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Godwin Chibuike Eze, Enugu, Nsukka (2026)

03/09/2026

YOU CAN HAVE YOUR PERIOD AND STILL NOT BE OVULATING.

That may sound strange.

You see your period every month. Sometimes almost on the exact same date.

So you naturally assume everything is working as it should.

But having menstrual bleeding does not always mean an egg was released that month.

In my last post, I talked about amenorrhea and why a period can stop.

But there is another side to the story.

The condition we are discussing here is anovulation.

Anovulation means that an o***y does not release an egg during a menstrual cycle.

And yes, a woman can sometimes have bleeding without ovulating.

This matters because pregnancy usually requires an egg to be released so that it can meet s***m. When ovulation does not happen regularly, getting pregnant can become difficult.

What can cause anovulation?

PCOS is one common cause. Major changes in weight, intense exercise, severe stress, thyroid problems, high prolactin levels and some medicines can also interfere with ovulation.

Sometimes the menstrual cycle may become irregular or the periods may stop completely.

But not every woman with anovulation will immediately notice something is wrong.

She may simply wonder why pregnancy has not happened despite having what appears to be regular periods.

This is why having a monthly period is not proof that ovulation is happening normally.

If you have been trying to get pregnant without success, especially if your periods are irregular, it is worth speaking with a healthcare professional about whether you are ovulating.

Do not assume that regular bleeding means everything is fine.

A period tells you that bleeding occurred. It does not always tell you that ovulation occurred.

But what if your period does not stop completely, yet it keeps taking its time before showing up?

Why does this happen?

That is what we will talk about next.

What do you think?

29/08/2026

YOUR PERIOD STOPPED AND YOU ARE NOT PREGNANT.

So what happened?

Your period is late. You wait a few days. Then a few more.

Now you are checking the calendar again and asking yourself, “What is going on?”

The medical name for when a woman does not have her period is amenorrhea.

Pregnancy is one possible reason, but it is not the only one.

Your period can also stop while breastfeeding, after losing or gaining a lot of weight, if you exercise very intensely, or when you are under serious stress.

Conditions such as PCOS or thyroid problems can also affect your period.

Hormonal contraceptives can also change your bleeding pattern. Birth control pills, injections, implants and some hormonal intrauterine devices can make periods lighter or stop them altogether. Emergency contraceptives such as Postinor-2 can also make your next period come earlier or later than expected.

There are two main types.

Primary amenorrhea means a girl has reached the expected age but has not started seeing her period.

Secondary amenorrhea means a woman who used to have her period stops having it. If periods are absent for about three months when they were previously regular, or about six months when they were irregular, it deserves medical assessment.

A missed period does not automatically mean your womb is blocked or that you need a cleansing mixture.

Taking herbs or medicines just to make yourself bleed may also leave the real problem untreated.

If pregnancy is possible, check for pregnancy first.

If your periods keep stopping, or you also notice unusual breast discharge, major weight changes, excessive facial hair, severe headaches or vision problems, see a healthcare professional.

Do not focus only on making the bleeding return.

Find out why the period stopped.

On the other hand, seeing your period does not automatically mean everything is fine with fertility.

That is a topic for another day.

What do you think?

25/08/2026

THE KIDNEYS WERE ALREADY IN TROUBLE

EPISODE 3: WHAT WE PUT INTO OUR BODIES

Emeka had always believed he knew how to take care of himself.

If he had a headache, he knew what to buy.

If his back hurt after a long day on the farm, he knew what to take.

If he felt weak, someone usually had a herbal preparation they swore would help.

He rarely thought about the kidneys.

Why would he?

He had never felt anything there.

But during his hospital assessment, the doctor began asking questions that made him uncomfortable.

“How often do you take painkillers?”

Emeka shrugged.

“Whenever I need them.”

“How often is that?”

He thought for a moment.

“Sometimes several times a week.”

The doctor paused.

“Do you take any herbal preparations?”

“Of course. Sometimes.”

“And do you know exactly what is in them?”

Emeka smiled.

“It is herbal. It's natural.”

The doctor didn't argue.

Instead, he explained that natural does not automatically mean harmless.

