Erectile dysfunction — Scope | Disability forum
Please read our updated community house rules and community guidelines.

Erectile dysfunction

Grumpy1954
Grumpy1954 Community member Posts: 46 Courageous
Hi, my wife and I had a series of medical problems, stomach op, double detached retina op etc etc that made it impractical to have sex for some time (I'm 64, my wife is 56)
Now we are not hindered, I am having trouble getting a full erection for long enough to be of use. GP had advised cuddling, as he thinks it's a confidence issue, but said there is no medical reason I could not take viagra. I tried to sign on with a clinic at Boots but they never responded.
Not helping that I just had a minor op on my foot and that's now heavily bandaged.
Suggestions?
«1

Comments

  • Pippa_Alumni
    Pippa_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 5,793 Disability Gamechanger
    Thanks for sharing this @Grumpy1954. Hopefully @PSHEexpert will be in touch soon!
  • atlas46
    atlas46 Community member Posts: 826 Pioneering
    Hi

    You should get an appointment with your GP and seek a prescription.

    They cannot decline you, provided you have no health issues.

    Please note this will be a private prescription, which the GP might charge you.

    Keep away from buying any form of medication on line, they are all crooks.
  • Mandr52
    Mandr52 Community member Posts: 23 Connected
    Hi @Grumpy 1954
    I'm not sure of you're area but the chemist up the road from me sells this over the counter, only thing I would say talk to a good pharmacist before purchasing just encase there maybe a medication conflict.
     
  • Markmywords
    Markmywords Community member Posts: 419 Pioneering
    edited February 2019
    Many pharmacies have an online GP division. ED is one of the conditions they will treat.
    The form-filling for the service is tedious but you can then get full strength treatments for a competitive price.
    GPs are resistant to prescribing it as it hits their budget and they see it as a non-essential "lifestyle" drug.
    Superdrug, Lloyds and others do it.
  • Grumpy1954
    Grumpy1954 Community member Posts: 46 Courageous
    Mandr52 said:
    Hi @Grumpy 1954
    I'm not sure of you're area but the chemist up the road from me sells this over the counter, only thing I would say talk to a good pharmacist before purchasing just encase there maybe a medication conflict.
     
    Yes, we have several and they can sell something Viagra plus? but it's expensive, which was why I tried to sign up for the Boots the Chemist ED clinic, but they never replied. Think the GP was mildly embarrassed as my wife was with me.
  • Grumpy1954
    Grumpy1954 Community member Posts: 46 Courageous
    Many pharmacies have an online GP division. ED is one of the conditions they will treat.
    The form-filling for the service is tedious but you can then get full strength treatments for a competitive price.
    GPs are resistant to prescribing it as it hits their budget and they see it as a non-essential "lifestyle" drug.
    Superdrug, Lloyds and others do it.
    Yes, that's why I tried to join Boots clinic, filled in a lengthy online form but got no reply. Several pharmacies here, my usual one is a small, family run one, not sure if they do this and I was too embarrassed to ask.
  • atlas46
    atlas46 Community member Posts: 826 Pioneering
    Hi

    I can assure you, that your GP would not be embarrassed in the least about your ED, wife present or not.

    Again, I maintain that you make an appointment with your GP, to address your ED problem.

    There are a number of medications available, that your GP would explain in detail.

    Please do not fall for other options are available, via Lloyd’s,Superdrug’s or Boots.
  • Bungalow
    Bungalow Community member Posts: 43 Courageous
    edited February 2019
    Hi Grumpy1954 this effects so many people , but as you say its an embarrassing subject for a man.  It is more common than you realise and more men get Viagra over the counter these days so it's not the stigma it used to be , which is a good thing.
    There is also something else you can look at alongside of Viagra the ED Ring you can research it on the internet seems to have good results for a lot of peeps .  
  • Grumpy1954
    Grumpy1954 Community member Posts: 46 Courageous
    Ok, thanks all. Just to confirm, I HAVE seen my GP and tried to join an ED pharmacy clinic. Perhaps I need to see my GP again, or maybe physically call in to a pharmacy. Just need my foot to heal, will know more about that friday
  • PSHEexpert
    PSHEexpert Community member Posts: 170 Pioneering
    Hello!  Sorry I'm a bit late to the chat - I have been teaching/in meetings for most of the day so I'm having to catch up now.  But basically - what they said!  Definitely speak to GP or pharmacist but PLEASE don't buy anything online - it's very risky indeed.
    - Gill 
  • Grumpy1954
    Grumpy1954 Community member Posts: 46 Courageous
    Thanks, no worries, no intention of buying online

