Daily Health Tips: What Does Bulky Uterus And Gestational Sac on Ultrasound Report, Mean?

Posted on August 29, 2014 by chatwithdrketch

Q: Good day Ma
do you do? I sent a message to you earlier. I hope you attend to this because I am anxious to know.

I saw my period last on the 21st July, 2014. On 17th of august, I did home pregnancy test, it was POSITIVE. To confirm it, on 18th of August, I did a blood test in a lab, it was POSITIVE too. So I headed for an ultrasound to know how old it is. When I met the doctor, he asked me the likely questions: my last period, have I done pregnancy test, which I answered. He told me that it’s early to detect anything but still went on with d scan. The result read, “THE UTERUS IS BULKY AND NIL GESTATIONAL SAC SEEN NOW” And gave me an appointment in two weeks time. He prescribed folic acid for me to take once daily.

Please ma, can you break down the result for me?

I need to know what is happening in my body because I am experiencing aching breast.

Thank You Ma

A: Hello dear and forgive my not responding earlier to you.

A few definitions or explanations, if you like…

The uterus being bulky means that it’s bigger than the usual pre-pregnancy state. It could be due to any number of reasons. If pregnancy is being suspected, this could very well be the reason.
Gestational sac is the first sign of pregnancy seen on ultrasound and it encompasses the embryo (baby) and the amniotic fluid (the fluid that surrounds the baby in the womb).

Well, just like the doctor said, it’s a bit too early to know for sure if you’re pregnant. What type of ultra sound examination was done for you? Transabdominal (the more common type of ultra sound in our environment where the ultrasound probe is placed on the abdomen) or transvaginal (where the ultrasound probe is introduced through the vagina)?

If the transvaginal was done, it’s unlikely to identify a gestational sac until the 5-6th week.

The transabdominal scan will be able to detect the gestational sac from the 8th week of pregnancy.

So, give it about 2 more weeks as the doctor suggested and then return for a repeat scan.

Have a great day fabulous people 😀

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Daily Health Tips: Does The Intra-uterine Contraceptive Device (Coil) Make You Look Older?

Posted on August 28, 2014 by chatwithdrketch

Q: Good morning Doctor. please, I want to go for family planning but I’m so scared, after hearing the side effects of all. Please, can you explain more of the coil one? I heard it can make some one look older and that it also sags the breast so much. Is it true? My baby is 5months now. Thank you.

A: Thanks for writing in, dear. Really! Someone told you that the coil will make you look older and sag the breast? Wow! Well, I’m happy to announce to you that none of these comments are true.
There are different types of birth control methods including birth control pills (hormone-containing tablets taken orally which prevent ovulation), birth control injections (hormone-containing injections which can prevent pregnancy for up to 3 months), implants (hormone-containing match-sized rods placed under the upper arm), tubal ligation (tying up the fallopian tubes to prevent eggs passing out from the ovaries), cervical cap, Intra-Uterine Device (coil), spermicides, male and female condoms, vasectomy (for men), natural family planning  etc

The choice of which methods to use depends on individual considerations, risks involved, cost of procurement etc
Talking specifically about the coil, this refers to the Intra Uterine Device (IUD). There are two types: the Paragard IUD and the Mirena IUD.

The Paragard IUD is a copper-containing IUD. The copper is poisonous/toxic to sperm and the IUD also prevents implantation of the fertilized egg into the uterus, should fertilization still occur. Paragard can be used during breastfeeding and its removal leads to a quick return of fertility, generally.

The Mirena IUD contains hormones which make the cervical mucous extra thick preventing the sperm from getting to the womb and it also makes the lining of the womb thin such that even if a fertilized egg were to get there, it would not be able to implant on the thin lining of the womb. It also prevents ovulation. Mirena helps reduce the cramping pain of a menstrual period and also reduces bleeding.

Side effects of Paragard include back ache, cramps, severe pain during menstrual period and heavy bleeding etc while Mirena can cause breast tenderness, weight gain, irregular menstrual cycles etc Both IUDs can also be expelled, spontaneously, that is for no reason.
Having said all of these, please know that no method of birth control is 100% effective except for abstinence and all methods have pros and cons. Please visit your gynaecologist or family planning clinic. They will take you through the different methods, pros and cons and empower you to take the decision that works for you.

