chatwithketch

Q: Good Day Dr, Please, I need your advice. I’ve been experiencing pains and an urge to wee again each time I finish urinating for the past 6 days now. Rashes all over my neck and shoulders, though we’ve been battling scabies my son brought home from boarding school since 3 months now. These rashes are itching me badly. The vaginal pains started 2 days after unprotected sex with my hubby. We’ve using condom since after my fourth baby.

A: Urinary Tract Infections 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 placed on antibiotics, please take your prescription for the right period of time even if your symptoms disappear before you finish. And don’t go taking antibiotics without prescription. If you do, you could come down with a yeast infection (candidiasis), which may have symptoms similar to UTI but is a different entity.

Candidiasis is caused by an organism called Candida, a fungus (yeast). This infection can result in cheesy white (like ground melon/egusi seeds) vaginal discharge and vaginal itching. This itching can lead to irritation/pain in the vagina, which can become further infected, by bacteria. Candidiasis is very common in diabetics (the sugar in their urine makes the vagina a rich culture medium for them) and pregnant women who have altered glucose tolerance. This infection is also common in people whose immune systems are compromised and people who wear tight panties that do not allow their delicate inner selves to ‘breath’. Preferred materials for undies would be cotton and should be loose (I see my fashionistas frowning :D). It also happens in people who take a lot of antibiotics. Normally, some bacteria and fungi (yeast) co-exist peacefully 😀 in the vagina. To encourage this peaceful co-existence, the bacteria produce some acid that hold the yeast in check and prevent their over-growth. When antibiotics are abused, this leads to a situation where the yeast takes over 😀 (almost like a coup, right?). Though this infection can be passed on through sexual intercourse…especially oral-genital contact, it’s not really called an STI because women who are not sexually active can be infected with this.

Treatment is with anti-fungal vaginal tablets and/or anti-fungal cream which can be used for between 1-3 days depending on drug of choice. A single course dose of Fluconazole can also be taken orally. Any of these regimen may be extended if the infection is complicated…let your doctor be the best judge of that 😀 Prevention is targeted at causes:

• Wear loose fitting cotton undies
• Stay away from or limit time spent in hot tubs or saunas
• Stick strictly with the prescription for antibiotics in terms of quantity and duration
• Change out of wet clothes eg swim suits as soon as possible

If these measures do not help, please see your doctor.

The rashes and itching may very well be due to scabies as you noted. It is not called the 7-year itch for nothing! Scabies is contagious (spread by person to person contact but also through beddings, towels or infested upholstery) until treatment is started. It is possible to keep re-infecting oneself if all beddings and towels etc are not thoroughly washed at the time of starting treatment.

So, make sure you and everyone exposed to this has been commenced on appropriate treatment (after diagnosis by a doctor), ensure you have prevented re-infection by washing any article that may have been infested. More on scabies over the weekend…

I hope this helps.

Have a good night, everyone 😀

It’s that season when people are sniffling all over the place! 🙂 When you have a cold, it’s easy for the virus to go round everyone at home and even work. Let’s help you prevent this from happening again.

Here are our 5 top tips to prevent spread of germs when you have a cold
• Wash your hands frequently and avoid touching your face.
This is a no-brainer, right? If you sneeze into your hands and then touch your face or nose, you are constantly re-infecting yourself and so you may remain a major source of infection for a while. If you leave your face, well alone, then you are more likely to kick the bugs faster.
• Keep your drinking glasses and towels separate from other people.
Again, this appears to be common sense. Don’t drink from the same glasses as other people and please keep your towels separate from other people. Be sure to remember that these ‘other people’ include our significant others. Mhmmm! So find other ways of showing love at this time 😉
• If possible, avoid being close to other people
As much as possible, avoid invading other people’s private spaces and stop people from invading yours. That way you don’t expel your droplet infections right into their faces and bodies. In fact, if you have a baby, you may have to use a face mask.
• The best way to cough is into the crook of your arm.
Please sneeze into the crook of your arm. If you are wearing a long sleeved shirt or a jacket, remember that you would have increased the population of germs on this jacket by coughing into it. So be sure to wash these clothes at the end of the day. If you are wearing a short sleeved shirt, you are unlikely to be shaking anyone with that part of your body but be sure to take a bath at the end of the day.
• Do not shake people if you have just coughed or sneezed into your hands.
Just in case, in spite of your best efforts, you still find that you have just sneezed or coughed into your hands, be sure not to shake anyone and wash your immediately.

Q: good day ma’am, I have a problem. I have a girl friend & I’m planning to wed her after I have had so many failed relationships. Both of us are AS AS genotype & we both don’t have a family history of sickle cell. Now can I marry her? Thanks

A: Hello dear, thanks for writing in.

Sorry to hear about your past failed relationships…but two wrongs don’t make a right. You can’t correct the wrong things that had happened in the past with another wrong thing.

