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0 shares 33 View comments The next fortnight feels like the final sprint of the Six Nations marathon. Rob Howley hit the nail on the head when he pulled us together and told us our championship starts now. After a funny start, which was all about getting that first win, now we have a chance to defend our crown. It is a massive ask but we will do everything we can to pull the rabbit out the hat. Defending champions: Gethin Jenkins, Ryan Jones and Adam Jones celebrate last year's Grand Slam - and Wales are not giving up the title without a fight We cannot forget that against Scotland we have to try to win the game before we start thinking about points. Yes we want to show our cutting edge, and the more points we score the better our chance of winning the tournament, but you will not beat Scotland at Murrayfield by thinking about scoring tries in the first 10 minutes. Keeping grounded: George North knows that if Wales are to win against Scotland it wi

0 shares 7 View comments Tuesday was probably one of the most surreal days of my whole life. Hearing my name being called out live on television as a British and Irish Lion simply hasn't sunk in yet. It is the biggest accolade for any player from these shores - all the years of hard work growing up, the history and prestige of a Lions tour, the players who have worn that red shirt - to hear your name being announced is like nothing else. I don't think it will feel real until I am lucky enough to pull on that jersey and play my first game on the tour. My first memory of the Lions is seeing Brian O'Driscoll's performance in the first Test against Australia in 2001. Disbelief: George North holds up his British and Irish Lions jersey after being confirmed I was watching at home, screaming at the TV with my mum and dad - and now I might soon have the honour of playing alongside him! The night before the announcement, I thought I'd struggle to slee

1 View comments Since May I have had difficulty swallowing. The doctors tell me that my gullet has tightened and needs widening. However the attempts at this have made little difference, and my doctors are cautious about inserting a stent. Could you give me your opinion? Mrs Eileen Smith, Hornsey. You are suffering from oesophageal stricture - a narrowing of the oesophagus, or gullet This is a difficult condition, and it sounds as if you have been unfortunate in your treatment. You are suffering from oesophageal stricture — a narrowing of the oesophagus, or gullet, the muscular tube that connects the mouth and stomach. Nearly all cases of this are due to scarring from a long history of acid reflux — where stomach acid splashes up into the gullet. Other symptoms include heartburn and cough, and it is usually caused by a weakness in the valve at the top of the stomach. Over time, this acid can damage the oesophagus and triggers inflammation and eventually scar

3 View comments Recently I came across a leaflet for a herbal preparation called Maximus, which claims to boost the size of one’s ‘manhood’.Can you tell me if they do what they say or whether it is a waste of money? I am 67. Name and address withheld. For most men with concerns about penis size, the issue in the background is lack of confidence This subject is surrounded by myth and innuendo. Size is a source of great angst, and understandably leads to some men trying a range of mysterious concoctions. However, the evidence for these potions is usually lacking — as is the case with these pills. You have been kind enough to send me the leaflet, in which the manufacturers claim the tablet will add length and thickness by increasing the capacity of the spongy tissue in the penis to hold blood. This spongy tissue — the corpora cavernosa — fills with blood to create an erection, and the pills are said to help by increasing the number of cells in the tissue. The m

2 View comments My surgeon has informed me my two hip replacements were ‘metal-on-metal’ devices, and recent reports have suggested these may leak tiny amounts of metal into the body. Blood tests revealed I have 100 times more than normal the amount of cobalt in my blood, as well as dangerous amounts of chromium. I have no pain, and my surgeon said they’ll monitor me with yearly samples. With such high levels is this delay justified? I wonder if I should press for revision surgery. Robert Peters, Cardiff. There is concern that cobalt toxicity is under recognised What an anxious time for you, and how alarming to receive such news. Before I explain your options, let me provide some background to your predicament. First, let me stress that replacement of the hip joint — usually on account of severe osteoarthritis or after a fracture — is usually successful. The hip joint is a so-called ball and socket joint, and the conventional type of replacement uses a metal h

5 View comments After a recent fall where I broke my pubic bone, I was advised to take alendronic acid once a week. However, I am unsure whether to take this medication, as I have read there can be complications if you have a tooth extracted, and it can also harm the gullet. Should I take the tablets? Patricia White, Denham, Bucks. In osteoporosis, more bone is broken down than is reformed, and this leads to the bones thinning Your fall sounds painful, and I hope you are on the road to recovery. I assume that after this incident you were diagnosed with the brittle bone disease osteoporosis. The medicine your doctor has advised you to take, alendronic acid, is one of the bisphosphonates and is given to strengthen fragile bones. It might surprise some readers to learn that bone is not a static solid structure like marble and stone, but is constantly being broken down and then reformed. However, in osteoporosis, more bone is broken down than is reformed, and thi

