Revisiting implant advice 12 months later.

[Never_Enough]

Im almost 39 now, and since my flurry of activity around this time last year a few things changed.

my erections improved somewhat between January and September, I was able to have sex around 8 out of 10 times, although this is only ever with a reasonable high dose of pde 5s.

Although sex was generally successful erections were never 100% hard and generally felt between 75 and 90% hard rather than fully erect. More recently my pelvic floor problems got worse and sex became harder again, I had botox into my pelvic floor last week and it has helped a lot of the pain but I am still finding getting and keeping an erection hard even with a high level of pde 5.

I can still get a good erection alone most of the time.

I do have invicorp injections to try at some point as well.

I will give injections a fair crack- i have only ever tried one, which was Caverject in the UK- basically just aprostadil. It gave me penis pain a half semi, worse than without it, but I had only been given 2.5 mcg(units) and may have been a misfire.

if injections fail to either work well or be convenient then once more the question of implants is raised in my head.

I tend to find mixed messages here regarding this kind of situation.

On the one hand many say that an implant should only ever be a last resort, if your penis literally does not work and nothing else can be done- well this isnt the case, it works sometimes to a reasonable level.

Others say that if your penis is and never has worked 100% how you want it to then you should get it done based on that.

Basically 'are you happy with your current sex life and penis performance?' to Which the answer is a resounding no.

I guess the hard bit is knowingly destroying your penis tissue when in the right circumstances you can still get hard, but what is the point in that if you cant when you really want to?

I know its a personal decision and not one anyone can make for me, but I guess I am looking for advice from those whos penis wasnt entirely broken. What level of performance were you able to give with medication or without.

Ive had enough so I will probably be back here more now until I make a decision.

For what its worth if i did get it done it would be privately in the UK, almost certainly via Dr David Ralph, so when giving advice bear in mind I would only ever use the best surgeons and money be ( within reason) no option.



Thanks.

[Old Guy]

Sounds like you answered your own question. You're not happy with how things are, only you can change that.
Although you have two children and one on the way, so it isn't like there is no sex happening.
Best of luck on your decision.

[Never_Enough]

Sounds like you answered your own question. You're not happy with how things are, only you can change that.
Although you have two children and one on the way, so it isn't like there is no sex happening.
Best of luck on your decision.

Yeah sex happens but its a struggle, its stressful and i dont enjoy it because I spend most of the time worrying it isnt going to happen.

I know the pros and cons of an implant especially at 39.. although I would probably be nearer 40 when I would have it, but the biggest dilemma is because my penis can work fairly well, so do I risk problems for a great sex life, or an average one for nothing.

I know there are some here who had an implant without having profound ED, would be good to hear more about their journeys and opinions and regrets if any.

[Chevalier]

Same here...

50 yo, nerve damage...

5 mg Cialis give me quite well nocturnal erections (but I more and more have to shift to 7,5 mg to achieve that), if I add 15 mg Cialis on or 100 mg Viagra, Sex is in most times possible, but a often a struggle, not a joy... when I am very aroused (so not at home with my wife), erections are easier, of course. Without PDEs: No chance.

Implant?

[Hope84]

Hi, so it seems that I am in a comparable situation to yours. If you read through my posts, you will see that I do not have complete ED and yet I am going to get implanted on 5 December. I am 30 years old, so younger than you are by a good margin. My take is that if you still have doubts, you are not ready. You need to hit rock bottom for that, as I have. Lately, I have been literally OBSESSING with my ED, I'm talking nightmares, thinking about 24/7 except for when I work or spend time with people.

I have been very lonely, because although I have friends, my last relationship ended around June 2023. Since then, I have had some encounters but almost all of them failed because of my ED. There was one super hot Spanish girl with whom I had unprotected sex (condoms makes it more difficult to stay hard, I am sure most men have the same experience), and I could perform quite well but only with large amounts of pills (I'm talking 150mg of Viagra), and on an empty stomach without having consumed booze. The side effects were horrendous, I snore like a buffalo when I have been taking pills, my face becomes red, my vision is blurred, my digressive system gets whacked, and the whole planning thing and anxiously wondering whether you took enough and a long enough time ago has just become too much of a burden to carry. I want to free myself from this situation and finally approach sex as relaxed as can be, even knowing that my dick will look different, there will be a pump in my nut sack, my partners may be able to feel the tubes, it needs to be inflated etc. All of this is a small price to pay in my humble opinion, but I haven't had the implant yet (I sure will report back to you).

