FirstMed Consulting Blog

Men often feel embarrassed or ashamed about erection problems, and avoid seeing a doctor about them. This embarrassment is unnecessary. Doctors are used to treating people with erection problems, and should also take the opportunity to check for diabetes or atherosclerosis.

People used to believe erection problems were caused by emotional problems. But now we know that most erection problems are caused by problems with the blood vessels or the nerves.

Doctors say that in some cases of atherosclerosis, erection problems can be a warning sign of heart attack two to three years before it might happen. That’s because when the blood vessels start to get damaged, the first places you see the effects are the smaller blood vessels. The blood vessels supplying the penis are smaller than those supplying the heart. So they get clogged up first, causing erection problems. When the bigger blood vessels supplying the heart become blocked, it causes a heart attack. If you have damaged blood vessels leading to your heart, it’s called heart disease.

If you (or your partner) have frequent erection problems, make an appointment to see your doctor. There are good treatments available, and men with erection difficulties need to be checked out for other possible health problems.

Myth 1: Cholesterol is always a bad thing
Most people hear the word ‘cholesterol’ and automatically think it must be a bad thing. However, while HIGH cholesterol can be dangerous, cholesterol itself is essential to various bodily processes and is made by the body itself. Cholesterol is a waxy substance that is carried through the bloodstream by low-density and high-density lipoproteins (LDL and HDL). LDL, known as bad cholesterol, and not the cholesterol it carries per se, is responsible for heart disease.

Myth 2: Eggs are full of bad cholesterol.
As with anything, don’t overdo it, but there is no reason why eating an egg or two a few times a week is dangerous. They are an excellent source of protein and contain unsaturated fat. They do have a lot of dietary cholesterol—upwards of 200 mg. But dietary cholesterol isn’t nearly as dangerous as was once thought. Only some of the cholesterol in food ends up as cholesterol in your bloodstream, and if your dietary cholesterol intake rises, your body compensates by producing less cholesterol of its own.

Myth 3: Food is heart-healthy if it says ‘0 mg cholesterol’
The biggest cause of high cholesterol is a high fat diet not a high cholesterol diet. Dietary cholesterol is less dangerous than once thought. Saturated fat such as those found in animal foods and dairy products and trans fats (found in packaged foods) have a far greater impact on the LDL, (bad cholesterol) that causes heart disease.

The bleak current economic climate may be curtailing our lifestyles in many ways but recent condom and Viagra sales indicate that people may be cutting back on eating out but not on sex.

According to condom manufacturer Durex, their product is proving to be ‘recession resistant’ as sales continue to rise steadily.

FirstMeds James Kirby commented on the expanding customer base for impotence drugs like Viagra, Cialis and Levitra, saying, “Less income is forcing people to spend more time indoors and seek alternative entertainment. While some may be using the time to grow their own vegetables, others have turned to cheap and cheerful sexual activity. If people don’t have the money to go out and are looking to cut back, sex gives them a real affordable way to stay in and make their own entertainment. ”

When it comes to sexual health, people are too often unaware of the different conditions that can make sex painful for men. Feeling pain during sex if a sign that something is wrong. It is important to get yourself checked out and more often than not, it will turn out to be a minor infection. Here are some of the most common conditions that may make sex difficult for men.

Peyronie’s disease: This is a condition where there is a bend in the penis which may make sex painful. Some men are born with a natural curve however, if you notice a bend developing, it is important that you see your doctor.

Urinary tract infection: Women are more prone this type of infection, but it is not uncommon in men also. Although they cause discomfort, urinary tract infections can usually be quickly and easily treated with a short course of antibiotics.

Yeast infection: Male Yeast infections are commonly overlooked. They are sometimes characterised by itching or burning at the tip of the penis.

Phimosis: A condition where, the foreskin is too tight and cannot be fully retracted from the head of the penis. Common treatment for this is circumcision.

Herpes: Genital Herpes is a sexually transmitted disease or infection. (STD/STI). Symptoms typically appear as one or more blisters on or around the penis. These blisters can make sex very painful. It is also important to bear in mind that during an outbreak, these sores are extremely infectious.

Herpes: Genital Herpes is a sexually transmitted disease or infection. (STD/STI). Symptoms typically appear as one or more blisters on or around the penis. These blisters can make sex very painful. It is also important to bear in mind that during an outbreak, these sores are extremely infectious.

Dermatitis: Allergies and sensitivity to chemicals or soaps can cause an inflammation of the skin on the penis, especially for men who are uncircumcised.

The international media has been giving a lot of coverage to the recent outbreak of swine influenza or swine flu. As a result Firstmed has been experiencing a very high volume of orders for the flu treatment Tamiflu.

Unfortunately, we are currently out of stock. The UK government has decided to put a stop on all private selling of Tamiflu in order to stockpile the drug as a precaution in the event of a pandemic. We should have more information about when or stocks will be replenished over the coming week.

