BREAST LUMPS

A breast lump (mass) is a thickening or bump that feels different from surrounding breast tissue. A lump may be discovered in a breast incidentally, during a breast self-examination, or during a routine physical examination by a doctor.

Lumps in the breasts are relatively common and usually not cancerous.

Lumps may be painless or painful. They are sometimes accompanied by nipple discharge or changes in the skin, such as irregularities, redness, a dimpled texture (called peau d'orange, or skin of an orange), or tightened skin. Lumps may be fluid-filled sacs (cysts) or solid masses, which are usually fibroadenomas. Fibroadenomas are not cancerous, and cysts usually are not.

Causes

Common Causes

The most common causes include

Fibroadenomas

Fibrocystic changes

Fibrocysts are typically smooth, rounded, movable, painless lumps. They usually develop in women of child-bearing age. Fibroadenomas may be mistaken for cancer, but they are not. Some types of fibroadenoma do not appear to increase the risk of cancer. Others may increase the risk slightly.

Fibrocystic Changes
includes pain, cysts, and general lumpiness (including fibroadenomas) in the breast. Women may have one or more of these symptoms. Breasts feel lumpy and dense and are often tender when touched.

In most women, fibrocystic changes are related to the monthly fluctuations in levels of the female hormones estrogenand progesterone . These hormones stimulate breast tissue.

Most fibrocystic changes do not increase the risk of breast cancer. A few of them do, but only slightly.

Other Causes

Lumps sometimes result from

Breast infections, including collections of pus (abscesses), which are very rare except during the few weeks after childbirth

A clogged milk gland (galactocele), which usually occurs up to 6 to 10 months after breastfeeding stops

Injuries, which can result in the formation of scar tissue

Cancer

Infections, galactoceles, and scar tissue formation do not increase the risk of breast cancer.

Evaluation

Warning Signs

Certain symptoms and characteristics are cause for concern:

A lump that is stuck to the skin or chest wall

A lump that is hard and irregular in texture

Dimpling of skin near the lump

Lymph nodes in the armpit that are matted together or stuck to the skin or chest wall

A bloody discharge from the nipple

Thickened, red skin over the breast

When to see a doctor

Because breast lumps may be cancerous (although they seldom are), they should be evaluated by a doctor within about 3 to 7 days.

Delay of a week or so is not harmful unless there are signs of infection such as redness, swelling, and/or a discharge of pus. Women with such symptoms should see a doctor within 1 or 2 days.

What the doctor does

Doctors ask the woman questions about the lump, such as how long it has been present, whether it comes and goes, and whether it is painful. Doctors also ask about other symptoms, including any discharge from the nipple and general symptoms such as weight loss, fatigue, and bone pain (which may indicate advanced cancer). Doctors ask the woman about her medical and family history, including risk factors for breast cancer.

Doctors then do a physical examination, focusing on the breasts and areas near it (next time I will talk of breast cancer screening ). Doctors inspect the breast, looking for abnormalities, changes in the skin, and nipple discharge. They also feel (palpate) the lump to determine

How large it is

Whether it is hard or soft

Whether it is smooth or irregular

Whether it is painful

Whether it moves freely or is stuck to the skin or chest wall

Painful, rubbery lumps in younger women are usually fibrocystic changes, particularly if the woman has had similar lumps before. Doctors determine whether the breasts are similar in shape and size and check each breast for abnormalities, particularly warning signs. Cancer is more likely if warning signs are present. Doctors also feel the lymph nodes in the armpits and above the collarbone to check for enlarged or painful lymph nodes.

Testing

Usually, testing is needed because determining whether breast lumps are cancerous or not during a physical examination is difficult and because failing to identify cancer has serious consequences.

Ultrasonography is typically done first to try to differentiate solid lumps from cysts, which are rarely cancerous.

If the lump appears to be a cyst and is causing symptoms (such as pain or nipple discharge), a needle with a syringe is often inserted into the cyst, and the fluid is removed (called aspiration) and examined. The fluid is tested for cancer cells only if it is bloody or cloudy, if little fluid is obtained, or if the lump remains after aspiration. Otherwise, the woman is checked again in 4 to 8 weeks. If the cyst cannot be felt, it is considered noncancerous. If it recurs, aspiration is done again, and the fluid is sent for analysis regardless of appearance. If the cyst recurs a third time or if a lump is still present after it was aspirated, a sample of tissue from the lump or the entire lump is removed and examined under a microscope (biopsy).

If the lump appears to be solid, mammography is typically done, followed by a biopsy. Doctors may do one of several types of biopsy:

Fine-needle aspiration biopsy: Some cells are removed from the lump through a thin needle attached to a syringe.

Core needle biopsy: A larger needle with a special tip is used to remove a larger sample of breast tissue.

Open (surgical) biopsy: Doctors make a small cut in the skin and breast tissue and remove part or all of a lump. This type of biopsy is done when a needle biopsy is not possible (for example, because no lump is felt). It may also be done after a needle biopsy that does not detect cancer to be sure that the needle biopsy did not miss a cancer.

Ultrasonography or mammography is often used to guide placement of the needle for the biopsy. Most women do not need to be hospitalized for these procedures. Usually, only a local anesthetic is needed.

Treatment

Treatment depends on what the cause is and whether symptoms are present.

For fibrocystic changes, wearing a soft, supportive bra, such as an athletic bra, and taking pain relievers, such asacetaminophen or a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), may help relieve symptoms.

Sometimes cysts are drained.

Fibroadenomas are usually removed if they are enlarging or causing pain or if the woman wants them to be removed. Usually, only a local anesthetic is required. However, after one fibroadenoma is removed, other fibroadenomas may appear in other parts of the breast. If several lumps have been removed and found to be noncancerous, a woman and her doctor may decide against removing new lumps that develop. Regardless of whether the fibroadenomas are removed or not, the woman should have regular check-ups so that her doctor can check for changes.

If breast cancer is diagnosed, treatment usually consists of surgery to remove the tumor plus radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and/or hormonal drugs (next time I will talk about breast cancer treatment ).

DONT MISTAKE A CELEB TO A ROLE MODEL

Ever ask ourselves the kind of role models we have, we all do have role model unless you live in some kind of underworld and no one wants to talk about anything or anyone, underworld, but if we do live in a promising world like this, we do have role models. The question is, is your role model hammering you into that responsible person you want to be?

It never  matter who we are, how to perfection we have grown, we all need that one person who can attract  us to our greatness, someone whom you naturally find irresistible and  watching them makes you feel like you are getting closer to your ideas.

Naturally human beings were made out of one another, God himself had to use that one rib to make another of its kind, I mean He could have just done it from dust any way! But He chose to use that one rib and created a woman out of.

We all develop from one another. We need role models to look up to, or may be, be the role models because out there, there are people watching us day and night. How we walk to our jobs, drive our cars how we raise our kids, someone is examining our moves, it could even be our kids, looking up to us, we need to reflect back that positive image for the.

It's no longer a surprise that parents can turn out to be role model for their kids, when it happens, ask yourself, did I make it right!  Did I give the best of me? I want my kid to become a doctor, well, I might not be that doctor myself, but am I paving the way to that? Make them know what it calls for their dreams to come true.
But here you are, your ways are a bunch of endless confusion, no one understands you, not even your kids, very Unfortunate. Most people today want to be models and not role models, look at the thin difference. Role models makes goal for you and try to make you good as they are, you wonder how they never get tired of their relentless efforts to grow and make a brand name, how you love it.

I have no doubt in my mind that one of Africa’s iconic writers makes your role models, especially those in love with the art of writing, talk of the late Chinua Achebe.  Whatever we ever wish to be, the desire was driven by someone, that first female pilot to fly the dream liner, the neurosurgeon who successfully separate the conjoined twins at the head, the engineer who made the longest bridge in the world, all this great men and women makes us even desire to do greeter things. Fellows who are just selfless and spend their entire life reaching out to people, someone motivated them to that, it feels good just doing it.

