Doctor's advice: I have irregular menses

Q I have been having a very serious problem with my menstrual cycle since I was about 18 years old. I am now 23 and married. The trouble is that I only menstruate once or twice for the year, and I am very worried about that. I visited a doctor and did an ultrasound. However, I was told that I only have hormonal problems. Earlier this year, I had a D&C operation. Then my husband accused me of cheating, as he believes that a woman's cycle can change if she is unfaithful. Could you answer these questions for me?:

Will the D&C have a positive effect on my menstrual cycle?

Can missing my periods cause me to gain weight?

Does cheating really alter a woman's menstrual cycle?

What are the causes of hormone problems, and what can I do to put things right?

A Sorry to hear about all the distress you have had. In answering your questions:

The D&C (dilatation and curettage) operation is usually just for making a diagnosis; it cannot improve your menstrual cycle.

No, missed menses cannot make you gain weight.

No, cheating does not alter a woman's menstrual cycle; your husband is talking foolishness.

There are many causes of hormone problems, and you need a gynaecologist's advice on this.

From your email, I am not at all sure that anyone has ever done blood tests to establish what your female hormones are doing. If you go and see a gynaecologist, he or she will arrange these tests and try to find out what the basic cause of your problem is. Good luck.

Q I am a young guy, and I have noticed that soon after I have sex, it is slightly difficult to urinate. The flow comes out in two or three different streams. Is this serious, Doc?

A No, it isn't. It is normal. What happens is that a little seminal fluid has been left inside the urinary tube, and that splits the urine flow into two or more different jets. This phenomenon only occurs just after sex, and it ceases as soon as the small amount of semen has been dislodged.

Q I am a 17-year-old. Six months ago, I let another boy put his hand on my organ and bring me to orgasm. Could this give me VD?

A No, it couldn't, so you can quit fretting.

Q I am an 18-year-old guy, and I have a problem. Well, I think it's a problem. I have noticed that when my organ is stiff, it is in a bent condition, rather like a banana. So I was wondering if there is any medication that would make it straight? I have never had sex and I do not know how girls would feel about a penis that is curved.

A Sorry to hear you have been fretting. I guess you are just talking about the normal curvature of the penis, which nearly all guys have when they are erect. The organ is supposed to curve slightly towards the belly and, as you say, it has a banana-like shape.

However, if you are bending away from the belly, or to one side, that could be cause for concern. Similarly, it would be a little worrying if you were so markedly curved towards your body that the organ is pointing towards the area of the belly, which is below the navel.

If, after what I have said, you are still fretting, you should see a doctor and have the penis checked. Obviously, it would be uncomfortable to have the doc examine you when your penis is erect. But as I have mentioned before in this column, these days, there is a way around that problem. You can take a photograph of your erection on your mobile phone, and show it to the doctor.

Realistically, I would say that the odds are that you are normal. There is a possibility that you have something called Peyronie's disease, which causes severe bending of the male organ, but that is unusual at age 18.

There is no medication that will make a guy's organ straighter, so please forget about pills.

Finally, you ask about the attitude of girls. Provided that the doctor says that everything is OK, I don't think you need fret about that. In general, women are far less interested in the shape and structure of the penis than men are.

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