Keep an open mind 🙂

Have a great week, y’all 😀

Here’s to a healthier you!

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Daily Health Tips: How Can I Stop My Nephew From Stammering?

Posted on August 27, 2014 by chatwithdrketch

Q: Good day doctor. My four-year old nephew, all of a sudden, started stammering about two weeks ago. Please, how do we stop this act?

A: Between the ages of 2 and 5 years, some children will go through a phase of stuttering (also called dysfluency or stammering). The child who stutters may find it difficult to start a sentence or word, prolong a word, repeat it, make no sound for some words/syllable etc which may be accompanied by eye blinks, fist clenching etc. Stuttering is usually worse when the child is fatigued, stressed or excited.

Usually at the stated ages, this may not be a source of concern as it’s part of the process of learning to speak as their language skills are often not developed enough to keep pace with all the things they want to say 🙂

There are children who are more pre-disposed to stuttering than others and they include: children with a family history of people who stutter in their families (if that family member is an adult who is still stuttering till date, it increases the chances that the child is not just going through a developmental phase but actually having a speech problem), being a boy (it appears that boys are more likely to stutter than girls) and children who have other speech and language problems.

Most children who start stuttering before the age of 5 years are likely to stop without any intervention, on their own…between about 6 months to 24 months. However, if the child’s stuttering appears to be getting worse, is associated with facial movements or even body movements, continues after 5 years or there are efforts made by the child to avoid speech, you may need to take him in to see his paediatrician who can point you in the direction of a speech therapist.

In the interim, while he stutters, try not to put him under more pressure. This worsens the problem. Other helpful hints include:
• Maintain eye contact when speaking with him and do not be impatient.
• Don’t also try to help him finish up his sentence.
• Speak in a calm, unhurried and measured manner. He might be encouraged to do the same.
• Try not to criticize him and be lavish with praise when it’s due.
• Feel free to discuss the situation with him in a non-threatening and judgmental manner.
Hopefully, this will pass in a little while. In the meantime, just love him as he is 😀

Have a great day, y’all 😀

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Daily Health Tips: Is It Risky To Marry My HIV Positive Fiancee When I’m HIV Negative?

Posted on August 26, 2014 by chatwithdrketch

Q: Hi Dr Ketch, thanks a lot for the exceptional work you are doing, may God reward you. Please I urgently need your advice. I am a guy in love with a lady who has all the qualities I need in a woman and she loves me so much. Our only problem is that she is HIV positive. We are thinking of getting married soon but I am afraid. Am I taking too much of a risk or are there ways we can marry without any problem? Please advice on the risk involved. Thanks.

A: Thanks for writing in. Couples with different HIV statuses s are called sero-discordant couples Of course there’s always a risk in marrying someone who is HIV positive if you’re sero-negative. However, it is no longer the death sentence that we used to think it was and indeed, you don’t necessarily need to become infected if you follow some rules:

Ensure that your fiancée takes her anti-retroviral drugs to reduce her viral load and reduce the risk of infecting you.

However, even with the above, you still need to wear condoms while having sexual intercourse with her.

If there is an accidental exposure, like a broken condom during intercourse, be sure to use post exposure prophylaxis. These drugs used to treat HIV are usually taken daily for about 4 weeks to reduce chances of becoming HIV positive.

You can also commit to taking a tablet everyday as part of the pre-exposure prophylaxis. This prophylaxis is essentially tablets used to treat HIV and can reduce the risk of contracting HIV. Remember that this should be used alongside condoms when having sexual intercourse.
Be sure to also test for HIV and other STDS at least once a year.

All the best 🙂

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Daily Health Tips: Can I Lose Weight By Taking Hot Drink And Lemon?

Posted on August 25, 2014 by chatwithdrketch

Q: Good morning Doc, please what is the best solution for weight loss? Is hot drink and lime a good idea to achieve a weight loss?

A: Hmmm! What did you have in mind? Taking the hot drink (alcoholic spirit) alone or in combination with the lime? 😀 Now, you have to forgive me, but I’m always amused at the fact that we think that there are short cuts to these stuff. Unfortunately, losing weight is pure hard work: sweating and grunting.

