Is There an Alternative to Viagra?

Tip of the Day!

Viagra - What's the Treatment!

By asking questions and running tests, your doctor, urologist, or other specialist should be able to find the source of your problem and suggest a course of treatment. The solution may be as straightforward as changing your prescription medicines. If that doesn't do the trick, there are other treatments that can help. For example:

Sildenafil (Viagra). This drug, which enhances blood flow to the penis, has proven effective for treating erectile dysfunction. (To clear up some common misconceptions, Viagra doesn't increase a man's sexual appetite , or libido, and it can only cause an erection if he's mentally aroused.) In a recent study of 267 men conducted at Johns Hopkins University, 65% of those taking sildenafil said they were pleased with the results. In general, the drug is least effective for men with severe impotence or those whose problems stem from nerve damage caused by diabetes or prostate surgery.

You may have heard that sildenafil can be dangerous for people with heart trouble. While there are some risks, most heart patients can take the drug safely. The only patients who absolutely should not take sildenafil are those who take nitrate drugs for heart disease, since combining these medicines can lead to dangerously low blood pressure. Also, men should use sildenafil with caution if they take medicines for hypertension, suffer from coronary ischemia (blockage of an artery supplying blood to the heart), or have a combination of congestive heart failure and low blood pressure. In addition, the drug can interact with some antibiotics like erythromycin and acid-blocking stomach medications like Tagamet. Because Viagra is a prescription drug, your doctor should discuss all these issues with you before giving you the go-ahead to take it.

For inactive heart patients, the exertion of sex may be far more dangerous than sildenafil itself. In some cases, doctors will have a patient take a stress test before prescribing the drug.

Other drugs. If sildenafil isn't right for you, there are other prescription medicines available -- but you'll need to do more than just pop a pill. Drugs such as papaverine and phentolamine can cause near-instant erections, but they have to be injected into the penis. (Aside from the obvious drawback of sticking a needle into one's penis, there is also the chance of priapism, a painful erection that won't go away without medical assistance.)

Men can also use a new needle-free device to insert a pellet of the drug alprostadil into the urethra (the tube through which urine passes) through the tip of the penis. Erections usually begin eight to 10 minutes later and last 30 to 60 minutes. The treatment can cause some pain in the penis and testicles; some patients may also feel lightheaded or dizzy. But this medicine isn't recommended for anyone who is taking blood thinners or at risk for blood clots.

Testosterone. For older men who have low testosterone levels, replacement hormone shots, pills, or a patch might quickly resolve erection problems. But for those who have had prostate cancer, this is not a good option, since testosterone can cause cancer to grow.

Psychotherapy. If your physician doesn't suspect a physical cause for your erectile dysfunction, he or she may suggest counseling -- for you, or you and your partner together. A psychotherapist trained in the treatment of sexual problems can teach you techniques to help stay relaxed and responsive during intimate moments. Psychotherapy can also help men cope with the depression and anxiety that often accompanies erectile dysfunction, regardless of the cause.

Vacuum devices. These devices consist of a plastic cylinder that fits over the penis and a pump that creates a partial vacuum. The vacuum pulls blood into the penis, causing an erection. Since the plastic cylinder isn't exactly conducive to intercourse, the man removes the device after placing an elastic band around the base of his penis to maintain the erection during sexual activity.

Surgery. In cases where injury has hindered nerve or blood vessel function, surgeons can sometimes reconstruct arteries that feed blood to the penis. This technique works best for younger men who have erectile dysfunction because of minor pelvic injuries. Surgeons can also block the veins that drain blood from the penis, although some experts question whether this is a good long-term solution.

Doctors can also surgically insert implants to make the penis stiff all the time, or just on demand. The implant might be a semi-rigid rod that can be bent into shape, or it might use inflatable cylinders. A man can fill the cylinders with fluid by squeezing a small pump that's embedded in his scrotum. Thanks to recent advances, today's implants are extremely effective and carry only a small risk of infection and mechanical breakdown.

Reviewed by Gary D Vogin MD, March 2002.

