maintaining an erection

[Sensitive Question]

I am 39 years old.  During the last year I have slowly lost the ability to maintain an erection.  My desire has not decreased and I can achieve orgasm but the penis is not hard.  For several years I have had food intolerance issues(dairy, wheat), I started taking Oil of Oregano to treat bloating and gas and it worked wonders.  I take the pills infrequently, only as I need them now.  As my stomach issues have dissipated and I am able to eat normally, the issues with ED have increased.  Every now and then I get a spontaneous erection that is normal--this has happened once or twice in the last two months.  I don't get as frequent morning erections as I used to.  When I do have them, sometimes they are weak and other times they are very hard.  Sometimes they last a while but often,  as soon as I am alert, the erection  goes down.  If I try and maintain it and start to masturbate, my penis feels numb.  In the last year, I was diagnosed with an eye infection that was suspected to be Chlamydia.  It was never verified in a lab but the symptoms were consistent.  I was given a round of antibiotics that eliminated the infection.  I never felt any problems in my penis.  Could this have had an effect? I have been under a fair amount of stress for two to three years now and depression does run in my family.  I also consumed heavy amounts of alcohol in the past 3 years but have not done so excessively in the last year.  I run regularly for exercize.
I've read postings on your forum and wondered about testosterone level testing or ultrasound to determine leakage.   I do not have insurance and I just wanted to know what other tests I need to have done to determine a physical or psychological causation.

[Kevin Pho, MD]

The basic tests are what you have mentioned - both a testosterone level as well as an ultrasound (the latter test evaluating blood flow to the penis).  

You can also consider metabolic diseases like diabetes or thyroid disorders which can also lead to erectile dysfunction.  Simple blood tests can rule these conditions out.  

Alcohol use possibly can be linked to erectile dysfunction.

If the tests continue to be non-revealing, you can investigate psychological conditions that can lead to the dysfunction.  

These options can be discussed with your personal physician.

Followup with your personal physician is essential.

This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.

Kevin, M.D.
kevinmd_b

[Lincoln2006]

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[Lemnoc]

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