FrankTalk.org

Hi,
I live in the UK and had an AMS 700 installed on 6th Nov 2018. I am type 1 diabetic after cancer of the Pancreas was diagnosed in April 2006. I had Chemo /Radio then major surgery and am cured . Eventually I suffered with ED and then Peyronie's.
From the outset I could not fully deflate and remain flacid. It always returns within 10 minutes to a ⅔ erection. I ensure only the deflate button is pressed for more than 4 seconds (I have tried different durations). I bend my penis to try to force out the saline and can sometimes hear a noise coming from the valve when I do so. Still the same result.
One suggestion was to try to check the valve is not stuck so press the bulb once to start inflation then immediately press the button to deflate and repeat a few times in quick succession. No change.
I have noticed that on about 4 or 5 occasions I can press the inflation bulb many times (so far I stopped at 24!) when normally it only takes 3 or 4 presses to get as erect as it can from the partially erect state it is normally in.
I suspect the valve is faulty - certainly it is not preventing back flow of saline.
I saw my Consultant last week who confirmed AI but seemed to be focussing on whether pressure on the reservoir (upper L groin area) is making this happen (even if it was, the lockout valve should be preventing the saline returning to the cylinders).
I do not want exploratory surgery with all the infection risks (one suggestion) but would accept further surgery with a defined objective.

It is extremely uncomfortable, wakes me up at night when I roll over, I cannot be seen in pyjamas by other than my wife and am dreading the summer months by the pool.

Sorry for the long ramble, but can anyone advise on the above either having experienced this as patient or clinician? Anyone from Boston Scientific able to comment?

Thanks

Morpaul wrote:Hi,
I live in the UK and had an AMS 700 installed on 6th Nov 2018. I am type 1 diabetic after cancer of the Pancreas was diagnosed in April 2006. I had Chemo /Radio then major surgery and am cured . Eventually I suffered with ED and then Peyronie's.
From the outset I could not fully deflate and remain flacid. It always returns within 10 minutes to a ⅔ erection. I ensure only the deflate button is pressed for more than 4 seconds (I have tried different durations). I bend my penis to try to force out the saline and can sometimes hear a noise coming from the valve when I do so. Still the same result.
One suggestion was to try to check the valve is not stuck so press the bulb once to start inflation then immediately press the button to deflate and repeat a few times in quick succession. No change.
I have noticed that on about 4 or 5 occasions I can press the inflation bulb many times (so far I stopped at 24!) when normally it only takes 3 or 4 presses to get as erect as it can from the partially erect state it is normally in.
I suspect the valve is faulty - certainly it is not preventing back flow of saline.
I saw my Consultant last week who confirmed AI but seemed to be focussing on whether pressure on the reservoir (upper L groin area) is making this happen (even if it was, the lockout valve should be preventing the saline returning to the cylinders).
I do not want exploratory surgery with all the infection risks (one suggestion) but would accept further surgery with a defined objective.

It is extremely uncomfortable, wakes me up at night when I roll over, I cannot be seen in pyjamas by other than my wife and am dreading the summer months by the pool.

Sorry for the long ramble, but can anyone advise on the above either having experienced this as patient or clinician? Anyone from Boston Scientific able to comment?

Thanks

Contrary to what the Patient Liaison from AMS/Boston Scientific tells me, it is not the length of time the deflate button is depressed, but the depth to which it is depressed.

When I deflate, I depress the button, feel the vibration of the deflation flow and release the button and the flow continues. If this is not your experience, I suggest you depress the button very emphatically until you feel it click or pop. At that point, deflation can continue (assisted by compressing your penis manually). My practice at that time is to leave everything alone. I think (but have not verified this by experiment) the valve at this point is locked out against auto-inflation. Try it and see.

People have written that squeezing the bulb (thereby beginning the inflation process) will cause the valve to be locked against auto-inflation. This does not seem logical to me.

Other than that, wearing compression underwear might help prevent or conceal a partial erection.

Good luck.

Morpaul wrote:Hi,
I live in the UK and had an AMS 700 installed on 6th Nov 2018. I am type 1 diabetic after cancer of the Pancreas was diagnosed in April 2006. I had Chemo /Radio then major surgery and am cured . Eventually I suffered with ED and then Peyronie's.
From the outset I could not fully deflate and remain flacid. It always returns within 10 minutes to a ⅔ erection. I ensure only the deflate button is pressed for more than 4 seconds (I have tried different durations). I bend my penis to try to force out the saline and can sometimes hear a noise coming from the valve when I do so. Still the same result.
One suggestion was to try to check the valve is not stuck so press the bulb once to start inflation then immediately press the button to deflate and repeat a few times in quick succession. No change.
I have noticed that on about 4 or 5 occasions I can press the inflation bulb many times (so far I stopped at 24!) when normally it only takes 3 or 4 presses to get as erect as it can from the partially erect state it is normally in.
I suspect the valve is faulty - certainly it is not preventing back flow of saline.
I saw my Consultant last week who confirmed AI but seemed to be focussing on whether pressure on the reservoir (upper L groin area) is making this happen (even if it was, the lockout valve should be preventing the saline returning to the cylinders).
I do not want exploratory surgery with all the infection risks (one suggestion) but would accept further surgery with a defined objective.

