Open Questions on Peyronies Disease (That won't fit under any of our current topics)

[safelyslowly]

Hi,Im 18 years old.From what I've seen around the net,Im quite worried that i might have Peyronie's. Im experiencing pain when my penis erects but the pain stops completely when its fully erect. Its been like this for around a month and just recently,I noticed that i have a bump on the left of the shaft just a little below the head,the bump cannot be felt when its fully erect. It might be caused by excessive masturbation since i grip on it quite hard when i do but my penis isn't curving. Please do tell if i have Peyronie's or not,its very unnerving and worrying for me.

[Tim468]

Hi Analyst and Safelyslowly,

Analyst - it seems you are off to a good start in learning about the disease and what to do that will not hurt and might help.

SafelySlowy - try living by your name when it comes to masturbation and lighten the grip! It sounds like you have some form of swelling and/or inflammation, but beyond that it is only speculation. I would recommend getting a doctor to look at it - it may really set your mind at ease and get you headed towards better and safer sexual health/habits.

Tim

[safelyslowly]

Thanks a real lot Tim468,I have to know though,can the bumps be felt when the penis is fully erect for those with Peyronies?And does the curvation begin with the pain of erection or after the period where the pain stops?

[Tim468]

It vcaries with different men. Most have pain and curvature together, then just the cuirve is left when the pain resolves (if it does).

Still, better to get checked out than to speculate on the internet. You will find that those of us here who are doing best all have worked with (or tried to work with) urologists to get better.

Tim  

[Liam]

Safely,

Get checked.

Odds are you don't have Peyronie's.  Not many your age get it.  The symptoms you describe sound like inflammation or irritation.  Your penis is your friend.  Be kind to it.  

Is the bump hard or more fluid-like?  Is it deep or on the surface?  I feel plaque no matter what state.  I got a nodule then later a curve.  

[safelyslowly]

Thanks for the info Liam! My bump is not on the surface,its deep and feels hard,not too hard,the bump itself isn't painful at all and the size is around that of a pea.

[Hawk]

SafelySlowly,

Welcome to the forum.

I also say get checked.   This is likely inflammation, much less likely Peyronies Disease, and even very much less likely penile cancer, but since a urologist cannot diagnose you long distance, computer geeks, truck drivers, and police officers surely can't.  Don't trust diagnoses of your only penis to internet opinion.  This forum is not for that.

You make an appointment and we will support you before and after, but not instead of.

Best regards

Hawk

[stevo88]

I am wondering If I have peyronie disease because I have had a trauma before and now my penis hurts after a while of masterbating now. I had like 3 or maybe 4 incidents where my penis made a cracking sound but Its not like it hurt or anything. It just made that sound and it was not like I felt like I was bleeding internally or anything. But then the last time I heard that sound my penis felt warm and it felt like it was bleeding kind of like inside. And I tried to catch an erection and I couldn't I was so scared to death. But I wasn't erect when this happened, my penis was flaccid but when I put up my underwear I bended my flaccid penis and it made that sound causing that. I was so scared. But I couldn't do anything during the moment because I had to go to work. So I went to work. After work I came back from work, I ate and took a good nap. After words I was able to catch an erection again. But with little pain. Then after a few days  there was no pain. But now its been like 1 month and a couple weeks the pain is coming back but only after during masterbation. It does not hurt right away, It hurts after a while of masterbating like 20 minutes or 30 minutes. I usually masterbated for 30 minutes- 40 minutes. But the thing is that the soreness is in the same place where before I caught my penile trauma and where It felt like it was bleeding internally. It is on the right corpora cavernova. I already had a penile curve to begin with Which I found out is because my left corpora cavernova is less developed and my right one is a little over developed causing a slight curve. Which I think Has to do with masterbating to much with my right hand and my penis leaning to the left during erections in my pants when I tried to hide it because I didn't want to be seen like that in public. But After masterbation the pain continues on and it feels warm and sore. After a couple hours though it goes away or after I sleep. I have been masterbating with my left hand now to see if it will correct it but It will takes maybe 2 years of masterbating with my left hand to show good improvement first because I masterbated only with my right hand and my right corpora cavernova is that much larger then left. Maybe 3 years. The way I masterbate is that I wrap my hand around like a C grip like in jelking except I am not only moving  up but up and down like regular masterbating with lubricants and I apply some pressure on the corpora cavernova  I also do some penis stretches, most of the time stretching it to the right so the left side of the penis can stretch longer leaning more over the right side so when its straight it can become longer and balance more with the longer right corpora cavernova. of course its much safer to do that when its more flaccid so I do it when only about 40 -50 percent erect. Also I am not sure if It can be because simply my right corpora cavernova is more developed or it can be scar tissue but its not lumpy. its not like a skin scar or whitish either it's just I can see the shape of it through my skin. When I stretch the skin it stays in place so I know its not part of skin. Its inside on the corpora cavornova. Its like I have 4  larger  C rings on my penis where it hurts. on the corpora cavornova. you cant see it because there is no coloring but you can see the through the skin revealing the shape when I catch a full erection or pull the skin tight back and catch maybe a 50-60 % erection. I tend to see these things on the rest of it but they are much lower and smaller. Also on the left side of well because it is less developed it is much harder to notice. I have to stretch my skin much tighter back and move the skin alittle to notice them better for the left side. But the 4  ring of where I said. however the C ring is  backwards since its on the right side. But that is also where the soreness is around. I know the curve I already have is due to imbalanced development of my penis but I don't know If I could be developing peyronie or have it even right now. Those other  C things I told you I think are like tears or micro tears but the other 4 look alittle to larger and is also where I am experiencing the pain at. I am not sure. According to what you may think is peyronie specifically do you think I have it or is developing it at this moment. Or could be something else?

