Question :
Hello my name is Marty, have been dealing with ED in one way shape or form for 15 years and no one can tell me why. It started at around age 29. Cialis is the only think that work for a very short period of time. I only get partial erections. The shaft gets erect but the head stays soft consistently. my wife is beyond frustrated and I can’t blame her . She has even almost strayed. I have tried everything with multiple urologists.. ED pills, two prostate biopsies (clean), electrical stimulation, low T pills, direct injection medication, vacuum pumps. Nothing is resolving the issues. It’s destroying my self esteem, destroying my marriage.
I have no sensation in the head of my penis. It’s utterly devastating. My wife doesn’t want to be near me. She demands satisfaction or some sort of endurance and meaningful erection and I have tried everything. These doctors have poked and prodded me to no end with no answers. Because of this problem I have a shell of a marriage. An angry, resentful, frustrated wife who offers no assistance or support and the only way to test these various treatments is to attempt sex but it leads to failure, disappointment, and truckload of anxiety and more anger and venom from her. I am trying everything in my power to fix this and feel as though I am running out of hope . Is there anything I can try that I haven’t. Should I be looking elsewhere in my body? There has to be a reason for only a partial erection because the head of the penis stays soft.. I’m desperate!!!
Answer:
Hello Marty,
I’m very sorry to hear that. I understand your frustration.
As you might already know, Erectile dysfunction could be due to many underlying causes. For the best treatment option, we need to identify the cause first. It could be due to causes, such as; Anxiety, diabetes, high blood pressure, alcoholism and smoking tobacco, acute stress disorder,…etc
It’s also important to mention that this stressful life you are having with your wife is putting you in a vicious cycle, and it would be probably the reason why most of the treatments didn’t work for you. With that being said, I strongly recommend psychosexual therapy (for you and your wife as a couple of therapy). You both need support during ED rehabilitation program.
Also, making good lifestyle choices is a very important factor along with the medical treatment, and that should include:
• Quit smoking because it can lead to or worsen erectile dysfunction.
• Lose any excess weight. Being overweight can cause or worsen erectile dysfunction.
• Include physical activity in your daily routine. Exercise can help with underlying conditions that play a part in erectile dysfunction in a number of ways, including reducing stress, helping you lose weight and increasing blood flow.
Now regarding the medical treatment, many options are available, but first I would suggest a complete assessment of your overall health and other health problems/current medications which may affect sexual function.
You should know it may take time and that’s why it is a rehabilitation program. The use of a vacuum erection device (VED) along with Viagra or Cialis before sexual activities usually gives the best results. However, if that doesn’t work, we then consider adding a daily low-dose of Viagra or Cialis for at least 12 weeks (it shows some benefits in some cases), if it doesn’t work, we then consider alprostadil pellets, injections or topical alprostadil, and lastly a penile implant.
There are also other options such as Venous constriction devices, shockwave therapy, but again it all depends on your overall health and any medical conditions you may have, and it should be included as part of a systematic treatment program under the supervision of your doctor and not randomly tried.
I hope this helps.