It is extremely uncomfortable, wakes me up at night when I roll over, I cannot be seen in pyjamas by other than my wife and am dreading the summer months by the pool.

Sorry for the long ramble, but can anyone advise on the above either having experienced this as patient or clinician? Anyone from Boston Scientific able to comment?

Thanks

Hi Paul;
I agree with Sheep... press the deflate button firmly and with the other hand, squeeze the penis thereby forcing the saline from it. After I am fully deflated, I gently squeeze the pump until I feel/hear a click... this prevents "backfill" because at this time, your implant is engaged and ready to fill so the valve is closed. I have not had any backfill problems in over 8 months as a result of doing this. Try it, what do you have to lose?

Larry
Moderator

I don't know anything about the valve, but were you left inflated for a long time after surgery?
I only ask that in case the reservoir got encapsulated somehow and can't fill completely.

Thanks for the replies.
I think I am pressing the button. Hard but will try again to check.
Also will try a slight press of bulb in case that assists.
Yes, I was overnight with it erect and well strapped. Deflated by nurse once catheter removed.
Paul

Morpaul wrote:Thanks for the replies.
I think I am pressing the button. Hard but will try again to check.
Also will try a slight press of bulb in case that assists.
Yes, I was overnight with it erect and well strapped. Deflated by nurse once catheter removed.
Paul

Don't forget to squeeze your penis... that forces all the saline from the cylinders.

Larry

Larry10625 wrote: After I am fully deflated, I gently squeeze the pump until I feel/hear a click... this prevents "backfill" because at this time, your implant is engaged and ready to fill so the valve is closed. I have not had any backfill problems in over 8 months as a result of doing this. Try it, what do you have to lose?

Larry
Moderator

That is what has me confused. If I squeeze the pump (bulb) it seems to me that I will set the valve to INFLATE. If I deflate and DO NOT SQUEEZE THE PUMP BULB it seems to me that the valve is still set in the same status as when I was getting the vibration of deflation.

I am not suggesting that you are wrong, Larry, but I am trying to figure out a test/experiment to confirm or disprove my suspicions. I am thinking about having my girlfriend apply vacuum to my penis when in a deflated state (once with the valve/pump untouched after deflating and once with the pump bulb pumped once) to see if we get any fluid flow from the reservoir into the implant tubes.

I which AMS had made a simpler pump/valve design. Perhaps one that had two positions. One for inflate and one for deflate. In that way, one could actually forcibly pump the penis to fully deflated.

This thread might be interesting reading
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=11768&p=101434

Lost Sheep wrote:

Larry10625 wrote: After I am fully deflated, I gently squeeze the pump until I feel/hear a click... this prevents "backfill" because at this time, your implant is engaged and ready to fill so the valve is closed. I have not had any backfill problems in over 8 months as a result of doing this. Try it, what do you have to lose?

Larry
Moderator

That is what has me confused. If I squeeze the pump (bulb) it seems to me that I will set the valve to INFLATE. If I deflate and DO NOT SQUEEZE THE PUMP BULB it seems to me that the valve is still set in the same status as when I was getting the vibration of deflation.

I am not suggesting that you are wrong, Larry, but I am trying to figure out a test/experiment to confirm or disprove my suspicions. I am thinking about having my girlfriend apply vacuum to my penis when in a deflated state (once with the valve/pump untouched after deflating and once with the pump bulb pumped once) to see if we get any fluid flow from the reservoir into the implant tubes.

I which AMS had made a simpler pump/valve design. Perhaps one that had two positions. One for inflate and one for deflate. In that way, one could actually forcibly pump the penis to fully deflated.

This thread might be interesting reading
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=11768&p=101434

I wish I could answer the why... All I know is before I started doing this, I always seemed to get backflow. After I pressed the pump, just until the click, it locked the sailing from backflowing and I only got fluid into the cylinders if I was pressing the pump.. When I mentioned this to Jamie (from AMS) she said it made sense. I am going to ask her to run it buy the engineers and see what they say. I'll post the reply when I get it.

Larry

A Coloplast rep was at my Dr office to show how to cycle my implant for first time, he told me after deflating do one quick pump to close deflate valve

Thanks Larry et al.
I tried pressing as hard as I could whilst squeezing. Same outcome, semi erect again after a few minutes.
Then tried the slight press of the pump just after button/squeeze process. No discernible difference.
Today when I pressed the button to deflate I hear and felt at the button a whoosh and again when I squeezed penis. But still reinflated.
Is there a definitive test BS have to check if valve is faulty?
Why am I able on a few occasions to press pump bulb more than 20 times to no further effect? That equally indicates some issue with the bulb/button.
Thanks for all the ideas...
Paul