You typically see Viagra commercials that express a newfound intimacy between partners. The narrative is clear: erectile dysfunction (ED) can be overcome, reigniting a fulfilling and healthy relationship.

Contrary to common advertising, a New York man’s marriage was deeply affected when his wife found out about his Viagra prescription.

Michael Fienberg is suing CVS pharmacy for disclosing a Viagra prescription to his wife, which he claims, led to a “broken marriage”. Initially reported by the New York Post, Fienberg filed a lawsuit in the Nassau Supreme Court over an incident that occurred last year.

Fienberg is accusing CVS of negligence because its employee violated his privacy under the Health Insurance Portability Accountability Act (HIPAA).

Fienberg was given a prescription by his doctor for eight 100-milligram Viagra pills. He took the prescription to be filled at the Merrick Road CVS in Long Island, New York.

There, he directed a store employee, known as “Arulla” in court papers, that the prescription was not to be put through his insurance. He indicated he would be paying out-of-pocket, where an individual pill can cost nearly $60.

He left the pharmacy, planning to return at a later time to pick it up. But his clandestine operation failed when his wife called the pharmacy to discuss a prescription of her own.

A CVS employee on the other line of the phone began discussing her husband’s recent Viagra drop off, which she was unaware of.

Though it is still unclear how this information drove a wedge between Fienberg and his wife, he claims in the lawsuit that his HIPAA rights were violated by the employee’s actions who, “without solicitation, improperly informed [Feinberg’s] wife that [Feinberg’s] ‘prescription for Viagra was not being covered by insurance.’”

He is seeking an unspecified amount in damages for what he claims as a, “genuine, severe mental injury and emotional harm.”

Other complications with Viagra

Though the side effects of Viagra are not typically a broken marriage, the ED drug has been linked to cause irreversible Melanoma.

Viagra (sildenafil) has been helping men overcome a socially uncomfortable diagnosis of erectile dysfunction since 1998.

Originally used to treat angina and pulmonary arterial hypertension, it helps to relax muscles in the body. This allows for a natural blood flow into the penis and helps to achieve and maintain an erection. But the physical side effects might go way beyond regaining a normal sex life.

In a 2014 study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), Viagra was found to cause an increased risk of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. UV sunlight is the primary cause of the onset of melanoma.

Characterized by an unusual growth of a mole or irregular discoloration, melanoma produces cells known as melanocytes that can become cancerous.

A Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (HPFS) found that men are 84% more likely to develop melanoma when prescribed Viagra.

Common side effects of Viagra are listed below:

• Dyspepsia (vague discomfort in the upper abdomen)
• Visual disturbance (blurred vision, spots)
• Flushing of the face and skin
• Nasal congestion
• Tingling, pins and needles sensation
• Headache
• Stuffy Nose
• Muscle or back pain
• Upset stomach
• Painful urination

Serious Side Effects

• Ringing in the ears/hearing loss
• Dizziness
• Swelling in the hands or feet
• Shortness of breath
• Seizures
• Heart attack symptoms–chest pain or pressure, pain spreading to your jaw or shoulder, nausea, sweating;
• Vision changes or sudden vision loss
• Erection is painful or lasts longer than 4 hours (prolonged erection can damage the penis)
• Skin Cancer / Melanoma

If you feel you have experienced any of these side effects in combination with a Viagra prescription, you are encouraged to contact your doctor immediately.

Pfizer Inc., the manufacturer of Viagra, has been involved in a number of lawsuits across the country by men who claim they developed melanoma from taking Viagra.