[Liam]

Stevo,

Some suggestions:

1) see a urologist  

2) stop all the damn masturbating  

3) cut back on the caffeine  
   

[Hawk]

Stevo,

Welcome and thanks for posting.

It is good that you joined and posted because you need some input.  There are many things that you accept as fact that I think have no basis.  The first is that your penis is curved because you tend to masturbate with the same hand.  What led you to accept such an idea?  Everyone tends to masturbate with one their dominate hand.  Neither ALL, nor most, nor even a large percentage, of men curve accordingly.  No urologists support such a concept.

Next you say

I also do some penis stretches, most of the time stretching it to the right so the left side of the penis can stretch longer leaning more over the right side so when its straight it can become longer and balance more with the longer right corpora cavernova. of course its much safer to do that when its more flaccid

That assumption was never presented on this forum or by any urologist I know of.  

As Liam said.  Discuss this at length with a real urologist that will explain your condition, the likely causes, and the various options for treatment.

[ocelot556]

Is it me, or are some days "worse" for your Peyronies Disease than others? It seems to me like sometimes I will look down and notice a progression of the curve - but doing nothing to resolve it, or taking very small measures, it seems that the next time I look at the curvature, it's back within what I'd consider a normal range (well, normal for the curve I already have from this junky disease).

[Liam]

The penis undergoes normal changes in size and shape reacting to variables such as temperature.  Sometimes these normal changes seem to make the condition more noticeable  .

There are periods when I have had inflammation.  Those are no fun.

[amigo]

Yeah, summer has ALWAYS been a much better time of year for me than winter as far as Peyronie's goes.  Penile retraction (i.e. shrinkage) during cold weather seems to make a lot of my Peyronies Disease symptoms noticeably worse.  It's generally harder to achieve an erection and the hourglass/hinge effect is much more pronounced.  I suppose it stands to reason that the tissues just can't expand at the same time they're being yanked up tight inside the body.  Of course, I've always been pretty "cold-blooded", my fingers and toes can get downright icy while others feel comfortably warm.  I totally think there would be a market selling fur-lined penis cozies, "Is your penis cold and lonely?  Try our muff!"  OR  "Nothing makes a penis happy like a muff" (Hurry and slip your dick inside a "Foxy Muff", "Bunny Muff", or the tried and true Beaver. We promise you won't regret it.)

Stress can also cause the same problem triggering the fight or flight response.  I suppose that back in the day, when you were being "attacked" and feared a "predator/aggressor" there was no genetic advantage to having your dick dangling down around your knees... it makes for an easy target. Needless to say, those who suffered serious injury to their genitals probably weren't as successful at passing on their genes to the next generation.  So those with particularly small members should always emphasize to their partners that they are simply HIGHLY EVOLVED.  How's that for seeing the protective athletic cup half full instead of half empty?

[Steve]

Liam -- looks like you've got some competition in amigo!
I always considered laughter the best medicine -- you guys keep us all entertained!

[regularguy]

Hello, am after some advice - I am 39 years old and have just noticed 2 hard lumps, about the size of peas (1cm dia), one on each side of the base of my penis when soft, about 3cm from the groin.  When erect, my penis looks like an inverted bottle, about a third thinner and curved to the right where it joins my body.  Until I just noticed the lumps, I never thought anything of it, but since researching this site, I have realised that the width reduction has become more pronounced over the last few years, and has probably been going on gradually for close to a decade.  

There have recently been a few occasions when I haven't been as hard as usual, but these have been intermittant, and I've put them down to getting older, and not following a particularly healthy lifestyle (i smoke, drink coffee and alcohol, eat too well etc), but no major health issues, aside from occasionally severe eczema.

