Love and Genotype!

Good day my dear readers, it’s been a while! How’s life treating you all? I hope this New Year brings a change in the way we handle our health, and other aspects of our lives, amen!

Another opportunity has come for us to learn about and discuss an important issue, one so pertinent in our society now, and I know some of us would have had personal experiences regarding this issue.

Time and time again, we have heard through various sources e.g., the media, family and friends, health workers, etc., about the importance of genotype compatibility before commencing on an intimate relationship with the opposite sex. While some of us heed this advice and abide, to an extent that at first meeting with a person you like and would envisage yourself in a relationship with, you ask the rather pushy and weird question ‘Please what’s your Genotype?’ Such a question might put the other person off, but trust me, especially for those who have the AS (like me) and SS genotypes; it pays off in the long run.

You love the person so much you’re willing to gamble the health of your kids? Even though no one knows the future, it may not be wise to be the potter of a cracked clay jar. You think you can’t live without the person and you would die? Come off it! I have had three ‘love-lost’ experiences due to genotype incompatibility and here I am, alive and kicking. That it would hurt leaving such a person is certain, but the love you once proclaimed might be put into question when handling kids with the sickle-cell disease.

My personal experiences were not funny. The first one happened when I was just a teenager. The dude didn’t even know what his genotype was when I asked him innocently, and he promised to go do a test. True to his word, by the next time we met, he had a result, AS. I started withdrawing from then, very difficult I must tell you, although we remain friends till date. The next two happened when I was much older, and one would think it would be less difficult to break away. In fact I ‘loved’ so much that I started thinking of in-vitro fertilization (test tube babies) and all those complexities. But finally, as a ‘sure girl’, I had to think with my head before my heart. Consequently, it became one of the first questions I ask a guy I like.

…cool story sis.

I shared my personal experiences with you because I have, severally, witnessed the pain and trauma people living with the sickle-cell disease (SCD) go through, especially children. It is TOTALLY heart-wrenching. Some would say, ‘Adesuwa there is nothing God cannot do’, but also we know we are not meant to put our God to the test. Let me educate you a bit on what SCD is about.

Sickle Cell disease, otherwise known as Sickle cell Anaemia, or Drepanocytosis, is a genetic blood disorder in which, simply put, the red blood cells of a person is ‘sickle-shaped’, named after the shape of the farm tool, sickle. This ‘sickling‘, which occurs due to a mutation in the Hemoglobin (Hb) gene, affects the flexibility of the cells, resulting in the symptoms and complications associated with this condition. Normal red blood cells have the hemoglobin gene designated as HbAA, carriers of the sickle cell trait carry the HbAS
gene, while sufferers of SCD carry the HbSS
gene. Under conditions such as low Oxygen, these red blood cells (containing sickle cell hemoglobin) aggregate, causing a distortion of these cells and resulting in loss of their elasticity. This loss of elasticity of the red blood cells is central in understanding this disease condition. In patients with HbAS (carriers of sickle cells), the distortion problems are minor, because the normal allele, that is, the ‘A‘ portion of the gene is able to produce over 50% of hemoglobin. They only have symptoms when deprived of oxygen, or when dehydrated.

Microscopic view of blood sample from a SCD patient. See the cells with the sickle shape?

Red blood cells are transporters of oxygen throughout the body, the Hemoglobin content being the oxygen carrier. Normal red blood cells are elastic and flexible and are able to pass through blood vessels, their flexibility allowing them to change shape when necessary, carrying oxygen to all parts of the body where blood is supplied. So imagine a sickle shaped red blood cell attempting to pass through blood vessels. Because of their lack of flexibility, they get stuck, therefore preventing the transport of oxygen in the body (Ischemia). Assuming they get stuck in the blood vessels supplying the brain, and the brain cannot work without oxygen for more than 5 minutes…death ultimately results.

Red blood cells typically have a life-span of 90-120 days after which they are filtered from the blood by the spleen and new ones are produced from the bone marrow. Sickle cells, however, have a life-span of just 10 to 20 days after which they are destroyed, causing the anemia. The bone marrow in patients with SCD constantly tries to produce new cells to compensate for the lost ones, but it does not match the rate of destruction.

I’m sure you have heard of a SCD patient hospitalized for experiencing ‘crisis. Sickle cell crisis is used to describe several independent conditions which may occur simultaneously. Most episodes of crisis last between 5 to 7 days, although in some patients, may last for longer. Such conditions include:

• Vaso-occlusive crisis, which is as a result of the sickle cells being stuck within blood vessels, causing blockade of blood flow and oxygen to an organ which results in pain and consequently, organ damage. The pain is often said to be indescribable, requiring strong opioid analgesics such as morphine to bring temporary relief.
• Splenic sequestration crisis, which occurs as a result of blood flow blockade to the spleen, causing its painful inflammation. Because the spleen stores red blood cells and other blood components (which it releases into circulation in conditions of low blood volume or hypovolemia), an inflammation causes blood to suddenly move from circulation into the spleen, leading to sudden low blood volume. If not treated as an emergency, a patient may die within 1-2 hours.
• Acute chest syndrome, characterized by fever, chest pain, difficulty in breathing and infiltrates in the chest.

Complications of this disease are diverse and include decreased immunity leading to opportunistic infections, silent strokes, kidney failure, Priaprism (unwanted erections in males), chronic pain leading to patients being dependent on opioids, Pulmonary hypertension, fertility, and bone wasting, among others.

The prognosis of SCD is that about 90% of patients survive to age 20, and close to 50% survive beyond 50 years. The frequency of SCD is found in tropical regions, particularly Sub-Saharan Africa, India and the Middle east; Nigeria is in Sub-Saharan Africa. A recent WHO report estimated that around 2% of newborns in Nigeria are affected by SCD, giving a total of 150,000 affected children born yearly.

