My Edex experience (including why I decided to give it a shot even though Cialis was working)

I started getting erections sufficient for sex at 9 weeks post-op. I have a 100% success rate if I stick to the following “recipe”: Cialis (started at 20 mg) + constriction band + remain standing. The latter two “ingredients” are necessary to combat some apparent venous leakage. I am now 18 weeks post-op and notice my erections are slowly improving (e.g. I can get somewhat decent ones without Cialis using the band and I need less Cialis for sex).

While I am very happy to be doing as well as I am so soon post-op, I really don’t like all the headaches both literally (Cialis hangover) and figuratively (Cialis cost and need to take several hours ahead, the need for significant prior stimulation, the inability to switch up positions, and the fact that erections while sufficient are not yet rock hard).

I recognize that many guys would love to be dealing with these relatively minor drawbacks at 4 months post op and, big picture, I remain delighted with my progress. However, given that these issues may take months to resolve, I recently became motivated to consider ways to improve things in the shorter term.

So, while it was initially not too appealing, after reading so many accounts on the forums I decided to give injections a shot (pardon the pun) just for occasional “recreational” use when I don’t want to deal with these headaches.

My local Uro did not like the idea saying I was at high risk for priapism and when I talked to his PA who I am seeing for rehab he said he’d only prescribe straight alprostadil for me because bimix / trimix would put me at a much higher risk for priapism. When I checked with Dr. Burnett, he also recommended that I try straight alprostadil first because it gives more consistent results.

A week ago today I went in for my trial. He had a sample of Edex and had me administer 5 mcg myself. I was surprised how easy and painlessly the needle went in. I only got a partial response, which he said is want he expected at that dose, and he told me to try again at home with 10 mcg, which I’ve now done twice with excellent results. This dose quickly (<5 mins) produces completely rock hard results with no constriction band and regardless of posture or position that lasts just about an hour notwithstanding an orgasm. This was truely a terrific feeling compared to the passable but definitely not yet normal results I had been getting with the recipe above as well as to know that once my nerves are completely recovered the hemodynamics are still able to produce a rock hard member notwithstanding the venous leakage. I do get some aching pain but its really not bad and taking an Advil ahead of time mitigates it somewhat.

Also, although my copay for the Edex kit with six 20 mcg vials would have been $197, my Uro gave me a discount card from the manufacturer that picks up this entire copay once a month so I pay zero!

Moreover, although the vials, which go into a reusable injector device, are supposed to be single-use (reconstitute, squirt out all but your actual dose and then inject the rest), I picked up some 5/16” 31ga 1cc insulin syringes to try instead of the 1/2" 29ga needles that come in the Edex kit and found I am able to reconstitute the vial in the injector without installing the 29ga needle, draw out 10 mcg with an insulin syringe and then put the vial with the other 10 mcg in the fridge for later use. This gives me 12 doses a month (more than enough as I will continue to use the Cialis half the time) at zero cost to me. One thing I like about the insulin syringe is the ability to draw back some blood and make sure I am in the right place, which is not possible with the Edex injector device. On the other hand for whatever reason the 31 gauge needles seemed to sting a bit whereas I could barely feel the 29ga Edex needle I used in the Dr. office. I'll have to keep experimenting I guess...

Hello NJS

Now that you have discovered the easy and reliable injection therapy for ED, you should be ready to move on to the next, even better solution.

Bimix shots are the answer.  Edex is Alprostadil, the same as Caverject.  It is the part of trimix that causes aching and pain in most users.  Bimix contains papavarine and phentolomine , but no alprostadil, so no pain, at least for me, never.

The cost of bimix is low too.  I buy a vial that has 30 uses for about $90.  Yep, about $3.00 per shot.  The bimix and trimix comes from a compounding pharmacy.  I have solved my recent supply concerns. In six years I have never had a failure with bimix. 

I think AZSunshine is right about drawing blood into the needle. I was told the best shot goes into the cavernosal passage and not a blood vessel. In fact blood vessels should be avoided if possible.

Oh, and prostaglandin is another name for alprostadil.

http://www.urologicalcare.com/other-ed-treatments/diagrams/

http://www.urologicalcare.com/other-ed-treatments/penile-injection-therapy/

Az,

AzSunshine said...
I am concerned with you guys drawing blood back into the syringe. That means you are in a blood vessel. Our doctor said that was a no-no and to withdraw the needle and place somewhere else.

Drawing blood back in is a proven method to use by a lot of injection guys, although I have never used that method myself.

Az, You don't have to be concerned, since when you have the needle in the cavernosa it will indeed show blood if you draw back on the plunger. Plenty o blood in there I guess. In fact if you simply partially inject while in the cavernosa and then stop, you will see some blood back up into the syringe fluid -- at least it did for me the couple of times I did this.

Although a person might pierce a blood vessel by accident I am pretty sure if you did you'd still go right thru it and into the cavernosa. Unless maybe you had Red Cross training in drawing blood! Quite a skill to get that needle jusssst in the vein ... ;-)

J

(Az .. all the 'you' references obviously don't mean You You .... just us guys 'You' ;-))

Post Edited (JStars) : 10/7/2013 1:35:07 PM (GMT-6)