My last encounter was a complete failure, I took pills but it wasn't enough and I was stressed (like you my ED is partly psychogenic, though there certainly is a strong organic dysfunction, I had several priapism episodes 15 years ago and my dick has felt different ever since), and due to that, I lost this smoking hot Brazilian girl, after seeing her for two months. This was our first attempt at sex, and although I ate her pussy good and told her I had an organic type of ED that could somehow be overcome with medication, and that I always strived to make it work, it very obviously was a deal breaker for her because I NEVER saw her again. She sent me a message after like three weeks of mostly ghosting me, to explain that she preferred not to continue seeing each other (at least as lover, she proposed we could meet as friends...) because she had things to deal with and her new job bla bla bla. I can guarantee you that had my dick worked (as a normal organic dick or with an implanted dick which seem to make partners very, very happy), she would not have left. She would have come back for more sex, and would have wanted to spend time with me, get to know me better, spend entire weekends with me etc.

As I said, I am frankly fed up of this b*llsh*t and I want to move on. I turned 30 in September and this together with this latest sexual/romantic failure has convinced me that I cannot live like that anymore. Life is too short, heck I could get hit by a bus tomorrow or Putin could launch a nuclear war in which case we would all die. I am not downplaying the risks involved in getting an implant, nor am I overlooking/discounting the future (I work as a risk manager for a central bank so I am a prudent, well-planned person), but you HAVE TO TAKE SOME RISK IN LIFE, in particular if you are not happy with what you have, and if the risk-adjusted return appears positive.

Think of it this way. You and I CAN indeed have some erections. I can masturbate perfectly fine without pills, laying down on my back (my erections are very position-dependent), and with very large doses I MAY be able to have decent sex, but this likelihood has dropped to the point where the risk of ending up in a shameful, awkward situation outweighs the pleasure I may gain from sex if the attempt succeeds. Injections do work but they hurt, there is a real risk of priapism (trust me you do not want to go there), and the planning makes it a no-go as a long term solution for me. So by getting an implant done by a reputable surgeon, you essentially have

- A 90% chance of having a great, life-transforming outcome which statistically speaking should last at least 5-7 years (judging by Franktalk testimonies, based on studies it is more like 10-15 years but let's have a pessimistic bias here for a second). When/if the implant fail, you simply get another one, with an infection risk going from 1-2% to maybe 2-3-4%.

- A maybe 5% chance of having a "mediocre outcome", in the sense that you may be undersized, you may have trouble reaching orgasm (even after a few month), you may be bothered by the appearance of you penis, and you may miss your natural erections, which you and me (and other members of this forum) still have to some extent. If you end up in this 5% bucket, you would in a sense be indifferent, and have a nuanced perspective of whether the implant was a great decision, though you wouldn't describe it as terrible (someone like @GermanGuy here on this forum would likely fall into this bucket)

- Then there is maybe a 5% (arguably less) chance that something goes bad, e.g. an infection, an early dysfunction, an erosion/protrusion, or lingering pain or discomfort. When it comes to infections, of what I read here on Franktalk, on Reddit, and according to my doctor, most cases somehow can be resolved fairly "easily". If the infection is mild and on the surface, antibiotics are usually enough. If it is deeper AND provided you act early, the implant is removed and a new one can be inserted right away. In the worst case scenario, the implant has to be explanted and you are left with nothing for some time (3 months?) to give time for your tissues to heal. This is essentially the worst that could happen (it must be difficult for the patient for sure), but even then, it is not the end of the world, You would most likely lose size (though @niceguy1, who had a very bad infection and had to follow the procedure just described, didn't lose any size as he meticulously used a VED every day), but an implant can then be inserted again. If you wish to avoid infections again, you may opt for a malleable.

Now, in this last situation, would you be worse off than in your (or mine) current situation? Most likely yes. But then, if you do a weighted average of the satisfaction/utility you derive from each scenario multiplied by each scenario's probability, does it look like a good choice? I may be thinking too much like an economist, and I may very well change my mind after I get my implant (I certainly hope not, because there is no going back), but to me it sounds like the most sensible choice to make.

Happy to discuss, over the phone too if you wish. Best of luck in your future decisions.

[younggun1]

Hi, so it seems that I am in a comparable situation to yours. If you read through my posts, you will see that I do not have complete ED and yet I am going to get implanted on 5 December. I am 30 years old, so younger than you are by a good margin. My take is that if you still have doubts, you are not ready. You need to hit rock bottom for that, as I have. Lately, I have been literally OBSESSING with my ED, I'm talking nightmares, thinking about 24/7 except for when I work or spend time with people.

