Baby All I Want for Christmas…is More of You!

Mel Gibson inadvertently developed the powers to understand ‘What women want’ in the 2000 film following an electric shock in the bath. However, for the rest of the male population, getting inside the complex thoughts of women to get a grasp on what they are thinking and indeed what they want, can be an impossible task that even Einstein himself wouldn’t be able to figure out.

With this in mind, and the fact that there is now only a month to go until Christmas day, Medical Specialists® Pharmacy thought we would try to find out some of the things women actually want, whether this be from their partner in the bedroom, or simply an aesthetic improvement to make them feel more desirable.

. 72% say they want longer foreplay

Men are sometimes described as being like ‘dogs on heat’ and it seems his red-bloodedness transpires into the bedroom, with nearly three-quarters of women complaining that the whole process of sex is over far too quickly and there isn’t enough foreplay. Women don’t’ want a ‘wham bam thank you maam’ type of quickie, so men if you want to make sex enjoyable for her then you better make it worthwhile for her. After all, the more enjoyable and pleasurable it is on the whole, the more likely she is to orgasm!

. 59% say they want their man to last longer in bed

It seems foreplay alone isn’t the only way men are coming up short in the bedroom. The actual sex itself seems to be over far too soon for more than half of the women Medical Specialists® questioned. Exactly what constitutes a ‘normal’ duration for sex can vary between couples, but the average time between penetration and ejaculation is generally believed to be around five-and-a-half minutes. Men that are ejaculating less than two minutes after penetration on a regular basis would probably be classed as suffering with premature ejaculation, and would be wise to consider premature ejaculation treatments such as Priligy and Stud 100 spray. Women, why not slip some Durex Performa condoms into his Christmas stocking this year, they have a special Benzocaine cream inside the teat end of the condom to help control climax and prolong sexual excitement for longer lasting lovemaking…so you will both benefit!

. 67% want their man to have stronger erections

Guys it might be time to consider the effects that alcohol, cigarettes and a poor diet are doing to your body, as two thirds of women are not satisfied with their partner’s erections, according to our survey. There are certain foods that may help with better erections, but a persistent trouble achieving and sustain an erection satisfactory for intercourse may be a sign of erectile dysfunction, treatable through medications such as Viagra, Cialis, Levitra, Spedra and finally Vitaros cream for those who do not want to, or are unable to take tablets.

. 88% highlight sense of humour as being important

Ask any woman what they look for in a man and “a good sense of humour” will be one of the first things to come out of their mouth, and indeed laughter is the key a successful relationship for nearly 9 in 10 women in our survey. Men that doesn’t mean you have to necessarily be the life of the party or have to be drunk, sarcastic or insulting. Remember that a little self-deprecating humour can actually seem endearing to a woman, as it can show the man has a vulnerable/sensitive side – but don’t overdo it, this can come across as a lack of confidence!

. 78% of women would like to lose weight

This may not be a surprising statistic considering that research earlier this year published in published in The Lancet medical journal found that young women in the UK can have the unwanted claim to be fatter than anywhere else in western Europe; 1 in 12 are clinically obese. By the year 2050, the prevalence of obesity is expected to spread to 60% of adult men and 50% of adult women. Christmas is a time many of us will really pile on the pounds so perhaps guys this is the time to treat her to a gym membership or inform her about Medical Specialists’® range of fantastic weight loss treatments – without being overly insulting of course!

. 84% of women would like to receive more compliments

As we have mentioned previously, humour is important in gaining her affections, however paying her compliments can be just as crucial in any relationship. If she looks beautiful fellas, then let her know! “You look gorgeous” or “that dress really suits you” might seem like nothing to you, but to woman it could be a huge confidence boost. If her earrings happen to look good with the top she is wearing, tell her! After all, many women put a great deal of effort into choosing outfits and they will appreciate the fact their efforts have not gone unnoticed. Compliments can extend beyond physical features however, if her culinary skills or professionalism at work are impressive, tell her so!

And finally…The survey found that 81% of the unmarried women in relationships want their man to put a ring on their finger! Unfortunately, Medical Specialists® can’t help with this one – the only rings we provide are Durex Play vibration rings…Guaranteed to give you both 20 minutes of quivering pleasure, but not that all important walk down the aisle!

HIV cases soar to all-time high in the UK

HIV figures have reached an all-time high in the UK, with more than 100,000 people now living with the virus – though a quarter are still unaware they have it. This means there is a massive risk these people will be spreading the condition on to others unknowingly via unprotected sex and not using condoms.

