Implant this year...

[sonnyjim]

Guys, I am losing faith with all this crap and basically what I want to ask is how much is the implant going to change my life? Because all I keep asking myself is how I can possibly live the rest of my life like this.

I know I'll probably get some nasty replies as usual but honestly after the length of time I've been dealing with this I really don't mind. I cant feel any worse.

My ED is that bad that literally nothing works, the implant is the last thing left for me. I might as well wait and see what the outcome will be before I drive into a brick wall, right?

[TonySa]

Consult w an expert implant specialist.  I haven't heard of any guys w implants that have regretted it...

[sonnyjim]

The only implant surgeon I have seen is Dr Ralph in London. He is a high volume implant surgeon but not as well known on here as surgeons in the US.

I'm only a young guy though so I feel like I dont really have that much room for error at this point. If I want a somewhat normal life.

[Stabler]

SonnyJim,

This is a pretty simple answer.... If you are unable to have sex now due to E.D. and you have an implant done by an experienced and qualified surgeon, you will then be able to have sex. You need to do your homework though and make sure you choose the right surgeon.

Stabler

[sonnyjim]

Has there been any cases where implants were not able to be done due to scar tissue or anything? That's my worry. Several parts of my penis feel like solid lumps.

Regarding implant surgeons I only really have one choice: Dr Ralph in London. I havent seen a lot of people recommend anyone other than Kramer, Eid or Karpman and I don't think I'd be able to to travel and have my surgery done with any of them anytime soon.

He is the highest volume implant surgeon in the UK and a professor though, if that makes any difference.

I guess my question really is, will my life be normal afterwards? Can I still expect to have a good sex life and everything else?
Thanks.

[tomas1]

I think implants are a crap shoot.
The scarring worries me if the doctor doesn't know how to mitigate that.
Since I had no Peyronies Disease or scarring, I had a great result and my wife wishes I'd done it 20 years ago.
I can only imagine what sex would be like if my wife and I were younger.
It's still not bad though.

[sonnyjim]

That's what worries me. I'm a young guy but I have scarring, not sure how bad it actually is but once I'm under the knife they will find out, I guess.

Hoping for an incision maybe, to release it and maybe get some size back. The scarring prevents my penis from expanding.

I am only 30. Ed is severe and doesn't respond to pills or injections so the implant is my only hope. I'm not in a good place mentally.

[samsung]

What are you guys talking about as far as scarring goes? Unless you just have pure ED, then you have scarring. Everyone on here has fibrosis unless you just got an implant for ED in and of itself. Maybe I'm wrong but even if your dick is ossified there has to be something they can work with.

[TonySa]

I have heard with extensive calcification a narrower implant may be needed...but that's why there's different sizes and in the end it shouldn't be any narrower than it already was...and now it works!

[sonnyjim]

I don't have pure erectile dysfunction, where it just stops working naturally, I'm too young for that (this started 4 years ago).

I had an MRI and an ultrasound years ago and it showed "nothing out of the ordinary) yet I can feel the hard lumps with my fingers and doctors have said they could too.
Its confusing how this could even happen if the damage is that bad that my dick just stopped responding to anything.

I'm either a very rare case or somebody wasnt doing their job properly. Hopefully this means that the scar tissue isn't big enough or bad enough to be seen on both tests.

But thanks for the reassurance guys, it's nice to know that no matter how bad this actually is an implant should work.

[Roddy]

Sonnyjim, you are a UK citizen like me. I saw my local Consultant Urologist who was essentially a good guy. He decided to excise my severe plaque and fit a graft. My calcification was extreme and the operation, whilst a success initially, ultimately failed. I researched Dr Ralph as well and, yes, you are correct that he is the highest volume implant surgeon in the UK. I am in Scotland tho and he works in London. Travelling to see him would not have been a problem to me tho but I managed to find out that Mike Fraser, out of Glasgow Royal Infirmary, is the 3rd highest volume implant surgeon in Britain. Soon as I met him my mind was made up. He is a fantastic man who told me exactly how it was - no BS at all. He worried that he wouldn't get the implant through my plaque but, as things could not be ANY worse, decided to give it his best shot. The rest is history for me now and I'm a new man in more ways than just my dick. In the UK, we get our 'local' surgeon as we don't pay for Healthcare at the point of use. However, I paid to see Mr Fraser privately - £250 - and explained to him I had no private medical insurance and as I knew he was my best shot, and had sought him out, asked him if he would transfer me from my current surgeon to himself. He made the required calls - they all know each other by the way - and he put me on his list. I was happy to wait 6 months or whatever to get the best surgeon but waited only 4 weeks. The reason I'm telling you all this is because I'm sure you could do the same sort of thing with Mr Ralph?  

