Customer Reviews

The Virility Solution

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Review by Jim Argendeli

May 1, 1998

review at http://virilitysolution.com/cnnreview.html

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.

Lamm's book is timely, informative and helpful. It tells readers about his experiences with Viagra - before the drug was even approved, and focuses on using Viagra effectively to enhance not only the act of sex, but relationships. A must.

... I highly recommend this book to anyone contemplating using any oral medication for the restoration of sexual function. It's authoritative,concise, and drives home the point that sex is more than just a pill. Viagra and Vasomax, and all the drugs that follow, are only facilitators...good sex first starts with communication between couples.

The author, Dr. Steven Lamm, an internist at NYU, suggests that an unapproved medication, Vasomax, is a perfect drug. This is an unproven statement that is promotional and self-serving.

Furthermore, the author makes the racist comment that Vasomax works better in black men than white men. This is an absurd statement with no medical or physiological basis.

People should avoid this book.

This book, and the drugs it touts, exemplify what's wrong in Americans' thinking about sex: a satisfactory sex life is defined solely in terms of the male organ, so a couple's relationship rises and falls in tandem with its behavior. In fact, there's a lot more to sex than erections, and any man who thinks that's all a woman cares about is shortchanging himself as well as his partner. (A useful corrective is Gina Ogden's book, "Women Who Love Sex.")
I heartily endorse the author's recommendation that any man who's having erectile problems should see a doctor, as these can be signs of other serious medical conditions. But a man who considers sex an athletic performance for a limited portion of his anatomy is missing out on the best of it.
A woman of 52

While I haven't actually read the book, I'm sure it's bound to be read by a lot of people in search of solutions to impotence.

I have however read several of Dr. Lamm's previous books, and would advise everyone to proceed with caution. Dr. Lamm has a tendency to be overly optimistic and enthusiastic about new wonder drugs. Remember, this is the same guy, who wrote an entire book (Thinner at last) saluting Fen-Phen, without cautioning about possible side-effects.

So take the information provided with a grain of salt.

Lamm and Couzens provide some useful information on the so-called "potency pill," which claims to address the physical causes of male impotence. The authors never discuss, however, the feelings of inadequacy that usually perpetuate the problem. Those suffering from performance anxiety should consult additional readings.