Alcohol’s health benefit is usually touted in the area of heart health where moderate alcohol consumption is thought to provide some benefits to the heart. Moderation is described as one drink of alcoholic beverage per day for women and also for men 65 years and older and two drinks for men younger than 65 years. However, even these moderate servings of alcohol are also associated with cancers and other disease conditions. Indeed, the beneficial effects of this moderate alcohol on the heart can be reproduced by paying attention to diet and exercising at least 150 minutes per week.

In addition, alcohol contains empty calories which will definitely mess up anyone’s weight loss plan and when people drink alcohol, they lose their inhibitions and may completely forgo their diet plan and eat all sorts 😀
Lemon on the other hand is thought to have some cleansing properties and also helps whiten the teeth. It is full of vitamins and anti-oxidants that help fight disease. Too much of this can lead to erosion of the enamel of the teeth (leaching away of the top coating of the teeth).
Remember that any diet that leads to undue restrictions by completely eliminating certain food groups or restricting diets to liquids only may not only be a health hazard but is also not sustainable. Sustainable diet plans focus on making sure you get the right quantity of foods from each food group to nourish your body.
For more on this, please click on the link below:

Daily Health Tips: What Drugs Can Help Me Burn Fat?

My food and I…BC and AC

Have a great day, y’all 😀

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Daily Health Tips: Why Am I Not Into My Husband?

Posted on August 22, 2014 by chatwithdrketch

Q: Good morning Doc. Please I need your advice or rather a solution to my problem I hardly get sexual feelings or urges and having sex with my spouse is more like rape. Please what do I do about it?

A: Thanks for writing in dear. I can understand your worry as indeed sex is a critical aspect of marriage. The way you feel needs to be dealt with, so that it doesn’t become a bigger problem, later on.

Usually low sex drive could be due to stress, depression or even the physical challenges that come with having had a baby or even going through menopause. I’ll start with the most obvious question: have you tried talking with your husband about this? Perhaps he rushes a little bit before you’re ready. In this case, maybe you can get him to slow down a bit and wait for you? Perhaps you could try setting the mood….get a romantic dinner ready for two and then dress the part. Play some music, light some candles and send your children to spend the night with your parents 😀 Take the time to bond emotionally and connect with your husband on that deep level. With the emotional connection, the sexual connection will follow and that’s because women connect emotionally first before they connect sexually. Encouraging your husband to spend a little more time on fore-play will also be helpful.

Planning date nights with hubby is also a great way to bond. We all get busy with stuff…work, house work, children etc and so it’s so easy to get to that point where your discussion with hubby revolves around:
• Rent is due next month
• Our baby is having a fever
• Your mum wants to come and visit
• I need to go to the market tomorrow etc
With all of that ‘exciting’ conversation as listed above going on, it becomes difficult to feel sexy or really in the mood to bond with hubby 🙂

By the way, if you’ve got a television in your bedroom, take it out. Make your bedroom a haven for you and hubby. Don’t bring work in there. Let that be a place where you and hubby can reconnect after a long day. Make sure your children sleep in their rooms. There’s no greater downer than trying to ‘chillax’ with hubby and having your baby’s cries ruin the mood.

So make a conscious effort to cut out the clutter and bond with hubby.

If these don’t help, try having a chat with your doctor/gynaecologist so he can counsel you and perhaps find out if there are other reasons like stress or depression responsible for this and treat accordingly.

I hope this helps 🙂

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Daily Health Tips: Post Partum Depression And More Questions On Ebola!

Posted on August 21, 2014 by chatwithdrketch

Q: Good morning doc, please on this Ebola, is it possible for one to get re-infected after recovering from the ailment? Thanks

A: Well, it is thought that having been infected once, one develops antibodies that stop reinfection with that same strain of the virus. There are other strains of the Ebola virus, though.