You might not fully understand the meaning of all these medical expletives I just typed, but I am sure you understand how pain feels. Not just the type of pain from headache or bruises that makes us often cry and gnash our teeth to God, but deep seated pain that only the hand of God can save a person from.

How deep is that love, which you decide to gamble on, using the health of your unborn children as bait? My dear, only Agape love is sure in this world of ours. I know of a couple, who are both medical doctors and possess the AS genotype. One would expect that, health professionals that they are, they wouldn’t be so non-chalant about such an issue. Or is there a special copulation style that allows one to predict the genotype of an unborn child? As fate would have it, all their 4 kids had the HbSS genotype, which means, they were all ‘sicklers‘. Every other week, I see them in the hospital due to one problem or the other. Imagine the physical, emotional and financial stress they go through. They both are yet to start their residency program because of the overwhelming nature of taking care of 4 kids living with SCD. There was also a very beautiful girl in my secondary school, one of the most beautiful I had ever seen. She died at 22 years of age, after she just completed her first degree at the Buckingham University, United Kingdom. Can you imagine the pain the parents would have gone through, paying health and academic bills, and the child dying at her peak?

Checking for genotypic compatibility is very easy. After confirming your genotype, if you are AA, you have no reason worrying about incompatibility. You can even have a child with a person having SCD. None of your kids will suffer from SCD, they would just be carriers. Likewise for those having SCD, they can only have kids with those with the AA genotype.

If you are AS, you are only compatible with the AA genotype. The probability of having a child with SCD from two people with the AS genotype is 1 in 4, that means, you have 0.25% chance of having a child with SCD with each pregnancy.

I sympathize with those who have lost family and friends due to sickle cell disease. Don’t let love, money or whatever passions lead you into making a wrong decision. Firsthand, I know several people living with SCD and it’s a struggle consoling them anytime I hear they are being hospitalized. Learn, educate and heed the warning today. In ancient times, patients with sickle cell disease in Nigeria were said to be ‘ogbanjes‘ among the easterners and ‘Abikus‘ among the westerners, due to the thought that the children die young and are re-incarnated in the next child born to that family. Now, we know better. Let us have a generation where the prevalence of sickle cell disease reduces drastically. It begins with us.

Any experience to share, or questions concerning SCD and how to manage it? Please drop your comments and questions. I’ll be here to answer them.

Be safe, be happy.

The Nigerian Gospel according to Flagyl®

The Nigerian Gospel according to Flagyl®.

The Nigerian Gospel according to Flagyl®

Hello Everyone, how have you been, especially healthwise? I hope everything is going on well. Keeping a blog isn’t easy, I must confess. Let me just blame it on the government (jokes). Actually, with the constant supply of no light in our country, high cost of living (internet bills), insecurities and what-nots, our hope is all we have got until we decide to change. Well, that’s not why I’m here today.

I believe many of us have had cause to use the drug popularly known as ‘Flagyl®’, although variants like ‘Flagin‘, ‘Flygyl‘, and ‘Vagin‘ (yes, I have seen someone spell it like that), exist. Most Nigerians believe they have a license to eat all sorts because their savior, Flagyl® is always on hand to rescue them from making a huge mess of themselves in public.

Take for example, this story. I was in my senior secondary school years, and was using a very popular bus transport service back to school, Ibadan to be precise. As a ground rule, whenever I am traveling by road, I don’t eat any solid meal after 6.30am because I develop very terrible motion sickness, plus there might be the urge to do the ‘big thing’ along the way. With these public transport services in Nigeria, you are on your own when it comes to such matters because if everybody is given permission, our journey may never be completed. Anyway, let me get on to the main story.

I was sitting behind two women in their fifties. As we boarded and settled, they had coolers of food which they started devouring before we even started moving. This particular transport service gives breakfast to passengers before traveling, and that day wasn’t any different. I noticed that these women on receiving the food, opened them immediately and started eating. I was taken aback but I thought maybe they were just released from a refugee camp, or they were ignorant that the bus just had facilities for urinating, and when it comes to stopping the bus for a passenger to defecate, the officials no ‘dey look uche face‘. I couldn’t help but to listen to their conversation (not just me though, they were so loud that 35 buses behind us could hear them), and I overheard one of them asking the other if she brought ‘Flagin‘ along, to which the answer was in a local western parlance, ‘Beeni now, mi o use Flagyl seere lai lai‘, meaning, ‘Yes now, I don’t joke with Flagyl for any reason‘. I wished them well and tried to make myself comfortable for the journey.

All the stops we made – buying fuel at Gwagwalada, picking up some passengers at Abaji (where they bought akara and it wasn’t even 10am yet), and stopping for lunch at Lokoja, these women feasted. As we approached Osun state, there was a slight traffic jam, and hawkers flocked the bus selling their wares, including a type of spiced diced plantain popularly known as “dodo ikire“. These women literally jumped for joy at the sight and bought quite a number. It wasn’t long before I heard muffled noises and as glanced their way, one of them was wincing in pain and began to make her way to the convenience in the bus.

Some 30 minutes later, the bus was filled with a stench that could only be described as a fulminating concoction of rotting eggs and fish garnished with bitter leaves. This woman, in her desperation and for want of avoiding public embarrassment, went ahead to defecate in the urinal obviously meant for urination only. As a result, it wouldn’t flush and the whole thing got out of control… its better imagined than spelt out. It was a scandal. The bus conductor, on finding out, made it a point of duty to call her all sorts of derogatory names, and threatened to expel her from the bus for endangering our lives. I, along with many others, did not feel sorry for this woman because she deserved every minute of embarrassment she got. Plus, she was disappointed by Flagyl®, her stomach savior and defender of her intestines.

