Wish Me Luck

[SWorks17]

Happy Friday update! Surgery was this past Monday and I'm feeling okay right now. Still have some soreness but nothing that isn't manageable.

Pushing up from the bottom of my scrotum I can still feel the bulb so I guess that's a good thing. Still 40 percent inflated so that accounts for a little achiness and I'm experiencing some swelling in the scrotum from the bulb. My first post-op appointment is next Tuesday. I'm assuming my doctor may deflate me and give me instructions for cycling at some point down the road. Not sure yet, I'll know soon enough.

There are some questions I have for the next few days and weeks for some of the grizzled vets in the group:

- Tight underwear or loose? It seems like loose underwear works better in bed. Should I wear something tighter like compression shorts if I'm going to go somewhere and loose to bed?

- When can I start some very light exercise? I really feel like a slug right now. I'd love to get out to my local "rail to trail" to do some easy walking. However, I don't want to do more than I should and experience a setback.

- How long before your doctors deflated you after surgery? Right now the thought of anyone including myself touching the bulb is kind of scary.

- How long before your doctor told you to begin cycling? Again, I'm in no hurry. Just curious to see what the timeline was for you guys.

Thanks in advance guys and I'll be sure to keep you updated!

Ralph

- I used tight but something that had a comfortable pouch to hold the boys comfortable and secure. I used jock straps at the beginning but most of them the pouch is comfortable but the waist band dug in your waist. With a jock strap I would go up two sizes from your normal size so that everything fits while you're swoll up.
I also used Jockey Brand (Jockey Sport Cooling Mesh Performance Brief) I used the bikini style. They are very comfortable. I went up to XXL so that they would fit comfortably while I was still healing. When you go to the Jockey web site and that particular model, look at all the colors, you can see that some of them look like the pouch is fuller, so choose one that shows a fuller pouch. I use them for road bike cycling too. I wear them under my cycling bib shorts to keep the boys in place and more secure.

- Exercise: walking: Looking back we went on a trip to Austin, Texas and I walked with my wife on the trails next to the river. This was around the 4 week point after surgery, I was still partially inflated. I did two or three walks with my wife which were 4 miles each. I did hurt afterwards but not awful. I did take some pain meds that I still had. Just be careful you can over do it.
I got back on my Road Bike the next week, I rode a few miles in my neighborhood. I could definitely feel the tightness from the incision in the scrotum area. It was awkward but felt good to be back on the bike. I believe I just iced down after my ride, there wasn't too much pain.

I got deflated at the 6 week point and given device training. Yes, when the training nurse pressed the deflate button it hurt. Then he asked me to pump it up as much as I could. I could only get in about 10 pumps because of the pain, in my shaft, glans and my scrotum trying to squeeze the pump. After the training, the doc wanted me to pump twice a day as much as I could pump in the shower for at least 10 minutes. I usually did 10 minutes in the shower and I would keep it inflated while I shaved. I did other advanced cycling and warm sits baths for many months after the first cycling event.

Your fellow Air Force FrankTalk brother,
Swork17
Stan

[OldSchool]

Hey guys, I just wanted to catch you up on the latest. As well as soliciting your usual thoughtful insights.

First, thanks from the bottom of my heart for taking the time to reply to my posts, offering reassurance, and answering my questions. What a fantastic group!

This past Tuesday (8 days post-surgery), I had a visit with my doctor's PA. When I entered the examining room, he said the doctor asked him to deflate my device. I'm currently 40 percent inflated. I'm still experiencing a fair amount of swelling and tenderness in the scrotum, so I was skeptical immediately. Before he got to work, he said he had never worked with an AMS LGX device, so I drew a picture to show him what it looked like and where to locate the release button. More red flags went up. When he attempted to press the release button, I experienced tremendous pain, and he agreed that we should probably wait until the following week to try this again, thank God.

Yesterday, I was feeling pretty good, so I got on my treadmill and walked an easy 1.5 miles. Later that day, I went with my wife to get two of our grandsons a haircut then we took them to McDonald's. I was feeling pretty achy when I woke up this morning, so I'm sure I overdid it yesterday.

That's where I stand right now. My only questions involved when some of you guys were deflated, and how soon did you begin to cycle? I know every situation is different due to the many variables involved.
Just something to give me a point of reference.

Thanks again, guys,

Ralph

[Randalltx]

Hey guys, I just wanted to catch you up on the latest. As well as soliciting your usual thoughtful insights.

First, thanks from the bottom of my heart for taking the time to reply to my posts, offering reassurance, and answering my questions. What a fantastic group!

This past Tuesday (8 days post-surgery), I had a visit with my doctor's PA. When I entered the examining room, he said the doctor asked him to deflate my device. I'm currently 40 percent inflated. I'm still experiencing a fair amount of swelling and tenderness in the scrotum, so I was skeptical immediately. Before he got to work, he said he had never worked with an AMS LGX device, so I drew a picture to show him what it looked like and where to locate the release button. More red flags went up. When he attempted to press the release button, I experienced tremendous pain, and he agreed that we should probably wait until the following week to try this again, thank God.

Yesterday, I was feeling pretty good, so I got on my treadmill and walked an easy 1.5 miles. Later that day, I went with my wife to get two of our grandsons a haircut then we took them to McDonald's. I was feeling pretty achy when I woke up this morning, so I'm sure I overdid it yesterday.

That's where I stand right now. My only questions involved when some of you guys were deflated, and how soon did you begin to cycle? I know every situation is different due to the many variables involved.
Just something to give me a point of reference.

Thanks again, guys,

Ralph

--------------------
I deflated myself at 6 weeks and 2 days.
Doc at 6 weeks said I was still a little swollen and try it every couple days. I waited two days and deflated without pain, pumped it back up some and left it. Next morning deflated more this time, reinflated more again. Third time was able to completely deflate. No pain in any of these efforts.
Doc did not do anything. Told me I need to do it, just demonstrated on a model then watched me try to do it.

Deflation is now easy. I am at 6 weels 5 days. Still working on fully inflating.

Sticking you with an inexperienced PA is cause for concern. You paid the price for a doctor's casyak approach to your case. That would not happen at my uro group. Everyone there is experienced in doing this stuff including young females who give shots, etc. I would be distressed and making a lot of noise if it happened to me. Don't tolerate mistreatment like that.

I have Coloplast XL 24cm no rtes. Having sex already as well. Good luck, Randy.

[Old Guy]

Doc tried to deflate me at 2 weeks. I was so sore had to stop him. Stayed 50-60% inflated until 5 1/2 weeks. On day 5 I drove to pick up grandkid from school. Hurt for a week after that, too much too soon.
Cycling is something I can't help with, as doc never instructed me that was something I had to do. I had not found FT yet so I was in the dark. At 5 months out I found FT, found out I was supposed to be cycling. Cycled for 2 1/2 months and my gain was less than 1/8 inch. Stopped cycling then. Too late maybe? Never will know.

[Jage64]

I asked my doc at 4 weeks if I could deflate. He had me text him pictures of my incisions and gave me the go ahead to deflate and start cycling. At just under 5 weeks I was cleared for intercourse.

I didn't have any issues at all with deflating, my scrotum never really swelled up until I started cycling. The deflate button was easy to find and depress and I immediately felt the vibration of the deflation happening. Since I've been cycling, my scrotum has gotten more swollen due to the abuse I inflict on it! I'm sure it'll get used to it over time and stop swelling up. I didn't have any bruising after surgery, but had some light bruising when I started cycling, which is all gone now.