Hi, I'm new here, 35 year old guy, perfectly healthy prior to now. I'm absolutely distraught about a condition which I've now had for 6-7 weeks, symptoms which are uncannily the same as many of you guys and reading the long-running threads I think I'm in for a rough ride going forwards :-
- Penis feels hard even when flaccid, hangs in a very heavy 'lead weight' style
- Shorter relaxed flaccid length (used to be ~4in, now 2in)
- All 3 of the main veins (centre and one along each side) very swollen up and feel sore (this seems to vary depending on what position I'm in - standing is worse)
- Pain where the penis attaches into the pubic bone, in fact there is a definite INDENT as though it's 'pulling itself' inside
- Feeling of muscle tightness inside, odd almost minor-spasm feelings
- If I do any exertion it's very painful hard and down to 1-2in
- I can get erections but afterwards it hurts, I've once had the gentlest possible masturbation (after a month you're exploding!), but the symptoms then got worse over following days so I'm worried I'm never gonna have a normal sex life again

This array of symptoms started with pain in rightside vein after longer sex session including quite vigorous hand stimulation for second climax. I've seen problems like this on this site and through googling led to penis enlargement forums where they stretch/milk penis and have similar problems so wondering if my 'vigorous' session has had same effect?!

Thankfully I'm insured here in UK so after seeing Docs I saw a Urology specialist and have had:-
- Physical examination (he said could feel the firmness and veins, the latter which for some people would be normal)
- Ultrasound scan both flaccid and after having Caverject which gives a massive erection (blood flow okay in erect penis) followed by a cavernoscopy which checks blood flow through
- Finally I had an MRI scan of penis and whole abdomen area.

RESULT: he says cannot find anything, no vein blockage/Mondors, no fibrous tissue/Peyronies, and no lumps, growths or anything 'in the wrong place'.  In fact he suggested I gently resume sex with my partner (but I'm scared it will worsen already worsening symptoms).  What he can't say is that although blood may be flowing in the right channels/directions, whether this has changed from my 'baseline', and if it has, it's difficult to know why or how to reverse it.

The one clue I have is that for 2-3 days following the Caverject, it felt more normal (not entirely) possibly residual good blood flow when flaccid and it hung a lot more like normal..  I've asked what meds there are which at a low level might give similar effect,  the PDE5's Viagra, Cialis etc..   but he said 'give it a few more weeks'. Anyway, I'm now insisting to my Doc to do a short trial on low dose, and asking for a second opinion.  My other theory is some kind of contracting/hardening of muscle tissue inside pubic bone, pulling the penis and constricting blood flow, both into it and out (hence swollen veins which return the blood back to body)

My wife is very supportive and we have 2 kids (at least it's served God's main purpose)  but if I were younger and single like some of you I'd seriously be on the edge  (I am anyway, as it's a man pride thing isn't it, it's like my favourite bit of my body is self-destructing on me).

I was amazed (pleased and shocked in equal measure!) to find this forum..

... BUT it gives me strength to know I'm not alone - so hang in there dudes, there HAS to be an ANSWER and a SOLUTION out there somewhere

Priapism is a rare condition that causes a persistent, and often painful, penile erection.


Description
Priapism is drug induced, injury related, or caused by disease, not sexual desire. As in a normal erection, the penis fills with blood and becomes erect. However, unlike a normal erection that dissipates after sexual activity ends, the persistent erection caused by priapism is maintained because the blood in the penile shaft does not drain. The shaft remains hard, while the tip of the penis is soft. If it is not relieved promptly, priapism can lead to permanent scarring of the penis and inability to have a normal erection.


Causes and symptoms
Priapism is caused by leukemia, sickle cell disease, or spinal cord injury. It has also been associated as a rare side effect to trazodone (Desyrel), a drug prescribed to treat depression. An overdose of self-injected chemicals to counteract impotence has also been responsible for priapism. The chemicals are directly injected into the penis, and at least a quarter of all men who have used this method of treatment for over three months develop priapism.


Diagnosis
A physical examination is needed to diagnose priapism. Further testing, including nuclear scanning or Doppler ultrasound, will diagnose the underlying cause of the condition.


Treatment
There are three methods of treatment. The most effective is the injection of medicines into the penis that allow the blood to escape. Cold packs may also be applied to alleviate the condition, but this method becomes ineffective after about eight hours. For the most serious cases and those that do not respond to the first two treatments, a needle can be used to remove the blood. The tissues may need to be flushed with saline or diluted medications by the same needle method. That failing, there are more extensive surgical procedures available. One of them shuts off much of the blood supply to the penis so that it can relax. If the problem is due to a sickle cell crisis, treatment of the crisis with oxygen or transfusion may suffice.


Prognosis
If priapism is relieved within the first 12-24 hours, there is usually no residual damage. After that, permanent impotence may result, since the high pressure in the penis compromises blood flow and leads to tissue death (infarction).


Prevention
An antineoplastic drug (hydroxyurea) may prevent future episodes of priapism for patients with sickle cell disease.

Thanks for the follow up note.

However, in my case at no stage did I have, or do I continue to have, a persistent erection (or problem losing an erection if I have one). The urologist after all the scans and examinations says there is/was no evidence of priapism or any of the 'classic' penile problems.

Note that there were no immediate symptoms until 3-4 days after a longish sex session (say 1-1.5 hours, but hardly 'unusual') when I started getting the initial ache symptom..  Everything else, the feeling of firmness when flaccid (it's most unlike an erection, hanging straight down, just feels firm and meaty and shorter - and I don't mean like when a penis contracts due to cold or anxiety, this is when I'm perfectly warm/relaxed), and the three superficial veins becoming very prominent/hard have all developed over a period of weeks...

But it definitely feels to me as though the cause is something inside my pubic bone, or the 'internal ' part of the penis, causing some kind of constriction.

Is this possible (surely an MRI scan would identify this?) and hypothetically would the effect of some constriction inside likely result in said symptoms?
Many thanks

Making a little update on PABA:  I think we don't have the same exact problems or causes which we are worried about, but I feel my penis is getting flexible and soft once again.  After an erection, the penis gets back to its (fully) flaccid state within minutes.  I feel much more comfortable now; it does seem like it might be working.  I would rule out priapism in my case because I never experienced pain down there.  Overall I think it is cooperating more and I am hopeful; I take 1.5g a day now no problems.  I read somewhere that being nervous or fearful tenses up a muscle that causes it to retract.  I think some of it might be in our head, but I don't doubt that I have some weird penile circumstance which is affecting my sex life and life in general.  I have no problems getting erect, staying erect, performing, etc. but it seriously looks like I have a quadruple chin down there or something it is really ******* annoying.  Anyway, thought I'd update, take care and hope for the best.

