Why do I urinate a lot after taking a glass of water?

Dear doctor, they say that drinking water is good for our health. But the more water I drink, the more I urinate. When I take one glass of water, I can urinate two times. Is this normal?
Odur

Dear Odur, It is perfectly normal to pass urine frequently when we drink a lot of water. Water beyond the body’s requirement may dilute the internal fluid environment, including blood, and this may have health implications.
When there is excess water in the body, the brain usually produces less of a hormone called anti diuretic, which in turn causes the kidneys to produce a lot of dilute urine, until this excess water is removed.

Many people today take a lot of fluids, some to levels which make the kidney fail to match the pace of the water intake, leading to disturbance of the internal salt environment. This may have consequences, including swelling of the body, over flooding of the lungs resulting in breathing difficulties, and the heart failing to efficiently pump the overloaded blood vessels. The eventual swelling of the brain may also lead to convulsions.

Every time a well hydrated person takes in excess water, the kidneys will efficiently throw that water out by forming more urine than usual, and this may happen even with just one glass of water. Taking too much water may be too much of a good thing. It is important to take water, but not beyond eight glasses, and well distributed throughout the day.

Dear doctor, I did an electroencephalogram (EEG) test that showed that I am not epileptic. But every time I watch live television football, I get partial convulsions, and at times I find myself on the ground. Even at night when I am asleep, my wife tells me that I get these flashes. I have consulted several doctors but this has not helped me. These days, I also develop terrible headache and feel that the right hand side of my head is weak. I also feel pain in the head. What can I do?
Eria Bbosa

Dear Eria, the brain has electrical activity which happens all the time. A sudden burst of intense electrical activity may cause a temporary disruption in the way the brain works, with the brain’s messages getting mixed up, and resulting in an epileptic seizure. When a person experiences two or more unprovoked seizures, they are said to have epilepsy.
Seizures can also be caused by several factors such as alcohol withdrawal, heart problems, or having low blood sugar levels.
The seizures may also be hereditary, a result of brain injury, or a brain tumour. But in most cases, they may be no found cause.

When there is brain injury or a brain tumour, headache and weakness on one side of the body may happen. Migralepsy is a rare condition in which a migraine is followed, within an hour period, by an epileptic seizure. Flashing lights including those while watching television can trigger both migraine and epilepsy.

There is no single test that can prove that one has or does not have epilepsy. Tests such as the EEG test, which record brainwave patterns, can offer useful information.
A diagnosis of epilepsy should be made by a doctor from, history, examination and information after different tests.
The EEG test can only show your brainwave patterns at the time the test is carried out and therefore, such a test done at a particular time may miss abnormal patterns that may be used to diagnose epilepsy. A normal or standard EEG test then does not rule out the possibility that you have epileptic activity in your brain at other times.

Some EEG tests that can be done for longer or when one is asleep (if one gets fits while asleep), may show electric activity that cannot be shown by standard EEGs tests that are usually done in Uganda. People with particular types of epilepsy have unusual electrical activity in their brain all the time, even when they are not having a seizure.

Though an EEG test can show certain brainwave patterns that doctors use to diagnose epilepsy, some people inherit unusual brainwave patterns from their parents, even though they do not have epilepsy. Therefore, an EEG test that shows unusual brainwave patterns in some cases does not necessarily mean that one is epileptic.

You may require a test that takes you through a longer time such as ambulatory EEG, brain scans that may diagnose and monitor your condition. Before you get the proper medication, you have to avoid watching television for long periods of time.

Dear doctor, whenever I am in my periods, I start craving for some particular foods, and sometimes I get flu just by smelling my husband’s perfume. Is this normal?
ONGOM

Dear Ongom, women, especially those in the 20 to 30 age group, normally suffer from various symptoms, including mood swings, pain in the breasts, food cravings, fatigue, irritability and depression.
This is called pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS).These symptoms start about two weeks before the periods, and in some cases once the period starts.
In a few cases, it can go on up to four days after the periods have begun. Unfortunately, the symptoms on their own may be mistaken for pregnancy. A period is not mere bleeding; it involves the body’s chemical messengers called hormones. When a woman does not get pregnant after shedding an egg, the fall in female sexual hormones leads to periods.
As the hormones fall, the stress hormone (cortisol) increases, triggering increased appetite. When the hormones do not balance properly, it will also make your sense of smell overly sensitive, creating a running or stuffy nose. A brain hormone, serotonin suddenly drops before periods begin, triggering a need for increased feeding on foods such as carbohydrates since serotonin production depends on carbohydrates.
Low blood sugar towards periods also triggers appetite and enhances cravings Ugandans are always low on vitamins especially because of poor choice of foods to balance their diet.
Taking lots of fluids, and eating whole grains may help in premenstrual syndrome, and therefore in the craving. A balanced diet, rather than too much fat or carbohydrates is also important. If the craving does not stop, you may have other food deficiencies requiring the help of your doctor to correct the condition.

Dear doctor, I am a 24-year old mother of twins. I do not want to give birth again soon. But whenever my boyfriend and I use a condom, I get irritation and itching around my private parts. My boyfriend has changed and used different brands of condom but this has not helped. Could it be that I have an allergy to condoms. Is there such a thing as allergy to condoms or is it just hearsay?
Beatricce Nalongo

Dear Beatrice, it may be true that you have a reaction to the latex rubber in the condoms, the spermicide and lubricant in the condom.

Condoms on the Ugandan market are made of latex, which many people may have been exposed to handling medical gloves, balloons or rubber bands (or even condoms themselves). Some people will develop allergic reactions on using condoms even for the first time. Otherwise those not exposed to rubber may develop the reactions with time and the symptoms may get worse the more a person is exposed to condoms.
Allergy to condoms may manifest in the man, woman or both, mostly as a minor effect such as itching of the private parts, or as severe as sneezing, coughing, and breathing complications.

Using a less effective polyurethane condom will stop the allergy, only if it is not as a result of spermicide or lubricant on the condom. Changing from one condom brand to another cannot help because they are all latex condoms.
Spermicides on the condom are said to increase affectivity if used for family planning. But it is said that it can also increase susceptibility to urinary tract infections and HIV/Aids in women. And these days, condoms with spermicides are no longer promoted by the World Health Organisation.

Send your questions to: [email protected]