Jun
28
Flomax (Tamsulosin)
June 28, 2011 | Leave a Comment
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May
23
SOME DRUGS CAN DEFEAT IMPOTENCE
Today the answer is simple - viagra, cialis, levitra. Nothing has ever been better or more efficient in fighting impotence or erectile dysfunction. You can buy these drugs online without prescription at cheaper prices than offline. These three drugs has shown amazing effect in impotence treatment and their invention some years ago has become an inportant social effect which has literally changed the world.
There are other drugs that can be used to help an impotent man. One of them is called papaverine, and many urologists suggest its use. The drug is injected directly into the side of the penis. This drug causes a dilation of arteries in the penis thereby increasing the flow of blood to the penis and also causes less blood to leave the penis.
Blood is what causes an erection, and with the increased flow, many impotent men are able to achieve a firm erection and subsequent intercourse.
The patient is given the first injection in the office to teach him how to do it. A skinny needle is used and there is no pain involved. The medication will cause a temporary burning sensation but it’s not severe.
Sometimes a patient has psychological problems involved with his impotence. Papaverine is especially good in these cases. By injecting himself, the patient achieves and maintains an erection for up to an hour. This will naturally reduce the fear of failure which results so often in a poor performance anxiety.
Some urologists gradually reduce the dosage and frequency of the shots. For patients with purely psychological impotency problems this can result in a return to normal sexual function without any shots.
Another drug, Prostaglandins, is also being used for penile injections to help in impotency. It is also a vein-dilating medication and works much the same way that Papaverine does.
What about the over the counter aphrodisiacs that can be found in many health food stores? Most aren’t labeled as such, but the advertising or the labels suggesting a vigor for life, and an elixir especially for men, tell what they are selling.
The Food and Drug Administration has simply banned all aphrodisiacs from sale with the explanation that they do not do what they claim. Most still sold don’t help, but don’t do that much harm. Here you have to remember the placebo effect. If a sugar pill will help a man to get a workable erection, use it and don’t ask questions.
One old folk remedy, however, is being talked about by some serious researchers and physicians. This is yohimbine. It comes in a pill form and some doctors say it can help restore function and desire in some men. It is said to dilate blocked blood vessels and helps in the release of norepinephrine. Doctors say this compound is helpful in causing and maintaining erections. We expect to hear more about this yohimbine in the years ahead.
Today, however, the great trio: Viagra, Cialis and Levitra are widely available on the market and are considered to be the best remedies in erectyle disfunction treatment. If you have prostate problems, consult your doctor on cialis, viagra or levitra use for this particular case.
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13
Estazolam - Estrogens - Eszopiclone - Exemestane - Exenatide
August 13, 2009 | Leave a Comment
Generic Name
Estazolam (es-TAZ-oe-lam) V
Type of Drug Benzodiazepine sedative.
Prescribed For
Insomnia and sleep disturbances.
General Information
Estazolam is a member of the group of drugs known as benzodiazepines. They work by a direct effect on the brain. Benzodiazepines make it easier to go to sleep and decrease the number of times you wake up during the night. Estazolam is considered an intermediate-acting sedative and generally remains in your body long enough to give you a good night’s sleep with minimal “hangover.”
Cautions and Warnings
Do not take estazolam if you are allergic or sensitive to any of its ingredients. Severe allergic reactions may occur. People with respiratory disease taking estazolam may experience sleep apnea (intermittent cessation of breathing during sleep). People who already have, or suspect they have, sleep apnea should not take estazolam.
People with kidney or liver disease should be carefully monitored while taking estazolam. Take the lowest possible dose to help you sleep.
Clinical depression may be increased by estazolam, which can depress the nervous system. Intentional overdose is more common among depressed people who take sleeping pills than among those who do not.
All benzodiazepines can be addictive if taken for long periods of time and can cause drug withdrawal symptoms if discontinued suddenly. It should be used With caution in people with a history 0 YATUg dependence. Withdrawal symptoms include tremors, Muscle cramps, insomnia, agitation, diarrhea, vomiting, sweating, and convulsions.
People with a history of seizures should not abruptly stop taking estazolam.
Possible Side Effects
♦ Common: drowsiness, headache, dizziness, talkativeness,
nervousness, apprehension, poor muscle coordination, light-
headedness, daytime tiredness, muscle weakness, slow-
ness of movement, hangover, and euphoria (feeling “high”).
♦ Less common: nausea, vomiting, rapid heartbeat, confusion, temporary memory loss, upset stomach, stomach cramps and pain, depression, blurred or double vision and other visual disturbances, constipation, changes in sense of taste, appetite changes, stuffy nose, nosebleeds, common cold symptoms, asthma, sore throat, cough, breathing difficulties, diarrhea, dry mouth, allergic reaction, fainting, abnormal heart rhythm, itching, acne, dry skin, sensitivity to bright light or to the sun, rash, nightmares or strange dreams, sleeplessness, tingling in the hands or feet, ringing or buzzing in the ears, ear or eye pain, menstrual cramps, frequent urination and other urinary difficulties, blood in the urine, discharge from the penis or vagina, lower back and joint pain, muscle spasms and pain, fever, swollen breasts, and weight changes.
✓ Rare: Rare side effects can affect your heart, stomach and intestines, urinary tract, blood, muscles, and joints. Contact your doctor if you experience any side effect not listed above.
Drug Interactions
• As with all benzodiazepines, the effects of estazolam are enhanced if it is taken with an alcoholic beverage, antihistamine, sedative, barbiturate, anticonvulsant medication, antidepressant, or monoamine oxidase inhibitor antidepressant.
• Carbamazepine and phenytoin may reduce blood levels and the effectiveness of estazolam by stimulating liver enzymes responsible for its breakdown.
• Ketoconazole, itraca(\ailzAe, netazodone, fluvoxamine, diltiamm,’isoniazid, some macrolide antibiotics, contraceptive drugs, cimetidine, and disulfiram may increase the effect of estazolam by interfering with the drug’s breakdown in the liver. Probenecid also increases estazolam’s effects by interfering with it passing through the kidneys into urine.
• Cigarette smoking, rifampin, and theophylline may reduce the effect of estazolam.
• Levodopa + carbidopa’s effectiveness may be decreased by estazolam.
• Estazolam may increase the amount of zidovudine (an HIV drug—also known as AZT), phenytoin, or digoxin in your bloodstream, increasing the chances of side effects.
• The combination of clozapine and benzodiazepines has led to respiratory collapse in a few people. Estazolam should be stopped at least 1 week before starting clozapine treatment.
Food Interactions
Estazolam may be taken with food if it upsets your stomach.
Usual Dose
Adult (age 18 and over): 1-2 mg at bedtime.
Senior: 1 mg at bedtime. Small or frail patients should start on 0.5 mg. Dosage should be increased cautiously.
Child (under age 18): not recommended.
Overdosage
The most common overdose symptoms are confusion, sleepiness, depression, loss of muscle coordination, and slurred speech. Coma and death may also occur. People who take an estazolam overdose must be made to vomit with ipecac syrup—available at any pharmacy—to remove any remaining drug from the stomach: Call your doctor or a poison control center before doing this. The victim must be taken to a hospital emergency room for treatment if 30 minutes have passed since the overdose was taken or if symptoms have begun to develop. ALWAYS bring the prescription bottle or container.
Special Information
Never take more estazolam than your doctor has prescribed. Avoid alcoholic beverages and other nervous system depressants while taking estazolam.
Exercise caution while performing tasks that require concentration and such as driving: estazolam may make you tired, dizzy, or lightheaded. People taking estazolam or any other sleeping medicine may experience unusual and complex reactions while asleep, such as driving, making phone calls, and cooking with no memory of the event.
If you take estazolam daily for 3 or more weeks, you may experience some withdrawal symptoms when you stop taking the
drug, especially temporary sleep disturbance. In rare cases, patients discontinuing estazolam have suffered seizures or delirium. Patients with a history of seizures should taper when stopping use
of this drug.
If you forget to take a dose of estazolam and remember within about 1 hour of your regular time, take it right away. If you do not remember until later, skip the dose you forgot and go back to your regular schedule. Do not take a double dose.
Special Populations
Pregnancy/Breast-feeding: Estazolam absolutely should not be used by pregnant women or by women who may become pregnant.
Estazolam passes into breast milk. The drug should not be taken by nursing mothers.
Seniors: Seniors are more susceptible to the effects of estazolam. Type of Drug
Estrogens (ES-troe-jens)
Brand Names
Generic Ingredient: Conjugated Estrogens Premarin Premarin Cream
Generic Ingredient: Conjugated Estrogens (Synthetic) Cenestin Enjuvia
Generic Ingredients: Conjugated Estrogens + Medroxyprogesterone
Premphase Prempro
Generic Ingredient: Esterified Estrogens Menest
Generic Ingredients: Esterified Estrogens + Methyttestosterone Estratest
Generic Ingredient: Estradio(& Alora,
Climara Divigel Elestrin Estrace Estraderm
Estring Estrogel
Evamist Transdermal Spray Femring
Femtrace Gynodiol
Innofem Menostar Vagifem
Vivelle Vivelle-Dot
Generic ingredients: Estradiol + Drospirenone Angeliq
Generic Ingredients: Estradiol + Levonorgestrel Climara Pro Nuvaring
Generic Ingredients: Estradiol + Norgestimate 99 Pretest
Generic Ingredient: Estropipate
Ogen Cream Ortho-Est
Generic Ingredients: Ethinyl Estradiol + Norethindrone Activella Combipatch FemHRT 1/5
Prescribed For
Moderate to severe menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats and sleep problems, vaginal dryness and irritation (creams and gels); also prescribed for ovarian failure, osteoporosis prevention, male breast cancer, advanced prostate cancer, abnormal bleeding of the uterus, female castration, Turner’s syndrome, and birth control.
