To implant or not. Opinions needed

[Gumby1]

Gentlemen, I’ve been seriously considering getting an implant. A bit of background on where I’m at currently.
I cannot get a normal or even close to normal erections for a few decades now. Always had issues getting and maintaining erections even as a young man. I started using pills like viagra and cialis, the latter being the best for me but it still wasn’t 100% effective. About 15 years ago, I started using injections and it works very well, especially when combined with Cialis. I finally had good hard erections that lasted and also contributed significantly to longer endurance even after climax. I’m still working well with this combination but I’m afraid I may reach a point when it may stop working. The debacle I’m having is whether or not I should get an implant since I’m still doing well. The other reason I bring this up is that I’m almost 60 years old. I’m still in decent shape/health. My concern is if it stops working and I’m now approaching say 65-70, is that going to impact my ability to even get the surgery ? The other issue I have is the lack of spontaneity, always having to say, “I’ll be right back” in the middle of foreplay. Then there’s traveling for vacation and having to pack the injections with ice which so far, I’m fortunate that I haven’t been questioned by TSA which would be hard to explain.
Soooo… do I wait or do I pull the trigger pre-emptively ?

[Handyman]

Check my posts. I hated the shots and the pain and lack of success. Super happy with implant. You think you can continue to go for round 2 with shot, an implant will let you control that better (aka as long as you like) good luck in your decision making process. For me it came down to frustration about spontanaity (lack of) , pain (lots of) and inconsistent results.

[LGXDownunder]

My implant was done in March last year at age 70. I've had a few medical issues the past few years, significantly prostate cancer/RRP causing my ED, and a knee replacement. But otherwise I'm still in reasonable shape, active and fitter than most of my peers. So in theory you probably still have time.
Personally I struggled to last 3 years with profound ED before finally committing to an implant. Injections only worked briefly and caused more problems than they solved. Pills were completely useless. So my only partial remedy was using a VED, which was less than satisfactory but better than nothing.
I also hated all of the rigmarole with injections and it was always a gamble whether I would actually get an erection.
It really depends on how you perceive your current quality of (sex) life vs what it might be like with an implant.
For me the decision to get an implant was a no brainer, but it sounds like you have more time to consider it and do the research thoroughly.

[Oz1958]

My concern is if it stops working and I’m now approaching say 65-70, is that going to impact my ability to even get the surgery ?

My experience is that this is the preferred age for implant. First question implanters I consulted asked was " how old are you?" Statisticly by that age the chances of the implant outliving you are much higher. For younger men the need for one or more revisions is almost certain.

[Gumby1]

For me it came down to frustration about spontanaity (lack of)

This is one of my major reasons. I’ll definitely check out your posts.

[Gumby1]

Pills were completely useless.
I also hated all of the rigmarole with injections

I pretty much feel the same way. You do bring up a good point, I guess I do still have some time to decide. Regardless, I was thinking about waiting until the FDA here in the US approves the Rigicom Infla10 AX which will hopefully be later this year.

[Old Guy]

I was 68 when had my implant done. There are a few who have had an implant done at older ages.
With pills or injections sex was always a scheduled thing which kills the mood. Hated that part.
Fought ED for 13 years and I'm sure it affected my length. Lack of erections allows tissues to shrink. My opinion is do the implant asap so you don't lose size.

[GoodWood]

…I’m afraid I may reach a point when it may stop working

…I’m now approaching say 65-70, is that going to impact my ability to even get the surgery ?

The other issue I have is the lack of spontaneity, …

Then there’s traveling for vacation…TSA which would be hard to explain.

I can definitely relate to the dilemma. I used injections for over 10 years and had my implant surgery in March.

You might eventually reach a point where injections stop working—but you might not. Some men never do. In my case, the dose kept going up until the compounding pharmacy couldn’t make it any stronger. I was using a full 100 units (1 mL), taking 10 mg of daily Cialis, and wearing a cock ring. That combination gave me about 15–20 minutes of usable erection. It felt a bit like a starter pistol going off—I had to get the job done quickly. Not exactly sexy.

The important thing to remember is that you don’t have to wait until injections stop working. For now, they are working, so you’re not backed into a corner.

I also wouldn’t worry about your age or whether you’ll be approved for surgery. It’s a relatively minor procedure—though no surgery ever feels minor when you’re the one having it (LOL). If you’re healthy enough to have sex, you’re healthy enough for anesthesia. You’ll need cardiology clearance, but as long as you haven’t had a recent heart attack, stents placed within the last year, or a recent worsening of heart failure, you’ll almost certainly be cleared. That said, recovery is generally easier when we’re younger.

The lack of spontaneity with injections is absolutely a real consideration. What I love most about the implant is that I can pump up anytime—and I can have sex more than once every other day. I did everything I could to work around the limitations of injections, but the implant wins this round, hands down.

I traveled frequently during the 10+ years I used injections and never found it to be much of a hassle. A small travel case designed for diabetics using insulin worked perfectly. And don’t worry about TSA—they’re looking for weapons and contraband, not prescription meds. Tons of people travel with injectable medications. With the rise of GLP-1 drugs for weight loss, even more people are carrying injections now. I was never questioned by TSA—not once. And even if they did ask, “It’s my prescription medication” would be the end of the conversation. They don’t ask what it’s for, and they don’t care.

The bad news is that no one can give you a perfectly clear, one-size-fits-all answer about what you should do.

The good news is that you’ll have erections either way. Injections are working now, and an implant will work too. No matter which path you choose, you win.

I’ll leave you with one last thought. It’s very common for men with implants to say, “I wish I had gotten my implant sooner.” It’s extremely rare to hear someone say, “I wish I had waited longer.”

So if you’re thinking this might be the right time for you, it probably is.

[Kodixx]

Gumby1, the question of whether this is the right time is a question only you can answer. However, you may find inspiration from the thread below

“I wish I’d done it ten years earlier…”
https://www.franktalk.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=27765&start=20&hilit=life+is+what+happens

- Chuck

The other issue I have is the lack of spontaneity, always having to say, “I’ll be right back” in the middle of foreplay. Then there’s traveling for vacation and having to pack the injections with ice which so far, I’m fortunate that I haven’t been questioned by TSA which would be hard to explain. Soooo… do I wait or do I pull the trigger pre-emptively ?

[ElbowRoom]

Even though I used them for over a decade, I think injections should be considered a temporary solution. They can cause pain, fibrosis, decreased sensitivity, and Peyronie’s disease, as well as losing efficacy over time.

I lucked out and escaped most (but not all) or these issues, but if I had it to do over again, I would have only used injections long enough to arrange an implant surgery. YMMV.