This is upsetting him and I think that our marriage is now in trouble. He has talked about divorce, and I think he means it. He keeps saying; 'You used to be so sexy, and now you aren't!'

What I am wondering is this, Doc. Could Viagra help me?

I have been told that it helps a lot of guys who have sexual problems. But does it do the same for women?

My friend has a husband who is on Viagra. She says that she could obtain some of his pills, so that I could take them. I would do anything, Doc, if it would help our sex life.

A. I am sorry to hear about your marital problems. Many women do 'lose interest' for a little while, and then find that everything returns to normal. So, it is possible that that might happen in your case.

As it relates to Viagara, extensive research has been conducted with women, but sadly the results have been very poor.

In a small number of women, the drug causes increased lubrication in the vagina, but that is about it. Viagra does NOT seem to have any effect on women's sexual desire.

It could be that the pharmaceutical companies will come up with some drug that will increase the female libido. But so far, that hasn't happened. The only thing available at the moment is a formulation of testosterone, which is the male sexual hormone.

Manufacturers claim women taking this become more interested in sex. However, not all doctors agree.

In your case, what puzzles me is WHY you have lost all interest in having sex with your husband.

What happened?

Well, I notice that in your email you said very little about your husband. You don't say that you love him, or that he is a great guy. All you say is that he is very upset with you.

Were the two of you ever in love? And have you now fallen out of love?

Has he been treating you badly? Is his love-making technique no good?

Also, have you developed an interest in anyone else? It is very obvious to me that you say: 'I have lost interest in having sex WITH MY HUSBAND'.

You do not say whether you have lost interest in sex with anyone else.

My conclusion is that you urgently need a few sessions with a good counsellor or therapist, who can help you to explore your sexual feelings.

I strongly suggest that you do NOT ask your friend to steal her husband's Viagra for you. Viagra is a very powerful drug which often has side effects, and can be harmful to some people. It is really not intended for women.

A. These condoms which contain local anaesthetic are widely used by men who have 'hair-trigger trouble' - in other words, men who ejaculate too soon.

The local anaesthetic slightly eliminate sensation in the penis. The idea is that this will prolong intercourse.

Patients have told me that they work quite well. However, I must point out that it is quite common to develop a very painful skin reaction to the local anaesthetic. That is NOT a pleasant experience!

I would suggest that you Google 'premature' and 'ejaculation'. There you will find a vast amount of information about other ways of treating this condition.

A. I am sorry to say that this could be serious. You MUST see a doc this week and have this 'patch' on the nipple examined. Do not delay.

A. This is almost certainly a FUNGUS infection of the skin. Such infections are extremely common in athletes, especially male. What happens is that the skin surfaces rub against each other during training. That breaks the top layer of the skin, and creates the ideal entry point for fungi.

Furthermore, heat and sweat create the ideal conditions for fungi to breed.

What you should do is get some anti-fungus medication from a pharmacy, and use it three times per day. Also, make sure that you shower after every training session, and (most importantly) dry between your legs thoroughly.

Finally, I would recommend applying some talcum power to the 'crotch' area before your training sessions.

A. No, it does not. Quite a lot of young women are tempted into these brief 'female' experiences, but that does not make them lesbians.

However, I do not think that it would be wise to have any further contact with this older woman.

Q. I am a 40-year-old married woman and recently I have been feeling 'jumpy' and anxious. My doc has diagnosed 'thyrotoxicosis'. What is this?

A. Thyrotoxicosis is extremely common in women. It is an over-active thyroid gland, which is located in the front of the neck. It is also known as 'hyperthyroidism'. Fortunately, it can easily be treated, with medication or (less common) by surgery.

A. Women who have had children are slightly less liable to have breast cancer than women who have no children. However, it is important to realise that ANY woman can get breast cancer, so all women should be on the look-out especially after the age of 30.