Ask the Doctor
Title: Ask the Doctor , By: Lee, Thomas H., Harvard Heart Letter, 10515313, Nov99, Vol. 10, Issue 3
Q. I tried Viagra for impotence and it didn’t work. Is there anything else that I can try?
A. There are some new drugs that will be available for testing in the near future, and it is possible that one of them might help you. In the meantime, you might look into older treatments, such as injection therapy (in which a drug is injected into the penis before intercourse) or surgery to implant a mechanical device in the penis.
Whether or not you choose to investigate one of these strategies, it is important that you get a medical evaluation for reversible causes of impotence . Lifestyle factors such as alcohol consumption may be contributing to this problem. Also, your doctor should review the medications you are taking to be sure that none of them might be causing impotence . Your doctor should also do blood tests, such as checking your testosterone level, and evaluate you to be sure you do not have undiagnosed or poorly controlled diabetes. Finally, you should discuss the possibility that psychological factors, such as depression, might be affecting your ability to achieve or maintain erections.
Address your questions to Dr. Thomas H. Lee, Harvard Heart Letter, 164 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115. Selected questions will be answered in this space, but personal responses are not possible.
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By Thomas H. Lee, M.D.
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Source: Harvard Heart Letter, Nov99, Vol. 10 Issue 3, p8, 1p
