ERECTIONS related - Q&A (not ED related)

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DannyOcean

I read the book The Hardness Factor a while back and the main thesis was that the health of a man can, by and large, be seen in the quality of his erections.  The book lays down a program from improving erectile quality and health in general.  The device used to gauge erectile quality is called a Digital Inflection Rigidometer and the author has a chart in the book that outlines what various measurements mean in terms of health.

It seems to me like erectile quality is something that people with Peyronies Disease should be very concerned about for a couple of reasons.  First, it seems fairly obvious that a person with a very rigid erection would be much less likely to injure themselves or re-injure themselves during sexual activity.  Second, it seems possible that someone who is able to achieve a very rigid erection would be in a much better state to heal their Peyronies Disease than someone who is not.  Because a DIR can allow us to have a quantitative measurement of erection strength this could translate into a quantitative measurement of healing state which seems extremely valuable.

I'm curious as to whether anyone here is measuring their erectile quality and if so, how are you doing it.  The only personal DIR-type device I've seen is here (http://www.dir-4u.com/products/default.aspx?product=dir4u) and it's a bit expensive.  I'm curious as to whether there are any cheaper options.  I'd love to get a good dialogue going about this.  This isn't going to cure Peyronies Disease but could possibly lay the groundwork for getting ourselves to point where healing of Peyronies Disease is much more likely to happen.

mike67

I was diagnosed 5 weeks ago with Peyronies. My Uro put me on a daily 5 mg doseage of Cialis . I am one week on the Fritzz Vitality VED.
The Cialis is giving me 2 - 3 night time erections. Sometimes hard , sometimes softer. They can be a little , not painful , but uncomfortable. And they wake you in the middle of the night each time they occur.
As part of our treatment protocols here on the Forum , (how do you ask this question) - should you try to straighten the penis while it is erect or just let it stay bent til the erection subsides? Grasping it and forcing it to straighten in your hand gives one the feeling you are assisting in the "cure". Can this action be harmful or helpful ? Thanks for any experienced insight here.
Mike
Mikey

Old Man

mike67:

Just read your post about trying to straighten your bend/curve while in an erect state. IMHO, it is not recommended to do this as that kind of action might have been the cause of your Peyronies Disease. Bending an erect penis can possibly cause more trauma as I see it. I know that bending mine started my first bout of Peyronies Disease way back in the 1950s!

The above carries my usual caveat that it is my own opinion and knowledge gained through many years of dealing with my personal Peyronies Disease case.

Old Man
Age 92. Peyronies Disease at age 24, Peyronies Disease after
stage four radical prostatectomy in 1995, Heart surgery 2004 with three bypasses/three stents.
Three more stents in 2016. Hiatal hernia surgery 2017 with 1/3 stomach reduction. Many other surgeries too.

mike67

Thanks for the advice Old Man. I'll leave it alone from now on. To take the pressure off , I skip taking the Cialis every 7-8 days for one day. Today I didn't take it. I need a break once in awhile from the early morning wake up calls.
Thanks again
Mikey

BrooksBro

I have heard some men here only taking Cialis every OTHER day, since it has longer action than the 25 mg Viagra that I take nightly.  Now that my erection pain has decreased significantly, most of my night time erections do not awaken me anymore.  When they do, I just smile knowing everything is working as it should, roll to another position, and go back to sleep.

mike67

Brooks Bro
I skipped 2 nights in a row. Perhaps I'll follow your comment and try every other night.
Thanks
Mikey

YMENOW

Quote from: mike67 on July 23, 2010, 01:44:23 PM
I was diagnosed 5 weeks ago with Peyronies. My Uro put me on a daily 5 mg doseage of Cialis . I am one week on the Fritzz Vitality VED.
The Cialis is giving me 2 - 3 night time erections. Sometimes hard , sometimes softer. They can be a little , not painful , but uncomfortable. And they wake you in the middle of the night each time they occur.

