I realize that there is some info on this site regarding Penile Implants and even a video by Tobias S. Kohler, M.D., M.P.H., a urologist and physician trainer for penile prosthesis surgery. I am at the point of considering a Penile Implant, and would like pro and con feedback from PC patients who have actually had the procedure. I am 80 years old, had RP in Jan 2010 with immediate ED. I also had radiation in early 2016 when PSA rose again. I have been on Lupron since late 2016 when my PSA would not get down to undetectable, with somewhat minor side effects and now my PSA is undetectable. In this past year, I have been on a Lupron vacation. I have used Trimix injections since my RP in 2010 but their effectiveness has significantly diminished (i.e., they are really no longer working) plus I am having penile discomfort from the needles and larger dosages required.
Hence I am considering a Penile Implant. I believe I have access to a good trusted surgeon, but would appreciate feedback (pro and con) from those who have actually had the implant surgery. Thanks in advance for your help.
Written by
Dog_man
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On the negative side, the surgery and recovery period is painful. The member size produced is underwhelming and feels too rigid. The portion of the implant including pump, tubing, valve is bulky and becomes less pliable over time. It's presence makes me uncomfortable periodically through each day. My surgery was done by Dr. Kohler at Mayo and resulted in angulation of the penis that has not corrected (it points to the left). On the plus side, a functional, albeit unnatural feeling erection is possible at any time. For myself at 57 years old, it has been the right decision as it is better than nothing. I Hope this helps you make a good decision.
I recommend you check out the Frank Talk Forum, it has personal stories and advice from thousands of men who have had a penile implant operation. It is an excellent resource on this subject:
This is probably a great idea, as most members of this forum have advanced disease and are on various forms of ADT. Most men lose their libido dramatically enough that an implant isn’t an attractive option. Expanding your search for experience on its efficacy surely is.
I have one going on maybe 9 years. I waited to long and I shrank up to half. What you loose you don't get back. I'm not sure the pump is working right lately. I don't use it that much anymore. But it still works . Better than nothing as nothing else worked for me. I didn't find the procedure to awful bad because well, it's surgery. The worst was having that tube up in me to pee for a couple days. In my opinion it's was worth it.
I am now close to three years after receiving a IPP or inflatable penile implant. I am very happy that I did it and my only regret remains not doing it sooner. By waiting even two years I lost at least a third of my size which is a significant consideration.
I have written about this issue and believe that most men that receive prostate cancer treatment face very slim odds of ever having any normal erectile function. Meanwhile, there is atrophy and fibrotic damage of the penile tissue, which occurs as time progresses. This leads to atrophy and a decrease in penile size. The only prevention to this is an implant. I am very glad that I did it and if I could only go back, I would do it much sooner. That’s my personal experience . Here are a couple of posts that I made previously that you may find useful. Good luck.
PS Find a high volume implanter and see my notes regarding this issue. Just over 70% of implants are performed by doctors who do 4 implants a year. Think about this. Would you take your car to a mechanic that only fixes four cars a year? Would you eat at a restaurant that’s only open four times a year? So why on earth would you get an implant from a doctor that only does this number. This is great for the Dr; he gets to practice. In that case, it should be free. But not for me. Good luck.
PSS in the case of Dog man he was not as affected as I was because he was able to tolerate injections and was at least oxygenating his tissue. He should have had a lot less damage than I did. But if you are a man that’s gone through surgery and cannot or is not using Trimix and cannot or did not use a vacuum erection device then your tissue damage and organ atrophy will be much faster. Just something to consider.
Find a leading implant surgeon. I got mine 8 years ago, a Coloplast Titan implant "installed" and they work great. 6 pumps, you are up, release the fluid and you are down. Recovery is about 2 weeks. UTSW in Dallas.
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