FitzMed Diagnostics

Pregnant women during your antenatal make sure you know your blood level.

“Fitz, I've been feeling sick for some days now. Could this be HIV?”

That question is more common than many people realize.

Someone develops fever.

Then they feel unusually tired.

Maybe they have a sore throat.

Swollen glands.

Headache.

A rash.

And immediately, fear sets in:

“I think I have HIV.”

But here's something very important:

Those symptoms alone cannot tell you that you have HIV.

Early HIV infection can cause flu-like symptoms in some people, usually within a few weeks after infection.

But many of those same symptoms can happen with other infections and illnesses.

Some people with HIV may also have no symptoms at all.

So please don't diagnose yourself from symptoms.

Test.

Some early symptoms that can occur with HIV include:

Fever

Sore throat

Swollen lymph nodes

Skin rash

Headache

Body weakness or tiredness

Muscle or joint pain

These symptoms may come and go, and having them does not automatically mean someone has HIV.

So what should you do if you're worried?

If you've had a possible HIV exposure, don't sit at home trying to match your symptoms with things you see online.

Get tested at the appropriate time.

The type of HIV test and the timing after exposure matter because there is a period when an infection may be too recent for a test to detect reliably.

Your healthcare provider can advise you on the appropriate test and whether you need to repeat it.

And if a possible exposure happened within the last 72 hours, seek medical care immediately and ask about PEP, a medicine that can help prevent HIV after a recent exposure.

Don't wait for symptoms before seeking help.

And please remember:

Having HIV is not something to be ashamed of.

If someone tests positive, HIV treatment can help control the virus and protect their health.

With effective treatment, many people living with HIV live long and healthy lives.

So don't allow fear to stop you from testing.

A symptom is not a diagnosis.

A laboratory test gives you the information you need.

If you think you may have been exposed to HIV, get tested and speak with a qualified healthcare professional.

Don't guess.

Know your status.

Stay informed. Stay healthy.

Leave a question in the comment section.

“My sugar is normal today, so I can relax.”

I've heard this kind of thinking many times.

And I understand why someone may feel that way.

When your blood sugar improves, you feel better.

You eat what you want once in a while.

You skip your medication once.

You miss a clinic appointment.

Then another day comes.

Before you know it, the habits that were helping you control your diabetes have started disappearing.

Good diabetes control is not something you achieve once. It's something you maintain.

So what should you be doing every day?

1. Take your medication as prescribed

Don't stop your medication simply because you feel better or your blood sugar has improved.

If you have concerns about your medication, speak with your healthcare provider before making changes.

2. Pay attention to what you eat

You don't have to stop eating everything you enjoy.

But learn your portions.

Choose more vegetables, fibre-rich foods and suitable protein sources, and be mindful of foods and drinks high in added sugar.

Healthy eating is about consistency, not punishment.

3. Keep moving

If you're able to exercise safely, regular physical activity can help your body use insulin better and support your blood sugar control.

Even simple activities such as walking can be useful.

If you have health problems that affect exercise, ask your healthcare professional what is safe for you.

4. Check your blood sugar as advised

Don't only check when you feel sick.

Some people can have high blood sugar without obvious symptoms.

Your readings can help you and your healthcare team understand how your treatment, food and activity are affecting you.

5. Don't ignore your feet

Check your feet regularly for cuts, blisters, swelling, redness or wounds.

Diabetes can affect the nerves and blood flow to the feet, making some injuries harder to notice or heal.

If you notice a wound that isn't healing properly, get medical attention.

6. Keep your appointments

Don't disappear from care simply because you're feeling well.

Your healthcare team may need to monitor your blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol, kidney health, eyes, feet and other aspects of your health.

7. Don't forget your mental health

Living with diabetes can be tiring.

Some days you may become frustrated with checking your sugar, taking medication or watching what you eat.

That's understandable.

Talk to someone you trust and tell your healthcare team when you're struggling.

You don't have to manage everything alone.

And here's the most important thing I want you to remember:

Diabetes management is not about being perfect.

It's about making good choices consistently.

You may have a day when your food isn't perfect.

You may miss a walk.

You may have a difficult day.

Don't give up.

Start again at the next meal. Take your medication as prescribed. Keep your appointments. Keep learning about your condition.

Your goal isn't simply to make today's blood sugar number look good.

Your goal is to protect your health for many years to come.

One day at a time.

One healthy decision at a time.

Stay informed. Stay healthy.

Leave a comment in the comment section.