Having been through a myriad of treatments for eczema (all the usual ointments, including steroid creams when it flares or becomes infected) I know that my GP isn't particularly constructive when faced with anything unusual, preferring to fob it off as "nothing serious" - so, I wonder if anyone could help with these questions...

1. Does this sound like Peyronies, and if so, does it get progressively worse? As if these lumps grow, they're in such a position as to restrict the base of my penis, possibly the blood flow, which i would imagine isn't going to do much for my sex life?
2. Has anybody had it untreated for this long with no pain? Or in this place, does the base of the penis not hurt as much?
2. Has anybody had any experience with knowledgeable NHS urologists in London, who I may be able to request a referral to?

I'd be very grateful for any answers or advice before I seek diagnosis, be good to be able to go pre-armed, and not come across like a hyperchondriac, as there's no immediate crisis, but it seems to have the potential to become one.

This site looks like it gives terrific support for a difficult and unusual problem - nice work. Thanks for any help.

[Old Man]

Regularguy:

My best advice to you from reading your post as to what you see as symptoms is get to a qualified urologist as soon as possible for an examination.

It is not the intention of anyone on this forum to diagnose Peyronies Disease here. That is reserved to a physician with the proper knowledge of the business.

So seek out the best qualified uro you can find and be sure to write doown a list of any and all questions that you can think of to ask when you see him/her on your first visit.

I am sure that you will hear from others in this regard, so look for more answers.

Old Man

[Liam]

It sounds like it could be.  But, I agree with Old Man.  There are other things, when described, sound similar.  A urologist should check it out.

Study the drawings of the penis and become familiar with all the parts of the penis.  This will help in your discussion with the urologist.  Right down your questions before you go to the doctor and take notes as you go.  

Here are highlights of the different topics.  It will help you get up to speed.  

Good luck and keep us informed.

Liam

[Hawk]

A PS: to Liam's post
https://www.peyroniesforum.net/index.php/topic,106.0.html

Click on the images to enlarge the penis anatomy (if were only that simple in real life)  

[getting_there_in_oregon]

i obtained my 'situation' here by my erection getting bent and hearing a crack sound. the curve was a somewhat classic bending back toward my body. not to the side but just back a good bit. it got a little worse for a year then improved a little. now, 5 years later it doesn't seem to be doing anything.

THE QUESTION:

the beginning of the shaft is as wide as it used to be but then by penis gets skinny up until the head. like a skinny "neck". it accounts for a reasonable bit of the penis, making my penis at least an inch shorter than it was and possibly as much as 2 inches shorter! it seems like it's not just scar tissue in one spot but something more maybe. the erections are still hard, though that area feels less girthy and makes me nervous. it seems to be filling out at a snails pace, if noticeably at all. i've been less willing to drop the pants in front of girls and that's got to change. this forum helps!

Q: has anyone out there experienced this? any ideas?

thanks! (so stoked to have found this forum)
(p.s. sorry about the lame name.. hahaha.. i was trying to sound optimistic.. ya know "getting closer to healing" or something like that.)

[Tim468]

That is called the "Hourglass" deformity, and many of us have that too. A tapering penis is called a bottle neck, and I guess the rest are just bent.

Welcome!

Tim

[Hawk]

Welcome to the forum,

I think your manifestation is not that uncommon.  I would consider conservative use of the VED or Traction along with some supportive supplements like Natural E, ALC and only expect slow improvement over 6 months or a year.  Any improvement at least means you are not getting worse.

[whygodwhy]

i stubbed my penis during sex recently and ever since i've had mild pain in groin area/penis.  it has me kind of concerned.  my penis seems a little more curved and theres been some pain in the tip of penis during erection which ive never had before.  the night of the incident was over 2 weeks ago and theres still mild pain while im flacid.

is it possible i made my peyronies worse or is this some minor internal bruise type deal?  my penis looks a little more crooked while flacid and erect.

i don't want to masturbate or have sex cause it feels worse afterwards so ive been feeling pretty depressed.  is there anything i should do?  topical/oral vitamin e?  use a VED or traction device?  or just wait and hope it gets better?  it feels like i bruised my crotch or something although nothing's visible other than the slightly more curve.  should i go to my urologist or would that just be a waste of time?  what should i do???



thanks for your help guys.

[Tim468]

whygodwhy

Not sure what happened... It would not hurt to hit it with some anti-inflammatory meds like Advil (ibuprofen) at a good dose like 800 mg three times a day for up to two weeks. Additionally I would def use vitamin E, and keep on stretching (if you already are - or start!).

