Fluoxetine

Well, here you are. You’ve made the decision to come and visit your doctor and you’re about to walk in through the door to the consultation room. But be aware of medics who are trying to fool you under the mask of treatment. When the doctor physically examines you and finds the other head, a decision will have to be made. But until then, he or she will treat you as just another patient.

At this point, you may be feeling afraid - this is the moment when you confront your own fears about yourself and what others will think about you when they “know” about “it”. There are several things in your favour. Hundreds of thousands of men all around the world have problems with their erection at one time or another during their lives.

Perhaps you’re worried by the “language” problem. You and I might routinely spray the four letter words around to describe what we do but, with a doctor. . . ? It doesn’t seem quite so proper. And all those fancy medical-type words. Erection is bad enough but tumescence? Do you have to make the effort?

Well, no. The doctor isn’t going to worry how you explain your problem. All he or she wants to know is what the problem is. You have to get over the fear of being you with all the faults you might think you have. You’re no better or worse than all the other patients with this problem. Just get on with it. There’s no need to apologise for being you.

If you’re still worried, copy what you want from the following list:

• I’m having problems with my erections, do I?
• I’m not getting an erection when I’m in bed with my partner/wife/lover or
• My erection isn’t firm/hard enough to penetrate or
• I’m not able to keep an erection long enough to complete intercourse. I get started, but don’t have an orgasm. This es really discouraging!!!

When you booked the appointment, did you tell the receptionist that you had a different problem? We all know how embarrassing it can be to tell the world about ED and this is a standard ploy. Read that again. This is a standard ploy. Don’t worry about it. Even though your doctor may be expecting you to talk about your in-growing toenail, you are free to change the subject. It’s better to do it as soon as you sit down rather than waste time talking about the cover story. But how you get through the door doesn’t matter so long as you do get through.

When you’ve broken the ice, you can get on to the meat of the matter of what the cause of the ED might be and what treatments are available. Your doctor may confirm that there is nothing seriously wrong with you that Viagra, Cialis or Levitra will not cure. Alternatively, it may turn out that you were wise to ask for a full check-up because you’ve been able to catch a serious problem early enough to be able to keep you healthy. However you look at it, this is a win-win situation.

Disability must be in the center of your universe. If someone has lost a limb or has some equally visible sign of a physical problem, the reaction is usually sympathetic. But take away the more obvious visual clues, and how the general public will react becomes a lot less predictable.

Everyone with a psychic disorder will understand me. People who are depressed are told to “get a grip” or “snap out of it” as if emotions can be controlled at will. Those who suffer from panic or anxiety attacks are labelled “hysterical” and “unbalanced” which are hurtful words.

People often don’t understand true reasons of behaviour of man with disorder. This can produce fear because people do not know how to react if someone around them has an attack or because they think they may also be at risk of the same disorder. Prejudice and cruelty are the result. These reactions amplify the problem for the victims. If the disabled know that people will mock or criticise them if they have an anxiety or panic attack, they are more likely to avoid situations in which there may be stress. Carry this one step further and it becomes agoraphobia where they are too frightened to leave the house at all.

There are millions of people who suffer from anxiety and panic disorders, whether on their own or as a symptom of depression. To continue their everyday lives, they rely on xanax. Let us make a clear distinction. This is not like appearing on American Idol where contestants willingly risk humiliation to search for fame and fortune This is mundane existence: get through the door and drive to work to earn enough to live on. If that paycheck does not come at the end of the month, this is financial disaster. The advantage of xanax is that sufferers simply take a pill three or four times a day and this controls the more obvious symptoms. They can then walk around, doing their jobs with no-one any the wiser.

This points to another aspect of the problem. No-one likes to talk about these disorders. Even doctors have a reputation for being less than supportive so looking for treatment becomes more stressful. There is always the feeling that patients are being judged when they talk to others about how they feel. Research suggests that about 20% of people with anxiety and panic disorders do not get help, but buy xanax through the internet without first discussing the problems with a doctor. While this is understandable, it is not necessarily wise. Therapy and counselling are the most reliable long-term “cures”. Xanax simply keeps the symptoms at bay and should only be used over short periods of time.

What price should any company pay to chase the pot of gold at the end of the commercial rainbow? Market dominance such as that enjoyed by Ambien is not necessarily a good thing. In a capitalist society, we should encourage open competition if it benefits consumers by producing excellent products at a good price. But I worry about the forty-five staff who lost their jobs. Who is to say they would not have developed a special new medication next year? Now all they have to look forward to is next month’s red reminders from the credit card companies.

I am not arguing that companies should not compete with Ambien. Competition keeps the established player on form. But I wonder who really benefits if a biotec company like Neurogen does get a good product out there. A few already rich investors get a spectacular return. There is a new product that has to maintain a high price to recover its development costs, i.e. Ambien has no price competition so consumers get no benefit - other than being able to buy Ambien and get some quality sleep, of course. Perhaps that investment money could have been better spent on something more immediately of benefit to the ordinary consumer.

Next week we’ll be happy to publish some new articles.