One unforgivable mistake  is misunderstand every public figure for a role model, whoever told us  that if someone comes on stage at night, three quarter naked and sing some nasty songs,  making some sexy moves is a role model is wrong.

We all need role models who bring out the true version of us, the version that carries itself with shoulders high not looking down upon itself keeping in mind that the journey is long, pretty rough but if they made it, I can and will. They had nothing special than I do now, some were not that privileged, the likes of Aliko Dangote, soft spoken richest man in the continent, Steve Jobe the co-founder of apple inc, Oprah Winfrey, Michelle Obama, this are some of the role models who believed in one thing, it’s possible. If you ever had a problem with finding a good role model, then make yourself one, be that good role model.

I'M NOT FINANCIALLY STABLE AS RUAMBWA CITY GIRLS WANTS ME TO BE

My hot girlfriend demands that we shift from my hot spacious bedsitter in Sidundo. My first problem is why she says “we” and yet she does not assist in rental payment. This “we” has a legal implication.

She says that she wants us to live in a flat where the Mezzanine floor, nine floors below us is occupied by Equity Bank. She alleges that I complain my bank is far from our neighborhood and thus we can’t have a toast to ourselves whenever she makes her unannounced Netanyahu visit.

Susan  demands more outings than necessary. She does not get it that my being an African-African man calls for less outdoor activities.

I can’t and won’t change from our ways.

Her reasonable reason of "us" shifting is that diffusion is the movement of materials from areas of high to low concentration.

When I asked her why? She said so. Susan in turn asked if I was not aware that my wallet is ever severely undernourished. That, she does not remember the last date my leather pouch was off malnutrition. It shocks me a lot, she should be happy at least I have a wallet, some don’t have one yet they are so puppy-happy.

I have always, consistently tried to reason with her, that I am a public accountant whose work is to follow some funny standards developed by a funny board in Fresno Carlifonia. That, my problem with money is how to spend it in line with the prudent concept….

Kula kidogokidogo ule siku nyingi.

Suzzie seems to believe in classical economics and more so in the Pareto efficiency. The one that says you cannot make yourself better off without worsening the case of another innocent guy.

This is the reason she wants to worsen my case.

The last time I felt being tricked is when my little brother could not respect my position as the first born son in our nuclear family.

Whenever my mama was making some beef for our supper, she used to allow me taste if the salt was enough. I later came to learn that it was called Iodized Sodium Chloride. It came a time when my brother started extending his hand expecting the favor to accrue to him too.

I felt like Esau.

Anyway, the matter resolved itself as fast as it had come when mama blacklisted any type of meat from our meals. She talked of something like “going green” and to that end she mentioned something like “beans are like meat”. Mamas never go wrong but for this I had sensed danger.

Some funny activist had surfaced in the large village with some not-so-serious gospel. That meat was not healthy for children. It was hard to convince my mama that we were no longer children but boys...boys with a dire need of proteins to grow.

Mama was the High Court and we were the victims. She banned meat. With my two brothers we formed a tribunal; victims and perpetrators.
We lost the suit even after involving our grandma as our lawyer, and going to the Supreme Court, to mzee, the decision of a lower court was confirmed.

They forgot a farmer's career is also his hobby. A jembe is a bar far above the metals in the gym when it comes to keeping fit. We were a farming family.

If you don’t believe me, show me a farmer who has ever been told to exercise in order to cut weight. If you do, I will show you a Rastafarian Chinese Monk.

And now after all these hustles and bustles my other significant three quarter wants us to shift. She should know that it has been a long walk to financial freedom.

Caveat Emptor, I am not financially stable like Ruambwa girls want me to be. It keeps me safe.

Well, I am not saying ‘never’ but it will take more than asking for me to shift. Like you know, no man is more intelligent than a woman. Susan defeats me in all aspects. Her feminine quinine is more addictive than fine morphine.
Susan is a jewel,
Sue is a well-bred girl,
She is a pearl from the sea,
Susanna is like Helen,
Helen of Troy,
She makes me defy kings,
I am her Antony,
She is my Cleopatra,
My Santa Susanna.

I have never been treated fairly by the world. Like there was this prefect who always included me on the list of noisemakers all the time; even if I was absent, the guy wrote my name on his list and I was ever number 2 on the damn list...well.... after Asanda. Josphat Asanda  was the same guy whose legs were harder than my Sandak shoes. But, he was a good boy. I wish I could meet him again.
Life is made of memories.
Life is about stories.
Art is life.
Art is about stories.

On being asked why I was on the list yet absent, he one day said," I am sure wherever he is, Dielman(my high school nickname)  is making noise".

Funny enough when I reported to school the next day, the teacher gave me three strokes for noise making, noise making while I was away at home.

As I remember this I have ordered a full kienyeji chicken at our favorite meeting joint, along Nyadorera-Uranga high way  for our monthly get together. Today I am meeting Susan. We need to deliberate on the issue of shifting. We agreed that we shall be meeting for a team building activity for two.

Tonight, on such a night like tonight's I will explain to her why the Titanic had to sink. I just have to let her know that the humming bird can fly backward. I won’t stop at explaining why a plane does not have a reverse gear…If she believes me, I will surprise her and surprise myself too. It is only I who knows what is in the pocket of my Italian leather jacket…

Is it Fiction or a  True story????
#comment
#Fisi_Fislet

TUBERCULOSIS AND HIV CO-INFECTION TB.

What is tuberculosis?

Tuberculosis, or 'TB', is an infection that most commonly attacks the lungs or throat (pulmonary TB).

It can also attack other parts of the body (extra-pulmonary TB), such as the lymph nodes, spine or brain.

If you're living with HIV, it means that you are more likely to develop TB because of a weak immune system.3 However, you can reduce the risk of TB by taking your HIV treatment properly to keep your immune system strong and healthy.

If you're living with HIV you should get tested for TB regularly.

How do you get TB?

Pulmonary TB is the only type of TB that can be passed on to others. If someone with TB coughs or sneezes, the bacteria in these tiny droplets can be inhaled by another person.

However, not everyone infected with TB will become ill. There are two types of TB infection; 'active' and 'inactive'.

Active TB

Active tuberculosis means TB is spreading throughout the body, and the immune system cannot prevent illness and symptoms of TB.

Symptoms of active TB include:

a cough for more than 3 weeks
extreme tiredness
fever
night sweats
loss of appetite
weight loss.
Symptoms of active extra-pulmonary TB often include swollen glands or pain in the affected area.

Inactive TB

If a person has inactive (or latent) TB, it means their body has been able to fight TB and stop it from causing illness. They do not have symptoms and can't pass TB to other people.

In some people, TB remains inactive for their whole life. In other people, TB may become active if their immune system weakens - for example by HIV.

The risks of HIV and TB co-infection

If you're living with HIV and have tuberculosis, you are said to have a co-infection. This means that tuberculosis:

is harder to diagnose
spreads faster
is more likely to be fatal if left untreated
can spread to other parts of the body
is more likely to return after being treated
is harder to treat if you have a drug-resistant strain.

How can I prevent TB?

It's difficult to prevent TB because it can be passed on via the air. Covering the mouth with a hand or tissue when coughing or sneezing can help to stop the spread of TB.

The most effective way to prevent TB is to get tested and treated in order to prevent passing it to others.

BCG vaccine

There is a vaccine against TB called the BCG, but the vaccine is now very old (it was first used in the 1920s). It is around 80% effective but only for 15 years, and so it is being phased out in some countries where TB is not a major problem.

Can I get tested for TB?

There are many types of TB tests. Usually TB is diagnosed by a blood test. However, other options could be a sample of sputum (the mucous that is coughed up from the airways) or other body fluid. In other cases a small amount of TB protein may be injected under the skin to see if there's a reaction.

A chest x-ray may also be recommended to see if TB has scarred the lungs.

How is TB treated?

Treating active TB

Active TB can almost always be cured with antibiotics. For pulmonary TB, they're usually taken daily for six months. For people with TB in other parts of their body, treatment will last longer.