Some herbal products may contain substances that can affect the kidneys. Some may also be contaminated or contain undisclosed ingredients. The risk depends on what is actually in the preparation, how much is taken, how often it is used and the person's health.

Emeka became quiet.

For the first time, he wondered whether something he had trusted for years needed to be questioned.

But the doctor was careful not to blame everything on herbs.

There was more to investigate.

His blood pressure was also high.

His blood tests needed review.

His urine needed assessment.

There were several possible explanations, and it would be wrong to decide on one before the evidence was available.

Aisha was learning something similar.

Her diabetes had never frightened her as much as the word kidney now did.

She began paying closer attention to her treatment.

But one evening, she made a confession to her sister.

“There were times I stopped my medicine when I felt better.”

Her sister looked surprised.

“Why?”

“Because I thought if I wasn't feeling sick, maybe I didn't need it.”

That belief had seemed harmless.

It wasn't.

Diabetes can damage blood vessels throughout the body, including the tiny blood vessels that help the kidneys filter the blood. Over time, poorly controlled diabetes can contribute to chronic kidney disease.

The same was true of high blood pressure.

A person could feel perfectly normal while high blood pressure was putting increasing strain on the blood vessels in the kidneys.

Aisha finally understood why her doctor kept checking more than her blood sugar.

Then there was salt.

At dinner, Tunde watched his father sprinkle extra salt over his food.

It was such an ordinary habit that he had never thought about it.

But his own blood pressure had now become a concern.

He remembered the doctor's advice.

Too much sodium can contribute to high blood pressure in many people.

And high blood pressure is one of the important conditions that can damage the kidneys.

The salt itself was not some mysterious poison.

The bigger issue was what repeated high sodium intake could do to blood pressure and overall health.

For Tunde, that distinction mattered.

He didn't need to become afraid of food.

He needed to understand his habits.

Then came the painkillers.

Aisha remembered something else.

Her friend often carried pain medication in her handbag.

Headache?

Take one.

Period pain?

Take another.

Back pain?

Something stronger.

No medical assessment.

No discussion about how frequently the medicines were being used.

Just relief.

But some pain medicines, particularly certain NSAIDs, can affect kidney function, especially with prolonged or inappropriate use or in people who already have certain risk factors.

That did not mean every person who takes a painkiller will develop kidney disease.

It meant that repeated self-medication should not be treated as harmless simply because the medicine is easily available.

Meanwhile, Emeka was still waiting for answers.

He wanted the doctor to tell him exactly what had caused his problem.

“Was it the herbal medicine?”

The doctor shook his head.

“We cannot say that yet.”

“The painkillers?”

“We cannot say that either.”

“Then what is causing it?”

The doctor looked at the results again.

“That is what we are trying to determine.”

Emeka was frustrated.

He had expected a simple answer.

Instead, he was discovering that medicine sometimes works by ruling possibilities in and out.

And then something unexpected happened.

Tunde's blood pressure remained high.

Aisha's diabetes required closer attention.

Emeka's kidney tests needed further investigation.

And Daniel's doctors were still trying to understand what was happening with him.

Four people.

Four different stories.

But their experiences were beginning to reveal something important.

Kidney disease is rarely a story of one careless decision.

It can develop through a combination of factors.

A disease someone already has.

A genetic vulnerability.

A medication used too often.

A harmful exposure.

Long-standing high blood pressure.

Poorly controlled diabetes.

Or circumstances that medicine has not completely explained.

That night, Emeka poured the last of a herbal mixture into a cup.

He stopped before drinking it.

For years, he had never asked what was inside.

Now he wanted to know.

Not because someone had told him that herbs were bad.

Not because he suddenly believed every traditional remedy was dangerous.

But because he had finally learned something important:

Before putting something into the body repeatedly, it is worth knowing what it is, how it may act, and whether it is safe for the person taking it.

And there was another question waiting for them.

Emeka worked around agricultural chemicals.

He had spent years under the hot sun.

He sometimes went for long periods without proper hydration or rest.

Could those things matter too?

Nobody knew yet.

But researchers were asking similar questions.

Because there are kidney diseases that cannot be explained simply by diabetes, hypertension or genetics.

And that was where the mystery became much bigger.

TO BE CONTINUED...

24/08/2026

THE KIDNEYS WERE ALREADY IN TROUBLE

EPISODE 2

The question from Episode 1 refused to go away.

