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[Timewilltell]

Hello,

I am have been lurking on this forum for several months now. I am already familiar with the survival guide and general information. Just posting this as a way to finally engage with the community a bit.


Age?

30 years old


What did your medical doctor conclude?

I have yet to consult a specialist. I initially visited a general practitioner last year to discuss erectile dysfunction. He concluded my erectile dysfunction was connected to depression and prescribed Wellbutrin. I continued to do research and became worried I was presenting some symptoms of Peyronie’s and found the resources of this forum and Neo-V. However, I concluded that my case was overall very mild and that the best course was to take measures at home. Even so,  I am looking into seeing a specialist. Thankfully, one of the recommended Peyronie’s doctors (Dr. Anthony J. Bella) lives in my town, so I should be in good hands if I can see him. However my symptoms are confusing and the measures still in place due to Covid-19 makes accessing healthcare difficult.


How long have you had symptoms?

I have suffered from some form of erectile dysfunction for a few years. I believe a combination of smoking, antidepressants, poor masturbation habits, and a sedentary lifestyle were to blame. I have quit smoking, moved onto Wellbutrin, and started doing lots of exercise to combat this. The possible Peyronie’s symptoms emerged only in the last several months (Oct-Nov 2019 approx).

What are your symptoms?

My symptoms are confusing and I am unsure how to properly classify them. I have diminished erectile quality. I do not get any spontaneous erections in the day but I do get some night time erections. During the day, I can only get erect by physical stimulation to essentially force it but, once erect, there is little loss in quality. The problem is getting there. I have experienced very mild shortening and some slight deformity that is most pronounced in a semi-erect state but are almost not noticeable when fully erect. There is no deformity when flaccid but at times my flaccid penis feels tougher and denser. However, this is inconsistent and might indicate more of a pelvic floor issue than any calcified plaque. From what I have read on this forum, plaque is noticeably hard and consistent and I do not have that. For a few months, there was some mild discolouration and two varicose veins appeared on the upper part of the shaft but the discolouration has subsided in recent months. During this period there was some mild pain but it was not severe and would frequently subside. I see slight evidence of a atrophic scar forming a slight indent underneath the head of the penis and some feeling of roughness at other parts which I believe indicate scarring specifically of the tunica. I believe the visible deformity is the result of this scarring making the tunica less elastic than it previously was. I used to be able to almost feel it in a way. In the process of getting an erection, it would feel like the blood was pushing against something. I suspect the scaring is the result of a combination of smoking, erectile dysfunction leading to a loss of elasticity, and from masturbation.

Although I did not realize it at the time, I believe I have had an unhealthy approach to masturbation for many years. I always enjoyed the act more than the climax and would frequently “edge” to delay ejaculation. This led to a pattern of prolonged sessions of masturbation and sex that I believe has resulted in a toughening of the tunica. Much of the deformity matches up with where my hand would make contact and so this seems like the likely cause.


What treatments have you tried and what were the results?

I found this forum several months ago and immediately began all of the over the counter treatments recommended in the survival guide. Recently, I have added the daily Cialis. Therefore, I am taking the following:

Acetyl L-Carnitine
L-Arginine and L-Citruline
CoQ 10
Vitamin E
Vitamin D
A “Men’s Health” multivitamin
Omega 3 supplements
Pycnogeol
Daily Cialis 5mg
Heated rice bag before I sleep
I do not have a prescription for pentox but I have been drinking coffee and tea after reading a post from Neo-V that said there were many similarities between caffeine and pentox. My hope is that caffeine combined with regular use of ibuprofen to reduce inflammation and act as a blood thinner should have a similar total effect.
I am considering purchasing a VED but, to be perfectly honest, that treatment is a little frightening for me. I am looking into using a water based one because I have read that that has less chance of damage compared to air based pumps but I am unsure.


I am unsure about the results. Because I do not present any curve and the deformity is most present when semi erect, I feel like my case is very mild and all my treatments are more preventative. Deformity does not seem to be worsening but I cannot say what aspect of the treatment works or where I would be without it. I do feel like there is some improvement. I no longer feel like the blood is pushing against a constricted tunica in the process of getting erect and the discolouration that used to be present has disappeared almost entirely.

Also, I have been trying to control my masturbation but this has been difficult to find a balance. On the one hand, I believe my masturbation habits are a large factor in my mild deformity. On the other, I recognize that inducing erections is an important aspect of healing and preventing fibrosis. So I am trying to find a balance but I find this difficult because after inducing an erection via masturbation I find it difficult to exercise the will power to not masturbate the way I used to. I am doing my best to overcome this. In November, I tried full no fap but I have been more complacent and compulsive recently. I am considering doing a full no fap month again but I want to keep the healthy benefits of erections. Perhaps I will finally buy a VED to find a way to eliminate masturbation while still inducing regular erections. We will see.

Do you have insurance or means to get medical treatment?

Nationalised healthcare covers most aspects.

Where are you in dealing with the psychological aspects of Peyronies Disease?

Very mixed. Some days are better than others. I do find myself obsessing and being fearful for my sexual future. At times, I have found it difficult to work and my confidence to perform sexually and pursue a partner is greatly hampered. Still, perhaps it is the Wellbutrin or whatever, but I am not as completely broken as I have seen in some other cases. Thankfully, my case seems very mild and that helps me be hopeful of an eventual improvement and recovery. I recognize that this is a disease that takes time. As has been said on this forum, this is a marathon, not a sprint. All I can do is educate myself and take the proper preventative and restorative steps and see how things will progress in the months and years to come.

