advice on deciding to get an implant -- is it better or worse than a natural dick

[TANGERINE]

Hi franktalk brothers,
I received a private message regarding some advice on whether or not it is time to get the implant and answered some concerns regarding issues with sensations and glans engorgement and angle. I worked hard on my answer, and i thought others on franktalk would benefit from reading this:

QUESTION:
I've met with Dr xyz and we agree I'm a candidate. I'm still frankly scared of getting the surgery because we won't really know how good the outcome is until it's been done, and then there's no going back

If Dr xyz says that surgery is a reasonble thing to do, then that is good. I am quite biased in a positive way in favor of the implant since I had a fantastically good recovery and a fantastically good result. I wish I had done it sooner. However, I totally respect your point about being worried and agree that this is a "nuclear option which is irreversible". So, when it comes to penile surgery, you need to be in a desperate mindset -- meaning, you want to restore your penis so bad that you are willing to do anything to get there. If you are not yet that desperate, then yes, I understand your hesitation. Dr xyz also understands and knows that you will only come back when you "really really want it" which is the frame of mind that you need to be in. In a nutshell, if your life is crap because of your poorly functioning dick, then get the surgery. If your life is OK because of your OK functioning dick, then you are not yet bad enough to get the surgery.

QUESTION:
I'm especially concerned about ensure I keep sensation, a full glans, and have a natural angle and hinge post surgery...basically I want to come away with what I had before the surgery, of course with having to pump.

Sorry brother, an implanted dick is not as good as a natural one (assuming the natural one can stay rock hard for 30 minutes). The reason implant is inferior to natural is that the glans does not engorge and because you will probably lose some length. If you have AMS brand of implant, you will lose girth as well (not the case with titan where you might gain girth), also the angle of erection might be 3:00 rather than 2:00 so you might not be as good at "hands free entry" as you are now. So, prepare now, you will not be as good as you were when you were 20. The analogy is a knee replacement. The natural knee is better: it is more flexible, more stable, has better shock absorbing capability and can self heal. But if you natural knee has such bad arthritis that you have pain with every step, the decision to accept the limits of the artificial knee joint are acceptable and justifiable. So, your dick needs to be a piece of crap now, and if it is, then you will be happy with the surgery. If your dick is "good enough for your lifestyle" then there is a real chance that you will be unhappy with the surgery (because of the glans issue, the length issue, the angle issue, the unnatural issue, and the 10 year longevity issue). Regarding sensation, I kept 100 % of sensation. With Dr xyz , sensation does not appear to be an issue (though, for first 9 months, I was a little numb on the underside of my penis. That is now fully healed and all sensation is back to normal)

With all that said, with your experience what would you do in my shoes? How long would you wait to have the surgery ?

a) I would wait to have the surgery until the day that I wake up and say to myself "my ED is so bad that it is causing me to be depressed and has risen to the point of becoming a negative obsession" Restating my other comments: "If your dick works good enough to keep your dating life intact and your mental state happy, then do NOT get the surgery"

[oneperson]

I have read many concerns about this regard in the forum. Boys that are at the edge of the implant and wonder (and worry) about things like 'I will lose size? It will be like before the ED?'

They are completely normal and reasonable concerns. Me had too. Because there is no go back after surgery. In few words, no, it won't be like before the ED. It is the same question as if a 52 man like me, without ED, ask himself if someday he would be able to have sex the same way, intensity and strength than when 20. Of if a former soccer player 50 years old asks himself if someday he will be able to play soccer as when 25. The answer is NO. Time passes. People gets older. Body evolves. Nothing will be like before. Never.

I suffered a liver desease when I was 12. It ended in a liver transplant when I was 28. From then on, my life never was the same again. I have to take meds for the rest of my life. Meds with secondary efects, such as kidney damage, high blood pressure, high levels of lipids, and even ED. All those secondary effects were told me before the transplant. Any of them could reach me in any moment of my life. Even all of them. What was sure, was the fact that some of them would affect me sooner or later.

And know what? I accepted them. At 28, I concluded that my life never would be the same again, that I would have to confront several health problems due to the meds along the rest of my life. Even that, because of those meds, my life could be shorter than the average. What was the other choice I had? Not have been accepted the transplant, which would have put end of my life in less than one year. No much for choossing, don't you think?

As bad as could be the results, the worst case was much better than death in a few months.

Life is not fear. Some people has to face problems that don't deserve. But that doesn't make them dissapear. It is not fear not being able to have sex at 25, nor at 40, nor at 60. But things happen. And when happen, we have two options: do nothing because 'things will not be like before anymore' or go ahead and accept the challenge. I could have died that day in OR. But I didn't, and that gave me 23 years more to my life by the moment. That helped me to make the decision of my implant when I realized that I could not have sex with my wife anymore. I had no doubt. Now, I am far away to be a success case. Almost 3 months after surgery, I have still pain, I have lost at least 1 cm length. I still cannot have sex with my wife because of aching. I feel almost constant disconfort in my scrotum when sat. But I don't regreat even for a second have had the implant. You know why? Because I had nothing to lose, and even if this doesn't solve my problem, I will stay like before the implant, but, at least, I will have fought ans tried. Nobody will say I surrendered and didn't try.

