The Bowdoin Orient

Dear Dr. Jeff: I've been dating the same woman for over six months now, and we're both committed to not sleeping with anyone else. She's on the pill, and we've both been tested for STDs. Do we need to keep using condoms? K.C.

Dear Dr. Jeff: Can I get travel shots at the health center for my study away? C.K.

Dear Dr. Jeff: I've got some questions for you, about flu shots. First, why should I get vaccinated against the flu?

Dear Dr. Jeff: "I've been thinking about getting my nose pierced. Are there any health concerns I need to be worried about?" L.S.C.

Dear Dr. Jeff: I've been told not to use Q-tips to clean my ears. What should I use? L.B.

Dear Dr. Jeff: This may sound a little dumb, but with all the talk about hand washing and preventing the flu and other illnesses, is there some particular way you're supposed to be washing your hands? T.W.F.

Dear Dr. Jeff: Can I get a flu shot to prevent bird flu? E.O.

Dear Dr. Jeff: How should students treat colds? How can we prevent them when, say, our roommate has one? A.K.

Dear Dr. Jeff: Is molluscum an STD? P.B

Dear Dr. Jeff: How would I know if a friend is alcohol poisoned or just really drunk? C.B.

Dear Dr. Jeff: If I get the Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, will I still have to get annual Pap tests?- S.A.

Welcome to Bowdoin 2006-2007, from all of us in the health services! In this first column of the new school year, I wanted to review some of our programs and services and write a little about our sense of mission here at Dudley Coe.

Dear Dr. Jeff: A friend of mine seems to be pretty down. How would I know if he's depressed? ?J.B.

Dear Dr. Jeff: Are sports performance-enhancing drugs dangerous? What about other body-building supplements? ?J.P.

Dear Dr. Jeff: I've been reading reports about adolescents not getting enough sleep. Do you think that's a big problem at Bowdoin? - A Concerned Parent

Dear Dr. Jeff: I just got over a mild case of mono, but haven't been cleared to play hockey. How come? ?M.P

Dear Dr. Jeff: Can you have genital herpes and not know it? Can a person infect you with herpes, even if they've never had any sores? ?L.H.

Dear Dr. Jeff: I keep hearing conflicting information: Do condoms protect against HPV or not?

Dear Dr. Jeff: If I get a flu shot, will it also protect me against the bird flu? -L.E.

Dear Dr. Jeff: A friend of mine cuts her arms. She says she's not suicidal or anything, but she can't stop doing it. I'm getting a little freaked out by it. -P.E.B

Is "Emergency Contraception" the same thing as "RU-486"?

Infection with HPV (Human papillomavirus) causes all warts, including genital warts.

Dear Dr. Jeff: It seems like we have a different health insurance plan this year. I've gotten a little confused about coverage for referrals and lab tests. Can you help clarify? -T.K.

Welcome to Bowdoin 2005-2006 from all of us in the Health Services! In this, my first column of the new year, I wanted to review some of our programs and services and write a little about our sense of mission here at Dudley Coe.

Dear Students: Each week, I've written about a variety of health problems and concerns. Most of what I've written has aimed to inform and advise you as individuals who are learning to make your own choices and seek your own well-being. Some have touched on our need to look out for each other and to help support each other as members of a common community. The health benefits of community building, however, far exceed one-on-one mutual support.

Dear Dr. Jeff: I found a lump "down there" when I took a shower yesterday. How common is testicular cancer among college students? B.K. Dear B.K.: "Lumps down there" are fairly common and most often not dangerous. Testicular cancer is not terribly common, but it IS the most common cancer affecting men between the ages of 15 and 40. Most importantly, testicular cancer is very likely to be cured if it's discovered early and treated early.

Dear Dr. Jeff: I've heard contradictory things about the safety of Ecstasy. What's your opinion? G.P. Dear G.P.: Ecstasy ("MDMA," "3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine," "X," "E," "Adam," "XTC,"or "Lover's Speed") is still the most popular of the "club drugs," and a small number of students here continue to try it at least once. MDMA has both stimulant and hallucinogenic effects. Users describe a relaxed, euphoric state, with heightened feelings of empathy, pleasure, self-understanding, and self-acceptance.

Dear Dr. Jeff: I like to smoke a little pot now and then. Is that a problem? W.N. Dear W.N.: An increasing body of research suggests that marijuana is neither the deadly toxin its foes portray, nor the benign herb its advocates promote. What has become clearer is this?heavy, regular use of marijuana may be more harmful and habit-forming than previously suspected.

Dear Dr. Jeff: It seems like there are a lot of people here struggling with eating disorders. What can we do to help out? P.W. Dear P.W.: We don't know the exact prevalence of eating disorders on campus, but we do know that it's too high.

