Who told you about implant surgery?

[RickRed40]

If you go to Amazon and do a book search about penile implants this is what you'll see. My book, Everything You Never Wanted to Know About Erectile Dysfunction and Penile Implants is the first book listed. The second book listed is about breast implants! There's very little information out there for the general public
about penile implant surgery. If you're coping with erectile dysfunction that hasn't responded to traditional treatment were you told about implant surgery? I wasn't. I stumbled on this procedure on my own.

The irony for me was the penile rehab specialist who told me I'd be impotent for the rest of my life was a penile implant surgeon! Months later when I called his office for a referral to a surgeon the receptionist was the one who told me my doctor was an implant surgeon. To say I was shocked is an understatement.

How did you find out about implant surgery?

[dg_moore]

I mentioned the possibility of an implant to my internist, who referred me to Dr. Kramer saying "It's only plumbing. Just get it fixed." So I did.

[David_R]

I was told by my urologist, whom I have had for many years. He had done my vasectomy, discovered my prostate cancer and removed it, treated me for the kidney stone I had (only once, thank goodness!), and talked with my wife and me about E.D. options, a few of which I tried. After I made the decision to have an implant inserted, I found out that he was a successful and well-regarded "prosthetic urologist," as they're officially called. I/we couldn't be happier with his work and with the choice of an implant!

[Anonymous 3]

Google, Youtube and Franktalk Seroiusly!

[chedog]

I got a standard appointment with a urologist (not anyone I knew) at Kaiser Southern California because I wanted to see about treatments that had recently become available for Peyronie's disease. She told me about shots and the likelihood of cure, but then she asked me if I also suffered from ED. I said I did. She said, "Maybe you should consider a penile implant. We can cure your Peyronie's and your ED with one procedure." I said "What's a penile implant?" And the rest is history.

[RickRed40]

It's nice to hear some men were actually informed about penile implants by a physician, rather than having to come up with the idea based on your own research. I hope others will share how they found out about this life changing procedure.

[RelievedofED1]

I have struggled with ED since a teenager and first tried to have intercourse. I had nothing normal to compare myself to and that many years ago there was no internet to see super normal let alone normal. And no TV ads talking about it as if it happened all the time especially if you sat in bathtubs on a beach. I assumed it was normal performance anxiety though I didn't feel anxious until it became a common occurrence. My wife of 34 years had been very patient although as I aged it went from an occasional occurrence to a regular race to finish if I started the race. I am a physician and got samples of Viagra when it first came out and tried them and they worked but gave me every listed side effect if I took a sufficient dose. I saw urologists starting 20 years ago for prostate checks some of whom I worked with and they offered pills, VED, MUSE all with side effects or less than great results. 15 years ago I asked about shots and was told only if I had no erections like post surgery. I said in essence I had so little response I wasn't having them and they talked me out of them. 2 years ago I decided that I would like an implant. In order to reassure myself that I had tried everything before surgery which have bad side effects I made an appointment in the new town I had moved to. Big group of urologists with two doc's that specialized in ED. I had been sent to this group for a rising PSA yet to be explained. The doc in the group I was seeing for the PSA said she didn't work on ED issues and referred me to a partner. He went through the list arguing with me about my side effects as if I was making them up and questioning my relationship and in essence need for sex at 58-9. He finally said so I guess you want shots. I said yes and he grudgingly wrote an Rx. I used the shots with great results except the length of time they lasted and with my size very noticeable erection under clothes. I also started to get some curvature. The urologist figured out that I had likely had nerve damage like that after prostate surgery with a very bad bicycle injury requiring hospitalization as a child. I required very small amounts of Bimix for erections lasting 3-4 hours. Hence my issues were nerve damage since teenage years. No one had ever asked me about pelvic trauma. With my overly long lasting erections and curvature on shots I asked about an implant. He went back to his you don't need this, you are getting old suggesting my interest in sex and intercourse was inappropriate. I pushed further and he said he did a few implants a year but his last one had a horrible infection so I should think about the problems post op. Not a great sales pitch. I spoke with another urologist at an academic medical center while this was going on with shots etc. I had to get urethral surgery to repair an abnormality that even as a physician I had been embarrassed to discuss. My local urologist who was the first doc to really examine my penis in years despite all the visits referred me to the tertiary medical center hyposadias team to have that fixed. The specialist discussed my ED when he heard and saw the curvature from the shots and while not pushing implants said I should find a high volume doc if I wanted to lower my chances of complications realizing none have zero complications and none have 100% complications. I then went online and found Dr Eid, Perito and Kramer's videos along with others. And I found this site thankfully. I had an appointment with a high volume doc in Mass but reached out to Dr Kramer on a whim and he personally called me back at 7 AM one morning. We spoke and he was kind and understanding. No pressure, mo my way or the highway, no bad mouthing others just a willingness to help. Without ever meeting Dr Kramer I cancelled my New England based surgery where I live and booked surgery with Dr. Kramer. I reviewed Dr Kramers surgery videos. I know why he posts so many. He is an artist. I have seen many surgeries over the years by nationally known surgeons. I have seen my own hands do simple laceration repairs. Dr Kramers hands are among the best I have seen for simple movements that are purposeful and efficient. No rough movements. No wasted movements. All of which leading to potentially less trauma and bleeding and less time with an open surgical site with less infections.

Due to the Baltimore riots going on my preop appointment was cancelled with my blessing the day before surgery. I first met Dr Kramer in the preop bed. He spoke with my wife and I and examined me and said I would be happy with the results. I have been. His followup remotely by phone since surgery has been great.

Bottom line it was self research and pushing over many years to get around even physicians discomfort discussing my need to have penetrative sex be a part of my life if possible. My wife of 34 years would have been OK no matter my function but I wouldn't have been and she supported me in that thanks to many many conversations. I hope that with this site and others and now even books on the topic ( I haven't read the one discussed on the site yet so can't comment) that it will empower other men to not feel perverted for wanting to have erections if possible. It is OK to want that and check out all the options. I am so glad I did.

[David_R]

RelievedofED1, I am so happy for you and your wife! I live in suburban Baltimore and am so happy with my suburban Baltimore prosthetic urologist, and I'm glad you had such a wonderful experience with Dr. Kramer and with your implant. (And I like your user name in here!)

[tomas1]

What an incredible story. It's more amazing that you as a physician were told some of the things you were told and the suggestions that were made to you.

I didn't begin ED till the early 1990s so maybe some of that was simply ignorance of the doctors you saw. I went the Viagra route with no side effects, and when that stopped working, I tried pumping. I didn't like that at all and never even tried intercourse with it. I did find it helpful for penile rehab though.

When I decided to try injections, I found this site and also went to a urologist for the first time in my life. Right out of the gate he suggested implants after his office administered weak shot didn't produce much of an erection. I demurred, and he prescribed a stronger dosage that is working well.

It's amazing that a doctor would say the late 50s could be time to give up sex. I don't know if I will go the implant route if the injections stop working, but I suspect not at my now and future age. My wife seems to enjoy sex but doesn't like to admit it. I think she'll adapt to life with or without sex.

Right now, I'm dealing with a very enlarged prostate. I wish I could get it removed with no side effects, but know that's not possible.

[David_R]

I have talked to guys whose urologists told them that Viagra, etc. is all we've got. Doesn't work? Tough break -- go home.

When they hear about all the other E.D. options including the implant (which amazes some of them!), they get so mad at their urologists. I guess the docs didn't want to risk losing a patient by referring him to another doctor who focuses on E.D. or who is trained in implants. This to me is extremely poor if not disgusting medical practice.