[jump.ship]

Hi franktalk brothers,
I received a private message regarding some advice on whether or not it is time to get the implant and answered some concerns regarding issues with sensations and glans engorgement and angle. I worked hard on my answer, and i thought others on franktalk would benefit from reading this:

QUESTION:
I've met with Dr xyz and we agree I'm a candidate. I'm still frankly scared of getting the surgery because we won't really know how good the outcome is until it's been done, and then there's no going back

If Dr xyz says that surgery is a reasonble thing to do, then that is good. I am quite biased in a positive way in favor of the implant since I had a fantastically good recovery and a fantastically good result. I wish I had done it sooner. However, I totally respect your point about being worried and agree that this is a "nuclear option which is irreversible". So, when it comes to penile surgery, you need to be in a desperate mindset -- meaning, you want to restore your penis so bad that you are willing to do anything to get there. If you are not yet that desperate, then yes, I understand your hesitation. Dr xyz also understands and knows that you will only come back when you "really really want it" which is the frame of mind that you need to be in. In a nutshell, if your life is crap because of your poorly functioning dick, then get the surgery. If your life is OK because of your OK functioning dick, then you are not yet bad enough to get the surgery.

QUESTION:
I'm especially concerned about ensure I keep sensation, a full glans, and have a natural angle and hinge post surgery...basically I want to come away with what I had before the surgery, of course with having to pump.

Sorry brother, an implanted dick is not as good as a natural one (assuming the natural one can stay rock hard for 30 minutes). The reason implant is inferior to natural is that the glans does not engorge and because you will probably lose some length. If you have AMS brand of implant, you will lose girth as well (not the case with titan where you might gain girth), also the angle of erection might be 3:00 rather than 2:00 so you might not be as good at "hands free entry" as you are now. So, prepare now, you will not be as good as you were when you were 20. The analogy is a knee replacement. The natural knee is better: it is more flexible, more stable, has better shock absorbing capability and can self heal. But if you natural knee has such bad arthritis that you have pain with every step, the decision to accept the limits of the artificial knee joint are acceptable and justifiable. So, your dick needs to be a piece of crap now, and if it is, then you will be happy with the surgery. If your dick is "good enough for your lifestyle" then there is a real chance that you will be unhappy with the surgery (because of the glans issue, the length issue, the angle issue, the unnatural issue, and the 10 year longevity issue). Regarding sensation, I kept 100 % of sensation. With Dr xyz , sensation does not appear to be an issue (though, for first 9 months, I was a little numb on the underside of my penis. That is now fully healed and all sensation is back to normal)

With all that said, with your experience what would you do in my shoes? How long would you wait to have the surgery ?

a) I would wait to have the surgery until the day that I wake up and say to myself "my ED is so bad that it is causing me to be depressed and has risen to the point of becoming a negative obsession" Restating my other comments: "If your dick works good enough to keep your dating life intact and your mental state happy, then do NOT get the surgery"

+1 on this.

I don't remember any decision being made to actually get the implant. The idea that I would stick with what I have now over getting an implant is such a ridiculous one that it's not even entered my head once.

Five years ago I might not have felt the same though, so those with doubts may just have to explore other options. The implant is extreme so getting it done when you're only half in is very risky.

[gene308]

Committing to an implant is a very big decision, I know.

My experience has been very good: 1) Size (length and Girth) same as before surgery 2) Glans engorgement same as before (good) 3) sensation and pleasure same as before (very good) 4) geometry has changed: I was pointed at 1:30 t0 2:00 before, now I point 90degrees at 3:00. It has changes some of our positioning. Not bad but different

The following are benefits from the implant that in some ways makes it better than a natural erection:

1) I can achieve an erection at will. My wifes desire for sex is unpredictable now. Whenever she gets in the mood I am always ready.The opportunities for lovemaking have been greatly expanded

2) I have always worked to make sure my wife has "happy ending" before I did. As you know this is not always easy. Working at suppressing these pleasurable feelings can detract from from the experience. With the implant I literally have "NO WORRIES" . It has been very freeing

3) I am free from performance anxiety. I can create and sustain my erection indefinitely. I can always say Honey "Welcome aboard"

4) I can change the firmness of the erection to accommodate my wifes preferences. I now have a "Customizable" Penis

While sex as a young stud had its advantages it also had its issues. Now I have different advantages and different issues. My goal is to make the very best of what I have.

[MARKOS2018]

Agree with Tangerine and has put it very well. Stick with your natural as long as you can if it is working now.

Your doctor will advise you well, as did Dr. Eid.

He asked many questions and was understanding. Docs go by all the patients they see and thus know better. Also you have to be truthful with your situation.

As many have said, my situation was unique, and looking back i wish i had done it sooner. Lost length and girth by waiting.

Wish you the best when you make your decision.

Fl

[tomas1]

Short answer is a working dick is better than an implant.
Maybe severe PE would tip the scale?

An implanted dick is was better than a limp dick.

[FMLFML85]

deleted

[jump.ship]

Working dick works for 5-10 minutes average. Working dick also subject to stress and other factors. Before ED I had success with less then half the women I attempted to have sex with. And the times I did it often lasted just a few minutes.

5-10 mins is not true at all. I am gay and - despite my ED - I have been with 100s of guys. I can tell you that the majority of them have full control over their erections. There are plenty that had problems, but the vast majority had no problems at all - no hangups, no issues, no anxiety, just a good solid erection on demand pretty much any time.

I only say this because I really think we should avoid talking up the implant so that it appears better than the average natural dick. It's not. If we compare against men that struggle then it is is better, but compared against the average - say 75% of men - the implant is second rate in every way. There are no benefits at all.

There is not a single man in that 75% bracket that would ever consider an implant, not a single one. If a man considers an implant to have ANY benefit then his dick is not average and he falls in the 25% bracket.

**NOTE: my stats are made up!

[FMLFML85]

deleted

[tomas1]

FMLFML85,
I'm not trying to "pile on",
but what you're experiencing doesn't fall into the "normal" category.
Only you can judge the degree of how bad things are before making the jump to an implant.
The decision was easier for most of us.