moving from titan to ams cx

[LastHope]

all the implant offerings provide more than enough rigidity for penetrative intercourse...

@Jage64,
This statement was for anal penetration or vaginal penetration?

My testing indicates the they'll both work just fine for whatever your partner may allow.

Good deal

[astrius]

I'll add that I followed more than a few FTers that had Clavell implants and noticed that they by and large seemed to have less pain, less discomfort and easier recoveries than other reports I read by other docs. I wanted that. Normally Dr. Clavell does not use a catheter, which can be a huge pain point. I had near zero pain and very little discomfort, only using alternating Advil and Tylenol every 3 hours for a few days post surgery. I also iced down there constantly. I had surgery on Wednesday, flew home 5 hours on Friday morning, and was back in my office chair on Monday morning working (with a boner). Again, near zero pain. I don't know if Dr. Clavell has a special pain management protocol that is different than oth

Eid says that gym is possible after 2-3 weeks while Clavell says it is 6 weeks. How come there is such a difference in recovery? Or is reality different then the stated stats?

[Jage64]

I'll add that I followed more than a few FTers that had Clavell implants and noticed that they by and large seemed to have less pain, less discomfort and easier recoveries than other reports I read by other docs. I wanted that. Normally Dr. Clavell does not use a catheter, which can be a huge pain point. I had near zero pain and very little discomfort, only using alternating Advil and Tylenol every 3 hours for a few days post surgery. I also iced down there constantly. I had surgery on Wednesday, flew home 5 hours on Friday morning, and was back in my office chair on Monday morning working (with a boner). Again, near zero pain. I don't know if Dr. Clavell has a special pain management protocol that is different than oth

Eid says that gym is possible after 2-3 weeks while Clavell says it is 6 weeks. How come there is such a difference in recovery? Or is reality different then the stated stats?

Does Clavell say you can't go to the gym for 6 weeks? He never told me that, but maybe I just don't look like a guy that goes to a gym

When it comes to cycling, intercourse, inflation/deflation it seems that there is not one accepted practice for best results. I think that comes down to the individual doctor and what he/she believes to be the best course of recovery for their patients. From what I can tell reading FT for a few years now, is that there isn't one standard that is preferred over another. This may be the case with the gym comment too. Each doc has their own reasons for post-operative care strategy, in my mind that was not at all a factor in my choosing a surgeon.

My personal experience was that I had NO interest in cycling at 3 days as some doctors suggest. Although I didn't have pain and only discomfort, I'm CERTAIN I would have had pain if I was asked to start squeezing things down there after only 3 days. On the other hand, I was raring to use my new toy at 4 weeks, and I was asked to wait another week for an additional shaft incision to be completely healed, as intercourse is much harder on the shaft than it is the scrotum. Nobody wants an incision opening up while doing the act. Without the additional incision, I'm confident Dr. Clavell would have released me for intercourse at 4 weeks, but he's smart in that he tells men to wait 6 weeks so their expectations are not shattered if for some reason they're a slow healer or there's other delays. This may be the case with the gym comment too, if it's correct.

[frank66665]

I just got back, I did 1200 km in less than 30 hours, I lost 5 days of paid hotel accommodation, fortunately he refunded me the 4 nights I had booked later, FAILED REVIEW CAUSES: damn testosterone, I have been on testosterone therapy since January 2020 for ED, it made the pills work a little better, until I had more benefits, I continued to inject testosterone because I didn't feel like leaving it, it made me raise red blood cells/hematocrit/hemoglobin, and I had high homocysteine, range up at 10 and I had it at 15, I visited the new cardiologist in my country and seeing the tests with those high values ​​he wrote that I should urgently do the exercise test, being a heart patient, an echocardiogram, and repetition of the tests, when I went with that file to the hospital where I had to do the review, they made me meet the anesthetist, when he read the cardiologist's file he exclaimed, I can't put you to sleep with what the cardiologist wrote, if you don't wake up we'll go everyone in jail, he said, you have to do these things as soon as possible and then we can do the surgery, if I can do them within a month, I'll do the surgery in 1 month, now I stopped taking testosterone from September 2nd, let's hope values ​​are within the limits, I had only managed to take 55 mg of enanthate per week and I was almost at the maximum of the range, evidently I assimilated too much, now I have decided to stop forever, also because this thing has already happened to me 4/5 times that I have they raise the values

[sambalamba]

If you are at the point that you truly can't decide between the two main devices, then I would defer to the surgeon you choose, especially if there is a cosmetic issue they feel one or the other would address better (bent shaft). Based on the rocket in my pocket, your penis will be arrow straight no matter which one you choose. Of the 3 surgeons you've mentioned, I don't think you can go wrong.