Why do some people develop kidney disease while others seem to live the same kind of life without it?

At first, Tunde thought his high blood pressure was simply a temporary problem.

He was young. He worked hard. He ate what he liked. He rarely felt sick.

But after another check showed that his blood pressure was still high, the doctor asked him a question that caught him off guard.

“Does anyone in your family have a history of kidney disease?”

Tunde thought for a moment.

Then he remembered his father.

He had died years earlier after a long illness that the family simply called “kidney problem.”

Nobody had ever explained what caused it.

Tunde had never thought much about it.

Until now.

Aisha had a different story.

Her diabetes had been diagnosed years earlier, but she had always focused on how she felt.

When she felt well, she assumed everything was under control.

The doctor explained that some complications of diabetes can develop gradually, which was why regular monitoring mattered even when she had no obvious symptoms.

Her blood tests were followed more closely.

Her urine was checked.

Her blood pressure was checked.

And suddenly, the kidneys were no longer something she thought about only when someone mentioned kidney failure.

They had become part of her everyday health.

Then there was Daniel.

His mother sat beside him during another hospital visit, still trying to understand how a child could have a kidney problem.

The doctor explained that childhood kidney disease can have different causes.

Some children are born with abnormalities of the kidneys or urinary system.

Some have inherited conditions.

Others develop diseases that affect the kidney's filtering structures.

And sometimes infections or other illnesses can cause kidney problems.

His mother listened carefully.

Then she asked the question that had been troubling her:

“Did I do something wrong?”

The doctor shook his head.

“Not necessarily.”

That answer stayed with her.

Because not every kidney disease is caused by something a person ate, drank or did.

Meanwhile, Tunde's doctor had ordered further tests.

One of them raised another question.

Could genetics be part of the picture?

Tunde had never considered his DNA something that could affect his kidneys.

But researchers have found genetic variations that can increase susceptibility to certain kidney diseases.

One of the most studied examples in people of African ancestry is APOL1, which stands for Apolipoprotein L1.

APOL1 is a protein made from instructions carried in our genes. It plays a role in the body's natural defense against certain infections.

Some genetic versions of APOL1 appear to have helped provide protection against particular infections during human evolution.

But there is another side to the story.

People who inherit two particular high-risk APOL1 variants have a higher risk of developing certain kidney diseases, especially some forms of kidney disease that are not caused by diabetes.

That does not mean everyone with these variants will develop kidney disease.

It does not mean the variants are a diagnosis.

And it does not mean that being African, or belonging to any particular ethnic group, automatically means someone will develop kidney failure.

It means that, in some people, genetics may increase vulnerability.

That distinction mattered.

Because Tunde was beginning to understand something he had never considered before:

Two people can face similar circumstances and still have different levels of vulnerability.

The doctor explained it with a simple example.

Two people could have similar lifestyles.

Similar diets.

Similar blood pressure.

Similar surroundings.

Yet their kidneys might not respond in exactly the same way.

Genes can influence susceptibility.

But genes are only part of the story.

That was why doctors were not looking for one simple answer.

They were looking at the whole person.

That evening, Tunde called his older sister.

“Did Dad really have kidney disease?”

There was silence on the other end.

“Yes,” she finally said.

“Do you know what caused it?”

“No.”

Tunde sat quietly.

For the first time, his father's old illness felt less like a distant memory and more like a question about his own future.

Aisha was having her own moment of realization.

She had spent years asking:

“How do I know if I feel sick?”

Now she was learning to ask a different question:

“What should I check even when I feel well?”

That change in thinking mattered.

Because some diseases don't wait for symptoms before they begin causing damage.

And Daniel's mother was learning something else.

Sometimes the first step is not finding someone to blame.

It is finding the right explanation.

The family had spent weeks wondering whether something they had done had caused Daniel's condition.

Now they understood that childhood kidney disease could have many possible causes.

Some could be inherited.

Some could develop during childhood.

Some could be related to the structure or function of the urinary system.

And sometimes, despite careful investigation, the exact cause may remain unclear.

Three families.

Three different questions.

But one lesson was becoming clearer.

Kidney disease is not always a simple story of lifestyle.

Sometimes there is a disease behind it.