I have had the experience of coming in contact with patients in the community Pharmacies and even in the Hospitals where people are assumed to be more enlightened, and on interaction, most of them believe that Flagyl® is the one-stop solution for stomach upsets. Well, that is wrong. If you are part of that bandwagon, you are not only wasting your time, you are also increasing the likelihood of obtaining adverse effects and promoting the development of organisms resistant to Flagyl®.

What is Flagyl®? It is just a brand name by Sanofi-Aventis, a notable pharmaceutical company. Its active component is Metronidazole, which simply put, is a nitroimidazole antibiotic medication used particularly against infections caused by anaerobes and protozoa. An anaerobic organism or anaerobe is any organism that does not require oxygen for growth. It could possibly react negatively and may even die if oxygen is present. Anaerobic microbes include Bacteroides fragilis spp, Fusobacterium spp, Clostridium spp, Peptostreptococcus spp, while Protozoal species include Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia lamblia, and Trichomonas vaginalis.

There are several causes of stomach ache, including Indigestion, Constipation, Stomach flu, Food poisoning, Menstrual Cramps, Food allergies, Gas and Lactose intolerance. The surprising news is that none of these conditions can be treated with Flagyl®, except for food poisoning caused by anaerobic and/or protozoal infections. Therefore in most cases, the use of Flagyl® is not warranted. As I mentioned earlier, its unnecessary and incessant use can cause a plethora of adverse effects including development of neutropenia, increased risk of peripheral neuropathy and/or CNS toxicity.

Metronidazole is listed by the US National Toxicology Program (NTP) as reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen. A carcinogen is any substance that is an agent directly involved in causing cancer. Although some of the testing methods have been questioned, oral exposure has been shown to cause cancer in experimental animals. Metronidazole is listed as a possible carcinogen according to the WHO International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). All these medical jargon point to the fact that Flagyl® is not an antidote for any sort of stomach pain.

If you are experiencing some sort of stomach ache, it’s important to know the cause, at least try to. It could be something unwholesome that you ate or drank, and it is wrong to assume that taking Flagyl® is the solution to the problem. Rather than continuing to ingest such substances, because Flagyl® is available in your bag, its best to stop at once.

If you are feeling constipated, you could drink extra water (more than your normal intake), drink warm liquids, and eat more fruits and vegetables. If you believe you have food poisoning, self treatment is not the best. Most cases of food poisoning go away on their own in several days, but if the condition is persistent or severe you should see a doctor. If a particular food you are eating is causing you repeated stomach pain or discomfort, you may have a food allergy. There is no way to cure food allergies, so the best way to avoid a reaction is to strictly avoid the allergy-causing foods. What of a feeling of excess gas?
Traditionally, one of the top recommendations, including from the American College of Gastroenterology, to keep gas to a minimum is to identify gas-forming foods in your diet, then avoid or reduce them. Foods that are considered to be increase gas discomfort include Beans and Cabbage. Do away with or reduce the frequency of these foods in your diet, and save yourself from producing biological weapons of destruction.

 You mean to tell me I just farted? Oh my…                      

After all said, eating should be done in moderation, especially when out of the convenience of a home. Your date took you to a Chinese restaurant and you have never eaten Chinese before? Instead of choosing Sesame Chicken mixed with Lettuce Wraps, in collaboration with Peking Duck dipped in Wonton Soup, all stirred in Hot and Sour soup, respect yourself and stick to good old rice and fried chicken or something familiar. Apart from the embarrassment your running stomach may cause you, you also risk being dumped because you would have succeeded in wasting some poor dude’s money. Better still, suggest that he takes you to Mama Delta or Jevenik restaurant, or somewhere you would be comfortable in. Don’t dull yourself.

Well I hope you have learnt a thing or two…on a lighter note, have your stomach caused you any embarrassing moment(s)? I would love to hear about it. Still feel free to ask questions and drop comments.

Until my next post, stay safe.

Not another red wine…

Red wine is a type of wine made from dark-colored (black) grape varieties. One might wonder why red wine is well…red. Its color can be derived from a vast assortment of grape varietals ranging from grapes that are reddish, deep purple, and even a beautiful blue on the color scale. These grapes give rise to a wine that is color classified with such descriptors as garnet, almost black, dark red, light red, ruby red, opaque purple, deep violet, maroon and the list goes on. It is the grape-skins that are responsible for the red wine’s distinct color spectrum. The skins are in contact with the grape’s juice during the fermentation process, allowing the dispersion of both color and tannins.

Red wines are often classified by “body-type”. For example, one might say that a certain red wine is “light-bodied” – referring to the mouth-feel and tannin structure.

• A light-bodied wine will have fewer tannins present and less presence on the palate. These wines tend to be less demanding partners with flavor-filled foods. An example of a light-bodied red wine would be one derived from the Gamay grape varietal, such as France’s famed young red wine: Beaujolais Nouveau.
• A medium-bodied red wine will contain more tannins than the above Beaujolais Nouveau, but will not have near the pucker power of a high-powered California Cabernet Sauvignon or an Italian Super Tuscan. Typical examples of medium-bodied red wines include: Merlot, Shiraz or a Chianti.
• Full-bodied red wines boast the highest tannin (and often alcohol) content. Prime examples of full-bodied reds are France’s esteemed Bordeaux wines, California’s key Cabernets and Italy’s sizzling Super Tuscans.

In general, light-bodied wines tend to “feel” more like water in the mouth. In contrast, “full-bodied” wines feel heavier, more like milk, this effect is due in large part to the higher tannin (and again, alcohol) content.

