chatwithketch

• Q: You once helped me regarding my son’s issue when he was born. Now I am in-boxing you with my own issue. I am in my early 30s, and have incredibly strong erections almost every day to a point where my penis becomes a bit uncomfortable. They last almost 2 to 4 hours, it has been happening since the last time I tried to have sex, about 2 months ago. I no longer know if I am horny or they are just happening on their own… Many men out there are desperate for erections because of Erectile Dysfunction etc, and right now, I am desperate to stop these erections because they are getting to me. Well, I can say I am not sexually active, because I hardly have sex. Sometimes I think if I can have sexual intercourse always this will stop. Now I do not know what to think of it. I just want to be able to control my erections. I can’t even masturbate because I waste my energy when I do as I don’t reach the end. Dr. Ketch, tell me, is there a way I can stop these erections? My testosterone hormones are killing me. I become moody sometimes. Thank You. I will be looking out for the response on your page.

   

  A: Hello dear. Thanks for writing in.

   

  You will definitely need to see your doctor for proper evaluation and diagnosis, but it does sound like this is priapism. This condition, in which there is a sustained and oftentimes, painful erection of the penis, continues for hours beyond sexual stimulation (I suspect that ‘magun’ falls into this category 😀 I couldn’t resist that. Only Nigerians and Yorubas, specifically will get this joke!) or even when there is no sexual stimulation as described in your case. It is more common in men in their 30s.

   

  There are three types of priapism (ischaemic, non-ischaemic and recurrent) but to understand this, we’ll take a look at the mechanism of erection. An erection occurs in response to stimulation, physical or psychological. As a result of this stimulation, the blood vessels and smooth muscles of the penis relax, allowing increased blood flow to the penis. This is what causes erection. When the stimulation is over, the vessels and smooth muscles constrict causing the blood to flow out of the penis and become flaccid. In priapism, the order of events causing the blood to flow out of the penis is changed such that the

   

  In ischaemic priapism which is the more common type due to inability of blood to leave the penis, there is pain, rigid penile shaft but flaccid glans (penile tip) and the erection lasts more than 4 hours! Causes include blood disorders like sickle cell anaemia and injuries to the penis and/or pelvis, alcohol, cocaine and other illicit drug use, some medications like blood thinners and antidepressants, cancer of the penis etc.

   

  Non-ischaemic priapism is usually due to an injury to the perineum or genitals that results in poor regulation of penile blood flow. It is not usually painful and manifests as erection that lasts for more than 4 hours but the penile shaft is not fully rigid.

   

  In recurrent priapism, situation is similar to ischaemic priapism with erections that are painful, recurrent but ease after 2 to 3 hours. These erections may subsequently progress to become more frequent and more prolonged. It is common in males with sickle cell anaemia

   

   

  Any sort of priapism should be checked out with a medical doctor (urologist) to determine type, cause and management. Erection lasting more than 4 hours is an emergency and may led to damage of the penis and subsequent erectile dysfunction

   

  Treatment depends on cause and should be started as soon as possible.

  Options include aspiration (in which blood is drained out of the penis with a syringe), use of medications to constrict the penile blood vessels, treatment of underlying medical condition like sickle cell anaemia and surgery in some cases. Note of warning, though it sounds very simple to use a syringe to drain out the blood in the penis, you must never attempt it on your own. You must visit a hospital and let a doctor work out the best treatment option(s) for you.

  So, I suggest you see your doctor asap to get a proper evaluation and start on your journey to recovery.

  All the best!

  Have a great weekend y’all 😀

   

If you’ve ever heard the coconut oil hype, then you should read this! Is it healthy or not? You be the judge!

https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-disease-overview/coconut-oil-heart-healthy-or-just-hype

Q: Good evening, Doc. Please is anything wrong with you lying on your tommy with 8 weeks pregnancy and I am always having upper back pain. Thanks in anticipation.

A: Congratulations on your pregnancy! In early pregnancy, there’s nothing really wrong with lying on your tummy….that’s if you feel comfortable. As your pregnancy progresses, you will definitely not be able to do so again. So, if this is your guilty pleasure, enjoy it while it lasts. Generally, in the first trimester, if you’re used to sleeping on your back or tummy, you can continue. However, as you get into your second trimester, it is fact that pregnant women should not sleep on their backs especially close to term. This is because the woman may feel dizzy as the growing uterus puts pressure on the vein that returns blood from the body making the woman feel dizzy on getting up and the baby may also not get enough nutrients from the placenta in that position.

