Introduction and implant info
Posted: Sun May 19, 2019 9:00 pm
Hello all. I've been lurking here for about a few years as I've gone through my own journey.
I was diagnosed at 48 (December 2015) with a Gleason of 3+4=7. My PSA was lower at 4.2, however had ticked up 2+ points in 1 year. My only reason for being checked was due to my dad having prostate cancer at 61.
I had a biopsy and they found 4/12 spots positive and another changing. I did opt for the onco-typing (note: most insurance companies don't cover this - but the Genomic Health folks did. It showed a slow-growing cancer and they surmised I'd probably had this going on for several years at the time of discovery.
After much discussion, 2nd opinions, reading, research, and praying - my wife I and I elected surgery. My final justification was simply wanting the cancer gone and to see my future grand kids with the hope of no future cancer issues.
Until this point in life, I'd been totally healthy, but have a family history of many types of cancers (mother passed of a GBM at 55 years old/father had prostate at 61 and passed of lung cancer (non-smoking type) at 71. I had zero issues with urinating and ZERO ED issues. I ran a 5k the week of the surgery and thought I'd have a quick recovery. And, I did...minus what you'll find below.
Due to the slow nature of the cancer I had, I was able to elect to delay the surgery 6 months to allow us to get through our summer plans, etc.
I had the surgery at 49 (September 2016) and I'm 51 now. At 30+ months post-op, I can share a few things: Shrinkage? Yep! - at least an inch, if not more (probably 1.5"). Incontinence? 99% of the time, I'm great! I can run, work out, sit for long times, drink coffee, beer, etc. I might dribble a tiny amount if I am not prepared for a sneeze. The big one: ED? ABSOLUTELY!!! Pills have zero effect. I've been on Cialis forever. No dosage amount does anything for me. My vascular is perfect (validated and tested via an ultrasound both flaccid and with bi-mix) and my nerves were spared - but no natural erections.
After surgery, my doc said that my prostate was about 3x the size of normal. As a result of that he believes that may be part of my ED issue - that the nerves were pretty stretched prior to the surgery.
I've used tri-mix with success and have a complete erection with only .05ml. Even at such a ridiculously small dose, it worked too well (4+ hours) and was very painful. My doctor switched to bi-mix and that works just as well at the same dose with no pain. However now I've developed a 30-degree list to port as I've developed Periones (PD). No idea how it happened, but one night during sex, I felt a "pop" and it started then. Nothing crazy was going on, just happened and hurt like heck.
At 32 months post-op, I'm fed up. I can easily administer the shots, but that rules out easily travelling with it (needs refrigeration), lack of spontaneity, and frankly - with a shot, it doesn't look natural to me (boomerang effect aside). The glans has always been out of proportion (Smaller) with the shots. Doc is pretty sure it isn't going to get better and the PD is just the icing on the cake for how disappointed I am.
So...heading to the doc on the 24th to talk implant. My doc (Daniel Mazur of Urology Specialists in Denver) is listed on Dr. Eid's website as an AMS resource. Dr. Mazur does both AMS and Coloplast, but says he leans toward the AMS. The AMS rep will also be there that day to talk/see the pumps. I've got the card with the pump example, so I know what it looks like and have done about a million hours of research on this subject.
The doc did do a pre-appt. submittal with my insurance and they declined it. I've filed an appeal with a mountain of documentation. My company apparently took if off of options when they signed us with this insurance company. The insurance plan does state this: “Reconstructive Procedures are services performed when the primary purpose of the procedure is either to treat a medical condition or to improve or restore physiologic function for an organ or body part. Reconstructive procedures include surgery or other procedures which are associated with an Injury, Sickness or Congenital Anomaly. The primary result of the procedure is not a changed or improved physical appearance.”
My argument is that this procedure is not for cosmetic purposes – it is to restore physiologic function to my penis.
I'm way too young, and my wife and I are (were!) way too sexually active to settle for a life of lousy sex. I'll check in after the 24th and let you all know the results, but thanks for all the subject material that I've been able to read - the real-world examples and info you all post has been outstanding.
