Jamaica Gleaner

Can an untreated STI result in sarcoidosi­s?

Dear Doc is back! With a brand new doc on board, we have brought back your favourite column to answer all your burning sex and relationsh­ip questions!

- Send your questions to deardoc@gleanerjm.com

Q

Good day, Doc, I am in my late 20s and my husband is in his late 40s. I wouldn’t say he is a super dad, but he’s there for his children, financiall­y and otherwise.

However, he has no plans for our future. We always have a fuss if there is anything to be done around the house, and he doesn’t want to discuss buying a house or any other future plans.

Sometimes I feel rejected and unwanted. He’s also very boring in bed, with no foreplay at all.

Now, I have met this gentleman who I’ve grown to really like after a few months and I have started opening up to him about my marriage. I know most men are foxes, but I really trust this man. He, too, is very open to me. We laugh a lot, we share ideas, and we discuss just about any and everything.

He makes me feel loved and beautiful. I save his money for him, and I do business for him – he’ll do just about anything for me. We have never had sex before, but I guess that is in the making.

Doc, help! What do I do? I don’t know how to let go of this man. Every time we try to cut back on the hours we spend together, we fail. We try to limit our phone conversati­ons, but no luck. So far, he feels like my soulmate. What must I do?

A

First I must say that your complaints about your husband seem rather contradict­ory. You say “he is there for his children, financiall­y and otherwise” yet he is not preparing for the future. Ideally, buying a home should be a partnershi­p event. You did not say how long you have been married. Is it just recently that he has started to ignore you? Be mindful of the fact that tension between you and your husband can have a negative effect on the children.

This other man that you have met appears to be a knight in shining armour, but it is a dangerous situation, especially now that you are thinking of having a sexual relationsh­ip with him. That will only make things in your marriage worst. If you have not already done so, I suggest you and your husband seek counsellin­g. There are many certified marriage counsellor­s listed in the Yellow Pages, and some local pastors also perform these services free of cost. Hope you are able to work things out in your marriage.

Q

Dear Doc, I have notice a hard bump on the side of my vagina. I thought it was wax and kernel, from a hard jerk or something, but it’s still there. Is this a cause for me to worry? Also, I have a cyst on my right ovary. I am in my 20s.

A

The vagina is inside the body and hence cannot be seen from the outside. The area you are referring to is the vulva – the delicate folds of skin in the groin area that most people call the vagina. A bump at the ‘lower’ end closer to the anus is quite common and is known as a Bartholome­w’s cyst. This happens when the tube from this area is blocked by dirt/grease. It can become very painful. See a doctor this week for a course of antibiotic­s which usually helps.

Sometimes, the doctor may have to make a small cut in the area to allow any inflection to drain out. One simple ovarian cyst at your age is common and not usually cause for concern. It is the little sac left behind when the egg is released around two weeks after your period. I suggest you repeat your ultrasound six months after the last one and have your doctor compare and discuss them with you.

Q

Good day, Doc. This is my first time writing to you. My question to you is that my boyfriend and I are having sex without any from of protection and I have not been able to get pregnant. I already have three children and I would love to have a child for him. He would want one as well. I need your help.

A

You did not state your age but, in general, women over the age of 40 have a more difficult time getting pregnant as the eggs are less. Blocked tubes from past sexually transmitte­d infections is a common cause at any age. The problem could also be with your male partner, which is often overlooked. I recommend that you both see a doctor and have the necessary tests done. All the best.

Q

Good day, Doc. A dermatolog­ist has recently given me a preliminar­y diagnosis of sarcoidosi­s pending a skin biopsy, which is to be done later this week. This is because I have huge black spots around my eyes which have left the area swollen. My ears are also darker and disfigured.

The next thing is that a young woman with whom I am in a sexual relationsh­ip, says that I have given her bacterial vaginosis. I wasn’t aware that I was carrying an STI, and have no idea how long I may have had it as I have done numerous HIV tests and all have been negative.

So, my question to you is, can an untreated STI result in sarcoidosi­s?

What drugs are used to treat this condition, and are these drugs steroids?

Is there any natural way of treating it?

A

It is good that our are seeing a dermatolog­ist to treat your skin condition. So far, there is no scientific evidence that sarcoidosi­s results from untreated sexually transmitte­d inflection­s. The cause of sarcoidosi­s is not yet known, but seems to be related to problems in the immune system, hence why steroids and other drugs that suppress the immune system often helps the condition. As far as ‘natural’ treatment is concerned, adopting a diet that aids in reducing inflammati­on, such as drinking lots of water, and eating fresh fruits and vegetables, and taking omega 3/fish oil supplement­s, along with your medical therapy, should improve the condition. Good luck.

 ??  ??

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Jamaica