Read this and spare yourself the post-coital panic. “Where is the condom?”
Before you panic:
“That condom is not lost forever,” assures Dr Helen, a sexual health expert from Mulago. “Relax to prevent tensing up and down there and take 10 deep breathes to calm you.
Put one foot on the bath and squat down, tilting your pelvis upwards so you can reach the condom with your fingers. Or. Let your partner have a go at it.
Plan B:
See a Gynecologist or nurse and they can use a speculum to retrieve it. Also, its best to go within 72 hours of having sex so you can get emergency contraception and an STI test while you are at it.
“He’s bleeding!”
Before you panic
Well, you are probably not the most panicked person in the room. He is. “It is probably a snapped frenulum (the ridge of skin that joins the head of the penis to the fore skin),” explains Helen.
“Fortunately, in most cases, it will heal quickly as there are lots of nearby blood vessels. Clean it by bathing the area in warm salty water.”
Still in trouble?
“If the bleeding won’t stop and the pain is getting worse, apply pressure to the area with a bandage and go to an emergency hospital/clinic,” she says.
“It is best to avoid having sex until it is completely healed.”
“Aargh, I’ve split!”
Before you panic
“When the sex is vigorous and done at an angle, the skin between your vagina and anus can tear.” explains Dr Helen.
“The area heals quickly, though, as it packed with blood vessels. Clean it in warm salty water and, next time you have sex, use more lubricant.”
How worried should you be?
“Most women don’t need stitches as the tear is superficial,” she says. “But if it stings when you go to the loo, call a health expert and they will give you proper medical
“He is not moving”
Before you panic
“He may be unconscious from bashing his head on the wall but this is no time to feel embarrassed, call for an ambulance and have him taken to the hospital,” says Helen. “You wouldn’t be the only couple to throw each other around the room during sex, or even to play risky sex games.
Now try this
“Keep talking to him but don’t move him, especially if he has head injury.” She warns. “Tell the paramedics what happened so they know what to do.” And next time, why not take it a little bit easier.
“This is not my period…”
Before you panic
“Unexpected bleeding after sex can be a sign of infection, so get a DIY Chlamydia test from the pharmacy,” says Helen. “One of ten women has come in contact with Chlamydia, which can cause long-term fertility problems, but it can be treated with antibiotics.”
If that is not the answer
Are you up to date with smear tests? Dr Helen says, “When the nurse is doing your smear, she will be able to spot any harmless polyps on your cervix that may be causing this bleeding.”
