When Erectile Dysfunction Medications Don’t Work
By William Lovett, M.D.
There was great enthusiasm in the 1990s when Viagra and Cialis hit the market. Known as PDE-5 inhibitors, these medications could stimulate erections in men to help them get their sex life back. Unfortunately, many men quickly discovered issues with erectile dysfunction (ED) medications. For some, the medicine simply didn’t work. Others couldn’t take it due to other medications they were taking. And for others still, they found their bodies quickly adapted to the medications and intercourse became difficult again.
Who can’t take erectile dysfunction medications?
PDE-5 inhibitors are commonly prescribed by Family Physicians, Internist, and/or a Urologist, and are typically the first line of medications prescribed when patients complain of ED or a low libido. But many men have other medical issues preventing them from taking erectile dysfunction medication, including:
- Heart problems
- Pulmonary hypertension
- Low blood pressure
- History of strokes
- Liver or kidney problems
- Specific types of retinitis in the eyes
- Stomach ulcers or bleeding problems
- Peyronie’s Disease (curvature of the penis)
- Blood disorders (sickle cell anemia, multiple myeloma, leukemia)
This list doesn’t even include the plethora of medication interactions or medications that can no longer be used by a patient in an emergency. This includes the life-saving drug Nitroglycerin.
What do I do if erectile dysfunction medications don’t work for me?
It’s a common question I hear in my sexual medicine consultations: what do I do if these medications don’t work for me or are becoming ineffective? I always say the same thing: 95% of men cannot achieve a healthy erection (on or off medication) unless their Free Testosterone levels are optimized.
It’s important to note that I said “optimized” and not “within the normal range”. Many men are in the “normal range” on the lab result sheet, but still suffer from low free testosterone. The normal reference range is a limited guide. At Your Wellness Center, we treat patients based on clinical symptoms, not the range. In this situation, we’ve found men must have a testosterone level similar to what it was in his younger years.
We use a 3-step approach in our office to solve your ED problem:
- Bio-identical, natural hormone replacement therapy – HRT restores your body’s testosterone level to improve your symptoms and low libido.
- Natural Body Growth Factors combined with Z Wave – The P-Shot is a natural treatment that uses your own blood-derived growth factors to stimulate blood vessel growth. Z Wave breaks down accumulated calcification.
- PGE-5 inhibitors – Cialis and Viagra are the last step, although they are very rarely prescribed after the first two steps.
How do I get started on treatment?
The first step is a simple blood draw in our office. You can call us at 513-791-9474 or use our online consultation form to schedule an appointment. From there, you will meet with one of our providers to go over your individual hormone results. We’ll then work with you to create a tailor-made program to get you feeling like yourself again. It’s time for you to feel better, live better, and look better!
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