Treating inactive TB

Treatment is not required for most people with inactive TB. However, if you're living with HIV, TB treatment is necessary to cure and prevent TB causing illness. A similar course of treatment to that for active TB will be recommended.

Treating TB and HIV at the same time

If you have TB and HIV it can be difficult to take drugs for both at the same time because of the number of drugs, how often they need to be taken, and because of drug interactions.

Sometimes you may be asked to take your treatment in the presence of a healthcare professional to check you are taking it correctly

What happens if I don't take my TB treatment correctly?

If people infected with TB don't, or can't, take their treatment properly, or stop taking it before the end of their course of treatment, TB becomes resistant to the drugs and they stop working.

At this point, the treatment options are limited as the other available drugs are less effective. You will be closely monitored throughout treatment to ensure it's working.

It's important you take TB treatment correctly for the whole length of the course to prevent TB becoming resistant to the antibiotics.

DEAR FRESHMAN, WHAT TO WATCH OUT WHEN YOU GET TO CAMPUS

Dear freshman, I’m perched on a rickety chair in my airy campus room as I craft this dispatch to you. This place, as you’ll soon learn, owes you nothing — not even a degree. Nonetheless, as an older sibling with three years campus experience, I congratulate you for a high school education well ‘killed’. Slaying algebra and Chemistry Paper 3 is not like IEBC demonstrations. How have you been? Are your letters of admission ready? Did you bribe a doctor to fill up the medical bit in that form? That part about rules on examinations is paramount, re-read it.

If you are caught thieving exams, suspension is a whole year. And you graduate with a pass. Fridays will own a peppery feel of happiness hooked in the air. Bright posters will scream in invitation; freaky Friday. Let’s party till dawn! Parties are good, and alcohol better when you have money — not HELB, lest you burn your liver by gulping cheap liquor. Try not to stagger around at noon. You didn’t study CRE to litter campus with your drunken person. And ooh! I remembered something, you’ve heard of house parties? Take caution when you attend one, especially you little sister. Men in campus are a lustful lot. If spiking your drink will have you suspend chastity, they’ll do so.

Come along with a ‘CU’ friend. It’s safer. Date if you can. It’s the only way of learning about heartbreaks, commitment and for guys; it’ll remind you that your wives are still in Form Two, thinking of burning schools. So, don’t date a fool. If she’s always taking selfies, think twice. If he’s into FIFA, never reads a book or a newspaper, poverty alert! I’m aware that the pastor demanded you abstain. Be aware that temptations will demand otherwise. HIV is alive, roaming about like those lions did on Lang’ata Road. And people get pregnant just after they let out an ‘aww’. Use a condom dude. Ladies, withdrawal is for M-Pesa only! Folks, who you date, are never serious, what are serious are the grades you seduce.

Four years is too short a time to spend finding and losing yourself in a roll of weed, a glass of hooch or a club hammering Ds after Ds in CATs. Curve your own path. Be passionate about something important. If you dance, dance. If you act, act. You’ll be busy pursuing your passion when others nurse body aches after engaging the GSU — during strikes — hapo University Way in tupa teargas nikuridishie antics.

There’s a fat goat graduate that usually chase in the hope of slaughtering, skinning and roasting. He’s called employment. And he’s rare like an Indian’s underwear. To get hired, because no one recognizes medals earned from having lots of casual sex in lots of casual areas, attend your lectures. It’s manageable. ‘Steal exams’ and don’t get caught. Take your assignments seriously and ask the question when everyone wants the lecturer to walk out. As you check in, remember to live within your means, to read good books, to drink lots of water and to watch SpongeBob SquarePants. Have fun!'

EVEN A BLIND MAN CAN SEE IMMORALITY IN OUR VARSITIES; WHERE ARE WE HEADED TO?

Where are we headed to? I remember her. I remember the joy in her parents’ faces when they received the good news of her KCSE results. Stacy had passed with flying colors. Shortly, she joined one of the leading universities in the country. Her love for legal and justice affairs had drove her to pursue a course of her dreams; Bachelor of laws (LLB). That time she joined 1st year, the innocent look in her eyes tells it all. Being fresh from high school Stacy was a bit shy.

This proved her incorruptibility in the world of men. Weeks curved into months, months into semesters and the innocence in Stacy’s world was greeted by different backgrounds. A girl who was once born innocent has now had campus life destroy her. You cannot fail to spot her in all the famous joints and clubs in the town sleeping and hanging out with different folks ranging from juniors to those aged affluent men during the weekends.

Once known religious girl who formed a heroic and inspiring figure to many in the village is now fast drinking herself to an early grave. What has now remained of a once innocent and responsible girl is her glorious past.

In recent years university students were highly respected by the society. The reason not only being in a university but also acting as role models to the young generation in the society. What about now? Even a blind man can see the difference. Universities have become the center of evil in the society Unlike the past where a university was an implicitly called upon to educate and train the multiple intelligences for the benefit of society in various fields and inclinations, today university students however seems to be changing the general view of which these institutions are best known for.

Many students oh sorry comrades as they like being referred to will agree with me that the most memorable moments of campus life are those weekends when there is a campus party or a friend’s ‘Bash’. This is where ladies would leave nothing to imagination in their dressing for the party and when boys move their waists, dust will always break the law of gravity. However, these parties have now turned into dens of deaths, fights, rape cases and disease infections centers!

The most memorable of all is “fresher’s” nights. Innocent students from the village are introduced to campus freedom where no one from your home neither your dad nor mum is there to remind you to always keep your legs together. This is where senior students dump their girlfriends to ‘petition and scramble’ for the new ‘yellow yellow’ ladies who are still fresh from high school. And as operation ‘Ponyoka na Fresher’ continues, a tear goes down the cheeks of dumped girlfriends and in process resorting to embracing ‘sponsors’ for solace.

This has resulted into most students losing their lives in mysterious love triangles as recently witnessed of a Kenyatta university student stabbed to death by her man ‘sponsor’ following a love turned sour affair.

Sexual relationships between lecturers and students are also becoming a contemporary issue in our campuses. A lady gets to the university but after 1st semester, she realizes that education life is not simple and she discovers ways of getting excellent grades. Call them Sexually Transmitted Grades (STGs) if you like. The same is witnessed on male comrades though not common. Yes you have STGs with you, but what about STIs/STDs? For you to be awarded that good grade and avoid this scary animal called ‘Sup’ you have to submit to the lecturer’s demands lest your graduation day lives to be ‘future impossible tense’.

Well, where are the ethics that our great grandfathers/mothers would always teach us? Or who will teach us? Are we fast forgetting them? After having fun for a whole semester and forgetting about books, cheating becomes a priority for many students. From the old school ‘mwakenya’ to the modern era ‘Goggling power’ bestowed to them by the power of technology students have since upgraded their games.

This has gone a notch higher impacting heavily on the quality of our university degrees. As a result, one can graduate with good grades in a degree that he/she is not fully equipped with all that pertains the course hence affecting our quality of education. Gone are the days when our girls used to cook like their mothers, they now drink like their fathers! Gone are the days when our boys used to dress like their fathers, they now dress like their sisters!

It is only in university where you find someone walking half naked yet the person is referred to as well dressed. It is only here where you find men wearing tights like their female counterparts and the trend is seen as a ‘swag’. Our institutions of higher learning are quickly transforming from Foundations of knowledge into ‘Foundations of Immorality’ Parents believe that once their sons and daughters join institutions of higher learning, they become responsible beings, but that is not the case. Many now days leave home ‘Vertically’ and unfortunately return ‘Horizontally’ if not with contagions! To better the future and have a generation on which the country can depend on, things must change. We must embrace moral ethics in the society. Of course if one goes against the societal ethics, he/she is not subjected to any punishment but let’s leave what is not good for the society behind in the name of “swag”.

SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS

Several of you have asked about sexually transmitted diseases. Today we will start with Chlamydia: The most important things to remember is that you can get any kind of sexually transmitted disease if you have sex with more than one person and/or if you do not know if the person you have sex with is free of infection. It is a good idea to be tested before having sex with anyone if you have had sex in the past. Additionally, you should be sure to make sure the person you intend to have sex with is tested. Many STDs/STIs do not have obvious symptoms so it is important to pay attention to your bodies and to look at the private areas of a potential partner.

It is critically important that you take any medication for the full length of time it is prescribed. Do not stop just because you feel better. If you do the infection can come back even stronger.

What Is a Chlamydia Infection?
Chlamydia is a common sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by bacteria. People who have chlamydia often do not have outward symptoms in the early stages. That might make you think you shouldn’t worry. However, chlamydia can cause health problems in the later stages, including preventing women from getting pregnant or even endangering their pregnancies.

If you have unprotected sex with someone whose STI status you’re not certain of, get tested for chlamydia and other STIs. You should get tested every time you might have been exposed. The treatment for chlamydia is oral antibiotics given either in multiple doses or just one dose. Waiting too long to treat it can cause serious complications. Make sure you talk to a doctor as soon as you think you might have been exposed.

Part 2 of 8: Causes
Causes of Chlamydia Infection
Sex without a condom and unprotected oral sex are the main ways a chlamydia infection can spread. You don’t have to have penetration to get it. Touching genitals together may also transmit the bacteria. It can also be contracted during anal sex.

Newborn babies can acquire chlamydia from their infected mother during birth. Most prenatal testing includes a chlamydia test, but it doesn’t hurt to double-check with your OB-GYN during your first prenatal checkup.

Someone can get a chlamydia infection in the eye through oral or genital contact with the eyes, but this isn’t common.

Part 3 of 8: Risk Factors
Risk Factors of Chlamydia Infection
Men and women can get the infection, but women are more likely to be diagnosed. Statistically, you’re more likely to get an STI if you have sex with more than one person. Infection rates are highest among younger women partly because their immature cervical cells are vulnerable to infection, but older age isn’t a protection. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that all sexually active women age 25 and younger get screened for chlamydia every year, as well as older women with risk factors like multiple or new partners.

Other risk factors include having an STI in the past or currently having an infection because that could lower your resistance. Being raped puts you at risk for chlamydia. If you are forced into any sexual activity, including oral sex, you should get tested.

Part 4 of 8: Symptoms
Recognizing the Signs and Symptoms of Chlamydia
Many people don’t notice the symptoms of chlamydia. If symptoms do appear, it’s usually one to three weeks after you have been infected. Some of the most common symptoms include:

burning sensation during urination
discharge from the penis or vagina (yellow or green)
pain in the lower abdomen
pain in the testicles
painful sexual intercourse in women (dyspareunia)
In some women, the infection can spread to the fallopian tubes, which may cause a condition called pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). PID is a medical emergency. The symptoms of PID are fever, severe pelvic pain, nausea, and abnormal bleeding between periods.

It’s also possible to get a chlamydia infection in the anus. In this case, the main symptoms are often discharge, pain, and bleeding from this area.

If you have oral sex with someone who has the infection, you may get it in your throat. You may notice a sore throat, a cough, or fever, but it’s possible to carry the bacteria in your throat and not know it.

Part 5 of 8: Diagnosis
Diagnosing Chlamydia
When you see a doctor about chlamydia, you will likely be asked about your symptoms. If you don’t have any, your doctor may ask why you think you might have the infection. In this case, it’s important to talk about how you think you were exposed.

The most effective diagnostic test for chlamydia is to swab the vagina in women and to test the urine in men. If there is a chance the infection is in your anus or throat, these areas may be swabbed as well.

Part 6 of 8: Treatment
Treating Chlamydia
The good news is that chlamydia is easy to treat. Since it’s bacterial in nature, it’s treated with antibiotics. Azithromycin is an antibiotic usually prescribed in a single, large dose, but the dose may also be spread out over 5 days. Doxycycline is an antibiotic that must be taken twice per day for about one week.

Your doctor may prescribe other antibiotics. No matter which antibiotic you are given, you will need to follow the dosage instructions carefully to make sure the infection clears up fully. This can take up to two weeks, even with the single-dose medicines. Don’t have sex during the treatment time. Unfortunately, you can get chlamydia again if you’re exposed, even if you’ve had it and it was treated.

Part 7 of 8: Complications
Complications
If you see the doctor soon after you suspect you’ve contracted chlamydia, you will likely be able to clear up the infection with no lasting problems. You may experience serious medical issues if you wait too long to treat it.

Female Complications
Some women develop pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), an infection that can damage the uterus, cervix, and ovaries. PID is a painful disease that often requires hospital treatment.

Women can also become infertile if chlamydia is left untreated because the fallopian tubes may become scarred. Pregnant women with the infection can pass the bacteria to their babies during birth, which can cause eye infections and pneumonia in newborns.

Male Complications
Men can also experience complications when chlamydia is left untreated. For example, the epididymis, the tube that holds the testicles in place, may become inflamed, causing pain. This is known as epididymitis. The infection can also spread to the prostate gland, causing a fever, painful intercourse, and discomfort in the lower back.

These are just some of the most common complications of untreated chlamydia, which is why it’s important to get medical attention right away. Most people who get treatment quickly have no long-term medical problems.

Part 8 of 8: Prevention
How to Prevent Chlamydia
The surest way for a sexually active person to avoid contracting chlamydia is to have sex with a condom unless you are absolutely certain your partner isn’t carrying the infection. You should either avoid having oral sex or use protection during oral sex until you know the other person doesn’t have chlamydia. Use protection with each new partner and get tested for chlamydia and other sexually transmitted diseases between each new partner.

POOR PARENTING- A CANCER TO TREAT

Today we take a look at young parents and the bad habits that reflect in the children.

The Swahili say, "kuzaa si kazi, kazi ni kulea mwana". I concur with this though with a rider that in these days of abusing P2 and abortions men you may soon realise, taking care of a child is easier than actually impregnating a woman. Behind every pregnant woman there's a hardworking man.

I look at the children of these years especially Generation  Xaxa, xweetie, xphagetti, xex and I look at the past with nostalgia. Where are the days children could run when called by adults? When the words "sorry, sir, madam, excuse" were the norm? The levels of indiscipline is increasing giving rise to social ills. Some of the reasons for this are;

1. Absentee parents; parents nowadays have abdicated their roles. The obsession with daycare centres especially among the working class denies the child the parental touch. Much as job demands weigh down on parents, trend is emerging where even on weekends parents are busy with dance mates and are busy with their bottles.

2. Copycat parents; young parents are exposing their children to sexual attraction at a tender age. Aping whites in everything in guise of exposure is utter rubbish! It's silly how young parents teach their children how to kiss at a tender age. Such acts like "kiss mummy" "hug daddy" to young kids like seriously. Some couples engage in mouth-mouth resuscitation(kissing) before their young kids. We are showing them this is the norm and once in class 6 they begin kissing irrespective of their rotten teeth and smelling mouth. This leads to increased sexual age and before you know it your class 7 daughter has "stomach"

3. Pampering kids; most generation X were pampered by the parents thus they grow up knowing they must be babied. Sparing the rod has never been the best option for nyathi jarateng' who empties his bottoms while closing the eyes (kiro munyaga komiyo wang'e)

4. Mediocre child rights; this madness about excessive children rights has played a role in the rising indiscipline among children. That a child has the right to dictate which food he wants for supper is a big dream. Some parents for fear of the law begin bribing their children with pizza to do assignments.

5. Probox houses; now if you want to live in towns please plan for rent. If you have children and you are living in a single room you're spoiling your children. How on earth do you begin crying like rabid dogs in the reason of "straw and bottle" exchange programme while your kids are pretending to be asleep?

The challenges relating to poor parenting are the reasons for the rise in societal ills among the young people. Parents must be there for their children who should learn the habits from them. Running away from the responsibility of the evidence of navigation of the Southern Kingdom is dangerous for the children. They grow to be social infidels.

