Doctor's Advice - Am I becoming a girl?
Published:Saturday | October 1, 2011 | 12:00 AM
Q: Doc, I am a guy of 17 and I am terrified that I may be changing into a girl. I do not want to do that. The reason why I feel that I am 'changing' is this. I am sure that in the last few weeks, my testicles have got a little smaller. Also, I suspect that my male organ is shrinking. Finally, and this is something other people have noticed, I have developed slight breasts in the last six months. What is going on, Doc? I am desperate. Would hormone treatment help me?
A: I am sorry to hear that you have been fretting, but I hope that I can reassure you that matters are nowhere near as bad as you fear. In the whole of my career as a doctor, I do not think I have ever seen a teenage male who really was 'turning into a girl'. Such cases are occasionally reported in the medical journals, but they are very rare.
Let us look at your symptoms one by one:
- You have developed little 'man-boobs'. These are extremely common in teenage youth, especially if the guy has recently put on weight. Have you gained a few pounds recently? If so, then slimming down will probably get rid of these little breasts. Nevertheless, I would like you to have them checked out by a doctor - just in case there is anything wrong with them.
- You believe that your testicles have got smaller. This is extremely unlikely. Please understand that it is very difficult for an untrained guy to assess the size of his own testicles accurately.
- You believe that your penis has got smaller. Again, that is most unlikely. And it is very common for young guys to become convinced that their male organs are shrinking when it is all in their imagination!
So in my view, it is improbable that you are turning into a female. Please do not try and get yourself any hormones! Just ask a doctor to check you over. I am sure that he will be able to tell you that all is well.
Q: I am a male, age 21, and recently, when I ejaculate I find that there are sometimes large brown or reddish patches in my fluid. Could this be cancer, Doc?
A: That is unlikely. But the presence of brown or red areas in the ejaculate does usually indicate bleeding somewhere in the male 'piping'. So you should ask a doctor to examine your testicles, and the adjacent tubing. He may suggest that you have an ultrasound scan. Please try not to fret. I am sure all will be well.
Q: Good day, Doc. My girlfriend and I have been having sex. She is 19 and I am 20. I feel bad that every time we have intercourse, she does not discharge. I am seriously working on this problem, and I am even thinking of items that will increase my endurance so that she may reach her orgasm. Please tell me about styles I could use for her to feel satisfied.
A: I hope that you two are practising safe sex. Now, I must tell you that recent research has shown that many young women do not learn to orgasm until they have been with a loving and considerate partner for around two years. So it may well be too soon for your girlfriend to learn to relax and have a climax with you.
Another thing which you may not appreciate is this. Usually, females cannot orgasm as a result of intercourse alone! They nearly all need a lot of stimulation of the clitoris if they are going to climax. Many young people do not know this simple fact.
So you do not have to try and find items that will increase your endurance. What you need is to pay attention to her clitoris, using 'love play' techniques. If you do not know what these are, you can easily find them on the Internet. For example, if you just tap the words 'love play techniques' into Google, you will currently be offered a choice of some 27 million websites. Some of them are useless, but others provide good, sensible ideas. I wish you and your girlfriend well, and hope you will have a long and happy relationship.
Q: This month, my menses were very late. In fact, I think they were around four weeks overdue. And when the period did arrive, it was extraordinarily heavy, Doc. And it had large pieces of solid material in it. Why was this? And what should I do?
A: This doesn't sound like a period at all. In fact, I am wondering if it was a miscarriage. Please see a doctor right away so that she can check out the belly and also do an internal exam. Do not delay!
Q: Doctor, I am female and I would like to obtain your advice about a pain I keep having. I had sex with my boyfriend recently and he 'came' inside me on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Since then, I have frequently had pain low down in the belly. I did a pregnancy test, and it came back negative, but at the pharmacy they told me it could be too early for the test to be positive. I am a little reluctant to go to the doctor. Also, I am not ready to have a child because I am 22 years of age, and I haven't accomplished much in life yet.
A: Common causes of recurrent low belly pain in young women include:
- Salpingtis (inflammation of the tubes);
- Ectopic pregnancy (meaning one that is in the wrong place);
- Ovarian cysts;
- Urinary tract infection;
- Possible appendicitis.
Your first move now should be to make absolutely sure that you are not pregnant. So please do that test again! After that, you really do need to overcome your reluctance and go to see your doctor. She or he can examine you vaginally, and then decide what the precise cause of this distressing pain is.
Q: I am a guy of 23, and since last week, I have felt a curious tickling feeling at the end of my organ whenever I have sex with my fiancée. Why, Doc?
A: The likeliest explanation is that she has been fitted with a coil, if so, you must talk to her about her reasons for doing this.
Q: I am female, age 25, and I have two boyfriends who live at opposite ends of the island. One of them is kind and nice, but not much good in bed. The other guy is a real good lover, but he is cruel to me and mocks me. He wants me to marry him. Should I agree?
A: No way! It is crazy to marry someone who is cruel to you. I suggest you dump this guy. Maybe the other man will learn more about 'pleasuring' a woman as he gets older. But in any case, try to restrict yourself to one boyfriend for the good of your health.
Email questions to Doc at saturdaylife@gleanerjm.com and read more in the Outlook Magazine tomorrow.