An extreme treatment known as a 'vampire penis' jab could restore a diabetic man's chances of fathering more children.
33-year-old Jimmy Croxton, from Newcastle-under-Lyme in Staffordshire, is a type 1 diabetic and has been trying for a child with his girlfriend of three years, Natalie Wilshaw.
However, his low blood sugar - caused by his diabetes - has damaged nerves in his penis and causes erectile dysfunction, as well as difficulty ejaculating.
That could be about to take a drastic turn for the better, however. The treatment, which is called a P-Shot, has been developed from an anti-aging facial treatment used by celebrities such as Kim Kardashian.
It costs £1,200, but since Jimmy had his first one last month and says that he has already been feeling the benefits in the bedroom.
He reckons that if he has another one next month, he may be able to ejaculate normally and - he hopes - conceive a child naturally.
Jimmy, who has a child with a previous partner, hopes that through telling his story he can reduce some of the stigma surrounding erectile problems and encourage more men to seek help rather than suffering alone.
He said: "If Natalie and I can then conceive, it will mean the world to us both to have a child together,
"Natalie and I have wanted to have children for some time, so I leapt at the chance of trying it.
"There is a lot of stigma surrounding erectile dysfunction and it's something that people often treat quite flippantly.
"But it's stopped us from having kids and that's no laughing matter."
Jimmy found out that he had diabetes aged just 18 when he experienced a huge weight loss of around five stone and found himself having to wee more often.
The doctor then diagnosed him and told him that he'd need to inject himself with insulin up to four times each day for the rest of his life.
However, he only discovered later that his condition could cause problems in the bedroom too and has now decided to speak out to raise awareness.
He explained: "I wasn't a huge womaniser, going out on the town each night looking to pick up girls.
"But when I did spend the night with a woman I would sometimes have problems keeping an erection which, when you're a young man, can be very tough.
"It's very difficult explaining it to girls, because there is still so much stigma about erectile dysfunction,"
"People think it's some big joke, making it very embarrassing to explain, especially if you don't know the person that well."
He continued: "When I was about 26 I was going out with a 19-year-old and, I think because she was so young, she just didn't understand why our lovemaking wasn't working.
"The relationship fell apart for several reasons, but that was definitely a big one."
Since having the injection, he has really noticed the difference. He added: "It has really given me a confidence boost.
"Having the procedure has also opened my eyes to the damage I was doing to myself by not maintaining my sugar levels better, so I have gone on a strict diet now, cutting out fruits and weighing every meal I eat, so I know how much insulin to inject myself with."
He's not up to the point where he can ejaculate normally yet, but hopefully some more of the 'vampire' treatment can allow him and Natalie to conceive naturally.
Featured Image Credit: PA Real LifeTopics: UK News, Interesting, Weird, Health