Tim

[roadieman]

OK, now I got it. Peyronies. So now what. I can see there are surgical proceedures, wholistic, enzymes, plaque disolvers. I'm confused. I want to eliminate this thing on my !!!!.  Is there a medical approach to this other than surgery. Or does this relegate me the the herbal scene in which it will cost me thousands of dollars in herbs, scaffolds to stretch me or what. I tried the Verapamil externally with no luck    NOW WHAT  Please is there any help

Paul  

[Old Man]

Roadieman:

Whoa! Slow down and do some serious thinking before leaping to conclusions. So you have Peyronies Disease, not what is the question/answer? You have asked the 64,000 one as there seems to be no set rules for any individual. All of us on the forum appear to have different symptoms, similar sympoms and other related problems with this crazy mess. Also, ED can enter the picture as well.

What affects one guy may or may not affect the next guy. So, first if you have not done so, get an appointment with a well qualified uro in the field of Peyronies Disease treatment. There are not many, but there are some very good ones out there, so search for a well recommended one who has much experience treating the disorder.

Having said that, I strongly urge you to also cover as many posts on this forum as you can to glean all the information possible about what has or has not worked for us. Some of us have seen quite a remarkable "recovery" using the VED, others have seen success with the "chemical" treatment and others various treatments. Lastly, some have seen no help whatsoever, so what your outcome will be most likely depends on what you decide to do with your personal situation and how it works for you.

We are here for you in any way possible, so feel free to ask any and all questions you have. I am sure that you will receive the best answers we can find for you. Good luck, but lastly, just hang in there. Some of us have been down this road for over 50 years.

Old Man

[SombreSoul]

Greetings all,

Well since having a downward bend since i was 12 (i'm now 33) i finally worked up the courage to speak to a doctor. He had a quick examination and then told me that everything is fine. He didnt believe it was Peyronies or Chordee. He believes i have a natural bend that developed when testosterone kicked in. He said there are lots of men with natural bends ("banana bend" as he called it). I dont have a hard plaque lump on my penis and never any pain and because it bends downwards he doubted it being Peyronies as he said in most cases Peyronies causes a bend to either side - not downwards.

In any case he has referred me to a urologist for a secong opinion and feels strongly that the urologist will say the same thing.

But another concern is that i have a tight foreskin which wont retract over the head of my penis. He said a urologist will stretch my foreskin while i'm asleep. Has anyone here had that done??

Also, i finally told my partner (who i had been avoiding having sex with) of 10 months about my problem and she was fine about it. Totally fine, and in fact it brought us even closer! Anyway, i worry about how i will perform during sex having a downward bend. There will be some positions that i dont think will work. Can any guys on this forum that have a downward bend tell me if it is a hindrance to either you or your partner during sex? Can you perform just as easily as if you had a straight penis?

Thank you all for your time, TOP FORUM!!!!

-SS.

[Old Man]

SS:

If your doctor stated you really have what is called a banana curve, you have nothing to worry. However, since the foreskin won't retract over the head, you might be in for a problem with hygene since the head portion should be cleaned often to prevent infection and other problems.

When you see the urologist, make sure that he/she understands about the retraction problem. There are many ways to "cure" that problem and not be a bother with sexual activity. Most boys by the time they reach puberty have had the forskin retracted by one means or another. In the old days, older boys and young men in the family took care of this for the younger guys. They simply just pulled the foreskin back over the head before it became a problem. I know this sounds gross, but it did work (I am talking the 1930s here, so don't gross out on me) and they always used some kind of antiseptic to help with healing if any was needed.

Bottom line here, that you seem to have a normal congenital curve and a whole lot of guys have with no problems. Sexual activity will have a way of finding its proper course. You and your partner just have to do the trial and error method to find a position that work for you. And, there are many and various positions that can and will work.

Old Man  

[nemo]

Gents, I had a bout of Peyronie's about 7 years ago that left an interseptal lesion that gives me some distal softness.  A couple weeks ago, I was having sex and after several rounds, I was going at it with a 3/4 erection, got into a bend, felt a little pain and immediately backed off.  I've felt this pain before sometimes when I'd slip out and jam the penis, etc. and it never causes any further problems, but of course I always monitor for several days after seeing if I have a nodule or anything.

A few days ago, I notices a slight indentation on the bottom side my penis, right corpus.  It's soft and only a mild indentation - honestly, it may have been there for years and I've never noticed, because it's a part of my penis I don't normally pay much attention to.  I don't have any pain, can't feel any nodule or hardening and the indent is only palpable when I'm hard.

I guess my question is, since this indentation is not interfering with my erections and doesn't seem to be accompanied by pain, a plaque or any bending, etc., can I feel pretty safe that it's not a full blown reoccurance of inflamatory Peyronie's (assuming that it's even a new indentation, not something I've had for a while)?