The latest statistics on HIV have been published by Public Health England (PHE) ahead of National HIV Testing Week, running from 22 – 30^th November.

However, the figures do show that in general, there are a higher number of people being given an earlier diagnosis. This is good news as the majority of people that die from HIV are those that are diagnosed too late.

The proportion of those given a diagnosis at a late stage of the HIV infection dropped from 57% in 2004 to 42% by 2013.

In addition, an estimated 6% of gay and bisexual men across the UK are now living with HIV, but this jumps to 13% in the capital, meaning one on eight sexually active men in London has HIV.

There were 3,250 men given a new diagnosis of HIV last year, representing an all-time annual high, meanwhile it is believed there are around 7,000 gay men living with the HIV infection and are undiagnosed, with an estimated 2,800 men contracting the virus in 2013 alone.

Health experts say the findings show there is a need to boost both the number of HIV tests carried out, and the frequency of them, crucial action to hopefully fight the continuous high levels of HIV transmission.

In a statement, Public Health England (PHE) said: “While the large majority of black Africans do not have the HIV infection, the report also draws attention to the fact that one-third of the 40,000 black African heterosexual men and women living with HIV in the UK do not know they have HIV.”

Dr Valerie Delpech, head of PHE’s national HIV surveillance, added: “We can’t overstate the importance of testing for HIV to ensure an early diagnosis. People diagnosed promptly with HIV infection can expect to live long and healthy lives. However in 2013, people diagnosed with HIV late were 10 times more likely to die in the first year of diagnosis compared to those diagnosed promptly. People who remain unaware of their infection are also at risk of transmitting HIV to others. Knowing HIV status is the key to both effective treatment, and to preventing onward transmission.”

HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) attacks the immune system; our body’s natural defence mechanism against infections and disease. Health Protection Agency statistics from 2010 showed 95% of cases in the UK came about as a result of sexual contact, usually not bothering to wear a condom. However, sharing infected needles, syringes or other drug paraphernalia are also risk factors for HIV.

Signs of HIV

After infection, the signs of HIV will normally take between two to six weeks to show up and they include common flu symptoms such as fever, sore throat, tiredness, muscular pain and a bodily rash may also arise. If you believe you might be at risk then you should go for a test immediately and do not delay.

For those concerned that they could have HIV, remember it is absolutely vital to go and get tested now and not delay it. Delaying vital critical treatment can be fatal and somebody diagnosed at a late stage is actually nine times more likely to die within twelve months of receiving their diagnosis compared to somebody who gets tested and diagnosed at an early stage.

If HIV is left untreated or insufficiently managed, HIV then develops into AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) and at this point the body is now unable to fend-off life-threatening infections because of the severe damage to the immune system.

Tenth of British men admit paying for sex

A new study published in the journal Sexually Transmitted Infections has given further insight into the sexual habits of British men, finding over one in ten men has previously paid for sex.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the majority of the 11% of men in the study that had admitted paying for sex had done so at notorious sex tourism hotspots for such activity – 60% of those that had paid for the services had done this outside of the UK, particularly in Amsterdam and Bangkok.

“It could be down to opportunistic reasons such as a lads’ weekend away, paid-for sex is available, it’s something they wouldn’t necessarily do at home, but in that situation it happens, but there are other reasons as well,” said Dr Cath Mercer, lead researcher of the study.

“What we do in the UK won’t stop men paying for sex, we may push them abroad even more.”
Dr Mercer added that she believed sexual health clinics should begin to view paying for sex as a red flag for other risky behaviour for spreading infections, such as having multiple sexual partners.
The report described how the act of parting with money for sex can be closely tied to other such “hedonistic and risky behaviours” like binge drinking and drug use.

Those who admitted to heavily drinking on at least one day per week or had took hard drugs within the last year were more probably going to pay for sex, with 6 and 14% (respectively) doing so in the previous five years.

Overall, 3.6% of the 6,108 men surveyed said they had frequented prostitutes at some point within the previous five years and 1.1% in the previous 12 months. Those quizzed varied in age from 17 all the way to 74, and answered questions on the computer in a self-interview.

The self-interviews were part of the “National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles” study that was carried out between 2010 and 2012 by researchers based at UCL, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and NatCen Social Research.

The men most likely to pay for sex appeared to be 25 to 34-year-old single males in managerial or professional positions, or those that have had a high number of partners; 16% with five or more in the past five years said they had paid for sex.