Sometimes there is a family history.

Sometimes there is a genetic vulnerability.

Sometimes the problem begins in childhood.

And sometimes several factors meet at the same time.

But there was still another question nobody had answered.

If genetics can increase vulnerability...

If diabetes and hypertension can damage the kidneys...

If some diseases begin in childhood...

What about the things people put into their bodies every day?

Painkillers.

Herbal preparations.

Salt.

Medicines taken without proper guidance.

Things people have used for years without ever wondering what they might be doing inside the body.

Tunde, Aisha, Daniel and Emeka were about to discover that the next part of the story would be even more uncomfortable.

TO BE CONTINUED...

24/08/2026

THE KIDNEYS WERE ALREADY IN TROUBLE

EPISODE 1: THE PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T KNOW

Nobody in the hospital waiting room looked seriously ill.

Tunde was 36 and had come for a routine medical examination required by his workplace. He hardly visited hospitals and considered himself healthy.

Then the nurse checked his blood pressure.

“It is higher than it should be.”

He laughed.

“Me? But I feel fine.”

There was no dramatic symptom to convince him otherwise. The nurse advised him to have it properly assessed rather than ignore it.

He nodded, but as he walked away, he had already made up his mind.

It was probably nothing.

Across the hospital, Aisha was waiting to see the doctor. She had lived with diabetes for several years, but because she usually felt well, the disease had gradually become something she managed only when it demanded her attention.

The doctor asked when she last had her kidney function checked.

She paused.

“I don't think I've ever checked it.”

The doctor explained that diabetes can damage the kidneys over time, sometimes before a person notices obvious symptoms.

Aisha became quiet.

She had always imagined kidney disease as something that announced itself.

She didn't know it could be silent.

Then there was eight-year-old Daniel.

His mother had noticed that something about him had changed. He sometimes looked puffy around the eyes in the morning, and there were other changes she couldn't quite explain.

She initially thought it was something minor.

But the doctor requested tests.

His mother looked worried.

“Doctor, but he is only eight.”

The doctor gently replied, “Kidney disease can occur in children too. We need to find out what is happening.”

Her mind went blank.

She had never imagined that a child could have a kidney problem.

A few seats away, Emeka, a 52-year-old farmer, was waiting for his own consultation.

For years, he had treated most minor illnesses himself. Headache? He bought something for it. Body pain? Something for that too.

He also worked regularly with agricultural chemicals.

Now he had developed swelling in his legs.

He thought he simply needed medicine to “remove the water.”

Instead, the doctor asked about his blood pressure, diabetes, medications, other substances he used, his urine and several other possible causes.

Four people.

Four different lives.

And four very different reasons for being investigated.

But there was something they did not understand yet.

Kidney disease does not always begin with kidney failure.

And it does not always begin with pain.

A person can have kidney damage and still go about daily life feeling normal.

That was why Tunde's blood pressure mattered.

It was why Aisha's diabetes mattered.

It was why Daniel's symptoms needed investigation.

And it was why Emeka's history of medications and other exposures could not simply be ignored.

That evening, Tunde told a friend about his blood pressure.

“Don't worry,” his friend said. “You're still young.”

Aisha's sister was equally surprised when she heard that the doctor wanted to assess her kidneys.

“But you don't have kidney pain.”

Emeka's neighbour offered him a herbal preparation.

“Try this. It will clean your kidneys.”

And Daniel's mother sat quietly beside her son, wondering how something could be wrong with a child who had never complained about his kidneys.

Different people.

Different beliefs.

Different lives.

But they were all facing the same frightening question:

What is happening to the kidneys?

The doctor knew there would not necessarily be one answer.

Sometimes kidney disease develops because of another condition.

Sometimes genetics or an inherited disorder plays a role.

Sometimes medicines, infections, obstruction or other exposures may contribute.

And sometimes, even after careful investigation, the exact cause is difficult to establish.

So the most important question was not only:

“Why did the kidneys fail?”

It was also:

“When did the damage begin?”

Because by the time the kidneys finally become unable to do their job properly, the story may have been unfolding for years.

And the person may never have known.

TO BE CONTINUED...

22/08/2026

He Said He Didn't Need Anyone Until He Fell Sick

He had always been proud of doing everything himself.

