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Viagra

Viagra is available as a prescription drug for patients registered at Keyworth Health Centre for men who are judged to have a medical need for it. It is only prescribed after consultation with a doctor. The Secretary of State for Health decided that men already receiving a prescription for erectile dysfunction (impotence) on 14th September 1998 and those suffering from diabetes, multiple sclerosis, prostatectomy (not TURP), renal failure, polio, single gene neurological disease, spinal cord injury, spina bifida, Parkinson's disease or severe pelvic injury or surgery, or prostate cancer, should get the drug on prescription in the standard way (paying the appropriate prescription tax unless exempt). All others would have to pay the full retail cost by having it prescribed only on a private prescription.

If you think you need treatment please make an appointment. The cost of the drug from a chemist or from this health  centre (we  can dispense any private prescription for registered patients) is approximately £7-50 per 50mg tablet (usually provided in packs of 4 or 8).

What does it do? By swallowing a tablet, within half an hour to 2 hours (depending whether your stomach is full or empty), the chemicals in the penis tissue that are deficient are activated by the tablet for a period of about 4 hours. The result (in the 80% of men for whom it works) is that normal sexual responsiveness (peniswise) is possible for those few hours. Please note that it only has an effect in response sexual arousal.

A major problem with this drug is that it cannot be taken by anyone who is taking or might need to take nitrate drugs. Nitrate drugs are used commonly for angina coronary heart disease, a group of patients patients who might otherwise expect to benefit from it.   There are however other treatments that can be used, but not so easy or convenient as Viagra.