3 View comments Earlier this year, tests revealed that the arteries supplying my brain have become slightly furred. The doctor prescribed a daily aspirin and said no follow-up was necessary. However, I was so shocked that I lost all desire to ask any questions. I am widowed and live alone, and it horrifies me that I am now at risk of a stroke. I have a healthy diet, am slim and only retired from nursing this year (I am already taking statins, but my cholesterol is within normal levels). I would really appreciate your advice on how to manage this. Valerie Suttle, by email. Effective treatment for a blockage greatly reduces the risk of stroke First let me reassure you that you are in a good position — slim, healthy and active — but I can understand your alarm. Your condition occurs when cholesterol deposits (plaque) build up in the two carotid arteries that carry blood to the brain. As you’ll be aware from your nursing training, these vessels are about the diameter

0 View comments Two-and-a-half years ago my daughter developed a blood clot in her right leg, which then travelled to one of her lungs. She was only 37 and was put on the blood thinner warfarin.   She’s since suffered from severe chest and leg pains. A recent scan revealed slight damage to one of her lungs, but everything else was in order. She’s also developed iritis four times. Blood tests revealed ‘elevated ESR levels’, but the doctor’s secretary had no idea what this was. Can you shed any light on these conditions? Mrs K. Palmer, by email. Iritis is a severe and painful inflammation of the coloured tissue in the eye (the iris) Your anxiety is understandable — there is uncertainty here, and you have a sense all is not well. Yet, so far, a diagnosis giving a rational explanation that ties together these events is lacking. Without that, there can be no treatment to prevent future ill-health. A deep vein thrombosis leading to a pulmonary embolism (blood clot

2 View comments For A number of years, I have suffered from erectile dysfunction.I am a 58-year-old diabetic, but am otherwise fit and healthy. Viagra is proving less and less effective, but my GP treats my issue as an inconvenience rather than a problem. I am due to get married in June and have avoided intimacy due to fear of failure (my partner thinks I want to wait until we are wed). Is there anything that can help me? A. G., London. There has been some research linking diabetes to low testosterone in men, so your levels should be tested This is a distressing situation, and a common one — more than 50 per cent of diabetic men in your age group have some degree of erectile dysfunction (ED). This must be eroding the joy and optimism you feel at the prospect of impending marriage, and although your tactic so far has been avoidance, this may be stacking up greater pressure for the future. The cause of your erectile dysfunction lies with your diabetes. Long-te

0 View comments Last February I noticed I was saying the wrong words, writing the wrong letters and my balance was off kilter. A scan revealed I have narrowing of the arteries in my brain. I told my doctor I am terrified of having a stroke (I haven’t told my husband of my diagnosis and have blamed my balance problems on a wonky knee), but she laughed and said it won’t be my problem, it will be my husband’s.Is there anything I can do to help myself? Name and address withheld. Your scan revealed that the carotid arteries in your neck have become furred, and the arteries within the brain may also have showed signs of blockage Upon reading your letter I was dismayed at the clear lack of support or reassurance you have received. Your diagnosis sounds as if it has been delivered without explanation — and further inquiries have done little to ease your anxiety.   Your scan revealed that the carotid arteries in your neck, which carry blood to the brain, have become

2 View comments For the past 20 years I’ve been taking levothyroxine for an under-active thyroid.A friend has just been diagnosed with the same condition, and informed me that the medication should not be taken at the same time as milk, because milk wraps itself around the tablet and stops it working! I would be very interested to hear your thoughts on this. Gwen Cotton, Oxfordshire. Milk is high in calcium and hence your pills should not be taken with this Your friend is correct — almost. But before I tell you why, let me explain a bit about your condition. Hypothyroidism, an under-active thyroid gland, is a condition requiring lifelong treatment. A properly-functioning thyroid produces the hormone thyroxine — this has widespread effects throughout the body and plays a key role in dictating how much energy your body uses. As a result, the hormone affects many different processes. Symptoms of low thyroxine levels include feeling the cold, constipation, weigh