…a painful condition of the breast during breastfeeding. For more on this, please click on https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/09/12/daily-health-tips-im-a-breastfeeding-mother-who-just-developed-a-painful-lump-in-my-breast-could-it-be-cancer/

It may also be due to medications, breast abscess (collection of pus in the breast), non-cancerous breast lumps .

If you have breast pain, it’s a good idea to have your doctor check it out especially if:

• The pain is continuous over a couple of weeks
• The pain gets worse
• The pain prevents daily activities
• The pain is consistent in a particular area.

A couple of exams like clinical breast examination, mammogram, ultrasound and breast biopsy will help make a definitive diagnosis.

I hope this helps.

Have a good night, people 😀

Drink lemon tea. Drink gin. No carbs. No eating after 7pm. Everyone has the secret recipe for losing weight. Let’s see what Harvard Health thinks!

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/10-behaviors-for-healthy-weight-loss-2018102415074

Q: Please Dr., how do we treat protein in urine?

A: Protein molecules in blood are typically too large to be filtered into urine so that normally, very trace (very little/low) amount is present in the urine as healthy kidneys do a great job of filtration. So when protein is found in urine, it is abnormal and usually suggestive of the fact that the kidneys may be malfunctioning. This condition is known as proteinuria and the most common relevant protein suggestive of kidney disease is albumin. This can be detected using a dip-stick test. How would you know without this test? Well, the urine could get very frothy if a lot of protein is being passed out in the urine…so that’s something to look out for.

There is a condition known as temporary proteinuria, which occurs in people with high fever and after very vigorous exercise. This is not a problem and as the name suggests, it is temporary. Proteinuria is also common in concentrated urine samples like first thing in the morning and when dehydrated. In some instances, it is found in young children later in the day even when it was not evident in the morning in a condition known as orthostatic hypertension. Again, this is not suggestive of a bigger problem

What diseases can cause this?

• Kidney disease, especially those affecting the filtering units. Diabetes can affect these filtering units
• For more on this, please click here: https://chatwithdrketch.com/2015/10/23/daily-health-tips-protein-in-urine-during-pregnancy/
• Urinary tract infections

People with proteinuria are more at risk of heart disease and so it is key to monitor blood pressure and ensure one lives a healthy lifestyle.

Treatment depends on the cause. Please be guided by your doctor!

All the best!

Do you know if you are at risk of arthritis? You should read this!

https://www.health.harvard.edu/pain/are-you-at-risk-for-osteoarthritis

It’s amazing how the people who you believe have got it all together, struggle the most with their self image and self-confidence. When my daughter was in secondary school, I would sometimes tell parents of new students how my daughter cried so much when I first took her to boarding school, in order to encourage them to believe that ‘this too shall pass’. But they would always look at me in disbelief. That’s because at that time, she had been both head girl of junior school and senior school in rapid succession and she was the voice of wisdom to everyone going through a tough time! So, who would believe it?! She looked like she understood why she was in school and was willing to do the work needed to graduate well. And she did! Class valedictorian! I was super proud!

https://atbgs.blogspot.com/2018/10/fake-it-till-you-make-it.html

Q: Please Dr., what is the treatment for temporary impotence?

A: Erectile dysfunction, also known as impotence, occurs when a man is no longer able to get or maintain an erection sufficiently enough to have sexual intercourse. It may be dramatic in some men, such that where they used to want intercourse very frequently, they find that there is reduced sexual desire.

Oftentimes, this may be due to just stress and better stress coping mechanisms help. However, because this is a sensitive topic, many men do not seek medical help such that this causes significant strain in their relationships. Other causes include depressions, relationship challenges, high blood pressure, high cholesterol level, high blood sugar, obesity, some medications, tobacco use, substance abuse, alcoholism etc

Your doctor will probably order some tests to confirm possible cause(s) and then decide on a course of action. Now I know that quite a number of men are quick to go and buy Viagra and some even overdose on it thinking the more they take the better the performance 😦 Please don’t do that! More seriously, these drugs are not for everyone and so if you have Diabetes Mellitus, heart disease, if you have had a stroke etc, please be sure to mention these to your doctor…and indeed you should not self-prescribe any of these (or indeed any other) drugs for yourself.

Treatment depends on cause. If this is emotional, psychological or due to stress etc, some degree of counselling may help. Other treatment options include oral medications like Sildenafil (Viagra), penis pumps, implants, injections etc. Please speak with your doctor to find out what options are available to you.

Remember that your partner may not understand what you’re going through and probably think that you no longer desire her. Be sure to re-assure her and let her be a part of your therapy. More importantly, try to be open about what is going on to your doctor so he can work with you to find the ideal solution.

All the best!