I was diagnosed at 48 (December 2015) with a Gleason of 3+4=7. My PSA was lower at 4.2, however had ticked up 2+ points in 1 year. My only reason for being checked was due to my dad having prostate cancer at 61.
I had a biopsy and they found 4/12 spots positive and another changing. I did opt for the onco-typing (note: most insurance companies don't cover this - but the Genomic Health folks did. It showed a slow-growing cancer and they surmised I'd probably had this going on for several years at the time of discovery.
After much discussion, 2nd opinions, reading, research, and praying - my wife I and I elected surgery. My final justification was simply wanting the cancer gone and to see my future grand kids with the hope of no future cancer issues.
Until this point in life, I'd been totally healthy, but have a family history of many types of cancers (mother passed of a GBM at 55 years old/father had prostate at 61 and passed of lung cancer (non-smoking type) at 71. I had zero issues with urinating and ZERO ED issues. I ran a 5k the week of the surgery and thought I'd have a quick recovery. And, I did...minus what you'll find below.
Due to the slow nature of the cancer I had, I was able to elect to delay the surgery 6 months to allow us to get through our summer plans, etc.
I had the surgery at 49 (September 2016) and I'm 51 now. At 30+ months post-op, I can share a few things: Shrinkage? Yep! - at least an inch, if not more (probably 1.5"). Incontinence? 99% of the time, I'm great! I can run, work out, sit for long times, drink coffee, beer, etc. I might dribble a tiny amount if I am not prepared for a sneeze. The big one: ED? ABSOLUTELY!!! Pills have zero effect. I've been on Cialis forever. No dosage amount does anything for me. My vascular is perfect (validated and tested via an ultrasound both flaccid and with bi-mix) and my nerves were spared - but no natural erections.
After surgery, my doc said that my prostate was about 3x the size of normal. As a result of that he believes that may be part of my ED issue - that the nerves were pretty stretched prior to the surgery.
I've used tri-mix with success and have a complete erection with only .05ml. Even at such a ridiculously small dose, it worked too well (4+ hours) and was very painful. My doctor switched to bi-mix and that works just as well at the same dose with no pain. However now I've developed a 30-degree list to port as I've developed Periones (PD). No idea how it happened, but one night during sex, I felt a "pop" and it started then. Nothing crazy was going on, just happened and hurt like heck.
At 32 months post-op, I'm fed up. I can easily administer the shots, but that rules out easily travelling with it (needs refrigeration), lack of spontaneity, and frankly - with a shot, it doesn't look natural to me (boomerang effect aside). The glans has always been out of proportion (Smaller) with the shots. Doc is pretty sure it isn't going to get better and the PD is just the icing on the cake for how disappointed I am.
So...heading to the doc on the 24th to talk implant. My doc (Daniel Mazur of Urology Specialists in Denver) is listed on Dr. Eid's website as an AMS resource. Dr. Mazur does both AMS and Coloplast, but says he leans toward the AMS. The AMS rep will also be there that day to talk/see the pumps. I've got the card with the pump example, so I know what it looks like and have done about a million hours of research on this subject.
The doc did do a pre-appt. submittal with my insurance and they declined it. I've filed an appeal with a mountain of documentation. My company apparently took if off of options when they signed us with this insurance company. The insurance plan does state this: “Reconstructive Procedures are services performed when the primary purpose of the procedure is either to treat a medical condition or to improve or restore physiologic function for an organ or body part. Reconstructive procedures include surgery or other procedures which are associated with an Injury, Sickness or Congenital Anomaly. The primary result of the procedure is not a changed or improved physical appearance.”
My argument is that this procedure is not for cosmetic purposes – it is to restore physiologic function to my penis.
I'm way too young, and my wife and I are (were!) way too sexually active to settle for a life of lousy sex. I'll check in after the 24th and let you all know the results, but thanks for all the subject material that I've been able to read - the real-world examples and info you all post has been outstanding.
(unless you meant that an implant is covered for gender dysphoria but not for other reasons [like E.D.]).