Buy this book!  I promise it will help

http://www.pelvicpainhelp.com/book.php

I thought i was the only person experiencing these problems. Its been going on for 10 years and started from some sort of unresolved std. i have had a lot of success with anti-inflammatory or immune enhancing supplements, potaba (prescription paba) also helped me a great deal, but the problem always returns and the supplements no longer work until i find something new. Its maddening, and many time i dont want to live like this anymore. This all started with what seemed like a basic std. It like my peinis has arthritis all the time, im suffering 24/7.

Its been a while since I have been on again. A year and a half since back surgery. I am probably 75% normal. I did have a herniated disk. I cannot say forsure that it is the answer. I do say it is worth cheching out. I feel as if I am slowly healing from this injury, but I am starting to doubt myself and get paranoid about it. I am still not normal. The psycological pain of this has really messed me up emotionally. I would advise, definately, absolutely no penal exercises plz. Sitting and relaxing definately helps, heck I cant even leave my house. I want to stay with this until we find a solution 100% to each and everyone of our problems. I think some of them may have been caused in different ways, but all the changes in state of flaccid penis have to have a common bond. I want to help you guys, I really do. If anyone wants to talk, or bounce off Ideas, msg me.
Also initially upon recognizing the symptoms I thought my tissue was torn, but everyone I talked to say that if it was tissue, it would have just healed up, like any other part of your body. I just don't know. Im sorry I don't have the answer for you guys. Hope your ok. Later.

I have the very same symptoms started a little over a week ago, I presume after a 'jelqing' injury.  I immediately stopped doing that, and have been all over the internet boards and medical forums to try and figure out the cause of this and hopefully some remedy.

Some observations:
1.  Like everyone else with this issue on here, I know my own body well enough to know it changed dramatically about a week ago, so this is definitely a physical condition.  Anyone who say otherwise has never experienced it and should thank God.
2.  This physical condition seems to be GREATLY influenced by psychological and neurological function.  More so than any other physical condition I can think of or have experienced.  I can focus my attitude on relaxation, and visibly watch my member return to normal flaccid condition like it used to be all the time.  And this completely without and erotic stimulation.  Now holding state of mind is the problem...because i have to focus on it, I obviously I can't do that all the time.  If I take my mind off of it, I relax and it is better, but the minute I begin to get anxious about it is when immediately it flares up.
3.  Normal erectile function seems intact IF other conditions subside.  After experiencing the most normal day yesterday since the initial injury, I was able to spontaneously arouse without any physical stimulation...I hadn't been able to do that previously, not because my body isn't physically able, but because the over-riding retraction, firm and flaccid condition, dull-pain, anxiety, and fear simply wouldn't allow it.  These things are the opposite of the conditions required for normal and relaxed arousal.  So, today I slipped and it was a bad day, and again no ability for arousal without something extra.  But now I am a bit less worried about ED now and more concerned with a remedy of the over-bearing symptoms which are getting in the way.

I think this issue seems to be related to possibly a couple of possibilities.  Nervous system integrity with the brain/helicine arteries.  Before the injury I always felt a 'connection' with my member and really wasn't overly aware of it because I guess it had always been there, and when it seemed to disappear I really noticed it.  So, I think the condition and symptoms of this partially or totally block this two-way communication between the brain and the penis.  The helicine arteries are one of a few parts to a very complex physiological function and an erection can't happen with them functioning.  I have morning wood still, so these are working, but I am wondering about the signals getting through to them for erotic stimulation.  The other has to do with the physiologic reaction to stress/cold, which is to shrivel up and retract the scrotum and penis.  I feel like there is something in my member pulling it inward...well, I can see that it is so why is that?  Is this a combination of nervous system/erectile function/retract function that has become imbalanced so that one is now more predominant?

I saw a study where a group of doctors did a botox injection into the muscles that contract the scrotum/penis and 7/10 had less retraction symptoms for the 6 months that the botox weakened the muscles.  Maybe this is a temporary solution?  Maybe work on physiologic ability to relax that area?  Also work on not having fearful and anxious reactions?  I don't know the answers gentlemen, just hoping to spur on some discussion and ideas.  Please comment.

It's about 3 months now since my injury which led to the firm flaccid, 'retraction' effect and associated pain/discomfort. This led to a lot of psychological distress and whether due to this extreme anxiety or the physical condition or the combination, I also then started suffering major ED where even with stimulus I could not get it more than 20% and it felt very solid/woody and painful as though the tissue had become too tough or dense for blood to get into properly.

To cut a (very) long story short, I did get onwards referred to a top Harley Street Uroandrologist (penis expert!) and have subsequently had more detailed MRI and colour doppler ultrasound scan - which have not revealed any 'macro' level damage.  What the specialists admit though is that structural damage on a 'micro' level would only show up by microscopic examination which would require a biopsy (i.e. surgical extraction samples out of your penis - not something to be entered into lightly) - and he strongly recommended a medication-based, not surgical approach.

As a result I have been on a combination of drugs for the past month or so:  Xatral XL (a slow release anti adragenic agent which basically relaxes muscles and blood vessels in that general area - often used for chronic prostatitis), daily low dose 2.5mg Cialis to promote erectile activity, and amitriptyline to offset anxiety, help me sleep and it also has pain relieving properties.

After about a week on this I noticed an improvement and although the flaccid firmness is still there, things are 'hanging' a bit more natural and I am now getting morning wood and erections on demand - the first few I got (having not had any proper ones for weeks) were painful and it did feel as though there was a process of 'flushing' the system and getting the blood vessels working properly again. I think an improvement in my mental state and getting better sleep and the associated increased ability to relax is helping too. Things are still not normal, but the pain, ED and very retracted state I had are now under control - whether I can come off the meds at some stage without it reverting I don't know.

I hope this is possibly of use to some of you. I have felt on the edge of a massive precipice with this and know how you feel (you cannot understate as a man how much your **** affects your whole self-belief and body image as a man and there were times when I genuinely felt I would never have sex again - or even lose the little chap altogether - seriously!) but I seem to have found something which has improved the situation a little for me at least and I kind of feel probably 70% normal.

