DR ELLIE CANNON: Viagra has not worked after several prostate ops. What CAN I try?

I person slow-progressing prostate cancer and person undergone respective procedures to person sections of it removed. For nan past fewer years, I person besides been suffering from erectile dysfunction. I’ve tried each nan disposable pills, including Viagra, to nary effect. Are location immoderate different options? It’s achy to deliberation that, astatine 67, my activity life is over.

More than two-thirds of men undergoing prostate crab curen suffer erectile dysfunction – a problem that tin importantly impact self-esteem, relationships and value of life.

Yet according to nan kindness Prostate Cancer UK, less than half get effective treatment.

There are options. Medications specified arsenic Viagra tin beryllium tried ‘as and when’, but we besides prescribe a regular debased dose of a akin drug, tadalafil, to men pinch prostate cancer. Some prostate surgeons urge an ‘as and when’ dose connected top, but it’s important to person a due consultation pinch a expert earlier embarking connected thing for illustration this.

Vacuum pumps – which induce an erection – tin put men off, but they are a recognised curen and worthy exploring. About 70 per cent of men who usage them find they are effective. For personification pinch prostate cancer, they are often disposable free of complaint astatine NHS-funded clinics.

Injections sound frightening but, successful reality, galore find they don’t hurt. A very bladed needle is utilized and men tin study really to do this themselves. They often activity champion successful men pinch an progressive libido.

There are plentifulness of adverts for creams and pills to dainty erectile dysfunction. Sadly, fewer really activity and immoderate could moreover beryllium risky – products online mightiness not beryllium taxable to nan same, rigorous regulations arsenic prescribed drugs.

Quitting smoking and cutting backmost connected intoxicant person been proven to trim nan issue. Men tin besides inquire their GP astir a referral to a section erectile dysfunction clinic, psychosexual session aliases counsellor.

It’s besides important to cognize your activity life needn’t beryllium over, moreover if nary of nan supra useful – it whitethorn conscionable mean looking astatine redefining what activity involves for you.

I precocious had room to dainty shape 2 bosom cancer. I now request radiotherapy and person to return tamoxifen for nan adjacent 5 years – but I’ve heard nan broadside effects tin beryllium akin to going done nan menopause. At 66, I’ve already been done it erstwhile and person nary desire to do truthful again. My GP said nan benefits to these 2 further treatments are small, truthful I’ve decided not to return them. Is that nan correct decision?

We don’t return a one-size-fits-all attack to crab treatment. Instead we outline nan risks and benefits of different aspects of care, let patients to measurement things up and travel to a decision.

Tamoxifen is simply a hormone supplier utilized to suppress nan effects of oestrogen – which tin thrust immoderate tumours – during bosom cancer. The broadside effects tin mimic nan menopause, specified arsenic flushes, sickness and tiredness.

That being said, galore women return tamoxifen and tolerate it very well, peculiarly if they are already menopausal. So I mightiness urge trying it earlier dismissing it.

Radiotherapy tin beryllium gruelling. So for it to beryllium offered, nan benefits person to beryllium worthy it. I tin understand why patients whitethorn opt retired of this but, successful my experience, nan immense mostly would opt in.

Part of nan logic for that is to beryllium capable to unrecorded comfortably pinch your prime successful nan future.

Cancer curen decisions are mostly astir value of life, truthful location is nary worth successful opting retired of a curen owed to nan broadside effects only to walk months aliases moreover years worrying whether it was nan incorrect call.

I americium wholly deaf successful my near ear. A fewer months agone I paid £50 to person my ears evacuated – nan suction method replacement to syringing – and it worked to immoderate extent. I asked whether my GP could do nan aforesaid process and was told: ‘The NHS won’t do thing astir receptor wax.’ Am I expected to salary £50 each clip my ears request attention?

There is simply a immense magnitude of chat wrong nan NHS astir receptor wax these days.

Until recently, galore GPs offered a work to region it utilizing a syringe aliases irrigation. This has changed owed to shifts successful funding, and besides a interest nan process whitethorn harm nan ear. This has near galore group pinch excessive receptor wax and nary disposable treatment.

It tin origin a number of superior symptoms, specified arsenic deafness, pain, tinnitus and dizziness.

If deafness is someone’s superior symptom, I would ever urge an introspection pinch nan expert to make judge it is so wax that is causing this.

Often, and peculiarly successful aged age, location are different causes of deafness and a proceeding trial whitethorn beryllium advisable.

For astir people, receptor wax falls retired connected its ain acknowledgment to normal activity of nan jaw. We tin thief this process by utilizing oliva lipid aliases almond lipid drops to soften nan wax. This tin return a fewer days to activity but tin beryllium incredibly effective.

A pharmacist tin counsel you connected treatments, including sodium bicarbonate receptor drops that dissolve and thief displacement nan wax.

If nan wax build-up is causing regular deafness aliases different superior symptoms, and not responding to nan at-home remedies, a GP tin make a referral to nan infirmary microsuction section for much intensive treatment.

Something to beryllium sneezed at... 

Is location specified a point arsenic autumn sneezing syndrome?

I was asked this by a workfellow who was sneezing incessantly – arsenic overmuch arsenic during hay fever season. My reply was no, it’s astir apt a acold – but he had nary different symptoms. And he wasn’t nan only 1 suffering for illustration this.

Other imaginable causes could beryllium allergies: mould spores tin turn successful damp areas outdoors, specified arsenic piles of leaves. Likewise, arsenic cardinal heating gets switched connected and apparel are dried indoors, mould thrives and floats astir successful nan house, causing irritation to nan airways and... sneezing!

Allergies to location particulate mites are besides worse arsenic colder upwind sets in, erstwhile we walk much clip indoors pinch windows closed.

Over-the-counter antihistamines would beryllium a elemental measurement to trial if this was nan answer. Otherwise, I’d for illustration to cognize if you are suffering autumn sneezing and don’t deliberation it’s owed to a cold.

Email utilizing nan reside connected nan correct and fto maine know.

Stuck connected endless waiting database for captious surgery? 

Reports propose that a depressing 11 cardinal group are now languishing connected NHS waiting lists, hoping for operations and treatments. I’m seeing nan difficulties first hand.

And I’m sorry to opportunity but location is very small a GP tin do to help. Problems person stacked up aft Covid. The diversion of each resources to tackle nan microorganism was thing I and galore different GPs were highly vocal astir successful trying to pass nan Government. Now it’s travel location to roost.

I person aged patients who person been waiting much than a twelvemonth for cataract room – immoderate of whom are astatine consequence of falling each time arsenic a consequence of mediocre oculus sight. Falls successful this property group tin beryllium a catastrophe.

Hernia room besides seems to beryllium difficult to travel by – I person conscionable had to motion disconnected a young man from activity aft he has been waiting 10 months.

Are you stuck connected a waiting list? Write and fto maine know.