IMPOTENCE - A MAN'S WORST FEAR

A middle age couple was making love.   Harry suddenly stopped.   Are you OK Margaret? Margaret was surprised responding, "Sure, why do you ask?". "Well . . . "   Harry observed, " for a minute there I thought you moved!"

I mention this, not to be funny, but to illustrate a valid point.   Sooner or later almost all men are faced with a problem.   Their penis doesn't work as well as it once did.   This causes anxiety which men are reluctant to mention to their mate.   For our entire adult life we men have been brainwashed into believing that a "Real Man" can perform at any time as a World Class Swordsman.   When we encounter a problem getting an erection our natural response is, C'mon . . .please work. . ."   Of course this wishing and praying only exacerbates the problem.

In the above story Margaret was unaware of Harry's problem.   For all these years she needed only to be there to stimulate Harry.   For many women, sex is solely an obligation.   Years ago I saw a cute cartoon which only showed two large feet together, toes down and two smaller feet apart, toes up.   The caption was, "Sam, the ceiling needs painting."

It is very important that couples openly discuss the problem.   The solution may be as simple as the woman taking an active part in lovemaking.   There are many books on this subject.   One which is both instructive and amusing was written in the 70's by Xaveria Hollander who became famous as, "The Happy Hooker".   It is titled, Super Sex.

After many years together sex may have become routine.   Even though a couple has made love a thousand times, I have never met a woman who would not delight in being seduced by the man she loves.   In addition Ladies, try seducing your man.   After he recovers from the shock, he will love it!

Fot most couples sex can be enjoyed well into their 80's or beyond.   In addition to being great fun, it has been shown to be very therapeutic.

The Problem-The Solutions

Being overweight or having high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol levels or diabetes can make a man impotent.   More than 80% of impotence is caused by arteriosclerosis blocking arteries or diabetes because you need open arteries and undamaged nerves to have an erection.   A recent study from the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health shows that as men age, their blood levels of the male hormone, testosterone, drop. and those whose testosterone levels drop the most are the ones with high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol and sugar levels.   Arteriosclerosis blocks arteries and damages testicles and interferes with their ability to make the male hormone, testosterone.

If you are impotent, check with your doctor who will order blood tests for diabetes, cholesterol, testosterone and a brain tumor that makes too much prolactin. (CBC, chemistry. HDL/LDL cholesterol, HBA1C, Prolactin, testosterone, Vitamin B12/folic acid.)   If your blood sugar or cholesterol is high, you need to start a low fat, high-fiber diet based on fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans, start a controlled exercise program, lower high blood pressure and reduce to a normal weight.   Chances are that your testosterone will also be low.   Exciting new research shows a host of drugs that can also be used to treat impotence.

A man has two balloons in his penis that fill with blood when he has an erection.   The penis is different from all other tissues in the body.   It has small muscles that close the arteries most of the time.   If the muscles didn't squeeze the blood vessels bringing blood to the penis, a man would have an erection all the time.   A man develops an erection when the muscles surrounding the blood vessels relax to increase blood flow into the balloons.   The balloons then fill and press on and close the veins that carry blood from the penis.   The treatment for impotence is to relax the muscles so more blood can flow into the penis.   First there were alprostadil injections called Caverjet, then there were alprostadil pellets called Muse that can be inserted into the urinary tube. And in the next couple of months, men will be able to take a sildenafil pill. and soon there'll be more pills.   Apomorphine stimulates the brain to cause an erection and phentolamine blocks adrenaline to relax the muscles and cause an erection. Viagra (sildenafil) pill is taken one hour before making love.   It can cause headaches and diarrhea.   Spontane (apomorphine) is not as effective and still requires a potent mental stimulant and touching to cause an erection.   Vasomax (phentolamine) is not as effective and requires intense stimulation for an erection.

Warning

Do NOT take any of the above if you are taking statin drugs like Zocor, Provacol, etc.   You risk an untimely death by doing so.

If you are impotent, get the following blood tests: hemoglobin A1C, HDL/LDL cholesterol, testosterone, prolactin and vitamin B12.   Check for medications that cause impotence.   85% of impotence is caused by arteriosclerosis or diabetes.   The herb Gingko Biloba has been clinically shown to help arteriosclerosis.

Post menopausel women, and are not taking estrogen supplements, may not produce sufficient vaginal lubrication.   A very effective solution is a product in your drug store named Vagisil.   It closely emulates the body's natural lubricant.

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