  • PSHEexpert
    PSHEexpert Community member Posts: 170 Pioneering
    @Grumpy1954 you will have to forgive me - I have come racing home like my hair's on fire because I had about 30 different notifications from the forums with questions popping up on my phone so I've gone into crisis mode!!

    This is such a common problem but one nobody likes to talk about.  I am very grateful that you've been so upfront and shared it here as I am sure others will have found this a very useful thread.  My best wishes to you both.
    - Gill 
  • wilko
    wilko Community member Posts: 2,458 Disability Gamechanger
    Thank you for bringing this subject to the fore, us men don’t like talking about health or sexual problems out of embarrassment. Mine started after being diagnosed with MS and prescribed a drug for muscle relaxation and one of the side effects stated was ED, having a understanding wife and changing your,our methods and moods of sexual activities we can both give and get satisfaction. Viagra has been talked about sujested by the MS nurse but have not gone down this route yet or considering.
  • kev64
    kev64 Community member Posts: 2 Listener
    I suffer with ed because I have Diabetes I am prescribed Viagra 50 mg by my Dr. The trouble is I find 50 is not a high enough dose for me my diabetic specialist said I can take 2 = 100 mg but I'm nervous to take this amount . What is your opinion please 
  • Markmywords
    Markmywords Community member Posts: 419 Pioneering
    100mg is a recognised dose but as the process involves lowering the blood pressure, you should ask your GP.
    Also it can take anywhere between one hour and three hours to be effective.
  • Adrian_Scope
    Adrian_Scope Posts: 10,821 Scope online community team
    Hi @kev64, to echo what Markmywords has said, I would definitely suggest you speak to your GP about it. We're not medical experts here, so it'd be best to speak to a professional.
    Community Manager
    Scope
  • mossycow
    mossycow Scope Member Posts: 500 Pioneering
    edited September 2019
    With respect to your GP... I can't see how he can rule out physical issues untill youve seen a specialist?  This need not be worrying, I don't mean there might be something sinister.. More... That the specialist will be able to look much more in detail and take all your other stuff into consideration too.

    Also... ED has many forms.... Maybe you can ejaculated but not hard enough for penetration... .maybe that's not happening... 

    Personally a, I'd say do get as much medical help as poss before just getting a blue pill. There are several medications that can help. 

    Without details... As it's not really my story to tell.... We had probs untill the right person was seen and the right medication was found. Mainly due to family history of diabetes, so that's being helped with too. 

    In the mean time we got creative... We found things that worked.. I'm maybe a different way. In some ways... That's made us frickin awesome at sex.... . The main thing I found difficult though (as a female with my male partner) was lack of feedback. Usually I knew what was being enjoyed because well... But his body wasn't doing what it used to do when happy.. 

    We got really good at talking. Partly as foreplay cos my body's so knackered that some activities are tricky... But also giving each other verbal feedback. 

    Oter thing we've had to get better at is planning full sex as he has medication he which takes 30mins to help..... Which kind fo puts he pressure on ?... I found this really tricky... Made me nervous! We've got better at it. Partly because he's learnt it helps if he reads my flirty signals (honestly.. It's his worst nightmare.... I say signals.... What I mean is me saying 'go brush your teeth' our subtle code for go into bathroom and take the pill....) and we've learnt that it's very very very much worth it... And that if it doesn't happen his ball won't fall off or anything. 

    But, we did feel hopeless about it at one point and I forced him to the gp... And now it's really really good. So just wanted to offer hope too! 


