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Will Valtrex protect me from developing genital herpes from a partner who has a cold sore?

Dear Alice, 

I take Valtrex daily to protect me from cold sores I get on my face. I haven’t had one since I started taking it a few years ago. My partner gets cold sores on his mouth and has recently performed oral sex on me while having a cold sore. Will the daily Valtrex protect me from developing genital herpes? How will this affect me in the future?

Topics:

Sexual and Reproductive Health

What are the long-term effects of tripping on cough medicine?

1) What are the long-term and short-term effects of abusing NyQuil? I've heard it's very dangerous to use it recreationally, but I'm not sure what's dangerous about it. I've heard you can even die from abusing it.

2) I have recently just finished my first year in college and on a few occasions, a couple of friends and I had decided to drink massive amounts of Robitussin DM (dextromethorphan, I believe). It was fun, but the day after I felt like I was hit by a car! They call it robo trippin'. I have no intentions on doing this again; however, I was wondering if there were any long-term effects of it.

Topics:

Substance Use and Recovery

Why am I insatiably hungry and losing weight?

I've read a lot lately about midnight snacking and late night eating and obesity and calorie worries, but my problem lies in the opposite direction — I'm LOSING weight, and insatiably hungry, day and night! The only advice I get is, "Eat healthy," which is preaching to the choir, since I consume more fresh produce, mostly vegetables, and home-cook all my own meals. At a recent nutrition check-up, the nutritionist patted me on the back in congratulations for having one of the healthiest lifestyles he's seen, and shrugged at my inexplicable hunger. The fact is, I'm in the kitchen every other hour, and my body doesn't differentiate between awake and asleep anymore when it comes to hunger. I go to bed on a full stomach, and wake up every three hours to eat again. It's exhausting! I'm falling asleep during the day — but never more than an hour, because hunger strikes. And amid all this, my grocery bill climbs and my weight drops. I don't get it. What am I doing wrong?

Topics:

Nutrition and Physical Activity

Am I too nuts for nuts?

I just checked serving sizes for different kinds of nuts, and it turns out that I eat 500 to 1,500 calories worth of nuts every day. I eat a couple of different types (almonds, peanuts, cashews) and nut butters. I've never had a problem with this; I'm on the thinner size of average and feel relatively healthy. I know nuts are healthy for you, but can they be too much of a good thing?

Topics:

Nutrition and Physical Activity

How can I get rid of pubic lice?

1) I have recently discovered that I have what appear to be crabs in my pubic hair. They are itchy and annoying and appear to be laying eggs. How do I get rid of them?

2) I think I have pubic lice, a.k.a. "crabs." Do I need to see a doctor about this problem, or is there over-the-counter medication of some kind I can use to expel the little buggers from their new home? Also, I'm curious as to how I got them since I haven't had sex for several months and this is a recent development. Can one contract this problem from sharing clothing, towels, or bedclothes?

Topics:

Sexual and Reproductive Health

What are the health effects of recreational codeine use?

I like to use codeine occaisionally (once or twice a week at most) to help me relax and feel a minor high. Typically, I'll take about 90 to 150mg per session (100 to 200mg per week on average). Sometimes I take Tylenol-3's, and sometimes I extract the codeine from these pills and drink it pure. What are the potential health side-effects of this usage, both short- and long-term?

Thanks!

Topics:

Substance Use and Recovery

How can I stop smoking pot?

I have been doing weed for about six months now and on occasion a few other drugs. I usually do it only on average three times a week and a lot more on the weekends. I feel that it is ruining my life because my concentration is terrible and my marks have dropped significantly (20 points). I feel like I'm in a dream all the time and it just isn't fun anymore. I have heard that pot is not addictive but I have tried to stop but I feel sick and irritable if I don't smoke up. I have realized I need to quit but I can't. Why can't I stop if this "soft drug" is not addictive? Am I crazy? Please help. I want my life back. Thank you so much.

Topics:

Substance Use and Recovery

Are waxy fruits safe to eat?

I get the apples provided in the dining hall on campus every day and have noticed that they are completely coated with wax (scratching the surface produces white flakes). I was wondering, how harmful is the wax if I eat two or three apples a day?

Topics:

Nutrition and Physical Activity
Showing 1 - 10 of 306 results

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