General Information
Six estrogens have been identified in women but only 3 are present in large amounts: estradiol, estrone, and estriol. Estradiol is the most potent and most important. Other estrogens are produced by chemical conversions in the body. Estradiol, for example, is transformed into estrone, which in turn becomes estriol. Estrogens all have the same actions and side effects; only potency varies. More potent types require smaller dosages to produce the same effect.
Millions of women have taken hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to manage menopausal symp<oms, but studies show that HRT doeq WMpYove quality of life for most. Women who experience severe menopause symptoms must weigh the benefits of prolonged hormone replacement therapy against its risks.
Estrogens are largely responsible for the growth and maintenance of the female reproductive system and sex characteristics. They affect the release of hormones from the pituitary gland (con-troller of hormone production and regulator of basic bodily functions). These hormones control the functioning of capillaries (smallest blood vessels), may cause fluid retention, affect protein breakdown in the body, prevent ovulation and breast engorgement after childbirth, and influence the shaping and maintenance of the skeleton through an effect on calcium.
Estrogen products differ in their hormone content and dosage. Some may affect one part of the body more than another. Generally, though, estrogens are interchangeable as long as dosage differences are taken into account.
Cautions and Warnings
Do not take estrogens if you are allergic or sensitive to any of their ingredients.
Products containing an estrogen and a progestin should not be used for the prevention or treatment of bladder-control problems, heart disease, or mental decline (dementia).
Women with an intact uterus who choose hormone replacement therapy for menopausal symptoms should take the lowest effective dose for the shortest possible time to minimize the risks associated with these medicines. The results of a very large study called the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) first published in 2002 and updated with new reports, have drastically changed the face of estrogen replacement therapy. The study found a small but insignificant increase in the risk of non-fatal heart attacks. There was no increase in heart disease in the estrogen plus progestin part of the WHI. Early results of the WHI found 4-6 more cases of invasive breast cancer for every 10,000 women in the study and tumors were harder to detect. But this result was not confirmed after more than 7 years of additional study. Estrogens may also lead to abnormal mammograms. An increased risk of a stroke was found in the WHI study. The risk of blood clots forming in the body was doubled in women taking hormone therapy. This study did show some benefits of long-term hormone replacement in colon cancer and osteoporosis, but these benefits may not outweigh the risks of hormone replacement therapy.
Women with liver damage or disease, blood-clotting problems, or abnormal vaginal bleeding whose cause is unknown, should not take estrogens.
Women who smoke cigarettes and take estrogen have a greater risk of cardiovascular side effects, including stroke and blood clotting.
Estrogens may increase the risk of endometriat cancer by 4.514 times in postmenopausal women taking them without progestin for prolonged periods of time; the risk depends on duration of treatment and dosage. Women who have a strong family history of breast cancer or who have breast nodules or cysts or an abnormal mammogram should be cautious about using estrogens. Women with estrogen-dependent cancer or breast cancer should not take estrogens, except some being treated for breast cancer that has spread. Women taking an estrogen for breast cancer that has spread to their bones can develop large increases in blood calcium.
Postmenopausal women taking estrogen are 2-3 times more likely to develop gallbladder disease.
Estrogens can raise blood pressure. Pressure usually returns to normal when the drug is stopped.
People with thrombophlebitis should avoid these drugs. The risk is greatest with very high dosages. Lower hormone dosages may not be a problem.
Estrogens should not be used to treat painful breast enlargement that sometimes develops after giving birth.
Estrogens can cause significant increases in blood triglycerides and cause pancreas inflammation in women with inherited blood-fat disorders.
Vaginal estrogen cream may stimulate bleeding of the uterus. It may also cause breast tenderness, vaginal discharge, and withdrawal bleeding if the product is suddenly stopped. Women with endometriosis may experience heavy vaginal bleeding.
Women taking hormone replacement therapy are at a 50% greater than normal risk of senile dementia.
Drospirenone, a progestin and an ingredient in Angeliq, can raise blood potassium levels in some people because it opposes the hormone aldosterone. It should not be used in people with conditions that can lead to high blood potassium such as kidney disease or a poorly functioning adrenal gland. Drospennone should be used with caution by women who we also taking other medicines that raise tl(QW potassium, such as nonsteroidal antiWkvmmMory drugs (NSAIDs), potassium-sparing diuretics, potassium supplements, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, All receptor antagonists, and heparin. Your doctor may want to check your blood potassium level if you might be at risk of high blood potassium.
Possible Side Effects
v Most common: breast enlargement or tenderness, ankle and leg swelling, appetite loss, weight changes, water retention and bloating, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal cramps. The estrogen patch may cause rash, irritation, and redness where it is applied.
V Less common: bleeding gums, breakthrough vaginal bleeding, vaginal spotting or discharge, changes in menstrual flow, painful menstruation, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), absence of menstrual periods during and after estrogen use, uterine fibroid enlargement, vaginal Candida infection, a cystitis-like condition, mild diarrhea, yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes, eye lesions, contact-lens intolerance, rash, hair loss, development of new hairy patches, migraine, mild dizziness, depression, increased sex drive (women), and decreased sex drive (men).
♦ Rare: stroke, blood-clot formation, dribbling or sudden passage of urine, loss of coordination, chest pain, leg pain, breathing difficulties, slurred speech, and changes in vision. Men who take large estrogen dosages for prostate cancer have a greater risk of heart attack, phlebitis, and blood clots in the lungs. Contact your doctor if you experience any side effect not listed above.
Drug Interactions
• Phenytoin, ethotoin, mephenytoin, and topiramate may interfere with estrogen’s effects.
• Estrogens may reduce the effect of oral anticoagulant (blood-thinning) drugs. Your anticoagulant dosage may need an adjustment.
• Estrogens may increase the side effects of antidepressants and phenothiazine sedatives.
• Low estrogen dosages may increase 0\enolhiazine’s effectiveness.
% ‘ittrogens may increase cyclosporine and corticosteroid blood levels. Dosage adjustments of the non-estrogen drugs may be needed.
• Estrogens may reduce the effectiveness of thyroid replacement therapy.
• Rifampin, barbiturates, carbamazepine, St. John’s wort, and other drugs that stimulate the liver to break down drugs may reduce estrogen blood levels.
• Estrogens may interfere with tamoxifen and bromocripline.
• Women, especially those ova. 35, who smoke cigarettes and take estrogen have a much greater risk of developing stroke, hardening of the arteries, or blood clots in the lungs. The risk increases with age and tobacco use.
• Estrogens interfere with many diagnostic tests. Make sure your doctor knows you are taking estrogen before conducting any blood tests or other diagnostic procedures.
Food Interactions
Estrogens may be taken with food to reduce nausea and upset stomach. Avoid drinking grapefruit juice if you are taking this drug.
Usual Dose
Dosage varies. All of these products, including the transdermal skin patch, may be taken continuously or on a cyclic schedule of 3 weeks on, 1 week off.
Tablets
Chlorotrianisene: 12-200 mg.
Conjugated estrogens: 0.3-30 mg.
Conjugated estrogens, synthetic: 0.625-1.25 mg. Esterified estrogens: 0.3-30 mg.
Estradiol: 0.5-30 mg.
Estropipate: 0.625-7.5 mg.
Ethinyl estradiol: 0.02-3.0 mg.
Estradiol Transdermal Patch (0.025, 0.0375, 0.05, 0.075, or 0.1 mg) Alora, Estraderm, and Esclim: 1 patch twice a week: or use 1
patch twice a week for 3 weeks, stop for 1 week, then start again. Climara and Fempatch: 1 patch every week; or use 1 patch once
a week for 3 weeks, stop for 1 week, then start again.
Estradiol Transdermal Spray: 1-3 Sprays (1.53 mg estradiol in each spray
face of the forearm, starting near the elbow. Do not allow the sprays to overlap each other. Allow the spray to dry for about 2 minutes and do not wash the arm for 30 minutes. Do not apply the spray to any other part of the body.
3Wkw1 Onext to each other every morning on the inner sur-Estradiol Gel: Spread 1 pumpful of the gel as thinly as possible over the entire area on the inside and outside of your arm from wrist to
shoulder, once a day at the same time every day.
Vaginal Cream
Conjugated estrogens: 0.52 g a day for 3 weeks; stop for 1 week,
then start again.
Dienestrol: 1 applicatorful 12 times a day for 12 weeks, half the
original dosage for another 12 weeks, then 1 applicatoviO 13 times
a week.
Estradiol: 24 g a day for 2 weeks, half the starting dosage for an-
other 2 weeks, then 1 g 13 times a week.
Estropipate: 24 g a day for 3 weeks; stop for 1 week, then start again.
Estradiol Ring
Insert once every 3 months.
Overdosage
Symptoms may include nausea and vaginal bleeding in adult women. Call your local poison control center or a hospital emergency room for information. If you seek treatment, ALWAYS bring the prescription bottle or container.
Special Information
Call your doctor if you develop breast pain or tenderness, swelling of the feet and lower legs, rapid weight gain, chest pain, breathing difficulties, pain in the groin or calves, unusual or persistent vaginal bleeding, missed menstrual period, lumps in the breast, sudden severe headache, dizziness or fainting, disturbances in speech or vision, weakness or numbness in the arms or legs, abdominal pain, sudden severe vomiting, depression, yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes, or jerky or involuntary muscle movement.
Women taking estrogens or combined estrogen and progestin therapy should have yearly lamasN exams, perform monthly breast self -Paw i)26ions, and have regular mammograms.
Talk to your health care provider about ways to reduce risk factors for heart disease (blood-pressure control, improving your diet, stopping tobacco use) and osteoporosis (an appropriate diet, vitamin D and calcium supplements, weight-bearing exercise).
Tell your doctor if you are having surgery or require bedrest: your doctor may have you stop taking estrogen 4-6 weeks beforehand to prevent the risk of blood clots.
Your doctor should reevaluate your need for estrogen vaginal cream every 36 months. Do not stop using the drug suddenly because this may increase your risk of developing unpredicted or breakthrough vaginal bleeding.
Women using the cream who develop breast tenderness, start to bleed, or have other vaginal discharge should contact their doctors at once.
