My Battle with "Hard Flaccid" Syndrome (a.k.a. "CPPS")

Hello all!

First, I wanted to express my gratitude for this amazing community. I am currently going through Alan Gordon's Pain Recovery Program and it is an incredible resource.

Next, my story. About seven years ago I was performing a penis exercise known as 'jelqing' which is meant to increase size. While in the middle of an intense session, I felt a lightening bolt sensation go through the left side of my penis. The penis immediately lost erection, and retracted in to a small, firm yet flaccid state and got stuck like that ever since. Medically the syndrome is frequently referred to as an offshoot of CPPS (Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome).

All of my symptoms match up with TMS philosophy. The initial injury was during an extremely stressful period of my life. The injury itself seems like a minor muscular injury which healed. There has been continued tightness, pain and spasm since then. Anxiety, fear and depression has crippled me. It is as if the penis is afraid of injury, and remains stuck to protect itself. It is also as if the penis issue is a way for my mind to distract me from other stressful parts of my life. Doctors have found nothing wrong. Dr. Sarno's personality profile fits me perfectly (I have read all of his books).

Needless to say the syndrome is highly embarrassing. I have tried treating it structurally to no avail. I am currently seeing a therapist and hope to see a TMS based physician / therapist soon.

Thanks for reading my story. I will keep you all updated on my progress.

 

Hi Sunny,

Thanks for sharing this. I hope you keep us updated on your journey, and you know you can ask for support and help any time. You are connecting the dots with your history, personality, stress and symptom, and this is the main route to recovery!

Andy B

 

Update: I haven't had much improvement of primary symptoms (tightness, genital retraction) but I have had a marked increase in severity of pain. Most of the time I don't even feel the pain, but nowadays I definitely do. I have gone through Alan Gordon's latest Recovery Program, and am now going through the old version. After I finish the old version I plan on going through the Structured Educational Program.

 

@Sunny - hope you're doing well, any update?