The top red wine varietals that you are likely to encounter are: Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petite Sirah, Syrah, Shiraz, Sangiovese, Malbec, and Grenache.

Well, I’m here to talk about a particular wine, a premium wine, and first of its kind in Nigeria; RIVERSTONE red wine. Riverstone red wine is a South African red wine made from Cinsaut and Ruby Cabernet grapes.

A Cinsaut or Cinsault is a red wine grape, known for producing light, fruity and heavily perfumed wines, most often as either a Rose or blended with another heartier grape (usually a Carignan), whose heat tolerance and productivity make it very important in wine production. A Ruby Cabernet is a redgrape variety that is a cross between Cabernet Sauvignon (widely accepted as one of the world’s best varieties) and Carignan.

The purpose for the creation of the crossing of the grape varieties utilized to produce Ruby Cabernet was to obtain the superior quality of a Cabernet wine, and the resistance to heat of the Carignan, to create an all-round specification of wine meeting quality, taste and affordability.

Cinsaut grapes                                            Ruby Cabernet grapes

The result of a combination of Cinsaut and Ruby Cabernet grapes gives a balance between medium-bodied and full-bodied, and the taste is one that can be described as heavenly, and I am a witness to that. The aroma of currants, teasingly rich taste, and the subtle alcohol feeling is one best experienced than narrated to.

I think I have enlightened you enough on some information about Riverstone wine, and wines in general. For that occasion: weddings, birthdays, album launches, bridal showers, bachelor’s eve parties, annual general meetings, and celebration of life (funerals), supplies to restaurants and bars, why not make your guests happy and serve Riverstone red wine? You are going wine shopping? Pick some bottles of Riverstone red wine off the vendor’s shelves. You would be absolutely glad that you did, plus red wine is good for the heart and soul {contains Resveratrol which is heart-protective…but that’s a story for another post }…and yes, I am advertising this wine!

Distributors are available in Abuja, please call 07031990172, or 08097020069. We will be waiting, as huge, unbelievable discounts await you.

Have a nice week ahead!

It’s painfully BIG!

First things first, Barka da Sallah to my muslim friends. May the blessings of this season remain with you today and forever.

I am quite ashamed to be back her after a very long time. I was asked by many if I was serious at all…I apologize, my absence was due to nothing in particular, I promise not to repeat such behavior again.

I hope you all have been good since your last visit here. I will just go straight to the point now.

From my teenage years, I have heard a lot about the size of a guy’s packs (penis, but henceforth will be referred to as packs). I heard it was a major attractive physical attribute in a guy, and I actually wondered why.

In my 4th year in the university, a lady came up to me, a schoolgirl like me. She seemed a bit ruffled, because we were just the ‘hello/hi’ type of friends. What came out of her mouth was a bit unexpected, and for her to actually sum up the courage to ask a not-so-close person that question, it meant that the thing tire the sister. She said to me, in her words, ‘Adesuwa, please is it possible to react to big stuffs, is it like a disease? I’m like stuffs? What stuff? Shifting uneasily from one leg to the other, it took her up to 4 minutes to say big packs.

Surprised as I was, I tried to act all professional, but I wondered why she came to me of all people. I took her to a nearby ‘love garden’ and asked her to shed more light. Who doesn’t like such stories? She said she was very concerned about big packs and how it affects her vagina (henceforth to be called coochie). She said she had just ended her 3 years relationship with her boyfriend, because of, among other things, the injuries she sustains anytime they have sexual relations. In her words also, ‘…before the walls of my coochie peel off before i get married…’

Does the size of a man’s packs matter? I hear some girls believe size is important for sexual satisfaction. Guys believe it increases sexual confidence. Some girls have come to the realisation that bigger packs do not always equal great sex, while some guys have realized that hefty packs do not always land ladies on their beds. But this is not why I’m here, lest I derail.

My worry is, as a guy, wouldn’t you know if and when your packs are hurting your partner? Some guys just go on and on and on and on and on, assuming the girl is having the time of her life, not knowing that your generation might be under a plethora of silent curses. Ladies are also fond of faking sexual satisfaction for reasons best known to them, but if you keep quiet when something hurtful is unknowingly meted out upon you, something should be wrong somewhere. Let me help you with some reasons why speaking out is very important.

• INFECTIONS: I can’t get tired of talking about this, because statistics show that females are more inflicted with STDs than males, which isn’t fair. Injuries sustained from painful sex often produce sites from which one can be infected. Ladies already have enough openings through which microbes can invade and I don’t see the need creating additional ones. If you feel, see, or physically realise that his packs are too big for your coochie, please say something or forever remain in pain. Unless you strongly believe you can ‘grow into him’.
• PAIN: I no go lie, but the pain that accompanies a bruised coochie (by any means such as falling down) is not beans, at all, especially when its in contact with moisture. That is when you’ll see some ladies walking as if there are pieces of hot yam between their thighs. Don’t laugh, they might just be experiencing a ‘wrath of the packs’. In a marriage where sex is required to be regular, the walls of a wife’s coochie can actually peel off one fateful day. Old or young, black or white, e dey pain.
• EMOTIONAL UNEASINESS: Our society doesn’t really support being vocal about sex, so in a relationship where pain is inflicted on a lady via sex, she tries to avoid it since she can’t say much about it. The guy begins to think there’s another guy (as they always do). Brother, she’s just scared of the size of your packs.

Ok. Hefty packs are not all bad news. I have read about good reports (since nobody wants to share the good times with me, only the bad). I have also read about cool ways for guys to wield such packs for the betterment of the ‘woman’ race. Such ways include adequate foreplay and use of lubricants. Don’t forget that vegetable oil is not a lubricant. Also do some research so that you would stop making your woman cry without actually beating her.