Lastly, there are these young parents still with a knack of rave. You must henceforth realise that the moment you gave birth you ceased being that kid you were. I know the temptations are high but not at the expense of your kid. It's important to play a mother. If you cannot then it's better you take that child to a children's home and assume you never had a child other than subjecting the little kid to illicit intimacy from your sexual escapades.

7 Common Reasons For Delayed Periods

Missing periods is always fortunate bad news especially when not trying for a baby. Fortunate because you get to avoid cramps and pains, but bad news because “where the hell are they?”
well, there are a few reasons why your periods may delay, aside from being pregnant.

1. Major Weight Loss or Excessive Exercise

Participating in some rigorous physical exercise, or serious conditions like anorexia and bulimia can cause missed periods. It can be considered as nature’s way of protecting you from getting pregnant if your body is under such extreme stress.

2. Stress

A big scary event in your life can cause hypothalamic amenorrhea.
the hypothalamus, is where a lot of the hormones for your period are regulated. When this disorder comes about (its just temporary for the period you are stressed) the hypothalamus’ functions are interefered with…meaning regulating the release of the hormones involved in menstruating will be tampered with, and thus delayed periods.

3. A Thyroid Irregularity

The thyroid gland, located in your neck, regulates your metabolism. It also interacts with many other systems in your body to keep things running smoothly.any type of thyroid imbalance, whether it’s hypo- or hyperthyroidism, can have implications for your period,

4. Polycystic Ovary Symptom (PCOS)

PCOS is a hormone imbalance that comes down to a lack of ovulation, so you have altered levels of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone It can cause you to completely miss your period or just not menstruate regularly
Other PCOS symptoms include hair growth in places like the face and chest, difficulty losing weight, and potential fertility issues

5. Birth Control Methods

A missing period can actually be a harmless byproduct of the measures you take to avoid pregnancy. “Some low-dose pills will cause a lack of menses that isn’t dangerous and is many times a welcome side effect other methods like hormonal IUDs, implants, or shots may also bring this about. It can also take some time for your period to come back if you’ve stopped birth control, but it will usually resume without issue in a few months

6. Premature Menopause

When women under 40 have hormones misfiring in a significant way, they can go through premature menopause, also known as premature ovarian failure. Along with missed periods, signs of it include hot flashes, night sweats, and vaginal dryness.

7. Travelling

there is a dramatic time change whenever U travel, especially over a long distance. your regular internal biological clock – or the circadian rhythm – gets thrown off. It may cause all kinds of problems from irritability, exhaustion and fatigue, stomach problems, and even lack of appetite. circadian rhythm influences hormone release and other important bodily functions, so when your rhythm is off, this can affect the hormones – such as estrogen and progesterone – that play a key role in ovulation and your menstrual cycle.
So there you have it, its not always pregnancy that causes delayed periods for a girl.

MYTHS ABOUT HIV AND AIDS

There are lots of myths about how you can get HIV. Here we discuss those myths to make sure you know the truth about how HIV is passed on.

HIV is passed on from person to person if infected body fluids (such as blood, semen, vaginal or anal secretions and breast milk) get into your blood stream.The five main ways this can happen are:

unprotected sex from mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding injecting drugs with a needle that has infected blood in itinfected blood donations or organ transplantsa healthcare worker who gets the blood of an infected patient inside their body.

You cannot get HIV from…

Someone who doesn’t have HIV

You can only get HIV from someone who is already infected with HIV.

Touching someone who has HIV

HIV can’t survive outside of the body so you won’t get HIV from touching someone, hugging them or shaking their hand.

Sweat, tears, urine or faeces of someone who has HIV

There is no HIV in an infected person’s sweat, tears, urine or faeces.

Mutual masturbation

Mutual masturbation, fingering and hand-jobs are all safe from HIV. However, if you use sex toys make sure you use a new condom on them when switching between partners( remember these is accepted biblically).

Insects

You cannot get HIV from insects. When an insect (such as a mosquito) bites you it sucks your blood – it does not inject the blood of the last person it bit.

Air

HIV cannot survive in the air so coughing, sneezing or spitting cannot transmit HIV.

New or sterilised needles

New needles cannot transmit HIV because they haven’t been in the body of an infected person. If used needles are cleaned and sterilised properly they can’t transmit HIV either.

Water

HIV can’t survive in water, so you won’t get HIV from swimming pools, baths, shower areas or from drinking water.

Toilet seats, tables, door handles, cutlery, sharing towels

HIV doesn’t survive on surfaces, so you can’t get HIV from any of these.

Musical instruments

HIV can’t survive on musical instruments. Even if it is an instrument that you play using your mouth, it can’t give you HIV.

Used condoms

HIV can only survive for a really short amount of time outside of the body. Even if the condom had sperm from an HIV-positive person in it, the HIV would be dead.

Kissing

There is such a small amount of HIV in the saliva of an infected person that HIV can’t be passed on from kissing. There is only a risk if you both have large open sores or bleeding gums and blood is exchanged.

Oral sex

As with kissing, the risk of HIV from oral sex is so small unless you or your partner have large open sores on the genital area or bleeding gums/sores in your mouth. Always use a condom or dental dam to eliminate the risk.

Tattoos and piercings

There is only a risk if the needle used by the professional has been used in the body of an HIV-infected person and not sterilised afterwards.

If I get infected fluid from an HIV-positive person into my body will I definitely get HIV?

No, HIV is not always passed on from an infected person. There are lots of reasons why this is the case. For example, if the HIV-positive person is on treatment it will reduce the amount of HIV in their body meaning it is unlikely to be passed on.

Also, if you get infected blood into your body you may be able to take post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), which stops the virus from becoming an infection. However it’s not available everywhere and has to be taken within 72 hours to be effective.

It’s really important to always take a HIV test if you think you have been at risk of HIV.

Isn’t HIV only a risk for certain groups of people?

Some people think that only certain groups of people can get HIV but they are wrong.

Everyone is at risk of HIV if you get HIV into your bloodstream via one of the ways mentioned above.

Some people have a higher risk of getting HIV because they engage in certain activities (e.g.injecting drugs) that are more likely to transmit the virus, or they have lots of sex partners and don’t use a condom.

I’m HIV-positive and so is my partner so we don’t have to worry about HIV do we?

Wrong. There are many strains of the HIV virus. If you get infected with 2 or more strains of HIV it can cause problems for your treatment. Make sure you are still using condoms if you and your partner are living with HIV.

It’s easy to tell the symptoms of HIV…

Wrong. The symptoms of HIV can differ from person-to-person and some people may not get any symptoms at all. Without treatment, the virus will get worse over time and damage your immune system. There are three stages of HIV infection with different possible effects.

BEING YOUNG AND POSITIVE

Whether you have only recently found out you have HIV, or you have grown up knowing you have HIV, being a young person living with HIV brings its own challenges.

Your teenage years are a time of great change – your body develops and changes during puberty as you become an adult, and these changes often go hand in hand with lots of emotions. You may also be finishing school, taking exams, and thinking about your future. This is also a time when many people have some of their first relationships. It can be an intense and exciting time, but it can also be difficult.

Taking responsibility for your health

If you were born with HIV and were diagnosed at a young age, you may have been going to a doctor or clinic that specialises in child health for a long time. Even if you were diagnosed more recently, perhaps in your early teens, it’s likely that one of your parents, or a guardian, has gone with you to the clinic and helped you remember to take your treatment.

As you get older, you may want to take more responsibility for your own health care and treatment. There may be things you want to discuss with a healthcare professional without your parents being present. Eventually, your health care will be transferred to an adult clinic, and this can feel like a big change.

Your parents, and your clinic staff, will still want to know how you are doing, and whether you are taking your treatment, but more of the responsibility will be on you. Think about what you can do to remind yourself to take your treatment, and to manage your appointments. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Many people find support from family and friends helpful, as well as practical things like setting an alarm, or keeping drugs in a pill box with the days of the week on it.