Everyone please keep strong and have hope, and keep contributiing your experiences to this forum and any knowledge you get - there has to be an explanation for what causes this and what (if anything) can cure/minimise it.

Take care
BB

I just posted in another related thread on this site, here is an excerpt:

I think Urologists are too narrow a specialty to shed much light on this...I believe it is some neurological/sympathetic nervous system automatic response.  I think maybe the field of Neurology will be a better pathway to an answers/solutions.

Definitely a physical condition that started with me, but is influenced mostly by stress/anxiety/physical exertion/adrenaline...not caused by it, but exacerbated by it.  Anyone know a doctor or researcher in the neurology field who might be interested in taking this up?

Please post your thoughts...

what side effects are you experiencing from the Xatral XL? retrograde ejaculation?

It's low dose Xatral I'm on (10mg one a day), the XL meaning it's slow-release through day so it's low level.
Ejaculation fluid, without studying it too much (!), looks normal in volume/colour so I don't think I'm getting 'retrograde', I've heard this can be like your firing blanks but more likely on higher dose or the non-slow release version.  There were other side effects when I started though - for 24hrs felt like had a hangover with it, a bit 'fuzzy headed' but from 2nd day onwards not really aware i'm on it.
But it does feel beneficial as it let's things feel relaxed and a bit more loose down there and feels like blood circulation is better.

i've been watching this thread for a few months now, i believe i have the same problem you all talk about and for me it's been about 3 years now. about a month ago, after a recommendation in this thread, i started taking omega 3 capsules every day. i saw an almost instantaneous positive effect, it just seemed to relax everything down there. i'm not fixed, not by a long shot, but i'm wondering - what's wrong with my body that omega 3 benefits? do i have some kind of omega 3 deficiancy? i'd like to hear some feedback from other people who started with omega 3, or encourage anyone who hasn't tried it yet to try and then post back.
cheers

thanks for the interesting posting, reFaN!

i just found out, that the  prostaglandins E-1/E-3 production mechanism is
reduced in case of lipid metabolism dysfunctions.
E-2 will never the less be produced normally. (wikipedia)

Well for my case, the doctors just found out that i have such a dysfunction
that results in a high cholesterol level. (which i think, quite many people have)

Might it be that there is a relation?

A related discussion, test was started.

A related discussion, Continuation of 'Penis hard when flaccid' thread... was started.

Hello everyone,
I have been making detailed notes, documenting and recording mine and others symptoms for about 2 months now and reading these forums, comparing everything.  Here is what I have:

Can anyone relate to all or most of these points?

1. Great variations in size, texture, feeling:

- 25-50% of the time is loose, normal size
- Sometimes light-weight sorta like it has an internal sponge cake texture or filling.  Has a basic structure and shape, almost 'normal.'
- Sometimes engorged with blood, very heavy, lead weight.  No structure, plump, very dead-like.
- Sometimes takes on a weird 'coke bottle' shape.  Like a band is restricting around the middle, while full and plump near the glans (glands).
- Sometimes after the firm-flaccid condition 'releases' for a bit, there is itching on the left and right penile shaft.  This can be a symptom of varicose vein formation.

- 50-100% of the time very firm or hard, while retracted to less than normal flaccid length.
- Varicose and/or spider veins forming.
- A 1/2" 'dimple' forming on the fatty pad of the groin, right where the shaft connects.
- A feeling of the penis being 'pulled' in.
- A 'brittle' or' shell-shocked' feeling in the penis when this has persisted for a day or two.
- Visible stress to skin, wrinkling, color spots, redness, irritation, etc.

2.  A common complaint is left-side veins 'popping' out or becoming much more prominent, also sometimes accompanied by some pain.  I've heard some complain of right-side issues, but I personally have not had much of an issue with that side.

3.  Shorter length.
- Usually nocturnal erections are normal length, and sometimes spontaneous are normal length, but many times, especially when other symptoms are present it can be difficult to get to full-length erection...and doing so usually results in some irritation and/or pain afterward.

4. Nocturnal erections variations
- Sometimes no nocturnal erections.
- Sometimes weak nocturnal erections.  Not fully rigid.
- Sometimes 'stuck' nocturnal erections that won't go down unless you get up and move around.  I am plagued with this about 30-40% of nights...having to get up every couple of hours and make it go down so a priapism doesn't occur.  Otherwise it's irritated the next day.  I take aspirin for this to prevent inflammation or scarring.

Ok, well I have seen 2 doctors so far and am going to another after Christmas (an andrologist).  I have formulated some ideas, and am looking for input or to get the message out there about this condition.  Urology doesn't seem to have any diagnosis for this, but perhaps we can change that, or perhaps the field of Andrology (erection doctor) can take up the issue.

Here are my ideas:

1.  Veins are not actually 'popping' out on left side, or growing larger (at least not without being compressed first).  They are showing up in relief of the pressure around them - of the skin being drawn up.  The veins haven't changed, the skin has been drawn tight around them...like when you take something and put in a vacuum bag and remove the air.  It forms a surface that follows the contents exactly.

2.  Physiological influence has greatly increased it's effects on these symptoms.  Particularly the release of natural adrenaline, noradrenaline, and other psychosomatic stress hormones in the body, etc.  I don't think anyone disagrees that stress and other physical exertion has a big effect on this, but in this case only makes it worse.  It is not the cause of it.  Stress and adrenaline are normal effects in the body, but the result of whatever caused this injury shows up now, with this as its trigger in part.  Before this condition existed, it simply didn't exert change on the penis that much before, so nobody noticed it that much.  I think everyone can probably relate to stress causing an erectile issue, but it is usually short-lived...not persistent.

3.  Varicose or darkening (spider) veins appear when blood flow is reduced or their flow mechanism is interrupted.  Veins have built-in receptors that control constriction, dilation, and flow direction.

4.  Adrenaline and noradrenaline (norepinephrine) both cause smooth muscle contraction, vascular constriction, increased heart-rate, etc.  Working out, getting stressed, etc. is a major contributor to this condition.

5.  Abstaining from sexual activity generally improves my symptoms.  I had to g around and around with this one because there was some conflicting data.  Getting a full erection seems to help...especially when it has lots of time to get to that full size, like at night.  However, I have also noted with regularity that ejaculation can cause an immediate onset of the firm and flaccid condition, even when it wasn't present prior to the event.  Repeated ejaculation in a short time frame magnifies this.

