Archive for September, 2008

10 Questions to Ask Your Doctor

Tuesday, September 30th, 2008

1.    Does my erectile dysfunction stem from an underlying illness?
2.    Could any of my medicines or alcohol be causing this problem or making it worse?
3.    If so, can I safely change my medicines or their doses?
4.    Could stress or other psychological problems be contributing to my erection difficulties?
5.    Should I see a counselor, a sex therapist, or a psychiatrist?
6.    Could a medication like Viagra, Levitra, or Cialis work for me?
7.    If there is a recommended medication, how can I take it safely, and what side effects should I look for? If not, is there another medicine that may be an option for me?
8.    How much improvement can I expect?
9.    Am I a good candidate for surgery? If so, what are the procedures and what are the downsides?
10.    Could vacuum devices or implants help? What are the pros and cons of these options?

Sex, Intimacy, Sleep Apnea and the CPAP

Wednesday, September 17th, 2008

I have Sleep Apnea and Congestive Heart Failure. I figured out what most did, you have to plan around the CPAP machine and have sex outside the bedroom or at least get frisky before putting the mask on. I now have another problem. Due to the CHF, I may have some mild ED on from time to time. The medication I am on makes my erections weaker and sometimes they will deflate mid-course, even though I am excited and she is aroused, it just fades, making it a real frustration. So, my doctor prescribed Levitra. That removed the ED but caused another problem. I can’t feel much down there when we are intimate. That is great for her, but not good for me. She now loves the erections (bigger and fuller) but now I last too long. I never climax and after she does several times, she eventually tires and we need to stop. The only answer the doctor had was to reduce the dosage of Levitra, but that did not change the numbing effect.

Waiting for Wood

Thursday, September 4th, 2008

It typically takes Viagra about 1 hour to take effect, which means if Hilde suddenly gets horny, you’ll either have to stall or engage in some lengthy foreplay. Levitra appears to be faster acting, with peak effects usually between 30 and 45 minutes. Cialis is a bit slower than Levitra and Viagra, according to Wayne Hellstrom, MD, a professor of urology at Tulane University medical center.

A complicating factor can be the amount of food in your stomach. If it’s full, oral medications may take longer to work. Viagra is like this. For best results, doctors advise taking it 3 hours after eating. Levitra appears to have the same limitation, but Cialis seems unaffected by food. “Even after a heavy, fatty meal, its absorption rate and onset of action are the same as with an empty stomach,” says J. Francois Eid, MD, a clinical associate professor at Weill Cornell medical college. “This is a particular advantage for diabetics, who have a slower rate of gastric emptying.” And given the connection between diabetes and impotence, that can be a saving factor.

In fact, in Europe Cialis is known as the “weekend pill.” Take it Friday night and you’re ready for action through Sunday. The promise of such spontaneity is a great advantage.

“Patients who’ve taken both describe one as a quick fix and the other as making them feel normal again,” says Dr. Eid.