Do these indents typically cause problems?

Thanks,
Nemo

[Old Man]

Nemo:

Most of us at one time or another see slight indentations on their penis shaft. However, since you noticed this shortly after a bad sexual encounter, it bears watching very closely. If you should develop pain in this area, by all means get professional help ASAP.

I have had these happen all of a sudden and then go away just as quickly. It always caused concern due to my long history with Peyronies Disease. As I said above, just do watchful waiting and again, don't hesitate to get help if you develop pain in that area during or after sex as well as at any other time.

Old Man....

[fade2black87]

Please help me guys. I'm very scared. I have 2 questions for you while i'm trying to understand this whole thing (you will probably see many more long and detailed posts but ill try to keep this one short).


1. I have an area at the very base of my penis that is a spot that has possibly seen recurring trauma n the past. I am very skinny and have a "stand up penis do to congenital curvature but throughout the years I have felt pain from bending it down from when I was younger and didn't really see it as possibly causing injury. I know that tests car be performed (x-rays, ultrasounds, etc) to check for plaques, but this area is so close to the pubic bone that I worry that it might not be able to be checked in a normal test because of its location. I.E. the plaque is affecting the part of the penis that is more inside the body than outside.  Is there a way to perform these tests, maybe from the underside of the penis where there is no pubic bone to get in the way? I ask this because I can feel the part of the penis that I believe to be injured because there is no pubic bone and it is still in front of my scrotum, but I cannot feel that same area on the top because of the pubic bone. The area in question would be about 3 years into the disease if it is present so would any of these tests show a problem if there was one?

2. I have read a great deal about this problem over a period of time and I have come to a big question. I understand that this disease can be brought on by: 1. an autoimmune problem 2. Heredity 3. Repeated trauma. Now here is my question. If repeated trauma is the cause, is there an autoimmune response along with the trauma that causes the problem, or can ONLY repeated trauma cause the problem. I was under the impression that  that the only way that scar tissue could expand and take over healthy tissue would be though an autoimmune response, but then I thought about cirrhosis of the liver. Correct me if I'm wrong, but that can be caused ONLY by injury to the liver from alcohol.  Is that correct? I ask this question, because I figure that though blood tests the body can be checked for immune system problem, and can be a big indicator as for as determining if I may have peyronies, but if this fibrosis is just brought on by injury, I don't see a way to test for it.

[nemo]

Hi and welcome.  You don't say what your symptoms are other than you feel something there.  Is there bending, pain, diminished erection, or anything like that?

Nemo

[fade2black87]

Thanks for the welcome! I do have bending and tenderness in the spot in question. The only problem is that I have had bending and tenderness in the location for as long as i can remember. But here is my big point. I dont think I have peyronies disease because i have the bending and tenderness there because i have always had it. I am worried because I have had repeated bending with pain there over a period of years during masturbation, peeing with a morning erection, etc.So basically, unlike many people on the site, I'm not really trying to figure out treatments or duration time. I'm really trying to figure out if I have peyonies disease. It really scares be because it is in an area that i cannot feel.  My fear is that if i monitor it and dont see a change, I could just be in a stable state and the disease could reactivate later in my life because im not EXACTLY sure how high it bent when i was younger and not worried about it. I'm really just trying to figure out if there are any tests that can see that far back, so i can have it checked (along with my part 2 question). Thanks for the quick response

[nemo]

Well, I'm still a little confused ... am I correct that you're saying your penis points up when erect (maybe even against your belly) but when you move it forward, like you would do to insert it during sex, it hurts?  

Regardless, I think showing exactly what you're talking about to a Urologist is really the only way to go.  It's going to be hard for any of us on this board to visualize exactly what you're describing.  

Sorry I can't offer more.

Nemo  

[Hawk]

Fade2black,

Welcome to the PDS forum.

F2B, this is not an occasion to be scared to death.  it is not even clear what you are scared of, or why.  I often find that by reducing a post to the essential elements that I can get to the issue a person is trying to communicate.  In your case it did not work.  Read the key statements from your post

1. I have an area at the very base of my penis that is a spot that has possibly seen recurring trauma n the past...I have felt pain from bending it down from when I was younger... I ask this because I can feel the part of the penis that I believe to be injured because there is no pubic bone and it is still in front of my scrotum, but I cannot feel that same area on the top because of the pubic bone.

All I get from this is your think that you may have penile injury in the area at the very base, near the scrotum.  You mention no negative symptoms other than a pain when bending it down that has been there since youth.  There is nothing in these statements to suggest you have Peyronies Disease.

The second part of your question has some misunderstanding in it but it makes no sense at this point to go off on those issues until we resolve question #1.

What are your Peyronie's-like sympotoms that even make you even suspect you have Peyronies Disease?  Have you been to a urologist?

