Phases of the Implant Journey

[ThailandBound]

Never have I had to think more about my penis than in the last year. I'm ready to quit thinking about it so much. I'm 6 1/2 weeks postop as I write and now actively cycling twice daily. I found myself thinking about this implant journey and how it involves "phases" one must pass through to get to the other side and return to a healthy and happy sex life. I'm thinking that by breaking the journey into known phases that it might help future bionic brothers to relax and have a more profound sense of their progress. When one phase is finished, it's done. Onto the next one by one until the journey is complete and you're happily enjoying having a great erection and a great sex life again. So, for what it's worth, here's how i've experienced it thus far:

1. The PRE-IMPLANT PHASE. These are the days between the decision to have the surgery and the surgery date itself. Characterized by second-guessing and anxiety. Largely fear of the unknown. ("how severe will the pain be?" "Do I REALLY need to do this?", "Is it going to really work?", "Will my dick shrink?"). Possibly a sense of mourning over the idea that once done, all possibility of a natural erection is gone). These, and i'm sure each of you has your own unique issues, typify this phase.

2. THE SURGERY date itself. Game time. You find yourself walking through the doors of the hospital or surgery center and before long you feel as though you are carried away by events. You inprocess, get into your surgical gown, lay down and try to relax. Before long, you are wheeled into the operating room, take a deep breath, go to sleep, wake up....and it's done. Phase 2 is finished. You have the implant.

3. RECOVERY. Infrapubic/peno-scrotal, each has it's own unique aspects of recovery. Doctors vary in the recovery protocol. I had the PS and was left inflated for 6 weeks. The first few days you feel as if you are truly living your life day-by-day. I literally counted the day upon awakening each subsequent day, "day 3, day 7, day 11, etc". It was my first thought. Each day passed is another day you don't have to re-live again. You'll feel a bit vulnerable and not your usual self. I workout regularly and was bummed by inability to lift more than 20 pounds for 6 weeks. It seems that most of your awareness is on how you feel daily and your penis. Maybe still wondering if you did the right thing. The vast majority find the pain level tolerable (i was fortunate. I only used 1 pain pill and a few Tylenol the entire time), and that improves as those days pass so slowly. Over time, you start having a sense of "ok, i'm really going to be ok". I began walking 2-3 miles daily at week 3 1/2 and returned to work (with my chubby still inflated) at one month. I'm in the gym daily again. Easing back into it, but feeling good. It's good to go to work now with a flaccid penis. The passing of the recovery phase gives rise to......

4. CYCLING PHASE. A period of discomfort as you adapt to your new device. Experience the anxiety of using it those first few times. Confidence builds. It's uncomfortable to stretch, but necessary. I consider it simply "rehab", no different than the physical therapy i received after a compound fracture of my elbow many years ago. No fun, but necessary. I'm 1 week into twice daily cycling as i write. I can sense it getting better with each passing day. Different guys report different experiences in terms of how quickly they adapt and get back into the game. Eventually cycling/rehab gives way to....

5. INAUGURAL DAY. You use your newly enhanced bionic penis and insert it into another person. I am told the first few times can be a bit tentative, but improves over time. I actually have a target date of 10 weeks postop, not because I can't, but because that's when my opportunity to travel and see my girlfriend will present itself. From that point forward, the bionic brother is once again fully back into the game making new discoveries and hopefully renewed or newfound pleasures.

I find it helpful to think about the experience in these terms. The idea is to accept each phase as it's own battle to be won and keep the focus where you are and dealing with those issues day by day. Not helpful to be in recovery phase, for example, and worrying about how it will work on inaugural day. Breaking it down and realizing we've finished one phase and started another reminds us that the phase we just completed is a phase that never need be repeated. (I'll leave revisions out of the discussion).

I'm just a pedestrian level guy who had it done. Not a scientific treatise above, but if you're a guy with ED reading this and are considering the surgery, thinking about the entire thing as definable phases which we pass through one-by-one helps me to keep the big picture of how it all unfolds.

Feel free to jump in with your own thoughts please.

[sswinsfba]

Thanks for your overview of the process involved in getting an IPP ("inflatable penile prosthesis") that should be helpful to those still considering whether to get an IPP or not.

