Miracle cure for erectile dysfunction - Jamaica’s very first cellular therapy corrects long-term impotence
John* had given up all hope of ever being able to perform sexually again. At 53 years old, with chronic diabetes, for over five years, he had tried everything to help with his erectile dysfunction (ED), and within the last year and a half, nothing worked.
He was distraught.
"After having erectile dysfunction for five to six years, it gradually started to get worse. Within the last year and a half, I started using some of the popular erectile dysfunction medication, and I realised that they were not working anymore, even after I started taking double dose," John shared with The Gleaner.
"I was taking two of the tablets, and it just wasn't working. That's when I knew I had to look at alternatives, or get some answers."
Last year, the distressed middle-age man was introduced to a revolutionary medical procedure - cellular therapy for erectile dysfunction.
The first of its kind ever to be done in Jamaica, the procedure involved removing healthy cells from one area of the body and reintroducing them to the penis to stimulate regeneration and healing.
Performed by Dr Janice Fisher and Dr Simone French at the Bioregeneration Integrated Medical Centre in New Kingston, cellular therapy for erectile dysfunction has actually been carried out in the United States (US) for five years now.
"The patient was the recipient of a non-surgical cellular therapy procedure that is aimed at restoring blood flow to the penis, and it was the first time we were doing it in Jamaica," said Fisher.
"It has really given the patient a new lease on life. In fact, he said he feels like 16 again, and at his six-month follow-up, he was still going strong."
As John shared, "Within the second week, I started to feel that urge again and to get that stamina. I started to get an erection, and even though I had to keep away from sexual activity in that early stage, I was getting an erection on my own. I mean, it was still bandaged and being healed, but there I was getting an erection."
MULTIPLE ERECTIONS
He continued, "Since it (penis) has been healed, I have been having regular erections without any problems at all. In the mornings, I wake up with an erection. Even when I am exhausted, I still get the urge and am able to perform as well. Usually that was a no-no for me."
With a laugh, he said, "I hope it is not too early and that it will not wear off, but I do hope this effect will be permanent. Right now, I am pretty much okay and feel 100 per cent in that area. I will continue to monitor it and get my regular check ups and keep my diabetes in check."
Fisher, whose 10-year-old company has locations both in Kingston and Montego Bay, St James, said they were keen to continue this type of work and to improve the quality of life of patients suffering with this condition, which is known to adversely affect men, both physically and psychologically.
Cellular therapy for erectile dysfunction has been touted by men as the "miracle cure" for ED, ever since it was first introduced in the US.
Fisher agreed that the treatment is rapidly being recognised as one of the best options available for this debilitating problem and has certainly revolutionised treatment for ED, particularly because of its "fairly high success rate of approximately 70 per cent, the level of efficacy and the simplicity of the procedure. Not only has it been seen to restore vascularisation, which affects rigidity, but it has also been seen to improve sensitivity as well".
She continued, "It is certainly considered one of the most straightforward procedures available for ED. The procedure takes no more than one and a half hours, it is non-invasive and pain-free."
AFTER THE PROCEDURE
She said after the procedure, patients are recommended to abstain from sexual intercourse for two weeks in order to allow for the body to adjust. However, once healed, no adjustments to one's lifestyle or otherwise is necessary, as the procedure does not interfere with normal life.
"Results are usually observed around the second or third week after the procedure, and the results last approximately five to seven years," the doctor noted.
Fisher said costing for the procedure would have to be determined after consultation, as it would be dependent on a number of factors.
Aware of previous clinical successes in experimental studies with cellular therapy, Dr Belinda Morrison, head of Urology at the University of West Indies, said she believed that this clinical breakthrough was fascinating and would support continued clinical research in the area.
In a 1999 report, the worldwide prevalence of erectile dysfunction was estimated to be 152 million men in 1995 and predicted to increase to 322 million men by 2025.
According to reports, while the majority of ED cases can be treated with currently available medications or devices, approximately 20 per cent of the overall ED patient population remains unresponsive to treatment, and in certain patient populations, such as those having diabetes mellitus or having undergone radical prostatectomy, the failure rates are even higher, at 40 per cent.
"I really would recommend this procedure to any man who is having the problem that I was having," John closed.
[* Name changed to protect identity]
Email: yourhealth@gleanerjm.com or jksfisher@gmail.com