Estrogen skin patches should be applied to a clean, dry, non-oily, hairless area of intact skin, preferably on the abdomen. Do not apply it to your breasts or waist, or to any area where tightfitting clothes may loosen the patch from your skin. The application site should be rotated to prevent irritation, and each site should have a patch-free period for 7 days.
Good dental hygiene is important while taking estrogen because estrogen may increase your risk of oral infection. Dental work should be completed prior to starting estrogen, if possible.
Vaginal estrogen cream should be inserted high into the vagina, about 2/3 of the length of the applicator.
Press the vaginal ring into an oval and insert as deeply as possible in the upper 1/3 of the vagina.
Some of these products contain tartrazine (a commonly used orange dye and food coloring). If you are allergic to tartrazine or have asthma, check with your pharmacist to find out if your estrogen product contains this coloring agent.
If you forget a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the one you forgot and continue with your regular schedule. Do not take a double dose.
Authorities note that the risk of serious complications for an individual woman taking hormone replacement therapy is very small. Thus, you may decide to take hormones but your decision should be based on a complete discussion of the facts and your individual situation with your doctor. Continue to talk with your doctor regularly about weighing tt% i1%’Ks against the benefits of taking estrQ(;e5\.
Special Populations
Pregnancy/Breast-feeding: Estrogens harm the fetus and should never be used during pregnancy for any reason.
Estrogens pass into breast milk and reduce its flow. Nursing mothers who must take them should use infant formula.
Seniors: The risk of side effects increases with age, especially if you smoke. Women age 65 or older taking estrogens may be more likely to develop a stroke, blood clot, or dementia, a condition where people suddenly or gradually lose normal mental function and intellectual capacity.
Generic Name
Eszopiclone (ess-oh-PIK-lone)
Brand Name Lunesta
Type of Drug Sedative.
Prescribed For Insomnia.
General Information
Eszopiclone is a nonbenzodiazepine sleeping pill that is believed to work in much the same way as the drug zolpidem and as benzodiazepine-type sleeping pills and sedatives. Unlike the benzodiazepines, however, eszopiclone has little muscle-relaxing or antiseizure effects. This drug is rapidly absorbed and usually starts working within a few minutes. Eszopiclone causes little or no “hangover,” and there are no rebound effects after stopping the drug. In studies of eszopiclone, tolerance to its effects did not develop even after 6 months of continued use. Eszopiclone is broken down in the liver, and the level of this drug in the body does not increase after you take it for several days.
Cautions and Warnings
Do not take eszopiclone if you are allergic or sensitive to any of its ingredients.
People With severe liver disease should use eszopiclone with caution and must take less of this medication than those with normal liver function or mild liver disease.
Sleeping problems often result from a physical or psychological illness. Eszopiclone does not affect the underlying causes of
insomnia. It should be taken only with your doctor’s knowledge. If you cannot sleep even after 7-10 days of taking eszopiclone, con-
tact your doctor.
Eszopiclone has caused amnesia (memory loss), but this happens mostly at dosages larger than 2 mg per night.
Suddenly stopping eszopiclone after having taken it for some time may produce drug withdrawal (symptoms include fatigue, nausea, flushing, lightheadedness, crying, vomiting, stomach cramps, panic, nervousness, and general discomfort).
People with a history of substance abuse may be more likely to develop drug dependence on eszopiclone. Eszopiclone doses of 612 mg are similar to 20 mg of diazepam in their potential for abuse.
Eszopiclone is a nervous system depressant and may cause loss of coordination and concentration. It should be taken just before bedtime. People taking sleep medicine may experience unusual and complex reactions while asleep, such as driving, making phone calls, or cooking with no memory of the event. Eszopiclone may also interfere with normal activities the next day, especially if taken with alcohol.
Eszopiclone should be avoided by people with severe depression, severe lung disease, and sleep apnea (intermittently stopping breathing when you are asleep). You should not take this drug if you are drunk.
Possible Side Effects
Adults
Some side effects are more likely with larger doses (viral infection, dry mouth, dizziness, hallucinations, infections, rash, and unpleasant taste).
♦ Most common: headache, drowsiness, unpleasant taste, and lung infections.
✓ Common: dry mouth, dizziness, and nausea.
✓ Less common: nervousness, vomiting, viral infections, anxiety, confusion, depression, hallucinations, reduced sex drive, rash, male breast e”k-aigement and/or pain, painful meR%k5UMlrjn, chest pain, migraines, and swelling of the arms or legs.
♦ Rare: Rare side effects can occur in almost any part of the body. Contact your doctor if you experience any side effect not listed above.
Drug Interactions
• Mixing eszopiclone with olanzapine can affect your coordination and ability to perform tasks.
• Mixing eszopiclone with ketoconazole more than doubles blood levels of eszopiclone. Other drugs that may have a similar interaction include itraconazole, clarithromycin, nefazodone, troleandomycin, ritonavir, and nelfinavir.
• Rifampin can be expected to drastically reduce the effectiveness of eszopiclone because it increases levels of liver enzymes that break down eszopiclone.
• Avoid combining eszopiclone with alcohol and other nervous system depressants, including sedatives, narcotics, barbiturates, antidepressants, and antihistamines.
Food Interactions
For the most rapid and complete effect, take eszopiclone on an empty stomach at least 2 hours after a meal. It will take longer for eszopiclone to work if you have had a high-fat meal immediately before taking it.
Usual Dose
, abnormal dreaming, nery
Adult (q% 1% and over): 2-3 mg immediately before bedtime or after you are in bed and have trouble falling asleep. Eszopiclone can act very quickly.
Child (up to age 17): not recommended.
Senior: 1-2 mg immediately before bedtime.
People with liver disease: 1 mg.
Possible Side Effects (continued) Seniors
Some side effects are more com the cluding dry mouth, pain, and unpleasant easant
♦ Most common: headache.
♦ Common: pain, dry mouth, diarrhea, rrhea, and upset
♦ Less common: accidental injury,
ousness, nerve pain, itching, and urinary• Rare: Rare side effects can occur in almost any part body. Contact your doctor if you
ou experience any side ef fect not listed above.
infection. of - , mon with larger doses in
Overdosage
Overdose can result in nervous system depression, from unconsciousness to light coma. Combining eszopiclone with alcohol or other nervous system depressants may be fatal or affect other body organs. One person took up to 36 mg of eszopiclone and fully recovered. Take the victim to a hospital emergency room at once. ALWAYS bring the prescription bottle or container.
Special Information
Eszopiclone may cause tiredness, drowsiness, and an inability to concentrate. Be careful when driving or performing any task that requires concentration on the day following a dose. Make sure you get 7-8 hours of sleep after taking eszopiclone.
People taking eszopiclone on a regular basis may develop a drug withdrawal reaction if the medication is stopped suddenly (see “Cautions and Warnings”).
Do not take a double dose of this medication.
Special Populations
Pregnancy/Breast-feeding: Some animal studies with doses of eszopiclone up to 800 times the human equivalent showed it did not affect a developing fetus, and other studies showed some modest effects. However, there is no information on the use of eszopiclone in pregnant women. If your doctor considers eszopiclone crucial for you, its potential benefits must be carefully weighed against its risks.
It is not known if eszopiclone passes into breast milk. Nursing mothers who must take this drug should use infant formula.
Seniors: Seniors, who are likely to be more sensitive to eszopiclone and its side effects, should start on a 1 -mg dose and take the lowest effective dosage.
Generic Name
Etanercept (eh-TAN-er-sept)
Brand Name Enbrel
Type of Drug
Immune system modulator.
Prescribed For
Rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and psoriasis.
General Information
Etanercept binds to a specific protein in the body known as tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and blocks it from interacting with cell surfaces. TNF is involved in normal inflammatory and immune responses and the inflammatory processes of rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, and other conditions. Etanercept can also interfere with biological actions that are either caused or regulated by TNF.
Cautions and Warnings
Do not use etanercept if you are allergic or sensitive to any of its ingredients.
Serious infections and malignancies are possible in people using etanercept because of its ability to suppress the immune response. This may be more common in people with other conditions that predispose them to infections such as advanced or uncontrolled diabetes.
Levels of blood platelets and some white blood cells may be reduced in rare cases, leading to persistent fever, bruising, bleeding, and pale skin. Contact your doctor if any of these symptoms develop.
Etanercept may increase the risk of some nervous system disorders including multiple sclerosis.
Etanercept may cause or worsen congestive heart failure.
In rare cases people taking etanercept have developed a lupus-like syndrome which may disappear when the drug is discontinued.
People taking etanercept should not receive any live vaccines, because the body may not be able to respond as expected to the vaccine.
Possible Side Effects
RPndmt may develop at the site where etanercept is injected. Injection sites should be rotated among the thigh, abdomen, and upper arm to avoid excessive bruising or other skin damage.
Possible Side Effects (continued)
♦ Most common: infection, injection-site reactions, upper respiratory infection, headache, and runny nose.
♦ Common’. nausea, dizziness, sore throat. cough, weak-
ness, abdominal pain, rash, and respiratory problems.
♦ Less common: upset stomach, sinus irritation, vomiting.
swelling in the legs or feet, mouth sores, and hair loss.
✓ Rare: malignancy, stroke, seizure, tingling in the hands or feet, nervous system irritation similar to multiple sclerosis, eye inflammation, joint pain, generalized pain, appetite loss, blood vessel inflammation in the skin, dry eyes, lumps under the skin, fever, flu-like symptoms, weight gain, chest pain, flushing, diarrhea, taste changes, difficulty breathing, worsening of existing lung conditions, itching, and skin reactions. Contact your doctor if you experience any side effect not listed above.
Drug Interactions
• Do not mix etanercept in the same syringe as another drug.
• Using etanercept with anakinra increases the risk of serious infections.
Food Interactions None known.
Usual Dose
Adult: rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis-50 mg a week. Plaque psoriasis: 50 mg twice a week, reducing to 50 mg a week after 3 months.
