Imedicare Somaerect

Just been prescribed one, and had a practical demo in clinic, so that I know how to use it when mine arrives next week. Seem promising, and looking at other comments in prostate threads, it seems like it can be a useful tool in the post-op/ED recovery/improvements toolbag.

I had one. Went to a pump clinic (off-shoot of the ED clinic) where they demoed it on me and explained the training period, how to use the rings, etc. Having it demoed on you doubles the chances of using it successfully when you get home. They gave me a sheet of paper saying what had to be prescribed. I looked at it when I got home, and was quite chuffed to see I needed a size Large. A little while later, I noticed it only comes in two sizes, Large and Extra Large - oh how I laughed. I took the paper to my GP and he prescribed it. I was a bit self-conscious and took the prescription to a pharmacy I never use. I had to collect it when they'd ordered it in. A bit of a warning here, it comes in a large box which is not in the least bit discrete - large pictures of it on all sides, so you might want to take a large carrier bag to take it home in.

There is a problem getting it on the NHS in some areas - some CCGs/ICBs won't provide them. Sometimes the hospital will in that case, but usually you have to buy it yourself if your GP can't prescribe it. If you do, make sure to ask to buy it at 0% VAT. You are buying it as a medical appliance which are 0% VAT rated, but by default without a prescription it would be sold to you as a sex toy which would be 20% VAT rated.

Apparently the SomaErect Response II accounts for 80% of NHS prescriptions. Another one available on prescription is the Erectaid Esteem, and one of the Bathmate models, although I never came across anyone who got a Bathmate on prescription.

I found the SomaErect Response II fine and it worked well. I only used it for penile physio for which you don't use the rings. I did try the rings a few times out of curiosity, but as I was on hormone therapy with very low libido, there was no interest in using it for sex. Some people do use it successfully for sex, but it's most useful for penile physio.