I have calcified plaque, now what?

[Inky]

My doctor says I have "moderately calcified" plaque.
Said he has felt harder and more extensive, but mine is not soft and rubbery.

Should I bother continuing with traction, VED, supplements, blah, blah?

It is my understanding that once your plaque is calcified you should just get an implant because your future is basically hopeless. I am not interested in nesbit or graft.

Am I correct or incorrect? If there are 2 differing opinions here I will just assume I am correct and get a surgery consult next week and not bother listening to what anyone else here has to say. I don't see the point in killing myself with a keto diet and fasting and supplements and 6 hours of traction per day and constant reading, etc. if it just ends with an implant. All the rest of that is just torture if it all leads there. So why not just start there if it will end there anyway?

[TonySa]

Probably your best bet is surgery, just depends on how much time you're willing to commit to consider other options.

[Pfract]

It makes sense and an implant is a very viable option. See curved's diary. He had pretty severe plaques and curvature. You should definitely grab several opinions from doctors and stay informed as much as possible. It's always so helpful to have a plan...  

[limitless2222]

Shockwave therapy helps dissolving calcification and is reported to improve pain
I would give it a try since it's not that expensive and doesn't have any side effects

[Inky]

Sorry, please be quiet about shockwave therapy. Everyone here knows that is ineffective.

What I want to know is there any case of any improvement with a calcified plaque? If I do all the traction and everything else is there any hope at all? Because if I have surgery I will need to commit suicide. There are many reasons for this chief among them, I will be unable to take painkillers and unable to take any GABA-ergic agents (what they knock you out with to do the surgery in the first place).

I have read enough about surgeries to know it is an nightmare ride of uncertain outcomes with a hellish recovery. And then peyronie's will just return anyway. The only option for it not returning is an implant. And I will lose further length with an implant. And then erosion or some other horrible thing will just happen there. It really looks like suicide is the only thing on the table here. All other roads are blocked. stfu about therapists please.

[Inky]

Sorry limitless. That was unfair of me. I am just frustrated.

[limitless2222]

All good

I live in Germany and saw one of the leading uroologists called Dr Porst. He recommends shockwave therapy to those with calcified plaques. Studies about shockwave are old. New technology ensures good results in reducing pain and calcification. It's the information I got, check out his website about peyronies: https://www.porst-hamburg.de/spezielle-andrologie/induratio-penis-plastica.html
You can translate it
He always tries to avoid surgery
But I can understand the prejudice about shockwave since it doesn't reduces curvature and that's the biggest problem for most of the affected

[Inky]

Can some others please weigh in on this and not just the usual contributors. I feel there is nothing to fight for here. I just want to go and get an implant. But I don't want an implant obviously.

I want to fight with everything I have. But not if there is nothing to fight for. I am under the impression with a calcified plaque there is only doom. I do not want to continue with all this b.s. if in the end there is just implant. I am under the impression that every single person on this board that has any calcification is deluding themselves from the inevitable. I have always believed that if you are facing a firing squad, you should never give them the satisfaction. I want to go out like a man, fighting. But that does not seem realistic with a calcified plaque.

[MarkDS]

I have a large calcified plaque, resulting in a 100 degree upward curve.  8 weeks ago I had incision and grafting surgery.  I am still in fairly early stages of recovery.  The curve has reduced, but I am left with a residual curve, and have lost 1 1/2 inches i length from my pre disease length.

I am still hoping things will improve.

Sorry, not really much help, but there are other options than an implant.  Even though that may end up to be the final position  

[TonySa]

Good article, may answer one of your questions: Surgical management of Peyronies Disease - 'Up to Date' - Peyronies Society Forums

[MarkDS]

Very informative article.  Good to know the procedure I underwent is the recommended one for my situation.  Hopefully things will improve for me.  

The main disappointing thing is how the NHS in the Uk still apply the "wait and see" method for the first 12 to 18 months.  Things may have been so much different if I had start some for of treatment when the disease was first noticed.  

[curved]

Inky-  For what it is worth I too have a calcified plaque... and a quite significant one.  I am 3 months post implant surgery with Dr Eid.  I tried every conceivable treatment option prior to going the implant route including all pills, traction (RestoreX), VED and Xiaflex injections.  I had a 90 degree upward bend and now have an approximate 20 degree upward bend.  The decrease in curvature was from the implant alone and I did not have any grafting or plication. I am very satisfied with my decision on the implant surgery.  However, there are some realities with an implant that one should understand.  While you will never achieve a natural erection post implant you will be able to have sex again which was definitely a trade off I was going to make. And perhaps more importantly you will never have to worry about Peyronies Disease again.  I spent what seemed like every waking second prior to implant wondering if I could still satisfy my wife and was she going to leave me, etc. All somewhat irrational thoughts but they were there for sure. I no longer have to worry about that. I can still feel my plaque(s) but it is not nearly like before where it was a distinct knot.  It will take a bit longer to stretch the calcified plaque to get back to completely straight with the implant but for me it was the right decision.

[MarkDS]

Thanks for sharing your experience/situation.  Good to know in case I do eventually opt for an implant  

[Inky]

Hi curved. Thanks. Did Dr. Eid say the remaining 20 degree curve would straighten out completely? And that the plaque would become less distinct? I will obviously do more reading as the time draws closer if I do decide to go this route as far as what to expect. I am unclear on whether to do any exision or anything first, but I will school myself on that.

[curved]

Dr Eid said it would straighten with time but did not commit to 100 percent straight .... everyone is different I had one of 5 or 6 worst cases of plaque he had ever seen.  He was very pleased with how much it straightened immediately with the implant.  That being said I am not worried about getting back to 100 percent straight because my wife actually prefers the slight curvature upward. It seems to hit more sensitive areas in a good way. I have read elsewhere where it can take up to 9 months to completely straighten with an implant. Others have achieved complete straightening immediately after surgery... so everyone will get there at a different pace depending upon severity of curvature. I do know dr Eid does not prefer excision and grafting as the risk or infection goes up and results will depend on having a surgeon with a lot of experience.  I know some have had success with excision, grafting and implant combined.... see TonySa's posts.

[ConcernedandWorried]

I am curious about this too. While I do not know whether my plaque has calcified, I can safely say that most of the original scars (I've gained a few since the initial onset) no longer hurt. As of today, it has been 1 year and four months.

I was going to engage in the extreme fasting that JS1991 has done, but I'm now wondering if that will even make a difference. Unfortunately, there's no information out there on whether scars still shrink if they're not longer active. I feel like an idiot. I also stopped the traction because I was seeing no gains, and it felt incredibly uncomfortable.

Do all Peyronie's scars calcify?  

[TonySa]

Not all calcify, not at the same rate...how many months did you give traction and how long each day?

[ConcernedandWorried]

2h every day.