If I knew then what I know now...

[Lost Sheep]

Looking back on your personal history of erectile (dys)function and relationships, at what point in your life would you have opted for a penile implant if you knew then what you know now and given the state of the art of implants at the time?

What year? Yow old were you? What was your (erectile, financial, family, etc) condition at that time? What was your relationship history at the time? What (would have) tipped you over?

Consider this a chance to compose a retrospective narrative of your life.

Musson's topic (Would you, or wouldn't you? franktalk.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=19383 ) suggested to me that I should look back on my entire erectile and relationship history (40-50 years of erections, good and diminishing) and wonder if I had known about implants back then and knowing that I would eventually get one, at what point would I have opted for an earlier implant date. I will get back to this thread in a few days with my own narrative.

Keep in mind where implants were at the time.

In 1936, rib cartilage was used to provide erectile stiffness followed by acrylic penile implants in 1952 and silicone later on

Such malleables were the only option until the first inflatables were introduced in 1973 by AMS.

In 1974 better malleables, much like today's devices, were introduced.

Throughout the 80's incremental improvements were made to inflatable prostheses

Oral medications were available in 1998

Coloplast (nee Mentor) introduced their device in 1983

1993 saw device survival rates increasing (5-year survival reaching 78% from 65% earlier overall rate and 94% from 71% mechanical rate)

source:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl ... %20(PDE5Is)%20in%201998.

[AmansinCali]

Great topic Lost Sheep!

I can see in the future the injections may stop working, I am 77 now, so when? Right now injections enable fine, but I have frustrating failures from time to time and I hate the "scheduling" required, it is no longer spontaneous and as you well know that takes some of the fun and excitement out of it.

How old is too old to go through the operation? I certainly don't like the idea of an irreversible operation any more than anyone else. I am in good health, active, and feel young and I don't want to quit fucking, I have a great partner of 55 years who only wants the best for me.

I have an appointment with a highly rated urologist at UC Irvine at the end of the month. I have gone through a couple urologist who just weren't with the program so I am going to start fresh with a new doctor who does it all. I need a good evaluation and proper testing.

So, I am very interested in what will be posted on this topic, thank you Lost Sheep.

[tomas1]

Aman, you sound like me.
I had the surgery when I was 80 and have enjoyed 3 years of sex that we never expected.

[stmfttr]

[quote="AmansinCali"]Great topic Lost Sheep!
How old is too old to go through the operation? I certainly don't like the idea of an irreversible operation any more than anyone else. I am in good health, active, and feel young and I don't want to quit fucking, I have a great partner of 55 years who only wants the best for me.

AC,
I asked the same question prior to my implant 3 years ago and was told "there is no age limit". Your urologist will/should ask for your complete medical history and current medications.
Are you on a blood thinner
Are you diabetic?
For starters

Yes, the implant procedure is irreversible...BUT as for spontaneity and being able to have a "woody" anytime, It beats the hell out of the alternatives. The wife and I have almost 53 years together...best sex we've ever had.
stmfttr

[FMLFML85]

.

[dg_moore]

If I had a crystal ball I would have gotten my implant 10 years before I finally did it. My ED was worsening over that period; pills lost their effect, injections did not work, T replacement therapy had no effect, and the VED was really not "better than nothing." At the end of that arbitrary 10 year period I got my implant, but had a stroke that destroyed my libido and left me with no desire. I could have had 10 years of good sex before it all went south, but not having a crystal ball made all the difference. Having a working penis with zero interest in using it is functionally the same thing as having a penis that does not work. Oh, and adding insult to injury, my implant quit working a couple of years ago.

[AmansinCali]

What great posts you guys!

I gather that the mental part is just as important as the physical part, but the mental aspect makes the decision difficult. I knew this was going to be a great topic, keep posting guys, it helps.

[Old Guy]

If I could turn back time and know what I know now about implants, my implant would have been done about ten years sooner. Up to my mid-50's it was no problem getting hard, my libido has always been a 10/10. When ED started the wife and I had a long conversation about it. That was about the time Viagra was new and being promoted as the cure. Finally braved to ask my doc and she gave me a prescription. That was when insurances actually paid for it! About four years and it began to fail, upped my dose which gave me one more year but the side effect of migraines. Spent one more year with ED and no cure. Then I found injections. Those worked for about three years then began to fail. On a trip to Vegas I saw an ad for an implant doctor, WHAT? Back home I started my research for a doc who performed implants.
Unfortunately I didn't find FT before my surgery. If I knew what I know now before taking that first Viagra, it would have been implant instead.

[AST2123]

LS, interesting subject!
Of course, I would have done it 3 or 4 months after my RP, ie early 2018, if I knew about the implant at that time. However, when I remember times when I pre-ejaculated or went soft/didn't get good erection because I wasn't in the mood, I just wish I had the implant at that time.
That is why I believe having an implant in early 30s, if you have some kind of ED, even if not severe, will make enjoyable for you more than any time later.
This is just what comes to my mind sometimes, but in reality if I went back to that time, I might not consider replacing my blood-filled dick with an implant because I wasn't able to have sex twice or 3 times in a row .

[considering89]

"If I knew then what I know now" ...

So I'm in the "then" category - no implant yet, but have ED - and I want to learn from my fellow brothers.

And Old Guy's sentence below stopped me in my tracks and made me want to ask this ...

How is an implant (well-functioning/done by a good surgeon) not preferable to pills for a man with physical ED that isn't likely to "heal" itself? Pills allow me to have sex with my wife, but the erections are 70%-80% at best, often fade quickly, I need heavy doses, and PE is so bad that 5 minutes would be an eternity for me. Sex is no longer something I look forward to, but makes me anxious thinking about because I don't perform well.

I feel like it's taken as gospel sometimes that if pills "work", then stick with them. Why? I assume (but don't know) that this sentiment is not about actual function of implant vs pills, but about the emotional/mental component of giving up "natural" function for an implant. Because functionally, how could an implant not be better than pills, especially if pills are a bit shaky for the man anyway?

So I have to then ask - If you set aside the emotional/mental "loss" of no longer having a "natural" erection, is an implant not better than pills?

- No planning sex
- Increased confidence of knowing I can, 100% of the time
- Increased satisfaction. Even if pills give me an erection, I constantly worry it'll go down, and therefore sex with my wife is not as enjoyable as it's meant to be
- Depression/Black cloud of ED gone

If I knew what I know now before taking that first Viagra, it would have been implant instead.