On a lighter note I remember my Integrated Science teacher in my JSS3 back in Queen’s College, Mrs Achinivu, barking in class one day after we received the news that a senior student got pregnant. She went ‘GIRLS, FEAR PENIS, PENIS IS FIRE! WHAT DID I SAY??? And we all went ‘PENIS IS FIRE!’. Sounded funny to us then, but I am certain that some of us in that class learnt the hard way that penis truly is fire.

Please bear in mind that I’m not a sex therapist. I am just extending my views as a Clinical Pharmacist but feel free to ask questions and drop comments.

I hope I have been able to convince you that huge packs aren’t all that. If you agree with me please send me sallah ram ASAP. I will be waiting in my office.

Until my next post, stay blessed!

…I believe they are crying due to obvious reasons…

Some truths about Truvada

My friends, how are you all?

Your week? Hope everything is going on fine.

It is with great ‘para‘ (an emotion similar to anger) that I write this post, and I sincerely hope somebody doesn’t take it personal. This is the point where I’ll put up a disclaimer.

‘This post is strictly a work of fiction and entirely from Adesuwa’s imagination, research, and experience. Any semblance to any being, living or dead, is merely a coincidence’.

Some 2,3 months ago, I was going through the recent updates on my BBM where I saw some disturbing updates about the so-called wonder drug, Truvada.Some guy said ‘Ope o, I can now stop spending money on condoms, because Truvada don come oo‘. Another one read ‘abeg Abeg abeg, when Truvada go reach Naija, I wanna get my freak on‘. These utterances were made based on some misguided, or misinterpreted reports saying Truvada was the cure for HIV/AIDS. I solemnly say I’m not making this up, plus I never knew I had such ignorant people on my BBM. But hey, nobody knows everything, that’s one reason why I decided to write something on this matter. Let me start by giving you a little information about how HIV drugs perform their actions.

Hey you. I know you know everything about HIV, it being deadly and all that…let me inform you that HIV/AIDs can NEVER be over-flogged. Never. So do yourself some good by reading and learning something you might not know.

HIV is ‘Human Immunodeficiency Virus’ as most of you know. It belongs to a class ‘Retroviridae‘, which makes it a Retrovirus. Unlike other viruses, a Retrovirus (trying so hard not to use big big medical jargons) is not a DNA molecule, but an RNA molecule. So it converts to DNA by the help of an enzyme, ‘reverse transcriptase’ . The resulting DNA is then integrated into the host’s (e.g., humans) nucleus by another enzyme, ‘integrase‘, from where the virus takes over DNA synthesis. By the way, DNA is necessary for production of proteins,( not dietary ones) which are important for proper functioning of the body and it’s organs. HIV belongs to a subclass called ‘lentiviridae‘, (lente-, Latin for “slow“) characterized by a long incubation period, meaning they can stay in ones’s system for a very long time, usually the duration of one’s life.

Back to the drugs, which are known as Anti-retroviral drugs, they act by inhibiting the actions of those enzymes. Truvada is a combination of two drugs, Tenofovir (as Tenofovir dinoproxil fumarate) and Emtricitabine. Both act by inhibiting the ‘reverse transcriptase’ enzyme.

This is the post that supposedly caused the confusion:

According to Huffingtonpost.com, The Food and Drug Administration approved the first drug shown to reduce the risk of HIV infection, the latest milestone in the 30-year battle against the virus that causes AIDS. The agency approved Gilead Sciences’ pill Truvada as a preventive measure for healthy people who are at high risk of acquiring HIV through sexual activity, such as those who have HIV-infected partners.

But if I’m seeing clearly, there’s nowhere in this report and that reported by CNN that Truvada is a CURE for HIV/AIDs. From Truvada.com, the makers gave this notice:

TRUVADA is used in HIV negative adults along with safer sex practices to reduce the risk of getting HIV-1 in men who have sex with men who are at high risk for getting infected with HIV-1 through sex, and heterosexual couples where one partner has HIV-1 and the other does not. This is called Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis or PrEP.

TRUVADA blocks the action of a protein that HIV needs to infect your body (as I earlier explained).

TRUVADA does not cure HIV or AIDS, using it alone may not keep you from getting HIV. If you have HIV infection, you may still get other infections that happen in people with HIV like TB (tuberculosis) or fungus, while taking TRUVADA.

For those asking if Truvadais available in Nigeria, Yes it is. I have seen and touched it…(look at the picture below, i’m holding a generic brand) Nigeria isn’t that backwards.

In the hospital I work in, it is very much available but reserved for patients in which first line treatment has failed.

From all I have mentioned, there should be no reason why an otherwise healthy individual would want to become promiscuous because ‘Truvada don come‘. It is very expensive, and the side effects are not palatable at all at all. Apart from the usual nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, a buildup of acid in the blood (lactic acidosis, life-threatening), Serious liver problems (hepatotoxicity), with liver enlargement (hepatomegaly), and fat in the liver (steatosis). In some cases, these serious conditions have led to death. Besides, one would have to take this drug for life, and in combination with other anti-retrovirals. Why not save yourself the stress?

For those living with the virus, it isn’t a death sentence I assure you, and I will give you real life situations in my next post. For those living without the virus, be rest assured that nothing exempts you from being infected…absolutely nothing. So before you act recklessly, in hopes that a cure is available for HIV/AIDs, please think again.

Methinks I have vented enough. As a rejoinder, we should learn to make use of internet search engines. Blackberries, androids and iPhones are not only for social networking. When you are in doubt, browse. If not for anything, when people are discussing about an issue, you would have something positive to say, instead of looking like a ‘suegebe‘. Nuff said.

