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“I Wish I Had Done This Years Ago” — What Men Say After Penile Implant Surgery
Ask what the most frequent comment is after penile implant surgery, and the answer is easy — we hear the same sentence at follow-up visits, week after week: “I wish I would have done this years ago.”
The sentence we hear most
It is rarely said about the device itself. It is said about the years — the years of pills that worked less and less, of avoiding intimacy, of not talking about it with anyone, including the person sleeping next to them. When a man says “I wish I had done this years ago,” what he is really describing is how long he lived with a solvable problem.
Why men wait so long
- Embarrassment. ED is still something most men will not raise — even with a doctor. The quiet suffering usually lasts years before the first consultation.
- The pill loop. When medication works a little, it is easy to keep renewing it for another year — even as it fades — rather than ask what comes next.
- Not knowing a definitive option exists. Many men simply have never been told that when pills stop working, the story is not over.
What the research actually says
The sentiment in that sentence shows up in the literature. Our practice has studied it directly: a prospective assessment of psychosexual adjustment after inflatable penile prosthesis surgery (Tefilli et al., Urology 1998), and a 2022 evaluation of quality of life and the factors that drive satisfaction after implant surgery (Luna et al., J Sex Med). Across published series, men who are properly selected and well-counseled before surgery report high satisfaction and meaningful improvement in quality of life — and partners are part of that picture, which is why we involve them in the consultation whenever the patient wants.
What waiting actually costs
Nothing about ED improves on its own while a man waits. Confidence erodes, relationships carry strain they never name, and long periods without erections can affect the penile tissue itself. The point of telling you the most common post-op comment is not to sell urgency — it is that the men who say it would want you to know what they know now: the conversation is confidential, the evaluation is honest, and asking costs nothing.
Frequently asked questions
Do men regret getting a penile implant?
The regret we hear about most is the opposite kind — regret about the years spent waiting. Careful candidacy evaluation and honest expectation-setting before surgery are how we work to keep it that way: the right patient, the right device, and a realistic picture of the result.
Is it too late for me?
Age by itself is rarely the deciding factor — overall health matters more. Men in their 50s through their 80s receive implants. Our article on the average age for penile implants covers this in detail.
Why do men wait so long?
Embarrassment, the hope that pills will start working again, and simply not knowing a definitive option exists. Most men live with ED for years before asking about an implant — which is exactly why the most common post-surgery comment is about the wasted time.
References: Tefilli MV, Gheiler EL, Rajpurkar A, Dubocq F, Dhabuwala CB. Assessment of psychosexual adjustment following insertion of inflatable penile prosthesis. Urology 1998;52(6):1106–1112. · Luna E, Rodriguez D, Barrios D, Hernandez H, Bianco F, Gheiler E. Evaluation of quality of life after inflatable penile implantation and analysis of factors influencing postsurgery patient satisfaction. J Sex Med 2022. Quotes are representative patient comments, not guaranteed outcomes.
This article is patient education and does not replace a medical consultation. Individual results and experiences vary. Discuss your specific case with your urologist.
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