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Sound Medicine -- December 20, 2003

Hosts Barbara Lewis and Dr. Steve Bogdewic talk to physicians and researchers about:

Testosterone Replacement Therapy

Marriage for Medical Professional Couples

Flu Season

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Testosterone Replacement Therapy

A 1999 FDA estimate claimed that almost five million American men were affected by low testosterone. Men with this condition can experience more problems than low sex drive or erectile dysfunction. They often suffer from reduced muscle mass and strength, decreased bone density, difficulty concentrating, depression and fatigue.

Fortunately, there are now several FDA-approved treatment options for men with this condition. Dr. Abraham Morgentaler, a urologist who has treated many men with low testosterone, is associate clinical professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School and is also author of The Viagra Myth, a book about the impact of Viagra on our culture and the nature of sexual relationships.

Resources:

Read a summary and reviews of Dr. Morgentaler's book, The Viagra Myth.

Learn more about low testosterone and testosterone replacement therapy.

A recent study suggests depressed men may benefit from testosterone replacement therapy.

Marriage for Medical Professional Couples

Do you and your spouse suffer from Supercouple Syndrome? Or are you a Dynamic Duo? Do you manage your relationship the same way you manage your career, or do you use your marriage as a haven from outside demands? If you are married and looking for ways to balance work and family, Wayne and Mary Sotile have helpful advice. Wayne is a psychologist and Mary a licensed professional counselor.

Together, they co-direct Sotile Psychological Associates and Real Talk, Inc. in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. As counselors, consultants, speakers and authors, they specialize in helping professional couples balance work and family, including the unique challenges faced by physicians and their families.

Resources:

The Sotiles have authored several books about handling family life for medical professionals and their spouses or partners, including The Resilient Physician and The Medical Marriage.

The International Medical Spouse Network provides online support and resources for medical professionals and their families.

MomMD is a collection of resources, forums, and career information for medical professionals who are also mothers.

Flu Season

The flu came to Indiana six weeks ahead of schedule; the first cases were reported last month in Muncie and South Bend. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are predicting a bad flu season.

In fact the flu arrived early throughout the U.S. this year. To compound the problem, one of the three strains of influenza that arrived this year was not predicted. As a result, this year's flu vaccine is slightly less effective than usual. The flu season runs until April and peaks in January and February. Dr. Robert Teclaw is state epidemiologist, and tracks the flu in Indiana.

Resources:

The FDA offers tips on how to prevent the flu and common cold.

A thorough flu overview may be found on the National Institutes of Health Web site.

The Centers for Disease Control supply an abundance of flu season resources, including information about prevention, symptoms, and vaccine.