Q: Hi doc, please I don’t know if you can help me with some tips on how to improve my mood naturally without the use of antidepressant. I have been feeling sort of depressed since I put to bed eight months ago. Thanks
A: Congratulations on your new baby. I am happy you have actually identified something is wrong because in our African environment, mothers with post-partum depression feel ashamed to admit the fact that they are finding it difficult to bond with their babies, feel inadequate and just feel withdrawn from everyone. You’re not alone 🙂
Post-partum depression (depression after having a baby, sometimes called baby blues) can occur within 6 weeks of having a baby but often times becomes obvious only around 6 months. It usually announces its presence with persistent tearfulness, moodiness and irritability. It could be due to the physical, psychological, mental, emotional, financial and other stress involved with having and looking after a baby. It could also be linked to the hormonal changes that happen after having a baby. People at risk of this are those who have experienced it before, people who have a history of depression before or during pregnancy.

Treatment is focused on the cause. Counselling may be used to discover the root cause of your depression and proffer better ways of coping/dealing with the issues raised. Hormone replacement therapy may be used to deal with depression related to decrease in estrogen (a hormone) level after having a baby. And then, anti-depressants are also an option.

Given your reluctance to try the anti-depressants, I hope counselling works for you and can help you through this. Having a strong supportive group in church or a supportive group of friends or family can also be helpful at a time like this.

For subsequent pregnancies, be sure to prevent this by eating well, exercising, creating me time and ensuring that you praise yourself for achievements, while setting goals that are realistic. And try not to bottle up your issues…air them out with the caring people in your trusted circle.
You’ll be fine 😀

Big hugs

Good night, y’all 🙂

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Daily Health Tips: How Can I Help My Fiancee? She Has SS Genotype And I have AA Genotype.

Posted on August 20, 2014 by chatwithdrketch

Q: Good day Doc. Dr I am dating an SS genotype girl and I am AA. I really love her and soon I’m gonna marry her, God willing. Please doc, any advice on my marriage and how I can handle her sickle cell crises, because, as of now, she has frequent headaches, confusions, and her voice is whiny and cracked…..PLEASE DOC HELP!
A: Well, affairs of the heart are generally not easy to delve into. And so, the decision about your marriage has to be taken by you. I can help out with the medical information though 🙂

With your fiancee’s SS genotype, she stands the risk of having sickle cell crises. What does this mean? Usually, your blood cells are round, flexible and pliable moving through vessels easily. People with sickle cell anaemia, however, have cells that are sickle shaped, rigid and sticky. These blood cells are now able to block the small blood vessels found in hands and feet (leading to swelling), eyes (leading to problems with vision), chest, joints and abdomen (leading to pain). These sickle cells also damage the spleen (an infection fighting organ) leading to frequent infections.

Pregnancy in a woman with sickle cell anaemia is classified as high risk because the stress of pregnancy increases the risk of crises, pregnancy-induced hypertension, miscarriage and having a pre-mature baby. She would need to be in a centre that has medical personnel who are experienced with care of pregnant women with sickle cell anaemia.

The babies born to both of you will be carriers of the trait, having the AS genotype. When these children want to get married, they have to ascertain the genotype of their partners as marrying someone else with the sickle cell trait (AS) potentially opens them up to the possibility of having a child with sickle cell anaemia. Genetic counseling will be required here.

What can you do to help your fiancee? Ensure that she takes her folic acid supplements regularly to ensure that her body is producing sufficient red blood cells. She has to eat lots of green leafy vegetables too. Make sure she avoids places that are too hot or too cold and that she drinks sufficient water. If she travels long distances, she should move her legs frequently. Lack of any of these will precipitate a crisis. Definitive cure is through bone marrow transplant.

Whenever she experiences any of the symptoms of confusion and headaches as described above, please take her in to see her doctor asap.

For more on sickle cell anaemia, please click on the links below:

Love is blind…is it?

Daily Health Tips: My Fiancee And I Have AS genotype. Should We Get Married?

Have a good night. Y’all 😀

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Daily Health Tips: Can I Use Gripe Water For My Baby’s Tummy Ache?

Posted on August 19, 2014 by chatwithdrketch

Q: Good morning, Doctor. My wife is doing exclusive breast feeding but my daughter sucks intensively, an average of 14hrs everyday…she could suck from 12am to 4am sometimes, making it difficult for the mom to do any other thing.

1) Can we start introducing a little water so that I could help wife some nights?
2) Can we give her gripe water? Mother insists it helps babies to ease stomach upsets that is normal with babies.