Hi Jage64,

Thank you so much for taking the time and effort to put together such a detailed and well-thought-out response. Your insights are incredibly helpful and appreciated. People like you are a real asset to the FrankTalk community, and your insights go a long way in helping folks like me.

By the way, I traveled to Atlanta yesterday and had the opportunity to meet Dr. Hakky in person. He is an incredible doctor, very similar to Dr. Clavell, though I found his personality and attention to detail to be a bit more impressive. He spent a significant amount of time answering all my questions, which I really appreciated. Interestingly, he mentioned that he interacts with Dr. Clavell frequently and assured me that I would be in excellent hands with either doctor, ultimately leaving the choice up to me.

When discussing different techniques and protocols, Dr. Hakky explained that each doctor follows a method that has worked for them over the years and advised me not to overthink the variations. He described his own approach, which includes using a drain, keeping inflation at 10% to 30% immediately post-op, and starting the cycling process about seven days after surgery.

Dr. Hakky also showed me both the AMS and Titan implants. When I asked for his recommendation, he respectfully stated that it was a personal decision for me to make but noted that my anatomy would be well-suited for the Titan, as I had expressed some preference for it. He thoroughly explained the pros and cons of each implant and pump. Between the two Coloplast pumps, Dr. Hakky prefers the Titan One Touch, explaining that the pump's thicker material and more durable tubing exits make it sturdier.

Additionally, he performs both the infrapubic and penoscrotal approaches but recommended the penoscrotal for me due to my thin build, suggesting that I might feel the tubing more with the infrapubic approach. However, he did note that the infrapubic method offers quicker healing and is easier to keep clean.

My experience with Dr. Clavell has also been extremely positive, though I felt he was a bit less forthcoming with information. It seems he prefers patients to watch his educational videos rather than answer repetitive questions.

Overall, I came away with the impression that Dr. Hakky favors the Titan, especially since he gave me an information packet with the Coloplast label and mentioned I could reach out to a Coloplast patient liaison.

I plan to contact Dr. Clavell one more time to get his final recommendation before making my decision. Ultimately, my choice will be based on factors such as ease of travel and the ability to return for follow-up visits if needed. Dr. Clavell has the advantage here, given that Houston is just a four-hour drive from Dallas, but I also want to consider which doctor I feel most comfortable with.

[Jage64]

Sounds like you're doing it exactly right Sambalamba, you've got to be our own advocate and educate yourself, you're on the right track.

Good luck to you, you'll look back and remember all the apprehension you had and chuckle, but it's much better to be wary and informed than oblivious and uninformed. I didn't have much stress pre-surgery because I had done what you're doing, information and education triumphs over fear and apprehension every time. Also, I would think to myself, "what's my alternative? to be married to this beautiful wife whom I love so much and I don't ever get to be intimate with her ever again?"

Cut me doc!

[LastHope]

Dr. Clavell is known for personally responding to text messages for post-op questions. I believe Dr. Eid is also known for offering the same level of phone support. However, I am unsure if Dr. Hakky provides this as well. If anyone has up-to-date information regarding this practice, please feel free to provide clarification. While this may not be the most critical deciding factor, for those with significant anxiety about wound healing or infection concerns, this personal touch can make a substantial difference.

[Jage64]

Dr. Clavell is known for personally responding to text messages for post-op questions.

I remember joking with Dr. Clavell that he probably has to go out of his way to keep his work phone out of reach of his wife and children, since it's likely loaded with dick pics.

