Injections still work. Pull the implant trigger?

[GoodWood]

I’ve been where you are now.

I have used injections for a long time and the question about WHEN to get an implant was one I considered frequently.

I knew two things were true:
I could justify getting an implant based on the severity of my ED.
I could get by with injections.

Both were true at the same time.

I also knew that MANY MANY MANY implanted guys said they wish they had gotten implanted sooner.

I stuck with injections for a long time because I eventually settled into a dose that worked pretty consistently. My mix strength and dose escalated over time but I got pretty skilled at sorting that out.

I kept a close eye on the condition of the tissue in my penis. Pyronies disease and scarring are a serious consideration. If I saw either starting I would have immediately abandoned shots and gone to implant. Luckily I never had problems with them.

But now I’m in a situation where the maximum concentration the compounding pharmacy can make taken in a large dose gives me about 20-30 minutes of usable erection if I use a good cockring. It’s like a starter pistol goes off as I inject and I need to get to work. No relaxing afternoons of lovemaking. 20 minutes and done.

I still get nocturnal erections as well as erections when I get turned on. They just aren’t nearly rigid enough to be useful. My dick gets big and (sort of) hard but without the help of a shot I can’t have sex.

I’m scheduled to get an implant on Tuesday the 25th of this month.

The good news is that since I still get erections the chance of me still getting engorgement of the glans and the urethra is pretty good. The implant doesn’t knock out that blood flow. It’s separate from the corpora.

The good news for you is that you’ll have erections no matter which decision you make.

[junk098]

I did injections for 22yrs. Now implant for over 8yrs.
I recommend the injections for as long as they're still effective.
Much less risk.
Size loss both length and girth is real.
Mechanical breakdowns are real.

[Alex258]

For those who have trialed both if injections still worked would you have still gotten an implant?

Injections still work for me, but they're an inconvenience. And I'm totally reliant on them. If I can't get hold of them I'm useless.

I have an option to get an implant this year. What's everyone's advice on whether to do it or keep going with injections?

The stories of shortening, flattening surf board look, glans not engorging, and multiple revisions (I'm mid 30s) are making me second guess.

Injecting was a complete nightmare for me. Hit a vessel etc it would turn purple and red growth, very painful and couldn't use it. My last resort was an implant. 2 years in and all is great. I never experienced what many say they have be it dog ears, surfboard etc. I have no idea what they even looks like or are. Coloplast Titan and have had good growth both L and G and happy as can be.

[duke_cicero]

All I can really say is that I tried injections, worked but very inconvenient for a lot of different reasons (needle, perfect aim, refrigeration, etc.) and they aren't spontaneous at all. I have an MPP and haven't lost girth or length. It's an adjustment to live with any implant but I wouldn't take it back for a moment. Find a good surgeon. Also, you can do the injections perfectly but still get a priapism...

[splitpeach]

For those who have trialed both if injections still worked would you have still gotten an implant?

Injections still work for me, but they're an inconvenience. And I'm totally reliant on them. If I can't get hold of them I'm useless.

I have an option to get an implant this year. What's everyone's advice on whether to do it or keep going with injections?

The stories of shortening, flattening surf board look, glans not engorging, and multiple revisions (I'm mid 30s) are making me second guess.

I'm using Bimix and it still works. But becoming a huge hassle for me. Also sometimes same amount doesn't work as well and other times works a bit too well giving me hours of erection. Then I have to be stuck waiting for my erection to calm down. I'm ready to take the leap very soon.

Yes we're in a similar position. This is tough because if injections didn't work the decision would be simple.

The other thing is that they might come out with some new treatment in five years time and if only we'd have delayed just a few more years we could have beat it.

I think it's different if you're in a long term relationship. When I was with my ex injections were easy. She knew about them and we just carried on. Bit being single it's harder. There's no spontaneity. There's no rubbing your chubby up against a girl you're dancing with in a bar.

I fucked a girl last weekend and she found my injector and asked if I had diabetes hahaha

[splitpeach]

I would stay on injections. I regret that I don't try injections. Lifespan of ipp really questionable. I think real Lifespan around 5-7 years. Mpp also not great, without good arousal your dick will be skinny. So I think better have deal with injections than with modern implants. Technology and quality of modern implants really poor.

Yeah I wonder too what developments could be around the corner with the technology. The way I see it the current implant models now seem well out of date. Effectively the same design for the last 30 + years.

