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from the injections menu
Personal Experiences
A BIT OF MY ED JOURNEY
Thought I'd share a bit of my journey re ED after a RP in April 2000.
I had been using Viagara for a partial ED prior to my surgery. It unfortunately didn't help much after, and at about $14 Canadian per pill, it was not cheap.
I also had been using a Mentor Vacuum pump, prior to and after surgery. I found however, that after surgery I had to deflate the pump, using the vacuum release button,and then pump up again, sometimes 4 to 5 times to be able to fill the hard plastic cylinder and get to where I was prior to surgery with thre help of Viagara. I have had some mechanic failures with the Mentor, but they do guarantee the vacuum pump head for life - which is helpful. I got mine through a man in Manitobla who sells them by mail, and thus also reduced my costs.
I also had to go to the smallest ring possible, and then to cut back on leakage through the ring went into a double ring situation - which kept me up quite well.
Got frustrated with the pump and saw my urologist who told me there was a new oral medication for errections being clinically trialed right now, for men having had RP's. But it is not yet out, and I am guessing that it will be even more expensive than Viagara.
So I tried the injections. My urologist has me on Prostaglandin (which he says is something newer than Caverjet). The trial in the office worked fine, but ran into a little problem with the pharmacy. I knew beans about needles. He had used a short-needle n1Ml capacity syringe. It wasn't that uncomfortable. The dispensing pharmacy had a note that the other urologists in his practice wanted their patients to continue with the long needle (12.7 mm long). When I first tried it at home, I hadn't realized the difference, so loaded up my syringe, plunged it in and then wondered why it hurt so much and so long. Really took away a great deal of the enjoyment.
I then realized the problem, and phoned the pharmacy (in another city) who agreed to issue a credit for the needles. Went to a local pharmacy, mentioned the problem, and bought some short needles. But the pharmacist sold me some short needles (only 8 mm long) which were comfortable to use - but then I discovered instead of selling me 1 ml needles, she sold me .3 ml needles - so had to inject twice to getr my dosage of .5 ml - But the two short injections didn't hurt as much as the longer one. (Plan to see the pharamcist here tomorrow about her mistake.)
Both needles are either 29 or 30 guage, and provided you don't go too deep, they don't bother you very much.
Also found out another trick to reduce the discomfort. I use the pump for a bit, to get to a larger but softer size, and then there is more tissue in which to inject the needle.
My urologists told me I could use both the needle and the pump, which I tried (with double rings) and it as like being 16 all over again.
Pete
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