I have been very lonely, because although I have friends, my last relationship ended around June 2023. Since then, I have had some encounters but almost all of them failed because of my ED. There was one super hot Spanish girl with whom I had unprotected sex (condoms makes it more difficult to stay hard, I am sure most men have the same experience), and I could perform quite well but only with large amounts of pills (I'm talking 150mg of Viagra), and on an empty stomach without having consumed booze. The side effects were horrendous, I snore like a buffalo when I have been taking pills, my face becomes red, my vision is blurred, my digressive system gets whacked, and the whole planning thing and anxiously wondering whether you took enough and a long enough time ago has just become too much of a burden to carry. I want to free myself from this situation and finally approach sex as relaxed as can be, even knowing that my dick will look different, there will be a pump in my nut sack, my partners may be able to feel the tubes, it needs to be inflated etc. All of this is a small price to pay in my humble opinion, but I haven't had the implant yet (I sure will report back to you).

My last encounter was a complete failure, I took pills but it wasn't enough and I was stressed (like you my ED is partly psychogenic, though there certainly is a strong organic dysfunction, I had several priapism episodes 15 years ago and my dick has felt different ever since), and due to that, I lost this smoking hot Brazilian girl, after seeing her for two months. This was our first attempt at sex, and although I ate her pussy good and told her I had an organic type of ED that could somehow be overcome with medication, and that I always strived to make it work, it very obviously was a deal breaker for her because I NEVER saw her again. She sent me a message after like three weeks of mostly ghosting me, to explain that she preferred not to continue seeing each other (at least as lover, she proposed we could meet as friends...) because she had things to deal with and her new job bla bla bla. I can guarantee you that had my dick worked (as a normal organic dick or with an implanted dick which seem to make partners very, very happy), she would not have left. She would have come back for more sex, and would have wanted to spend time with me, get to know me better, spend entire weekends with me etc.

As I said, I am frankly fed up of this b*llsh*t and I want to move on. I turned 30 in September and this together with this latest sexual/romantic failure has convinced me that I cannot live like that anymore. Life is too short, heck I could get hit by a bus tomorrow or Putin could launch a nuclear war in which case we would all die. I am not downplaying the risks involved in getting an implant, nor am I overlooking/discounting the future (I work as a risk manager for a central bank so I am a prudent, well-planned person), but you HAVE TO TAKE SOME RISK IN LIFE, in particular if you are not happy with what you have, and if the risk-adjusted return appears positive.

Think of it this way. You and I CAN indeed have some erections. I can masturbate perfectly fine without pills, laying down on my back (my erections are very position-dependent), and with very large doses I MAY be able to have decent sex, but this likelihood has dropped to the point where the risk of ending up in a shameful, awkward situation outweighs the pleasure I may gain from sex if the attempt succeeds. Injections do work but they hurt, there is a real risk of priapism (trust me you do not want to go there), and the planning makes it a no-go as a long term solution for me. So by getting an implant done by a reputable surgeon, you essentially have

- A 90% chance of having a great, life-transforming outcome which statistically speaking should last at least 5-7 years (judging by Franktalk testimonies, based on studies it is more like 10-15 years but let's have a pessimistic bias here for a second). When/if the implant fail, you simply get another one, with an infection risk going from 1-2% to maybe 2-3-4%.

- A maybe 5% chance of having a "mediocre outcome", in the sense that you may be undersized, you may have trouble reaching orgasm (even after a few month), you may be bothered by the appearance of you penis, and you may miss your natural erections, which you and me (and other members of this forum) still have to some extent. If you end up in this 5% bucket, you would in a sense be indifferent, and have a nuanced perspective of whether the implant was a great decision, though you wouldn't describe it as terrible (someone like @GermanGuy here on this forum would likely fall into this bucket)

- Then there is maybe a 5% (arguably less) chance that something goes bad, e.g. an infection, an early dysfunction, an erosion/protrusion, or lingering pain or discomfort. When it comes to infections, of what I read here on Franktalk, on Reddit, and according to my doctor, most cases somehow can be resolved fairly "easily". If the infection is mild and on the surface, antibiotics are usually enough. If it is deeper AND provided you act early, the implant is removed and a new one can be inserted right away. In the worst case scenario, the implant has to be explanted and you are left with nothing for some time (3 months?) to give time for your tissues to heal. This is essentially the worst that could happen (it must be difficult for the patient for sure), but even then, it is not the end of the world, You would most likely lose size (though @niceguy1, who had a very bad infection and had to follow the procedure just described, didn't lose any size as he meticulously used a VED every day), but an implant can then be inserted again. If you wish to avoid infections again, you may opt for a malleable.

