MensHealth
  • News
  • Health
  • Fitness
  • Sex
  • Nutrition
  • Style
  • Weight Loss
  • Life
  • Podcasts
  • Subscribe
  • Motoring
  • Video
MensHealth
  • News
  • Health
  • Fitness
  • Sex
  • Nutrition
  • Style
  • Weight Loss
  • Life
  • Podcasts
  • Subscribe
  • Motoring
  • Video
Bjornsson Deadlifted 1,026 pounds On The Elephant Bar To Win 2020 Arnold Classic
Watch 0:10

Bjornsson Deadlifted 1,026 pounds On The Elephant Bar To Win 2020 Arnold Classic

{headline}

{headline}

What's Happening Upstairs Can Affect Your Downstairs

What's Happening Upstairs Can Affect Your Downstairs

The Lowdown On Getting Erectile Dysfunction

The Lowdown On Getting Erectile Dysfunction

Study Finds Link Between Footy Players Who Cop Head Knocks And Erectile Dysfunction

Study Finds Link Between Footy Players Who Cop Head Knocks And Erectile Dysfunction

Four Surprising Things That Can Cause Trouble in the Bedroom

Four Surprising Things That Can Cause Trouble in the Bedroom

{headline}

{headline}

The Popular Pastime That Could Help Deal With Erectile Dysfunction

The Popular Pastime That Could Help Deal With Erectile Dysfunction

Consulting 'Dr. Google' Is Not Always A Bad Move, Says Study

Consulting 'Dr. Google' Is Not Always A Bad Move, Says Study

PSA: Poor Oral Hygiene Can Lead To Erectile Dysfunction & Infertility

PSA: Poor Oral Hygiene Can Lead To Erectile Dysfunction & Infertility

{headline}

{headline}

Man Injects Stem Cells Directly Into His Penis To Make It Bigger

Man Injects Stem Cells Directly Into His Penis To Make It Bigger

The Invisible Health Condition Behind Everything From Heart Disease To Erectile Dysfunction

The Invisible Health Condition Behind Everything From Heart Disease To Erectile Dysfunction

Can Watching Too Much Porn Give You Erectile Dysfunction?

Can Watching Too Much Porn Give You Erectile Dysfunction?

Your Risk Of Erectile Dysfunction More Than Triples If You Have This Health Condition

Your Risk Of Erectile Dysfunction More Than Triples If You Have This Health Condition

Here's How Your Pet Could Give You Erectile Dysfunction

Here's How Your Pet Could Give You Erectile Dysfunction

Urologists Say This May Be the Cure for Erectile Dysfunction

Urologists Say This May Be the Cure for Erectile Dysfunction

7 Surprising Signs Erectile Dysfunction Might Be In Your Future

7 Surprising Signs Erectile Dysfunction Might Be In Your Future

  1. Home
  2. Erectile Dysfunction

How to Diagnose Your Erectile Dysfunction Without Setting Foot In a Doctor's Office

'Roman' is a discreet platform for guys to get ED care without feeling embarrassed - by Stacey Leasca
  • 21 Jan 2018
How to Diagnose Your Erectile Dysfunction Without Setting Foot In a Doctor's Office

Zachariah Reitano was 17 when he realized something was wrong with his health. He was suffering from a disorder most often associated with guys three times his age: erectile dysfunction.

“It's a very personal story for me,” Reitano told Men’s Health. “I experienced erectile dysfunction when I was 17, but fortunately I had a father who is a physician and an expert in sexual health so I felt comfortable enough bringing it up to him.”

It was the first sign to Reitano’s father that something may be seriously wrong with his son. ED can be a sign that something else may be going wrong inside the body of any guy at any age, including heart disease, clogged blood vessels, high blood pressure, diabetes, or even Parkinson's disease. As a 2015 University of Mississippi found, guys with ED have a 70 percent increased risk for premature death.

Knowing this, Reitano’s dad took him in for a stress test, where his worst fears were confirmed when his son’s heart stopped beating in the doctor’s office. “My heartbeat peaked at 220 and then actually just stopped," he recalled. "I dropped while I was exercising in front of them.” 

Thankfully, his father and other medical professionals were on hand to bring him back to life. After heart surgery, Reitano was put on medication that had one serious side effect. As fate would have it, he once again had ED.

Now, more than a decade after his own health scare, Reitano is hoping to change the way men perceive ED and how they get treated for it.

“The experience is pretty poor,” Reitano said of what it’s like to receive care for men’s sexual health. “I was reluctant to even go just because I was fearful...I know that's not how it should be, but I recognized that in myself, so I wanted to see if we could help reduce the barriers for other men.”

That's how he dreamed up the idea for Roman, a discreet, safe, and efficient platform for guys to get the care they need for ED without feeling embarrassed over doctor visits or having to pick up medications at the pharmacy.