Are you in a relationship?

No, I am single. I have been told I am attractive but I have always been an awkward person. The previous few years of mild erectile dysfunction hurt my confidence to put myself out there and the recent mild deformity has amplified that feeling. Thankfully, I do have a loving and supportive family of siblings and parents who help me.

Thank you for reading. Any feedback is appreciated. I am not sure if what I have is true Peyronie’s. I do not understand where simple scarring ends and where full Peyronie’s begins. I suspect at the very least I have what Neo-V referred to as a pre-Peyronie’s but I am trying to be smart and proactive. Also, I would like to thank the moderators of this forum. This collection of information has been very helpful during a very worrying time.

[Hawk]

Welcome to the forum TimeWillTell and thanks for coming out of the shadows and sharing your story.

It is clear that you understand the basics.  I would recommend the VED that you seem to be apprehensive about.  A water VED will get little use.  A regular VED can be used to simply fill the penis with blood 2 or 3 times a day to oxygenate the tissue and do some genital filling out and stretching.  If you get good NTE's than that is probably all I would do differently.  You could go for a low dose of daily Cialis.

Obviously you should be gental with your penis and not engage in rough masturbation.

[RandyPE]

Welcome, TimeWT! I'm glad you made the leap between lurking and actively participating.  It's certainly the best way to get your specific questions and concerns addressed.
You're off to a good start, and I agree with what Hawk said.  I find a regular VED much easier to use than depending on taking a bath or shower every time I want to pump.  I used one for a few weeks but found it too inconvenient.  Like you said, you will need to use caution with the pump, but you sound like you can do that without concern.
Good luck, and let us know how to support you on this marathon!

Randy

[Timewilltell]

Thank you for your responses, Hawk and Randy.

Yes, I have done my best to educate myself in order to tackle this condition properly.

I am already taking nightly Cialis 5mg.

I will seriously consider the VED. There is the anxiety of injuring myself but I am sure as long as I am careful then I will not aggravate anything. It has clearly been helpful for many people.

I am not sure if I need the full SOMA correct since I am not correcting a curve so much as trying to address deformity and mild indentation. I will look into a mid-range device with the appropriate features  and give it a try.

I will do my best to contribute. For now, I think this forum has already done a lot for just providing a sense of community. This is a difficult topic that easily provokes anxiety and fear. Having a forum of information and real life stories has already done a lot for me.

Thank you.

[Hawk]

I would personally gravitate toward a good single-cylinder model since you have no curve.  Any model that is manual and reliably creates a vacuum will work.  As far as your penis is concerned, a vacuum is a vacuum.

I like the Vacurect because it is different from the others in that the cylinder itself creates the vacuum without an additional pump device.  It is just an easier transport.  If used for sex it is less awkward and uses discs/washer rather than bands that snap off of the VED onto the penis.

[Timewilltell]

Hawk,

Thank you!

Yes, the Vacurect looks like a good system. I will look into it. I do not think I need to use the ring. Currently, I do not have difficulty maintaining an erection. My issue is, barring NTEs, achieving it in a way that does not involve a fair amount of manual stimulation. In that regard, using a VED as part of a course of general penile rehabilitation and maintenance is probably my only need for it.

In my research of VEDs I have often found it hard to tell what is an objective assessment and what is simply an advertisement.

As an aside, I think the worst offender I have seen was the Bathmate that essentially posted a long comment under an academic paper. I assume their aim was to make the casual google user think this was an academic article but if you looked closer it was actually a reply to an article about Spanish language education...

The medical grade devices that are specifically marketed for Erectile Dysfunction and not for penis enlargement seem less prone to such tactics but still, when 99% of the information comes from the websites that sell the product, it is hard to know the truth.

The only concern is finding an appropriate size. Before the onset of Erectile Dysfunction and scarring, I was a little over 8 inches. Now I am just under the 8 mark. It seems like VED therapy is most effective for dealing with indentation and girth but, if it does restore length, then I need to be conscious of tube sizing.

Thank you for your response and recommendation. I appreciate it.

TimeWillTell

[Timewilltell]

Also, I recognize that introduction threads have a specific purpose and a post limit. I will move all further discussion/questions to the appropriate part of the forum.

Thank you.

[Hawk]

One last point about the Vacurect.  It has a relatively small base that might not accommodate a man with a very large girth.  I suspect its limit is close to 5 3/4 inches.  I am less than that so I am not sure but just a thought.  If you a 6' or greater as some report it is probably not the one you want.  Other than that it is great

[Guy_87]

You don’t need to masturbate.  Your body will produce the necessary nocturnal erections and if you go a couple months or more, you usually end up ejaculating in your sleep (wet dream).

While masturbating does arguably have some health benefits, refraining from masturbating is not detrimental.  Many men do not masturbate due to religious reasons or by choice and are still able to enjoy a healthy sex life or healthy life in general.

If you are able to stop masturbating, you will quite possibly notice stronger, more frequent erections and increased arousal.  Especially if you completely stop watching porn.

If you believe that chronic masturbation has quite possibly led to, or played a role in your current predicament, it may be worth considering a prolonged break to give your penis some rest and time to heal.  Gentle sex is okay but gentle is the key imho.

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