Wish you implanted earlier?

[Smetro]

To think I selfishly thought I was handed a bad hand as I began to slip into ED at 60.
FT has shown me how lucky I really am.
A reminder to seize the day EVERY day.... There is always someone else doing it tough.
My admiration goes out to all the blokes working their way through the issue and holding their heads up high.....

[LMCatman]

YES!!!!!!

[sliphill]

Knowing what I know now, I definitely would have gotten one at least a few years ago. When I was first informed about an implant, I thought to myself, oh hell no! But when I wasn't able to get a good hard on with injecting the strongest mix you can get, coupled with constriction rings, I had a change of mind. But what really gave me the impetus to get it done was this Forum. I read lots of post of guys who had it done. Yes, I wish I had gotten my implant 8 years ago.

[radioradio]

But what really gave me the impetus to get it done was this Forum. I read lots of post of guys who had it done.

I second that. Without this site, and the wonderful guys who "let it all hang out" , I can't imagine that I would have gone through with this. That, and the help I got from one of the members specifically who answered all my many questions, did a show and tell and encouraged me. Not only a bionic brother, but also now a friend....

All the best to you tomorrow!

Bob
2.2

[OttoHS]

Geoph
My ED was abrupt as a result of prostate removal at 56 yo. I got false hope from docs even though nerves were spared unilaterally. I dont think i ever had a chance for natural erections. They asked me to wait 2 yrs. against my better judgement i followed doc orders. Then after 2 years there was another 6 mos of planning and scheduling. Should have done the implant at 6 mos. but now i got it going on 5 mos. things are great & i am happy.
Bandit

I was similarly situated to you. Even though my nerves were spared when I had my radical prostatectomy, my erections never returned. Even with Cialis and Viagra, I could not get an erection. I knew at the one year mark that nothing was ever going to happen. At that time my health insurer would not pay for an implant until two years after the RP. My health insurer changed 18 months after my RP; the new insurer approved implant surgery right away and I was implanted 20 months after the RP. I had my RP at Johns Hopkins where the nerve sparing RP was pioneered. I think that the Johns Hopkins (and other) surgeons are so invested in the concept that the nerve sparing RP preserves erectile function that they are reluctant to admit that for many men they never are going to get erectile function back, even if their nerves are spared. I agree with what you have written. I should have done the implant at 6 months. If a man is not having some kind of erection 6 months after a RP, I think that an implant should be considered as a restorative measure the same way that breast reconstruction is considered for women who have had a radical mastectomy. But, most of the medical community is not there yet.

[radioradio]

I feel fortunate that I was able to get my implant 5 months after my nerve sparing RP. With moderate (and worsening) ED before the RP, there was no way I was going to end up with better erectile capacity in 6 months or a year or 2 years. My RP surgeon agreed, my urologist agreed, and apparently United Healthcare agreed, and here I am living in the bizarre world of bionic healing. And having hard times.
Bob
2.2

[geophd]

This is great insight guys, stoked that guys going through prostate surgery have ways of getting back in the game. For us young guys the situation is a little different, trying to decide if going through treatments like cialis and injections (and their side effects/issues) is worth all the trouble and dissatisfaction. Especially if ultimately getting the implant you find out that it would have saved years of heart ache...

[Greg1956]

This is great insight guys, stoked that guys going through prostate surgery have ways of getting back in the game. For us young guys the situation is a little different, trying to decide if going through treatments like cialis and injections (and their side effects/issues) is worth all the trouble and dissatisfaction. Especially if ultimately getting the implant you find out that it would have saved years of heart ache...

Unfortunately, there are no two men or sets of circumstances that are identical so the most you can do is ask, listen, and make a decision that seems to make sense for you. At least you are in this situation at a time when there are more tests to determine the root of the problem and choices to try to overcome it. For me to be told it was I my head when it wasn't left an emotional scar. Wishing you strength to make a smart choice.

[AirWolf]

I don't wish I was implanted sooner (I'm married, maybe if I was single my answer would be different).

I used injections for 12 years, and though a bit of nuisance, they provided hard, natural-feeling, anxiety-proof erections for about 90 minutes for me with a fairly low dose. I had sex 1-3 times a week (if I wanted sex more often, again, my answer might be different). The last year or two the injections started to lose efficacy, and the last 2 months they become totally ineffective, even with significant increases in strength and dosage.

I lost about 4 months of sex with my spouse during those 4 months as I did various tests with the urologist and primary care doctor, and researching/scheduling implant surgery, so of course, ideally, I may have started planning for implant surgery about 2 months before injections gave out, but that would require knowing the future and all, so overall I feel good that getting the implant at the time I did was the only realistic option for me -- I think that's the key -- reviewing your options based on what you need, and getting the best solution that meets that.

[TANGERINE]

i was implanted 8 months after injections quit working. (viagra cialis quit working years ago).
Since injections and viagra no longer worked; my decision was easy. Either face getting an implant, or face becoming a non-sexual impotent male. For me, I absolutely refused to become asexual; so the risks of implant were easily justified.

In my personal risk/benefit philosophy, I could not justify the risks of implant without exhausting injections first.

Now being implanted, I agree that sex is better than ever, wife is happier, and bionic male capability is awesome. BUT, I was lucky because I had a hollywood great surgical outcome where everything is sized just right, healed just right, feels just right, and works just right. (before the fact, I did not know that I would be so lucky to have such a great result).

So, I was implanted at just the right time; however, my wife wishes I had done it 10 years ago. But, my wife does not know about the situations where implants go bad.

TANGERINE

PS: do remember that 90% of implanted men are quite satisfied with the surgery. but that means 10 percent are not, you need to be sure you are not in that bottom 10 percent..