How to Avoid Coronary Bypass Surgery

Bypassing The ByPass

There is a nutritional approach that can bypass the need for the bypass and all related surgeries. It is both safe and effective. It can be used as both therapy and prevention.

Since 1983, many thousands of people have been successfully using this unique cleansing method both to prevent and remove the arterial deposits that are responsible for heart attacks and strokes. "Before" and "after" angiograms and doppler tests have, in some cases, revealed complete removal of significant arterial blockages within a few short months of starting the program.

Symptoms -- such as angina, leg cramps, lack of measurable pulse in the ankles, tingling in the hands, trembling and even gangrene -- often disappear within weeks. Blood pressure and cholesterol/triglyceride levels tend to normalize themselves. Many who were scheduled for bypass surgery no longer require it. Many have been able to throw away their diuretics, blood thinners, aspirin, anti-cholesterol drugs and nitroglycerin.

These people are using a simple self-help method to reduce their risk of succumbing to cardiovascular disease -- our nation's number one killer disease. This method, the taking of GHS CardioPlus™ nutritional arterial cleansing tablets works by providing the body with the conditions it needs to cleanse itself of arterial plaque, in an entirely natural way. The human body has an amazing ability to heal itself---if we give it everything it needs to do so. In addition to its arterial cleansing powers, the GHS CardioPlus™ nutritional arterial cleansing program gives the body the vitamin/mineral nutrition it needs.

Amazingly, our body has some 60,000 miles of blood vessels that feed all of our organs, tissues and cells with oxygen and vital nutrients. Blockages can occur along any portion of the way. It is physically impossible for the surgeon to reach every part of this vast blood vessel system, that is why many blockages are inoperable. Not so with GHS CardioPlus™. GHS CardioPlus™ can clean every millimeter of these 60,000 miles of blood vessels. Clearing out this intricate network of flexible tubing can help to rejuvenate and restore the entire body.

Additional conditions reported to have improved from arterial cleansing include Alzheimer's disease, diabetic retinopathy, impotence, prostate problems, arthritis, varicose veins, irregular heartbeat and heavy metal toxicity. Even those who do not have any of the above often report benefits such as improved memory, more energy, warmer hands and feet, better vision, more youthful appearance and the need for less sleep.

How can one simple technique help the body to improve in so many possible ways? It makes perfect sense. Every cell in the body receives its nourishment (directly or indirectly) from the bloodstream. As blood flow improves, so does each cell's potential to receive more of the vital nutrients needed for its survival. Also, an increased blood supply improves the body's ability to carry away cellular waste products, which if allowed to accumulate, may contribute to a number of degenerative conditions. Arterial cleansing helps the body both to nourish and to detoxify itself -- two important conditions necessary for optimal health, conditions you achieve with the GHS CardioPlus™ Nutritional Program.

In 1920 heart attacks were very rare. Today they claim more lives than any other disease. Prior to 1920 the human body was resistant to heart disease, since that time it has somehow lost this immunity. In order to reduce our risk of succumbing to this killer, we need to make our bodies as healthy as those of our ancestors of some 80 or more years ago. The program outlined on our web site demonstrates how easy it is to restore vital immunity by supporting the body's innate healing ability.

Perhaps the most exciting feature of arterial cleansing is its simplicity. Each of us can do it for him/herself, without having to depend on experts or complex technology. It is safe, it gets results, and it is extremely cost-effective when compared to alternatives (especially the alternative of doing nothing).

Arterial cleansing is an excellent example of how each person can take charge of his/her own health and life. Many use it to help reverse arterial disease once it has taken hold. Others use it as prevention. Yet others use it to help build superior health that far surpasses the mere absence of disease. The choice and the challenge are yours.

Good Health Supplements™ are dedicated to offering you affordable leading edge technology in anti-aging, cardiovascular, multi-vitamin, digestive nutritional supplementation. Good Health Supplements support your good health, longevity, and naturally renew the energy and vitality of your youth!

Note: GHS-CardioPlus™ is a dietary supplement and is not intended to
diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. GHS-Pro™, GHS-CardioPlus™, Good Health Supplements™ are trademarks of AntiAging Life Extension Dot Com, Inc.