Reitano, along with his co-founders Rob Schutz and Saman Rahmanian, built Roman as an end-to-end service for men’s personal health that can handle everything from online diagnosis to delivery of medication for the 30 million men in the United States who suffer from ED.

"A lot of men have this misconception that being tough means ignoring their health problems," Reitano said. (He's onto something—the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that men are half as likely as women to go see a doctor over a two-year period.)

To use Roman, potential customers who feel they might be suffering from ED complete a confidential five-minute online visit about their medical history. Any preference for a particular type of medication is noted.

Next, the potential patient’s file is reviewed by a U.S. licensed physician. If the doc determines the patient isn't a good candidate for tele-health—like if their health risk seems too great, or if they appear to be cruising for meds—they won't be charged. If the patient is approved after the initial online consult, he'll be charged $15. The physician will follow up if necessary and write a prescription if appropriate. (You'll have to pay for the medication separately, just like you would after a regular doctor's visit.)

If you're prescribed meds, they'll be shipped from the Roman Pharmacy Network and will refill automatically every month or quarter. The medication comes in sleek grey and red packaging that looks more akin to a vitamin wrapper than a bill bottle. Roman patients can follow up any time with questions for the app's pharmacy and medical team via a secure messaging platform.

It's no surprise that Roman has been able to attract more than $3 million in seed funding from the likes of reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, among others.

“The market for men’s health is massive and poorly served—there’s no trusted brand for men,” Ohanian said in a statement shared with Men’s Health. “I deeply believe in a next generation of brands like Roman that are poised to own entire segments thanks to great products and services designed for the digital age.”

Ultimately, Reitano wants to crush the stigma surrounding ED.

“It's important that people don't see themselves as, 'Oh I'm a guy with ED,'" he said. "Rather, they're just a guy with a hurdle that this company would love nothing more than to do something about."

This article was originally published by Men's Health.

Subscribe Now-

Subscribe Now
Subscribe Now

Subscribe Now-

Subscribe Now
Subscribe Now

Recommended to you

Bjornsson Deadlifted 1,026 pounds On The Elephant Bar To Win 2020 Arnold Classic
Watch 0:10

Bjornsson Deadlifted 1,026 pounds On The Elephant Bar To Win 2020 Arnold Classic

{headline}

{headline}

What's Happening Upstairs Can Affect Your Downstairs

What's Happening Upstairs Can Affect Your Downstairs

The Lowdown On Getting Erectile Dysfunction

The Lowdown On Getting Erectile Dysfunction

Study Finds Link Between Footy Players Who Cop Head Knocks And Erectile Dysfunction

Study Finds Link Between Footy Players Who Cop Head Knocks And Erectile Dysfunction

Four Surprising Things That Can Cause Trouble in the Bedroom

Four Surprising Things That Can Cause Trouble in the Bedroom

{headline}

{headline}

The Popular Pastime That Could Help Deal With Erectile Dysfunction

The Popular Pastime That Could Help Deal With Erectile Dysfunction

Consulting 'Dr. Google' Is Not Always A Bad Move, Says Study

Consulting 'Dr. Google' Is Not Always A Bad Move, Says Study

PSA: Poor Oral Hygiene Can Lead To Erectile Dysfunction & Infertility

PSA: Poor Oral Hygiene Can Lead To Erectile Dysfunction & Infertility

{headline}

{headline}

Man Injects Stem Cells Directly Into His Penis To Make It Bigger

Man Injects Stem Cells Directly Into His Penis To Make It Bigger

The Invisible Health Condition Behind Everything From Heart Disease To Erectile Dysfunction

The Invisible Health Condition Behind Everything From Heart Disease To Erectile Dysfunction

Can Watching Too Much Porn Give You Erectile Dysfunction?

Can Watching Too Much Porn Give You Erectile Dysfunction?

Your Risk Of Erectile Dysfunction More Than Triples If You Have This Health Condition

Your Risk Of Erectile Dysfunction More Than Triples If You Have This Health Condition

Here's How Your Pet Could Give You Erectile Dysfunction

Here's How Your Pet Could Give You Erectile Dysfunction

Urologists Say This May Be the Cure for Erectile Dysfunction

Urologists Say This May Be the Cure for Erectile Dysfunction

7 Surprising Signs Erectile Dysfunction Might Be In Your Future

7 Surprising Signs Erectile Dysfunction Might Be In Your Future

MensHealth
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Terms
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Statement
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Terms
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Statement

Brands

  • Women's Health

Our Network

  • Paragon Media Pty Ltd
© 2021 Are Media PTY LTD
Get more from Men's Health

Magazine Subscription Offer

Subscribe Now-

Shop This Offer
Subscribe Now