Ask the doctor

Why do I feel too sleepy nowadays? Dear Doctor,For two weeks now, I am suffering with sleep; I doze in office, yet I have enough sleep, I even adjusted my sleeping time from 11pm to 9pm but I still doze at work, what could be the problem? Richard.Dear Richard, Hypersomnolence or feeling very sleepy could be due to lack of sound sleep due to stress or sleep apnoea (where breathing is disturbed during sleep). Depression, intake of alcohol are other factors causing sleepiness. Taking heavy meals causes sleepiness as blood is diverted to the gut to help in digestion Chronic constipation causes a feeling of dullness and sensation to sleep. Excess of work to which one is not used to can also produce hypersomnolence. Apart from this high blood glucose as in uncontrolled diabetes can give rise to weakness and urge to sleep more. You can try to evaluate which of these factors are present in your case and try to rectify them. -------------------------------- Which family planning method is more effective?Dear Doctor,How effective are these family planning methods we use to avoid pregnancy. Are there specific family planning methods for specific persons? Angela.Dear Angela, almost all methods of family planning are effective in majority of cases. Now even hormonal pills are available to be used after intercourse to prevent a pregnancy. Choice of a method for family planning depends on age of the woman, whether she has children or not, does she want spacing in between children or has completed her family. Based on these factors one can decide with help of a medical personnel whether one would like to have a intrauterine device, hormonal preparations or a tubal ligation ------------------------------------------- I’ve been low and stressed at work for 2 weeks for ‘nothing’ Dear Doctor,For the last week I have been feeling low; I am slow at work and I have lost appetite, I am stressed about the fact that I have failed to produce results at work. What could be the problem? Irene.Dear Irene, It seems that you are suffering from depression which could be from the fact that you have failed to produce results at work. There can be some other cause for anxiety as well, which has preoccupied the mind hence failure at work. You have not specified your age, but if you are around 30 or more, get tested for diabetes. Because high blood glucose can at times produce no other manifestation, only depression and feeling low. Similarly chronic anemia, chronic thyroid deficiency can also result in depression and related problems like loss of appetite and sleep.Exclude a physical problem by tests, brace yourself and face the problem headlong and with determination. After all, everybody commits mistakes, everybody fails at work sometimes but instead of getting depressed, think of how best you can do your work again in a better way. ----------------------------------------- Rash on my face just got worse after prescribed facial creamDear Doctor,I have developed a rush on my face, when I went to see a dermatologist, he gave me a cream to use but instead the cream bleached my skin, what can I do? Umutesi.Dear Umutesi, It seems that the cream prescribed to you would be having ingredients that cause discoloration and whitening of the skin due to inhibition of melanin production. This would have been given to reduce the rash you mention. How a person’s skin responds to a certain product varies from person to person. You need to follow up with the dermatologist on how the cream prescribed has not been suitable for you. Another option is if the rash is not bad-looking, no itching, no oozing, not too big in size, ignore it. Rashes on the face are normal for many women due to hormonal changes during puberty, pregnancy and menopause. They come spontaneously and may subside after sometime or may persist. Be patient.