Mike

Exactly my sentiment on the night time and morning erections.  I wondered what precipitated this daily occurrence, and now I believe that the daily use of the VED has brought out good changes for me.  The Forum has straightened me on this issue as well as some additional research on my own, indicating that my penis is in good health!  Many take Pentox and other meds for Peyronies, but the only "thinner" that I take is 7.5 mg of Coumadin every day. Depending on my INR, I have to worry about bruising myself during the VED protocol.  I am doing all right since I am in the 14th week now and have no problems; and, I have had tremendous changes in my symptoms.  Hats off to all here at the Forum and I know that you will do well as long as you follow the regimen.

YMN

YMN

YMN

mike67

Thanks for your comments YMN.  I should also have stated that I take the Cialis in the morning with my breakfast. Even though I skipped 2 days in a row I still had a couple of hard ones last night.
Starting the every other day now.
Mikey

fubar

Mike :

I take 5 milligrams every other day or two. As long as I see me still functioning I am happy. I don't want adolescent erections all through the night,especially bent ones. You should probably take less cialis if erections are waking you. But if you experience not having any erections that is not good either.

Cialis is for those that have problems getting and maintaining erections, and its effects last longer than viaga. Maybe you don't need cialis Mikey maybe your getting your second wind.

Your buddy:fubar








fubar

 Danny:
I once saw one of these meters advertised as a gift if you were to purchase a certain penis extender. I thought it was silly I still do.

bring up the concern of erection quality important. I hope that people read further into your post as I did not at first.

This has been brought up many times, that you should not have intercourse with a half or semi erection because you can cause more trauma to the penis. I just don't see a battery operated devise with led indicators being a better judge of their erection quality than myself. After all it is my equipment given to me at birth.

Nice idea just do not see the need for this.

Thanks:fubar

DannyOcean

Thanks fubar.  I think the purpose for the DIR might be simply to be able to quantify your erection strength.  It's one thing to think you have a stronger erection and another to be able to say I've gone from 600 to 700 (or whatever the numbers are).  I think this could be a very important way of judging progress throughout the Peyronies Disease healing process (not to mention to protect against further injury) and therefore am surprised there hasn't been more discussion of this here.

ComeBacKid

DannyOcean,

Erection quality is a sign of peyronies, not the only sign however.  When I was on the VED and Pentox both separately, they both improved the quality of my erections, making them "fill up," better and get solid, bigger, and the fullest my penis could be.  This is not just a measure of health, but is imporant, as the erection fills up, blood and oxygen get to all tissues of the penis, and if your on pentox, it gets to all the tissues and helps in the repairing process.  It's also stretching your damaged tissue.  Before I found the VED, or pentox, my erections were "weak," and would go down fast, and were thin, not as full as what they could be.  I'm much more concerned about erection quality not for my overall body healthy, but for repairing damaged tissue, keeping my penis stretched (the plaque as well) and getting oxygen to all parts of it!

Comebackid

Tim468

Most guys notice a qualitative difference. Measuring it more precisely does not help in my opinion. I think "better" - as unscientific as that sounds - is good enough for most guys.

In sleep medicine, they used to measure nocturnal tumescence with a strain gauge (expensive) to check for erections. Placing a few stamps from a roll (remember those?) around the penis, and gluing them together - and then checking to see if they had been torn apart overnight, worked about as well.

Tim
52, Peyronies Disease for 30 years, upward curve and some new lesions.

mike67

Jim
My issue with PY is that it wasn't hard enough above the bend due to less blood flow. My Urologist prescribed the daily dose but when I asked why , he said it would help soften the plaque. Anyway they are hard and I'm starting on a regimen of every other day.
Mike
Mikey

fubar

Mik67

My urologist told  me cialis would help straighten.I'm still waiting for that to happen. I figured it would just help with blood flow. But who knows maybe that with pentox and using ved therapy will do the trick.

Fubar

mike67

Fubar
I imagine it is the same thing Jim. Help straighten by softening the plaque.

Mike
Mikey

fubar

Mike67:

Never heard of cialis softening any thing maybe I need to do some research or take more of it. I thought it just helped with blood flow to create a more solid erect penis. That is interesting most on the forum do add levitra ,viagra or cialis to their pav cocktail. I did not know cialis contained a softening component. I thought Thor's three were for us that are experiencing ED. Have not read that anywhere.