Telling your friends

Making decisions about whether to tell your friends about HIV is different for everyone. Some people are very open about having HIV – perhaps all your friends and family already know, and it doesn’t feel like a big issue for you.

For other people, fear or experience of rejection, bullying, or gossip makes telling people about HIV feel like a really difficult decision. Remember, it’s your choice, and you don’t have to tell people if you don’t want to.

Often, young people living with HIV find it helpful to get to know other people in the same situation. There are support groups and activities for young people living with HIV, and this can be a good opportunity to share your feelings and talk about how other people cope. You may decide that you don’t want to tell anyone else for now, and that’s fine.

If there is someone, or a group of friends, who you want to share your HIV-positive diagnosis with, then it’s a good idea to think about how you might tell them. Think about how they might react, and the kind of questions they might have, so you can be prepared with the information you want to give them. Think about when and where would be a good time to tell them, so you won’t be interrupted or rushed.

Having relationships

Some people with HIV worry that they can never have a relationship, or have sex, or that they will never be loved because they have HIV. None of these things are true - people living with HIV fall in love, have sex, have relationships, marry, have children… all the things that people who don’t have HIV do too. It’s also completely possible to do all of these things without passing HIV on to someone else.

When you start a new relationship, it can be really exciting and fun, and it can be intense, as you find out about each other.

Having a relationship with someone who doesn’t have HIV (sometimes called a mixed-status relationship) might raise some particular questions for you – when should you tell them that you have HIV? How will they react? How can you have sex without passing on HIV?

Deciding how and what to tell them will probably involve a lot of the same considerations as telling a friend. Think about how they might react and the questions they might have. It’s up to you to decide how much to tell them and when. You may feel like you want to avoid having a difficult conversation, but bear in mind that if you wait for a long time they may be upset that you didn’t tell them sooner.

Having sex

If you’re going to have sex, remember that using male condoms or female condoms correctly is a really effective way of preventing HIV, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unplanned pregnancy. Many clinics can provide you with free condoms and other contraception, as well as confidential information and advice.

If you are taking HIV treatment and it’s keeping the level of HIV in your body (viral load) very low, that also reduces the risk of HIV being passed on. For women, there are also additional ways of preventing pregnancy, including the contraceptive pill, implant or injection. It’s important to tell your doctor if you’re taking HIV treatment and contraception together, as some HIV drugs interact with them and make the contraception less effective.

It’s a good idea to talk to your partner about these things before you have sex, if you can, so that you can share the responsibility for having safer sex. If your partner knows about HIV, it can make it easier to talk about using condoms.

Having HIV shouldn’t stop you from having great sex – you have just as much right to a fulfilling and healthy sex life as anyone else – but don’t feel that you have to have sex just because your partner wants to.6 It’s up to you to decide when you feel ready for sex and they should respect that

OVULATION

While sperms can survive upto 5 days inside tge woman’s system, the Egg (OVUM) has a much shorter lifespan, staying viable for only a day after its production. This underlines the importance of doing perfect timing when trying for a baby. The body normally gives some signs to inform the woman when she’s ovulating and there are other tips to help you with doing the perfect timing. Here are a few;

HOW TO KNOW WHEN YOU'RE OVULATING

Listen to your body temperature
about a 1/5 of all women’s bodies usually send them a ‘memo’ during this time. As the egg moves from the ovary into the uterus, the movement is assisted by muscle contractions. These contractions can be felt as a series of cramps in the lower abdomen, usually felt more on 1 side either left or right.

Examine your vaginal fluid
 when approaching Ovulation date, the discharge usually undergoes changes in quantity and consistency. Typically, it will increase in quantity, and become thicker, stickier due to increased mucus content.
Buy your kit
these work by measuring the levels of the luteinizing hormone (L.H) that rises higher as you’re about to ovulate. All you need to do is pee on the stick and it will do the rest, much like the pregnancy prediction stick

Track Your Cycle
keep a calendar of your menstrual cycle over a few months; 3-5 months. Normal cycles last 28 days, and the Big-O occurs exactly midway; On the 14th day after the beginning of the previous periods. In order to get pregnant, have unprotected sex from Day 12, through to day 16 to increase your chances of success. For irregular periods, you can also just time midway of the cycle, and combine with the other ways of checking to improve your chances

Eat Right  
some foods have been known to improve fertility both in terms of improving egg quality and creating a condusive uterine environment for the foetus to develop.
••Switch protein sources: Replace some of the animal protein; beef, pork or chicken you eat with vegetable protein sources, such as cooked dried beans and nuts.
••Switch to whole milk instead of the low-fat milk (these are usually clearly indicated on the milk packets).
••Folic acid found in leafy vegetables, fortified cereals and dried beans and peas.

Daddy's Part
most of the above apply for the mummy, but even with a super-egg, the daddy also needs to bring good quality of sperms to make this pregnancy a success.
••avoid briefs, go for boxers. Boxers allow the testicles to hang further from the body, keeping them at optimum temperature for sperm production and storage
•• Tomatoes, Lentils, pomegranates and pumpkin seeds are among the foods known to be good antioxidants that improve blood circulation and also ensure good sperm quality and mobility. And lastly on that note, stay well hydrated by drinking lots of water to increase the ejaculate and help with the sperm count.
•• Keep off Diet drinks and caggeine. These have been linked to low sperm counts.

WHAT IS PRE-EXPOSURE PROPHYLAXIS (PREP)

What is PrEP

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a course of HIV drugs taken daily by HIV negative people most at risk of HIV to reduce their risk of HIV infection.

Truvada is currently the only drug approved for use as PrEP. Truvada is a single pill that is a combination of two anti-HIV drugs, tenofovir and emtricitabine.

How does PrEP prevent HIV?

If you have exposed yourself to HIV, for example by having protect sex with someone who is living with HIV, taking PrEP correctly can stop the virus from establishing itself in your body.

How effective is PrEP?

If used consistently, PrEP can reduce the risk of getting HIV from unprotected sex by over 90%. If you inject drugs, PrEP can reduce your risk of HIV by more than 70%.

However, because it’s not 100% effective, it should always be used with condoms , safer sex practices, clean injection equipment, and other HIV prevention methods.

If I take PrEP ,can I stop using condom ?

No, you shouldn’t stop using condoms. While it significantly reduces your risk of HIV infection, PrEP isn’t fully protective and should be combined with other methods like condoms to reduce your risk even further.

PrEP also doesn’t give you any protection against sexually transmitted infections (STIs) . That’s why it’s doubly important to use condoms as they are highly effective at preventing HIV and some STIs like gonorrhea and chlamydia .

Who can take PrEP?

PrEP it isn’t recommended for everyone. It’s for people who are HIV-negative and at a high risk of HIV infection.

PrEP may be an option for you if:

you’re in an ongoing relationship with a partner living with HIVyou’re sexually active with more than one person, even if they recently tested negative for HIVyou’re a heterosexual who doesn't use condoms with partners whose HIV status is unknown and are at high risk of HIV infection (for example, they inject drugs or have bisexual male partners)you’ve shared injecting equipment or have been in a treatment programme for injecting drug useyou’re in a heterosexual relationship where one partner has HIV and the other doesn’t, to protect the uninfected partner during conception and pregnancy.

Where is PrEP available ?

Currently, PrEP is available in the USA, South Africa, Kenya, Canada, France, Israel and Peru – and many other countries are close to offering the service.

International guidelines now recommend that PrEP should be made widely available, so even if it's not available to you right now, it may be an option in the future.

How can I take PrEP and for How long?

If PrEP is available in your country, talk to your healthcare professional to find out if it’s the right HIV prevention option for you.

PrEP needs to be taken every day for it to work. Also, you must take an HIV test  before starting PrEP to be sure that you don’t already have HIV.

Every three months while you’re taking it, you’ll have to visit your healthcare professional for regular check-ups.