“But I feel completely fine.”

That's one of the most dangerous assumptions people can make after unprotected s*x.

You may feel normal.

You may have no discharge.

No pain.

No fever.

No unusual symptoms.

And still have an infection.

That's because some s*xually transmitted infections can have few or no symptoms, especially in the early stages.

So please don't use “I feel fine” as your test.

If you've had unprotected s*x, what should you do?

1. Don't panic, but don't ignore it either.

Having unprotected s*x does not automatically mean you have an STI.

But it does mean you may have been exposed to infections, depending on the circumstances.

The right thing is to assess your risk and test when appropriate.

2. Don't wait for symptoms before thinking about HIV testing

HIV can be present without obvious symptoms.

If you're concerned about a recent exposure, speak with a healthcare professional about the appropriate testing schedule.

And if the exposure happened within the last 72 hours, seek medical care urgently and ask about PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis).

PEP works best when started as soon as possible and must be started within 72 hours.

Don't wait until you develop symptoms.

3. Remember that one test may not detect every infection immediately

Different infections have different window periods—the time between exposure and when a test can reliably detect an infection.

So if you test too early, your healthcare professional may recommend repeating certain tests later.

This is why the timing of your test matters.

4. Don't start taking random antibiotics

This is another common mistake.

Someone has unprotected s*x, becomes worried, and immediately buys antibiotics “just in case.”

Please don't do that.

You may not have an infection.

And if you do, the correct treatment depends on what infection you actually have.

Unnecessary antibiotic use can also contribute to antibiotic resistance.

5. Don't forget about your partner

If you are diagnosed with an STI, your healthcare professional may recommend that your s*xual partner or partners are tested and treated where necessary.

Otherwise, you could treat an infection and become infected again.

6. Protect yourself while you're figuring things out

Until you've received appropriate advice and testing, consider using condoms correctly and consistently.

And if you're having repeated situations where you are worried about HIV exposure, ask a healthcare professional whether PrEP may be suitable for you.

The biggest mistake is thinking:

“Nothing is wrong because I don't feel anything.”

Some infections are quiet.

You cannot reliably determine your HIV or STI status by looking at yourself or waiting for symptoms.

Testing gives you information.

And knowing your status allows you to take the right action.

So if you've had unprotected s*x:

Don't panic.

Don't self-medicate.

Don't assume you're safe.

Get informed, test at the appropriate time, and seek medical care promptly if the exposure was recent.

Your health is worth a conversation that may feel uncomfortable today.

Stay informed. Stay healthy.

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“My blood group is O negative. Does that mean I will have problems during pregnancy?”

This is a question I believe every woman with Rh-negative blood should understand before her first pregnancy.

First, let's clear something up:

Being O negative does not mean you cannot have a healthy pregnancy.

The important part is the negative Rh factor, not the “O” itself.

So what does O negative mean?

Your blood group has two separate parts.

O is your ABO blood group.

Negative means you don't have the Rh(D) protein on your red blood cells.

The problem can arise if a mother is Rh-negative and the baby is Rh-positive.

This can happen when the baby's father is Rh-positive.

Why does this matter during pregnancy?

If an Rh-positive baby's blood gets into the mother's bloodstream, her immune system can sometimes recognize the Rh protein as something foreign and make antibodies against it.

This is called Rh sensitization.

Those antibodies can cross the placenta in a future pregnancy and attack the red blood cells of an Rh-positive baby.

This can cause a condition called hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn, which can sometimes be serious.

But here's the good news:

This is something healthcare professionals can often prevent.

This is why antenatal care is so important.

If you know you're Rh-negative, tell your healthcare provider early in pregnancy.

You may have a blood test called an antibody screen to check whether your body has already made Rh antibodies.

If you have not been sensitized, your healthcare provider may recommend an Rh immune globulin injection at specific times during pregnancy and after delivery when appropriate.

It may also be needed after certain events where fetal blood could enter your bloodstream, such as some miscarriages, bleeding, abdominal injury or certain pregnancy procedures.

Your healthcare provider will determine when you need it.

And please don't make this mistake:

Don't wait until you're already having pregnancy complications before telling your doctor that you're Rh-negative.

Know your blood group before pregnancy if possible.

And once you're pregnant, make sure your antenatal team knows.

Being O negative does not mean:

“I cannot have children.”

It does not mean:

“My pregnancy will automatically be dangerous.”

And it does not mean you should be afraid of pregnancy.