Thanks,fubar

mike67

Fubar
All I can say is that is what my Uro told me. I guess I have to believe him -- but -- perhaps it is only a hardening agent. Something I'll definitely ask him , along with a lot of other things now that I am a little more knowlegable , thanks to this Forum.

Kind of like wanting to believe something when in fact it may not actually perform as the professional stated.

Mike
Mikey

Old Man

Mike:

I have long since learned that professionals are just human like the rest of us. They have professional training and equip themselves to the best of their ability to perform based on the knowledge gained. However, they do not always take the time to keep up the many and varied changes in their field of expertise that occur on a timely basis especially if it is not in the realm of their acquired expertise.

So, as humans they are subject to making poor decisions and/or diagnoses based on their knowledge at the time for that decision/diagnosis, etc.
Therefore, we as patients need to do our homework and examine the background and expertise of any professional we seek for their help. Remember the term practicing which simply means that they are applying their gained knowledge in order to gain experience and expertise.

The above is just my experience based on many years of trying to learn more about my medical health and how to treat maladies as they occur. So, it is just my gained opinions. I am sure that Tim can jump in here and add to the above too.

Old Man
Age 92. Peyronies Disease at age 24, Peyronies Disease after
stage four radical prostatectomy in 1995, Heart surgery 2004 with three bypasses/three stents.
Three more stents in 2016. Hiatal hernia surgery 2017 with 1/3 stomach reduction. Many other surgeries too.

zariche

It probably doesn't make it soften, but it will mostly help stretch it out since you should have a fuller erection.  Although if it's not too tough of tissue maybe with the extra blood can possibly soften it up due to stretching, but I doubt it will physically soften it up itself.

MikeSmith

i think increasing blood flow and nighttime erections are just generally a good thing so that's why my doc gave me cialis too on a daily dose.  nighttime erections are just part of normal healthy function & if you dont have them i think its not going to improve as much... just my thoughts on the matter though.

just curious - did your insurance cover the 30 5 mg tabs in full?  with viagra, my insurance only lets me have like 6 per month for $35.  I can still divide them up but I have not filled the 30 cialis w/ insurance yet (i got it for free via this rebate they were giving to urologists)

Oh also - any low back pain w/ cialis?  I have it like the day or two after...and it's actually pretty sore and uncomfortable.  Viagra makes my face hot and i get congested...so I guess the sore back & longer half-life in cialis is the trade off (plus easy daily use) for me.

mike67

MikeS
Thanks for your input. I'm hoping you are right re the night time erections as those are my thoughts precisely. But as Old Man mentioned , perhaps my Uro is just giving out instructions based on his existing knowledge. But this Uro is supposed to be one of the Peyronies guys here in S. Ontario so I have to believe that his prescription will benefit in the long run. Anyway - I'm continuing to take them every other day.  
My insurance , Manulife in Canada , covers my Viagra 100%. When I had to claim Cialis as well , I sent them an explanatory letter .
The total cost for 28 tabs was $149.44 cdn and they paid $49.12.
I was hoping for more but at the same time , am grateful they covered a portion. At $100 to me monthly ( 1 per day) that's $1200 per year , Peyronies is a costly disease in many ways.
At tax time I can claim my outlay so will get about 20% of that back.
Regarding back pain - funny you should mention it. I started getting pain in my left thigh at the same time I started on Cialis. But while I was thinking it was due to the Cialis - it mushroomed into a full blown bout of Sciatica 3 weeks ago which I am just now coming out of - due to relentless stretching , swimming and hot whirlpooling at the Y. It's hard to say the back pain was due to Cialis . With Viagra I get flushing and the tinted vision. But haven't taken one for several weeks. Getting through the PY is hard on my wife so we haven't been doing it . Not sure where that will go. It's no fun for either of us. What about you?
Thanks

Mike67  
Mikey

bass

The doctor was not helpful, so I will ask you guys. I think you guys are more knowledgable and caring than most doctors.  

SYMPTOMS:
During an erect state, there is a bulge on the upper glans, as if the blood is trying to push its way out through the wall of the glans. (On the right upper side of glans.) Imagine a hernia, where something is trying to push its way out through an area. It basically looks like "a hernia on the glans." After the erection goes away, this symptom goes away.