I was a little concerned about being 2000 miles away from Dr. Clavell after having what felt to me like a monumental surgery, but it turned out to be no big deal. I didn't have any complications, and when I did have a question about my incision healing or something to do with my new package, he just asked me to text him a pic and he'd take a look. He would assure me that things were going fine and stay the course. If there was ever going to be something that needed immediate action, I still had my regular local doctors I could go to in an emergency, and it's not as if they wouldn't treat me because some doctor in Houston performed the surgery. I know for a fact that Dr. Clavell has MANY international patients that fly in from around the world for his services, so he's very aware of how to give you excellent care even continents away.

Since I have family in the Houston area, I did make it back into town about a year later and Dr. Clavell was happy to see me in his office just for a follow up. I didn't NEED to see him, but I wanted to catch up with whom I consider a friend, and have him take a look at his handiwork and just give it a once over. His first comment to me was "you're as thick as a Titan!". This was another indicator to me that cylinder diameter is a comparison made on paper, not in real life. There are too many variables in each individual penis, yet we get caught up in lab results. I went away feeling that I had the best of all worlds, apparently the thickness of a Titan with all the benefits of the AMS. I don't plan on ever getting together with a bunch of implanted men, pumping up and walking around comparing dicks (although for some men on FT, that happening is called "Friday"), so Dr. Clavell's comment held weight with me since he's literally seen thousands.

Most importantly, my wife enjoys it as much as I do. We're the only ones that matter.

[FinallyBionic]

I just got back, I did 1200 km in less than 30 hours, I lost 5 days of paid hotel accommodation, fortunately he refunded me the 4 nights I had booked later, FAILED REVIEW CAUSES: damn testosterone, I have been on testosterone therapy since January 2020 for ED, it made the pills work a little better, until I had more benefits, I continued to inject testosterone because I didn't feel like leaving it, it made me raise red blood cells/hematocrit/hemoglobin, and I had high homocysteine, range up at 10 and I had it at 15, I visited the new cardiologist in my country and seeing the tests with those high values ​​he wrote that I should urgently do the exercise test, being a heart patient, an echocardiogram, and repetition of the tests, when I went with that file to the hospital where I had to do the review, they made me meet the anesthetist, when he read the cardiologist's file he exclaimed, I can't put you to sleep with what the cardiologist wrote, if you don't wake up we'll go everyone in jail, he said, you have to do these things as soon as possible and then we can do the surgery, if I can do them within a month, I'll do the surgery in 1 month, now I stopped taking testosterone from September 2nd, let's hope values ​​are within the limits, I had only managed to take 55 mg of enanthate per week and I was almost at the maximum of the range, evidently I assimilated too much, now I have decided to stop forever, also because this thing has already happened to me 4/5 times that I have they raise the values

Everything happens for a reason. Do not get upset Frank. Hang in there.

[LastHope]

Jage64 wrote:

he just asked me to text him a pic and he'd take a look. He would assure me that things were going fine and stay the course...

It's a pleasure to learn about physicians who go above and beyond their job description to address our worries, feelings, and concerns during the healing journey. The worst feeling is leaving a post-op appointment and feeling like you were never heard by the surgeon. When there's someone who responds to messages from continents away, that deserves to be in bold!

I also think research data conducted by independent agencies have their solid place and play a crucial role in keeping device manufacturers competitive by ensuring they offer quality products with advanced materials that stand the test of time. Sure, all new cars feel fine to drive, but let's talk about the machine after 3, 5, 10 years, that’s when the real discussion begins. I wouldn't want to give slack to device manufacturers, we want them to deliver reliable, high-quality products that stand the test of time. That cannot happen by releasing a new and improved version every year, but by refining existing products and addressing the points of failure from lab tests and warranty claims. I see them like crash tests done on cars, sure, my family may care less about those boring crash test metrics during vacation trips, but I certainly do, considering the money I paid and the emotional energy I invested.

Subjective experience questionnaires used in research to measure the quality of life after implantation need further refinement and nuance to provide better metrics. When conflicts of interest and financial relationships between physicians and pharma/device manufacturers are unavoidable in the medical-industrial complex, publications with robust study designs that document objective measurements and the subjective experience scores of hundreds of patients is another valuable tool in the toolbox that can help patients make informed decisions.