Child (age 4-17): 0.36 mg per lb. of body weight, up to 50 mg a week, 3-4 days apart.
Child (under age 4): not recommended.
Overdosage
In one study, ‘A patient accidentally self-administered 62 mg of etanercept twice a week for 3 weeks with no ill effects. Call your local poison control center or a hospital emergency room for more information. If you seek treatment, ALWAYS bring the prescription container.
Special Information
Etanercept is taken by injection under the skin. Be sure you understand how to measure the proper dose of etanercept and how
to self-inject it.
To mix and inject etanercept: Withdraw all the water supplied with the medicine into a syringe and slowly inject it into the vial containing etanercept. Swirl the mixture gently to avoid excess foaming in the vial. Do not shake the vial.
Do not combine etanercept with any other injectable drug. Etanercept may be stored in a refrigerator for up to 14 days after it is mixed.
Single-use pre-filled syringes must be refrigerated. Do not use past the provided expiration date.
If you forget to administer a dose, do so as soon as you remember. Remember that etanercept doses must be administered at least 3 days apart. Call your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions about how to time your etanercept doses.
Special Populations
PregnancylBreast-feeding. The safety of using etanercept during pregnancy is not known. When this drug is considered crucial by your doctor, its potential benefits must be carefully weighed against its risks.
It is not known if this drug passes into breast milk. Nursing mothers who must take it should use infant formula.
Seniors: Seniors are more likely to develop infections while using etanercept.
Generic Name
Exemestane (ex-eh-MES-tane)
Bnj(kod WaYne Aromasin
Type of Drug Aromatase inhibitor.
Prescribed For
Breast cancer. Also prescribed for prostate cancer prevention.
General Information Some breast cancers depend on the presence of the hormone estrogen to stimulate their growth. Depriving these cancers of estrogen is an effective way of treating the condition. Exemestane significantly reduces the amount of estrogen in the blood by binding permanently to an enzyme called aromatase, an essential element in the conversion of androgen (male hormones) to estrogen in premenopausal and postmenopausal women. Exemestane does not affect other hormones in the body. Exemestane is broken down in the liver.
Cautions and Warnings
Do not take exemestane if you are allergic or sensitive to any of its ingredients.
Exemestane may be prescribed for men and postmenopausal women only.
Possible Side Effects
✓ Most common: fatigue, hot flashes, pain, depression, sleeplessness, anxiety, nausea, and breathing difficulties.
✓ Common: flu-like symptoms, leg swelling, high blood pressure, dizziness, headache, vomiting, abdominal pain, leg swelling or other fluid retention, sweating, appetite loss, constipation, and coughing.
✓ Less common: increased appetite, diarrhea, fever, weakness, tingling in the hands or feet, broken bones, bronchitis, sinusitis, rash, itching, urinary infection, and swollen lymph glands.
♦ Rare: chest pain; confusion; reduced sensitivity to stimulation; upset stomach; joint, back, or other bone pain; respiratory infection; sore throat; runny nose; and hair loss. Contact your doctor if you experience any side effect not listed above.
Drug Interactions
• Estrogen-containing drugs reduce the effectiveness of exemestane. Do not combine these drugs.
• Rifampin, phenytoin, carbamazepine, phenobarbital, and St. John’s wort may potentially reduce the effectiveness of
exemestane.
Food Interactions
Take this drug with a meal. The amount of exemestane absorbed into the blood is increased by 40% when taken with a high-fat meal.
Usual Dose
Adult: 25 mg once a day with or just after a meal. Dose adjustment is not needed in people with kidney or liver disease. Child: not recommended.
Overdosage
Doses as large as 600 mg have been well tolerated by women with advanced breast cancer. Overdose victims should be taken to a hospital emergency room for evaluation and treatment. ALWAYS bring the prescription bottle or container.
Special Information
If you forget a dose, skip the forgotten dose and continue with your regular schedule. Contact your doctor if you skip more than one dose.
Special Populations
Pregnancy/Breast-feeding: Exemestane is intended only for postmenopausal women. It can cause birth defects and miscarriage and should not be used by pregnant women or women who may become pregnant.
Exemestane may pass into breast milk. Nursing mothers who must take it should use infant formula.
Seniors: Seniors may take this drug without special precaution.
Generic Name
Exenatide (ex-EN-ah-tide)
Brand Name Byetta
7Vpe of Drug Incretin mimetic.
Prescribed For Type 2 diabetes.
General Information
Exenatide is a unique drug that improves blood sugar control in people with type 2 diabetes who have been unsuccessful with diabetes pills. It is added to existing therapy and does not replace other treatments. Exenatide has many of the same actions as GLP-1, a natural incretin hormone. It differs chemically and works differently from other diabetes medications, including insulin.
Exenatide begins working about 30 minutes after injection and continues to work for at least 8 hours. It helps the pancreas to release insulin into the blood in response to sugar levels, so insulin rises when blood sugar is high and declines as blood sugar declines. It reduces the production of a hormone called glucagon, which raises blood sugar. Exenatide also keeps food in the stomach longer, which in turn helps reduce the amount of sugar absorbed from dietary sources. Exenatide increases the number of beta cells (that produce insulin) in animals and may have the same effect in humans. This could help reduce the need for other medicines and improve diabetes control.
Cautions and Warnings
Do not take exenatide if you are allergic or sensitive to any of its ingredients.
This drug is not a substitute for insulin. Exenatide has only been studied together with metformin, glitazones, and/or sulfonylureas. It has not been studied with other diabetes pills or insulin.
People with severe kidney disease should not use exenatide.
People with severe stomach or intestinal disease should not use exenatide.
Inflammation of the pancreas can occur with this drug. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, fever, rapid pulse, and painful and swollen abdomen that may develop slowly and worsen when you eat or may be severe and constant.
Low blood sugar may ziccurit you are taking exenatide with a S\00ny)urea-type antidiabetes drug or with a glitazone.
Antibodies to exenatide may develop, but antibody levels generally go down with time. Most patients who develop antibodies still have good sugar control and similar types of side effects as people who do not develop exenatide antibodies.
Possible Side Effects
♦ Most common: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and low blood sugar (when mixed with a sulfonylurea-type drug or metformin plus a sulfonylurea).
♦ Less common: low blood sugar (when mixed with a glitazone), feeling jittery, dizziness, headache, and upset stomach.
✓ Rare: rash, abdominal swelling and pain, constipation, and kidney failure. Contact your doctor if you experience any side effect not listed above.
Drug Interactions
• Exenatide has been studied with a number of other medications commonly taken by people with diabetes (digoxin, lovastatin, lisinopril, and acetaminophen) and no significant interactions were noted.
• Combining exenatide with a sulfonylurea-type drug may lead to hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). Your doctor may change your sulfonylurea dose to solve this problem.
• Take all oral medicines at least 1 hour before you inject exenatide to ensure maximum absorption. If you must take oral drugs with food or meals, take them with a snack or meal when exenatide is not being injected. Exenatide extends the time that drugs remain in the stomach and may reduce the amount of medication absorbed when taken by mouth.
• Exenatide may reduce the effectiveness of oral contraceptive pills. Take them at least 1 hour before an injection of exenatide.
• Exenatide may increase the amount of warfarin in the body and increase the risk of bleeding.
Food Interactions
None known. Usual Dose
Adult: 5 or 10 mcg twice a day by subcutaneous injection %M)iT) an hour before breakfast and dk”"tj.
CAWVEOnafide has not been studied in children. Overdosage
The effects of an exenatide overdose are severe nausea, severe vomiting, and severe, rapid drops in blood sugar levels. An oral sugar source may help, but overdose victims should be taken to a hospital emergency room for evaluation and treatment. ALWAYS bring the exenatide pen with you.
Special Information
Each dose of exenatide must be given as an injection under the skin of the thigh, abdomen, or upper arm within 1 hour before your breakfast and dinner meals. For information on how to properly administer this drug, see page 1242.
If you forget a dose of exenatide, skip the dose you forgot and continue with your regular schedule. Do not take a double dose.
Exenatide injection is clear and colorless. Do not use if it has any color, is cloudy, or if there are any particles floating in it.
Keep this drug in the refrigerator, and do not use it after the expiration date has passed.
This drug may lead to a loss of appetite and loss of body weight. Do not change your regular dosage if this happens to you.
Special Populations
PregnancylBreast-feeding. In animal studies using doses equal to 3 times the usual human dose, exenatide was shown to affect the growth of the fetus. If you are or might be pregnant and your doctor considers this drug crucial, its potential benefits must be weighed against its risks.
Small amounts of exenatide may pass into breast milk and may affect a nursing infant. Nursing mothers taking this drug should use infant formula.
Seniors: Seniors may take this drug without special restriction. Generic Name
Jul
18
Prostatitis Terminology Glossary.
July 18, 2009 | Leave a Comment
Glossary
ACUTE - Often used to describe a disorder, or symptom, that comes on suddenly. An acute condition may or may not be severe, but it is usually of short duration.
ANDROGENS - Bodily hormones that help in the development of male sex characteristics. Testosterone is the most important of these.
ANUS - The exterior opening, through which waste products are excreted, located at the end of the digestive tract.
BACTERIA - A group of single-celled micro-organisms, many -though not all - of which cause diseases.
BENIGN - Not malignant. Characteristic of a mild illness. Recovery is likely.
BIOPSY - The removal of tissue from a patient so that it may be
studied under a microscope in order to make a precise diagnosis.
BLADDER - An elastic sac that stores urine before it is excreted from the body.
BOGGY - A term used to describe the prostate when it is swollen, spongy and soft.
CANCER - A group of diseases in which symptoms are due to the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells creating a cellular tumour. These cells can spread throughout the body through the bloodstream or the lymphatic system.
CAPSULE - The structure in which an item, such as the prostate, is enclosed.
CATHETER - A hollow, flexible, surgical tube that is used to drain or inject fluid. It is used, in particular, to drain urine via the urethra from the bladder.
