Serious Replies Please: My husband no longer has feeling in his Penis. Generally has lost most sensation.?

Question

This is a serious concern for him (and me as well!) He is 48 and this has slowly been coming on for the past ten years but the past two or three it has escalated.
Now he is unable to feel any sensation in his penis or surrounding area. He can feel touch but no arrousal or other sensation. He describes it as being 'numb'. Even to go to the bathroom and urinate is a test. If he sits to have a BM sometimes he says he will urninate without even knowing it since there is no sensation there. Needless to say, aim is bad too when standing for lack of sensation.
Arrousal is nearly nonexsistant. Dr. said this is due to high blood pressure but he is on meds AND Viagra which does not work. Most of the time his penis is like a turtle and retracted all the way in. I feel there is a serious medical problem but the DR doesn't seemed concerned. (I'll bet if it were him he would be!) Any one else with this experience. I wonder about Testroerone defincincy. His hair has thined a lot.

Changing Drs is not an option with our insurance.

I just suggested this morning that a urologist might be in order. As for not seeing another dr I guess I should say primary dr. I think he will refer to urologist.

Anne M, I think you may have something about him not discribing in full to his Dr. I am not with him so I don't know. As for cardiac problems he is scheduled for a nuclear heart scan 8/10. No problems suspected but family history is involved so the Dr set him up for that. I'll post again when we learn something. Thanks.

Answer 1

This is definitely a very serious medical concern. I am wondering whether your husband has adequately described the problem to the doctor, because if he understood exactly what was happening the way you've described it to us, it's hard for me to believe he would dismiss it so casually. If he did, it's time to find another doctor, whether your insurance will cover it or not. I would say take the question you asked us and show it to the doctor and ask him what he's going to do about it. If he doesn't want to talk about it, I would mortgage your house to pay for another doctor before I'd just "live with it."

I know high blood pressure can cause some degree of sexual dysfunction, but your husband is only 48 and it sounds like more than that to me. If he isn't having any feelings at all it sounds like nerves are involved. It could be something serious, or it could be something that could be easily treated! In either case he needs to sit down with a doctor who is going to spell out for him exactly what's going on. If the doctor gives him a full and complete exam and tells you this is something there is no treatment for, then MAYBE at that point you'd have to accept it, but even then he should be:

1. Telling you EXACTLY what the condition is, what is causing it, and how it's causing it

2. Giving you a list of things you can do to work around the problem.

Sometimes people think that because their sex organs are involved, it's some sort of selfishness on their part to want things to work right . This is ridiculous! If your husband were going blind, would you accept it if the eye doctor just said "Well, it's high blood pressure. Bye." I don't think so. I think you'd be knocking on the door of every eye doctor in town until you AT LEAST found out what the problem was.

If it really is high blood pressure, there are so many medications for that, and maybe the one he's on isn't working. If his blood pressure is that high at 48, I'm wondering about his cardiac health, etc. Is he headed for a heart attack?

The bottom line is, if you have to come here to ask this question, you don't have a good doctor. Find a new one TODAY. The best way is to go to a doctor (or even a dentist) that you really trust, such as your OB-GYN or eye doctor, etc., tell them your problem and ask them to recommend someone. Or go to the nearest large teaching hospital affiliated with a university that has a Urology program and ask for an appointment with the head of the Urology Department. That's probably what I would do, even if traveling is involved. At a university hospital they have the top people in the field and the newest procedures and medications, and they won't just dismiss you, because their whole reputations are built on treating odd and difficult conditions successfully. If you have to borrow money or sell off your furniture to pay for it, do it! Your husband's health is more important. This isn't something to be shy or conservative about.

Good luck, and let us know what happens!! :)

Answer 2

This issue is very serious. Be aware that certain blood pressure medications may cause E.D and loss of sensaton - namely Calcium Channel Blockers and BetaBlockers. He may benefit from switching from one of those meds (if it applies) to a mixed alpha blocker or an ACE inhibitor; both of which generally have ZERO sexual side-effects. He should also get a Testosterone blood test and should consider TRT (Testosterone Replacement Therapy)...he could also try using a natural herbal testosterone booster which are over the counter and often work. Consult a physician of course, but really, he should either get a new Doc or consider talking to a therapist as well (just to make sure no psychogenic origins etc).

Answer 3

I am not a doctor or medical professional; just a person with a lot of medical curiosity and a male interested in my own health.