[splitpeach]

Sorry that you've been going through this at such a young age. It's a really difficult one to answer.
I know there are a number of younger guys on here who seem very happy with their implants.
For the period that injections worked for me I found them pretty good. Sometimes too good.
But like you, for me they were very inconvenient, and I also had zero erectile function without them.
And then eventually they didn't work at all due to a build up of scar tissue. I couldn't find an injection site that worked.
I would not have continued with them long term anyway. I was using them temporarily, hoping my erectile function would return naturally post RRP.
I'm only 2 weeks post IPP surgery but really looking forward to using the implant as it will hopefully give me back what I lost.

Now retired but I had a very analytical job so tend to approach problems and decisions that way.
FWIW my suggestion is to take a sheet of paper, spreadsheet or whatever media you prefer.
Make columns for Pros and Cons of going down the implant road, or staying with the injections. But also have a second column for each to add a weighting, say out of ten for example. List all the pros and cons you can think of, then give each one a score based on its importance to you. Sum the weightings columns and see where things fall. The highest number gives an indication of what might be best, but it's still very subjective, and only you can decide. The main thing at your age I think is the possibility of multiple revisions throughout your life, as the implants wear out eventually. You would need to be comfortable with that. Best of luck whatever you decide.

Very helpful process. I'm more of an intuitive guy... Probably the female coming out of me owing to the lack of erections!

I don't think I've faced the scar tissue problem so far. But I've only been injecting for six years.

I do worry if I've gotten grass is greener complex. Implant may seem better but perhaps having a "naturally" engorged dick should be held onto as long as possible....

[splitpeach]

I'm injecting very successfully but it's with the awareness that I'm only 4 months into it so things could change radically. I reserve the right to change my opinion. I don't understand the complaint of inconvenience for injecting. I find it to be extremely convenient. My syringes are preloaded in the fridge and when I need to go it's literally a two minute operation where I excuse myself. If you have an unaware wife or a new girlfriend, I could see where that might make a difference. I'd go further and say that the convenience of injecting is much better for me than using pills because they required some planning around meals and timing etc. The bottom line, is that any permanent change from which there is no retreat, like an implant, is the last ditch resort that I would only go to if I had no other option that could conceivably work.

I think at four months in with injections you're still in the honeymoon period. At first I thought they were great. But I'm single now again and when you're single it's harder I think.

I've lately started to see that theyre becoming less predictable too. I'm now taking 40mcg which after a few drinks maybe only get me halfway there.

[splitpeach]

The decision to implant is a tough one to make. It is the final step, no going back. One thought that has always been on my mind is the lack of erections possibly leads to loss of length. If you aren't waking up with morning wood the occasional erection induced by drugs isn't enough to maintain size.
Being so young makes this decision even tougher. I feel for you to be confronted with having to make it. If you do it now there will be revisions down the road, but future IPPs might be better and surgery techniques improved.

Amazing thing is I do occasionally wake with morning erections. Apparently when you start to wake up the anxiety in the body kills the erection which is what I experience.

I also wonder about new technologies and implants coming in. This Rigicon may be something to at least hold out for...

[splitpeach]

I’ve been where you are now.

I have used injections for a long time and the question about WHEN to get an implant was one I considered frequently.

I knew two things were true:
I could justify getting an implant based on the severity of my ED.
I could get by with injections.

Both were true at the same time.

I also knew that MANY MANY MANY implanted guys said they wish they had gotten implanted sooner.

I stuck with injections for a long time because I eventually settled into a dose that worked pretty consistently. My mix strength and dose escalated over time but I got pretty skilled at sorting that out.

I kept a close eye on the condition of the tissue in my penis. Pyronies disease and scarring are a serious consideration. If I saw either starting I would have immediately abandoned shots and gone to implant. Luckily I never had problems with them.

But now I’m in a situation where the maximum concentration the compounding pharmacy can make taken in a large dose gives me about 20-30 minutes of usable erection if I use a good cockring. It’s like a starter pistol goes off as I inject and I need to get to work. No relaxing afternoons of lovemaking. 20 minutes and done.

I still get nocturnal erections as well as erections when I get turned on. They just aren’t nearly rigid enough to be useful. My dick gets big and (sort of) hard but without the help of a shot I can’t have sex.

I’m scheduled to get an implant on Tuesday the 25th of this month.

The good news is that since I still get erections the chance of me still getting engorgement of the glans and the urethra is pretty good. The implant doesn’t knock out that blood flow. It’s separate from the corpora.

The good news for you is that you’ll have erections no matter which decision you make.

This was very helpful to read. We're in a similar place. Reading that madd me realise that my erections with 40mcg injections weren't what they were with half that dose even just three years ago...

To increase the dose I would need to be taking multiple shots as 40mcg is the most I can inject with one syringe.

That's pretty much a dealbreaker for me there. Having to do multiple shots in my dick every time I have sex.

I'll have to keep monitoring the efficacy and if it is the case that the shots are putting me in the same position as you then that'll decide it for me.