CAT SCAN (CT SCAN) - A diagnostic imaging technique using X-rays and computer technology to provide cross-sectional pictures of the body.
CHLAMYDIA - A group of non-bacterial infections in the urethra and genital tract, and one of the most common sexually-transmitted diseases.
CHRONIC - A chronic condition is one that persists fora long time (sometimes in spite of treatment).
CYSTOSCOPE - A lighted viewing instrument that is inserted up the urethra in order to examine the urethra and the bladder.
DYSURIA - Pain on passing urine.
EJACULATION - The act of emission of semen from the penis.
ENZYME - A protein that regulates the rate of a chemical reaction in the body. Every cell in the body produces various enzymes.
ERECTION - The stiffening, hardening and elevation that occur in the penis in response to sexual arousal.
FREQUENCY - The need to urinate at short intervals.
GENITALS - The reproductive organs - both male and female, both internal and external.
GENITO-URINARY - Referring to a man’s or woman’s reproductive and urinary tract.
GLAND - A group of specialised cells that manufacture and release certain chemicals, including hormones and enzymes, for use in the body.
HAEMATURIA - Blood in the urine.
HAEMOSPERMIA - Blood in the seminal fluid.
HESITANCY - Slowness to start the initial urinary flow.
HORMONE - A chemical that is released into the bloodstream by a particular gland or tissue and which has a specific effect on tissues elsewhere in the body.
HYPERPLASIA - Cell proliferation.
HYPERTROPHY - The excessive, abnormal growth of an organ.
IMPOTENCE - Inability to achieve a good enough erection for sexual intercourse.
INCONTINENCE, URINARY - Inability to control the passing of urine.
INTERMITTENCY - Stopping and starting the flow of urine, often resulting in an inability to empty the bladder completely.
INTRAVENOUS PYELOGRAM (IVP) - Also known as urography.
• diagnostic procedure for taking X-ray pictures of the urinary tract.
• dye - or, to give its proper name, a radio-opaque medium - is injected intravenously into the bloodstream, which then shows up on X-rays when it is excreted by the kidneys, ureter and bladder.
KIDNEYS - Two small organs located on either side of the spinal column. Impurities in the blood are removed in the kidneys and dissolved to form urine.
LASER - An acronym, which stands for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. Laser beams, which are concentrations of light and heat, can be used to cut, and are now being employed increasingly in surgery.
LIBIDO - Sexual desire.
MALIGNANT - Not benign. Cancerous, with the ability to invade other tissues, and to spread, or metastasise, throughout the body.
METASTASIS - A resulting cancer that has spread from another part of the body. Metastases are spread by the bloodstream or the lymph system.
MID-STREAM URINE (MSU) - A urine sample is taken mid-way in the flow of urination - neither at the beginning nor at the end, which gives less opportunity for contamination from surrounding tissues. This gives the best sample for culture or analysis.
NOCTURIA - The urge to urinate during the night, which wakes you up and means you have to get up to go to the toilet. Normally, the kidneys will produce less urine during the night when you are asleep, and the bladder will not signal that it is full until the morning. If the bladder is irritable, however, or if there is residual urine left over in the bladder, a man will be woken by the sensation of a full bladder.
ORCHIDECTOMY - The surgical removal of one or both testicles.
ORGASM - The ultimate climax of the sexual act. In a man, ejaculation normally occurs at this point.
PEAK URINE FLOW - The maximum urine flow that a man can produce, measured in millilitres per second.
PERINEUM - The area between the scrotum and anus.
PROSCAR (Finasteride) - A popular prosratitis treatment prescription drug. You can buy it online without a prescription. Generic Proscar is available in 5mg pills. Purchase Finasteride (generic Proscar) at a very affordable price.
PROSTATECTOMY - The surgical removal of all or part of the prostate gland.
PROSTATE GLAND - Male gland, about the size of a chestnut, through which the urethra, or urinary pipe, passes.
RADIATION - Energy that is emitted in the form of waves or particles of light. Used in medicine for both diagnosis and treatment.
RADIOTHERAPY - The use of radiation in medicine for the treatment of disease, usually cancer.
RESECTOSCOPE - A surgical instrument that allows the surgeon to see inside the urethra and is used in a transurethral prostatectomy (TURP).
SCROTUM - The pouch at a man’s crotch containing the testicles.
SEMEN - The fluid that is produced by the male on ejaculation.
SEMINAL FLUID - The fluid that is emitted by the penis when a man ejaculates.
SECRETIONS - The manufacture and release by a gland, cell or organ of chemical substances.
SEXUALLY-TRANSMITTED DISEASE - One of the many diseases that can be transmitted through sexual relations. Used to be known as venereal disease.
SITZ BATH - A sit-down bath, which can be beneficial to people suffering from rectal and urinary problems.
SPERM - The male sex cell produced by the testes, also known as spermatozoon (singular) or spermatozoa (plural), which can fertilise the female egg, or ovum.
STERILITY - The inability of a man to father children.
TESTICLES - A man’s two reproductive glands located in his scrotum. The testicles produce sperm and androgens (primarily testosterone).
ULTRASOUND - Also known as sonography. A diagnostic technique in which very high frequency sound waves are passed into the body, and reflected echoes are analysed to build up a picture of the internal organs. The procedure is entirely safe, and quite painless.
URETHRA- Urinary pipe which passes through the penis, through which urine passes from the bladder to the outside. Seminal fluids also pass through the urethra during ejaculation.
URINARY FLOW RATE - How quickly urine is voided from the bladder at the peak of urination. If the urinary flow is weaker than normal, it may indicate that there is some urethral obstruction.
URINE - The pale yellow fluid produced by the kidneys, which is excreted four the body via the bladder and the urethra.
URINE CULTURE - The study of a sample of urine to allow the growth of micro-organisms. This allows a urinary tract infection to be identified.
UROLOGIST - Doctor specialising in disorders of the urinary tract and the male genital tract.
VASECTOMY - Male sterilisation, performed by cutting through the vas deferens on each side of the body, which carry sperm from the testicles to the urethra.
X-RAY - Probably the best known of all imaging techniques, first discovered by Wilhelm Konrad Rbntgen in 1895. It is a useful diagnostic procedure, using electromagnetic radiations of short wave length, which produce high-quality images of bones, organs and internal tissues.
Jul
16
Alpha Blockers
July 16, 2009 | Leave a Comment
Type of Drug
Alpha Blockers
Brand Names
Generic Ingredient. Alfuzosin Uroxatral
Generic Ingredient: Terazosin Hydrochloride Hytrin
Prescribed For
High blood pressure (terazosin) and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) (alfuzosin and terazosin).
General Information
Alpha blockers block nerve endings known as alpha, receptors. They reduce blood pressure by dilating (widening) and reducing pressure within the blood vessels. The maximum blood-pressurelowering effect of terazosin is seen between 2 and 6 hours after taking a single dose. Terazosin’s effect lasts for 24 hours.
In BPH, alpha blockers work by relaxing smooth muscles in the prostate and neck of the bladder. This effect is produced by blockage of alpha, receptors in the affected muscles. Despite the fact that terazosin alleviates the urinary symptoms of BPH, the drug’s long-term effect on complications of BPH or the need for urinary surgery is not known. Alpha blockers are broken down in the liver.
Cautions and Warnings
Do not take alpha blockers if you are allergic or sensitive to any of their ingredients.
Alpha blockers may cause dizziness and fainting, especially after the first few doses. This is known as the “first-dose effect” and may be minimized by limiting the first dose to 1 mg at bedtime. The first-dose effect occurs in about 1 % of people and may recur if the drug is stopped for a few days and then restarted.
Do not take alfuzosin if you have moderate to severe liver disease since this can drastically increase blood concentrations of the drug.
Alpha blockers should be taken with caution if you have kidney disease, since blood concentrations may be increased by 50%.
Do not take these medicines if you are already taking an alphablocker for either high blood pressure or prostate problems.
Terazosin may slightly reduce cholesterol levels and improve the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) to low-density lipoprotein (LDL) ratio, a positive step for people with blood-cholesterol problems.
Terazosin may reduce the counts of red and white blood cells.
People taking terazosin may experience a weight gain of about 2 lbs.
Possible Side Effects
Alfuzosin
✓ Most common: dizziness, fatigue, upper respiratory infection, and headache.
✓ Less common: pain, abdominal pain, upset stomach, constipation, nausea, impotence, bronchitis, sinusitis, sore throat, low blood pressure, dizziness, and fainting.
✓ Rare: rash, rapid heartbeat, chest pain, and painful and persistent erection. Contact your doctor if you experience any side effect not listed above.
Terazosin
✓ Most common: dizziness, weakness, and headache.
✓ Rare: depression, reduced sex drive or abnormal sexual function (including painful and persistent erection), fluid retention, and weight gain. Contact your doctor if you experience any side effect not listed above.
Drug Interactions
• When taken with other blood-pressure-lowering drugs, terazosin severely reduces blood pressure.
• Verapamil may increase blood levels of terazosin.
• Antifungal drugs such as itraconazole and ketoconazole and protease inhibitors interfere with the breakdown of alfuzosin in the liver, raising the amount of drug in the blood.
• Alfuzosin moderately increases the amount of diltiazem in the blood.
• Alpha blockers should not be taken with ritonavir.
Food Interactions
Alfuzosin should be taken with food.
Usual Dose
Alfuzosin: one 10-mg tablet taken after the same meal every day. Do not crush or chew the tablets.
Terazosin: starting dosage-1 mg at bedtime. Dosage may be increased in increments of 1-5 mg to a total of 20 mg a day. Dosages of 10 mg a day are generally needed to control the symptoms of BPH.
Overdosage
Symptoms may include drowsiness, poor reflexes, and very low blood pressure. Take the victim to a hospital emergency room. ALWAYS bring the prescription bottle or container.
Special Information
Take alpha blockers exactly as they are prescribed and do not stop taking it unless directed to do so by your doctor. Avoid over-the-counter drugs that contain stimulants because they may increase your blood pressure.