Does PrEP have any side effects?

In some people PrEP can cause minor side effects like nausea, vomiting, fatigue and dizziness, but these eventually disappear over time.

If you’re taking PrEP and experience any side effects that are severe or don’t go away, tell your healthcare professional.

WHAT IS INVOLVED IN TESTING???

It is really common to feel a little worried about going for an HIV  test. But making the decision to test is the best thing you can do for your health. The process is quick, painless, confidential and almost always free.

The health care worker-there to help you

Before you test, your healthcare worker will talk to you about your sexual health, why you've decided to get treatment , and any risks you may have taken.

Remember, the healthcare professional is not there to judge you. There is most likely nothing you can say that they haven’t heard from someone else. Be honest with them, and ask as many questions as you want – that is what they are there for.

You should never feel pressured to test. The results will be completely confidential and you should only go through with it if you want to.

If the doctors feel you are at a high risk of HIV, they may give you post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). This is a course of emergency HIV treatment  that will reduce your chance of being infected with HIV. Speak to your healthcare worker for more information about this.  

The HIV Test

There are a variety of different HIV tests. The healthcare worker should explain which test you will be given and how you will get your results of . Normally, testing involves taking a small sample of blood from either your finger or your arm, or a sample of oral fluid. If you are taking a rapid test, you will be given your results within 20 minutes. Other types of tests will be sent to a laboratory and you may have to wait for the result. It can take between a day and two weeks for the final result.

How HIV test works

Third Generation HIV test
(ELISA test)

When you become infected with HIV, your body will start to produce specific antibodies (proteins that attach to the virus to try and destroy it). An HIV antibody test looks for these antibodies in your blood, saliva or urine. If these antibodies are found, it means you are infected with HIV. This test is only accurate after three months, because this is how long it takes your body to produce enough antibodies for it to show up in a test.

Fourth generation HIV test (ELISA combined Antigen /Antibody)

Fourth generation tests look for HIV antibodies, but also for something called p24 antigens. The p24 antigens are part of HIV itself, so you have a lot of these in your blood in the first few weeks after infection. This is why you are most infectious to others in this period too. Fourth generation tests can detect HIV from 11 days to 1 month after you have been infected.

Rapid HIV test

Results for your HIV test can now be given at the healthcare centre, without the need for samples to be sent to a laboratory. There is a variety of different rapid tests and most test for HIV antibodies. While these tests are reliable, laboratory testing may be better in some situations, as rapid tests have a slightly higher chance of giving a 'false positive' result (shows you have HIV when you don't).

Here is a breakdown of the most common tests:

HIV test

What do they test for?

What is window period?

How long for the results?

Reliability

Third generation antibody tests

HIV antibodies

3 months

 Between 1 to 7 days

High

Fourth generation antibody/antigen tests

HIV antibodies and p24 viral proteins (antigens)

11 days – 1 month

Between a few days and a few weeks

High

Rapid tests

HIV antibodies

3 months

Within 20 minutes

Satisfactory for uncomplicated infection

Self testing

HIV self-testing is only available in the USA and the UK. These rapid tests give a result in 15 – 20 minutes.

If you decide to test for HIV in your home, make sure that the testing kit you are using is made specifically for self-testing and that it has a ‘CE’ mark on it (UK), or it is FDA-approved (USA) We don't have this in Kenya . That way, you’ll know that the tests are regulated and work properly. It is also very important that you follow the instructions on your HIV testing kit. If you have any questions about self-testing, speak to a healthcare professional.

ULCERS

The sole cause of ulcers has not been found yet. But according to the latest studies about them, an ulcer is the end result of an imbalance between digestive fluids in the stomach and duodenum.

Most ulcers are caused by an infection with a type of bacteria called Helicobacter pylori(H. pylori).

 

RISK FACTORS INCLUDE:

*Use of painkillers called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs ( NSAIDs), such as aspirin, naproxen, ibuprofen, and many others available by prescription;

*Excess acid production from gastrinomas, tumors of the acid producing cells of the stomach that increases acid output

*Excessive drinking of alcohol

* Smoking or chewing tobacco

*Serious illness

*. Radiation treatment to the area

Symptoms do not always show up, but when they do, they may include:

*A gnawing or burning pain in the middle or upper stomach between meals or at night
* Bloating
* Heartburn
* Nausea or vomiting

In severe cases, symptoms can include:
*Dark or black stool (due to bleeding)
* Vomiting blood
* Weight loss
*Severe pain in the mid to upper abdomen

**How Serious Is an Ulcer?

Though ulcers often heal on their own, you shouldn’t ignore their warning signs. If not properly treated, ulcers can lead to serious health problems, including:

*.Bleeding

*.Perforation (a hole through the wall of the stomach)

*.Gastric outlet obstruction from swelling or scarring that blocks the passageway leading from the stomach to the small intestine

People at risk of developing ulcers include those who
*.Are infected with the H. pylori bacterium
*.Take NSAIDs such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen
*.Have a family history of ulcers
*.Have another illness such as liver, kidney, or lung disease
*.Drink alcohol regularly
*.Are age 50 or older

Ulcer Medications

Ulcer medications will depend on the cause and extent of damage done.

*.Proton pump inhibitors (PPI). Proton pump medications reduce acid levels and allow the ulcer to heal.

*. Antibiotics. If you have H. pylori infection, then antibioticsare also used. There are multiple combinations of antibiotics that are taken for one to two weeks along with a PPI. Bismuthis also part of some treatment regimens.

*. Upper endoscopy. Some bleeding ulcers can be treated through an endoscope.

*.Surgery. Sometimes an operation is needed if the ulcer has created a hole in the wall of the stomach, or if there is serious bleeding that can’t be controlled with an endoscope.

Prevention

To reduce the risk of developing ulcers:
*.Don’t smoke.
*.Avoid alcohol.
*.Don’t overuse aspirin and/or NSAIDs.
*.If you have symptoms of an ulcer, contact your health careprovider.

IT'S OKAY TO LOSE YOUR WAY

Lately, I've been questioning the decisions I made that give my life direction. I look at myself, one year post-undergrad, and I'm nowhere near my dream career. In some ways I feel like I've failed. In other ways I just feel plain lost.

I've thought about completely exiting my current field, the psych realm. I've thought about continuing my education in grad school. I've even thought about just taking a break completely. But would making those changes really make me happy? I didn't have a concrete answer for that.

But then I asked myself, why am I so worried about it right now? Is it because I feel like a child in an adult world AKA my twenties? Or is it because I see the people around me excelling and I'm stagnant? Do I really feel that inferior?

Taking a step back from all of these hard questions, I realized these thoughts probably aren't so unusual to be thinking. Most of us in our twenties are muddling through the same issues and concerns.

Did I pick the right major?

Am I going to be happy in this field for 40 more years?

Am I going to make enough money?

Will I come home feeling like I put in my best effort to change someone's life, or will I feel like I just pass paperwork all day?

Haven't we all had a moment when we asked ourselves at least one of these questions? We most definitely have. But I've discovered that it's normal to feel lost sometimes. Isn't it just a part of figuring this stuff out?

If we were content all the time, life would be too easy. The challenges are what make this thing fun, right? I think we were meant to question our decisions to ensure that yes we did pick the right choice, or maybe the wrong one. In time, you will be able to answer all the questions that may seem so difficult now, but there's no use losing sleep over it today.

In twenty years you may decide you don't feel fulfilled in your current career. When that moment comes, I think that's when you can accurately make a decision to go a different way. There is no use worrying about it now because in reality, you don't know until you're there.

If you're feeling lost, don't worry. I promise you will find your way. Whether it's in a week, twelve months, or five years, you will figure it out. All you can do it go with what makes you happy right now. Turn your passion into your career. Like to write? Write. Like to workout? Become a personal trainer. Like tech? Work at an IT place. It's as simple as that. Do what makes you happy because that's the best you can do for you at this very moment.

You will find your way again.

