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Difficulty In Getting Erection. Taking Carbamazapine Since A Child. No Improvement With Viagra. Suggestions?
Question: hi i am a 20 year old male who is quite fit i have been taking tegretol carbamazapine retard sice aged 4 i take 600mg am and 500mg pm for the last 5 months i have been unable to get an erection i have tried viagra which didnt help at all i am at university and enjoy a good social life i am very worried about this as i am only young i should be enjoying an active sex life i am not sure which specialist i should be asking this question to
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Hello and welcome to Healthcare Magic. Thanks for your query.
Carbamazepine (Tegretol Retard) is known to have side effects such as erectile dysfunction, especially with the high dosage that you are on. There could also be other underlying medical problems like diabetes, hormonal problems, blood flow problems, vitamin deficiencies, etc. which could be the cause for your erectile dysfunction.
So, the first and most important step in the management of your erection problem is a proper evaluation. This will include a thorough physical examination and certain investigations like blood sugar, cholesterol, hormone levels (testosterone, FSH and LH levels), vitamin B12 / Folate, etc. Sometimes an ultrasound doppler of the penis is also done to check for any blood flow problems.
These tests will give you a clear picture about what your sexual problem is due to - any hormonal problems or any other systemic problems or local problems in the penis. According to the problem detected, further treatment can be planned. So, I would advise you to consult your GP (and preferably ask for a referal to a sexologist) for a detailed evaluation.
You can also try Tadalafil (Cialis) instead of Viagra as it has a longer duration of action. Another option to consider is changing your anti-epileptic medication to some other medication which has lesser sexual side effects. However, this has to be done cautiously, only after weighing the pros and cons.
Wish you all the best.
Regards,
Dr. Jonas Sundarakumar
Consultant Psychiatrist & Sexologist
Carbamazepine (Tegretol Retard) is known to have side effects such as erectile dysfunction, especially with the high dosage that you are on. There could also be other underlying medical problems like diabetes, hormonal problems, blood flow problems, vitamin deficiencies, etc. which could be the cause for your erectile dysfunction.
So, the first and most important step in the management of your erection problem is a proper evaluation. This will include a thorough physical examination and certain investigations like blood sugar, cholesterol, hormone levels (testosterone, FSH and LH levels), vitamin B12 / Folate, etc. Sometimes an ultrasound doppler of the penis is also done to check for any blood flow problems.
These tests will give you a clear picture about what your sexual problem is due to - any hormonal problems or any other systemic problems or local problems in the penis. According to the problem detected, further treatment can be planned. So, I would advise you to consult your GP (and preferably ask for a referal to a sexologist) for a detailed evaluation.
You can also try Tadalafil (Cialis) instead of Viagra as it has a longer duration of action. Another option to consider is changing your anti-epileptic medication to some other medication which has lesser sexual side effects. However, this has to be done cautiously, only after weighing the pros and cons.
Wish you all the best.
Regards,
Dr. Jonas Sundarakumar
Consultant Psychiatrist & Sexologist
Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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