Wanted to start a new thread for this, but was foiled by newbie requirements:
About me: I’m 25. I’m in pretty good, but not incredible shape (work out 3-4x a week, around 11% body fat). I don’t smoke and drink in moderation (generally around a drink or two a week, with maybe 10-12 on a heavy, vacation-like week). I avoid processed foods for the most part.
I have days or weeks at a time when ED strikes. It varies in severity, ranging from only getting hard when I’m on the verge of coming (followed by a weak orgasm) to getting very, very weak erections that would not facilitate penetration. Originally I thought it was just nerves since this kind of thing only came up when I became sexually active, but more recently I’m starting to think it there might be a physical component to it as well. When I’m in one of my “phases,” I also don’t wake up with morning wood, and it afflicts me during masturbation/porn when “nerves” aren’t an issue. There will also be weeks at a time when I am a raging bull with excellent erection quality with the ability to stay hard for hours. I had that two weeks ago, and now I’m unable to get hard without any significant swings in mood or general circumstances.
Various other notes:
- I have some history of urinary incontinence. I used to wet the bed until I was around 11. A few times a year I come very close to pissing my pants when I am suddenly and unexpected struck with the urge to pee (not the usual slow build, but kind of pounces on me out of nowhere).
- I mentioned it to a doctor about a year ago at a check-up. She had me run a couple urine tests. The first one she mentioned my mucous levels seemed a bit elevated, possibly a sign of mild prostasis, and she had me do a second urine analysis. That one came back normal and she said she wouldn’t be too concerned. I have not seen a urologist for unrelated reasons (I am thinking of becoming a military officer and would rather that stuff not be on my more recent medical records).
- There is a history of diabetes on the dad’s side of the family (grandmother, one of my aunts), but tests in the past (most recent one was probably a year or so ago) came back normal.
- I do kegels on-and-off and it seems sometimes like it gets worse when I do them, but I’m not 100% sure about it. They should help EQ, not the opposite right?
- I’ve had something like an on-off porn addiction for a while. I’ve gone cold turkey the past week or so and would really like to ween myself off it entirely.
- I don’t think testosterone levels or anything like that are an issue, because I have no problems working out, gaining muscle, etc.
- I do have some mental fear of ED, but only when it’s actually happening and think it’s more an effect than a cause of the ED. I’m quite confident as a lover when I’m in “raging bull” mode, but markedly less so when erection quality is down or nonexistent. I do think nerves are an issue the first time I sleep with a girl, but not subsequently.
- Very much against pharma drug intervention, would rather sort out root cause than deal with symptoms.
This problem is one of the reasons I’m reluctant to try PE exercises, because I am petrified of making the problems worse. I’ve been looking at various possibilities (prostate trigger points, venous leak, pelvis floor dysfunction, who knows what else), but it’s hard to attack an issue when you don’t what the root cause is. Hoping someone has had similar experiences and any advice to offer me. Any thoughts or insight?