[Tim468]

Go to a doctor and get checked. It sounds like you have a more dorsal than usual orientation and that it is possible that a relaxing incision to your ligament would allow your penis to stock out more at right angles from the body. But you need to show a doctor what you mean and then, after that, why don't you worry - or perhaps end all worrying?

Tim

[fade2black87]

I'm sorry for the confusion guys. I think trying to put too much info in one post made it very difficult to understand. Let me start over and try again. I am so happy to have found this forum, that i dont want to waste my chance for some help because of an unclear post.

I am 20 years old. For as long as I can remeber my penis has stood straight up against my chest. I feel this is from a combination of sleeping on my stomach for 17 years, and the use of tight briefs. Around the age of 16-17 (maybe younger) during masturbation, urinating in the mornings. I would force my erections down, and feel pain. Sometimes the pain would go way immediately. Other times it would linger until I lost my erection. The pain is on the top of my penis extremely close to or under the pubic bone. it is not quite 90 degrees but think of a 90 degree angle and the very middle point where the 2 straight lines meet is the public bone. I never really saw this as a problem until I read about peyronies online. This was in Dec. of 04.

I am currently 20 years old. Since I am now aware of my limits, I am able to have painless sex with my girlfriend, and avoid the pain from my teenage years on a daily basis for the most part, unless my erection gets forced down for some reason.

I have become very aware of the angle of my penis these days, and the pain that can occur if pushed down. To me it seems that it is both at a higher angle, and more tender, but it was so long ago it is just hard to remember. If this is the case i would attribute this to the years of repetitive bending and light pain.

I first went through a phase of thinking "well I cant really feel around that area on my penis. I really hope i dont have peyronies, but if i do have a mild form of it I'll just wait the prescribed 18 months and if its seems to be stable then I'm good to go". But in reality this doesnt seem to be the case. It seems that it can be dormant for years, then reactivate when it feels like it.

Then I thought " Well even though i put my penis through years of mild trauma, all the sites say that there is a autoimmune problem that most occur ALONG with the repeated trauma so the chances are somewhat unlikely." But even that doesnt seem to be the case. Many sources seem to say that repeated trauma by itself can lead to peyronies.

So this leaves me in a bad place. I think there is a mild change in the angle and tenderness of my erection. I can't feel the area that i think is affected to check for plaques because my pubic bone meets right in the area that my penis bends up. I can't just wait it out because if it is there it could reactivate later on. And the big thing is that I caused mild repeated trauma over a period of years.

So from this, with the vast knowledge that is available here, Is there a way for me to be sure that I am in the clear or not? I just want to find out if there is a test that can be done to examine this area, or anything of that nature.

Hawk -
I was talking about the bottom of the penis because if you look at the anatomy of the penis, you can feel farther back towards the base on the underside of the shaft than you can on the the top because of the pubic bone. So i didnt know if maybe an ultrasound (or something) could be preformed there to check for a plaque what would be present on the top of the shaft (looking trought the penis from the bottom to the top).

I also wanted to really get a personal opinion on whether or not repeated trauma alone can cause peyronies, or does it have to be paired with an autoimmune problem?

There are many websites that make it out to seem that just a repetitive trauma is the cause:

"Injury to the penis. Trauma to the penis from being hit or bent abnormally while erect or during intercourse may cause small tears in the tissue. It may also cause small blood vessels in the penis to rupture and bleed internally. Abnormal healing can result in the development of hard, thickened scar tissue (plaque) under the skin of the penis. With repetitive trauma, the plaque may develop tough fibrous tissue (fibrosis) or calcium deposits (calcification) and result in the deformity."

But others are very conflicting and say that it is paired with an autoimmune problem.


I am very confused with all of the conflicting info I really just need some hard facts. What do you guys think about all of this?

[Steve]

Fade2Black,

Using Hawk's condensation:

So from this, with the vast knowledge that is available here, Is there a way for me to be sure that I am in the clear or not? I just want to find out if there is a test that can be done to examine this area, or anything of that nature.

I think that the best suggestion you'll ever get is the one from Tim:

Go to a doctor and get checked.

No one here can see what you can see or feel what you can feel.  Get yourself to a good Uro and explain to him all your symptoms and concerns.  He'll know what can and can't be done to determine if you really have Peyronies Disease or some other condition.
We're all here for you with suggestions, advise, and a sympathetic (most of the time) ear to hear your concerns, but there is no substitute for a good exam from a good Uro!

