Did Insurance Cover the Procedure?

[crazyjoe]

Agree with Flounder. Suggest you consult a urologist -- better yet, not just any urologist, but a high volume implant doc. Personally, I am giving my wife MUCH better sex than when I was sinking with progressive ED. Dick is as close to natural as I could have ever hoped.

[portageriver]

Hello,

Just curious if insurance covered the expenses of your implant procedure? Obviously, testing must be performed to deem the implant necessary but just curious how much trouble it was to have the surgery covered.

As an aside, how long does it take to fully pump the implant to erect?

Thanks!

Insurance covered everything but my out-of-pocket deductible, $2k. And as the other poster mentioned, the length of the inflate procedure depends on multiple factors. For me, maybe 2 full minutes to max. - 30 - 35 pumps.

[purcelldds]

I have a high deductible HSA with Anthem BC/BS. No coverage, $25k out of pocket, but worth it! Consider yourselves very fortunate if you got coverage. I'm hoping mine lasts until I'm 65 and I go on Medicare then maybe I'll get coverage for the replacement.

[newbie443]

I appreciate everyone’s replies. I have had ED since I was in high school and have spent countless hours googling conditions trying to figure out why I have to be that guy. It has gotten to a point where 100 mg of Viagra will provide a 75% erection that does not last. I am only 39 years old but I’ve been dealing with this for over 20 years and I really don’t want to start injecting. Unfortunately, me and my high school sweetheart got divorced in January and the comfort level is not there with new women and that’s made things even worse. I don’t want to come across the wrong way but I am a fit, good looking guy, that works out five days a week.. I have been able to talk to and get just about any lady I want but after two-three weeks I start backpedaling out of performance anxiety. I honestly don’t want to get an implant due to my age and the fact that I’m afraid it won’t be spontaneous/the girl will be turned off, and maybe even cause more anxiety by making my feel like less of a man. Does this make sense? I’m also worried about the time I’ll have to take off of work for the procedure and I don’t want to tell my family or coworkers what’s going on. I really appreciate everyone here and your experiences and words of advice.

For me what made me feel less than a man or not a "whole" person was my ED. But meds and injections did not do anything more than a little plumping. We all are different and have our own path to get here. The good thing is you are seeking help. I read a paper that nearly 50% of men with ED have told no one about it.

The best thing I can recommend is to research as much as you can. Read on this forum. Over in the General Discussion is a thread titled Documents Worth reading. That is a good place to start and then use the search function. And then ask questions. Then you need to search for the best doctor available to you. Some research to be done there as well. Then you and your doctor can work together on a plan for you. This is 100% your choice. What ever you decided will be right as no one else can decide for you.

Best of luck to you with this.

[KeithC]

I’m no professional but I would say you’re not a good candidate for an implant. You should figure out some things way before you ruin a physically healthy cock.

[jersey58]

I appreciate everyone’s replies. I have had ED since I was in high school and have spent countless hours googling conditions trying to figure out why I have to be that guy. It has gotten to a point where 100 mg of Viagra will provide a 75% erection that does not last. I am only 39 years old but I’ve been dealing with this for over 20 years and I really don’t want to start injecting. Unfortunately, me and my high school sweetheart got divorced in January and the comfort level is not there with new women and that’s made things even worse. I don’t want to come across the wrong way but I am a fit, good looking guy, that works out five days a week.. I have been able to talk to and get just about any lady I want but after two-three weeks I start backpedaling out of performance anxiety. I honestly don’t want to get an implant due to my age and the fact that I’m afraid it won’t be spontaneous/the girl will be turned off, and maybe even cause more anxiety by making my feel like less of a man. Does this make sense? I’m also worried about the time I’ll have to take off of work for the procedure and I don’t want to tell my family or coworkers what’s going on. I really appreciate everyone here and your experiences and words of advice.