[tomas1]

I really think it's helpful when we cite a surgeon for either a good or bad result.
It makes it clear that there are more than 3 world class surgeons.

Jim, have you tried a VED? I wonder if that would give you expansion.
If so, I'd recommend using it to get back to the length you were originally given.

I know some guys on FT have used Dr Ralph.
I can't speak to their opinions of him though.

[sonnyjim]

Roddy - I did ask to be under Dr Ralph. Initially I was being seen by Dr Christopher. I wasn't happy with him rushing me in and out of appointments and not taking me as seriously due to my age. He is half the reason why this has dragged on and on and on.

I just feel like this should of been done and dusted by now. Who goes through this many years of torture when "specialists" know that it doesn't ever improve.

Dr Ralph even stated the fact that this is the last option and seems hesitant because I'm only 30 years old but if I dont do this now, what am I really waiting for? A miserable life on my own.

Tomas - I have tried to use a VED but it doesn't work great to be honest. I still cant get an erection even when I use it but I have still used it to try and maintain what I have. It's like the scar tissue stops expansion, soft glans and literally zero sensation in my penis at all.

[Hawk]

I have no doubt that a skilled surgeon can install an implant regardless of how much scar tissue you think you have.  If your glans does not engorge now than it is very unlikely it will engorge after the implant but your shaft will be rock hard for as long as you want it.

On the topic of sensitivity - You should lose no sensitivity in the glans or shaft but it is also a mystery as to what is causing insensitivity so I would not count on an implant restoring that.

If you cant get an erection and have intercourse now, an implant will certainly fix that with nothing but a positive step forward.  If you still have a lack of sensitivity you can try to resolve that separately but you will be able to give a partner anything she wants.

[Roddy]

Sonnyjim,

Reading Hawk's response just reminded me of a post I created a while back that outlines the positives and the negatives of an implant. You, and no doubt many others too, are going about with the recurring thoughts in your head about whether an implant is right for you or not. Essentially, if you cannot get an erection, haven't been able to for some time now, and are terrified of a future with no sex in a relationship, then having an implant must be your solution. If anything, I'd argue that at 30 years of age it's almost more important to do so sooner rather than later as you are probably at an age where the potential to meet partners is still very high. Having a soft head may not be ideal but having a rock hard shaft will more than make up for that. Here's a link to my previous post.

https://www.peyroniesforum.net/index.php/topic,12586.msg115564.html#msg115564

[Roddy]

SonnyJim,

This is a pretty simple answer.... If you are unable to have sex now due to E.D. and you have an implant done by an experienced and qualified surgeon, you will then be able to have sex. You need to do your homework though and make sure you choose the right surgeon.

Stabler

Actually couldn't say it any simpler than Stabler has.  

[sonnyjim]

Thanks for the reassurance guys.

As you said Roddy my age is a concern. If I leave it too late, I'm wasting my life really.

My main worries are loss of size, soft glans (less pleasure for partner?) device malfunctioning (I've read 4 revisions is probably the most) that means potentially having no sex life later on but I guess that's better than having none at all.

I know I have to do it I just have a million questions. I would like the size I have now and not less because I have lost some size already, mainly girth. The scar tissue is like a band around my penis but I have no curve or anything, just  very weak erections even with injections cannot maintain it.

I would like the scar tissue to be removed but apparently they dont do that. That bothers me because I can feel it 24/7 it's a feeling like as if somebody was squeezing my penis.

Anyway the surgery could be as early as May.

[Hawk]

Sonnyjim,

Like you, I  put off an implant for over a decade because I assumed I might lose size and have a flacid head BUT unlike you, I got some benefit from my size AND I got a very engorged head with a VED so I had something to lose.  I was also having regular, albeit not ideal sex.  YOU HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE.  You don't have an engorged glans now.  If you are not getting erect you have a diminished size.  You are not having sex.  All the things you fear might happen are things that have already happened and are part of your life every day.