Stay blessed,stay safe, and refuse to set that intimate ‘P’ with that hot chic or cute guy you know absolutely nothing about!

An HIV patient with kaposi sarcoma, a form of cancer.

 Me holding a generic brand of Truvada

 The patent brand

Suffering and smiling?hell yeah!

Hello everyone! How has the week been? I’m sure we are all looking forward to the weekend…

Kai, keeping a blog ain’t easy as I thought, as I have been cracking my brain for a suitable topic to write about. Sorry about the wait (for those who actually waited), but it sure feels good when visitors to the blog pester me to put up a new post. I hope this will be worth your wait.

‘E NO EASY EHHHH‘

I don’t know why people see me as being short-tempered. People who eventually become close to me are usually surprised to find out otherwise. I just have a sharp mouth, as some would say. This sharp mouth though, becomes handy when some annoying people ‘need to be put in check’, as we Nigerians are always quick to do. I did this a lot as a teenager, and it stopped several bullies from messing with me. I even bullied a prefect back in Queen’s college, who didn’t know I was her junior by 4 years…true cool story. I should get a pat in the back for that, no?

Anyways, as I grew older, and learnt more about diseases and drugs, some things became clearer. I discovered that some people act inappropriately because of some underlying factors, which may or may not be health-related. Let me give you a real life illustration.

I was in my office in that same community pharmacy in Wuse 2, on a warm, cheery evening. A woman walks in, and after exchanging pleasantries, she handed me a prescription. Among other drugs contained the prescription was the popular ‘Chemiron’ capsules, a haematinic (or blood tonic as we call it). I brought out the drugs and was about costing them when the woman started screaming ‘I don’t want Chemiron, why did you give me that rubbish’. You know most Nigerians believe when an item is cheap, it is of extremely low quality. I apologised, and explained to her that I just followed what was written on the prescription, but she would hear none of that. After trying SOOOO hard not to reply her, she said and I quote ‘ I don’t know what is wrong with all this useless graduates of nowadays…I train people like you, you girls without home training’. All these while, I was still attending to her, and the next words i heard was‘If you try this rubbish again, I would bring my 9-year old daughter to give you a dirty slap’. GHEN GEUN!!! Maybe my ears’ connection were touching, but she said it again, and I became certain I was dealing with a really sick woman. Because of the professional environment I was in, I called on my colleague to attend to her before I did something unprofessional, and went into the inner office. At the close of work, I was going through the treated prescriptions when I found out that the woman had come earlier to get a particular drug, Haloperidol, which is an anti-psychotic drug. You can’t imagine how happy I was that I didn’t exchange words with her, because she obviously had problems that were beyond her control.

Now, there are millions of frustrated people out there, believe me. People just flare up for very funny reasons. Before you ‘attack’ that girl who insulted you, or secretly curse your boss who continually berates you, or think your boyfriend or girlfriend is changing and you want to break up, He or she may be experiencing the following, knowingly or unknowingly.

  Horrible boss!  But let him be…

• Diarrhea: This is My personal number one cause for irrational behaviour, a.k.a ‘running stomach’ (only Jah knows where its running to) or purging. My friends, shit don hook you before? Especially when you are nowhere near a convenience. It really can make one mad, causing an actual ‘verbal diarrhea’. Rather than reply that girl in your office whose yab touched you in the wrong place, keep quiet or smile. You don’t want her to accidentally ‘drop it like it’s hot’ while exchanging words.
• Diseases affecting the brain: This includes Schizophrenia, Depression, and Alzheimer’s disease. Part of the non-drug therapy is Tolerance. Since you can’t tell who is affected by this disease, it pays to make an extra effort to tolerate people unknown to you.

                                           

• Substance addiction: Items ranging from Super glue, Horse faeces to Benylin with Codeine and Marijuana are abused by people. Most addicts have violent behaviours, and an attempt to correct, insult or put them in check might just leave you wounded or dead.

• Migraine/Cluster headache: This can make someone super-irritable, surely i can get witnesses to this fact.
• Hypertension: From the prefix ‘hyper’ (jokes), you can imagine how such an individual will behave, especially when not controlled. Let the anger pass, before he drops dead on you as you both are having an altercation.
• Sex deprivation: Yes,oh yes, this is a huge cause of people’s frustration. You see that young man jumping queues in the banking hall, and when confronted, insults the generation of everyone present? You can be sure that his wife has refused copulation for 7months, and he hasn’t the heart to cheat on her. Help him by smiling and refusing to get caught in his frustrating web.

Happy couple, eh? Look well, he might be sex starved. It’s called ‘Suffering and smiling’.

• Emotional trauma: This is more common in females. The other day in the hospital, a nurse, well in her ‘marriageable years’ but unmarried had this to say to a woman who had just put to bed, when she called out for help…‘abeg no be because of you i come work today o, me self go born pikin one day’. Because other members of staff knew about her irrational behaviour caused by her unmarried status, she was ignored. Morale of the story? A lot of people are undergoing emotional problems, and it will do you well to just ignore and let them be.

                        WHY NOT LAUGH IT OFF!                                         

• Financial handicap: This is otherwise known as ‘being broke’. Some girls resort to being in the “INEC – I NEVER EVEN CHOP” group when they are broke. We all have had our broke stages. So when next you see that handsome, well dressed man in the restaurant with a surprisingly nasty attitude, he’s probably thinking how’s he’s going to raise the money to foot the bill of the lunch he, his girlfriend, and 6 of her friends had just had. We girls can be that wicked.
• Living in bondage: Some are being followed from their villages. You don’t wanna mess with such people, before they skype you with broken mirror.