Dear Dr. Jeff: I was just seen at the Health Center for a sore throat and diagnosed with mono. I already had mono in high school. Can you really get it twice? K.P. Dear K.P.: We're in the midst of yet another epidemic wave of mono (the third for the academic year!), and in spite of years of experience with the disease, we're continuing to learn new things about it. Let's review the basics.

Dear Dr. Jeff: I feel pretty down sometimes. How would I know if I'm depressed and need medication? J.M. Dear J.M.: We all feel blue and moody from time to time, and transitory feelings of sadness, self-doubt, or discouragement are perfectly normal and situational. Depression, on the other hand, lasts longer and is more intense, pervasive, deep, and incapacitating

Dear Dr. Jeff: I have a friend who probably has an eating disorder. I'd like to help her, but I don't want to get her in any trouble. What are your thoughts? S.S. Dear S.S.: Here at Bowdoin, we do try to look out for one another, and the health and well-being of a friend can become quite concerning.

Dear Dr. Jeff: I think I have the flu?bad. Should I come in to the Health Center for some antibiotics? A.P. Dear A.P.: It is definitely flu season, here at Bowdoin, and it's proving to be a fairly rough one because of the shortage of flu vaccine.

Dear Dr Jeff: Last weekend I froze my toes teleskiing at Sugarloaf. They're still kind of numb and tingly. Did they get frostbitten? What can I do about it now? G.G. Dear G.G.: Hopefully your toes only got frost-nipped, a less damaging form of cold injury than frostbite.

Dear Dr. Jeff: I get tired pretty easily, and my coach thinks I may be anemic. Should I come in for blood tests? MW Dear MW: There are many, many causes of fatigue, only one of which is anemia.

Dear Dr. Jeff: Do you think it's always important to get eight hours sleep at night? Even during Reading Period? R.M. Dear R.M.: It is always important to get enough sleep, even, and maybe especially, during high pressure times like Reading Period.

Dear Dr. Jeff: Many people I know on campus have "blacked out" from drinking during a weekend now and then. Is it anything to worry about? M. M.

Dear Dr. Jeff: I've had some funny looking bumps on my belly for a few weeks now. I've done some research on line, and think it may be molluscum. What should I do? -J.S. Dear J.S.: Molluscum is a fairly common skin infection, and we've seen a lot of it over the years at the Health Center. So, first of all, come on in! Let one of us take a look, and if it is molluscum that's causing those funny looking bumps, we can discuss various treatment options.

Dear Dr. Jeff: My ex-girlfriend told me she was diagnosed with genital warts, and that she needed to be treated to prevent cancer. She was a virgin when we met, which means she must have gotten them from me. I've never had an STD as far as I know, and I'm feeling bad, and pretty worried, about all of this. C. L.

Dear Dr. Jeff: What are the effects of supplements and are they necessary to have a well-sculpted body? How can I bulk-up/put on weight in a healthy way? ?SAC

Dear Dr. Jeff: This may sound pretty dumb, but with all the talk you hear about hand washing and the flu, is there some special way you're supposed to be washing your hands? J.N. Dear J.N.: Very timely question, and nothing dumb about it at all! Hand washing is felt to be the single most effective way to prevent the transmission of infectious disease.

The best indication that you've ingested a date rape drug is that you feel far more affected by what you've been drinking than you would expect to be.

Dear Dr. Jeff: "I am a student at Bowdoin who is almost at my wits' end about my studies. I am not doing as well as I would like to, and only wish that I knew someone with Ritalin or Adderall. A solitary pill when I need to study is hardly likely to be an overdose.

Dear Dr. Jeff: What's the difference between alcohol poisoning and just being real drunk? R.S.

Dear Dr. Jeff: "How does Emergency Contraception work? Is it basically medical abortion?" J.K.

Dear Students: Welcome to Bowdoin 2004-2005, from all of us in the Health Services! In this, my first column of the new year, I wanted to review some of our programs and services and write a little about our sense of mission here at Dudley Coe.

Dear Dr. Jeff: I've been having trouble concentrating on my work for a while. I tried a friend's Ritalin to study for a midterm, and it worked great. I wonder if I have ADD?-J.L.

Dear Dr. Jeff: My boyfriend is a very dedicated athlete on one of Bowdoin's most competitive teams. He and some of his teammates seem to think they need to lose weight and skip meals or eat tiny portions. They're still working out many hours a day. Can this be healthy?-B.B.

Dear Dr. Jeff: I've been involved with the same guy for over six months now, and neither of us is interested in sleeping with anyone else. I'm on the Pill, and we've both been tested for STDs. Is it safe to stop using condoms?-S.H.

Dear Dr. Jeff: "I've been thinking about getting my nose pierced. Are there any health concerns I need to be worried about?"-L.S.C.