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Another non-prescription approach many men take to better erection health is the use of supplements on a longer-term basis. Not a lot of scientific study has gone into these supplements, and the fact that they’re “natural” doesn’t mean they’re totally harmless. Some of the more common supplements, available at most pharmacies and big box stores, that men take regularly in pursuit of better erections include:

• Ginkgo biloba – which is said to improve blood flow. It should not be taken by people who take blood thinners like Coumadin due to risk of bleeding problems.

• L-arginine – an amino acid used for building proteins. Like ginkgo biloba, it is purported to improve blood flow, but some people can have dangerous allergic reactions to it.

• Saw palmetto – which is associated with better prostate health, and which has anecdotal, but not scientific evidence about its positive effects on erections.

• DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) – which is a precursor to testosterone, and which decreases with age. It’s not likely to raise testosterone levels enough to make a real difference, however.

• Yohimbine – made from the bark of the African Yohimbe tree, and use as a male aphrodisiac in some African cultures. Though there’s evidence of it working, it also has side effects, and can interact with a number of prescription medications and may be dangerous for people who have liver, kidney, or heart problems.

Though supplements are widely available and easy to obtain, your doctor needs to know which supplements you take regularly, particularly if you also take prescription drugs regularly.

Don’t count on it. Though some policies may have limited coverage for injectable erectile dysfunction treatment, most do not, because the drugs are not considered medically necessary. Plus, they can be expensive. Most plans don’t cover Viagra and pill therapies for erectile dysfunction either, so it’s best to go into the treatment process understanding that it will require a certain financial investment.

Treatments for erectile dysfunction can be costly, but they can vastly improve quality of life for men with chronic erectile dysfunction.

You might be pleasantly surprised. If you are prescribed brand name injectables like Caverject and Edex, you’ll pay a per-injection cost roughly on par with a single dose of name brand Viagra – around $30 to $40 per dose. The good news is since these drugs have been around far longer, generics equivalents are available in the United States, and these can bring the per-injection cost down to around $10.

Medicare plans, in general, don’t cover injectable treatments for erectile dysfunction. Depending on dosage, expect to pay around $143-$183 for two-dose powder supplies of name brand Caverject that you mix for injection. Many men, however, qualify for drug discount cards that can confer significant savings in the form of a rebate or coupon.

Injection therapy is an option for treatment of erectile dysfunction. Though it’s not necessarily an appealing option, since it does involve injecting medication directly into the penis, actual pain associated with the process is said to be very minor. And injection therapy for erectile dysfunction offers men who can’t take oral medications like Viagra an option for regaining sexual intimacy.

Injectable erectile dysfunction drugs are dispensed by prescription only, and self-injection does require training. Getting the right dose can take a bit of trial and error, but for men who are allergic to Viagra or other PDE-5 inhibitors, or who cannot take drugs in that class due to contraindications with other drugs they take, injections for erectile dysfunction can make a tremendous difference in quality of life, both for the patients themselves, and for their partners.

Don’t count on it. Though some policies may have limited coverage for injectable erectile dysfunction treatment, most do not, because the drugs are not considered medically necessary. Plus, they can be expensive. Most plans don’t cover Viagra and pill therapies for erectile dysfunction either, so it’s best to go into the treatment process understanding that it will require a certain financial investment.

Treatments for erectile dysfunction can be costly, but they can vastly improve quality of life for men with chronic erectile dysfunction.

You might be pleasantly surprised. If you are prescribed brand name injectables like Caverject and Edex, you’ll pay a per-injection cost roughly on par with a single dose of name brand Viagra – around $30 to $40 per dose. The good news is since these drugs have been around far longer, generics equivalents are available in the United States, and these can bring the per-injection cost down to around $10.

Medicare plans, in general, don’t cover injectable treatments for erectile dysfunction. Depending on dosage, expect to pay around $143-$183 for two-dose powder supplies of name brand Caverject that you mix for injection. Many men, however, qualify for drug discount cards that can confer significant savings in the form of a rebate or coupon.

Injection therapy is an option for treatment of erectile dysfunction. Though it’s not necessarily an appealing option, since it does involve injecting medication directly into the penis, actual pain associated with the process is said to be very minor. And injection therapy for erectile dysfunction offers men who can’t take oral medications like Viagra an option for regaining sexual intimacy.

Injectable erectile dysfunction drugs are dispensed by prescription only, and self-injection does require training. Getting the right dose can take a bit of trial and error, but for men who are allergic to Viagra or other PDE-5 inhibitors, or who cannot take drugs in that class due to contraindications with other drugs they take, injections for erectile dysfunction can make a tremendous difference in quality of life, both for the patients themselves, and for their partners.

Generally speaking, no. Men who plan to take an injection to treat erectile dysfunction should not take Viagra, Levitra, Cialis, or other as-needed drugs within 24 hours of the injection. The only exception is for men who take daily Cialis therapy. These men take 2.5 mg or 5 mg of Cialis on a daily basis, either as a long-term treatment for erectile dysfunction, or to treat both erection problems and benign prostate enlargement. Under the supervision of a physician, men on daily Cialis therapy can continue to take their daily medication in addition to using injection therapy.

Generally speaking, no. Men who plan to take an injection to treat erectile dysfunction should not take Viagra, Levitra, Cialis, or other as-needed drugs within 24 hours of the injection. The only exception is for men who take daily Cialis therapy. These men take 2.5 mg or 5 mg of Cialis on a daily basis, either as a long-term treatment for erectile dysfunction, or to treat both erection problems and benign prostate enlargement. Under the supervision of a physician, men on daily Cialis therapy can continue to take their daily medication in addition to using injection therapy.

You’ll be trained by a doctor or nurse how to mix the right dosage, draw the proper amount of medication into a syringe, check for and eliminate air bubbles, and inject the medication yourself. You will also be shown exactly where to inject the medication so that you don’t cause any injury to nerves or blood vessels.

You must change the injection site each time you use the medication (say, alternating right and left sides). Bear in mind that it can take two to six injections before you find the right dosage for an erection suitable for sexual activity, yet that doesn’t last for too long.

You’ll be trained by a doctor or nurse how to mix the right dosage, draw the proper amount of medication into a syringe, check for and eliminate air bubbles, and inject the medication yourself. You will also be shown exactly where to inject the medication so that you don’t cause any injury to nerves or blood vessels.

You must change the injection site each time you use the medication (say, alternating right and left sides). Bear in mind that it can take two to six injections before you find the right dosage for an erection suitable for sexual activity, yet that doesn’t last for too long.

Yes, Viagra and its competitors are convenient, and they work for most men. However, some people are allergic to these drugs, and some cannot take drugs like Viagra because they take beta blockers or nitrates for heart problems. For these men, injection therapy is an effective option.

Who might benefit from this type of erectile dysfunction treatment?

Men who cannot safely take drugs in the PDE-5 class of erectile dysfunction treatments benefit from having an injectable option for treating their erection problems. In particular, men who

• Take nitrates such as nitroglycerine
• Have unusually low blood pressure (hypotension)
• Have uncontrolled high blood pressure (hypertension)
• Have severe liver problems
• Must undergo dialysis for kidney disease

may benefit from injection therapy for erectile dysfunction.

Just because a man can’t safely take oral medications for erectile dysfunction doesn’t mean he’s out of options.

The actual needles used for the injections are tiny, and injections are made into the side or base of the penis. Pain from the injection is usually minor to negligible. The medications take effect right away, and most allow men to have an erection for 20 to 40 minutes. If the dosage is too high, causing an erection to last longer than an hour, it will need to be adjusted lower to avoid complications.