I could go on with more reasons not to be nasty to that annoying person. But I’m sure I have bored you already.

P.S. Nigerians, please take it easy on the Ghanaians, they have just lost their president. Laughing at our loss in the Basketball match might just be their way of grieving. Tamper justice with mercy. (Nigerian voltrons please don’t shoot me o, lol).

Until next post, be a nice, happy bunny.

Mwah!!!

Just before you go hard!

First things first. I’m really overwhelmed by the number of views and responses my very first post gathered. Not like I was expecting anything less because I’m a strong believer and a ‘I am determined to never giff up’ ~in Kanu Nwankwo’s voice~ kinda girl…JUST KIDDING!!! I’M ECSTATIC! Let me just cut down on the excitement and say a supa-dupa Thank you to everyone who visited, read, assimilated, understood, didn’t understand, shared, criticized, laughed at, and commented on the post. God will make y’all bigger.

I promised to get back to the guys on my next post. As a sort of a disclaimer, this post hereby denies any affiliation with anybody living or dead, any coincidence observed is just what is – a coincidence. That said, I may proceed.

Some months back, I was in my office…well, a part-time job in a community pharmacy situated at Wuse2, Abuja. Sandwiched between notorious hangouts like Wine Shop and Amigos supermarket (yea, people “hang’ there FYI), it did not come as a surprise the categories of drugs and non-drug items that customers demand for. Anyways…this beautiful evening – I work on evening shifts- a dapper young man came in and asked for Ampi-clox, a popular antibiotic brand in Nigeria. Off I went to the shelves, bringing him 2 sachets, which is the specified complete dose. To my dismay, which quickly turned to amusement, this dude said he wanted just 2 capsules. I was honestly surprised, and tried to be all professional about it, trying to explain the pharmaceutical balderdash about the effects of incomplete antibiotic dosage regimen, but my guy would hear none of it. He raved and ranted and questioned my certificate.

I witnessed smoky ears for the first time, no jokes.

When the fracas was finally over, one of the sales-lady called me aside and told me this juicy scoop, ‘Pharmacist, no mind them o, na so them dey do…when them sleep with ashewo finish, them go take 2 capsules of Ampi-clox make them no cash HIV’. I’m like Shuooo??? Shebi HIV na virus? How will an anti-bacterial agent prevent an infection by a virus? Make una help me wonder.

In the months that followed, I encountered several similar situations. Guys ranging from the smart, eloquent and well-dressed, to the ones with abundant swagger to supply the continent, to the ones so razz, a MAULAG babe wouldn’t even think twice about are involved in this act. If we are friends, and you indulge in this shameless and quite senseless act, I really don’t know what to say to you.

I had a male friend once who believed males are almost immune to sexually transmitted diseases. His reason? The length of the penile shaft. For the Yoruba audience (no offense intended), he means the length of his penis. Still don’t understand? Ask the man next to you. I agree with him, because comparing the male reproductive system to that of the females, males have just ONE opening to the outside world, while females have about 3 0r 4. Do the maths. Let me explain this with a simple diagram.

This is the male reproductive system, if by now, you don’t know. You see the urethral opening? That is the only route for movement in and out of the male urogenital system. As I said, I agreed on the near-immunity of males to STDs based on their anatomy. Before micro-organisms travel from any part of a man’s body to the urethral opening, a woman will use the same time to finish dressing up for that wedding…meaning it takes a long time. Heck, the man might just go take a shower, and a good percentage of the organisms will be gone. I can see some dudes smiling.

Wait a minute. We see you. We see you walking down the street, in clubs, at that birthday party, doing the occasional, or in some, ‘frequent’ ‘packing’. Packing had always amused me, right from my early pubertal years. It took me a university degree to find out it was a semi-cool way of alleviating the itchy feeling behind your boxers. Let me give you something to ponder about male itching.

• Almost all STDs have the initial symptoms of itching. Do not itch in silence, visit a Physician.

• Apart from the risk of contacting HIV, do you know Syphilis? It is such an annoying disease that nobody wants to claim its bragging rights. Italians called it “the Spanish disease.” The French dubbed it “the English disease.” Among Russians, it was known as “the Polish disease.” Among Arabs? “The disease of Christians“. The disease, syphilis, begins by causing crusty sores in private places. After hiding out in the body for years, it can emerge to drive people insane and then kill them. I think you should have gotten the information by now.

• Have you also heard of Gonorrhea, Herpes Simplex Virus type 2 infection, Human Papiloma virus infection, and Chlamydia infection? Along with HIV and Syphilis, they are the 6 most common STDs in men. Despite tremendous advances in understanding and controlling STDs, they’re still out there spoiling the party. Don’t let them spoil yours.

• You are such a badass guy that you can’t wash your underwear, or you don’t even wear at all? Things would soon go bad.

Wear clean underwear!

• How sexually clean are you? Some of you don’t care if the girl is the dirtiest pig in town. The girl going down on you, do you know her? Some girls carry the oral forms of STDs. A guy gisted me once, ‘… the girl smelt sooo badly, but if you see her ‘uku’ (waist) ehn, Adesuwa, I couldn’t just resist… I slept with her o, but I treated myself later…’ Treated yourself for what, If i may ask?

• I even heard some of you reuse condoms. Ahn,ahn, Gold circle brand of condoms is just N30.oo for a pack of three.

• The prevalence of young hot females living with HIV/AIDs is alarming, no jokes. This doesn’t stop them from fixing brazillian weaves, doing french tips, or colour blocking. My point is, they are attractive. While HIV is not a death sentence, Do not risk it. Know your status no be curse. Strive to know the status of your partner(s).

