I'd like to respond to an Anonymous Poster

September 21, 2009 12:46 AM

Anonymous said...
I cried when you mentioned the first time you and your husband made love. I have vivid memories of that time, and my inability now is devastating. My wife is a real trooper, and tries to make me feel better by telling me how unimportant sex is. We are in our fifties, and I don't want it to end already. I just have to convince her that the money, whatever that may be, is worth it. Mike O

Mike:
If insurance coverage is an issue, seek out a University teaching hospital. A young man in his 40's contacted me and I referred him to Dr Weinstein, my urologist who performed my surgery. He had no insurance. Dr Weinstein arranged with the hospital to reduce his cost to what my health insurance paid for my surgery. I had excellent health insurance and the price reduction was huge, almost $15,000 less. Also, most urologists who perform this surgery know what the requirements are to have this surgery approved by insurance and by Medicare. Penile Implant surgery is considered a "standard of care" (very important) to correct Erectile Dysfunction. This is not considered cosmetic surgery and don’t let insurance misinform you on this point. Erectile Dysfunction of the penis is a failure of a body part the same way that hip replacement surgery corrects a body part that has worn out. Or the replacement of a heart valve restores function of the heart. The penile implant is considered a “Durable Medical Goods or Device” by your insurance. Your doctor has to have documentation proving that you have had ED over a period of time. That it is not a temporary occurrence, but is a permanent condition. That cheaper alternatives have been tried and don’t work, ie: you’ve tried Viagra, or Cialis, and Levitra, and it failed to cause an erection or the side effects were such that you could not tolerate it. That you maybe tried a vacuum erection device and it did not work satisfactorily for you.
Your doctor may order some tests.
A Doppler ultra-sonography of your penis. The doctor will inject a vasoactive drug into your penis to cause an erection and then with the use of ultrasound, will determine if you have serious venous leakage.
Another test is an overnight test where you will place a band around your penis to determine if you are having nightly erections.
Your doctor will look at your health history. Do you have a history of diabetes? Erectile dysfunction is a red flag to test for un-diagnosed High Blood Pressure and un-diagnosed diabetes. Your doctor will listen to your carotid artery to listen for diminished blood flow caused by arterial sclerosis or hardening of the arteries. Your doctor will also want to check your lipids or what your cholesterol levels are. Smoking history. Quit now and get help quitting now. I know, I know how hard it is. When my daughter was 5 years old, she asked me to quit, and I found a way to quit. When I caught her as a teen ager with cigarettes, I had a powerful argument for her and she stopped smoking for me. Exercise and weight control. You know what you need to do, so no lecture here. Get healthy, you’ll live longer, you’ll live better, and you will have the stamina you need for the bedroom.
Do you have Peyronie’s Disease? (Scarring that occurs in the Corpora Cavernosa, which is the twin sheaths of spongy tissue that run the length of the penis). Scar tissue replaces the spongy tissue that normally fills with blood effecting an erection. This scar tissue prevents engorgement and expansion of the penis. It can also lead to erectile length and girth loss over time. The implant will help keep the penis from shrinkage and will also help maintain a straight penis.
Have you experienced spinal cord damage? Many paralyzed men are able to enjoy sex even with a spinal cord injury or other nerve damage caused by disease or trauma. I know for a fact that Penile Implant surgery is VA approved and will cover service connected ED from trauma injuries.
What I have suggested is get yourself as healthy as you can. That’s half of the equation. Get age related health problems treated (High Blood Pressure, diabetes, High Cholesterol, weight and exercise). Next talk to your doctor, either your Primary Physician or your urologist about your ED and your options. Ask for a referral to someone who performs Penile Implant surgery. Also check out American Medical Solutions Physician Referral at http://www.amsfindadoctor.com/Patient/Search.aspx?LOBID=4
Look for a surgeon who performs at a minimum 50 penile implants a year. University Teaching Hospitals are great places to start looking for a surgeon. The VA Hospitals can also refer you to a Urologist who performs implant surgery. Outside of the US, AMS Medical Solutions and Coloplast have toll free numbers that you can call. They are staffed by knowledgeable people who can refer you to Urological Surgeons who perform implant surgery in your country.
To Contact AMS Medical Solutions

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AMS patient liaison at 800-328-3881, extension 6261, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. CDT.


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