6.  The ejaculation mechanism releases noradrenaline locally to trigger orgasm, and is the reason why a man goes flaccid immediately after sex.  This hormone causes smooth muscle contraction and vascular resistance.  This normally fades away in a few minute to a few hours, but with this condition it persists for even a day or several days.

So, I have come to at least one conclusion...maybe not a cure, but at least some clues as to what this is occurring.  Please don't take my word for it, I only offer as a suggestion and it could be wrong...however maybe it has some merit and somebody can get this condition noticed.

So far, my idea of this is that I tend to think at the heart of this is a circulation issue which leaves the penis abnormally exposed to what normally is the usual hormone function of the sympathetic nervous system and sexual function.

Pinjured_Too, I have experienced an alarming number of your symptoms.  Specifically:

-Variable penis texture and weight (flaccid+firm vs. lighter-than-normal vs. almost normal, etc.).
-Occasional itching on the left and right side, near the base.
-More visible veins throughout the penis.
-Left-side vein prominence.  One left-side vein is much darker than I remember, and stands out the most amongst the aforementioned prominent veins.  In conjunction with this, I occasionally feel a sharp pain on the left-side of my penis that extends to a point left of my anus and within my body slightly.  This pain lasts only a second or two.  I have some fibrous tissue on the left side (which has been there for years), so there may be a link there.
-Penile skin texture variability.  Generally, the skin on my shaft feels looser than normal (reduced elasticity) which I attributed to the abnormally firm corpora cavernosa underneath.  The loose skin symptom did not present itself at the outset of this condition - it came maybe a month into it.  Sometimes the skin also feels cold and clammy.
-Nocturnal erection variations.

In addition, I have these symptoms:

-Reduced sensitivity on the shaft and head, especially when in the firm+flaccid state.
-Reduced libido, which may be a side-effect rather than a cause.
-Reduced energy, depression; again, possibly side-effects.
-Colder penis temperature and lighter glans (glands) color, also when in the firm+flaccid state.  When erect, or after taking a warm bath, the reddish/purple color returns to the glans (glands).
-Hemorrhoids, which may or may not have been present when the penile symptoms started.
-Back pain in the lower-left thoracic region.
-More flatulence than usual.
-Pain in the perineum - possibly related to hemorrhoids.

This all started 2 months ago when I woke up in the middle of the night with a numb, engorged, but flaccid penis.  Since then, essentially all of the symptoms have been variable, with periods where I almost felt back to normal.

Here is what I have essentially ruled out at this point, through doctor's visits and blood tests:

-Thyroid problems
-Diabetes

I had a prostate exam that was normal, but I still haven't ruled that out as a cause.  I have an upcoming appointment with an osteopath, to discuss any potential link between my back and these problems (though both a chiropractor and physical therapist did not think a link was likely).  I'm also planning to see a neurologist asap.  I've already seen a urologist, but they didn't have a diagnosis.

I'll post as I learn more.  Let me know if you figure out anything else regarding adrenal function.

Hi guys,

Similar problem here. Had it about 4 years now. It doesn't seem to get any worse- so maybe that's a blessing.
I think mine possibly came from injury too...football...
Ive taken marijuana, but hadnt had any for about 9 years when i first noticed the problem..also had a pretty crap diet when i first went down with it...possibly connected?
I have the enlarged veins- but no scrotum abnormalities.
I also have the lower back pains (im 6'3") and occassionally tingly legs and numbness in my thigh. I did think about sciatica....

I can report that ive tried viagra and it does get around the 60% erection problem that id normally have without it. I can pretty much get back to where I used to be....
I also get stronger morning erections if ive taken viagra the night before....

But not without it.
Would be great to hear from any of you if you have any other ideas?
I hope that adds something to the discussion.

Hey man,

I can definitely tell you marijuana had nothing to do with this.

It's good to hear that Viagra gets you back to 100%. I just wanted to ask you how often you rely on Viagra for this? and have you experienced any side effects?

I'm going to start experiementing with supplements and then probably move to alpha blockers and viagra. Just want to know how dependant on this I could be and what the side effects are like.

just to say, I've tried every supplement and herbal product, nothing makes any difference. Only the alpha blockers do anything for me.

UPDATE! MAYBE THIS WILL WORK FOR YOU
After several months I now feel I've got back to 95% normal in terms of flaccid consistency and size, and erectile/sexual function.
It's been a long journey and I've used quite a combination of meds:-
- Xatral/alpha blocker (10mg daily)- to relax muscles and veins down there
- Cialis (lwo dose 2.5mg daily) - to promote regular erections
- L-Arginine - precursor amino acid to help erections
- Tribulus - to promote testosterone production
- Zinc - also promotes testosterone
- Regular warm wraps (e.g. rice sock, hot water bottle)

My strategy has been to get as many normal erections as possible, but at the same time to limit actual sexual activity and in particular limiting ejaculation to only once a week.  By limiting sex and at the same time taking various supplements which boost testosterone and help erections, so if you can get back into feeling horny (I'd lost the ability for at least 3-4 months) it seems to give life back to the old fella and the positive changes have followed on for me.  I now have no adverse after effects following sex/masturbation (before it caused worse symptoms for up to a week). I've also really limited alcohol intake and spicy/hot food over this period as I found that these seemed to make things worse the day after ... but now these don't seem to affect it any more (hurrah!)

I think for me at least, the solution was to ensure as much 'regular function', i.e. getting good blood flow through and getting natural hormones helping the process. Needless to say, after such terrible experience where at various points I was completely freaked out, I am now much more relaxed (which in itself helps) but taking a lot more care of my unit in future!

I hope this helps you guys anyway and best of luck in getting back to normality.
Cheers
B

BritBloke, congrats man! Hope all stays well for you! Your post is great news for many of us.

If you don't mind, could you please go into more details about your journey. Which meds do you think helped the most and which the least? What combination do you recommend? how often and for how long?

Were you consistent with sex/ejaculation once a week or did you cheat sometimes? When did you first start feeling erections again?

I am just starting out on the same path that you took, and your advice will greatly be appreciated.

Again, thanks and best of wishes.

