Sexual queries: 'How diabetes affects intercourse'

We invited Get Ahead readers to mail in their questions. Here is the next set of responses:

Dear Sir / Madam:

Can I visit / meet Dr Sudhakar Krishnamurti ? I mean is he available in India?

So that I can meet him personally and get treated. Please let me know his chamber/hospital, where I can visit him. Thanking you in anticipation.

Sincerely yours,
Sarker

Visit www.SudhakarKrishnamurti.com, or www.AndromedaAndrologyCenter.com, or just go to Google and type `Sudhakar Krishnamurti' (make sure you get the spelling right).

Dear Dr. Sudhakar Krishnamurthy,

I read about you on rediff. I look forward for a reply from you and kindly do not publish my name anywhere. I am 60 years old and an entrepreneur. I am a diabetic. I have totally controlled my sugar levels and now it is always normal. I also take medicines regularly. I lead a healthy life. Do some breathing exercises like pranayama etc for 15 minutes. I used to go for a brisk walk, but I had stopped lately -- however, I will start regular walking again shortly. I control my diet. Sometimes, I get a deep sexual urge. But I have the problem of erectile disfunction that prevents me from satisfying myself as well as my wife. Someone suggested Viagra. I have not tried it so far. I shall be grateful to get your advice. Will it be possible to revive and satisfy my sexual urge or I will have to put up with it? A line in reply will be very much appreciated. Thank you very much,

With regards,
Yours sincerely,
K Krishna*

Diabetes is the commonest cause of erectile dysfunction. Age is another risk factor. The control of diabetes does not do anything to help or reduce the erectile dysfunction caused by it. Getting sexual urges at 60 is perfectly normal. Men can be sexually active until a very ripe old age. My oldest patient in clinical practice has been an 86-year-old gentleman. There is a possibility that medicines (like Viagra) may help you. They help in about 70 percent of cases. If not, there are other options like vacuum devices or penile prosthetic implantation surgery. But these will not increase your sexual urge. They can only help with penile rigidity.

Dear Sir,

It's been 6 years of marriage life, and we have 2 children. For the past 6 months we have been facing problems during sex time. We are worried and don't know who to approach the problem. I have been losing my temper during intercourse with my wife and also my wife is telling me she is not interested in sex with me. Please advise, how to come out of these issues...

Thanks,
Naren*

What you've got is known as erectile dysfunction (ED, impotence). ED is very easy to treat. See a good andrologist. Sitting at home and worrying is not going to solve your problem, or your wife's.

*Names changed to protect privacy

Do you have a question for Dr Krishnamurti? Simply e-mail him at sexualqueries@rediffmail.com; responses will be published each week and names will be withheld upon request.

Dr Sudhakar Krishnamurti is an international award-winning andrologist and microsurgeon. He is the only Indian on the world's first-ever batch of sexual medicine fellows (Oxford, 2007). Best known for the Krishnamurti Operation for Peyronie's Disease, he is also the founder of Andromeda, India's first andrology center, and author of the book Sexx is Not a Four-Letter Word. Click here to purchase the book from rediff Shopping.

Disclaimer: Please note that Dr Krishnamurti will be answering the most relevant queries at his discretion each week. His advice may not necessarily reflect the opinions of rediff.com and while it is in the capacity of professional medical counselling, it in no way should be considered an alternative to visiting a medical specialist for sex-related ailments.