Cirrhosis can affect sex life
Q I have liver cirrhosis and have been hospitalised twice. My body was completely swollen at the time but after treatment, I recovered. In fact, my sex life was also getting better and I could get an erection. However, after the second time I was hospitalised, my sex drive has decreased. I can’t even get an erection. I am 65 years old and want to know if there is a solution for my problem. I also have high blood sugar.
Your liver must have been damaged severely as you have cirrhosis. When the liver becomes dysfunctional, the male hormone “testosterone” is adversely affected. Added to this, since you are 65, there will be a gradual decline in the testosterone production in your body. This condition is known as “Andropause.” Andropause and cirrhosis of liver spell double trouble. First there is a decline in male hormone production and then what is produced is not useful to the body. Apart from this, your uncontrolled diabetic status is an added risk factor for erectile dysfunction. These problems can be overcome by “testosterone replacement therapy” and PDE5 inhibitors administration. However, you should have no contraindications for these therapies. It is best to discuss your problems with your doctor in person.
Q I am 19 years old and recently, I found a small, hard, ball-shaped thing inside my scrotal sac. It’s attached to the skin of the sac. It is very small and isn’t hurting me but I want to know if this is normal or if I should get it checked.
The ball-shaped thing you are mentioning is probably the sebaceous cyst of your scrotum. A sebaceous cyst is a (closed) sac below/under the surface of the skin, usually under a hair follicle, and is filled with fatty, white semi-solid material known as “sebum.” Though these cysts occur commonly in the scalp, ears, back, face and upper arms, they can also occur in the scrotal skin. As long as these cysts are not infected or cause a problem, they can be left alone. If they get infected and cosmetically ungainly, then they can be surgically removed. You can get the same checked by a doctor.
The writer is a sexologist. You can mail him at dr. narayana@deccanmail.com
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