As pregnancy proceeds, you may start to experience more backaches as the weight you have put on starts to take its toll. Be sure to sit up straight on chairs with proper back support to help with this. Sleeping on your side with a pillow between your legs will also help. This may be the cause of your backaches but if they are very discomforting, please see your doctor. Better safe than sorry.

Have a good night, everyone 😀

A: Thanks for writing in. Congratulations on your new baby! 😀 Well, my first question is whether you are practicing any form of contraception? Not just now but before you resumed sexual relations with hubby after your baby? Well, if you were not on any contraceptive, then you could very well be pregnant…and hey, indeed you are, as the pregnancy test has shown 😀

So, how can I help you out? Some advice: go see your doctor and let him carry out a pregnancy test in the hospital…just to confirm your result. He will also examine your scar to see if there are any problems. Barring that, I suggest you start getting ready for the next baby, physically, emotionally and otherwise.

It’s important for every woman who’s had a baby or is going to have one to know that pregnancy soon after having a baby is most definitely possible whether your period has ‘returned’ or not if you’re not using contraception…and this applies to you even if you’re breastfeeding exclusively! 😀 So, watch out ladies 🙂

For more on this subject, please click on the link below:
https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/11/06/daily-health-tips-how-soon-after-a-c-section-can-i-try-for-a-new-baby/

Have a good night, y’all 😀

‘The never-ending advertisements for erectile dysfunction drugs seem to suggest that popping a pill is all it takes to guarantee a great sex life for men dealing with this challenging problem.’ But is that really all that is needed? Should you be doing more to improve your sex life? You should read this!

https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/a-better-sex-life-requires-more-than-popping-a-pill

Q: Hello ,doctor..is it ok to eat spicy foods when pregnant?

A: I love spicy foods! When pregnant, I crave it even more. Most people find it difficult to eat with me when I’m preggie…because the food is just that spicy! Unfortunately, this has a challenge associated with it. Eating spicy foods in pregnancy can cause your esophageal sphincter to stay open for prolonged periods leading to heartburn.

Heartburn really has nothing to do with the heart…I bet all of you knew that, aye? It is usually felt as a burning sensation in the chest which feels worse on bending down or lying down. Okay, why and how does this happen? You know that the stomach produces acid to help with food digestion, right? Have you ever wondered, how come this acid isn’t all up in your mouth all the time? Well, that’s because there’s a ‘lock’ or control at the junction of the esophagus and the stomach which prevents the acid in the stomach from coming back up into the esophagus. This ‘lock’ is called the Lower Esophageal Sphincter. This lock can get strained if the esophagus opens too often or if there is too much food in the stomach…so, if you regularly over-eat, you might want to re-think that 😀 A major no-no is a very heavy meal just before you lie down. It’s almost certain you may have a heart burn 😀

There are also conditions like pregnancy (like in your case) and obesity that make this sphincter stay open for prolonged periods as a result of pressure on the abdomen and there are also foods that encourage this. Examples of these ‘foods’ are fatty foods, alcohol, orange juice, chocolate and coffee, onions, tomatoes, peppermint and as already mentioned, spicy foods. In pregnancy, the hormonal changes and the pressure of the growing womb on the stomach contribute to heartburn.

Heart burn in pregnancy is more likely to occur in women who had heart burn before pregnancy, women who have been pregnant before and women in the last stages of their pregnancy.

So, I suggest you keep a food diary over a period of time and try to figure out the trigger foods. Remember that being over-weight could be a problem or even over-eating.

Prevention involves trying to avoid your trigger foods (quite a number are actually healthy 😀 ) maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding heavy meals just before bedtime, avoiding alcohol or smoking, sitting up straight when eating, try eating smaller meals and avoid tight clothes that may also put pressure on your abdomen.

Treatment is targeted at the acid and healing the esophagus. So, drugs used can stop acid production, reduce acid production and cause healing of the esophagus or neutralize the effect of the acid. Your doctor will prescribe what works best for you.

Have a fabulous evening and remember…no heavy meals before bedtime.

