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Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

It’s another ED one

64 replies

Getitgirl · 22/04/2024 22:22

Dating a 35 y/o man for a few months. Strong start - he’s good looking plus a total gent to me and we started out as friends. Met him in my gym so all fit and healthy etc. likes a drink but nothing excessive.

but when we go to do the deed he loses his erection mid way through - sometimes during foreplay. To date he has never had an o* with me. He said it’s because he’s overthinking/ cares so much and wants to work on it. Of course we can and do do other things. But I’ll be honest, I find this a bit unusual and it’s actually hurting my self esteem, despite knowing this isn’t really to do with me.

he had a bereavement 4 months ago and I do wonder if this is playing a part. I asked if he was concerned about an unwanted pregnancy which he vehemently denied. I have been reassuring.

im only 35 myself and have been in relationships where the sex was sub par. I don’t want to go down that road again. and no, I don’t want to suggest blue tabs to a healthy 35 year old but I do feel like a birch for getting turned off by this.

any advice would be welcome.

OP posts:
WudYouRWudntYou · 23/04/2024 19:15

No specific advice, but it is good that you realized and acknowledged the issue at this stage early stage. So many couple don't, and just wishfully think things will get better.

Is the issue the fact that he can't have an orgasm? Is that the core problem? I read somewhere else on this site at maybe 10% of women as non-orgasmic.

Or it is that the sex is bad? If you do other things is that not good enough?

Regardless, wishing you the best!

JIMMI85 · 23/04/2024 21:02

There are two routes to take here :

  1. if he refuses help, either medically or talking about it with you, and would rather brush it under the carpet hoping it will sort itself out then unfortunately it won’t ever be rectified.

  2. if he wants to sort it, and is willing to get checked out medically and talk to you about it then stick with him if he ticks every other box and try and support him.

At 35, it is most likely psychological, but if it is, it is MUCH harder to rectify then if it was physiological

next time you are planning on being intimate, tell him that PIV is off the cards, that should take the pressure off him and see what happens. If he can get an erection but loses it after a short period, he is likely worrying about it going soft and that will only compound the issue.

He might have a veneous leak, which any guy can get at any age, the blood vessels open to let blood into the penis, but the valves don’t shut or only partially shut so the blood flows back out. A Doppler at an urology unit will be able to do this test to determine if he does have a venous leak.

I’d ask him if he watches porn, and if so how often and what porn he’s into. If he does, ask him if he gets hard watching porn, if he does then it won’t be a veneous leak. If he does, it could be that the porn he is watching is very ‘out there’ and very different to PIV with you and therefore his brain is becomes accustomed to a particular type of sex.

Does he have morning erevtions? If he doesn’t then it is almost certainly physiological rather than psychological

Don’t be afraid of mentioning VE5’s or suggesting he tries one. Sell it to him as a fun little date night and see how his penis reacts. Unfortunately viagra and cialis won’t fix a generous leak, but a cock ring will do wonders as it artificially traps the blood. Just make sure he puts it on when he’s hard and take it off after 30 minutes.

ED can also be the first sign of more serious issues later in life, mainly heart disease.

I’m saying all this from experience, at 33 ED destroyed me, relationship breakdowns which led to depression. I’m diabetic and had Peyronie’s disease which was the root cause. My ex wasn’t supportive and it broke me. I took every pill under the sun, saw specialists and urologists and at 37 decided to bite the bullet and get an implant. Best thing I ever did and now I can get hard at a touch of a button, and stay hard as hard as I want.

if I didn’t take action, and if wanted to have a fully functioning penis, I knew I would never have a healthy sexual relationship if I didn’t take action.

my experience is the extreme version, but the same principle applies, ED rarely cures itself and he needs to investigate.

Getitgirl · 23/04/2024 21:23

@JIMMI85 thank you for such a thoughtful response and for detailing your hard earned experience. Can I ask what was the actual cause of your ED?

I’ll be blunt, this is such a new relationship that I’m having reservations as to whether I want to put in this much industry into something that has been so natural with previous partners. But they’re no longer on the scene so that says something!

OP posts:
WrylyAmused · 23/04/2024 22:24

I wouldn't stay long term with unsatisfactory sex, but may I ask why you wouldn't suggest Viagra to a healthy 35yo?

