Two years into this mess, considering an implant, thoughts from ED sufferers?

Therapeutic Efforts
#1

I am now 33, and have been on fin from 26 to 31. Sexual side effects were my only sides. I suffer from severe erectile dysfunction for almost two years now. It actually got worse over time, to the point where now the max dosage of viagra/cialis fail. And all of this because I didn’t want to lose my hair…

I am now seriously consider to go for a penile implant and leave this ED bullshit behind me. But I know this is the final frontier, there is no way back, no more natural erections.The only thing that is holding me back is that my ED is due to fin, that I maybe, but just maybe could get better over time. So my question goes out to all ED sufferer here: Did your sexual sides improve over time? How long to wait to call it a day and go for the implant.

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#2

It depends on how weak/strong your current erections are. Can you get hard by stimulation? How long can you maintain an erection?

If you still somehow can get hard I would not consider doing the implant, for now. Try to change the brand of the viagra/cialis and switch within, it helps. At least it helped me. Or try to take viagra and cialis together.

#3

I would say weak. Without any cialis/viagra I get an erection that would last for a minute or so. Even with viagra/cialis combined I struggle to keep him up. Can’t really switch position as I already feel my erection fading away.

#5

Did you have a Doppler performed? What was the result?

To begin with, you could try Arginine 6g on a daily basis (2gx3). Secondly, VED therapy. Thirdly, you could try shockwave therapy.

The implant should be the last option.

#6

Careful, they interact. You should never mixed them!

#7

I mixed viagra cialis, mixed results

I did a doppler, comfirmed venous leak. Then I did a CT for the venous leak, could not be confirmed, then another CT to make sure, no or maybe a venous leak. Then an angiography to check arterial inflow, could not confirm low inflow.

I did shockwave therapy, no improvement.

I do Arginine, which helps, light morning erection, nothing too strong.

I can’t probably be the only one which has this terrible ED due to finasteride?

#8

Do you still have good libido and sensitivity? And your biggest issue is ED?

#9

I think it would be a big mistake to take this step. Long covid is similar to PFS and if doctors figure out long covid they may also inadvertently figure out pfs. I think with all the millions of people now with pfs-like conditions, there is no way doctors can ignore this anymore.

#10

Sensitivity is good, libido is lower but difficult if it is due to PFS directly. When you know, it won’t work, you start to stress yourself out. You start to avoid certain situations. Without your confidence and ability to have sex, you somehow also lose your libido. At least this is the case for me.

At the same time I fantasize less about sex I am in general less horny. Certain libido loss must therefofe be directly influenced by PFS.

#11

Where is the link between long covid and pfs? I think awor has a good point with his pfs theory but I don’t see any link to long covid. Don’t think if they crack long covid, that our case will also be closed.

Interestingly my ED symptoms just started in fall 2020. I could imagine that my ED is covid related and not pfs, as I didn’t have proplems for yeara with fin and right then when covid comes up, my ED starts. But back then I was never tested positive for covid.

#12

Getting back the original point of the post, let’s say you get an implant and can inflate the penis to the point where sex is possible. Libido is still zero, you still feel numb and don’t enjoy the experience so what is the point?

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#13

If the only thing keeping you from having sex is ED, I would consider the implant.

#14

If you are 33 years old and have been in this situation for around two years that’s far, far, far too early to be even considering such an impactful decision with no turning back.

Now that research efforts are finally getting off the ground, there’s a significant chance they will actually figure out what’s happening at some point in the coming decade. The public opinion and narrative on these drugs and their impact is also, slowly but surely, improving.

That gives you no guarantee to an effective treatment, but seeing as you are merely 33 years old, that’s just far too early to be doing something like this. Especially because you don’t even know for sure if it’s going to improve your experience. Like @joetz has suggested, I highly doubt an implant would do anything to improve diminished libido or sensation, which are the main characteristics of sexual dysfunction of this condition. I would go as far as to argue that your “ED” is a consequence of the underlying problem, not something you should be ‘fixing’ like this.

There are tons of anecdotal reports of people who claim things have improved after many years, whether they did certain “protocols” or anything at all. As most people here know, I am extremely skeptic of these recovery stories, but I have been in this situation for three years and I can tell you my sexual symptoms and their severity are still fluctuating. On my admittedly ultra-rare good days, I know I’m close to being ‘normal’, that alone tells me that this situation should be fixable in a proper way. You don’t need a pacemaker if your heart is fine. This situation is the same.

You’re your own man and can make your own decisions.
It would be, in my honest opinion, an incredibly unwise and a rash decision, especially at this point in time where things are finally moving forward. I’m pretty sure you would come to regret it.

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#15

Thanks for your assessment Wintermoon.
Unfortunately I don’t even get close at my very best days to my old “normal days”. I am also skeptical regarding a recovery just on its own over time and some protocols.

But where do you see the progress in research and where do you see the silver lining for medication
or cure? I don’t.

Is simply doubt that a cure is just around the corner. People are posting here for more then 15 years now and we made barely any progress. Yes media attention is getting bigger and people start to recognize it as a disease. But we are just too few victims that enough research resources and big pharma money goes into solving this puzzle. And even if they crack the code, who says that pharma will spend money on a cure/medication. Not a lot of money to make out of a rare, not deadly disease. There are so many people who take fin but just a few people get affected like us. Besides, if it eventually proven, that finasteride is causing all this, this drug will banned and sales will drop, which means less affected people and therefore less interest from pharma.

It is dark, but the more propecia will be sold, the more victims we will see and the more likely research will be.

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#16

That’s not true at all.

#17

In terms of understanding the issue a bit.
In terms of coming any closer to a cure, nothing

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