Let's talk: Doctor's advice - Prostate cancer at 18?
Published: Saturday | July 19, 2008
Q I am an 18-year-old man. Could I have prostate cancer?
My grandfather had it. And I notice a little blood on my stool recently. So what's your diagnosis?
A Please quit fretting. It is almost impossible to have prostate cancer at age 18! The youngest guy I have ever seen who had that disease was about 43. Most sufferers are well over 60.
So why are you passing a little blood when you go out? That is NOT a symptom of prostate trouble. In a male of 18, by far the likeliest reason is piles (haemorrhoids). However, you should go to a doc this week and have your bottom examined.
Is there any way I could kind of 'disguise' things, so that she won't be able to see that I have a history of masturbation?
A Relax. The doc will NOT be able to tell that you have masturbated. There is absolutely no way that she could discover this.
Also, she will not be remotely interested in whether you have masturbated or not. These days, doctors are aware that masturbation carries no health risks. As Dr Alverston Bailey said recently in The Gleaner, "masturbation is now regarded as a normal, healthy sexual activity that is pleasant, fulfilling, acceptable and safe".
He also stated that 35-40 per cent of young women have masturbated - the stats among young men are much higher, about 90 per cent. So you are not alone!
You haven't told me what your menstrual problem is. The common problems in your age group are heavy, irregular or painful periods.
But whatever difficulty you are experiencing with menses, you really should see a doc as soon as possible, so that you can get diagnosed and cured.
Q Am I right in thinking that it is deep thrusting that makes a girl discharge?
A No, you are not. Most women discharge as a result of stimulation of the clitoris - not from deep thrusting.
However, other things have to be right too. An atmosphere of romance, warmth and tenderness is a great help in making a lady orgasm.
Q I am a 22-year-old woman who has been having my period for the past month without a break.
I am afraid it might be some form of cancer.
A Cancer located in the region of the womb is pretty unlikely at your age. It may just be a minor hormone problem.
Let a doc look inspect your cervix. She will also need to examine your womb and probably do some tests. Make an appointment within the next couple of weeks.
Q I am a 19-year-old man and I'm very faithful to my girlfriend. We've had a lot of unprotected sex in the last year, and recently she found out she was pregnant.
She went to a doctor, who did an abortion. When she had recovered, we had unprotected sex again. I then found I had contracted gonorrhoea. The doc who treated me said I must have got it from her.
She says she was unaware of it, and had not had sex with anyone else. Please tell me what has been happening. I really need to know.
A If this definitely was gonorrhoea, there are two main possibilities:
1. You caught it from another female - but you say that you are 'very faithful' to your girlfriend;
2. Your girl caught it from someone else - but this could have been a long, long time ago, since the gonorrhoea germ can 'lie dormant' in women's bodies for quite a while without causing any symptoms.
What is certain is that your girl friend needs treatment for gonorrhoea - right away. And I strongly suggest that the two of you stop practising unprotected sex.
Q I have been putting on weight, even though I don't eat much. I went to one doctor who said that it was due to an underactive thyroid gland. Then I saw another doc who told me that I had hypothyroidism.
I am confused. Please explain.
A These two terms mean exactly the same thing. In medical jargon, the prefix 'hypo-' means 'too little'.
So 'hypothyroidism' is the same thing as having an underactive thyroid. That makes you put on weight.
In contrast, the prefix 'hyper-' means 'too much'. So 'hyperthyroidism' means 'an overactive thyroid'. That makes a person LOSE weight.
Q I am a woman and would like to know what would happen if one had sex with a condom that had a hole.
In this case, the penis wasn't fully inserted into the vagina. And there was no secretion of fluid from the female. Is there any chance that she could be pregnant?
A I don't know why you think there might have been a hole in the condom. That's not likely - unless one of you actually tore it.
The fact that the penis wasn't 'fully inserted into the vagina' is not really relevant. Nor is the fact that the female - presumably yourself - did not produce any fluid.
Summing up, it is not at all likely that you are pregnant. But if your menses do not arrive, please get yourself a test.
Want advice from the doc? Send questions to editor@gleanerjm.com or mail to Doctor's Advice, The Gleaner Company, 7 North Street, Kingston.
