Question for psychogenic implantees about exhausting a less invasive psycho/spiritual approach...

[RG3p013]

Hey all, I have struggled with psychogenic ED for the past 10 years. I'm 49 years old and in good health. I have an amazing, supportive, beautiful partner whom I love deeply. I've done tons of therapy, read lots of books (BTW, "The Existential Importance of the Penis" is an excellent read), Cialis, Viagra, and just under 2 years of Trimix (which has been great, BTW). I recently consulted with a urologist who recommended an implant basically for quality of life, as Trimix over time has its risks. In considering my options and trying to plan for the future (timing, out of pocket costs as It's my understanding insurance will not cover it for psychogenic issues, etc.),I have cut back on Trimix significantly and have been at a bit of fork in the road in making plans to proceed with the implant versus a focus on the more psychological and even spiritual aspects of this. I'm curious if others (especially more psychogenic types) have tried the path of a more mind over matter, pleasure over performance, soft cock/non-penis-centric approach prior to an implant. With this approach, I can sometimes have amazing and connected sex when the stars align with Viagra (and sometimes even without on rare occasion), but it's painfully inconsistent and unpredictable, and I can be prone to spirals of anxiety and depression. My ideal would be to get a handle on it without the implant and to just make peace with my mind and body, but I also want to enjoy my sex life and not waste time suffering needlessly. I've struggled for a long time, and it seems like there's always a tantric mens coach grifter who promises "natural" breakthroughs in this area. Honestly, I would be fine with variable soft-cock sex if I can find away to make peace with it. Perhaps it's cathartic for me to just get some of this out, but I'd be curious to get some thoughts if some men here have dealt with this and what the deciding factor was to go for the implant versus a more non-invasive but highly variable approach, and if you're happy with the results/outcome. 

[Jimakos]

Hello my friend..I think I belong to the same category as you..I have been struggling with psychogenic erectile dysfunction for a while now..In a recent penile doppler I also found moderate venous leakage but mainly I have a psychological problem of poor concentration during sex and anxiety..Pills sometimes work, Viagra etc. I am also young (37 years old) and I am seriously considering an implant to break this vicious cycle.

[Kodixx]

RG3p013, I can't answer your question directly. However, below is a recent thread you may be interested in for inspiration. Best wishes.

“I wish I’d done it ten years earlier…”
https://www.franktalk.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=27765

- Chuck

[LetoMan]

My urologist put it like this: we are discovering that what we call “psychogenic” ED usually has an underlying physical cause, and we are just not aware of that physical cause. His view is that other than temporary bouts of ED from stress, all ED has a physical cause, though psychological issues (performance anxiety) exacerbate it.

When we discovered venous leak as a cause of ED, suddenly uncountable cases of “psychogenic” ED stopped being psychogenic and became venous leak. Many men have undiagnosed venous leak.

Personally, I think the term is useless. If you have had ED for 10 years, you have a physical problem; you cannot get and keep blood in your corpora. And if pills don’t fix it consistently, then you have a physical problem that is not responding to front-line treatment.

If viagra is not giving you a hard on, then relaxation techniques and whatever spiritual ED treatment is DEFINITELY won’t help.

You have a physical problem: you cannot get and/or keep blood in your corpora. You need a physical soloution, not a psychological solution.

Be well, Leto

[ready2go]

My urologist put it like this: we are discovering that what we call “psychogenic” ED usually has an underlying physical cause, and we are just not aware of that physical cause. His view is that other than temporary bouts of ED from stress, all ED has a physical cause, though psychological issues (performance anxiety) exacerbate it.

When we discovered venous leak as a cause of ED, suddenly uncountable cases of “psychogenic” ED stopped being psychogenic and became venous leak. Many men have undiagnosed venous leak.

Personally, I think the term is useless. If you have had ED for 10 years, you have a physical problem; you cannot get and keep blood in your corpora. And if pills don’t fix it consistently, then you have a physical problem that is not responding to front-line treatment.

If viagra is not giving you a hard on, then relaxation techniques and whatever spiritual ED treatment is DEFINITELY won’t help.

You have a physical problem: you cannot get and/or keep blood in your corpora. You need a physical soloution, not a psychological solution.

Be well, Leto

where is the thumbs up button ? spot on .

[JohnnyBorg]

Hey RG3!

Came here to echo what LetoMan said.

For what it’s worth - I’ve had ED basically my whole life. For years thought it was a mental issue / but turns out it was a venous leak. AND a mental issue - because once you start the cycle of failed performance, it becomes a stressor on top of the venous leak and makes things even worse!

Because of all this, I ultimately decided to move forward with implant (I’m getting mine on Jan 20th). I exhausted other options like Viagra and Trimix, both ineffective.

Wishing you and your partner the best of luck on your journey, you’re in the right place!

[Nocturne]

Watching this thread. I agree that most “psychogenic” ED is only partly psychogenic. In my case my body’s erection reaction and retention time have definitely gone down over the years, but I can still get an erection on my own without fail, sometimes a really nice one that can hold up a towel at the “three o’clock” mark!
But when I’m with my wife - anxiety comes crashing in and punches me in the gut.
I recently knew I was going to be home alone and actually LOOKED FORWARD to getting home to masturbate, which I did, and which felt awesome. But I have not been able to LOOK FORWARD to actual sex for a long time. It’s usually nagging anxiety and in some ways I don’t really get to “enjoy” sex until I’m in the home stretch, and after. Then I know I’m “safe” for at least a while.
I sure would like to be free of that.
I read the implanted testimonies here and always think, “well, this is as bad is it’ll get - and these guys seem like a mostly very happy lot.”
But an implant is not “as bad as it’ll get”. An implant is freedom. “As bad as it’ll get” is the years before an implant, the years I’d wager a lot of men look back on and say, “I wish I’d done it sooner.”
The implant doesn’t scare me. Those years of pondering and pain BEFORE the implant do.

[duke_cicero]

I'll just pop in to say that the Coloplast Genesis website explicitly says:

The Prosthesis may also be used in selected patients with psychogenic impotence.

Meaning it's still a good idea even if you don't have some kind of penile venous leakage or a related strictly cardiac issue that's responsible for your erectile dysfunction.

[Kodixx]

I read the implanted testimonies here and always think, “well, this is as bad is it’ll get - and these guys seem like a mostly very happy lot.”
But an implant is not “as bad as it’ll get”. An implant is freedom. “As bad as it’ll get” is the years before an implant, the years I’d wager a lot of men look back on and say, “I wish I’d done it sooner.”

Agreed ^^^^^^

[Rider1400]

Even for insurance purposes my insurance anppro only required that I had tried pills and injections and still had difficulty keeping and maintaining an erection to qualify. Don’t think any implanting Dr out there would specifically state that you only had a psychological issue!