Most ED is psychological in nature, so sometimes just having the pills to give it a kick start and get him out of his head and enjoying sex, he might not need them many times before it all comes back naturally.

If the alternative is ending the relationship with someone you seem to like, why wouldn't you suggest it?

And also, do work on keeping reminding yourself that it's got nothing to do with you and bolstering your self esteem in that regard. Whilst it's a common reaction, you know it's not accurate, and the added pressure of that thought, if he notices or feels it, will have the opposite effect to what you're hoping for...

JenniferBooth · 23/04/2024 22:43

Im another one who would love to know how many men would stick around in the early dating stages if the woman had vaginismus

Checkandbalenance · 23/04/2024 22:43

BirthdayRainbow · 23/04/2024 19:10

I've never heard the phrase. I don't know what it means. I'm hazarding a guess. Either way not a necessary comment.

Would you prefer a different gelatin-based treat? In the words of the great philosopher Jimmy Carr, “ like thumbing a marshmallow into a piggy bank slot”.

Anyway I’ll let you get back to ironing your knickers.

Aquamarine1029 · 23/04/2024 22:47

JenniferBooth · 23/04/2024 22:43

Im another one who would love to know how many men would stick around in the early dating stages if the woman had vaginismus

Not a one of they wanted a healthy sex life as a part of the relationship, and I wouldn't blame them a bit.

The op is just squandering her time.

Getitgirl · 23/04/2024 22:52

@Aquamarine1029 not quite. It’s been a matter of months and I’ve picked this up and am making a decision on it.

OP posts:
Getitgirl · 23/04/2024 22:56

@WrylyAmused because part of my attraction to a partner is based on their willingness to take the initiative to address an issue like the one I’ve posted about. If he suggested viagra in a bid to fix things, then I might be open to that. But me? Nah.

It still doesn’t sit comfortably with me that someone of his age might have to take viagra to have sex with me, though!

OP posts:
gailedit · 23/04/2024 23:05

I have similar experience with a 53 year old man but he compensates A LOT os every other aspect and I already have a child, no desire to get pregnant or live together and lower sex drive now with the peri menopause.
Having said that he is very affectionate and I never felt not sexy or not desired.

However I'm nearly 50 myself and if I was 35 I would maybe not be so forgiving - on the other hand, this man makes me love my body and feel more confident than I ever was before when I had a beach body...

I had been trapped is a bad relationship with awful sex so I know how you feel.

Don't let the topic be an elephant in the room and don't close your other options just yet

JIMMI85 · 24/04/2024 08:45

Getitgirl · 23/04/2024 21:23

@JIMMI85 thank you for such a thoughtful response and for detailing your hard earned experience. Can I ask what was the actual cause of your ED?

I’ll be blunt, this is such a new relationship that I’m having reservations as to whether I want to put in this much industry into something that has been so natural with previous partners. But they’re no longer on the scene so that says something!

Mine was a combination of a few things, I used to have quite bad PE so that was a psychological issue rather than a physiological issue, The more I worried about it, the worse my ED was.

Then I got Peyronies disease, and this combined with the PE, was effectively the end of a normal healthy PIV sex life for me.

Having been on the other side to you, if I were in your position now, i would firstly, have a very open conversation with him. Establish the answers to the questions i previously asked and work out if he wants to make things better. REMEMBER - It's got nothing to do with you, or how attracted he is to you. Nearly all men will experience ED at some point in their lives, but those that seek help will bounce back, often even stronger ( no pun intended! ) I would also suggest a trip into town, and when/if you walk by an Ann Summers shop ( if your town has one ) suggest you go inside. Look at the cock rings, and other toys that you can use together, and try and persuade him to buy some, but make him think it was his idea so he doesn't feel pressurised.

Theoriginalmrscillianmurphy · 24/04/2024 13:39

Christ, give him a chance. Poor fella.

DamnedIfIDoDamnedIfIDont · 24/04/2024 16:32

Kalettesarethebest · 23/04/2024 10:23

Everyone deserves a bit of good cock karma! 😂

😂🍌🍒

category12 · 24/04/2024 16:33

Theoriginalmrscillianmurphy · 24/04/2024 13:39

Christ, give him a chance. Poor fella.

He's already had a few months of OP's time.

How long does a woman have to give a guy a chance for in your opinion?

I think a few months is more than enough time for the sex to improve, if it's going to, or for him to look into causes and start addressing them.

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