This "hernia on the glans" is not always present during every erection, but it appears if the erection lasts for several minutes.

Could it be a large blood vessel or vein is ruptured directly under the skin of the glans?


QUESTIONS:
Does anybody have a detailed picture showing the anatomy of the glans penis? What exactly is within the glans penis? Does the corpora cavernosa extend all the way to the glans penis, or does it stop before entering the glans? Does the tunica albuginea go all the way to the glans penis or does it stop before reaching the glans? To clarify the question, if you remove the skin of the glans penis, what will be directly underneath that outer layer? Will you see the tunica albuginea? And if you remove that second layer will you see the corpora cavernosa under that?


Is it possible for there to be a tear of the corpora or tunica albugina within the glans itself?

Does this sound like a serious problem? Can anything be done about it? It has been happening for a few months now.  

fubar

The
Anatomy of a penis is not hard to find.Just google and you will have the answer staring you in the face.

Fubar

0x5555

Sorry I didn't answer this earlier.

You need to find a doctor who can help ASAP.  Don't delay, it may be nothing OR it may be something you can get treated.

If you have to go to an emergency room.  They treat penis issues really seriously, you'll be seen by someone within minutes in my experience.

Like I say, this MAY be nothing but you need a doctor to see it and you need to find one who takes this seriously.

fubar

DEAR SIR:

Nobody  sees penis issuses seriously. Really you believe their are some responsible doctors that do?

Fubar

0x5555

I do.  The emergency room has different rooms based on priorities.  When I went in with a friend who had trouble breathing we had to wait 2 hours to see a doctor.  When I went to the emerg complaining of penis pain I was sent to 'RAZ' which is the Rapid Assessment Zone.  I was seen literally within 5 minutes, I didn't even have time to sit down or open a book - as soon as I gave my personal info the nurse was calling my name.

I believe this is because penis fractures are a medical emergency and need to be fixed ASAP.  This is why I would recommend anyone with a penis related injury to go to the emergency room.  You will be seen quickly and if it is a fracture you will be booked in for surgery that hour.  If caught penis fracture surgery has a 95% success rate.  I believe that many of our younger guys who have scar tissue actually had a fracture that we didn't get looked at quickly enough.  Not all fractures cause the eggplant deformity, I've heard stories of people who simply have pain on erection and a popping sensation which in my case was similar to my initial symptoms.

As far as specialists go, I think there is definitely a little less care and attention.  The penis is just a pretty complicated organ and urology involves other parts of the anatomy so there may not be as specialization.  As well I think once scar tissue has formed (which seems like the brunt of our issues) there isn't a whole lot that can be done.  That's why I recommend people go to a doctor ASAP when they have any pain.  Most of the stuff I've heard involving the penis has to be treated really quickly or there aren't many options left that have really favorable outcomes.

fubar

He had to wait for two hours? Unrelated penis injury? Whats the point? I really do not believe any medical assistance is rushing to a penile inccident!

Fubar

sgtnick

On a medical treatment scale of 1 to 10 (ten -10- being severed limbs, artery's etc. also cornary occlusions  and one -1- being an ingrown toe nail, Peyronies Disease is probably a 2.  Two reasons: Peyronies Disease treatment isn't very profitable for the Dr. and most Docs have no clue how to deal with it.

There is more ED than heart disease in America so we would think that there would have been more pressure for a CURE.  Yeah, I know, we have the three Erectogenics but they ain't a cure.  They eventually quit working and for  $25-$30 a pop most working stiffs (no pun) can't afford them.

After dealing with Peyronies Disease for 4-plus years with no results from all the modern voo doo medicine offered, I got implanted.  Now that is my cure!  Erections on demand that are harder than Chinese Algebra and that last for hours is my idea of a functional penis.  My wife gets off (again, no pun) on the prosthetic approach also.

I suppose a few Docs are compassionate and would if they could treat us.  But, what can they offer?  My family Doc told me initially that he would write a script for anything or refer me to a Urologist anywhere in North America, but he also told me "DON'T GET YOUR HOPES UP, AIN'T NOTHING WORKING." You know, he was right.  He was also kind enough to tell me the truth up front and also write a treatment history so well that my insurance paid for the implant.