26 y/o considering implant

[star_of_pramen]

Update on surgery:

So I am 4 days post dorsal vein ligation surgery. The last couple of days I have been pretty swollen and uncomfortable and the scar just above my penis is around an inch.

I haven't had any natural erections either during the day or in the morning which I think is quite worrying.....may be it is just the swelling hindering it but who knows. I haven't been able to have a detailed conversation with anyone who has had venous ligation before so not 100% sure on what I should be expecting in the immediate aftermath of surgery. Having said that I am aware the success rate / satisfaction rate is low and every mention I have seen on FT has been of failure.

If I am being completely honest, I had given up hope quite a while ago and am resigned to the implant. In fact when my consultant at UCLH mentioned I must have dorsal vein ligation before being considered for an implant, I questioned their decision, particularly given the long term effectiveness. I have a follow up appointment in 3 or so weeks at and if by then I still can't get or maintain an erection with cialis or viagra then I will request the implant, which hopefully can be done before year end.

ED has been affecting my life for 7 years now and I don't want to wait around forever waiting for a cure which isn't going to come

[David_R]

Having said that I am aware the success rate / satisfaction rate is low and every mention I have seen on FT has been of failure.
If I am being completely honest, I had given up hope quite a while ago and am resigned to the implant.

There are quite a few of us here at FT who have wonderful success stories with our implants, so please do not get too discouraged by focusing only the failure stories. Hang in there, and -- with the correct doctor -- you will have a success that is unbelievable!

[sliphill]

Yep, keep the faith young man.

[antelope]

Hang in there. Everyone should try less invasive measures before agreeing to a penile implant, but if that's your best option, it is, indeed, an excellent one. Hard is better than not hard. Sex is better than celibacy.

[torless50]

Having said that I am aware the success rate / satisfaction rate is low and every mention I have seen on FT has been of failure.
If I am being completely honest, I had given up hope quite a while ago and am resigned to the implant.

There are quite a few of us here at FT who have wonderful success stories with our implants, so please do not get too discouraged by focusing only the failure stories. Hang in there, and -- with the correct doctor -- you will have a success that is unbelievable!

I believe he was referring to the low success rate of venous surgery, not the implant

[star_of_pramen]

Update from me:

So it is now ~4 months since my dorsal vein ligation and there has been no real improvement in my erections, which is disappointing but not totally unexpected given the poor outcomes associated with the treatment. Since then I have had an NPT study which I got the results back from yesterday, showing I didn't produce any proper erections during the night, again not surprising.

The purpose behind having the NPT was that the NHS in the UK are insistent that I have had dorsal vein ligation, an NPT study , doppler and psychosexual counselling as well as tried the pills and injections before being considered for an implant. This is because I am 27 y/o and they believe the implant should only be considered as a last resort

Anyway, after all is said and done I have been given an appointment in January with the nurse specialist to go through the implant mechanics (play with it etc) as well as her assessing / signing off on me having the implant, which I assume would be in March/April next year given NHS waiting lists. For people on the forum who are also going through the NHS, I can tell you that UCLH only use the Titan implant.....thought this may be of interest to some

If anyone has any questions then drop me a line

[Spikepork]

Hi there. I'm in the Uk and after 20+ years of ED and having tried every possible option to correct I finally underwent Implant surgery 9/12/17 with Dr Ralph here in the Uk. I was a private client so can understand your frustrations at the NHS route. Nonetheless I do wish I had looked into Implants sooner. I'm only day 5/6 since surgery so I can confirm as many will in this site how f@@@ng painful the first few days after REALLY are. However the pain/soreness is subsiding slowly and I can now see the future with activation etc. If you want any feedback/help etc being in the Uk just ask me. I had some great help from people I met (actually met one face to face) on here.

[Greg1956]

Star,
I developed ED at age 30 and just got my implant three months ago at 61. It was very frustrating ging through all those steps you have been through. I wish I had been able to get an implant a long time ago to put my sex life with my wife back on track. As frustrating as it was for me, it was for her, too. She went through stages of doubt, wondering why she didn't turn me on. I assured her that wasn't the case, but she always wondered. Thank God she stayed with me through all of the different things I tried.

I hope you are able to get your implant soon. It's better to get it and be able to have a fulfilling sex life when you want it, or even to be able to enjoy masturbation more to manage your sexual needs when you are on your own. I realize you may be me prone to infection, so you need to be careful, but it is god you are planning to move forward, rather than waiting until you are older, simply to avoid needing a second implant sooner.

Best wishes to you,
Greg

[star_of_pramen]

Saw the nurse today at UCLH who has officially put me on the waiting list for the implant at UCLH. Waiting time is typically 4 months for those of you in the U.K. potentially getting implanted here.

Even after failing pills, injections and dorsal vein ligation, as well as showing a negative doppler, she made me try out another injectable agent called Invicorp (manufactured by Evolan) which is typically used in non-responders or those who experience pain with caverject. Needless to say this didn't work......although she only gave me half the dose as she was worried I was going to go back to work with a boner

These are the guidelines/protocols at UCLH as well for those that are interested:

- 1 night stay in hospital: inflated then asked to come back the following day when they deflate you.......could you be deflated one day post surgery?! may be I misheard and they she said 1 week....
- They only use Coloplast Titan
- They use the stretch test (not injected) to size implant and mentioned as most people's stretch length is less than fully erect penis there is potential to lose length
- They use scrotal incision unless there is a good reason not to
- Said I would need 2 weeks off work
- No sex for 6 weeks

[defiant]

Saw the nurse today at UCLH who has officially put me on the waiting list for the implant at UCLH. Waiting time is typically 4 months for those of you in the U.K. potentially getting implanted here.

Even after failing pills, injections and dorsal vein ligation, as well as showing a negative doppler, she made me try out another injectable agent called Invicorp (manufactured by Evolan) which is typically used in non-responders or those who experience pain with caverject. Needless to say this didn't work......although she only gave me half the dose as she was worried I was going to go back to work with a boner

These are the guidelines/protocols at UCLH as well for those that are interested:

- 1 night stay in hospital: inflated then asked to come back the following day when they deflate you.......could you be deflated one day post surgery?! may be I misheard and they she said 1 week....
- They only use Coloplast Titan
- They use the stretch test (not injected) to size implant and mentioned as most people's stretch length is less than fully erect penis there is potential to lose length
- They use scrotal incision unless there is a good reason not to
- Said I would need 2 weeks off work
- No sex for 6 weeks

Hello there, mate!

Well look at least it's all moving now. And your journey through hell will be complete soon enough. You really don't paint a pretty picture though for those of us in the UK going through ED.

I really do have to question why the powers that be can't see that the implant is a good first line treatment for those with proven severe ED. Why on Earth put a young man through the hell of VEDs and injections? How is that in any way conducive to a healthy sex life in a young, dating, man?

Will your surgeon be Dr Ralph? If so, I understand that you're in good hands. Length loss is likely in most patients who undergo this procedure as I understand it, not all but most. Is it proven that a stretch test will result in sub-optimal length?

Did you not consider the more direct yet obviously expensive private route? I think with your history, if you had the money up front, you could have skipped all this ridiculousness (ligation (a proven waste of time and injections).

Good luck to you, mate!!!