Q I am a woman who has just turned 40, and it has made me look back on my life, doctor. I have tried to do my best, but I must admit that my 'sexual history' has not always been perfect.
In particular, when I was young, I did some real foolish things with men - and on one brief occasion, with a woman.
I suppose that if I counted them all up, my sexual partners would amount to not less than 40. Do not think badly of me, doc. I have 'learned some sense' these days, and I very rarely go to bed with anyone.
Ideally, I would like to meet a good man who I can love and who loves me, and settle down with him for life.
However, first of all, I think I have to get myself a 'clean bill of health.' So, could you give me your honest medical opinion, doc?
After the sort of life that I have led, do you think it is possible that I may have any sexual conditions in my body? I have no symptoms, away from a slight discharge.
A Despite the fact that you have practically no symptoms, I am afraid that it is quite possible that you have some sort of problem caused from the sexual contacts in your earlier life.
The most likely thing which you might have is the little germ called 'chlamydia.' Unfortunately, a large number of women catch this nowadays, and most of the time they do not know that they have it in their bodies. In the long term, it can cause belly pain, fever and discharge.
The test for chlamydia is real simple today. So, I suggest that you go and see any doc or go to a clinic which can do it for you. If it is present in your body, it should be fairly simple to treat.
Ideally, the doc should also do tests for other sexually transmitted diseases, such as gonorrhoea ('the clap'). This, too, may produce no symptoms in women for many years.
I think it would also be wise to take blood tests - especially for syphilis and HIV.
Finally, any woman who has led quite a busy, multi-partner love life has to be at some risk of cancer of the cervix. So you really do need to take a smear test - a 'Pap smear' - as soon as possible.
Please do not be downhearted about all this. After all, there may be nothing wrong with you. And, in any case, most sexually transmitted conditions can be cured.
It is good that you are trying to sort out your health and take care of your body. I wish you all the very best. And I hope that you find love with your 'ideal man' before too long.
Q I am 34, and I still get pain in my testicles whenever I am sexually frustrated.
Is this normal at my age?
A Yes, it is. When a guy of any age gets sexually excited, but does not discharge, he is likely to get some pain, due to congestion of the testicles. This is most common in teenagers, but it is perfectly normal at 34.
QDoctor, I am now 48, and I had my last child at the age of 30. I am trying to get pregnant again, but with no success.
I had four babies by my husband, but he died seven years ago. A few years back, I met this other man, who is a little younger than me.
He would like us to have a child, but it is just not happening.
AI am sorry to hear about that. However, the fact is that not many women of 48 have babies. This is because the ovaries start producing fewer eggs after about the age of 35.
However, it is still possible that you might be able to conceive, especially if you are having regular periods. Generally speaking, the best time to try to conceive is around two weeks BEFORE the menses are due.
What you need now is some urgent help, including some tests, from a doc. Both you and your partner should go to the doctor and have a physical examination. If the doc does not find any obvious physical reason why you are not succeeding, he will suggest various lab tests.
The easiest and cheapest of these would be a seminal fluid test on your guy, to see if he is producing enough sperm, and whether they are normal-looking. And you should have tests to find out if you are still ovulating (producing an egg), and what your female hormone levels are. You may also have to be tested to see if the tubes are OK.
I certainly wish you good luck in conceiving a child. But if the tests reveal that it is not possible for you to become pregnant in the regular way, you could consider the IVF ('test tube baby') technique. However, this is real expensive.
Q Doc, I am currently in a relationship with a lady who is the same age as me, who does not have much interest in sex. She has recently been diagnosed with 'fibrocystic breast disease'. I want to know if there is a treatment of that condition that can increase her sex drive. I perceive that her lack of libido will cause future problems between us.
AWell, fibrocystic breast disease is real common in Jamaica. It is a condition in which the breasts are sore - mainly just before a period. Some docs do not think that it is reasonable to call it 'a disease' because, in fact, around 60 per cent of women get it at some time in their lives.
But I must tell you that it does not generally affect the woman's sex drive. So if you are linking the two things, you are making a mistake.
Also, any treatment which the lady was given for her breast problem would not affect her libido - except if by any chance it was breast pain that is putting her off sex.
As a rule, if a woman has little interest in sex with a guy, the best thing to do is to look at their relationship, and to see how it can be improved. So, if you want to stay with this lady, my advice to you is to take her to see an experienced 'couples counsellor'.
QGood day. I am a guy of 26, and I am feeling a little pain in my groin after having sex with my partner. Is this because I sometimes ejaculate more than twice for the night?
AIf you are 'orgasming' more than twice for the night at your age, you are doing very well. But I know of no medical reason why repeated discharges should cause a pain in the groin.
So, I think you should get a good examination of your groin by a doc. He will be looking for problems with the testicle, or even a rupture (hernia). Good luck to you.
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