ED frustrated!

[Spontaneous1]

I truly don't understand all this ED stuff! I see people on here with the whole gambit of health conditions, from excellent health, that doesn't explain why they would ever have ED, to people with injuries who pretty much have an absolute reason. My health is very good, exercise (weights and cardio), eat fairly well, ride bike 3x a week, and still get unexplained ED (no not from biking, special saddle)! This came on so gradual and has only gotten worse, is it all in our minds? Something has to be out of whack, and I do believe it's the brain/penis connection, but where? There's something these "practicing" doctors are missing, and everything shouldn't be treated with a pill, injections, or an implant! Personally an implant would scare the hell out of me, and I don't believe I could ever get my mind right enough for a surgeon to consider doing the procedure on me. That said, I've read enough posts where the person is very happy they did it, and sorry it took them so long, my hat's off to you all. My point here is, why do we have to go through all of this, the docs are missing something! I know it has really gotten in my mind and is probably screwing me up psychologically for sure. When ED happens once, hey that was a rarity, but after the second time it really embeds itself, and we all know what happens after that! Their "everything is in the normal range" is b.s.! My normal range and your normal are two completely different ranges! They stick us all in the same little box and tell us we're normal, we're not, there's an issue! I don't have past numbers to compare with, but I can surely tell you that feeling sluggish, losing my libido, having to force myself to do things that use to come so easy, my numbers are NOT in the normal range for me! Damn this is frustrating not feeling, or acting like myself, but hey "I'm in the normal range"!

[ftwabeck3533]

Spontaneous (gotta love the handle you are using), your thoughts and frustrations as well as the philosophy the medical community imposes on we ED sufferers are in line with my sentiments. My lack of erectile function is a result of a radical prostatectomy (thankfully I am cancer free). I have researched, I have studied, I have read a lot about ED, from medical journals and to anecdotal stories such as this forum. My favorite brain-penis explanation is found in this video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33m9pN_vAI4). I feeling it for you and me.

[tobenormalagain]

ED frustrated. I feel your pain and can relate to your post on every level. I thought that I was somewhat of an oddity in this regard; perfect health, fit, active, no diabetes, hypertension, penile injuries. I am 55yo now but my ED began gradually in my 30s. In reading other posts here, this scenario is way more common than I imagined. Personally, I can't tell you all of the mental energy I have expended trying to figure out the whys and hows of my particular ED? I also understand the psychological trauma that results from this condition when we our culture closely associates masculinity to sexual prowess and virility-I totally get it and it does screw you up in the head. I sure as hell don't want an implant either (considering it), but sadly, there aren't too many long term options that consistently work and I'm not ready to begin living like a eunuch at this age. You're not alone. Good luck and don't loose heart

[Cozpgh]

I really wish I would've found a community like this when I first started experiencing ED in my teens. I still feel mine is trauma related. When I was 12, one day after wrestling in the backyard with my friends, I woke up the next morning with a purple testicle the size of a baseball. The base of my penis was also purple. They said it was a busted varicose vein. I had to ice it for several days and eventually all went back to normal. At least until I started making out with girls and realizing my erections would go from rock hard to completely deflated way too often.

Through the years, I've probably talked to about a dozen different doctors about my ED and that incident. All dismiss that incident as a source of my erectile dysfunction. All tell me it's mostly in my head. They all feel I'm just there for the Viagra or Cialis script. When I've told them that those work somewhat but are still inconsistent, they tell me to seek therapy. One even told me, and I quote, "You probably have MS or something, you should see a neurologist." I've specifically asked two urologists for a penile doppler ultrasound and they both basically told me that they'd likely find a small venous leak, nothing can really be done for that if they do, and it would just increase my performance anxiety in sexual situations if they confirmed it was there. I'm hoping I can get one with my appointment in February. In the mean time, I'm trying injections for the first time in my life without the test injection at the office.

It makes me sad sometimes when I think back to how much time I've spent through the past 25 years or so Googling erectile dysfunction. All the money I've spent on ED drugs when they were pricier than now, countless nutritional supplements, and most recently, within this past year, Gainswave, the P Shot, TRT therapy, peptides, the Rock Hard for Life program, more supplements, etc. I'm figuring I spent about $10K in 2021 on my erectile dysfunction. It would be more cost efficient to get an implant at this point but I hate thinking I'll lose my natural arousal and sex will just become this mechanical thing for me. I'm still responsive. If my girlfriend greets me in an outfit or we kiss in the right situation, I get hard. It's just manual stimulation will be needed to maintain it and it can be lost during penetration if I stop feeling friction. Plus, I already have difficulty ejaculating many times and that seems to be a common thing experienced with the implants. So I'm figuring I'll give the injections and PDE5s a couple more years until the injections cause scar tissue problems and stop being effective or an option.

All that said, just finding a forum like this where other men of varying ages, health, etc. can talk freely and frankly (hehe) about this is so welcoming. You realize how not alone you are or that you're not this anomaly having "old man problems" at a relatively young age. Discussions here have been much more helpful and beneficial than 10 minute talks with various doctors.

[Tigerman29]

50, work out 3-4 days a week. I noticed some changes, but wrote them off as getting old. Until finally after 3 straight times being unable to penetrate my wife because of a soft erection or lapping it, realized something was going on. Then realized that I wasn’t a getting pee erection in the morning any longer, getting an erection was not easy (in fact difficult) even self stimulation wasn’t holding an erection and if it did it was a soft one. So now here I am. Feels so strange, something so natural for so long is now a major problem

[Cozpgh]

50, work out 3-4 days a week. I noticed some changes, but wrote them off as getting old. Until finally after 3 straight times being unable to penetrate my wife because of a soft erection or lapping it, realized something was going on. Then realized that I wasn’t a getting pee erection in the morning any longer, getting an erection was not easy (in fact difficult) even self stimulation wasn’t holding an erection and if it did it was a soft one. So now here I am. Feels so strange, something so natural for so long is now a major problem

I like the fact that you call morning wood "a pee erection" because that's the only way I have morning wood. Often very strong morning wood. Sometimes, during sex, I'll be all psyched because I stayed rock hard through intercourse and ejaculated without losing my erection, and I then realize I have to pee very badly when I cum and that's probably what kept me hard to completion. I again have told all of this to two urologists who look at me like I'm a fucking head case. I always thought morning wood was my body's way of ensuring I didn't piss the bed while I slept. I never knew it was this predictor of overall erectile health until I delved into erectile dysfunction research.

[Spontaneous1]

I really appreciate all your comments guys. It doesn't solve my ED, but it points to avenues to explore, and gives me a better understanding, and coping, of the mental stresses this puts on us all. I said it in another post, but this community is great, and the people are even greater! I guess we're all fighting in the same battle.