Malcolm In The Mid-Life

When I turned 50, my doctor prescribed me "male enhancement pills" (just so I could be more like the old me in bed). I recently started dating a woman I really like, and I'm wondering whether I'm wrong to let her think this is the real 53-year-old me.

--Supplemented

Getting to know each other doesn't require your confessing "I take medication to increase the blood flow to my penis" and her coming back with "I use wax to remove my big black mustache." Just be silently thankful that Mr. Happy stands up instead of fainting when the pressure's on. Because more and more people are getting old without getting grandpa-like, I suspect that the stigma surrounding Daddy's Little Erection Helpers will eventually go the way of the embarrassment formerly associated with Internet dating. Quite frankly, taking a pill to manage your recalcitrant penis is rather like taking one to manage your allergies, except that nobody associates your nasal function with your manhood. Once you're in a relationship, it is appropriate to share news of any medications you're taking. When you do, clear up a misconception many women have by explaining that the pill doesn't change your libido; it just helps with the hydraulics. The problem, if any, is in the side effects, such as "erections lasting more than four hours." A woman does appreciate a man who can stand firm, but maybe not all the way to the emergency room and then some.