Alpha blockers may cause dizziness, headache, and drowsiness, especially 2-6 hours after taking your first dose, though these effects may persist after the first few doses. Wait 12-24 hours after taking the first dose before driving, operating machinery, or performing any other task that requires intense concentration. You may take alpha blockers at bedtime to minimize this problem.
Some people undergoing eye surgery who take alpha blockers can experience an unusual effect called “floppy iris syndrome.” Make sure to tell your eye surgeon if you are taking or have ever been treated with an alpha blocker. There is no benefit to stopping alpha-blocker treatment before cataract surgery.
Prostate cancer and BPH may have similar symptoms. Talk to your doctor about ruling out prostate cancer before beginning treatment for BPH.
Call your doctor if you develop severe dizziness, heart palpitations, or any bothersome or persistent side effect.
If you forget a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the forgotten dose and continue with your regular schedule. Do not take a double dose.
Special Populations
Pregnancy/Breast-feeding: Alfuzosin is not indicated for use in women. Large dosages of terazosin damage the fetus in animal studies. When alpha blockers are considered crucial by your doctor, their potential benefits must be carefully weighed against their risks.
It is not known if terazosin passes into breast milk. Nursing mothers who must take this drug should use infant formula.
Seniors: Seniors may be more sensitive to the effects of terazosin.
Jul
15
Prostatitis. DIAGNOSIS OF PROSTATITIS. CHRONIC PROSTATITIS. ACUTE BACTERIAL INFECTION.
July 15, 2009 | Leave a Comment
Prostatitis. DIAGNOSIS OF PROSTATITIS. CHRONIC PROSTATITIS. ACUTE BACTERIAL INFECTION.
Prostatitis is a catch-all expression covering various types of inflammation of the prostate. It is not as serious as enlargement of the prostate, and especially not as serious as cancer of the prostate. It can, however, be a very difficult condition to treat and can sometimes drag on for several years. In prostatitis, the tiny glands in the prostate become infected, inflamed or clogged - either with thickened secretions or with small gravel-like stones. As we have seen in Chapter 1, the prostate is a complex system of glands, cells, tubules and ducts. Once infection gets a hold in this complicated network, it is hardly surprising that it can be very difficult to eradicate.
Even when it has been treated - and even when it seems as though it has been successfully treated - it can still come back. And in the absence of successful treatment, it can flare up for years, with depressing regularity.
THREE TYPES OF PROSTATITIS
There are three main types of prostatitis. These are:
• Acute bacterial infection.
• Chronic infection, which may be bacterial or non-bacterial.
• Prostatodynia, which may cause the symptoms of prostate pain without any obvious signs of inflammation or infection.
DIAGNOSIS OF PROSTATITIS
Prostatitis is sometimes difficult to diagnose. In general, the person best qualified to diagnose prostatitis is a doctor specialising in urology or genito-urinary medicine clinical trials. Your doctor may refer you to a special genito-urinary (GU) clinic. This does not mean that your doctor suspects that you are suffering from a sexually-transmitted disease. It simply means that genitourinary clinics have the best experience and equipment to investigate and treat your symptoms. The staff are used to dealing with this kind of problem, and will do so sympathetically and in confidence, so you have no need to feel embarrassed. You are likely to have a number of tests as part of the investigation of your symptoms. These may include some, or all, of the following:
• A digital rectal examination, which means that the doctor inserts a lubricated gloved finger into the rectum and gently palpates, or feels, the prostate through the front wall of the rectum, which lies against the back of the gland. If you have prostatitis, the prostate will feel boggy, soft and tender. A digital rectal examination should not hurt,
though it may be uncomfortable if the prostate is inflamed and therefore tender to the touch. A lot of men are embarrassed to have one, but they shouldn’t be: doctors are used to doing this and have a very matter-of-fact attitude to it.
• Swabs from the end of the penis, which are taken by gently inserting a sterile cotton bud into the end of the penis and taking any fresh discharge.
* Urine tests to check for cloudiness, signs of protein or blood, and threads of cellular niaterial, which are then examined under the microscope for pus cells or bacteria.
® Urine cultures to see if any bacteria grow, which should also distinguish between infection in different parts of the urinary tract.
• A blood test to check for a raised white cell count.
• Routine screening for sexually-transmitted diseases such as chlamyclia.
• The doctor will look for a discharge from the penis, and for signs of inflammation and soreness both on the penis and in the testicles. If prostatitis is untreated, or it’ drug treatment is unsuccessful, there is a risk that the prostate gland may become full of pus 5 online sildenafil citrate . Not surprisingly, this can have dreadful consequences. It may eventually burst, releasing pus into the urethra, which will discharge from the tip of the penis. And it may also result in severe infection elsewhere in the urinary tract.
ACUTE BACTERIAL INFECTION
This is an uncommon complaint. It is usually caused by bacteria from the intestines. These find their way into the urinary system, either through the urethra or through the bloodstream or lymphatic fluids.
Sometimes there is a link with organisms that cause a sexually-transmitted disease, such as gonorrhoea or chlarnydia. Sometimes, too, the fungus that causes thrush (Candida) is responsible.
Symptoms
These can happen suddenly and can include one or several of the following:
• Feeling generally under the weather.
• Chills or fever.
• An aching feeling around the thighs and genitals.
• A deep pain in the perineurn, which is the area between the pouch containing the testicles, known as the scrotum, and the anus.
• Low back pain.
• Pain in the lower abdomen.
• Pain on passing water.
• Blood in the urine.
• Difficulty in passing water.
• Increased frequency of passing water.
• Urine may be cloudy or smelly.
• Pain on ejaculation.
Diagnosis
The doctor will probably perform a digital rectal examination by inserting a lubricated gloved finger into the rectum. He will then feel the prostate through the wall of the rectum. If a man has prostatitis, the prostate will probably feel hot, swollen and tender. The doctor will then do a series of tests on a sample of urine and On urethral secretions obtained after massaging the prostate gland, in order to investigate the cause of the infection.
Treatment
Acute bacterial prostatitis, when symptoms come on suddenly, is the most dramatic form of the disease, but it is also the form that responds best to treatment. A prolonged course of antibiotic tablets is prescribed. This is usually for at least four weeks. Acute infection responds well to antibiotics, probably because the intense inflammation allows the drugs to penetrate into the interior of the gland. Symptoms should begin to show some improvement within the first few days. Sometimes, though, infection may persist in the prostate, in spite of treatment, and it is necessary to have careful follow-up treatment to make sure that the condition has cleared up. If this does not happen, the condition may tend to recur and chronic prostatitis will usually result. Occasionally, though rarely, infection may cause the gland to swell sufficiently for the urethra to be squeezed shut. This causes urinary outflow obstruction . It necessitates urgent admission to hospital, where urinary flow is eased by inserting a catheter directly into the bladder. With rest and the administration of antibiotics, the infection will usually clear up well in only a few days.
CHRONIC PROSTATITIS
Chronic prostatitis is more common than acute prostatitis, but is much more difficult to eradicate. There are two types of chronic prostatitis, which can be bacterial or non-bacterial. Chronic bacterial prostatitis Swelling occurs rapidly and this traps the bacteria in the gland, as the usual drainage channels become blocked. Prostatic secretions may coat the offending bacteria, which then harden to form tiny stones, or crystals. This protects them from being attacked by the body’s immune system or by antibiotics. This explains the repeated flare-ups that tend to occur in chronic bacterial prostatitis. This means, too, that the condition can be difficult to treat successfully. Some sufferers may even be unlucky enough to suffer from recurrent symptoms throughout their lives.
Symptoms
These vary from one person to another. They may include any, or several, of the following:
• Frequency in passing water.
• Pain on passing water.
• Pain in the prostate, genitals or rectum.
• Swelling of the testes.
• Lower back pain.
• Watery discharge from the penis.
• Pain on ejaculation.
• Blood in the semen.
• Premature ejaculation.
• If the doctor feels the prostate during a digital rectal examination, it may feel boggy, soft and squelchy.
Fertility
There is some evidence that chronic bacterial prostatitis may impair. This may probably be true in all cases of prostatitis, but seems to be especially true of chronic bacterial prostatitis. Analysis of the prostatic fluid of men with chronic bacterial prostatitis has shown significant changes in both the physical properties and the chemical constituents of the fluid. It is thought that these changes may well affect the quality of the semen, and thus the level of fertility. It is not unusual for doctors to hear the wives of men with chronic bacterial prostatitis complain that they are finding it difficult to become pregnant. A sperm count and sperm quality assessment can be done to find out how much a man’s fertility has been affected.
Chronic non-bacterial prostatitis
This is a complaint in which inflammation is present without any signs of infection. In other words, prostate secretions contain white pus cells, but no bacteria. It is not known exactly what causes chronic non-bacterial prostatitis, but several theories have been suggested. One is that it is caused by abnormal emptying of the bladder, which forces urine into the prostate channels and ducts, where it causes irritation and inflammation. This may be triggered, or aggravated, if a man jogs or plays any strenuous sport on a
full bladder. Another theory is that some men produce thicker prostate secretions, which are perhaps more acid then normal. These secretions are unable to drain away through the narrow ducts and therefore build up to cause irritation and swelling.
Symptoms
The most common symptoms of chronic non-bacterial prostatitis are:
• Frequency in passing water.
• Pain on passing water.
• Pain or ache in the prostate, genitals or rectum.
• Lower back pain, especially after sexual intercourse.
• Discharge from the urethra, especially after intercourse.
Treatment
Any chronic infection is difficult to treat, particularly when inflammation and swellings trap the infection inside the gland. In the case of chronic bacterial prostatitis, a course of the appropriate antibiotic, depending on which bacterium is responsible for the condition, will be prescribed for at least six weeks. Sometimes antibiotics may be required for as long as three months, or even longer. Chronic non-bacterial prostatitis can be treated with a natural food supplement derived from rye pollen extracts, which
has been shown to reduce inflammation, irritation and swelling, though improvement may not be apparent for at least three months and full recovery may take as long as six months or even more. Swelling, inflammation and pain may be helped by anti-inflammatory painkillers such as ibuprofen.
