ask the doctor
Question
SINCE my prostate operation I have had a problem with impotence. I tried Viagra, which worked well, but I can only get four tablets a month. I have heard of a new medication. Is it any better?
Answer
YOU may be talking about a drug called Cialis. It works in the same way as Viagra in that it increases blood flow to the groin but unlike Viagra, which only stays in the system for four hours, Cialis can still show an effect up to 36 hours later. Ask your doctor about changing on to this medication as most of my patients say it brings spontaneity back into their love life.
Question
MY father is being treated for an alcohol problem but although the doctor says he shouldn’t be driving, he just insists that he doesn’t drive when he is drunk. Should he still stop?
Answer
THE rules say anyone who has been diagnosed with alcohol dependence has a duty to inform the DVLA of their diagnosis. It is then up to the DVLA doctors to decide how long the person should stay off the road. If GPs think that a driver hasn’t contacted the DVLA, as doctors we are obliged by law to break confidentiality and contact them ourselves.
Question
I HAD a really bad attack of gout a couple of months ago. I asked the doctor about medication to stop another attack but he said that he couldn’t give me it until my attack cleared up. Why is this as I don’t think I can bear another episode?
Answer
THE treatment of gout can be split into two – the treatment of the acute attack or the flare-up, usually with high doses of non-steroidal painkillers, and preventative treatment, which is designed to decrease the amount of uric acid which causes the gout in the first place. The reason that you can’t start preventative treatment during a flare-up is that the drugs used can make the condition worse and make the attack last longer.
Question
I HAVE been having bad panic attacks since the death of my husband two years ago. The doctor wants to put me on anti-depressants as he says the Valium he gave me before is addictive. I thought anti-depressants were addictive as well. What should I do?
Answer
VALIUM given over a long period of time is addictive and should only be used for up to four weeks. Anti-depressants are not addictive and can be used very safely over long periods of time. The reason your GP wants to use an anti-depressant when you are anxious is because the chemicals in the brain that are affected in depression are also affected in anxiety and therefore anti-depressants work very well in the treatment of anxiety. I would suggest you take your GP’s advice.
I HAVE a lump on my neck that swells up from time to time and a brownish liquid comes out of it. What could this be?
Answer
SMALL lumps and bumps under the skin are common and usually harmless. The most likely cause of your problem is an infected sebaceous cyst, caused by a blockage in a gland that produces a white secretion called sebum that helps moisten the skin. If the sebum can’t escape to the surface it causes a hard lump on the skin. Occasionally bacteria gets into the swellings and they become swollen and can discharge their contents. Antibiotics usually clear up the infection but it can recur. The best treatment is removal under local anaesthetic.