You sound EXACTLY like me. Got divorced at 39 (this is 22 yrs ago). Fit and look pretty good, and I was able to get with girls when I wanted them but the performance anxiety was always there, along with my venous leak (which I was not aware of at the time). Viagra worked in the beginning with diminishing success over time. I suffered a lot of disappointment and embarrassment over getting into bed and through all the foreplay and then no erection or an erection that would just disappear before sex even started. I understand the backpedaling, I did it many times. It is brutal emotionally. I really wanted a relationship, so I would take a break and then go through the whole process again, thinking if I found the right girl somehow things would work.
I met my current wife when I was 50. She was great and I really wanted things to work, but by then Viagra would not give me an erection. I decided to go to a urologist, he diagnosed my venous leak and I started doing trimix injections. The trimix worked great at first but over time became less effective. I also started getting scar tissue from the injections and peyronie's curve. Trimix is not all that spontaneous, and you have to have it refrigerated wherever you go. It is easier if your partner is aware of it, but you definitely lose spontaneity and will worry about trying to conceal it. Over time the effectiveness decreases and you will wonder whether it will work at all.
After 10 years of trimix injections I finally decided to get the implant. It works great, can pump it up in 30 seconds, anytime you want. I am happy and my wife is happy. No more anxiety, just confidence, erection whenever you want it, guaranteed. If you are single I think it is better than trimix because it is pretty easy to inflate without being noticed. Start out with it half-mast and reach down and pump up during foreplay or do it in the bathroom. I think you can get through at least the first time with a new partner without it being noticed. They will notice the pump eventually, but by that point it will not matter.
You may want to try the injections. They will likely work for some time, but they are just a band aid. If you dont love trimix, don't be afraid of pulling the trigger on the implant. If I had known about the implants when I was single I would definitely have gotten one a long time ago and spared myself a lot of emotional pain and embarrassment. Good luck.

[Old Guy]

I Unfortunately, me and my high school sweetheart got divorced in January

I’m afraid it won’t be spontaneous/the girl will be turned off, and maybe even cause more anxiety by making my feel like less of a man. Does this make sense?

I’m also worried about the time I’ll have to take off of work for the procedure and I don’t want to tell my family or coworkers what’s going on. I really appreciate everyone here and your experiences and words of advice.

Hello Kiawahgolf
Alright, you already lost your high school sweetheart over this. Performance anxiety keeps you from making a move on any other female. Can't say I blame you for that BUT if you're ready to have sex then look into the implant. It will not make a female think you are less a man any more than if you had a prosthetic arm or leg. However, once a female experiences what you're capable of with an implant she will likely change any opinion she had to a positive one.
Healing time varies between guys, but you are young and healthy so probably a short recovery. Tell them you have a cyst on a testicle that needs removed, or you have a hernia that needs surgery. It's no bodys business except yours.

[HikerMan]

Hello,

Just curious if insurance covered the expenses of your implant procedure? Obviously, testing must be performed to deem the implant necessary but just curious how much trouble it was to have the surgery covered.

As an aside, how long does it take to fully pump the implant to erect?

Thanks!

Hi, I'm going "bionic" this Thursday.
I have Motion Picture Insurance.

I had to come up with 1k as a co-pay.

Not complaining though.

[Kiawahgolf]

I really can't thank you guys enough for taking the time to respond. My experience with ED is much like everyone else here.. I am just in a different season of life now with recently getting divorced. If I were still married I know my wife wouldn't mind the implant route I have just been anxious about taking that step knowing you can never go back and it might be odd to another lady at 38 years old but as you guys have stated its certainly better than the alternative. I would really like to have the doppler test performed to put my mind at ease before making a decision just to make sure there is venous leakage or damage.

Can you guys tell me just a little about the implant itself since I've never actually seen one in action. Does your penis hang longer or remain hard when it's "soft", is the implant itself really noticeable, is the penis cold to the touch, can you keep it hard as long as you want without damaging the implant, anything else?

[Kiawahgolf]

Bump.. can anyone chime in on the implant questions above? I'd love to know more about the specifics.

Thank you!!!