More findings to come from the study include the fact that men who paid for sex had an average total of 31.6 sexual partners during their lifetime (18% of these were paid for), compared to the male average of just 13.6.

Despite adjusting for their high tally, those men that had paid for sex during the previous five years were found to be more than twice as likely to be diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection such as chlamydia, HIV, gonorrhoea, or syphilis.

Sexual health charity FPA’s director of health and wellbeing Natika Halil said: “This study shows that men who have paid for sex are disproportionately affected by STIs, and it’s vital we reinforce ‘prevention over cure’ sexual health messages.

“We heard from many men over the years that had paid for sex abroad and returned to Britain in a panic because they didn’t know if they had an STI.

“The best way to avoid this is to keep a supply of condoms with you, and if you do have sex make sure you use them. If you know you have taken a risk, it’s important to get tested as soon as possible.”

Weight loss tips before the work Christmas party!

From today there are exactly six weeks until Christmas Day. The well-prepared amongst us may have already bought presents for loved ones to save on stress in the fortnight or so before the big day. However, many of us will suffering with some degree of stress about the work office party and trying to slim down to fit into that expensive dress or suit.

Let’s be realistic, as soon as December starts is when the majority of work Christmas parties will be taking place, not to mention being inundated to invites to other festive parties, leaving at the very most just four weeks until you need to shift those extra pounds, and five until you might be feeling your pants have become a little tighter!

For those looking to lose the last 8-10lbs in the next month, it might sound daunting and an impossible task, but it can be done. Although building lean muscle from workouts at the gym will help to a certain degree because muscle speeds up metabolism and burns fat, the majority of the weight loss will inevitably come from dietary improvements and a closer monitor of what is going onto your plate and the calories you are taking in.

Research conducted by XLS-Medical (creators of the popular weight loss aid XLS-Medical Fat Binder) in 2012 suggested that over half (51%) of the population would like to lose weight in the run-up to Christmas.

With this in mind, Medical Specialists® Pharmacy are providing some helpful weight loss tips that should enable people to shed those last few excess pounds before the dreaded Christmas party at work!

. Don’t skip breakfast

Make sure to fill yourself up at the start of the day with a well-balanced breakfast that consists mainly of carbohydrates and protein. This will help to keep hunger pangs at bay so you don’t gorge on junk food by dinner time. Your metabolic rate is slowed down as a result of not taking in any food during sleep and by eating breakfast, your metabolism will be awoken and revved for the rest of the day.

. Reduce sugar intake

A high sugar intake actually messes around with your blood-sugar levels, meaning the more you have, the more you crave it. Instead try substituting it where possible for natural sweeteners such as honey, maple syrup, xylitol, coconut sugar or agave nectar.

. Drink plenty of water

Many times when we think we are hungry, we are actually thirsty, so it is important to stay hydrated. Numerous studies have been conducted that provide evidence to show that drinking water prior to or during a meal could help with weight loss – in conjunction with a calorie-controlled diet.

. Cut the caffeine

Try and reduce or cut out your caffeine intake. Caffeine can impact your insulin levels, increasing the craving sugar after the initial stimulation has vanished. For those unaware, insulin is the main fat storage hormone in our body.

. Boost protein intake

As most people are aware, protein is an absolute essential component of muscle building, and with more muscle comes more burning of fat. The healthier choices of protein include fish and seafood, lean meats (chicken breast or turkey) and eggs.

. Don’t forget liquid calories

The fact drinks can be quickly and easily taken in means that many people simply forget to consider the sometimes high number of calories in some drinks. For example, there are 139 calories in a 330ml can of coca-cola, which will quickly accumulate after a few cans each day. Consider ditching the sugary fizzy drink for a sparkling water with a slice of lemon and of course always remember about alcohol calories.

. Be more active

It shouldn’t be too difficult to manage to squeeze in one extra walk into your day. Fast walking is especially effective at burning calories. Use the stairs at work instead of the lift, if the weather is nice then go outside for a brisk walk on your lunch break, or even get off the bus one stop earlier than usual and walk the rest of the journey home. You should try to aim for walking at least 10,000 steps per day – not as difficult as it may seem!

. Consider high intensity exercise

Want to get fit and quick? It might be worth engaging in some high intensity interval training (or HIIT for short) exercises. HIIT exercises result in a big calorie burn within a short time period. Don’t be fooled though, HIIT workouts are far from easy and require you to give three or four times more effort in the 20 to 30 second bursts that such exercises are comprised of. The hard work here means your body is unable to bring in sufficient oxygen and a ‘debt’ is built up that must be accommodated for after exercising has finished so normality is resumed. This means your metabolism is boosted for hours after you leave the gym!