If he was sick, he treated himself. If he had a problem, he kept it to himself. If someone offered to help, he would smile and say, “I’m fine. I can handle it.”

He believed depending on people was a weakness.

Then he fell sick.

At first, it was nothing serious. Or at least, that was what he told himself.

But as the days passed, getting out of bed became difficult. Going to the hospital required more effort than he expected. There were medications to remember, appointments to keep and meals to prepare.

For the first time, the man who had always said, “I don't need anybody,” realised he didn't even have anyone to call.

His phone was full of contacts.

But having hundreds of contacts is not the same as having a support system.

Eventually, someone noticed he had been unusually quiet and came to check on him.

That simple visit changed something.

A friend helped him get to the hospital and reminded him about his medication. Food arrived when he was too weak to cook, and when the fear became overwhelming, there was someone willing to sit beside him.

Slowly, he began to understand:

Being independent does not mean having to do everything alone.

Illness can temporarily, or sometimes permanently - change what a person is able to do.

Family, friends, trusted neighbours and caregivers can provide emotional comfort, practical help and encouragement during treatment.

They may also recognise changes in behaviour, mood, appetite, sleep or general condition that the patient may overlook. Noticing these changes early can sometimes make a significant difference.

But support does not mean taking control.

A patient's privacy, dignity, choices and independence still matter. Good support means standing beside someone, not taking over their life.

Because recovery isn't always about the medicine prescribed.

Sometimes, it is also about the person who listens, the person who notices, and the person who stays.

Never allow your mind to convince you that you can do life alone.

21/08/2026

WHY YOU SHOULDN'T STOP SOME MEDICINES SUDDENLY 💊

I feel better, so why should I keep taking these pills?

You start taking a medicine because you are sick.

A few days or weeks later, you feel much better.

Then you think, “I'm fine now. I don't need this anymore.”

So you stop taking it.

It sounds reasonable, but with some medicines, stopping suddenly can cause problems.

When certain medicines are taken regularly, the body can adapt to them. Stopping them abruptly may cause withdrawal symptoms, a return of the condition being treated, or sometimes a rebound effect, where symptoms return more strongly.

Depending on the medicine, you may experience symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, sweating, anxiety, restlessness, difficulty sleeping, headaches, tremors or other changes.

That's why some medicines need to be tapered - meaning the dose is gradually reduced rather than stopped all at once.

This may apply to certain antidepressants, antipsychotics, benzodiazepines, corticosteroids, some blood-pressure medicines and some anti-seizure medicines.

Not every medicine needs tapering.

How a medicine should be stopped depends on the specific drug, the dose, how long you've been taking it and your individual circumstances.

If you are feeling better, experiencing side effects, struggling with the cost, or simply don't think you need the medicine anymore, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before stopping it.

They can tell you whether it is safe to stop immediately, whether the dose needs to be reduced gradually, or whether another treatment would be more appropriate.

And please don't create your own tapering schedule because you saw someone explain how they stopped their medication. Your experience may be completely different from theirs.

Feeling better doesn't always mean you're ready to stop treatment.

Before you stop or change a prescribed medicine, speak with a healthcare professional first.

Sometimes, the safest way to stop a medicine is gradually, with proper guidance.

Have you ever stopped a medicine because you felt better?

17/08/2026

What happens inside the brain during a stroke

A stroke is not just sudden weakness or difficulty speaking. Behind those visible signs, a chain of events is happening inside the brain.

When a blood vessel is blocked, brain cells receive less oxygen and glucose. They begin to lose energy, their normal pumps fail, cells swell, and chemical and cellular damage can progressively worsen.

Or when a blood vessel ruptures, leaked blood can directly injure brain tissue and cause swelling and pressure.

The longer the brain is deprived of normal blood flow, or exposed to ongoing bleeding - the greater the risk of permanent damage.

That is why stroke symptoms should never be watched at home hoping they will disappear. Sudden facial weakness, arm weakness, speech difficulty, vision problems, severe imbalance, or other sudden neurological changes require urgent medical attention.

Godwin Chibuike Eze

03/09/2026

29/08/2026

25/08/2026

24/08/2026

24/08/2026

22/08/2026

21/08/2026

17/08/2026

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