For those feeling overwhelmed by the amount of information about this flu, here are the basics

• Swine flu is a respiratory disease, caused by influenza type A which infects pigs. The latest form is a new version of the H1N1 strain and has the ability to infect humans.
• So far, most cases of swine flu around the world appear to be mild. But lives have been lost in Mexico, and a single death - of a child - has been confirmed in the US.
• Experts say the situation is potentially serious but it is still too early to accurately assess the likelihood of a global pandemic.
• Tamiflu and Relenza, seem to be effective at treating cases that have occurred there so far. However, the drugs must be administered at an early stage to be effective.
• Anyone with flu-like symptoms who might have been in contact with the swine virus - such as those living or traveling in the areas of Mexico that have been affected - should seek medical advice.
• Good personal hygiene, such as washing hands, covering nose when sneezing advised

Further information and advice on swine flu can be found on the following sites
World Health Organization
NHS Choices
The UK’s Health Protection Agency

Cases of sexually transmitted infections (such as chlamydia) are on the rise in Britain. STD’s don’t always cause symptoms and if they do, they are often short lived. The bottom line is - It has never been more important to get tested.

Firstmed is now offering a swab free, hassle free and ultra discreet online STD testing and treatment service. If you are sexually active then you can use this service to be tested regularly. The tests can be used in the comfort and privacy of your own home, with results available in as little as 24 hours. Treatment will be provided free of charge if you test positive.

We test for Chlamydia , Gonorrhoea , Herpes and a full sexual health screen for a range of minor infections is also available. We DO NOT test for HIV, Hep B, Hep C, or Syhpilis as the most reliable results for these infections are obtained from a blood test.

If you or your partner have already tested positive using another service you can receive treatment following completion of a quick medical registration form and approval by our doctor. The medication will be sent to you guaranteed next day delivery.

Why take risks that may have serious implications for your long term health and fertility when you can order a test today.

Pfizer Healthcare has found an unusual way to mark the ten year anniversary of the anti-impotence drug in Ireland – Viagra Boxer Shorts!!!

The boxer shorts, bearing the Pfizer Logo, were sent to GP’s around the country. However, it doesn’t look like the gift will become official company policy anytime soon.

The company has initiated an internal investigation and has also issued a written apology to general practitioners for “any embarrassment or offence” caused, and has enclosed freepost envelopes to facilitate return to sender.

In a statement, Pfizer Healthcare Ireland said “This should not have occurred and only did so through the poor judgment of a Pfizer employee. As soon as Pfizer management became aware of the issue, we acted immediately to apologise for this error of judgment and to seek return of the item.

The statement also said “At this point very few GPs have returned the freepost envelope”.

Viagra was first distributed under prescription on the Irish market in 1999. Pfizer says it is now the most commonly prescribed drug for the serious medical condition, which has a number of underlying causes including diabetes.

A new spray developed by researchers in the UK has hit the headlines in a big way.

Developed to help men with premature ejaculation, the spray (PSD502) contains local anaesthetics that numb the penis and allows for more control and satisfaction during sex.

It was tested on 300 men from across Europe who frequently had trouble having sex for longer than a minute. Two hundred used the real spray, while 100 hundred were given a placebo. Studies revealed that the real spray helped men last an average of 6.3 times longer when applied five minutes before sex.

Up to 40% of men experience premature ejaculation at some time in their lives, experts estimate. According to the BBC “Premature ejaculation is a very significant problem for lots of men that is hardly talked about and that needs to change, he said. “There are treatments and training techniques that can help. It is important that new treatments are looked at and that men are encouraged to seek help.”

A British Journal of Urology International study says the new ‘viagra‘ spray could be available in the next couple of years.

Facing stiff political competition, a politician in Thailand has allegedly been handing out Viagra tablets in a bid to drum up votes.

Buying votes in politics is nothing new, but normally it’s a brown envelope of cash rather than a ‘magic’ blue pill.

The accuser, Sayan Nopcha, a campaigner for the People’s Power Party in Bangkok, told authorities that the drug was being freely distributed to elderly male voters by an unnamed candidate.

Sayan is quoted as saying “The politician is giving out Viagra to gain popularity and votes. I think this is a very bad way of vote-buying.”

It’s also a very bad of distributing Viagra, which is supposed to be used only via a doctor’s prescription.

There have been recent reports in the news that scientists have discovered what may be the next big cure for impotence: hydrogen sulfide, a gas better known as the foul smell of rotten eggs.

Researchers believe that the new study can offer hope to the men suffering from this problems who don’t respond to Viagra. Nearly one in every 10 men suffers from erectile dysfunction.

Creating and sustaining erections depends on a delicate balance between relaxation and contraction of blood vessels in the penis’s corpus cavernosum, a spongelike tissue. High concentrations of hydrogen sulfide are toxic, but recent studies have shown that smaller quantities play an important role in the body. The gas seems to serve as a neurotransmitter, promoting blood vessel relaxation and hormone secretion.

Pharmacologist Giuseppe Cirino of the University of Naples Federico II in Italy decided to investigate the issue. The results imply that hydrogen sulfide relaxes the penile nerves, expands the blood vessels, and causes erections in humans. Researchers reached the findings after testing this theory on the erectile tissue from eight men who had undergone sex changes surgery and rats.

Viagra works in a similar way but through another gas–nitric oxide. That difference suggests that drugs based on hydrogen sulfide may work in men who do not respond to Viagra and similar classes of drugs.