Hey guys,

I'm from Germany so don't deal too severely with me if my words are not that clear to you ;-)

I don't want to list my symptoms because I would only repeat anything already written in here. I've read the whole thread and it was very interesting. I'm glad finding this forum - in German-speaking communities you cannot find so much about this problem. A fate which can be easily described statistically *g

Anyway....I'm not a doctor but as a natural scientist I hope I can see things in the right light. I've read so many interesting things in here. There are diets which helped person 1 perfectly but failed completely for person 2 - doctors did not find any physiological problems and so on.....

What we should concentrate on is an important fact: Our main symptoms did not evolved but appeared rapidly. This means that we can almost exclude food/lifestyle related things. In case of ED, urologists often use this information to differentiate between physical and psychological causes and I am the opinion that our problem is mostly of psychological origin. Stress and anxiety can easisly cause pelvic tension which and our symptoms are a secondary effect. Every person has got its personal psychosomatic Achilles heel and this may be ours.

Now let me explain why I think so:
Some of you wrote things like
- "When I urinate and release the muscles it releases the retraction."
- "once i pee and is lengthens out and softens i feel fine and not panicky or worried at all"
- "Only the alpha blockers do anything for me."
etc.

I guess that 'muscle tension' is a good description for all of that.

Furthermore I will tell you my story: My physiological problems are so flamboyantly related to matters with my new girlfriend that I don't really believe that they are physiological. More exactly I have a subconcious fear of loss of her. I am convinced in that because years ago I developed a phobia which made it impossible having a relationship with a women. A psychotherapy brought my anxiety to light and the phobia was defeated.
In moments we are together and she does/says things which make me feel comfortable that I am part of her future my symptoms are better up to completely gone. This lasts the following day but come back afterwards. I hope that the symptoms will go away in a few weeks when we adapted to each other. If she would dump me, the symptoms would last 2 weeks and then they are gone I think. I know this because she did once a few months ago ;-)
Nevertheless I have an appointment at a urologist just to make sure that there is no physiological problem and to verify my hypothesis. If the problem persists I will try to learn some relaxing strategies like autogenic training, Feldenkrais of special gym to relax the pelvic base.

To condense my words, in my opinion I and some of you here suffer from chronic pelvic tension. It must not be due to psychological reasons but it may be.
That just my personal opinion. Please tell me what you think about it!

Cheers

After reading most all of these posts I find myself in tears.  My son is 23 yrs. old and has been experiencing most all of your same symptoms.  Started about 6 months ago, and we have been to many doctors, including a urologist, but no one can give us an answer or hope.  He is now having feelings of suicide, says the doctors can't help and he can't continue to live with this.  Was at the ER last night, again all blood work and urine came back negative.  Made another appointment this morning with another urologist, can't get in until mid March.  I don't dare tell him this yet for fear of what it will do to his mental state.  
His symptoms include:
feeling of shrinkage but at the same time feeling his penis is hard
problems in urinating
very sensitive penis head
feeling that his penis has no blood flow
numbness in his penis
not able to achieve an erection

He is having major anxiety during this and the symptoms are becoming more frequent.
It is killing me, as his mother, not to be able to help get him find the help that he needs! On top of all this, he just graduated from college, now has no job or health insurance.  I was able to purchase a short term policy for major medical, but this is now considered a "pre existing" condition - so no coverage.

Suggestions?

hi everyone. i ve been reading about this problem for last 6 months and i ve never found any real photos of such condition. so shortly i ll show u photos of my "problems" and would be glad if someone could tell me smthing about it or if someone has the same problem.just tell me if it looks like those photos i ve made.

my main symptoms are: when i was 17 years my foreskin was pulled back and uncovered whole head of penis for the first time. since then i started to feel something strange about it. it started to shrink,or retract (whatever its called) almost everytime while i ve been doing some sports or when it was exposed to coldness. it also feels hard and cold even in flaccid state sometimes. sometimes it retracts so much that its almost childs size and even hurts. today,after 3 years it retracts almost always expect when i am in bed or sitting in warm. i ve visited doctor,he told me should wash it and everthing else is normal cause of difference in circulation on cold and warm,also at rest or exercising. i know the story about increased / decreased blood flow in penis depending on wheather and exercising but i told to doc that its simply to extreme shrinkage in my case. he said nothing. so,i ll send u friend request that u can see my photos. i would be greatful if anyone tell me should i worry about it or any comment. p.s. i ve no any urinating or sexual or erecting problems.only rarely feel loss of sensation when its in shrink state.  tnx guys

I came across this recently and thought it was a good read:

http://cure-erectile-dysfunction.org/firm-flaccid-penis

"You have to BOOST your prostaglandins E-1/E-3 and Nitric Oxide (cGMP) release from the adjacent healthy erectile tissues to soften the collagen scar or prevent collagen scar formation (it will also heal the damaged penile erectile, elastic tissues, nerves and blood vessels in the tunica albuginea and its sheathing spongy corpus cavernosa). A good way to do this is by using right combination of amino-acids, herbs, and vitamins & minerals."

I'm going to try a combination of a men's multivitamin, 5-htp tablets, omega-3 fish oil, l-arginine and ginkgo or ginseng.  I'll keep you all updated.

Britbloke great news that you are making progress. Was wondering what the name of the harley street specialist was as I am suffering badly from similar situation to you?

yes i also feel a tingle sensation in my penis from time to time, but my testicles still sag and hang low alot.  my penis is still cold alot, and im feeling when its flaccid its hard inside. this all happened after i took finasteride, im only 21 years old. so worried mom is ur son on propecia(finasteride)?  

would any of these conditions show on an ultrasound or xraY? (peyronies disease, priapsm)?

and young i also when stimulate my penis a little the hardness goes away. only when its at its normal flaccid state does it get hard inside. also when my penis is erect its much more narrow than it used to be.  

i recently started taking 1 mg of doxazosin(alpha blocker), and 1000 mg of flaxseed oil twice a day, and it has taken part of the issue for the most part, on occassion i will still have a hard flaccid penis, but it does not shrink nearly as much as used too, but overall im satisfied with the results

for months i was looking for another kind of solution for my penis injury but in the end i started having similar things as u said.

i was doing kegels and jelqing before the time i injured my penis. and i had painfull varicosed veins for months. and recently i realised that my thing is much smaller when it is flaccid. in the middle of shaft it is like someone is squezing and head seems in the same size so it looks weird. also i realised that my thing is getting first erect in the root, middle again like squezed and after 5 seconds it comes to its natural size. this looks awful!