It was 20 Years Ago Today – Pharmacy goes Beatle mania!

It was 20 years ago today that Medical Specialists® came to be. Not quite the phrase from the Beatles Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album that was released in 1967, but one that shows that like the Beatles, Medical Specialists® are here to stay. Medical Specialists Company Limited is the owner of the well known Medical Specialists® Pharmacy, based in Bury, Greater Manchester, which is the first ‘One Stop Online Pharmacy and Doctors’ that deals with mainly sexual health medication.

Medical Specialists® have come a long way since the first early days of the internet, from being originally clinics, to becoming one of the leading online pharmacies in Europe. “Being a massive Beatles fan, as soon as I realised that we were 20 years old, that famous phrase (It was 20 years ago today!) took hold of me and made me realise how some of the fab four’s songs could be related to many of the treatments we offer. For instance, we offer treatments for erectile dysfunction and immediately I thought of ‘A Hard Days Night’ and ‘Any Time At All’ and even ‘8 days A Week’.
 We also offer a range of treatments for premature ejaculation, and so the songs ‘I’ll Keep You Satisfied’ and ‘Come Together’ sprung to mind”, said Managing Director David Bailey.

Since the early internet days, they have steadily increased their range of medication available via online consultation or private prescription, and now include a range of treatments for Acne (‘It’s Getting Better All The Time’ said David), to treatments for STI’s (‘I Feel Fine’ said David).

“Treatments for obesity are now very popular, as people don’t want to ‘Carry the Weight’ and usually respond better with ‘A Little Help from My Friends’. I could go on and on with many of the Beatles songs relating to treatments we offer such as asthma and allergies, stomach and  bowel, alcohol dependence (new medication), migraine, and holiday and travel medications (malaria), and many other conditions that are embarrassing” said David.

Recent additions to their ever-increasing repertoire of treatments include Selincro for alcohol dependency and Vitaros cream for erectile dysfunction. Selincro works to reduce the urge to drink so that hopefully people will never again have to wake up following the night-before and think ‘I’m a Loser’ or ‘I Should Have Known Better’! “This new medication is in large demand especially from women who obviously realise they are now drinking too much on a regular basis” said David.
Vitaros cream is a topical treatment for erectile dysfunction, ideal for those who just cannot, or struggle, to take oral tablets for whatever reason. However, these people do not need to live in ‘Misery’ anymore with the introduction of this fantastic cream that can help men with male impotence that cannot take other treatments or find them ineffective.

In fact, Medical Specialists® are always at the forefront of providing the latest medication to ‘Help!’ satisfy the thousands of requests they receive from new and existing patients. With The Department of Health recently issuing an information leaflet called “Guidance on the use of emergency salbutamol inhalers in schools”, this led to Medical Specialists® being inundated with requests from schools wanting asthma inhalers and spacer masks for their first aid kits. The schools may have previously been confused as to what to do (‘If I Needed Someone’), but many certainly know where to go now – the number one pharmacy choice for thousands across the country.

Like the Beatles, Medical Specialists® have constantly evolved and improved, and now offer their service to NHS patients via ‘Electronic Prescription’ or ‘EPS2’ which is the new way that Doctors send their prescriptions electronically to the required pharmacy (a ‘Revolution’ said David). You can nominate Medical Specialists® Pharmacy as your pharmacy by going to their web site
(www.medical-specialists.co.uk) and clicking on the ‘NHS Prescriptions’ tab to find out more.

And finally, when asked when he would retire, David said with a smile…‘When I’m 64!’

Malaria fight backed by England’s football stars

They came face-to-face with the risks themselves during the 2014 World Cup when doctors prescribed them malaria prevention and treatment malarone, but now he England football team have thrown their backing behind the worldwide fight against the deadly disease malaria – a disease that astonishingly claims the life of a child every thirty seconds.

Back in 2007 the England Footballer’s Foundation (EFF) was established on behalf of the England football team, after their generous decision to donate all match fees and time to chosen charities.
Since the foundation began, the EFF has helped to raise more than £3.5million, been responsible for over 150 player appearances, generated three national advertising campaigns and created exclusive EFF events.

And now England stars such as Wayne Rooney and Joe Hart have partnered with Unicef – the world’s leading children’s organisation – in an effort to raise awareness and funds about the danger that malaria poses and the absolute importance of sleeping under mosquito nets for those at risk.

