A 42-year-old man, who is a sickle cell patient, is experiencing a rare and distressing condition called priapism, which causes his penis to remain erect for two days without any sexual stimulation.
The man, identified as Stephen Danquah, told Accra-based TV3 that he has been in agony for days, as he is unable to urinate, sleep, or get any relief from his condition.
He said that he has been crying and contemplating suicide because of the unbearable pain.
According to him, he has been neglected by his family members, who are afraid of his condition.
He said that he has been struggling to raise money for his medication and surgery, which he was advised to undergo by the doctors at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, otherwise he could lose his life.
“I have an erection which has not been able to go down for two days. Then also I am suffering with my scrotum and my penis. I am not able to pass urine or even get to sleep. I have been crying since.
“Even my family members don't want to come closer to me because of my condition. As a result, I have been struggling to get money to take care of myself, get medications or go for a review. I was told by the hospital, Korle Bu, to at least try and get the surgery done otherwise, I would lose my life.
“... Because of the pain I am going through, sometimes, I get the urge to take my life because I am in pain. At the moment, I am not bothered about where to sleep, I am only concerned about how to get this off me,” he explained.
A urologist who spoke in the report, pointed out that persons with sickle cell, like Stephen, often deal with priapism.
“Because of the long term and short term effect on the patient’s life, it is a bother and also a concern for many of us,” he stated.
Priapism is a medical emergency that occurs when blood becomes trapped in the penis, causing a prolonged and painful erection.
It can be caused by various factors, such as sickle cell disease, medication, injury, or infection. If left untreated, it can lead to permanent damage to the penis, erectile dysfunction, or gangrene.
A male sickle cell patient is battling with priapism, enduring severe pains for days as his conditions worsen.
— #TV3GH (@tv3_ghana) February 5, 2024
Godwin Asediba tells the story of Stephen Danquah who is struggling with prolonged erection.#TV3GH #News360 pic.twitter.com/zrzUBgl20F
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