As it turned out, all my fears were foolish.  I gained size and like every other member here with an implant, I wish I had done it sooner.  The longer you wait the smaller the implant you will get.   I can assure you however, that a 4" penis that never fails in any sexual situation is far better than an 8" penis that used to work.

[Larry]

I have no doubt that a skilled surgeon can install an implant regardless of how much scar tissue you think you have.

They usually can clean out quite a bit of scar tissue

Larry

[sonnyjim]

The only reason I would of thought about putting this off was my age but I have accepted that after almost 4 years nothing is likely to improve and all I am likely to have is a smaller penis anyway.

I really don't want to end up with a small penis and have to live with it for the rest of my life. But either way, what do I really have to lose now?

Will scar tissue be removed during the surgery because I'm guessing that if it is causing me this many problems already, it probably isn't going to be easy for the cylinders to be put in the way things are.

Thanks for the replies guys. It helps to know I am not the only one dealing with such a crap situation.

[tomas1]

I really hope you have a good result.

[sonnyjim]

Thanks guys.

I'm not getting my hopes up, I'm only an NHS patient after all. I'm not going private, I wish I could but I cant afford it. I would of had it done years ago if I could.

I have two appointments next month. One is with a nurse, one with the surgeon. Is it reasonable to expect that this operation will be done this year if I'm supposed to be choosing which implant I want next month in the appointment with the nurse?

I just want this crap done. I need a life, which right now I do not F^@$!ng have.

[TonySa]

Sonny, let's us know how the appt goes.  Are you leaning toward AMS or coloplast?

[sonnyjim]

I don't really have a preference although I've probably seen more positive things on Titan apart from flaccid not looking as natural.

I just dont want to lose too much size, other than that I'm not bothered which one I have aslong as it works.

My only worries are loss of more size, pain, how long recovery will take, how long will I be off work, loss of earnings etc.

I'm just hoping that my mental state improves after what is like, 3 and a half years with no sex life. I'm also wondering if this could actually even work. Who knows...

[tomas1]

Jim, IMO if you have a good result, it will do wonders for your mental outlook.
It has for mine, Now I wish I wasn't so damned old lol.

[Hawk]

Tomas, I am like you.  I keep thinking if I die it is a shame to bury a perfectly good working penis

[sonnyjim]

With this Corona disease crap it wouldn't surprise me if my appointments get called off or prolonged.

I hope not but we'll see.

[Larry]

Thanks for the reassurance guys.

As you said Roddy my age is a concern. If I leave it too late, I'm wasting my life really.

My main worries are loss of size, soft glans (less pleasure for partner?) device malfunctioning (I've read 4 revisions is probably the most) that means potentially having no sex life later on but I guess that's better than having none at all.

Don't worry about age.  There are people in their 70's and even 80's getting the implant.  Some implants have been reported to be working great more that 20 years after being implanted.  As for size, you have to cycle at least twice a day.  I still do and I doubled in length and girth.  You just have to follow every instruction the doctor gives you.

Larry

[curved]

sonnyjim... just want to weigh in on the issue of excessive scar tissue.  I had an implant put in just about a year ago by Dr Eid in NYC. During my pre-op work up he did an ultrasound and was worried he would not be able to put in the 3 piece implant (Coloplast Titan) because, as he said "you have truly impressive plaque"... this wasn't a compliment. In the end he was able to get the 3 piece in and I remain quite satisfied.  I am not perfectly straight and most likely never will be due to the extensive calcified plaque.  I did go from a 90 degree bend to an approximate 20 degree bend upright which is more than adequate for sex.  I also regained my girth back where prior there was significant hourglassing.  Dr Eid said that worst case if he could not get the 3 piece implant in he would have to put in a 1 piece malleable implant and let that stretch the plaque for a period of time (3 - 12 months) and then he could put a 3 piece in.  Again in the end he didn't have to do this but wanted to share my experience that my potential worse case was still going to be a 3 piece implant even if it took a little longer with an intermediate step of a malleable one piece for a relatively short period of time.  The ultrasound performed by your surgeon should provide quite a bit of insight.  Happy to answer questions.

[tomas1]

Tomas, I am like you.  I keep thinking if I die it is a shame to bury a perfectly good working penis

My wife and I joke about what if I should croak while pumped up?
I'm sure it has happened to someone.