i cudnt cure my varicose veins and pain in the area. and now i started to have these..

i have one question to all of u.. did u have this after violating your penis or it just happened?? i know i had been masterbating (masturbating) a lot since i am 13. and now 25. but what put me in this situation was penis excersizes.. i wud be happy to hear from you.

anyone notice any red or blue spider vains on penis

yes they are painful for me..  i first had these veins and now firm flaccid state and a feeling of a stiff band surrounding my middle of shaft. i have hourglass shape erection when i am semi flaccid and it feels that area is more flat now when it is erect.

did u get these due to violent use of penis?? some excersizes or something similar??


also i advice everybody here to massage it with vitamin e. i first had this 2 weeks ago this rigidity and it was awful. as the weather was colder whenever i go out it had pain like hell and when i go in and check it in bathroom head was almost all white and no blood flow going there. but after vitamin e massages now it is not hard flaccid any more.. still i feel the hardness but it is not so like squezed from middle any more.

i think all these are caused by an internal plaque or scar tissue. so u should try to solve them with some heat massages and vitamin e creams.

also while i was searching i found out that verapamil cream can also be effective but they say it is expensive cream. didnt check its price yet.

I also have similar symptoms. A while back I took some herbal supplements for enlargement. This seemed to cause the skin of my penis to be red in patches during and after erections. So I stopped using the supplements and decided to do the stretches n exercizes. Now I still have the red skin issue and the hard when flaccid problem. From doing the stretches I basically  exploded one of the veins in my penis. The vein is now hard and bulged when im errect making me think that it is blocked.

I think that you all are having a circulatory problem. The reason its difficult to diagnose is because its either a partial blockage of one or more veins or capillaries. Im not sure yet how to cure this yet, but knowing this will help a urologist help you.

I also had an injury to my left testicle a while back and have a hard bump in my vas deferens.

Those of you that are taking anti depressants.  Many men who are diagnosed with depression are treated wrong. I also took anti depressants for a while. they helped but didnt get rid of it. depression in men is more commonly caused by a lowered testosterone level.  Getting your testosterone level back to normal will get rid of ED as well as depression.

My testosterone levels were thrown off because of a testicle problem which has yet to be diagnosed. (after ultrasounds) Test. is produced in the testies. So I urge all of you to have your hormone levels checked. Most drs will only do this when you ask they wont do it during a normal blood test. not sure why? There are natural ways to bring test levels back up which work for me i can now work out again and im putting muscle back on. A low test level will cause you to put on fat and lose muscle.

Ginko Biloba is great for depression and will even help with ED.

Isn't there a surgery you can get to remove the cremasteric muscle?  The cremasteric muscle is whats pulling your scrotum up to into your inguinal canal, so maybe getting a surgery to remove or make that muscle less active could be the solution.

Hi everyone, I am 34 and have been suffering this hard-flaccid problem for about a year now, completely destroying my sex life in the process.  So glad I've found this post.

Let me be clear I have never taken amphetamines or ecstasy so you can rule those out as a direct cause (although there could be indirect causes due to metabolism of drugs). I have also never had any back problems, stopped smoking 7 years ago and drink no more than 3-4 pints a week.  A recent blood test confirmed I do not have diabetes nor any hormonal or other blood-related issues, save a slight issue with cholesterol which I am actively trying to control.  

I am quite drug averse so am very hesitant in taking alpha-blockers or other medication as I'm keener to address the root cause of the problem.  I find abstaining from sex or masturbation for 4-5 days makes things slightly better (the longer the abstinence, the better the results), but this is clearly not a satisfactory solution for the long term.

In hard flaccid state my penis appears to have a lost a lot of it's previous bulk (feels very light and thin).  Erections are rarely satisfactory being perhaps 25% full in terms of duration and 75% full in terms of size.  Sex drive is very low.

If I 'shake' my penis in hard-flaccid state gently - thereby forcing blood to enter the penis via centrifugal force - it appears to alleviate the hardness temporarily - bulking up to 'normal' size and weight, but goes hard-flaccid again within a few minutes.  This tends to rule out i) any neuropathic condition (such as associated with diabetes) affecting the sympathetic/parasympathetic nervous system around the penis, and also ii) hormonal issues such as related to adrenaline/noradrenaline levels.

My testicles and my glans (glands) are also frequently cold to touch, even in a hot environment, which together with the hard inner shaft feeling as if it has been constricted, and the alleviating affects of shaking the penis as suggested above, leaves me to conclude (without any medical expertise) this is a bloodflow/arterial issue.

The only I can think of atm is possibly arteriosclerosis.

I have this problem too!  I get strong erections though.

I think everyone's similarity is that we all had some event that occurred which made our penises like this (either injury, over exertion, mental, drugs).  

Mine was after I masturbated 16 times in one day and I overdosed on amitriptyline (and I couldn't get hard for a week) and I also put myself in a coma for 2 days and was severely dehydrated.  I am doing jelqing exercises to improve blood flow and wrapping it up in a warm towel at night time and they seem to be helping.  I get horny all the time and have strong erections though unlike many on here.  Then again I am taking Wellbutrin XL which has been making me horny like crazy and I think Jelqing helps with erection strength.

The people who say they have erection problems may be having erection problems because they feel bad about their flaccid penis. and insecure.  This will affect erections and then when you see your erections less strong that just feeds into your insecurity.  Point is the size of the flaccid penis isn't the big deal.  

Here is what I found online. The title was "5 things you don't know about your penis".

No. 4: You Can Break Your Penis
There is no "penis bone," but you can break your penis all the same. It's called penile fracture, and it's not a subtle injury. When it happens, there's "an audible pop or snap," Montague says. Then the penis turns black and blue. And there's terrible pain.
Penile fracture is rare, and it typically happens to younger men because their erections tend to be quite rigid.
Here's how to avoid penile fracture: don't use your penis too roughly. A common way that penile fracture happens, Montague says, is when a man is thrusting too hard and fast during sex, and slams into his partner's pubic bone. Also, a woman who moves wildly while on top of a man during sex can break a man's penis.
Peyronie's syndrome is a related condition that tends to show up more in older men, Montague says. An older man's erection may not be as rigid, but still is hard enough for sex. Over time, if the penis bends too much a certain way during sex, small tears in the tissue can form scars, and the accumulated scar tissue gives the penis an abnormally curved shape.
Not all penis curvature is a problem, however. "There is a lot of variability in what normal is," Cummings says.

