From Finasteride to VL to Implant

The final frontier. Deciding when, if and how.
daddel
Posts: 45
Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2020 6:47 am

From Finasteride to VL to Implant

Postby daddel » Wed Jan 04, 2023 4:58 am

Hi all,

I know the title is a bit provocative, but in the end that's exactly what happened to me (resp. will happen).

After reading here at FT for a very long time, I registered some time ago and am only now getting around to introducing myself and telling my story. I don't really have any more urgent questions about implants, I've learned everything I need to know here. Thank you very much for all the information I was able to gather here!

About me: I'm from Germany and was born in 1983, I'll be 40 in about a month. I will try to be as brief as possible, but I would like to share my background with you. In 2004/2005, when I was in my early 20s, I took Propecia (Finasteride) for hair loss. Then within a few days or almost overnight in the spring of 2005, I noticed that I couldn't get good erections anymore. I knew that this could be a side effect of Finasteride and I stopped taking it, but it never got better. Over the years, I was able to counteract it with PDE5 inhibitors like Cialis and Viagra, but the effect became less and less over the years. Around the end of 2013, I noticed that I had a huge drop in the effectiveness of the pills and since then it has been extremely difficult to get a sufficient erection even with very high dosages (400mg Viagra and other experiments). By the way, I don’t have any other risk factors for ED: I’m slim, do a lot of sports, don’t smoke, non-diabetic etc..

I have, of course, been following the research on "Post Finasteride Syndrome" for years and have been involved in all sorts of experiments discussed in the relevant online forums. From various dietary supplements, changes in diet, lifestyle, training, to shockwave and hormone therapies, and so on and so forth. I have tried everything under the sun and spent thousands of Euro. Nothing has had even the slightest effect on my erections: they just got worse and worse over time. I am basically a positive thinker and tend to be rational. But of course all this has a massive impact on my quality of life and mental state. You know what I'm talking about. Over the years, of course, I have seen many doctors and urologists. None of them could help. Either it's "in my head" or there was Viagra - that's it.

In 2020, I came into contact with a vascular specialist and andrologist here in Germany who is also one of the leading implant specialists. I wanted to know what the situation was with the arteries and veins in my penis and had an intensive examination. The result: venous leakage. In view of my age, the doctor agreed to perform a venous ligation on me. Knowing full well that this is more of an experimental nature and that success is not guaranteed or even rather unlikely. Since he had performed this operation successfully before, we gave it a try.

Since I have also "suffered" from an upward curvature of the penis since birth (this has never really been a problem...), he suggested that I have venous ligation and penile straightening at the same time. The operation took place in the summer of 2020. At first, the penis was straight afterwards and I also noticed a slight improvement in erections. However, both effects only lasted a few weeks, after which it was back to the way it was before. Although a little effect from the straightening is still there today. But that doesn't do me any good, because I can hardly get any erections. In early 2022, I convinced the doctor to try a second vein ligation, as I have often read that it has a better effect after the second attempt every now and then. He agreed. The second operation was in March 2022. 3-4 weeks of slight improvement in erections, then the effect disappeared again and I am back to 0.

Of course, I kept thinking about implants in parallel, but I wanted to try everything else first before taking this step. By the way, other forms of therapy like VED or injections don't give me erections at all. With luck, a chubby one. During a consultation with the surgeon a few weeks ago, we went through all the details and questions about implants. He mentioned positively that I was the patient of his who was already the best informed of all his implant patients, thank you FT :D

He suggested a Titan implant, but without pressuring me one bit. He said that the implant would help me very well and that I was a very good candidate. But the decision is mine alone. I may well get an appointment relatively soon, at the end of February. If this date doesn't work out, it would be in October (due to professional circumstances).

I will keep you updated. If anyone has any questions or tips for me, please feel free to contact me!

Cheers,
daddel
41y/o, Venous Leakage due to Finasteride use 17 years ago, PDE5-Inhibitors lost effect gradually over the years, nothing worked anymore.
Implanted 18 August 2023 (while I was 40y/o), Titan 20cm + 1cm RTE, Germany

daddel
Posts: 45
Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2020 6:47 am

Re: From Finasteride to VL to Implant

Postby daddel » Sun Jan 15, 2023 6:05 am

Update: Confirmed with my surgeon to have the procedure done in October. Fingers crossed.
41y/o, Venous Leakage due to Finasteride use 17 years ago, PDE5-Inhibitors lost effect gradually over the years, nothing worked anymore.
Implanted 18 August 2023 (while I was 40y/o), Titan 20cm + 1cm RTE, Germany

User avatar
bldoink
Posts: 3686
Joined: Mon Apr 03, 2017 12:58 am
Location: Fl.

Re: From Finasteride to VL to Implant

Postby bldoink » Sun Jan 15, 2023 11:54 am

daddel wrote:Of course, I kept thinking about implants in parallel, but I wanted to try everything else first before taking this step. By the way, other forms of therapy like VED or injections don't give me erections at all. With luck, a chubby one.

