Poor GP support for ED

[IWR]

My experience with GP's re ED.  Has anyone else had lacklustre help from their surgery on this topic?

I'm 62, BMI of 25, eat healthily, don't smoke and hardly drink but have a Cholesterol level of about 6.5.
Over the last 7 years I have raised the fact I suffer some level of ED with my local surgery a few times (3 different doctors).  They each became hesitant and unsure, offered a Testosterone test - always OK and no follow-up.  At no point did they ask me any other questions to explore the potential causes (which may, for example highlight a cardiac risk).
Last week I had a heart attack - furred up artery.  Perhaps if my GPs had explored my ED condition with some heart checks I could have avoided the attack with some preventative stents.
All the online info. on ED says to see your GP who will check for underlying causes as ED can be a sign of cardiac issues.  My real-life experience does not support that.

[Helper015]

Thank you for sharing.  I've seen several GPs and several urologists about ED and almost all of them were downright terrible.  Ideally society should change its image of doctors.  They are not the smartest among us, they are not geniuses.  Most are not the best thinkers.  They engage in routine repetitive tasks, of listening to symptoms (some of the symptoms, then assume the rest) and then name the corresponding medicine. Many countries don't even require doctors as the go-between to get medicine; other countries you can just go directly and talk to the pharmacist.  

Especially nowadays, medical school is not just about your grades, but about your money or family's money.  Doctors memorize a list of things, and then based on that list give out a prescription to certain medicine.  

In the movies they're shown as investigating and contemplating and running a bunch of tests and taking the patient seriously and giving a proper diagnosis and having sleepless nights thinking about their patients' problems.  In reality, you say ED, it'll be a 5 minute rushed appointment, where you're condescended to.  They assume you're nervous if you're young, and that's that, and maybe if you're older they might do a little more investigating, but at the end of the day there is drug A, or B or C and that's it, and so they'll fill a prescription for those and that's it.  And they'll pretend there is nothing else because they don't want to show their ignorance.  Doctors are incredibly ignorant on this issue.

[Helper015]

I mean that at the end of the day for most doctors there is drug A, B or C, but in reality there are different causes to ED, and with that there are more options than the two to three medicines that are out there for managing it.  There is a lot more than that.  I think that's why people turn to their own research and come on forums like this to pull from other people's experiences.  It's too bad in your case that the doctors didn't investigate what was causing your ED and seemed to just jump to management/nothing.

[GuitarRox]

That's a tale to tell!  Thank you for sharing. I guess we need to demand better care. We expect it and you certainly did your part to look after yourself but the health providers you worked with let you down. I think that this cautionary message is important and again, thank you for sharing it. How are things with your heart attack? How are you doing?

[IWR]

Recovering well thanks.  Thankfully I am still able to use ED medication.