What can I do to stop vomiting while pregnant?

I am two months pregnant but because I keep vomiting, I have been advised to take hibiscus tea but there is no change. What can I take apart from hibiscus tea? Hamida

Dear Hamida,
During early pregnancy, probably because of hormonal changes, a number of women may get nauseous or even vomit in what is known as morning sickness despite the fact the symptoms may occur at any time of day.

Much as they may make a pregnant woman uncomfortable, the symptoms are usually an indication of a properly functioning placenta and, therefore, a healthy pregnancy.

That said, during pregnancy, malaria, urinary tract infections, peptic ulceration and pre-existing thyroid or liver disease among many other conditions, which also show morning sickness-like symptoms require to be checked out before declaring one to be suffering from morning sickness.

Fortunately, morning sickness in most women is usually mild and goes away on its own by around 16 weeks of pregnancy. To manage the condition, avoid triggers, which include spicy foods, odours and heat. Eating sugar/fat free snacks and taking ginger are some of the remedies that may reduce the symptoms.

Pregnant women are advised to avoid taking drugs or even herbs unless they have been prescribed by their doctor or antenatal clinic because these may harm the health of the unborn child or the mother.
Hibiscus tea, which is just made from hibiscus (not usual tea from Camellia sinensis) is said to prevent or lower blood pressure, reduce blood sugar levels, help with menstrual cramps, and may help with weight management. However, it can affect female hormone oestrogen levels, which in turn may affect both pregnancy and fertility. Taken for a long time, it can also damage the liver.

When passing urine, I notice some pus. I do not feel any pain and I am physically fit since I exercise and I have done so for the last 40 years. Could it be a sign of prostate cancer? Japhet

Dear Japhet,
Pus in urine accompanied by other symptoms such as painful urination may indicate a urinary tract infection. This pus may not be visible in most cases. When visible, it may indicate a sexually transmitted infection of the urethra such as gonorrhoea.

Both a urinary tract infection and a sexually transmitted infection affecting the urethra are usually accompanied by symptoms, especially painful urination.

Exercising for 40 years means that you are 50 years or older, a time when health problems due to an enlarged prostate usually surface.

One result of an enlarged prostate may be semen going backwards into the bladder instead of outwards to and through the urethral opening at the tip of the penis (retrograde ejaculation). If one engages in sexual intercourse at night, the first urine he passes in the morning may be cloudy because of semen. Sometimes, the semen may come at the end of urination unlike one without retrograde ejaculation where semen left in the urethra comes out with the first stream of urine as one passes urine in the morning.

Also, passing urine together with stool when one is constipated may cause hard stool to massage the prostate gland, leading to the urine coming out with some prostatic white or thick fluid one might mistake for pus.

The fact that you could be older and with likely prostate enlargement which may risk you getting urinary tract infections, you require visiting your doctor for review. Also, the doctor is likely to check out the prostate if it is actually enlarged and the likely cause of its enlargement including inflammation, age-related increase in size (benign prostatic hyperplasia) or prostate cancer.

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