Is it more
than just
misbehaving?
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A
No.Everywoman’suterusis
tilted.Mostaretiltedforwards,
butaboutonein fourtiltbackwards
(alsocalledretroverted).It can
sometimesmeanthatfindingthe
uterusis moredifficult.I oftenask
womentoplacetheirhandsunder
theirbuttockstotiltthe pelvis and
this usually helps.
Losingweightfor
anoperation
Q
I’minsuchpainwith
arthritisinmykneeand
mysurgeontellsmeI needa
kneereplacement.However,he
is refusingtooperateuntilI lose
atleast3st.I’mprettymuch
houseboundwiththepain,so
exercisingis impossible,
andI havetriedeverydiet
inthebook.Nothingworks
forme.WhatdoI do?
A
Iseethishappening
a lotI’mafraidand,
althoughit mayseemcruel,
yoursurgeonis justtryingto
reduceyourrisksofpost-
operativecomplications.
Peoplewhoarevery
overweightaremore
likelytohaveproblems
withtheanaestheticand
woundhealing.Youmay
bea candidateforreferral
toa weight-managementplan
viayourGPandpossiblyeven
a gastricbandtohelp with
your weight loss.
What’sup
withmycervix?
Q
WhenI washavingmy
recentsmeartest,thenurse
struggleda bittofindmycervix
andtoldmeit wasbecausemy
uterusis tiltedbackwards.I didn’t
thinkanythingofit atthetime,
butit hasbeenplayingon
mymind.Is thissomething
I shouldbeworriedabout?
Q
Mydaughter’seight-year-oldis under
threatofbeingexcludedfromschool.
I’mconvincedshehasADHD,butthe
schoolsayssheneedsa referralfromher
GPandthedoctorsaysit’sbetterarranged
byaneducationalpsychologist through
theschool.HowcanI help?
A
Sadly,thisscenariois notuncommon.
AssessmentforADHDinvolves
severalspecialistsandit maybeusefulto
asktheschoolandthedoctortodiscuss
thingstogetherfirst.Theywillneedyour
daughter’sconsent,butwillthenhopefully
be able to work out the best way forward.
Q
I’VEBEEN
ITCHING
DOWNBELOWFOR
SEVERALWEEKS.
I THOUGHTITWAS
THRUSH,BUT
CREAMSHAVEN’T
MADEANY
DIFFERENCE.
I HADA LOOKLAST
NIGHTANDTHERE
ARESEVERAL
PATCHESOFWHITE
ONMYINNERLIPS.
IS THIS CANCER?
I’MSCAREDOF
GOINGTOMYGP.
A
Themostlikely
diagnosisis
lichensclerosus,not
cancer.Asdifficult
asit is,trynotto
scratch,wearloose
underwearmade
ofnaturalfibres
andwashwithan
emollient,notsoap.
See your doctor, as
DoctorDawn
Harper
answers
allyour
questions...
TO ASK?
Afraid
Askthe
DOCTOR
youmayneed
somesteroidcream.
Thereis a verytiny
increasedriskof
cancerassociated
withthiscondition,so
keepaneyeonit and
if youdevelopa lump
orulcer,askyour
GP to take a look.
PHOTOS: GETTY
COULDMYITCH
BE CANCEROUS?
Losingweight
willhelpwith
recovery