How to overcome the aversion towards having sex?
Hi doctor,
I have been married for some years and do not have children yet. I feel very uncomfortable and irritated while having sex and do not like to have sex. Therefore, I do not want to have a child. In all these years of marriage, we never had proper sex, and I feel I am cheating on my husband. Whenever we have sex, or someone tells me about having a child, I go into some depression and start to cry. I have been thinking of divorce to lead a single life for some time. Kindly suggest a way to come out of this and lead a happy family life.
Thank you.
30 Apr 2024 - 1 min read
What causes itchy rash that spreads throughout the body?
Hi doctor,
I am a 32-year-old female, and I work from home. Three days ago, I had an itchy rash on my right forearm. It has gradually gotten worse and spread to other parts of my body, including the top of my right arm (near my shoulder), my other arm, my inner thigh, my lower stomach, my lower back (which is where it is the worst right now) and it is gradually moving up my back. It is incredibly itchy. I have a severe allergy to poison ivy, but I know what it looks and feels like, and this just is not it. I have not been outdoors or changed my detergent or anything else in my household. I use the same cleaners and lotions. However, the rash on my right forearm is very linear, like a poison ivy rash would be. I have used calamine lotion, but I have not had any relief. I have been under more stress than normal lately. I have also had periods in my life where I was much more stressed than I am now. I am not on any over-the-counter or prescribed medications.
29 Apr 2024 - 1 min read
How much vitamin B12 is safe in pregnancy?
Hi doctor,
I am a 34 years old female, and I am ten weeks, four days pregnant. I am a vegetarian, and before I was pregnant, I would intermittently take a vitamin B12 supplement. I found the bottle two weeks ago, and without thinking about it, I started taking it daily in addition to my prenatal vitamin (which contains 4.2 mcg). Well, I finally looked at the bottle today and realized that the concentration is 1200 mcg per tablet. I read this study correlating increased risk of autism with excessive B12 blood levels, and I am very worried. I know that officially there is no upper limit and that it is water-soluble, but I do not know if there is any new information or data or clinical experience. Do pregnant women commonly take high doses for certain conditions? I was getting so worried that I was thinking about abortion. I would appreciate your honest opinion and not just reassurance.
Thanks so much for your time.
23 Apr 2024 - 1 min read
Will frequent blood tests cause low ferritin levels?
Hi doctor,
I want to ask you something about my blood test results. I did my blood testing four times this month. First time I did my beta HCG because my period was late. Then three days later, I had blood drawn for T3 and T4 testing because I have hypothyroidism. Then 15 days later, I had a test for STDs (HIV, syphilis, hepatitis C, and B) as a yearly preventive measure, and last time I was tested by my GP because I was feeling very weak for nearly a month. All test results were good.
I am not pregnant, and my T3 and T4 levels are normal. I do not have any STD, and my results from GP are all good except for my ferritin level. She measured erythrocytes, leukocytes, hemoglobin, HCT, thrombocytes, glucose, creatinine, ALB, AST, Fe, Ca, Na, K, CRP, and vitamin B12. All are normal, just ferritin was lower than normal (8 µg/L). I am quite pale and often fatigue. My blood pressure is about 100/62 and my pulse rate 90-100 bpm. She said my condition would be due to low ferritin level and prescribed Hemoplus. But I was paranoid if the only ferritin can cause such problems, so I started searching on the internet and read that low ferritin may be due to frequent blood drawing or donated blood. Could that be my case if they took a common blood sample? I mean, I do not know how much ml they take a blood sample and how many blood samples they had taken. Could my condition be really because of my low ferritin?
23 Apr 2024 - 1 min read
Can kidney function return to normal after being diagnosed with CKD?
Hello doctor,
I was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease last year and my creatinine was high around 200 mg/dL, but the last three blood tests have shown trace protein, and the nephrologist suggested that my kidney function would likely return to about 80 % normal. What do you think?
20 Apr 2024 - 1 min read