Self-help
Chronic non-bacterial prostatitis is sometimes relieved by an increased frequency of ejaculation. This can be brought about through intercourse, of course, but if this does not happen it may equally be brought about by masturbation. Ejaculation drains the prostate of any excess secretions and causes a temporary increase in blood. Both these things help to flush away any toxins. In some cases, however, an increased frequency of ejaculation only makes the problem worse.
PROSTATODYNIA
This is characterised by the usual symptoms of prostate problems, including pain, but with no evidence of inflammation or infection in the gland. Prostate secretions look perfectly normal and contain no pus cells. Prostatodynia is surprisingly common and accounts for around one third of all cases where men experience the symptoms of chronic prostatitis.
Symptoms
The symptoms of prostatodynia are therefore similar to those of chronic prostatitis. They may often also include psychosexual problems.
Symptoms include the following:
• Frequency in passing water, sometimes with associated pain.
• Pain in the prostate, genitals or rectum.
• Lower back pain.
• Watery discharge from the penis.
• Blood in the semen (haemospermia).
• Premature ejaculation.
• Pain on erection.
• Pain on ejaculation.
• Low sex drive.
• A diminished volume of semen.
• Impotence.
• If the doctor feels the prostate during a digital rectal examination, it may feel boggy, soft and squelchy.
Treatment
Prostatodynia can be difficult to treat. Painkillers are not usually helpful. It is, however, likely to have a physical cause, such as spasm of the pelvic muscles, which may be brought on by stress and anxiety. In this case, tranquillisers may be prescribed in order to reduce muscular spasm in the gland, though it is not a good idea to take these in the long-term as they can become addictive. Recent studies have suggested that prostate pain can be relieved by microwave hyperthermia. The technique was originally developed at the Beilinson Medical Centre, Petah Tiqva, in Israel in the early 1980s and is now attracting a lot of interest in other countries. An hour’s treatment is usually given weekly for six weeks.
Other treatments that have been tried for prostatodynia include:
• Acupuncture.
• Laser irradiation.
• Muscle-relaxant drugs, such as diazepam.
• Antispasmodic drugs.
Self-help
As in chronic non-bacterial prostatitis, symptoms may be worsened when ejaculation is infrequent, in which case the pain may be caused by prostatic gland engorgement. Symptoms may therefore be relieved by an increased frequency of ejaculation, as a result of either intercourse or masturbation. Ejaculation drains the prostate of any excess secretions
and causes a temporary increase in blood supply. In some cases, however, an increased frequency of ejaculation only makes the problem worse. Sitting in a hot bath for half an hour can help to warm up the prostate gland. Relaxation techniques may also be used to relax the muscles and as an alternative to muscle-relaxant drugs. The combination of regular exercise and a high-fibre diet will help keep the bowels regular, which is particularly important for men suffering from prostatodynia. This is of special benefit to those men who sit at a desk for most of the day, as both constant sitting and constipation tend to increase prostate congestion. Symptoms of prostatodynia may be triggered by the nicotine in cigarettes and by alcohol or caffeine, so it is best to reduce consumption of all three. It may also be advisable to consult an allergy specialist who may be able to identify foods that you should avoid.
Natural treatments
Rye pollen extracts have been shown in clinical trials in Europe to help ease the symptoms of prostatitis, particularly chronic non-bacterial prostatitis and prostatodynia. They reduce inflammation and ease irritation. They may take as long as three months before they show any improvement, which may then continue over the next three months. Rye pollen
extracts, such as Cernilton and ProstaBrit, are available from health food stores.
Jul
15
The Prostate in Sexual Activity.
July 15, 2009 | Leave a Comment
The Prostate in Sexual Activity
The prostate is part of the male reproductive system and supplies part of the seminal fluid. It is not essential for the man’s sexuality, though, nor even for his ability to reproduce. When a man’s prostate is removed, male sexuality is not normally affected ripped fuel. His sex drive is intact, and his ability to
achieve and maintain an erection is unchanged.
SEMINAL FLUID
In fact most of the fluid you ejaculate isn’t sperm at all. Most of the fluid consists mainly of secretions from a number of glands. The largest of these glands is the prostate.
The various secretions from these glands probably serve the purpose of providing the sperm with a greater motility after they have been ejaculated, which stimulates their activity and enables them to move towards the egg. It is thought by some people that the prostate also has a lot to do with the feeling that an orgasm gives you. When a man
has an orgasm, sperm fluid from the seminal vesicles and the secretions from the prostate all mix together as semen at the top of the urethra, just below the bladder. A man gets an intensely pleasurable sensation when the semen floods down the urethra into the penis . He also gets a pleasurable feeling when the semen squirts out of the penis and into the tight region of a woman’s vagina. The prostate gland can be felt, as a man’s orgasm proceeds, to contract i-liythmically, which some people believe to be very much an integral part of the pleasure he experiences on orgasm.
What prostate fluid contains:
• Water.
• Salts.
• Minerals.
• Proteins.
• Antibodies.
• Enzymes.
• Citric acid.
• Fats buy domain fioricet tramadol .
• Prostaglandins, which are hormone-like chemicals.
PROSTATIC DISEASE
Prostatic disease can have an effect not only on the urinary system, but also on the reproductive system. The male reproductive and urinary systems are, of course, closely linked, if only because they share the same exit route - the penis - or, to be more exact, the urethra which runs through the centre of the penis. The prostate gland is the site at which the male sex hormone testosterone, which is made by the testicles, is broken down. It is here that it then forms another hormone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT). The conversion is controlled by an enzyme called 5-alphareductase. In a study conducted by Imperato-McGinley (Science, 1974), the males in an obscure tribe in the Dominican Republic are deficient in 5-alpha-reductase and are often mistaken for girls until they reach puberty. Until then, they have a very small penis and scrotum, which suddenly enlarge at puberty, along with the development of a deep voice. These males only ever develop a very small prostate gland, they never go bald, and they do not suffer from acne check.
It is this genetic deficiency in 5-alpha-reductase that has enabled researchers to comprehend the role played by dihydrotestosterone in the enlargement of the prostate gland.
Testosterone
As well as prostate enlargement, the male hormone testosterone also has several other effects on the male body.
These include the following:
• The growth of the penis.
• The growth of testes.
• The production of sperm.
• A deeper voice.
• The growth of facial and body hair.
• The male sex drive.
• Bone growth hair loss.
• Strength.
• Acne.
• Baldness.
A MAN’S GREATEST FEARS
One of man’s greatest fears on seeing a urologist and considering the prospect of a prostatectomy is what effect this will have on his sexuality. The idea of having any sexual organ tampered with by a surgeon is very frightening for most men, who worry that it may have a deleterious effect on their sex lives. Many men are so frightened that their prostate problems will affect their sex lives, particularly if they have to have an operation, that they put off going to the doctor gastroparesis caused by prozac . And even when they do eventually go to the doctor, they may be too embarrassed to discuss sexual matters. Sex is something that all too many men find difficult -if not impossible - to talk about with their doctor. But this is foolish. It is only by talking the matter over with their doctor that they will find their fears were groundless and that they can therefore be reassured.
The doctor’s role.
To make matters worse, some doctors and urologists are sometimes insensitive on this subject. It is quite wrong of them to assume that their patients are too old to be interested in sex. Sex can play an important role in the lives of many men until well into old age, and they should treat their fears as real and serious. A man who is due to have a prostatectomy should not just fret about this in secret, he should talk to his doctors about it - his GP, his consultant, his surgeon. Most importantly, the doctor should respect his fears, and him for coming to air them with him. It’s not easy for any man to do this, and if he succeeds in overcoming his reluctance to do so, the doctor should recognise what that has cost him. If the doctor reacts badly, it might have catastrophic effects: it might just send him scuttling back to his burrow, his pride injured, and he might never be able to take the risk again. Only when both doctor and patient can talk about this calmly, sensibly, realistically, will the patient be reassured that it will have no effect on his sexuality - neither on his libido, nor his ability to obtain or maintain an erection, nor on his performance.
Retrograde ejaculation
What it may well do, however, is cause him to be infertile after the operation. Even a man who has no intention of becoming a father again may find the idea of losing his potential to be a father very distressing. A man may find this emasculating, as if it were questioning his manhood. He’s only lost his ability to procreate, not his sexuality, but this can have a devastating effect on him. This is reminiscent of a woman who regrets the loss of her womb after a hysterectomy, even though she is beyond childbearing, and feels she has lost her femininity. A doctor should have the sensitivity to talk to his patient about this. Only with patience and understanding can he help
him come to terms with his feelings of fear and loss. Retrograde ejaculation will not make a man impotent, nor - in most cases - will it prevent him from having orgasms. It will, however, make the sensation of orgasm a different one - and, in all honesty, probably not as good. Some women, too, are disappointed by the new feeling of a ‘dry’ climax in their male partner. These changes in a man’s sexuality should be addressed beforehand. He should be told what to expect. A sensitive doctor will also help a couple come to terms with their new-found sexuality.
Impotence
It is possible, though by no means certain - nor even common -that prostatectomy may cause impotence Some men are frightened that it might have this effect, probably because they have heard tales of the old perineal prostate operation (which is hardly ever done nowadays) or the radical prostatectomy in which the entire prostate, including the capsule in which it is enclosed, is removed (sometimes performed for prostate cancer). In both these operations, the nerves supplying the penis were sometimes cut, which led to a man’s impotentence. The problem of impotence is therefore unlikely but it may arise. If a man is very frightened that the operation may lead to impotence, he may actually experience a kind of psychological impotence afterwards. This underlines how important it is for a man to be reassured before the operation. If a psychological problem does occur, a counsellor or sex therapist should be able to deal with it.