Have you tried the VED with the pills? Have you tried injections with pills and or a novelty/sex shop cock ring worn around your dick behind the boys?
R.R.P 2011 Mayo Jacksonville, Dr. Michael Wehle. Nerve sparing - badly damaged. C in margin. V.E.D, Viagra and PGE-1 (80mcg/ml) injections @ ~ 14 units. Originally Edex20, then compounded PGE-1 - cost. Inject. 10+ yrs. It works. Treasure coast of FL.

daddel
Posts: 45
Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2020 6:47 am

Re: From Finasteride to VL to Implant

Postby daddel » Sun Jan 15, 2023 3:46 pm

bldoink wrote:
daddel wrote:Of course, I kept thinking about implants in parallel, but I wanted to try everything else first before taking this step. By the way, other forms of therapy like VED or injections don't give me erections at all. With luck, a chubby one.

Have you tried the VED with the pills? Have you tried injections with pills and or a novelty/sex shop cock ring worn around your dick behind the boys?

Everything mate. Progress of damage of the tissue is too severe. VED doesn’t even give me something near an erection. Only a bit chubby. And even this disappears after the negative pressure from the VED disappears. Taking pills is like eating candy. No effect. Injection only chubby max!

Never understood cock ring (on me). Yes it makes the penis more full, but never hard.
41y/o, Venous Leakage due to Finasteride use 17 years ago, PDE5-Inhibitors lost effect gradually over the years, nothing worked anymore.
Implanted 18 August 2023 (while I was 40y/o), Titan 20cm + 1cm RTE, Germany

Frenchie
Posts: 165
Joined: Sun Sep 11, 2022 11:14 am

Re: From Finasteride to VL to Implant

Postby Frenchie » Sat Apr 01, 2023 4:05 pm

daddel wrote:Update: Confirmed with my surgeon to have the procedure done in October. Fingers crossed.

Which surgeon is going to do the operation? And why does it take so long for the surgery to take place?
Venous like since I was 20 years old. Pills don't work too well. Thinking of implant in the future

daddel
Posts: 45
Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2020 6:47 am

Re: From Finasteride to VL to Implant

Postby daddel » Sat Apr 01, 2023 4:26 pm

Frenchie wrote:
daddel wrote:Update: Confirmed with my surgeon to have the procedure done in October. Fingers crossed.

Which surgeon is going to do the operation? And why does it take so long for the surgery to take place?

Dr. Leiber. What you mean with so long? October is already in a few months.
41y/o, Venous Leakage due to Finasteride use 17 years ago, PDE5-Inhibitors lost effect gradually over the years, nothing worked anymore.
Implanted 18 August 2023 (while I was 40y/o), Titan 20cm + 1cm RTE, Germany

sswinsfba
Posts: 554
Joined: Sat Jan 07, 2023 3:08 pm

Re: From Finasteride to VL to Implant

Postby sswinsfba » Sat Apr 01, 2023 4:43 pm

daddel wrote: What you mean with so long? October is already in a few months.


The OP's surgery for Oct was scheduled in Jan; 9 months in advance. That seems like a long time to wait to me.
Age 72. On 5mg daily Cialis since ~2000. Minor ED started ~2 yrs ago. Major problem starting ~06/2022. Coloplast Titan Touch (20 cm w/1cm RTE) infrapublic implant done on 01/24/2023 by Dr. Edward Karpman (El Camino Urology Medical Group, Mt. View, CA).

daddel
Posts: 45
Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2020 6:47 am

Re: From Finasteride to VL to Implant

Postby daddel » Sat Apr 01, 2023 5:15 pm

sswinsfba wrote:
daddel wrote: What you mean with so long? October is already in a few months.


The OP's surgery for Oct was scheduled in Jan; 9 months in advance. That seems like a long time to wait to me.


As explained in the initial post, it was due to professional (job) circumstances. I suffered ED for now almost 18 years. So waiting a few months for the hopefully final solution isn’t too much in my eyes ;)
41y/o, Venous Leakage due to Finasteride use 17 years ago, PDE5-Inhibitors lost effect gradually over the years, nothing worked anymore.
Implanted 18 August 2023 (while I was 40y/o), Titan 20cm + 1cm RTE, Germany

annoyed31
Posts: 111
Joined: Wed Mar 01, 2023 5:17 am

Re: From Finasteride to VL to Implant

Postby annoyed31 » Mon Apr 03, 2023 5:51 pm

daddel wrote:Update: Confirmed with my surgeon to have the procedure done in October. Fingers crossed.


Can you tell me who is your surgeon ? I have an option to do it UKE (Armin Soave) or UKSH(Osmonov), I live in Hamburg.
Veno-Occulsive ED for 10+ years. Implanted 7.2023 AMS 700. Osmonov Germany

daddel
Posts: 45
Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2020 6:47 am

Re: From Finasteride to VL to Implant

Postby daddel » Tue Apr 04, 2023 7:28 am

annoyed31 wrote:
daddel wrote:Update: Confirmed with my surgeon to have the procedure done in October. Fingers crossed.


Can you tell me who is your surgeon ? I have an option to do it UKE (Armin Soave) or UKSH(Osmonov), I live in Hamburg.

See 4 posts above.
41y/o, Venous Leakage due to Finasteride use 17 years ago, PDE5-Inhibitors lost effect gradually over the years, nothing worked anymore.
Implanted 18 August 2023 (while I was 40y/o), Titan 20cm + 1cm RTE, Germany


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