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The Virility Solution
Steven Lamm, M.D. and Gerald Secor Couzens
Simon & Schuster, $23
Review by Jim Argendeli
May 1, 1998
Web posted at: 12:55 p.m. EDT (1255 GMT)In the future, "Are you on the pill?" may be a question asked of a man as well as a woman.
In the book "The Virility Solution" by Dr. Steven Lamm and Gerald Couzens, the pills in question are the new and highly publicized male potency drugs Viagra (sildenafil) and Vasomax (phentolamine). Lamm, a New York City internist, and Couzens have written a very readable, educational, eye-opening book -- not just about Viagra and Vasomax but how the medication changes a man's definition of his own sexuality and the effects it has on his partner.
The book tells of the surprising discovery of the medication and the history of the treatment of male sexual disorders. The authors use case studies and interviews to show the varieties of problems men and their partners experienced pre-Viagra and the uncomfortable and awkward solutions that were available, which included self-injection and surgical implants.
However, the book is not just a public relations vehicle for the drugs. The authors discuss the potential side effects (headaches, muscle pain) and insist that patients treat the cause of their problems (physical or mental). They also discuss overall health programs involving diet and exercise. Long-term effects of the drugs are still to be determined.
The recent media exposure about the drugs lifted the covers off a problem many men were too embarrassed to talk about, and in the first week following Viagra's approval by the FDA, a record 36,000 prescriptions were filled.
As the book points out, having to take medication is not a sign of weakness or inadequacy -- it means a man is dealing with his problem and overcoming it in the most painless, practical way possible.
Jim Argendeli is an avid reader and book collector who lives with his wife in Georgia.
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