    (so when you change your sign name from @Grumpy1954    to @StillASexGod1954

    We're right here with you!) 
  • Angeleyes65
    Angeleyes65 Community member Posts: 18 Connected
    The way we see it is that it's only a circulation problem & the viagra help with that so my husband can be who he used to be. He's 54 this Friday but like a much younger man apart from this. He says he's got his 'mojo' back but I don't like the way that we're only given 4 per month when we can be given a lot more but he had to make an appointment to ask his Doctor for more! How awful! We were lucky enough to be given 16 by accident one month! That seemed the  right amount (even though I'm not up to what I used to be these days) but it seems wrong to me that our doctors control our love making so much when it's not about them in reality. It's about us! 
     Also beware about the type & strength of the tablets given as when my husband took some about 5 years ago now he was fine with the first half he took but it made him like a stick of concrete that wouldn't go down, even after we'd finished being intimate (half of a tablet on advice of our family doctor). The 2nd time he took half his heart rate went up high & fast, the 3rd he went dizzy & collapsed! I was so frightened! He woke up after 20 minutes! He was fine but his heart rate was up slightly for a while after that! He never touched those kind again! He mentioned it to the doctor he's seen in more recent years & he's been fine with a whole blue tablet. No worries at all! 
     Guys have a wonderful time but please be very careful too? If any of you have any of these issues I've mentioned that my husband had when taking them a few years ago then don't ignore them like my better half did at first. As you've probably guessed, don't take anymore until you've seen a doctor about it or IF NEEDED seek immediate medical help! His symptoms were quite serious  although he was okay & didn't need go to hospital luckily! He probably should have gone anyway but was completely back to normal after a a couple of hours. 
    These, days my other half says he has his 'mojo' back lol! I'm 42 going on 43 lol & it's, like being with a 22 year old man. I just with I was healthy so I could keep up with him! He just needed to find tablets that were suited to him. ? 
  • Grumpy1954
    Grumpy1954 Community member Posts: 46 Courageous
    Yes, my GP warned me of possible migraine headaches (which I had with a similar functioning tablet, to prevent headaches) and the "doesn't go down" problem. He happily told me, if you get the latter, the only way forward is to draw the stale blood out with a hypodermic. The GP has put me on the lowest possible dose, which I have not taken yet, as, given the the possible side effects I want a free day the next day.
  • Angeleyes65
    Angeleyes65 Community member Posts: 18 Connected
    I really feel for you guys with this. My husband now has to take a 'vitamin' as he calls it about an hour before..... It's annoying to him because its simply age with him but take it back 20 years (which is long before we met) and this was how he naturally was. I met him 12 years ago and we became a couple almost 2 years later. I was 32 he was 43. All of the time I've known he's had erection problems! It wasn't as bad and seemed to improve unless he wore condoms which was most of the time at first. We assumed it was that & lack of confidence as our relationship was new. We now know it different.
    I'm recent years I've become very ill & that's strained things in our marriage plus my weight is now up & down though even when it's up I still look  slim! Things got a lot worse for him as he couldn't get an erection at all or I was too ill to try & by this time I was convinced it was me at the root cause. We hadn't used condoms in years so it wasn't that anymore. I urged him to see a doctor as he was too embarrassed yet again. This time they were said it was age then gave him some without question.
    Strangely the longer he takes them the less often he needs them! At first he took one every day in the hope we could get intimate, as we have a mammoth sexual appetite for each other ! He does a lot of the work though lol! Then after the first week one tablet lasts him about two days. He can now get hard on occasions without the tablet in his system but if we haven't done anything for a couple of weeks he definitely needs one to 'kick-start' things. If he takes one and we don't do anything that day we know he's okay for a day or 2 on his own. We're both happy and it wasn't an easy road for either of us but we're both very satisfied & it's changed him as a man recently in a way I've never known lol. There is hope. It is worth it too. It's never stopped my love for him. I hope this helps in some way? Good luck to you with your journey. ???

Brightness