         She’s sizzling, right? spare her a second thought pls…

• You think wiping your butt after taking a dump is feminine? Maybe the formation of irritating sores around your favourite region should jolt your thinking faculty to reality.

• The girl said no? Good. You might have just saved yourself from a killer disease. Let her go…everything good will come.

This last bit is for the ladies. If, for any reason, your not comfortable with the sanitary condition of your guy’s privates, do not succumb to his moves. Don’t listen to ‘Baby just the tip’, or ‘Ok just your tongue’.  What about this my guy who has just finished eating suya and/or pepper soup and the next thing, he wants to perform cunnilingus on his babe. That is all sorts of evil and inconsiderate. Show some respect please! Ladies, let me inform you that his love will not save you from the deadly Pelvic Inflammatory Disease and other wicked infections. His strong love should be enough to drive him into the bathroom to adequately wash up. I hope I have not cramped anybody’s style o.

Any questions, comments, contributions? Don’t you ever hesitate to ask me.

It’s me again, Adesuwa. Have a safe weekend!

Beautiful face, beautiful privates!

Ill-health of body or of mind, is defeat. Health alone is victory. Let all men, if they can manage it, contrive to be healthy!” Thomas Carlyle

Hello everyone!!!!! Welcome to my blog, and I really hope you enjoy my first “official” post…

Well, as a lady, my first post will centre around the ‘female-dom’. So here goes. No one likes to be disgraced by seen in the public, itching your ‘veejayjay’ away with so much gusto.  We Nigerian girls love to outdo ourselves and others in so many aspects. We want to use the most expensive creams, hair products, clothes, facial cosmetic, perfumes, and a host of other things we bother ourselves about. Some go ahead to order the most expensive douches and make it a point of duty to douche at least three times a day. And what great heartbreak develops when they notice their privates continually itch in-spite of the expensive ‘cleaning’ that had been carried out. Ironically, the itching takes a cue to begin just as you are in that banging party. While I approve of using the best,it is pertinent to know that the most expensive things don’t guarantee their quality or their suitability for you.

Don’t be fooled…some scratching is going down…

Now, arriving at my point, How do you prevent itching of your vagina? How do you ensure that you can go on without the fear of scratching your jock in public while pretending to dance ‘Etighi’? Here are a few points.

• Please note that a clean vagina is not only vital for a good reproductive health, it also improves your self-esteem and your feeling of well-being. You really don’t want to be ‘that girl with the smelly down-below’.
• NOT ALL VAGINAL DISCHARGES ARE BAD. A healthy vagina is naturally acidic and contains rich quantities of beneficial bacteria that help fend off infections and maintain a normal pH level. A healthy vagina will also secrete small amounts of discharge to keep itself clean, much as saliva is produced to help cleanse your mouth. Any interference with these normal conditions, and you may face vaginal irritation or infection. You get now?
• Constant use of antibiotics do not help. Some ladies take antibiotics each time they make use of a foreign toilet. Not like they even complete the doses. When this happens, you promote resistance of otherwise susceptible organisms, and if someday you actually have an infection, none of these antibiotics may work for you. You wouldn’t want to send scientists into the laboratory and have them name a disease condition after you.
• Douching can interfere with the vagina’s pH levels, reducing its acidity and setting the stage for bacterial infections. If your vagina has a strong or unpleasant odor, see your doctor; a douche will only cover up the smell without curing the problem that’s causing it. Also avoid using harsh soaps (no Dettol soap down there please) or cleansers on the vulva or inside the vagina, as these also can affect a healthy pH balance.

    Avoid medicated soaps!                                                                                                                                                                        

Avoid self-medication                            

• You love yoghurt? Nice! Cranberry juice? Wonderful! Soya milk? Formidable! These foods have been known to promote vaginal health. Soya contains a weak form of estrogen which can aid in lubrication.
• Practice safe sex. You all know this can never ever be over-emphasized. Don’t forget to lubricate if natural lubrication isn’t enough. This can prevent drying and chaffing of the vaginal muscles.  If unmarried, abstinence still remains the best. Never undermine your health and that of your unborn generation because of, say, about 15minutes of mindless pleasure.              In the throes of passion, forget them not.
  

                                                 

Better still, you can use this option!

• Its not common practice among Nigerian Ladies, but it is important to visit the gynecologist regularly, at least to do the popular ‘pap smear’ test which detects changes in vaginal cells’ composition.
• Three types of vaginal infections are pretty common: yeast infection, especially candidiasis, bacterial vaginosis, and trichomoniasis. You are not a doctor so please refrain from self-medication as these infections have overlapping signs and symptoms. Ensure you are properly treated and complete your medications.
• Your vagina should stay clean and dry — and what you wear can affect that. Some girls can wear ‘tights’ for Africa. With our humid weather, all you will achieve with that is a conducive environment for micro-organisms to thrive in. Your favourite panties are not well dried and you want to pay a visit to the boyfriend? Sister, wear another one…He’ll love you just the same. Show me the history books where choice of panties have actually stopped the deed from happening. Wear cotton underwear during the day, and change out of wet swimsuits and sweaty workout clothes as quickly as possible.
• Common sense can go a long way in protecting the health of your vagina. After a bowel movement, wipe from front to back to avoid bacterial contamination of the vagina and to lower the risk of bladder infection. Avoid using coloured or perfumed toilet paper. Change sanitary pads and tampons regularly during your period. When you’re not having your period, do not use pads or panty liners to absorb normal vaginal discharge; they will keep moisture and warmth near your vagina, which can result in infection.

Phewwww…..There, you have my two cents. Guys, don’t think we don’t see you scratching. In due time, I’ll get back to y’all.

Until my next post, its goodbye and make that vagina happy!