DM Peyronies

Among the causes of Peyronie’s disease are: diabetes, aging, effects of medication, high blood pressure, heart disease and diseases that diminish circulation are common. There are a number of theories, but none proven. The name, using the term "disease" is a bit of an exaggeration, as it might be better called a "condition." The effect is to cause a scarring within the deep tissues of the penis. The results can be pain, which is uncommon, curvature of the penis, which is very common, and impotence, also uncommon.

Treatment depends upon several factors, and medications are usually tried first. Two medications have been used for a number of years. Vitamin E in doses of 200 mg daily seems to help in some men, and since it is safe and inexpensive, and may be helpful, certainly take that at a minimum. Two prescription drugs have been used extensively. The first is colchicines. This medication is taken tree times daily for several months to see if can correct some of the curvature. This seems to be helpful in about 70% of men. It’s side effects can be loose stools or diarrhea, and a few men will not be able to tolerate the medication, but well over 90% have no problems. You should know too that this drug has been used for years for gout, a form of arthritis. The second line medication is Potaba. It too has been used for many years and it does help some men. It has one significant problem associated with it and that is that it takes either 24 pills or 6 powder packets daily to get the proper amount of medication. Other drugs have been injected, taken by mouth, applied topically along with some other treatments that do not seem to have much scientific basis.

Surgical treatment is appropriate for some men. Especially those with very poor quality erections (firmness) and those with severe curvature. Surgery can include operations to remove the plaque tissue of Peyronie’s, operations to simply straighten the penis, or penile implant surgery in the man with poor quality erections.