Steve

[Hawk]

F2B,

No one knows what factors it takes, in what combination, and in what quantity, to result in Peyronies Disease.  Conversely we don't know what combination is safe from Peyronies Disease.  It is suspected that trauma, from repeated micro trauma to one severe incident of trauma can trigger Peyronies Disease if other unknown conditions exist.  These unknown conditions may include genetic factors.  The genetic factors my be autoimmune in nature.  Saying these factors are genetic or autoimmune in nature does not fine tune our understanding very much.  It could be that things like transforming growth factor - beta1 (TGF-B1), or advanced glycation end products (AGE) are a result of these genetics, or maybe they a component in addition to some other unknown genetic factor.  It may be that some cases have no genetic factor.  To make things worse,  the majority of men with Peyronies Disease report no perceived injury.  This means the "micro trauma" is very micro, or injury is not even necessary if the other unknown components are present to a strong degree.

There are dozens if not hundreds of auto-immune conditions and they are not known to share a common mechanism (arthritis, lupus, psoriasis,asthma).  This means there is currently no "auto-immune" test.

Thankfully, none of the above information is essential for you to know.

You are correct that there is a wealth of wisdom on this forum, but it is not in the form of having Peyronies Disease figured out.  It exists in the form of sharing things that sometimes seem to work and that often don't.  It is in the form of coping with the results of Peyronies Disease, and it is in the forum of knowing how to guide those affected on their journey.  So far your journey has been

worry
read forums
try to break the centuries-old code of understanding Peyronies Disease
worry more
_______________________________________________________________________________

The journey starts with a concern
the next step is to find a good urologist and make an appointment
next write down your very clear history in a brief concise style (get rid of all unessential information)
then write down your questions
Go to the doctor with a clipboard in your hand.
while there, take notes or take a trusted person to take notes while you verbally communicate
Let us know what the urologist says

Good luck my friend

Hawk
PS: Your penis angle has nothing to do with the briefs you wore or sleeping on your stomach.  it is likely as hereditary as the angle of your ears and the shape of your nose.

[Steve]

Hawk,

Great post!  I think it should be included (removing the direct references to F2B) in the Newly Diagnosed board...It's a great starting point for those who are just joining us on this merry voyage.

Steve

[Tim468]

Dear FTB,

After clarifying, it seems more likely than ever to me that you are normal. You described the normal discomfort that occurs when an erect penis is pushed downward. The pain comes from applying stress to the Fundiform and Suspensory ligaments. Those ligaments help keep your erection pointing north when it is erect. It's normal for it to hurt when you apply a stretch to them. If the "angle of your dangle" is close to sticking straight up against your belly, then bending it out at right angles to your body will hurt. Mine points up at an about 60 degree angle, and it hurts me to bend it downward to about 120.

It's normal.

Normal.

Normal.

Tim

[Hawk]

Thanks for the thumbs-up Steve.

It was one of those posts that actually struck me in a clear new way as I was typing it.  There is so much we don't know and that is interesting and worthwhile to try to figure out after we do the basics. Nothing can substitute for the basics however.

As far as preserving the post on the "Newly Diagnosed " board, I leave the call of what to include there to others.  It is more than I can figure out or be objective about.  There are great people here to keep me objective and I have a a deep sense of appreciation for them.  Angus has single-handedly built and shaped the "Newly Diagnosed" board.  I seldom put anything there and very seldom to never put anything of my own there.  

Thankfully I don't have to make all the decisions or do all the work or the forum would be far less than it is.

Hawk

[fade2black87]

I really appreciate the help, hawk, steve, tim, others. I'm so happy I found the forum.  

[fade2black87]

I know each case is different, but when peyronies stabilizes for a period and then recurs or recactivates a couple years later, is that usually a  development of a new plaque, or can one plaque stabilize and then suddenly start up again without reinjury, etc? It would seem to me that one plaque would run its course and then calcify. What does you guys think?

[pal-31]

Fade2Black,

I think you said it right, every case is different. It probably depends on the location of the injury if that was cause. The trouble is no one knows for sure what is the cause of the peyronies in the first place. We know an injury usually starts it , but I dont think we know why some heal and some dont. Autoimune disease is most likely the curprit.

You will probably find many people's plaque becomes connected feeling like a string that runs through the whole shaft.

Good questions !

Regards,
Pal

[TriHit]

I have a number of questions:

First my history:

I experienced some difficulty in nighttime urine release 3 years ago at the age of 64, was found to have elevated PSA, and following a negative prostate biopsy diagnosed with BPH, prescribed PROSCAR and put on 6 month PSA monitoring for "Carcinoma of the Prostate".  Subsequent PSA readings declined and I am now on annual monitoring.  

9 months ago, after 2 years on Proscar, I experienced pain in the tip of my penis during nocturnal erections, which then resulted in loss of erection during intercourse which had been normal up until that time. I immediately ceased the Proscar, but within 3 months a detectable growing lump at the base of the glans resulted in an increasing upward penile curve (almost a right angle now), and during my annual monitoring, this was confirmed by physical exam as Peyronies Disease or "Vasculitis".

