femalenetwork.com

Hi there! I am a member of femalenetwork.com and I came across a particular area of the site. I am hoping someone can help me. I am afraid of going to gynecologists here in the Middle East because I don't trust practitioners here. I had a gyne in the Philippines, but sad to say I lost contact with her. My problem right now is the area down there (outer labia). I always had this problem before and my great gyne always had a solution for it.

It all started when I went to swim in a pool that did not have chlorine. I thought it was OK and nothing will happen to me, but I was wrong. After a day I had an irritation down there. It was just itchy, and I did not have a discharge like before. However, I could not help but scratch it and that's when I noticed a bump. I don't know what it was and now it's swelling. I don't know what to do. I feel so uncomfortable and it's painful when I walk and sit.

My mother recommended penaten cream and water mixed with vinegar. So I followed it, making some of the soreness go away, and it doesn’t itch any longer. But the pain and swelling is still there. I don't remember what my gyne gave me before, but I recall it was a cream. Please help me.

Vhea

Dear Dr. Angela Sison-Aguilar,

I'd like to know the "first steps" in consulting a gyne. I'm 23 years old and haven't consulted a gyne and planning to do so soon. Are there any steps to take prior to the visit? What should I expect during the consultation? Would I need to do some tests during my 1st consultation? Around how much would it cost me? Do I need to bring my partner with me? I found the "need" to consult a gyne when I noticed I've been having discharges for a long time already. I'm not sure if these are still normal discharges. Please help! Thanks!

Jackie

"What are the common symptoms to ovarian cancer that we must watch out for?"

 
Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading type of cancer among females with increasing incidence in women in their 40s according the Philippine statistics compiled by our Department of Health. Ovarian cancer is quite difficult to detect in the early stages unlike cervical cancer. Hence the case mortality (risk of dying for every case detected) is higher for it even in developed countries like the United States where only one out of five cases are detected early enough to achieve successful treatment (93 per cent survival rate in five years), as observed by the American Cancer Society in 2007.