It simply means your Rh status needs to be properly monitored during pregnancy.

I always tell people:

Don't wait until pregnancy starts before you learn what your blood group means.

If you're planning to become pregnant and you know you're O negative, have a conversation with your healthcare provider.

A simple blood-group result can help your healthcare team know what to monitor and what preventive care may be needed.

Know your blood group. Know your Rh status. Start antenatal care early.

And most importantly, don't let the word “negative” frighten you.

O negative is a blood type, not a sentence.

Stay informed. Stay healthy.

Leave a question at the comment section.

A woman came to me with her child one day, and what she told me honestly surprised me.

She said:

“My child has measles. Someone told me I should bathe him with sand so the rashes will disappear quickly.”

I asked her:

“Who told you that?”

She said:

“People in my area. They said if I rub sand on the body and bathe the child with it, the measles will clear.”

I had to stop her there.

Please don't do this.

There is no medical evidence that bathing or rubbing sand on a child can cure measles.

Measles is caused by a virus, not something sitting on the skin that can be scrubbed away.

And there is currently no specific treatment that cures measles. Medical care focuses on keeping the person comfortable, preventing dehydration, supporting nutrition and treating complications when they occur.

So why do people think the sand worked?

This is where confusion can happen.

Measles rash eventually fades as the illness runs its course.

So someone may bathe a child with sand, notice that the rash later disappears and conclude:

“The sand cured it.”

But the disappearance of the rash does not prove that the sand caused the recovery.

And rubbing sand on an already irritated child's skin can cause unnecessary irritation or injury.

You don't need to hurt the skin to treat measles.

What should you actually do if you suspect measles?

First, get the child assessed by a healthcare professional.

Measles can cause serious complications, especially in young or poorly nourished children. These can include pneumonia, dehydration and other complications.

Keep the child well hydrated.

Continue appropriate feeding or breastfeeding.

Follow the healthcare professional's advice.

For children with measles, vitamin A may be recommended under medical supervision, because it can help reduce complications and the risk of death.

And because measles spreads very easily, a suspected or confirmed case should be kept away from others and healthcare facilities should be contacted before arrival where possible so appropriate infection-control measures can be taken.

And please don't turn every rash into a home-treatment experiment.

Sand.

Herbs.

Strong soaps.

Unknown mixtures.

A child's skin is already irritated.

You don't need to add more problems.

The most important thing is to find out what the child actually has and get appropriate care.

That conversation reminded me of something important:

Not everything that people have used for generations is medically proven to work.

Some traditional practices may be harmless.

Others can delay proper treatment or cause additional harm.

So before you put something on a sick child's body because someone said:

“It worked for my child,”

please ask:

“Is there evidence that this actually works?”

Your child's health is too important to experiment with.

Don't scrub away the rash. Find out what's causing it.

Stay informed. Stay healthy.

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“I have diabetes, but I'm losing weight. Should I start eating more?”

This is a question I hear often, and I understand why.

Some people with diabetes become so afraid of raising their blood sugar that they start eating very little.

Then the weight keeps dropping.

So let's clear something up:

Having diabetes does not mean you should starve yourself.

Yes, a person with diabetes can gain weight.

But the goal is not to eat anything and everything just to make the number on the scale go up.

The goal is to gain healthy weight while keeping your blood sugar under control.

Here are 7 things that can help:

1. EAT ENOUGH PROTEIN

Include suitable protein foods in your meals.

Examples include:

Eggs.

Fish.

Chicken.

Lean meat.

Beans and other suitable protein sources.

Protein can help support muscle, especially when combined with resistance exercise.

2. ADD HEALTHY, CALORIE-DENSE FOODS

You don't have to depend on sugary foods to increase your calories.

Depending on your overall health and dietary needs, foods such as avocado, nuts, seeds and healthy oils can add calories without relying heavily on added sugar.

But remember:

Healthy food can still contain a lot of calories.

Portions still matter.

3. STOP EATING TINY PORTIONS BECAUSE YOU ARE AFRAID OF FOOD

Some people hear the word “diabetes” and immediately start reducing everything on their plate.

That's not the goal.

Diabetes management is not starvation.

You need enough nutritious food to support your body.

If you're struggling to eat enough, speak with a healthcare professional or dietitian about a meal plan that fits your needs.

4. CHOOSE YOUR CARBOHYDRATES CAREFULLY

You don't need to remove carbohydrates completely.

But the type and portion matter.