As I have explained in earlier posts, for every pregnancy, there is a 25% probability that you and your partner will give birth to a child with SS genotype, 50% chance that you will have children who have the trait (AS) just like you and another 25% chance that you would have a child with AA genotype. This is the information that you would be given at genetic counseling. Truth is, you could very well have all SS genotype children or all carriers of the trait or all normal genotype AA or any combination of the genotypes.

The decision as to whether to get married or not is yours. As adults, we always have the option of choices. This is the reason why, you are never forced into any procedure in a hospital, even if it is for your good. You must always sign an informed consent form stating that you understand what needs to be done, the risks involved and that you give your consent for the procedure to be carried out. In this case, it is important, however to weigh all the issues and consequences thoroughly before embarking on this lifetime voyage. Perhaps, it may be wise to visit a Sickle Cell Center and have a chat with the doctors about what to expect during a crisis or generally, just bringing up a child with Sickle Cell Anaemia. It is possible to know the genotype of the baby before birth through prenatal diagnosis. Speak with your doctor about this.

I have included a post I wrote a while back on sickle cell. Please click on it and read: https://chatwithdrketch.com/2013/06/29/love-is-blind-is-it/

What do you all think about people with the potential for having children with SS genotype getting married? Remember to be kind J

Have a great day J

I once came across a saying, ‘Why worry when you can pray?’ and then another one that analysed the fact that whether we can do something about a situation or not, there’s no point worrying. If you can do something about it, do it…why worry. If you can’t, then you can’t…why worry? 😀

The link below provides more insight. Enjoy!

http://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/when-to-worry-about-worrying

It is great news that Nigeria is getting out of recession…but people are still out of jobs and are struggling to make ends meet. How can you handle anxiety without medication? Read!

http://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/treating-anxiety-without-medication

Do you, sometimes, experience that feeling of light-headedness? Like it’s all woozy inside your head? Well, here are five reasons why that could be happening. Click on the link and read 🙂

http://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/lightheaded-top-5-reasons-you-might-feel-woozy

Q: Good afternoon Dr. How can some one treat HPV in marriage… I mean both husband and wife?

A: Unsafe sex can cause infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV), which can cause cancer of the cervix and is a risk factor for other types of cancer. HPV is a common sexually transmitted infection that is spread through sexual, skin-to-skin contact. There is a vaccine to prevent this cancer now. Please ask your doctor where you can get it.

Health conditions associated with HPV include genital warts, cervical pre-cancer and other cancers.

Genital warts may increase in number, stay the same or disappear. Treatment modalities include the use of prescription medication. Ask your doctor.

Pap smears can detect cervical pre-cancers before they become actual cancers.

So, both parties should see a doctor asap for proper diagnosis to be made.

All the best.

Have a good night, everyone 😀

Q: Good morning ma’am, I have all the symptoms of pregnancy and my test are showing negative, like nipples dark, tingling breast, Harding stomach, cramping, and feeling weak.

A: Pregnancy tests may be negative when done too early in pregnancy. You did not mention when you saw your last menstrual period.That will give an idea of the ‘age’ of your pregnancy, if you’re in that state and probably explain the result.

Pregnancy symptoms are always present but may be masked or mild in some people and assumed to be something else in other people. For instance, if pregnancy occurs at the same time one is going through a stressful time, there may be an assumption that this is due to stress or even the flu. I put down my own symptoms of pregnancy (during my first) to malaria! This situation is even worse in women who have irregular periods and thus may not notice the absence of a period. In some cases, women bleed and also assume that this is normal menstruation throughout their pregnancy.

The only sure-fire way to prevent being notified that you are pregnant at the point of delivery (oftentimes in the toilet :D) is to know the symptoms of pregnancy. It is also important to know what’s not normal so that quick and effective steps can be taken to protect mother and baby.

Generally, symptoms of pregnancy include:

Breast tenderness

Discharge: A thin milky discharge is normal during pregnancy

Heart burn and Constipation

Frequency of urination

Tiredness

Food cravings and aversions

Morning sickness/nausea

So, if you do suspect that you are pregnant, get yourself tested with a home test kit or see your doctor so he/she can order a pregnancy test for you.

Have a good night, y’all  😀

Every time I get a new cleaner, I am almost fanatical in teaching them to clean the toilet by myself. You know why? It’s because I have observed that most times when people clean the toilets, they just move the germs from one corner of the toilet to another. So, this is really no work done.

I also observe families where one towel is used by everybody. I certainly believe in sharing and family unity, but some things were just not meant to share.