An excuse to avoid sex
In spite of all the evidence that prostate surgery has no effect at all on a man’s sexuality (other than retrograde ejaculation), it does occasionally seem to happen. An obvious explanation for this is that some men may use surgery as an excuse to avoid sex, which they had stopped enjoying ages ago anyway. Occasionally, if a man is not in very good health, a prostate operation - which is, after all, a major operation requiring a long convalescence period - may be enough to push his sexuality over the edge.
Generally, though, most men do not have any problems with their sex lives after the operation. In fact, a man may actually find that his sex life has greatly improved since he had his prostatectomy, if only because he now has full control of his bladder.
Jul
14
CAN I STILL HAVE SEX AFTER PROSTATE TROUBLE?
This probably will be the most read chapter in the book, and rightly. The prostate is tightly bound up with a male’s manhood, and how he thinks of himself as a man. That’s why even the mention, let alone the discussion, of the prostate and its troubles, make most men uneasy, nervous and embarrassed. We’ll look at all problems with the prostate and how they may or may not affect a man’s libido, his attitude, his sexual performance and his sexual desires.
PROSTATITIS AND SEX
The first problem many men have with their prostate is prostatitis. Symptoms of this involve lower back pain, pelvic discomfort, a burning in the penis when urinating, urinary frequency and sometimes a slight pain after ejaculation. This form of noninfectious prostatitis may be caused by some infectious agent we know nothing about, or by some noninfectious form of inflammation. On the other hand, it also can be caused by a man’s sexual habits — too much sex or too little. During arousal, a man produces four times the prostatic fluid he usually does. If this fluid is not discharged by ejaculation, it remains in the prostate. If this happens often, the prostate can become seriously congested.
To prevent this problem, a normal, healthy sex life is the best course of action. If this is not possible, a massage of the prostate by a urologist will relieve the congested prostate and eliminate the pain. If that’s not desired, masturbation is a quick solution suggested by many urologists. Too much sex, too quickly, say eight or ten ejaculations in a two day period, can overwork the prostate and again cause problems. On the other hand, abstinence may cause a build up of prostatic fluids and lead to congestion so a massage is needed. Coitus interruptus, simply the removal of the penis before ejaculation, is a method of birth control once practiced by millions. If done often enough, and if it stops the man’s climax, this too, can lead to an oversupply of fluid in the prostate and bring about congestion and its symptoms. If coitus interruptus is used frequently by a couple, the man or woman should continue to excite the penis to a normal ejaculation to prevent buildup problems in the prostate. So for prostatitis, which can strike men of any age, sexual intercourse may be both the cause and the solution.
INFECTIOUS PROSTATITIS
This inflammation of the prostate is caused by some type of infection and can cause fever, chills, nausea and vomiting as well as an urgency to urinate, burning, pain and blood and pus in the urine. It’s more serious than the non-infectious type. There may be serious congestion of the prostate and urologists sometimes use a prostate massage to relieve it. Most urologists feel that sexual activity of any type that leads to ejaculation is the ideal way to empty the prostate and relieve the congestion.
BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERPLASIA
With the enlargement of the prostate there will be some sexual changes, particularly if there is surgery involved. As you may remember, a man will have a normally enlarging prostate for ten to fifteen years, maybe more, before he notices it. The enlargement itself does little to sexual performance with the exception of a seriously pinched urethra that could reduce the amount and force of an ejaculation. When it comes to needed surgery for BPH, the question of sex becomes more important.
First, there should be no sexual intercourse for six weeks after a normal TURP surgery. This is to allow time for the “canal” dug through the enlarged prostate tissue to heal.
On a standard TU RP operation to remove enlarged prostate tissue, about six percent of all men operated on will become impotent. That means they will not be able to have a normal erection. There are bundles of nerves on each side of the prostate, and some of these control the impulses and nerve responses that combine to produce an erection. If these nerve bundles are damaged in any way, impotence can follow. Remember, this six percent figure may not be totally accurate. The figure is based on subjective information supplied by the patient. It wouldn’t be unusual for a man 68 or 70 or older to claim that he could have an erection before the operation, when in reality he had lost that ability due to natural aging or some other problem. It is a factor to consider. The other change in a man who has had a TURP operation is that the bladder neck may have been damaged or removed during the TURP. The bladder neck is like a “valve” that automatically closes when a man is ejaculating. It prevents the fluids from going upward into the bladder. The urethra muscles then force the fluid out the end of the penis. After a TURP operation, the bladder neck may no longer be there or it may be enlarged to such an extent that the fluids of the ejaculation take the path of least resistance, and flow upward a half inch or so and empty into the bladder. When this happens the man has exactly the same physical sensations that he had when the ejaculate emptied out the end of his penis. The feeling, the motion, the thrill is the same, only the path the fluid takes is different. This retrograde ejaculation is almost a one hundred percent probability in a TURP or open surgery for BPH. It’s simply a fact of life. However, with men who usually are in the operative stage, their age is often in the early to late sixties or later, and the lack of a penile ejaculation does not present much of a problem. This is especially true if the situation is carefully explained to the patient and his wife before the operation.
CANCER OF THE PROSTATE
Stage A and B cancer of the prostate will usually involve a radical prostatectomy, the complete removal of the prostate. This almost always harms the nerve bundles on both sides of the prostate and results in a man being impotent. However new techniques have now been developed to preserve these nerves. Some urologists say that in so doing, they may leave some cancer cells behind after the operation. At this point the cancer is the main concern, the life of the patient, and not his sexual function. The surgeon will try his best to get all of the cancerous growth. The nerve bundles are not a high priority. For the man who might be in his fifties, and is cured of a stage A cancer of the prostate, there are drugs and devices that can help him achieve an erection for satisfying intercourse. The cancer patient who is treated with radiation, internal or external, can usually continue his sex life without any problems. His sexual ability would be the same before or after the radiation with the exception of the normal radiation caused fatigue problems. When used in certain areas, radiation can also cause impotence. For the cancer patient with stage D cancer of the prostate, which is usually not operable, the man’s sex life would be in direct relation to where the cancer was situated and how it affected his ability to perform. At this point the patient is much more interested in extending his life, and not worried about his sexual function.
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14
PROSTATE CANCER WHAT’S THE DIAGNOSTIC SEQUENCE?
July 14, 2009 | Leave a Comment
PROSTATE CANCER: WHAT’S THE DIAGNOSTIC SEQUENCE?
A patient goes to a urologist for many reasons. More and more family physicians are doing rectal digital examinations and when they find a lump or nodule on the prostate refer the patient to a specialist. The urologist will confirm the digital diagnosis and then begin other tests to confirm or deny the first decision. He might do a biopsy of the prostate to test the tissue in the hard nodule. He almost certainly will do an ultrasound test and look at the findings on a sonogram or on a screen. There are also two blood tests he’ll do for further confirmation of a cancerous growth. As we pointed out before, there is no connection between an enlarged prostate and cancer. Usually the cancer does not press in on the urethra so there are none of the usual BPH symptoms which might get a man to go see his doctor. There could be some symptoms a man might feel such as pain in the upper thighs, the pelvis or lower back, serious weight loss and shortness of breath. Symptoms such as these might mean nothing unusual, or be a sign of some other physical problem or disease — or they could be from cancer.
If the pain is related to prostate cancer, it may be a sign that the disease has spread outside of the prostate, and often it is too late to save the patient. That’s why prostate cancer is often called a silent killer and the reason that preventive medicine must be practiced, the digital rectal exam, once a year.
Now, back to those tests to determine if the lump or nodule is cancer of the prostate. The drawing on the following page shows one way that cancer might grow in the prostate. This is viewed from the two lobes of the prostate that can be digitally examined. A biopsy is the use of a needle inserted through the perineum or the rectum to remove a sample of tissue from the suspected nodule. This can be done by feel by the urologist or with the help of ultrasound to locate the specific area.
A biopsy can be done in the doctor’s office or as an outpatient at a hospital and requires a local anesthesia. A relatively new way to take a biopsy is with what is called a “biopsy gun”. It isn’t a real. It’s a biopsy needle that is used through the rectum and guided by ultrasound, but is “fired” in and out so quickly that the patient feels pressure and hears the sound the device makes, but he feels almost no pain. No anethesia is given.
One urologist says he shows the patient the device and the noise it will. During the actual biopsy the patient jumps when he hears the sound, not because of pain. For most the use of the biopsy gun is quick, simple and painless. A lot easier than going to the hospital for a biopsy the old way. And that means it’s less costly as well for the patient. One patient said it was less painful for him than a shot in the arm.
The tissue core taken in the biopsy is evaluated to see if it is cancerous. Another technique known as fine-needle aspiration cytology is often used these days. Here a urologist inserts an extremely fine needle through the rectum and removes cells from the prostate in three, four or five different locations. The technique results in minimum pain for the patient and no anesthesia is required. If the tissue shows evidence of cancerous growth, the urologist usually will do more testing. This is to find out the placement of the cancer and the extent of it. One of these tests is the PSA test, the prostate specific antigen test. If the prostate is producing a higher level of antigen than usual, it is a good indication that cancer is present.
The other test, the PAP, or the prostate acid phosphatase, may reveal if the cancer has spread to other parts of the body. If the PAP is elevated, the urologist will follow up with chest X-rays and X-rays of the pelvic area as well as bone scans and perhaps a CAT scan if equipment is available.
There is another way that many men learn that they have cancer of the prostate. This happens during a routine TURP operation where BPH has resulted in an operation. The scrapings of tissue from the prostate are examined to see if they are benign or cancerous. If the pathologist reports there are some flakes that show cancer, the doctor then does more tests to determine the placement of the tumor, and the chance that he has already removed all of the cancerous tissue.
When cancer is found in this instance, it is usually an early beginning of the disease, and one that was not found, or was not in the right place to be discovered, with the digital exam. Again here more tests would be done and the prostate examined again to determine what procedure might be needed. This would be after the regular BPH surgery, since most evaluations of prostate tissue by a pathologist take two to three days in most areas on a routine basis.
