Dealing with Male Impotence

Dealing with Male Impotence

DEALING WITH MALE
IMPOTENCE--ANOTHER OPTION

by Allan D. Nichols

Imagine you are a man in your mid-forties. You have

been a diabetic for over 30 years. You have fought, and

still fight, nearly every conceivable complication of that

insidious disease. You are blind, and you have had a kidney

transplant following the loss of your own kidneys. You have

long suffered from diabetic neuropathy, which has taken both

your feet and a couple of fingertips. You know what it's

like to go through a painful divorce, due in part to the

fact of your impotence. You travel about in a wheelchair.

A chronic sore on one of your leg stumps does not allow you

to use your prosthetic legs for walking. Sounds like a good

recipe for a ticket straight to the nearest nursing home,

doesn't it? Not necessarily!

Reading the latest information about diabetes, talking

with my personal medical support team, networking with other

diabetics in the National Federation of the Blind--these

have immeasurably helped me to retain my independence.

Recently, I met and married a wonderful lady who desires

many of the pleasurable experiences I do, including a

satisfying love life. Encouraged by new treatments for male

impotence, I am enjoying a satisfying physical relationship

with my new wife. Only a few short years ago, I would not

have believed this to be possible.

In the spring 1992 edition of the VOICE, Ed Bryant

published two articles about male impotence, one of which he

authored. Ed's article mentioned several options for dealing

with this often depressing and heartbreaking condition.

These included hormone treatments, penile implants, and

vacuum erection devices (VEDs), which I seriously considered

using.

In the fall of 1992, I suffered an unwelcome separation

and subsequent divorce from my first wife. Following that

devastating experience, I was very reluctant to risk

entering into a physical relationship with another woman.

But life has a funny way of working itself out.

Debbie, who became my second wife, is very understanding

about this particular diabetic complication. When I decided

to pursue my options for having a satisfying love life with

her, I considered the costs, possible side-effects, and

reliability of each available option. Then I discovered

penile injections.

I conferred with my diabetologist, Dr. Eric Wedell, who

first tested my testosterone level (and found it normal)

before recommending I see a urologist. I went on to see Dr.

Stacy Childs, here in Cheyenne, who provided me with the

details of how to use the medication he calls "triple

mixture."

The process works like this: Using an ultra-thin

syringe, a 291/2- or 30-gauge needle, between .2 cc's and .6

cc's are drawn. The tiny needle keeps the discomfort level

to a minimum. Rarely does it feel much more uncomfortable

than injecting my insulin. After cleaning the site with an

alcohol swab, quickly insert the needle into the side of the

penis. (To avoid hematoma, infiltration of blood under the

skin, it is important not to inject into a blood vessel.)

Slowly inject the liquid, then withdraw the needle. Apply

pressure directly onto the injection site for a minute or

two, to help reduce likelihood of blood infiltration. It

usually takes between five and ten minutes for the injection

to take effect.

Penile injection therapy offers a number of advantages

for dealing with male impotence. With this method, there is

no need for expensive surgery. Its effects are temporary,

and include only a minimum of discomfort for the user. The

erections give the user a sense of confidence, to me an

important psychological advantage.

Disadvantages may include the need to use needles, the

cost per treatment, and an erection that does not subside in

a convenient and timely manner (though this may not bother

some men). I have found that the prick of the needle is

outweighed by the pleasure of the enhanced physical

experience. The idea of injecting myself there only

bothered me until I did it the first time. By the way, I

usually go four to five days between injections, to avoid

any cumulative effects.

The medication is not inexpensive. A 10 cc vial, good

for 20 to 50 injections, costs about $70, plus cost of

syringes and alcohol preps. Not every pharmacy stocks the

"triple mixture." For best effect, the ingredients are

combined at a local pharmacy. Shelf life is three to four

months, though I have not detected any weakening of its

effects at its outer time limit.

Sometimes it is not convenient to wait for an

injection-induced erection to diminish. To quicken the

process, you can use a nasal decongestant, such as

"Neo-Synephrine". As it does in the nasal passages, the

decongestant spray shrinks the mucous membranes, relaxing

the valves at the base of the penis, and allowing the

erection to shrink.

Normally, the brain receives nervous stimulation and

responds by causing an erection. However, diabetic

neuropathy can impair nerve function, and often a satisfying

erection cannot be obtained or maintained. The use of

"triple mixture" helps the valves at the base of the penis

do their job, and for me has produced physical experiences

similar to those I enjoyed in my early 20s.

Talking or writing about this very personal subject

isn't easy. I am thankful I live in an era when it can be

discussed openly. If men are going to enjoy physical

relationships with women, we must be willing to share this

type of information with each other. Within the National

Federation of the Blind there are hundreds of diabetic men.

Thousands, perhaps millions of diabetic men in this country

also suffer from impotence. Until a cure is found for

diabetes and the other medical conditions which cause

impotence, we must seek out ways to cope with it.

Don't give up on yourself! Of course it's vital to

have a partner who understands your frustrations with the

condition as well. I have been blessed in both categories.

Successful resolution of this problem will go a long way

toward improving a marriage. I speak from experience!

Armed with information about the problem, sharing ideas

with a trusted physician and others in your counseling and

support team, you should be able to greatly improve your

quality of life. The effort is worth the result.

I would be glad to share my experiences with any VOICE

reader who suffers from male impotence. If you have

questions, contact me. My address is: Allan D. Nichols,

1215 Monroe, Apt. 1, Cheyenne, WY 82001; telephone: (307)

638-8073