Early 30s considering implant - MANY questions

[NYCGay]

Every doctor I speak to is just flummoxed because there's no research about this chemical and I'm extremely young to experience ED.

True, ED is much more common among older men than among the young – but it’s not like it’s unheard of in guys in their thirties or even their twenties. Like you, I already suffered from ED by the time I lost my virginity, which was at age 23. Back then, it was determined that the cause was psychological, because I had normal nocturnal erections (as measured with a device strapped to my penis for three nights). But in the end, knowing that it was psychological didn’t really make much of a difference: I still couldn’t get hard. I still mourned not being able to have a normal sex life. I started with injections at age 25. (This was in the pre-Viagra era.) The injections worked for me for several years, but I hated the hassle of dealing with them.

The bottom line is: you are suffering from ED, whatever the reason, and it’s preventing you from having the sex life you want to have. Yes, you’re young, but I would see that as all the more reason to keep exploring solutions. It's sounds as if you've suffered from this long enough. No need to put off finding a solution till you're old.

I keep telling myself I deserve to experience this very human pleasure

And it’s not just physical pleasure. It’s also the human connection that comes with that pleasure. Sex is a deeply-rooted way of being intimate with another human being. With the risk of stating the obvious: sex is an important part of relationships and marriage. Not being able to get hard can affect your whole life, in and out of bed. Well, I'm sure you already know that.

but the thought of actually permanently inserting foreign objects into my body (EXTREMELY expensive objects, no less), and that I'll have to get this done at least 2-3 more times in my life because I'm young... it's a very frightening thought.

Yes, implant surgery is expensive, but depending on which country you live in, or what insurance you have (if you live in the U.S.), you may not have to pay the total cost yourself. And yes, you will likely need to have revisions, but if you have the ability to choose an insurance that covers it, it may not be such a big deal. I had my first revision in January. Sure, it was a bit of a hassle; of course I would have preferred not to have needed it, but it was no dealbreaker.

I'm not opposed to trying needles but they don't seem like a viable long term solution (and are also scary in their own right)?

I never liked the injections. Still, I wouldn’t advise anybody to get an implant without at least having tried injections first. What have you got to lose? If you don’t like them, you can start exploring the implant option. But some men are happy with the injections. If that turns out to be the case for you: great! It doesn’t have to be the solution for the rest of your life. It may just be something you use for a few months or years, while thinking about whether you want to move on to an implant.

[awf_1993]

I appreciate everyone's responses here. It definitely makes me feel a bit less insane.

A few other questions i've been meaning to ask:

- How long and how painful/uncomfortable was your recovery period? When were you able to go back into public fully deflated and no one could tell?

- Did you take any medications or have any routine ahead of the surgery to help speed up the recovery process?

- Did you tell any friends and family about it? Or just got the procedure on your own because it's your own business, etc.

- How long was the total process, from the first phone call with a surgeon to waking up post-surgery to being recovered enough to live normally?

[GoodWood]

I appreciate everyone's responses here. It definitely makes me feel a bit less insane.

A few other questions i've been meaning to ask:

- How long and how painful/uncomfortable was your recovery period? When were you able to go back into public fully deflated and no one could tell?

- Did you take any medications or have any routine ahead of the surgery to help speed up the recovery process?

- Did you tell any friends and family about it? Or just got the procedure on your own because it's your own business, etc.

- How long was the total process, from the first phone call with a surgeon to waking up post-surgery to being recovered enough to live normally?

1) I had a very easy recovery period. I didn’t need anything more than Advil, Tylenol, and ice packs. 4 days after surgery I joined some friends for an easy hangout social event. (Just sitting around talking). They had no idea and didn’t say anything. I returned to work on day 11. No problem. I gently masturbated on day 9. I had vigorous sex at week 4. I was back to the gym gently easing back into things after 2 weeks. I think I gave it about 6 weeks before I did any really hard abs workout.

2) I used a really cheap VED for about 15 minutes each morning as I was showering and getting cleaned up for the day. I think it helped reclaim size I had lost to ED. I used a tension devise (Phallosan Forte) as well for the last 6 weeks to 2 months. I think that helped reclaim size as well but to a lesser degree. It may gained 1/2 a cm. Barely anything but if that helped my surgeon round up to the next size, great. It was a hassle to wear though (12-16 hours a day). If I were to do it again I might skip the tension devise but I would absolutely use the VED. Otherwise I was just mindful to do EVERYTHING my surgeon suggested.

3) My husband knew. My two best friends knew. And I was in touch via text/phone with a couple guys from here on FrankTalk. But I otherwise didn’t tell anyone else.
I think it’s important to have at least one person who can be there to give you a hand with stuff the first 24 hours or so. You want to stay off your feet and keep an ice pack on as much as possible that first day. It was great to have someone check on me and get me a fresh ice pack or the next dose of Advil without me getting up.

4. I think from the moment I met with the surgeon (made up my mind to do this) until surgery was 3 weeks or so. I was back to regular stuff (taking it easy) at day 11. Feeling pretty normal by 1 month. Forgetting I had surgery by the second or third month. I rarely think about it anymore.

I love my implant. No regrets. It was a great decision.

I kept a day by day journal of the experience. The link is in my signature below. Feel free to PM if you want to talk about any of the specifics.