Diabetes and Erectile Dysfunction

We get asked this question a lot at Moorgate Andrology!

For most patients, the first line of treatment for erectile dysfunction is an oral medication. This is also true for patients suffering from diabetes and erectile dysfunction.

Of course, other first-line treatments may include vacuum pumps too, but at the GP or Urologist office, you are likely to be discussing prescribed medication to help get your erections back on track.

These medications may be taken alongside the use of a vacuum pump of course.

The most popular medication is perhaps the little “ blue pill” which can now be purchased over the counter. It is taken one hour before sexual activity. This gives many men an erection strong enough for sexual intercourse. The effects of this medication can last up to four hours.

Another popular medication for the treatment of erectile dysfunction in diabetics is tadalafil. This medication is taken on a daily basis irrespective of sexual activity. The advantage of this medication is that it lasts much longer than the previous medication, sildenafil. With tadalafil, you should be able to get an erection strong enough for sexual intercourse when you want one.

For some diabetics, oral medication eventually stops working and other treatment may need to be considered to keep your erections. Other options include injection therapy. These are injections that you give yourself into the penis just before sexual intercourse. When these no longer work then you will have reached the “ end game” of erectile dysfunction and a penile implant may then be the best option to fix the problem.

If you have diabetes and you are noticing that your erections are not as strong as they were, we recommend seeing your general practitioner or a Urologist at Moorgate Andrology, so you can get professional advice and get your erections back on track.

Erectile dysfunction is very common in men with diabetes. Erectile dysfunction can cause distress, anxiety and directly affect relationships. Thankfully, erectile dysfunction in men with diabetes can be successfully treated.

There are a number of trials that have been undertaken demonstrating the effectiveness of Viagra in the treatment of erectile dysfunction in diabetic men. These trials have been able to clearly demonstrate that Viagra can indeed help men get an erection strong enough for sexual intercourse.

Many men report that their sexual relationships have greatly improved by taking Viagra around one hour prior to sexual activity.

It should be said that if you are diabetic and have noticed that your erections are now not as strong as they were, you should first have a consultation wither with your general practitioner or a qualified Urologist. It is important that other risk factors are first ruled out. Also, your Specialist will want to monitor your progress on Viagra treatment to ensure that your erections are improving and that you are not experiencing any side effects from taking the medication.

Viagra is one of a number of oral medications that can help improve sexual function in diabetics. Don’t despair if you find that Viagra does not give you the strength of erection that you were hoping for. Other medications can also be tried. Beyond oral medications such as Viagra, there are treatments such as self-administered injections which are often a consideration where oral medications either fail to work at all or eventually stop working as well as they once did

If you are diabetic and your erections are failing, then please get in touch with us without delay. We will arrange a consultation for you with a Moorgate Andrology Urologist to get your erections back on track once more.

If you are diabetic and struggling with your erections, you are not alone. Erectile dysfunction is very common in men who suffer from diabetes. If you have other conditions such as hypertension or heart disease this can only add to the problem.

For some men with diabetes, it is the inability to get an erection on demand that I the problem, for others it’s not a problem to get an erection, more a problem to keep the erection long enough to complete sexual intercourse.

If you are suffering from erectile dysfunction, no matter how well or poorly your diabetes is being controlled, you need to seek the advice of either your GP or a Urologist.

Both experts will be able to help you get your erections back on track. There is no need to suffer from erectile dysfunction if you are diabetic.

Having erectile dysfunction can be a real challenge. It can leave you and your partner feeling frustrated and discouraged. Take steps to cope with erectile dysfunction — and get your sex life back on track.

Treatments that are effective in treating erectile dysfunction in diabetics include oral medication. These come in the form of a tablet taken either a couple of hours before sex or on a daily basis.

Where oral medication has failed to work or has stopped working, then you could consider penis injections. These are injections that you give yourself, directly into the penis, just before you have sex.

If you are already giving yourself insulin injections then this treatment will come as no surprise to you. However, some men have difficulty injecting their w penis and don’t want to try this therapy.

At the end of the treatment stage for some diabetics is a penile implant. They are often the choice when all other methods to treat erectile dysfunction has failed to work. In such cases, a penile implant can be a very good option for diabetics.

Quite apart from medications there are some steps that you can take to help boost your erection quality. If you smoke then try to quit or at least cut-down. Smoking is known to impact the quality of a man’s erection due to the narrowing of the arteries that smoking can cause.

If you are overweight then try to lose weight. This can help increase blood flow and improve your mood.

If you drink too much then try to cut down on the amount of alcohol that you consume. These are all positive steps that can take to help make your erections better.

If you find that these initiatives don’t make much difference then it’s time to seek professional advice. At Moorgate Andrology we have a team of qualified Urologists who are experts in treating erectile dysfunction.

Many men who have type 2 diabetes also suffer from erectile dysfunction. Recent studies have also shown that the medication metformin, taken by thousands of men to treat diabetes, can lead to a marked reduction in testosterone levels.

A reduction in testosterone levels can also trigger erectile dysfunction. Metformin is also known to cause a reduction in libido for some men. If you are noticing an element of erectile dysfunction and you take metformin, then you should seek help from either your family Doctor or a Urologist.

With professional help, it is possible to get your erections back on track. You may need to continue taking your metformin of course to keep your diabetes under control, but it does not mean that you should do so at the expense of your erection quality.

There are oral medications now available that can get your erections back on track. Well-known medications include sildenafil and tadalafil which can be very effective in giving your erections a much-needed boost.

If you are finding that you are already taking one of these medications, but they are not working quite as well, it could be worth a consultation with a Urologist to see what other options there are to improve your erection quality.

Other options include injections of prostaglandin E1 which you give yourself just before you have sex. If these don’t work or you don’t like the idea of injecting your penis, then you could consider a penile implant.

A penile implant is usually the final option when other methods have failed, or are no longer working.

Many men who are type 2 or type one diabetic have chosen a penile implant as a permanent solution to fix their erectile dysfunction. It is possible to have a penile implant if you are taking metformin for your diabetes. Of course, every patient at Moorgate Andrology is assessed by the medical team,  for their suitability for a penile implant.

The takeaway message is that if you feel metformin could be inhibiting your erections then you may be right. Seek help and get your erections back on track as quickly as possible.

Metformin leads to a significant reduction in testosterone levels, sex drive, and induction of low testosterone-induced erectile dysfunction, whereas; sulfonylurea leads to significant elevation in testosterone levels, sex drive, and erectile function.