Q A friend has had two fits recently and was told by his doctor he must not drive. I know he is still driving. He says he only had the fits at night, when he wasn't driving, so he should be safe. Is he right?

A If this is a new case of epilepsy he must not drive until he has been fully assessed by the appropriate specialist. His doctor would have asked him to inform the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) about his convulsions, and that he was under investigation. He could have a fit behind the wheel, and that would obviously be a danger to himself and other people around him. You should make sure he contacts the DVLA. If he continues to drive you have no alternative but to tell the appropriate people yourself.

Q I've been very anxious lately, because I can't get a job, and often have pains in my chest. I'm 21. When I told my doctor about the chest pains I was frankly insulted when he asked if I had been using crack cocaine. I'm not a drug abuser: why did he have to ask that?

A Because using crack cocaine causes chest pains in older teenagers and young adults, especially in people who seem over-anxious. The doctor had to rule it out. Be happy that your doctor had the knowledge and experience to be aware of this possibility and could ask about it. If your doctor can't ask straight questions because he might shock you, then you don't have a good relationship with him.

Q I've decided to have a vasectomy, but I hear that some men have pain for a considerable time afterwards. Is this true, and what are the chances of it happening to me?

A Most men go through an uncomfortable few days after the operation, but it settles, so that after a week, they are without pain. However, around one in 20 may develop what is known as post-vasectomy pain syndrome, or PVPS. We don't know what causes it: a nerve may be trapped at the site where the tubes are tied. Men who have PVPS may need nerve blocks or even, in a small minority, a reversal of the vasectomy to relieve the pain. The fact that a few men develop it shouldn't put you off.