Has anyone experienced any sort of real recovery from this injury?

I've just begun experiencing this, it's been approximately 3 months now and I think I can link it back to a marathon masturbation session around that time. I assumed it was just a passing soreness but as the days tick by with no real recovery, I'm becoming more and more alarmed. I have the same symptoms. Hard when soft, and for the most part soft when hard. I do experience half strength erections, but these are slightly painful during sex. When flaccid there is a slight ting of pain that is constant, and a more noticable pain when slightly squeezing on the shaft.

I stumbled on this thread weeks back and have begun taking Vitamin E, Ginko Baloba and some of GNC's megamen vitamen packs for performance and vitality. I've only been taking this for approximately a week, and haven't noticed any recovery yet, I do know that at the very least the Ginko will take multiple weeks before I'll notice any difference. I plan on seeing a Dr/Urologist, but am currently waiting for insurance from a new job I started to kick in.

In the mean time, based on what I've read in this thread, it's sounding more and more like this is a life changing, erection killing situation. Someone, anyone, tell me of the positive results you've had. I'll be sure to provide any updates I can as time passes regarding this issue.

-RecentlyConcerned

I had this approx 9 months ago, triggered by 'overuse' as it were, similar to yourself (see my previous posts). There was a period where I suffered from the hard flaccid, reduced size, constant ache, inability to get full erection (and it looking weird, and slightly mishaped when I could as though not fully inflating all along).

If it gives hope after a tortuous journey I'm now in a place where I'm sure to anyone who doesn't know my penis as I do, it looks normal and now functions okay again, although things aren't quite the same (still a little firmer flaccid and approx 1/2in shorter when erect than was before, but it doesn't dominate my life the way it did for several months.

I saw various top specialists including at Harley Street and had various tests/scans the upshot being no identifiable tissue/veinous/structural damage - clearly this is a more low level (yet equally problematic and alarming) sort of damage and at the moment is not classified as one of the 'classic' male problems. I'm sure everyone on here is sure that in time someone will define this as a recognised condition and set out the best treatment for it - let's hope as soon as possible.

The key thing in my mind which helped was things which stimulate ongoing blood flow down there (Xatral, or perhaps Flomax which I think is now available OTC), Ginko supplements, I was on Cialis for a period of about three months (low dose 2.5mg, to ensure regular erections tough this is v expensive if your GP won't prescribe and like me I had private prescriptions - circa £70 for 28 or months suplpy), regular warm wraps or baths.  I dropped things out of my diet which do the opposite - caffiene being a key one, and I also had to stop doing intense exercise - i) as it caused more pain and ii) as the adrenaline effect which normally shrinks your penis seems to have a much amplified effect with this condition (I've now been able to gradually get back into this as the worst passed)

There was a period where I thought it was 'the end' so don't despair.

I gradually came off the drugs about 3 months ago and now just have high strenght ginko supplements and more baths than I used to (I'm also eating goji berries a lot which are meant to improve circulation/libido), but as part of my strategy I ensure I get a couple of good erections for 5-10 mins a day (with only gentle stimulation and not going to orgasm) and limit myself to 1 or 2 actual sessions a week (which compared to the hell I was in, I would have snapped anyone's hand off had they offered me!)

I haven't been on this forum for a few months, so sorry if I ignored anyone's follow up to my posts, I really hope the above may be of help to you.

B

i agree with u...i am suffering from the same condition.. don't know what it is...

it becomes tight, and retracting inside the body....I am afraid if it could be some sort of infection on injury...since i never felt any pain or sensation...so i have no clue what it is and the urologists i have met are totally clueless about the situation.

Hey brother. I think what you have is all related to your pelvic muscles. You see, when the muscles in your pelvis are overworked, they tighten aggressively and begin to remain that way until they are taught to relax again. When these muscles are tightened your penis is pulled toward your body. The pelvic muscles are also unique in that they react to almost every bodily function (sneezing, coughing, laughing, breathing, arousal, urinating, depression, anxiety...etc). This means that they are going to continue to be strained without action on your part.
Obviously depression makes the situation much worse as specialists have told me that "the greatest sex organ is the brain".
You should look into physical therapy and really really should read this book: "A Headache in the Pelvis".
I myself am getting better. I used to have the problem you do, but have sense been rid of it. I'm not 100% better at all, but I'm in the right direction and significantly happier. Good luck.

Ughh, I can't believe this kind of thing has happened to me. I am a 21 year old college student and I should be in the prime of my sexual life! Instead, I suffer from the exact same thing the rest of you men suffer from. This is the first forum I have ever been a part of and its about ED. Lord Almighty WTF.

I must say I probably brought in on myself. I have never had sex, but I used to masturbate all the time. About 2-3 times a day or so, since I was about, I don't know, probably 13 or so. That is alot of wear on my little guy, you know? If I calculate it out 2 times a day*365 days*8 yrs=5840 times! That is pretty significant.

I have the same exact symptoms as everyone on here, except I have never experienced any kind of injury and am in great shape. I don't have a girlfriend, but there is a girl I seem to really like and I think she could like me back. This condition scares me. I have not told her about it, of course, and I believe that if she were to know, she would be completely turned off and just go out with some other fella. How could my sex life be over before it ever actually began?

Some of my more unique symptoms besides the stiffened flaccid penis are: lack of libido; almost no morning or spontaneous wood; and a feeling of disconnect between mind and penis that some other guy went into detail about.

I feel as if the physiological symptoms could be coupled with a skewed view of the 'average woman' from watching too much porn. I feel desensitized to attractive normal women. I can maintain a somewhat less powerful erection when I watch porn, but I feel as if I should not watch it anymore. I used to do it all the time, but now after I'm done my penis shrivels to about the size of my thumb.

It really is tragic; I don't believe in God, but I do sometimes think this some form of cosmic justice for objectifying women or something. I'm glad I ran into this forum, but I don't think that one person in here has been cured completely, or so it seems. I would like some feeling of hope! I'm already a worry wart and don't feel as if I need this in my life right now.

To the Brit guy that says that he has almost achieved normalcy: I'm an aspiring personal trainer and can't just give up working out. It's part of my life! I have been taking the Mega Men Virility pack and just recently purchased some ginkgo biloba, but it seems as if these things don't seem to cure it from what I've read.