Of Dreams And The Suspense

Have you ever been woken up in the middle of some lovely dream? Say you had gone for months without eating chapatti and chicken stew! Luckily, somewhere in your dreams you get invited for lunch at a friends party. Set up on the table is your favorite meal, just as you wished it was. You wash your hands and with all your mastered appetite and eager stomach that is now rumbling as if in a celebratory mood, you grab a chicken drumstick and hungrily lift it to your mouth. As you open your foul smelling mouth to take a bite the worst happens… someone slaps you across the cheek sending you back into the real world.

You feel your right cheek and touch something soft that move toward your mouth and another part to your temple. You jerk up thinking it’s a snake.  You reach for a matchbox on a rickety stool that sits next to your bed. Accidentally, you knock off your old tin lamp. You catch the matchbox and strike a matchstick and discover it was a pair of ugly geckos that had ruined your sumptuous meal. The stupid geckos on a rendezvous on the roof of your grass-thatched hut, decided that it’s better for them to fall off and continue their love making on your cheek at the expense of your dreams. 

You pick up your tin lamp that has now spilt almost all the kerosene. The matchstick burns your finger tips as it dies out and you drop it to the floor cursing under your breath.

Back inside your old dusty blanket that you must have inherited from your late grandfather, you appeal to Jehovah God to allow you back to the dream, back to the chicken you were about to devour. You cover yourself from head to toe because you do not want any interruption.

Fortunately, God answers your prayers and you drift back to sleep, then back to your dreamworld…

You are part of a tumultuous crowd waiting to receive Nelson Mandela. Mandiba himself. He’s supposed to be dead, you wonder! But the fact that the whole town is waiting for his arrival,  he never really died, you console yourself. It was all a lie, a conspiracy, a dream. After some waiting his motorcade finally arrives. One funny thing with dreams is that it’s never clear, you can be in this place and then another at the same time. So you are in a hall and then you are standing along the street. Mandiba singles you out from the crowd. He calls you by name and you are excited. You walk towards him wielding that boyish grin. You shake hands and he requests you to address the crowd. You are the centre of attraction and you can read envy in the people’s eyes.

You start talking and then you find out you are in a get together with friends. Talking about your past moments and reliving memories. You fight to shift back to Mandiba but it’s fruitless. You decide it was just a dream in a dream and you quit trying.

One minute you are driving home (back to the village) in this sleek state of the art Lamborghini with butterfly doors (doors that open like wings) and you just can’t wait to get home and show it off, then when you are approaching your home you are riding on an old bicycle.

Another instance, you meet this hot lady or dude and things are just going as you want them to. You decide to exchange contacts and when she/he starts saying the digits something wakes you up, and you remain grumpy the whole day! What a loss!

Dreams are sweet and fascinating. Dreams are silly and annoying because of the suspense. Most of the times, when I retire to bed each night I think of things I wish to dream of, once in a while it happens but mostly it plays tricks on me. Leaves with raw appetite. Hungry for more. But it never gives me the MORE.

Why Smoking Shisha Could Be Leading You To An Early Grave

Shisha is the flavoured tobacco smoked using hookah water pipes. It is also known by other names such as: Narghile, Hubble Bubble, Goza, among others.

A hookah consists of a base, pipe, bowl and hose or a mouthpiece.

Tobacco is placed in the bowl, which is at the top of the pipe structure. An aluminium foil covers the bowl and small charcoal pieces are then placed on the foil, which is punctured using a pin to gently heat the tobacco.

When smoked using the hose; smooth, sweet-smelling vapour is filtered through the base containing water. It also comes in floral flavours such as coconut, vanilla and rose.

According to a 2014 study published in the Journal Cancer Epidemiology & Prevention, smoking shisha could make nicotine urine levels spike by more than 70 million times; also resulting in the increase of cancer-causing agents.

Quitshisha.com incorporated findings from the study with other research results and schemed the following shisha health hazards:

Causes cancer

Due to the mode of Shisha smoking—including frequency of puffing, depth of inhalation, and length of the smoking session—Shisha smokers may absorb higher concentrations of the toxins found in cigarette smoke, thus increasing the hazard to the body.

Shisha, tobacco and smoke contain numerous toxic substances known to cause lung, bladder, and oral cancers.

A typical one-hour session of hookah smoking exposes the user to 100 to 200 times the volume of smoke inhaled from a single cigarette.

Pregnancy complications

Shisha smoking among pregnant mothers is hazardous to the baby as well.

It could face underweight problems and breathing difficulty. Babies born to women who smoked one or more water pipes a day during pregnancy have lower birth weights than babies born to non-smokers and are at an increased risk for respiratory diseases, says Quitshisha.com.

Heart problems

Shisha content contains numerous toxic substances known to cause clogged arteries and heart disease.

Spread of infections

Shisha pipes used in hookah bars and cafes may not be cleaned properly, risking the spread of infectious diseases.

Infectious diseases include: tuberculosis (which can infect the lungs or other parts of the body), aspergillus (a fungus that can cause serious lung infections), and helicobacter (which can cause stomach ulcers).

They may be spread by sharing the pipe or through the way the tobacco is prepared.

Second hand smoke

Using Shisha smoke poses a serious potential health hazard to smokers and others exposed to the smoke emitted.

The second hand smoke from Shisha poses a serious risk for non-smokers, particularly because it contains smoke not only from the tobacco but also from the heat source (e.g., charcoal) used in the hookah.

The use of smoking Shisha as a past time hobby, a bonding session or a social event for some is entirely one’s choice.

The listed effects of smoking shisha are just but a few; however, one thing is for sure, the moment you are having a shisha session you could be slowly buying yourself a quicker ticket to the grave.

WHEN TO GET TESTED FOR HIV???

You can test for HIV at any time. If you think you have put yourself at risk, then speak with a healthcare professional immediately. Even if you think that you have not put yourself at risk, testing regularly for HIV is still an important part of good sexual health.

I’m at risk, when should I test?

If you have had unprotected sex, shared injecting equipments  or think that infected blood has got into your body, then you should talk to your doctor or a healthcare professional as soon as possible. They will be able to talk to you about your situation and risk, and decide on the best course of action.

Most modern HIV tests are now able to detect HIV from around 11 days after infection. Depending on the type of test  you are offered and when your risk was, your doctor may ask you to come back for further tests and a follow-up before a true result can be given. 

If you think you have been exposed to HIV, it is in this early stage of infection that you are most infectious to others. Be sure to be extra careful during this period – always use condoms and never share injecting equipment.

I don't think I'm at risk when should I get tested?

Testing at least once a year for HIV and other sexually transmitted infection (STIs)  is good sexual health practice for everyone who is sexually active. By doing this regularly, you can help keep your mind at rest, and any surprises that do arise, can be dealt with quickly.

I'm pregnant when should I get test?

Testing for HIV during your pregnancy is very important and is now done routinely as part of antenatal care in most countries. Your doctor will tell you everything you need to know about HIV testing alongside the other blood tests they do in pregnancy and you will usually be tested at your first appointment.

If you find out you are positive, you will be given treatment  to prevent the onward transmission of HIV to your unborn child, and you will be expected to continue to have a healthy pregnancy. The earlier you start treatment, the greater chance your child will be born HIV-negative. Check out our section on pregnancy,childbirth and breastfeeding  for more information.

A word about window period

The window period refers to the time it takes for HIV to show up in a specific HIV test. The length of the window period will depend on the type of test you take. If you feel like you may be at risk of HIV, do not wait, speak to a healthcare professional as soon as possible. The most important thing is to test.

What is Mandatory HIV testing?

Some countries require you to get an HIV test in order to enter the country.  For further information about countries that have travel restriction please see Global Data base on HIV travel

In addition, some insurance companies and employers such as the armed forces may require you to test for HIV.  You should always seek advice from a health care professional first if you are unsure.

Otieno does not support mandatory testing for HIV. HIV testing should be given with full consent and proper support to yourself, unless in the case of blood donor screening and organ donation.