I’ve been emailing and phoning a man who lives in Australia; I plan to go there when I have the money and would like to meet him then. We’ve also talked about him coming here.
      I feel I can tell him anything except for one thing: I’ve been dealing with Interstitial Cystitis (IC, a painful bladder condition) for three years. There’s no cure for it, only remission. The one major problem with having this condition is that I can't have sex very often because it can be uncomfortable and can cause me more pain afterward.
      I’m used to this, and have to be. I also know there are other ways to please your partner like oral or tantric sex. I’m afraid to tell him … we’ve discussed sex and he’s said that he really likes it, and thinks it’s an important part of a relationship. I'm afraid he’ll reject me because of my condition.
      Should I get over my fear and tell him the truth or wait till I meet him in the flesh?
       - Sensitive Issue

Most people understand the truth better than they understand not being told something. Since you’re both expecting to meet some day soon, speak up fast. Once you opened the topic of sex in regards to a relationship, NOT telling him your limitations would be seen as hiding something.
      Give him some medical facts about IC - for example: it’s 10 times more common in women than men, and symptoms and their severity vary. Be clear that while intercourse can cause you pain, you can enjoy sexual intimacy in other ways.
      For yourself as well as any future partner, check the support and research information provided by the Interstitial Cystitis Association, at www.ichelp.org, to help people living with IC.

I started dating a girl 10 weeks ago. We have both recently split from long-term companions; we’re late-30s, and everything went fast but natural - we said “I Love Yous” three weeks ago. We started having small frictions (she said we argued too much) and we were looking forward to working on them over a long weekend.
      But after another small altercation, she went to a bar and strangers bought her drinks, which bothered me a lot. Initially, she said that what she did was wrong, but later, she emailed that we should talk after the weekend. Then she called her ex. They went back together, got engaged during the weekend, then she told me Monday, when the deal was done.
      How can I trust anyone again? We talked about trying not to be too jealous, she knows why I was feeling jealous ... she’d asked to still be friends with her ex and I agreed, but I regret it now. I want her back but I guess it’s too late. Communication didn’t work this time.
       - Disappointed

Too fast, with too little communication about stuff that mattered. Of course, early romance is exciting and feelings get aroused quickly; that part is natural. But thinking, so early in the relationship, that you can “work out” differences within a couple of allotted days, or make binding decisions about how to deal with exes, is just not realistic.
      You were her Rebound Guy … it’s something you couldn’t have known for sure in the beginning, but taking your time about stating love and expecting a future together, would’ve made it easier to bear. YES, it’s too late. And she’s not the woman you romanticized her to be.
      Next time you like a woman, invest the time learning reasons to trust her.

Seven years ago my boyfriend proposed; we were both in our 30s. Everything was fine until his dad said my boyfriend deserved a good beating. I disagreed, saying no one deserves a beating and his son’s a good guy. Both his parents turned on me and told lies about me.
      Since then, he’s pretended to them that he’s not seeing me. I’m furious and thinking carefully about my future, though I care for him. He’s frequently succumbed to parental pressure. He moved to another city a year ago. Now he’s visiting here without telling me his arrival date, and has gone to his parents.
      - Heartbroken

Where’s your self-respect been hiding for seven years? Your boyfriend has long shown no backbone, so it’s obvious you can’t count on him to openly become your full partner, shared provider, or reliable protector.  
      His proposal has expired, and he’s gone walkabout. Say a firm Goodbye.