3 weeks ago
Q: I’m a patient 76-year-old and I conscionable started online making love aft my divorce. However, during activity I struggle to support an erection. Also erstwhile I climax, I acquisition a pleasurable emotion but nutrient nothing. Should I beryllium worried astir my prostate?
Dr Ellie replies: Men often acquisition intersexual problems later successful life because of an enlarged prostate aliases its treatment. The prostate is simply a mini gland astatine nan guidelines of nan bladder astir nan conduit that carries nan urine out. It is often described arsenic being nan size of a walnut, but arsenic men age, it tin go overmuch larger than this.
Regular exercise, quitting smoking and cutting down connected intoxicant person each been shown to thief combat erectile dysfunction
Of course, men tin besides get prostate cancer. An enlarged prostate will make it much difficult to urinate, owed to nan proximity of nan prostate to nan bladder, and trigger intersexual problems.
These issues are typically erectile dysfunction and trouble ejaculating. There are treatments which tin combat an enlarged prostate, but it’s important to cognize that these excessively tin lead to intersexual problems.
One commonly utilized medicine for prostate problems is called finasteride, a regular tablet which tin make it easier to pee.
However, much than 1 successful 100 men who return it will person problems getting an erection and aliases problems ejaculating.
Men who don’t respond to medicine are often offered a transurethral resection of nan prostate – known arsenic a TURP – which involves cutting distant sections of nan prostate.
It is thought that arsenic galore arsenic three-quarters of men who person a TURP will person trouble ejaculating owed to harm to nan nerves and muscles successful nan prostate region.
Likewise, room to region nan prostate often leads to barren orgasms – wherever thing comes retired – arsenic nan gland is progressive successful nan accumulation of semen.
There are things you tin do yourself to trim nan severity of your symptoms.
Regular exercise, quitting smoking and cutting down connected intoxicant person each been shown to thief combat erectile dysfunction.
If nan problem continues – aliases gets worse – past you should talk to your GP astir treatment.
Q: I’m a female successful my precocious 70s. In 2018 I was prescribed alendronic acerb aft I had a autumn and fractured my wrist. I person heard that you should return a break from this medicine aft 5 years but my GP says I should enactment connected it. I besides requested different bony density scan but she said I didn’t request one. Is this correct?
Dr Ellie replies: Alendronic acerb is nan medicine we astir commonly usage for nan bone-thinning information osteoporosis, and it is usually safe to return long-term.
It is taken arsenic a play tablet aliases portion and reduces nan consequence of further breaks. Our bones are perpetually being surgery down and rebuilt by specially adapted cells wrong them. Osteoporosis occurs erstwhile location is excessively overmuch bony breakdown happening which causes them to weaken. Alendronic acerb slows down this process. Usually aft 5 years connected nan curen you would person a reappraisal of your medicine to determine if you still require it. This would often impact a bony density scan, besides known arsenic a Dexa scan. A diligent whitethorn enactment connected nan medicine for different 5 years aliases return a ‘treatment holiday’ and travel disconnected it for a fewer years.
Alendronic acerb does person immoderate communal side-effects including constipation, dizziness and headaches
Alendronic acerb does person immoderate communal side-effects including constipation, dizziness and headaches.
If nan curen is causing excessively galore problems, aliases is failing to support nan osteoporosis nether control, patients mightiness beryllium offered a caller drug. However, it is difficult to make this determination without a further Dexa scan.
The Royal Osteoporosis Society offers fantabulous support – you tin speak pinch 1 of their master nurses connected 0808 800 0035. After this, it would beryllium worthy requesting a speech pinch nan GP to found why your medicine is being continued.
Q: My GP advised I return statins, but 10 days aft I began nan pills I developed superior pins and needles successful my feet and hands. I instantly stopped taking nan drug, but 2 months later, nan pins and needles person turned into a achy stabbing sensation each complete my body. My feet consciousness for illustration they are burning.
Despite this, my GP refuses to spot maine for an assignment because he says it is simply a matter for a pharmacist. What should I do?
Dr Ellie replies: This is not nan modular of attraction personification should beryllium receiving from an NHS GP. Anyone pinch caller symptoms aliases imaginable medicine side-effects should beryllium offered an appointment.
It mightiness beryllium worthy looking into registering astatine a caller practice, truthful you tin get easier entree to a doctor. Pins and needles are an uncommon side-effect of statins. The truth nan sensation has continued aft you stopped taking nan pills could propose it is unrelated. A emotion of electrical shocks aliases burning, peculiarly successful nan feet, tin beryllium a information called peripheral neuropathy wherever nan nerves are not moving properly. Peripheral neuropathy is often triggered by a vitamin B12 deficiency, and tin beryllium reversed. This is why it is important that you spot a doctor.
If it is nan statins, a GP tin urge different ways of treating cholesterin specified arsenic fare and manner changes, aliases different medicines.
DRUG SHORTAGES PUT PATIENTS AT RISK
Medicine shortages are worse than ever, and are now affecting people’s health, according to a caller report.
Supply problems person doubled since 2020, nan Nuffield Trust think-tank found. GPs and pharmacists woody pinch this daily.
I do not callback shortages for illustration this moreover being an issue
ten years ago.
Medicines for epilepsy are often successful short supply. Without these, seizures are much apt and tin beryllium catastrophic. And I cognize parents who thrust to galore pharmacies to find ADHD narcotics for their children.
If you person a believe pharmacist astatine your GP surgery, effort to inquire them if location are shortages of your medicine drugs, and whether alternatives tin beryllium had.
Doctors thin not to cognize what is and isn’t available.
Are you struggling to get clasp of captious medication? Write and fto maine know.
Back symptom sufferers are being fobbed off
Latest figures propose a staggering 2.8 cardinal Britons are ‘economically inactive’ owed to sick health.
That’s double nan number of 10 years agone — and includes a emergence of almost three-quarters of a cardinal since nan pandemic. This is astir apt because getting curen for moreover superior problems is truthful difficult now.
Mental unwellness and respiratory diseases apical nan database of reasons for going semipermanent sick. The different astir communal is ‘musculoskeletal problems’, often backmost trouble. But backmost symptom tin beryllium resolved quickly pinch advice, workout and a physiotherapy assessment.
It frustrates maine that, moreover if I mention my patients for nan latter, it’s conscionable not disposable — they’re fobbed disconnected pinch telephone appointments and leaflets. Have you struggled to get thief pinch your backmost pain? Write and fto maine know.
Do you person a mobility for Dr Ellie Cannon? Email [email protected]
Dr Cannon cannot participate into individual correspondence and her replies should beryllium taken successful a wide context.