Now, in this last situation, would you be worse off than in your (or mine) current situation? Most likely yes. But then, if you do a weighted average of the satisfaction/utility you derive from each scenario multiplied by each scenario's probability, does it look like a good choice? I may be thinking too much like an economist, and I may very well change my mind after I get my implant (I certainly hope not, because there is no going back), but to me it sounds like the most sensible choice to make.

Happy to discuss, over the phone too if you wish. Best of luck in your future decisions.

Extremely well put. Great analysis. I agree with all of this. You have to take some risk in life if you don't like your situation and the odds are in favor of a positive outcome.

I'm getting very close to pulling the trigger.

[happycamper59]

I am 65 and just 5-months post-op. Dealing with ED since late 30s. I too thought it is was all in my head and performance pressure at first. Pills worked some, then the ED got worse. Trimix was great for a few years, about five, but got tired of the hassle of it all. Uro told me I was a great candidate and ready for an implant.

Yes, it is the final solution, at least at this time. Who knows in a few years? But right now, there is no going back after an implant.

However, it just keeps getting better. I am still 7 months away from what many say is the big mark of 1 year where everything comes together, but it is trending the right way.

If I was in my 30s, would I get an implant? That I can't answer for you, but I sure wish now I had done this sooner!

Hope that helps.

[LetoMan]

Camper, I am glad to hear things are going well for you! You are just a few weeks behind me I believe.

You young guys: it is a decision every individual has to make on their own. But I hear a lot of myself in you. Your ED is likely to get worse with time, not better. An implant is likely to come at some point. Meanwhile, you atrophy, your sex life atrophies, perhaps your relationship atrophies.

I disagree with the view that a natural hard dick is always better than an implanted hard dick, and that you should hold on to pills/injections for as long as you can. It’s simply not true, because for us a naturally hard dick comes with side effects and planning concerns and the fear of losing the erection and cumming quickly to make sure you do before you lose the erection.

My *sensation* of having sex is just as good now as it was on the best times with a hard dick prior to implant. There is no loss there.

But there is a huge gain in confidence. I can fuck whenever, wherever, without any fear whatsoever, for as long as I want.

The sex is waaaaay better now than it ever was before.

There are small risks of complications. There are also small risks of you getting hit by a truck every time you leave the house.

Most of the guys I read that are dissatisfied with their implant are either 1) suffering from complications, or 2) guys that have not had life long ED, but rather had largely functioning dicks until cancer or something else caused a steep decline. My feeling is a lot of their dissatisfaction comes from the loss of a functioning dick, not from dissatisfaction with the implant.

It’s your call. But as someone who hears a lot of my experience in what you are saying, my only regret is that I didn’t do it sooner.

Be well,
Leto

[Hope84]

Thanks happycamper59 and LetoMan for jumping in and sharing your experiences. I concur with your observation LetoMan, those are essentially the two categories in which implanted people fall. As 2) does not apply to me due to me suffering from ED since the age of 15 (before I lost my virginity), that leaves me with the risk of complications, which scares me a bit.

But I am a very optimistic person who does not let himself down in the face of adversity and also a strong believer in technological progress, including in the field of medicine. I mean just look at the incredible ways modern medicine is evolving, I would not be surprised if some day penile tissues could be recreated in a lab and grafted onto humans. I do not see why this could not be used on formerly implanted men. Implants have been getting better and will continue to do so over time.

[Never_Enough]

Thanks for the replies guys.

I think because the primary cause of my ED is primarily psychogenic muscular and a little bit nerve related it makes getting an implant more contentious.

when Im alone with a good erection I tend to think 'how could i destroy this'.

But then when Im with my partner and I struggle to get a good erection and then when I do I have to slam it in quick and hope it lasts 5 or 6 minutes I think ' Fuck it'.

I probably should give injections a fair crack though.

I also have to consider whether my lifestyle lends itself to the responsibility of an Implant.

I have 2 kids, one on the way and am nearly 40 so maybe sex should not be a priority right now.

Lots of things to consider.