A: Trust me…you’re not the only husband who wonders whether their new babies are on a mission to deplete their wives of their very lives given their frequency of sucking! When I had my last baby, I would jokingly say that I felt light-headed after breast feeding him…he sucked that much 😀 So, I know exactly what you’re talking about! And thank you so much for being a caring husband that feels for his wife and wants to lighten her burden. You’re a gem 🙂

When your baby is born, feeding should really be on demand and so that’s as often as they want 😀 The feeling you have that your baby feeds all the time is probably because breast milk is so easy to digest that it moves pretty easily through your baby’s digestive system and also be because your baby’s tummy is really tiny requiring only little food at once and then needing to feed more often. But the good news is that a good number of babies sleep through the first couple of days and frequent feeding helps boost your breast milk production. Unfortunately, your baby does not appear to be one of those sleeping through the first few days  For those parents who do have those babies that sleep through, please be sure that you never let them sleep more than 3 hours without waking them for a feed.

However, the good news is that as your baby grows older, his feeding pattern will become more established and she will generally feed every 2 to 3 hours. Sucking from 12am to 4am sounds almost like comfort sucking where the baby is on the breast but not sucking or swallowing and sometimes just playing with the nipple. In the early days, it may not be a bad idea to allow this as you bond with your baby but later on, you’ve got to make breast feeding time to be about ‘eating’ and find other means of comfort.

So, should you introduce water? No. The fore milk is made up of a significant quantity of water…so trust me, your baby is not thirsty. Then, it’s also important that your wife alternates between the two breasts during each feed and go for about 10 minutes on each side depending on how hungry your baby is. This ensures she’s getting the fore milk (mostly water) and the more calorie-dense hind milk.

For more on breast feeding, please click on the link below:

Daily Health Tips: Please Help. My Wife’s Breast Milk Is Not Enough For Our Baby!

And now to gripe water, honestly, the benefits are more in our imagination than in actual fact. The stomach aches that babies have (colic) can be very distressing for a parent to watch but perhaps understanding what it’s about may be helpful. Colics usually start occurring in some children between 3 to 6 weeks of age and disappear between the 3rd to 4th month of life, without any treatment. Some modifications may help reduce their severity:

• Be sure to burp baby after each feed
• Hold baby and gently rock her after a feed
• Hold your baby upright during her feed
• Check your diet: reduce caffeine-containing foods and sometimes, it may be the dairy in your diet that you baby is reacting to. Taking dairy off your diet for a week or two may lead to improvement in symptoms.
Remember to see your doctor where in doubt as to what is wrong with your baby, especially if you’re a newbie mum/dad 🙂

So, with or without gripe water, this colic shall pass 😀

Have a great night, y’all 😀

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Daily Health Tips: Stress And Other Matters Arising

Posted on August 18, 2014 by chatwithdrketch

Q: On stress: In response to how to strengthen the immune system, I mentioned that coping better with stress can help strengthen the immune system. I was asked how to cope better with stress.
A: Well, the first step is understanding your own stress and the things that constitute stressors in your life. Then, it’s important to objectively determine whether these are issues you have control over or not. Solve the ones you can and decide what to do about the ones you have no control over.
Build up your stress resistance by getting an annual check (the year is almost spent; how many people have gone for their annual checks this year?), create me time (take a vacation, visit the spa, create a home spa for yourself etc), learn to start no…you’re not super-human and pretending that you are, definitely adds to your stress.
Then exercise as this leads to the release of feel-good chemicals which help fight stress. Make a conscious effort to eat lots of fruits and vegetables (stress usually leads to bad diet choices and bad diet choices inevitably worsens stress).
Finally, don’t take yourself too seriously. Laugh at yourself and remember the serenity prayer:
God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Q: On Ebola: Thanks for the information on the discharged medical doctor. My question is this: since she has been discharged does that mean the virus died? If no, can she transmit it to others?
A: If a patient is discharged from the Ebola isolation center, it means that the person’s blood has tested negative to Ebola (the test could be done to identify the virus, or antibody to it etc) and the person has been free of symptoms for at least 3 days. So, this patient is basically not able to infect other people. However, in men, there is still a danger of transmission through semen for up to 7 weeks after recovery. Thus, men who recover from this should either abstain from sexual intercourse for this period or use condoms.
Good night, y’all 😀

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