Dar Dr. Herazy,

I am a 46 year old man and 6 years ago I noticed a curve in my penis when erect and a loss of significant size- width and length.   I do not have pain though and went to a urologist (hard to do, embarrassing) and the guy was not cool.  He grabbed my flaccid penis for a second and told me to take l-lysine or something.   I am really at wit's end and have basically given up a life of intimacy because of this.  I don't want a weird operation, but feel my case is not super severe.  It certainly hasn't worsened over the years.  Any advice?

Greetings,

I am not sure about your reference to l-lysine, an essential amino acid, being prescribed by your doctor as a Peyronies treatment.   I suppose it is possible, but the connection between the two is not direct. Further, although you did not come out directly and say so, I will assume that your urologist gave you a diagnosis of Peyronie's disease.

There are three forms of carnitine: L-carnitine, acetyl-L-carnitine and proprionyl-L-carnitine.  Acetyl-L-carnitine (ALC) is the principal form used in most research and treatment of Peyronie’s disease (PD).   The two primary building blocks of carnitine are the essential amino acids lysine and methionine.   While this might be the basis for the thinking behind prescribing l-lysine to you, it seems more direct to simply prescribe that you take acetyl-L-carnitine.  Perhaps you were overwhelmed, as most men are when they first learn that they have Peyronies disease, and you misunderstood.

Peyronie's surgery is the most common medical option that is presented to a patient, even suggesting surgery before more conservative options are tried.  PDI is not against surgery as a treatment of Peyronie's disease, but it is best considered as a last resort, not as a first measure as some doctors are inclined to do. Please be very careful about considering any Peyronie''s operation since the negative consequences can be devastating. 

The fact that the curvature of your penis has not worsened over the years does not mean it cannot do so at any time.  It is always wise to be cautious and aggressive in treating yourself to eliminate the Peyronie's plaque even if the distortion is slight and stable, because any case of untreated PD can worsen suddenly. 

My advice is to spend some time on the PDI website learning about the Alternative Medicine treatment of Peyronie's disease, and how you can do simple things to increase your body's ability to heal the Peyronie's plaque like the 50% of men whose PD just goes away naturally.  Our approach is not radical; we area only attempting to increase  or support a natural healing process that happens in half of the cases of PD.   It is not like we attempt to get you to grow a 6th finger on your hand or to jump over the moon.  This is all basic stuff about natural repair and attempting to promote normal body function.   A good place to begin looking is "Start Peyronies treatment."    TRH