Those most vulnerable are the poorest children in Africa. According to the World Health Organization, in 2012, malaria caused an estimated 627 000 deaths (with an uncertainty range of 473 000 to 789 000), the majority of these being among African children.

To help launch the four-year partnership with Unicef to battle malaria, Rooney and Hart are featured in a poster, together with teammates Gary Cahill and Jack Wilshere, walking hand in hand with schoolchildren.

Globally, malaria is still the third single biggest killer of children, but sleeping under a mosquito net can help to save lives, and this is one important point that the campaign hopes to make at-risk people aware of.

A fundraising evening is taking place later today in London, which is expected to feature a number of England players, such as Danny Welbeck, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Jack Wilshere, who will be in charge of teams facing each other for the coveted EFF Charity Cup.

The Three Lions’ skipper Rooney commented on the campaign, saying: “It’s unbelievable that every 90 minutes – the time it takes to play a football match – 180 children will lose their lives to malaria. As captain of the England football team I am hugely proud that we are able to help Unicef in its goal of protecting every child in danger from this disease.”

Backing up Rooney’s comments, England goalkeeper Hart said: “I am used to defending my goal net against some of the best players in the world, but for some children, being able to sleep under a life-saving mosquito net can mean the last line of defence from this deadly disease. I have always been a huge fan of Unicef’s work so it’s really amazing that through our Foundation we can help make a difference to the lives of some of the world’s most vulnerable children.”

Unicef UK Executive Director David Bull said: “The simplest way to keep children safe from malaria is to ensure that they sleep under a mosquito net, but many are still living without this basic life-saving need. The faces of the England football team are some of the most recognisable in the country so it is great to have them on board to help us raise awareness to tackle malaria and protect all those children in danger.”

Could cystitis symptoms be eased by anti-impotence drug Viagra?

Cystitis treatment usually comes in the form of antibiotics such as Trimethoprim, but the urinary infection could soon have an unlikely type of treatment – male erectile dysfunction drug Viagra.
Also going by the name of lower urinary tract infection, cystitis happens as a result of the lining of the bladder becoming inflamed, causing a stinging/painful sensation upon urination, or an urgent need to urinate often.

Women have a short urethra compared to men, meaning cystitis is more common in females and nearly all women will suffer from cystitis at on at least one occasion in their lifetime. The high-risk groups are: pregnant women, sexually active women and post-menopausal women.
However, the findings of new research suggests that Pfizer’s popular anti-impotence drug Viagra may help to ease the symptoms for those women that have interstitial cystitis, a more severe type of the bladder infection.

In the new study – published in the journal Urology – those women administered with just 25mg of the drug (50mg is a common dose for impotence) on a daily basis for three months had a significant clear-up of their symptoms, whereas the placebo group did not.

Antibiotics can usually help to clear the condition up, but women that get interstitial cystitis are not as fortunate as the drugs do not respond to it, and the condition may even evolve into painful long-term problem that is not easily treatable. There are thought to be 400,000 people in the UK with interstitial cystitis and around 90% of these people are women.

It is not fully clear the specific causes for the onset of interstitial cystitis, but many health experts believe it could be linked be due to a defect of the bladder lining or an autoimmune disorder, be caused because of other inflammation problems, or an inherited increase in the risk of developing it.
Studies conducted previously and involving animals, seemed to show that Viagra was helping ease symptoms.

Therefore, doctors at the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University in Zhejiang, China, wanted to see if the same held true for humans, managing to recruit 48 women for the study, with interstitial cystitis, segregating them into two groups.

Each day for 12 weeks one group were told to take a 25mg Viagra tablet, whilst the other group were given a placebo. Doctors analysed symptoms according to an index, which documented the frequency the women needed to urinate and how painful it was.

Almost two-thirds of the women given Viagra reported improvements in their symptoms, having to get up on less occasions during the night to urinate and less pain, compared to those taking the placebo.

Those involved in the study are not completely certain how Viagra is benefiting the women, but think it could be working to relax the muscles in the bladder by boosting blood flow to the area, thereby relieving pressure  from the bladder and lessening the need to urinate so often.

Dr Robyn Webber, consultant urologist at the Queen Margaret Hospital in Dunfermline, Scotland, commented on the study, saying: “Interstitial cystitis is a very distressing condition and the results of this trial do suggest that for some patients the drug may be a possible new treatment. But the number of patients involved was small and the findings need to be reproduced with bigger numbers. If the results do hold up, it could potentially offer hope to some patients.”