Have a good night y’all 😀

Hello Doctor Ketch, please I need clarification on something. I want to know if adding fresh raw ugu leaf to my smoothie is okay. And doesn’t have any side effect. I am GTC. mum (going to conceive) let me know please. Thank you

A: I just got this question and I figured that the best way to answer it is with this post I had made before, using raw green veggies (ugu) in a smoothie. Green leafy veggies are full of folate (folic acid) and if you’re trying to conceive, you need to load up on that. So, here goes…..

Q: Hi doc please assist. My belly keeps on getting bigger and I’m not pregnant

A: Usually, there are five Fs associated with abdomens getting bigger 😀 Want to guess? I’ll tell you 😀

• Fat: It could very well be that your abdominal distension is due to fat: visceral fat which is located all around your organs. This places one at risk of heart diseases.
• Faeces: If one is constipated, then the abdomen could get distended. So, make a habit of ‘emptying’ out daily 😀 If you keep to my often-repeated advice of eating lots of fruits and veggies, you won’t need to make an effort. It will happen naturally 😀
• Flatus: If you feel very gassy, you will feel uncomfortable and your tummy may also be out there 😀
• Fetus: Pregnancy is the most common cause of abdominal distension in a woman of reproductive age. So, you might want to check this out.
• Fluid: Fluid in the abdominal cavity can cause abdominal distension. This can happen in heart failure, kidney failure or with liver problems.

So, please, go see your doctor asap. Let him/her examine you and make a proper diagnosis. That will determine the right course of management.

Have a good evening, y’all 😀

Q: Please I do feel some pain when I piss (urinate) and the piss (urine) is somehow yellow. What’s the cause please?

A: Generally, pain when urinating could be due to:

§  Injury: This could be a straddle injury (falling astride a pole, for example), car accidents etc

§  Infections of the urinary tract

§  Infections of the prostate (in males)

§  Sexually transmitted infections

§  Cancer etc

Treatment depends on the cause. If it’s due to infections, appropriate antibiotics will take care of the problem. Surgery may be used for cancer etc.

Urinary tract infections are quite common and occur anywhere in the urinary tract (Genius me, right? :D) and include infections of the kidneys, the ureters (the tubes that connect the kidneys to the bladder), the bladder (the reservoir or store house for the urine) and the urethra (the tube that transports the urine from the bladder to the outside).

So, who is more likely to have an infection and why? Women are more likely to have infections and this is because they have short urethrae (those tubes that transport the urine outside) and because the opening of this tube is very close to the opening of the anus. And so, if a woman urinates and has not quite mastered the art of cleaning from the front to the back, she could transfer bacteria from her anus to her urethra and this in turn travels up and infects the bladder. Women who also use the birth control method, diaphragm appear to also be at risk as it may cause the bladder not to empty completely when they urinate. Indeed, not urinating immediately after sexual intercourse in women may also predispose to this as the urethra may have may have become irritated, making it easier for germs to move in. People with depressed immune systems, frequent constipation and some people born with some disorders of their uro-genital system are also prone to UTIs.

In men, narrowing of the urethra which may happen in men who have had straddle injuries (eg falling astride {with legs apart} on a pole…ouch!), history of STIs or prostrate problems may make a man open to UTIs. Recurrent and chronic urinary tract infections (UTI that keeps recurring) may be due to changes in hormone (estrogen) level as one gets to menopause, problems with the urinary tract in terms of function or shape, kidney or bladder stones, bacteria getting into the urinary tract during sexual intercourse etc What symptoms does a person with UTI have? They would complain of feeling they have to urgently urinate often and then when they do get to the toilet, they can only pass out very little urine, pain or burning sensation during urination, pain in the flank (just under the ribs at the back), the urine may be cloudy or reddish or coke coloured, fever with chills and rigours etc. UTIs have to be treated because these infections could keep back tracking from the urethra to the bladder to the ureters and then to the kidneys…we don’t want that do we?! 😀

Treatment is focused on eradicating the infection…of course 😀 Usually a urine sample is taken to the lab. Part of the lab work is a culture and sensitivity test to find out the organisms causing the infection and the specific antibiotic that is active against it. Your doctor may also order other tests as he sees fit eg checking out for congenital defects etc. Apart from the preventive tips above, be sure to drink lots of water which help dilute your urine and help flush out the bacteria. If your urine is light yellow, then you’re good. If it’s a darker hue, you’re probably dehydrated. So, your yellow urine may be pointing towards dehydration.

If placed on antibiotics, please take your prescription for the right period of time even if your symptoms disappear before you finish

I hope this helps.

Good night y’all 😀