Instead of eating a very large plate of refined carbohydrates just to gain weight, choose more nutritious carbohydrate sources and monitor how they affect your blood sugar.

Your glucose readings can help you and your healthcare team understand how your meals affect you.

5. CONSIDER AN EXTRA MEAL OR NUTRITIOUS SNACK

If you're unable to eat enough food in two or three large meals, spreading your food across the day may make it easier to get enough nutrition.

You don't have to force yourself to eat huge portions.

Sometimes smaller, balanced meals more frequently work better.

The exact plan should depend on your medication, blood sugar pattern and overall health.

6. DON'T FORGET RESISTANCE EXERCISE

If your doctor says exercise is safe for you, include activities that help build and maintain muscle.

For example:

Strength training.

Resistance-band exercises.

Body-weight exercises.

The goal isn't simply:

“Let the scale go up.”

You want your body to become stronger and preserve healthy muscle.

7. IF YOU ARE LOSING WEIGHT WITHOUT TRYING, DON'T JUST EAT MORE—FIND THE CAUSE

This is very important.

Unexplained weight loss can happen when diabetes is poorly controlled, but it can also have other causes.

If you're losing weight without trying, especially if you're also experiencing excessive thirst, frequent urination, weakness or persistently high blood sugar, get checked.

Don't simply cover the problem by eating more.

Find out why the weight is coming off.

And please remember:

The goal is not:

GAIN WEIGHT AT ALL COSTS.

The goal is:

GAIN HEALTHY WEIGHT WHILE MANAGING YOUR DIABETES.

Don't let fear of blood sugar make you under-eat.

And don't let the desire to gain weight make you eat carelessly.

Your meals should give your body the nutrition it needs while fitting into your diabetes treatment plan.

If you're struggling to gain weight, especially if you're losing weight unexpectedly, speak with your healthcare professional or a registered dietitian for a plan designed for you.

Don't fight your scale against your glucometer.

Learn how to take care of both.

Stay informed. Stay healthy.

Leave a question in the comment section

Pregnant women hope you know your blood group ?

“Sir, is Parkinson’s caused by something I did?”

That was the question someone asked me during a conversation recently.

And honestly, it's a question many people with Parkinson's have probably asked themselves.

“Did I eat something wrong?”

“Was it stress?”

“Did I do something that caused this?”

The truth is…

In most cases, there isn't one clear cause.

Parkinson's disease happens when certain nerve cells in the brain gradually become damaged or die.

These cells produce dopamine, a chemical that helps the brain control movement.

As dopamine-producing cells are lost, symptoms such as shaking, stiffness, slow movement and balance problems can develop.

Age is an important risk factor, while genetics and some environmental factors may also play a role.

But for most people, the exact reason it developed is still not known.

So please don't spend your days blaming yourself.

If you have Parkinson's, what can you do to stay healthy?

1. Take your medication as prescribed

Don't stop your medication suddenly or change the dose because you feel better.

If you experience side effects or feel your medication isn't working as well, speak with your doctor.

2. Keep your body moving

Regular physical activity can help maintain strength, flexibility, balance and overall wellbeing.

Choose activities that are safe for your condition.

If walking or exercising has become difficult, a physiotherapist can help you find suitable exercises.

3. Take falls seriously

Balance problems can occur with Parkinson's.

Keep walkways clear.

Use support when necessary.

Wear appropriate footwear.

And tell your healthcare provider if you are falling or becoming increasingly unsteady.

4. Eat properly

You don't need a special expensive diet.

Aim for a balanced diet containing vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, healthy protein sources and healthy fats.

Drink enough water unless your healthcare provider has told you to restrict fluids.

5. Don't ignore your mental health

Parkinson's doesn't only affect movement.

Some people experience depression, anxiety, sleep problems or changes in thinking.

If you notice these changes, talk to your healthcare team.

There is help available.

6. Keep your medical appointments

Parkinson's is a condition that requires ongoing care.

Your symptoms and treatment needs can change over time.

Regular appointments allow your healthcare team to monitor you and adjust your treatment when necessary.

And here's the message I want you to remember:

Parkinson's disease does not mean your life is over.

You may have to do some things differently.

You may need medication.

You may need support.

You may need to slow down sometimes.

But you can still take care of yourself, remain active and continue doing many of the things that give your life meaning.

Don't spend all your energy asking:

“Why me?”

Also ask:

“What can I do today to take better care of myself?”

One day at a time.

One healthy decision at a time.

Stay informed. Stay healthy.

Leave a message in the comment section