Whatever is causing his numbness and ED is not something the doctor should be blase about. Something is causing this and it could be a life-threatening medical condition or it could be psychogenic.

I agree with the posters who have suggested camping on the doctor's doorstep until he treats this seriously. In addition, if you haven't, I would strongly suggest you go with your husband for his next examination. While you're there you can express your frustration to the doctor. Also, you will be privy to the interaction between your husband and the doctor.

Here are a few suggestions for questions to ask and possibilites to be ruled out, but this is by no means a complete list. So please don't take this as any kind of real medical advice but use it to pressure the doctor. Above all, both of you should be educating yourselves as much as possible so you can ask questions and understand the answers.

With medication is his blood pressure normal? Was it elevated without treatment long enough for damage to the penile erectile tissue? Does he have accompanying kidney damage?
Has infection been ruled out? Many different UTIs can cause this including STDs like honorrhea and chlamydia.
How is his PSA? Has he had a digital rectal exam? Prostate biopsy? An enlarged prostate can press against nerves and cause loss of feeling. 48 sure isn't too young for prostate cancer.
Has diabetes been ruled out?
What about thyroid disorders?
The only way to rule out peripheral nerve disorders is with a neurology referral.
Has he had an ultrasound to evaluate blood vlow to the penis?
Does a direct injection into the penis create an erection?
Has he been evaluated for psychogenic disorder?
There is evidence that bicycle riding for long periods using a narrow seat can cause temporary and eventual permanent loss of nerve sensation.
Even the use of some sex toys has been associated with permanent nerve damage.

I wish you both the best and a quick resolution of the problem.

Answer 4

Maybe you can't "change Dr's" But the one you are seeing now can give you a referral to another DR. Get a second opinion if you are that worried about it. It very well could be testosterone problems. You should not be afraid to ask your DR anything. If you don't trust your DR. then you need to get a new one. By the way. If you think it's cancer, do your own test. Have him wee wee on a pregnancy test. If he has cancer it will come up positive for pregnancy. I'm not sure how it works, i just know it does. Ask your DR. I'm not really sure if any advice me or anyone else will give will help you. But unless there is a certified DR. on Y! answers, you wont get the best advice here that you need. Go back to your DR. and get a referral to another, if you don't trust him, is the best I can give.

Answer 5

Maybe changing doctors is not an option but, how about his health. If I had lost sensation here, I would be going crazy, sitting on the doctors doorstep.
Whether or not your insurance will pay, have you heard of cancer of the ilia or cervical cancer, cancer of the bladder.
There's also circulation problems here to worry about and, going on all these years? holy smokes, he may already have permanent damages. And, ten years of this?

If I were you I would see that doctor again and get some answers or go to a hospital and ask to see someone there, a teaching hospital would be excellent.
See a urologist, that's the man to see and soon, I hope.

Answer 6

He needs to use a penis health creme that contains acetyl L carnitine. Acetyl L is an amino acid that has been proven to enhance penis sensitivity. All he needs to do is apply this creme once a day (takes only a few seconds) and he should regain some feeling in a short amount of time. These cremes are excellent for penis health in general so it's a win-win situation really. Hope this helps and good luck.

Answer 7

Well, my husband is on high blood pressure meds and his drive has substantially decreased, but since he doesn't like to talk about it, I don't know if he's numb or not. Has diabetes been discussed with the Dr? That will sure have an effect. I suppose since he's under a dr's care, they've tested for that. Wow, he must be devastated!

Answer 8

He is not old enough for problems like that-- I'd say you need to find a way (even if you have to pay for it) to get a second opinion. You say it is not an option with your insurance, but this is the rest of your lives you are talking about. He needs to get into another Doc, and if they find the problem, maybe you can persuade your insurance company to pay future costs. I wouldn't mess around with it! It's worth the money spent to have the peace of mind that comes with a second opinion!

Answer 9

Surely you can get your usual doctor to refer your husband to a urologist. This is somewhat of an emergency, it's not something to be taken lightly, it could even be a spinal tumor, or prostate cancer. He needs a thorough investigation, and dont take no for an answer.

Answer 10

Get a full set of blood work done on him and demand to see the results. You can check the testosterone levels yourself. I find it hard to believe that there's only one doctor that you can see. If that's the case, spend your own money to see another one.