A Doctor's Experience of Bleeding in Her PPE During COVID Duty - Infano Women's Health | Lifestyle

Spread the love

Dr. Kamna Kakkar, an Anaesthesiologist recently shot to limelight when she shared her experience of bleeding in her PPE suit on her first day of period while attending to Covid affected patients. Taking to twitter, the doctor went on to say how her first Covid-19 ICU duty on 17 May in Rohtak will be unforgettable.

“I bled freely that day…,” she writes, “… though not out of compulsion but by choice. I belong to the privileged strata of society where I never had to think about safely managing my periods. But that day, I felt what it was like to be in the shoes of women who do not have access to sanitary napkins or tampons or clean alternatives.” She shared this post on May 21, world menstrual day and was quickly picked up by social media. She was a junior resident doctor then.

“It takes 45 minutes for us to wear the PPE in sequential steps — a process called ‘donning’. Then we follow a designated route to the Covid ICU where we work with the sickest of patients. When our shift ends, six hours later, we leave the ICU via another designated route to reach the ‘doffing’ area. ‘Doffing’, or getting out of the PPE, is another step-by-step process that also takes 45 minutes.

“In the rush and excitement to serve in the Covid ICU for the first time, I had completely forgotten that I was nearing the end of my menstrual cycle and it was time for my periods. All I could focus on was being in the midst of a pandemic and also needing to stay safe. I had completely forgotten that I had a woman’s body inside a frontline worker.

“I couldn’t risk leaving my sick patients unattended in the ICU for 45 minutes to doff plus 45 minutes to don the PPE again — a total of 1 hour 30 minutes — to just wear a sanitary napkin. Also, that would mean I would need another set of PPE, and in a pandemic, PPEs are precious and being rationed. I didn’t want to waste even one.”

So she decided to bleed freely in her PPE till the end of her shift. But while narrating her ordeal to a friend when she called her a warrior, Kamna wondered if she really was one or just another regular woman doing my job.

“Regular women menstruate while working — nothing heroic about it. However, unlike me, who bled freely by choice, if one has to menstruate without a pad or a tampon out of compulsion, it makes her a victim of social apathy.”

Just like the many women who do not have access to clean toilets or better hygiene practices and sanitary products during menstruation, the real difference between Kamna (and most of us) and these other women is the privilege of having the choice to bleed freely.

Source @drkamnakakkar on twitter

Spread the love

There may be many reasons for dryness in the vagina, the main factors include hormonal changes, the side effects of any medication including contraceptive pills and menopause. The problem of dryness in the vagina can occur to any woman at any age. However, most women at a young age undergo such issues, and at their mature age, they experience the dryness after menopause. In most of the cases women who are between 50-60 years of age experience vaginal dryness. Vaginal dryness causes itching, discomfort during sex and pain due to dryness.

Symptoms

Among women, the symptoms of dryness in the vagina arise during the intercourse in most of the cases. Vaginal dryness can occur due to the following reasons:-

Thinning of the vaginal layer
Vaginal anaesthesia
Vaginal infection
Uneasiness
General unhappiness
Lack of moisture during intercourse
Frequent urine
Having sex
Cortisone
Light bleeding during intercourse

In addition to these, different women can experience different types of symptoms.

Many types of treatment are available to cure vaginal dryness. However, let’s take a glance at some of the most practical steps to remedy this condition.

1. Lubricants

Simply put, lubricants are the gel substance that lets the vagina remain moist during sex. Lubricants can be applied on the penis before penetration or can be put directly in the vagina to make it moist. This gives immediate relief from the vaginal dryness for a while. Lubricants are available in a range of varieties in pharmacies and shops. With expert assistance, you can pick up your most compatible lubricant.

2. Vaginal Moisturizer

Vaginal moisturizers are creams that keep the vagina moist. If dryness is not the only cause of problems during sex, then they can be better than lubricants, because its effect lasts for long. Usually, it needs to be applied consistently for a few days. Water-based moisturizers are generally considered to be the best, because latex condoms may not work well with oil or petroleum-based products, and occasional discomfort may occur in the vagina.

3. Vaginal Estrogen

If dryness in the vagina is due to menopause, the doctor can prescribe vital estrogen. It increases the low levels of estrogen during and after menopause. Vaginal estrogen comes in the form of pills that are usually meant to be tucked in the vagina itself much like the vaginal ring. Be it vaginal moisturiser or rings, all of them work equally well, however, using estrogen pills come off as comparatively more convenient.

It is commonly believed that Estrogen is more effective than treatment, lubricant, and moisturizer for women who are going through the phase of menopause. However, it may take a few weeks to start the work so you can use lubricant or moisturizer in the beginning. Typically, the treatment has to continue indefinitely because stuttering comes back when the medication is stopped.

4. Hormonal Replacement Therapy (HRT)

HRT is a treatment in which medicines are taken to replace those hormones which decrease in levels during menopause. Doctors prescribe these either as tablets or skin patches, implants in the skin or with gels on the surface. HRT has a more comprehensive effect on the body than in viral estrogen, so if you are experiencing other symptoms like menopause, such as hot flashes etc., it is a fairly good idea to use it. Given the side effects, it is always advisable to take full information from the doctor before usage. If there is any serious problem with their use, contact the doctor immediately.