[Top: Zhong Hua Niu Bian, an illegal sex drug. Such pills are easily available along many streets in Geylang.]

By Ng Wan Ching

BEFORE the pain, there was the promise of pleasure. But, as he found out later, the little pleasure he got wasn't worth the pain of a four-day stay in hospital and the risk of losing his life.

The 62-year-old odd-job labourer, who gave his name only as Mr Wong, was like the many men who persist in taking illegal sex pills.

They do so despite news of four men dying from taking pills such as Power 1 Walnut, and warnings by the Health Sciences Authority (HSA).

In addition to the four deaths, the last five months have seen six more men dying from taking such pills, bringing the total number of deaths since January to 10.

Why so stubborn?

The top myths seem to be:

-Look at all my friends who are taking these drugs. They're still all right. 

-I'm healthy, it won't happen to me. 

-I've been taking them for some time and I feel all right.

Mr Wong feels foolish now, but a few months ago, he was all excited when his friend passed him a sex pill.

Never mind that he was aware of the health risks.

Mr Wong said in Mandarin: 'My friend said this pill would make me more erect, and last longer in bed.'

From 1 Jan to 16 May, there were 131 cases of men falling ill due to these products (42 confirmed cases, 89suspected cases).

Mr Wong had wanted to take the pill before having sex with his wife, who is 60 years old. That night, he popped the $1 pill in anticipation of a good time.

It wasn't all that he'd expected.

'I was just a little harder than I was before. And it did not last that much longer. But we were happy,' said the father of three grown-up children.

The next day, he was not so happy.

He felt dizzy and nauseous.

Worried, he went to Changi General Hospital, where he was told he had very low blood pressure.

He told the doctors that he had taken the illegal drug.

Glibenclamide - a drug used to treat diabetic patients - is found in illegal aphrodisiac products.

Tests conducted by the HSA have shown that levels of glibenclamide in certain illegal products can be as high as 90 mg per tablet.

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