Here are our top tips for maintaining hygiene in the toilet/bathroom
• Toilets and bathrooms are used every day. There’s no reason why they can’t be cleaned every day or at least disinfected and bath wiped down. Remember that bacteria thrives in moist and damp places.
• Ensure that you have some disinfecting fluid in the soapy water used for washing your toilet and bathroom. Even bleach has disinfecting properties and will leave a nice clean smell in the toilet.
• Do not forget to clean water faucets, toilet rims, the toilet seats, the door handles and the handles or knobs of the water closet.
• Please do not share towels. Certainly a child should not share a adult’s towel or vice versa and also children should not use each other’s towels. All sorts of infections are spread through the use of damp shared towels. They include pubic lice (aka crabs) are spread through the use of shared under clothes and towels. Ensure that towels are dried after use. If you have a hot towel rail, use it. If not please dry outside or in an airy place. Let’s make it really difficult for bacteria to thrive.
• Air the toilet bathroom regularly. This ensures that that damp moist atmosphere that promotes the growth of germs is removed and also a fresh clean smell is encouraged.

Remember to also rinse out and put your bar of soap in a place it can air out so that it doesn’t remain soggy and also become a culture medium for germs.

Now we know what to do and how to do it. Let’s keep the hygiene flame burning 🙂

Q: My dad and maternal grandfather were diabetic. Is it more likely that I will get it too?

A: Hi dear, thanks for writing in. Unfortunately, yes, if you have a family history (parents or siblings) of diabetes mellitus, you are more likely to have the same condition. BUT, that does not mean that you will have the condition. Having a positive family history is like having a loaded gun. The gun may be loaded for hundreds of years and cause no harm….provided nobody pulls the trigger. The problem only starts when the trigger is pulled. In the same way, having risk factors is like having a loaded gun. Going ahead to do things that increase your risk like not eating right or not exercising, is definitely pulling the trigger.

Find below, a reminder class on diabetes mellitus with potential triggers.

Usually starchy foods we eat are converted to glucose. The body, in response to the presence of glucose in the blood, releases insulin from the pancreas. The insulin helps the glucose to move into the cells where it is needed. In Diabetes Mellitus, it is either insulin is no longer or barely being produced (Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus) or the insulin is being produced in insufficient amounts or the cells no longer responds to the insulin prod (stimulus. The latter is called Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

There is little or nothing that can be done to prevent Type 1 as it is not yet clear what causes the body to destroy the cells that produce insulin in the body. People with this type of DM will require insulin injections. However, people with Type 2 DM can control their DM using a combination of diet and exercise (staying lean and staying active). With time though, they may require oral drugs and/or insulin.

Now, how do we make exercise a part of our day? You need at least 30 minutes daily. The requirement per week is 150 minutes and so you could do 30 minutes on 5 days of the week or 1 hour on 3 days of the week. Just break it up and find ways of doing the things you love in a more active way. Activity/exercise ideas are pillow fights, arm wrestling, taking walks, dancing, joining a gym, jumping jacks during commercial breaks etc. At work, being more active speaks to getting up and walking on the spot whenever you get a phone call, walking to the printer to pick up documents and walking to colleagues’ desks to ask questions/confirm issues, walking over to the bank ATM instead of driving there, using the stairs and not the elevators, installing an exercise/activity reminder on your computer to remind you to get active if you forget to do any of the above 😀

How can we make healthy foods the easier choice? Surround yourself with the right foods. Fresh fruits, veggies, dried fruits (which can also be added t nuts), nuts, dairy like yoghurt etc Then make the right choices. It’s one thing to buy up all the healthy things that have been suggested, it’s another to eat them and not reach for the doughnut that your colleague just brought into the office. In our high powered, we-are-all-busy-racing-to-somewhere world, eating breakfast may sound like a luxury, few can afford, but guess what? Studies have shown that eating breakfast may reduce the risk of obesity and Diabetes. So, whether you’re skipping breakfast because you think you don’t have time or because you want to lose weight by kipping meals, it’s bad news. So, how can you ensure that you’re not only eating breakfast but eating the right foods?

Here are our tips for eating a healthy breakfast on the run:

Oatmeal is always a great idea. Rich in fiber which reduce cholesterol and help protect your heart and keeps you feeling fuller for longer. If you’re not a huge fan of oatmeal, you could sprinkle some cinnamon on it and be sure to take with skimmed milk. Another idea for oatmeal I learnt from a chef is overnight oats. Soak your oats with milk and unsweetened yoghurt overnight (just enough to cover the oats). Cover and leave in the fridge overnight. In the morning, bring out and sprinkle some cinnamon, add some apple or banana slices, a couple of nuts (optional)…and you’ve got a delicious bowl of healthy deliciousness in your hands! Some whole wheat/grain cereals (unsweetened) also not go amiss. Whole grain bread with peanut or almond butter (peanut butter is just ground up peanuts or groundnuts), an egg with a cup of fresh juice or some fruit slices also sounds good If you want to go for a smoothie, be sure to add some veggies (carrots, a handful of green leafy veggies etc) to ensure it is super healthy and not just another sugar rush 😀

Have a good night, y’all 😀