Q: Doc, I am ashamed to tell you that recently I was unfaithful to my husband with a guy from Portland. Soon after that happened, I developed a discharge from the vagina. I went to a doctor, who gave me some anti-thrush treatment. But that did not clear it up.
So I tried another doctor, and this one gave me a real good check-up, and said that there was no trace of a sexually transmitted disease. She prescribed me a course of penicillin, but I am no better.
So, the discharge continues, some days good, some days bad. What is worrying me, doc, is the fact that every time I have sex with my husband, it gets much worse. Sometimes it goes away altogether, but then having sex seems to make it come back.
The liquid is kind of greyish in colour, and also I am real 'stressed out' by the fact that it smells bad. I am sure that my husband will notice that smell pretty soon. I fear that he will no longer want to have sex with me, or might even leave me.
What do you think is wrong with me?
A: I am sorry to hear about this. My guess is that you have a real common condition, which not many women have heard of.
Of course, I have not examined you, so I cannot be certain. But your story certainly does 'fit' with a female condition called 'bacterial vaginosis'.
Bacterial vaginosis (also known as 'BV') is a disorder which thousands of women have - often without knowing it. It has the following features:
Greyish, whitish or yellowish discharge
'Fishy' smell
No irritation, soreness or itching
Tendency to 'flare up' after intercourse.
The cause of BV is not entirely certain, though it seems to be linked with certain 'smell-producing' germs called 'anaerobes'. One bacterium called 'Gardnerella' is often found in the vaginas of women who have this condition.
Some experts think that it is NOT sexually transmitted, though it often starts after some sexual encounter, and then keeps coming back whenever the lady has sex.
Is your husband at risk from it? Probably not - although occasionally the woman's partner can get inflammation of the tip of the penis.
Is it possible to treat BV? Yes. It is usually treated with a special antibiotic called 'metronidazole'.
What should you do now? Well, I feel that you should go back to the doc who you last saw, and ask her if she thinks that you may have BV. If she agrees, then she will give you a short course of the metronidazole. (Most important: you must NOT take alcohol while you are on this drug - because the combination could make you very ill).
I would recommend that you do not have sex until you have completed the course of treatment. I hope that your husband will be willing to comply with this.
Do you need to tell him about your brief sexual contact with the guy in Portland? No, I do not think so - especially as it is by no means certain that you acquired the problem as a result of your encounter with him. I wish you well.
Q: I am a guy of 35, and I have been trying to get my fiancée pregnant for a year now, but no success. She has had all the tests, but they say there is nothing wrong with her.
So now she is suggesting that it could be my fault, doc. I find this real surprising, as I am a very virile guy, and have no trouble getting erections. I can make love every day of the week if I want to.
A: You mention the word 'fault'. Where fertility problems are concerned, there is no question of the difficulty being anybody's 'fault'. No one can be blamed for being infertile!
Now, could YOU be infertile? Yes, indeed. It does not matter that you are a real virile guy, and can have sex without difficulty.
Many virile, manly guys turn out to have no sperms in their sex fluid - or maybe just insufficient sperms. So I urge you to go to a doc now, and ask for a fertility check-up. He will examine your testicles, to check that there is no problem there. Most important, he should arrange a 'sperm count' for you.
A sperm count is a test in which the lab looks at your sex fluid under a microscope. You supply the fluid by masturbating into a special container - and this must be done a short time before the lab do the examination. In other words, the sperms must be fresh!
I hope things work out for you, but do not delay. As a couple get older, it becomes more difficult to conceive.
Q: At the age of 40, I have suddenly discovered the joys of 'multiple orgasms'.
This is because I have found a new guy, who is real skilled in bed - and a much better lover than any of my previous boyfriends.
My only slight worry is that sometimes he is giving me 10 orgasms for the night! Could that do my health any harm, doc?
A: Not at all. Basically, orgasms are good for a woman. They relieve her tensions, and help her sleep.
The only very slight problem is that if you keep on having 10 - or maybe more - discharges per night, you may find that you are very tired when you get up to go to work in the morning.
Q: I am a guy of 27, and I am going to get married shortly. I really enjoy sex. To be frank, doc, I produce a lot of fluid. But I am fretting because last year I got a bad 'knock' in the testicles, when I was hit down in a road accident.
Do you think that could make me unable to father a child?
A: It is unlikely that you are going to have any problem. If you are enjoying a vigorous sex life and produce plenty fluid, the chances are that this 'knock' in the testicles has done you no harm. If you want further reassurance, take a sperm count (see above).
Q: I am a 27-year-old female who is trying to get pregnant for some time now. My menses only come twice a year. I used to take the 'Trinordiol' Pill back in 1999.
Is that the reason why I cannot get pregnant?
A: No. Contrary to what many people think, the Pill does NOT cause problems with fertility. Furthermore, a pill which you took back in 1999 is definitely not going to affect your body today, in 2008.
The fact that you only menstruate twice a year is highly significant. It suggests you may only ovulate (that is, produce an egg) twice for the year. That would make it real difficult for you to get pregnant, because you have so very few fertile days.
So I would strongly suggest that you see a gynaecologist right away. She will give you a good check-up, and probably suggest treatment to help you ovulate more regularly. Good luck.
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