I haven't told anyone about this except all of you. I feel so lonely. I feel like I'm a horrible person because I used to rely so much on hardcore pornography to get off. My father died my senior year and I have no one I can talk to about this. Friends just laugh and make jokes; they don't understand how horrible this is because it's not them! I feel as if going to a doctor would be worthless; none seem to help except those Harley Street(?) specialists, some of you mentioned.

Damn my masturbation!

Ya know, it's kind of ironic. You hear everywhere that masturbation is normal. I had never heard that excessive masturbation could lead to erectile dysfunction. They don't teach that kind of thing in sex ed.You do hear that masturbation helps relieve stress and relaxes you. People do say chronic masturbation is detrimental but they don't tell you why. Dammit, I feel as if I almost deserve this in a way. I've never treated a woman poorly, but I can't help but feel as if this is punishment for masturbating excessively.

I just want to go back to thinking that I had a pretty awesome and normal penis. I hate the worrying. Maybe I should see a shrink because I'm really freaking out here.

My father died at the age of 59 my senior year of high school from a obesity/diabetes related cardiovascular condition shortly after he underwent bilateral knee replacement. He weighed 365 lbs. I too was getting up there at 255 lbs. Since then, I myself have lost 65 pounds by changing my diet and exercising regularly. I never took any shortcuts; I felt that you have one thing in life that's for sure, something you can partially control. I thought that was my health. I thought for so long that, as long as I didn't get hit by a bus or fall down a well or something. I could live to be 85 or something because I keep myself in very good shape and I do it the right way. Now this...

My whole idea of being able to control my health has flipped completely around. I will continue to work out, but now I feel as though I have no control over anything. My penis used to be the last of my worries and now it is my number one concern. I am completely distraught and I don't know what I should do. Someone please say something helpful or comforting; I'm about to go over the edge over here. You guys are all I've got in terms of a support structure!

Thank you very much to anyone who actually took their precious time reading this. I know I was very long-winded and more than a little scatterbrained. I just had to get all that off my chest. It's basically all of what I'm thinking right now in a nutshell.

To very worried and all:

I have not posted yet, and have also expereinced the same symptoms as all of you.

I am also confused as to how it happened. I assume it was the jelqing techniques i used on my penis way back but my symptoms seemed to have come out of nowhere.

Anyway, I am 22 and this happened to me back in april of '09. To put a long story short, i have been to hell with this and have contemplated suicide too many times as im sure some of you have.

BritBloke I would like to thank you for your post. I actually saw a urologist (the 3rd one) and asked him to perscribe me Uroxatral like you said. While my penis is not at all back to normal, I have definitely experienced an improvement. I am not in as much discomfort as I was and I feel like I can live much easier. Britbloke I cannot thank you enough. I have more feeling down there and hangs more like it used to.

I take L-arganine and ginko supplements as well. I have been on the uroxatral for about 6 weeks now.

Also, my syptoms (symptoms) still change day to day. One day it may be semi-close to normal and the next it will seem almost very tight and small at the tip with less feeling. I found wearing compression shorts helps me not think about the discomfort as much

Please share anyadvice that will help the symptoms. Thank you again britblok.

VeryWorried, realize that you have this condition and telling yourself the same story in your head about how terrible and unlucky you are will not do you any good. Accept the present moment for what it is and you will able to make it through on day at a time.

Hi guys.....well sorry to say that I am a 37yo nurse and my husband has had this same problem as you guys for the last 12 yrs on and off.  He's also been in a dark dark place and can't seem to get off the lounge.  Cant sit or stand for very long.  We have been to uro's, andro's, GPs, surgeons, - first they said it was due to a varicocele - but NO - latest Ultrasound says not.  Im thinking (after countless sleepless nights of research) it may be some sort of thrombosis in a minor vessel that feeds or drains the penis of blood. And yeh - like u guys....no problems with sexual function......one Dr told him it was all in his head....I could have strangled the guy myself!!!!  Anyway - we're off to a vascular specialist in Sydney (1st try last thurs night we couldnt drive for more than 15mins and had to come home).  No hospital will admit him - not serious enough for them.  Im hoping to we can get an angiogram done - at least they can assess the circulation.  Have any of you had this done?  If so, what were ur results?  We have two beautiful little girls and my husband has just about quit his great job and quit on us......I wont let him though!!!  Im saddened to read that this has happened to sooo many of you....maybe I should be a Clinical Nurse Consultant on men's health - god knows the world needs it.
I'll try and keep you posted to see if anything we find out might help you guys. Take care...breathe....

From K

Hi all,

I had a second MRI performed a week ago (this time, of the pelvis), and I received the results today.  Granted, these are simply the results from the radiologist, as the neurologist has yet to review them.  I'll post again when I hear from him.

First, a side-note regarding IV-administered MRI contrast dye containing gadolinium: I had a reaction to the dye immediately (vomited in the MRI machine) and for about 4 days afterward I was light-headed, nauseous, and had near constant headaches and blurred vision.  If anyone has an MRI with contrast dye, please research the complications that can arise (especially if you have kidney problems).

The MRI results are as follows:

-Thickening at the left sacral plexus: I'm assuming this means that the sacrum itself is thickening, thus impinging on the nerves coming out of S2-S4 (which feed into the pudendal nerve).  I also have the suspicion that the pirformis is inflamed where it connects to the sacrum.

-Perineural venous varix: My understanding is that this is similar to a varicose vein surrounding a nerve.  Seems reasonable that this could also lead to nerve impingement.  How it relates to the sacral thickening, I'm not sure.

-Fibrocystic tissue: Not entirely sure what this means yet.  Could be the trigger points I've been treating.

-Femoral acetabular impingement:  This tends to explain the symptom of my left hip [acetabular] joint popping more than the right one does.  How exactly it is being impinged is not known to me.  The link between this symptom and the sacral symptoms seems to be the pirformis muscle.

So, in summary, my armchair assessment leads me to believe that the impingement of the S2-S4 nerves accounts for the full range of pelvic symptoms I've experienced.

The questions that remain are: What precipitated this impingement, and what are the treatment options?  All things considered I'd rather not have surgery - but I'm open to anything.  More to come as the story unfolds.

P.S. I'm 33 years old.

A related discussion, this is how to heal the best you can was started.