The bigger problem to me is that all this was accompanied by a loss of libido or sexual urge that continues to this day, and while I still experience nocturnal erections and can achieve an erection without pain, it is insufficient for intercourse (perhaps because the bend destroys the structural integrity, and the contraction has shortened the length) and it lasts only a few minutes.

I have been hoping that the loss of libido would self correct after the effects of the Proscar wore off, but this has not yet happened and as an active energetic person there appears to be no testosterone problem.  

So I have 3 questions...

1. While I would expect at 67 to see a decrease in libido, mine was a sudden loss for which I would like to understand the reason. Is it the BPH, Proscar, Peyronies Disease, age and what can I do to trigger it again.

2. While I understand the scar tissue aspect of Peyronies Disease and its effect on maintaining erections, I do not understand how, and have been unable to find any description of how this can impact libido.

3. while I understand that Viagra can assist with the maintenance of an erection, I again can find no reference to its ability to increase my libido. What's the point of erections and intercourse if there is no climax. Seems like eating chocolate after you loose your sense of taste.

4. I recently noted a warning with Cyalis that it should not be used if one has Peyronies Disease, so now I wonder at the safety of that.

So I appreciate some feedback from other Peyronies Disease'ers...

Did you lose libido/urge after getting Peyronies Disease, or has yours stayed normal?

If you were on Proscar/Finiseride/Propecia when libido reduced, has it returned?

Did Viagra help restore libido as well as help maintaining of erections?

[nemo]

TriHit, I'll try to answer the questions I can.

Viagra, Cialis, Levitra all carry warnings about use with Peyronie's, but that's largely overlooked by doctors as the thought is, a more rigid erection is LESS likely to be injured. So, there's no worry, so long as your doctor agrees.  

However, neither of these drugs affect libidio, only the function of erection.  You may not feel the desire for sex any more on them, but if the proper sexual stimulation is offered, you may very well get erect regardless.  It'll still feel good and you'll likely orgasm, etc. But taking one of these pills isn't going to make you "horny" per se.  

I was on Propecia for a couple years and did notice ED problems, so I got off.  My function returned to normal in a few weeks. However, with Proscar, you're taking a larger dose of Finasteride than I was with Propecia (same thing though), so it may indeed take longer to get back to where you were before the Proscar.

Peyronie's, itself, wouldn't have any affect on libido, as it's simply a scarring disorder of the penile tissue.  However, I can totally understand Peyronie's causing a psychological drop in libido, as painful erections, disfigurement, etc. can be a psychological deterrent to being "in the mood."  If you are worried about libido, your doc can do a testosterone test of your blood - that would tell you if hormones may have dropped on you.

Personally, I don't think you have anything to lose trying Viagra (if your doc agrees).  I wish you the best and hope this info has been helpful to you.

Nemo

[jackp]

TriHit
All of the drugs for BPH (Enlarged Prostate) caused me problems similar to yours.
Started researching Saw Palmetto and wife would not let me take it without talking to Uro. He said "Jack that is great stuff, I take it too. Just get a good quality like GNC."
I went to GNC and bought a bottle of 160 mg caps and started twice a day and stopped all the prescription drug for BPH. About 6 months later Dr did a TURP and now 12 years later still no BPH and still take Saw Palmetto.
I think every male over 40 should take it. I have friends that I have recommended this to and they had the same result.
For Libido have your Testestorone checked. Should be in the upper 1/4 of your labs range. Just because it may come back normal does not mean that it is low for you. But that is another subject.
Jackp

[bodoo2u]

Are you telling me that your doctor said Peyronies Disease and Vasculitis are the same disease? I had a relative with vasculitis and it was not the way I would want to end up. Of course, no one does.

[Hawk]

TriHit,

Welcome to the forum.

TriHit,  I too am puzzled by

his was confirmed by physical exam as Peyronies Disease or "Vasculitis".

They are clearly not the same thing and can not be used interchangeably or grouped as related conditions.

Nemo, I will tell you and TriHit that you gave a excellent well written response to TriHits many questions.

Hawk

[Kimo]

TriHit,,,have your testosterone checked it may have dropped low..I went through the same thing..I had no Libido until we got my testoserone levels back up. My levels started dropping when in my mid to late 40's and was 10yrs before i found a URO who would help me....After on the testosterone for a couple of months,,my libido started coming back up,,after a year i had ask the doc to bring it down a little..It went to high and was driving me nuts,,was hornier than when i was 20 and then it was high.....

Keep in touch and let us know how your tests come out.......kimo