Of course, the "devil is in the details" starting in the "Pre-Implant Stage" with:

1) How to find an IPP surgeon and which one to choose?;
2) Which brand of implant to choose -- AMS700, Coloplast Titan or other?; and
3) Which method of implantation to choose -- Penoscrotal, Infrapubic or Subcoronal?

Some decisions, like the method of implantation may be predetermined, like subcoronal for peyronie's disease, and a surgeon may prefer to use only one specific brand of implant and method of implanation, thereby restricting those choices. Read the medical papers on the differences between the brands & methods.

There's a lot of info to read/see & process.

Frank Talk can provide a context and point potential IPP patients in the "right" direction based on the ancedotal reports of men who have already gotten an IPP but it would be a mistake to rely solely on what is read/said here.

There's a ton of medical information about IPP available on the Net.

Visit the websites of high volume IPP surgeons and read what they've written and watch the videos on their websites about the process. Read the available information about the various brands of implants and methods of implanation.

So, I recommend that anyone considering an IPP spend as much time as possible doing the research necessary to make best choices for himself BEFORE committing to the surgery, so that there will be no surprises (or regrets) along the way.

[Old Guy]

I'm sure I went through these phases, but when my implant was done I had zero knowledge about it. All I knew is the implant would allow me to get erections again using some device the surgeon would put in my penis. I didn't do a lot of research before my surgery as it was only a couple weeks from making the decision to scheduled for surgery.
I did gross out trying to watch a video of the surgery, couldn't finish watching to the end. That fact irritated me because in one of my jobs I was required to accompany our surgeons into the surgery room once a year for a day. Had no issue with that, watching knee replacements, fractured fingers fixed, carpal tunnel surgery, etc.
Sometimes I think if I had found a forum like FT or similar, and seen all the possibilities that could happen, I might have backed out. Knowledge is power, but it can also be scary.

[sswinsfba]

I did gross out trying to watch a video of the surgery, couldn't finish watching to the end. That fact irritated me because in one of my jobs I was required to accompany our surgeons into the surgery room once a year for a day. Had no issue with that, watching knee replacements, fractured fingers fixed, carpal tunnel surgery, etc.
Sometimes I think if I had found a forum like FT or similar, and seen all the possibilities that could happen, I might have backed out. Knowledge is power, but it can also be scary.

I watched at least 3 different infrapublic implant videos before I met the surgeon I chose to do my IPP.

Never found a video for penoscrotal but I did find a medical research paper w/a lot of pics of the procedure. The pics of the penoscrotal procedure grossed me out more than the infrapublic videos did, which definitely contributed to my decision to go w/infrapublic instead of penoscrotal.

What got me most with the infrapublic videos (which is probably the same as for pensoscrotal for this part of the procedure) was when they inserted the rod w/the needle at the end of it thru the corporosa & then stuck the needle thru the glans to pull the implant cylinders thru the shaft.

I think I involuntarily closed my legs when I saw that but, IMO, knowledge is power and I preferred knowing what to expect and knowing what was going to be done to me while I was "out" on the surgical table, so that I could ask informed questions about what the doc was going to do to me BEFORE I actually agreed to the procedure.

[AmansinCali]

Excellent post Thailandbound, I am sure your words will be comforting to those looking forward to an implant.

I agree, when it is all said and done, the experiences of most of us are nearly identical, from the first time the pill didn't work until you enter your lover.

Guys, if an implant is the only way you will be able to have intercourse, don't fear it. Once you make your decision to get an implant, just relax and let your surgeon, based on his experience, do what is best for you. There are only a few people on FT that have had implants of different manufacturers, and or different types of surgeries who can share the differences with us. My advice, if you have picked a surgeon, let him make the decisions, he knows more than you ever will.

Thailandbound, let us know when you test fly that new dick of yours, we are all anxiously awaiting your detailed report.

[ThailandBound]

Thailandbound, let us know when you test fly that new dick of yours, we are all anxiously awaiting your detailed report.

Expect a complete report!

[Surfshack]

Dude , you're just a guy trying to survive.
And that's the way it should be, that's the way you gotta be.