Doctor's advice: Could I be pregnant?

Q I had unprotected sex with a boy on three consecutive days, starting two days after my period.

Is it possible that I could get pregnant?

A Very possible, indeed. It sounds like you mean you started having sex two days after your period finished.

I don't know how long your period lasts, but let us say that it's five days. This would mean that you had intercourse on the seventh, eighth and ninth days of your menstrual cycle.

That is getting perilously near to your peak fertility time, which is generally around the 12th to the 14th day of the woman's cycle.

So there has to be quite a risk that you are pregnant this month. If your menses don't arrive, undergo a pregnancy test immediately.

But if it turns out that you are not pregnant, try to use a reliable method of contraception from now on.

Q Hi, Doc. Since I was a kid I have struggled with spots on my skin, particularly on my legs. Because of them, I wear pants all the time, instead of a skirt.

I was told that I would grow out of the spots, but they are still there. I am now 26.

Will they ever go away?

A We must assume that they are not going to get better on their own. So you have reached a stage when you need some medical help.

Of course, I cannot tell you precisely what the 'spots' are, because I have not seen your legs. But if they are the ordinary, pus-filled skin spots that so many young people have, I would suggest that you take a two-month course of antibiotics, probably a tetracycline.

However, the first thing for you to do now is to have a doc accurately diagnose these spots. It may be necessary to consult a doctor who specialises in skin disorders, in other words a dermatologist.

Q Doc, is it true that lime affects a guy's 'nature', as I have heard?

A No, that is just a myth. It may have originated from the fact that it is not good to drink some citrus juices when one is taking Viagra.

QIs it safe to drink male sex fluid? I read in a US magazine about a woman who had to have her stomach pumped after swallowing 1.7 pints of it.

AIn general, seminal fluid is completely harmless when taken by mouth, although the taste is definitely not to every woman's liking.

Also, there is a moderate risk of catching sexual infections through taking sex fluid into the mouth.

Q I am a young lady who is having a problem. No matter how hard I try, I never reach an orgasm.

Can you advise me on what measures to take?

A You don't say how old you are, but I must tell you that research carried out in Europe has shown that remarkably few young women experience orgasms before age 19. Furthermore, the same research project showed that most females need to be in a loving and romantic sexual relationship for around two years before they can reach regular climaxes.

There are exceptions, however. For instance, some females learn to orgasm at 17 or 18 or even earlier, because they practise masturbation, concentrating on the clitoris.

You say that you have been trying very hard. Well, my advice to you is to relax and stop trying so hard. If you have a partner, encourage him to create a romantic atmosphere for you, and then to concentrate on stimulating your well-lubricated clitoris.

Also, please study the works of the American 'orgasm guru' Betty Dodson, who has helped many young women to climax. Just type the name 'Betty Dodson' into your search engine.

Q I got married, but my wife left me because I ejaculate far too quickly. I have a new partner, but the same problem is occurring, and she is not too pleased with my performance in bed.

What can I do to last for a longer time?

A Clearly, you have premature ejaculation, or PE. This is real common, especially in younger males.

You could try asking a doc for one of the pills which delays male climax, but they are powerful drugs and do not always work.

You could also use the special condoms which have local anaesthetic inside them in order to decrease sensation for the male. But these can sometimes cause a nasty skin reaction.

So my advice to you is that you and your new partner find a therapist or counsellor who teaches the famous Masters-Johnson way of training the man to last much longer. If this is properly carried out, it will often enable the guy to last half an hour or more.

Q I'm a 22-year-old woman who has been struggling with polycystic ovary syndrome. I have been told by numerous doctors that the only thing that will help me is hormone treatment.

Unfortunately, these hormones have not helped me, so I am depressed and frustrated at times.

I have been advised by a friend that an operation will solve the problem. Is that true?

Also, someone told me that having a child would 'make everything normal'. How true is that?

A Sorry to hear about all this. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is quite common, and it is probable that around five per cent of the female population have it. It has the following features:

Obesity

Infrequent menses

Infrequent ovulation and, therefore, fertility problems

Hairiness

Acne (spots).

The cause is unknown, but the illness is usually linked with cysts (which are little fluid-filled 'bags') in the ovaries.

Now you have been told two things:

1. That taking an operation will 'solve the problem';

2. That having a baby will 'make everything right'.

Unfortunately, neither of those things is true.

Treatment of PCOS is difficult and complex. It usually includes a strict weight-loss diet, plus an anti-diabetes drug such as metformin. Hormones, as you know, are also given. And often a type of contraceptive pill is prescribed to combat hairiness and acne.

Because effective treatment is such a complicated business, I think you should make every effort to get yourself under the care of a doc who is experienced in dealing with PCOS. This would probably be a gynaecologist or gland specialist (an endocrinologist). I wish you well.

Q Last year, I underwent circumcision, thinking this would improve my sex life. It has had no effect. Even worse, the surgery has left me with a big, raised scar on my penis.

What can I do?

A This scar is probably what is called a keloid. Keloid is a reaction to a cut in the skin, and it is quite a common thing in Jamaica.

There is a chance that plastic surgery could get rid of it but I cannot guarantee that.

Email questions and comments for Doc to saturdaylife@gleanerjm.com. Also read Doctor's Advice in Outlook Magazine in tomorrow's Gleaner.