Failure at first time cycling

[Livingstonguy]

I have posted a couple of time about scrotum pain after surgery. Just a little over the 6 week mark after surgery and I've been sitting in the hot tub daily after talking to the Dr about the extra fluid in my scrotum. I attempted to cycle for the first time today and no matter what I did I couldn't squeeze the bulb hard enough to release the valve. The Dr said I should hear an audible "pop" when the valve releases and the pumping will become easier after that. No matter how hard I squeezed the bulb I got nothing. I truly squeezed as hard as I could and that bulb felt like a solid rock.

Needing advise from you "veterans" out there. My wife says to be patient and give it a few more days before trying again. To be honest I'm still slightly tender, so maybe I'm not as aggressive as I should be. Thoughts?

[sswinsfba]

I've got a Titan and just started cycling a few days ago.

What I do (and what my doc suggested) is to cup the bulb in my hand w/the index & middle fingers to keep it from moving and then press the bulb w/my thurb. This works for me.

My problem is that I seem to have a leaky valve but that's another matter.

[sswinsfba]

PS: FWIW, I've found that deflation is more difficult than inflation.

Don't know how the AMS pump is shaped but finding the deflation with on the Colopast Titan pump (that I have) is what reading braille must be like for the blind. Just a little bump that you have to feel thru your scrotal skin.

I can find it but it can be tricky and you have to hold the buton down firmly between the index finger and thumb for about 2 secs to open it.

The button does not have to be held down beyond that which is why it's called "one touch" even though it doesn't operate exactly that way.

[SWorks17]

I'm trying to think back to my 6 week after surgery and I believe that I still had a swollen scrotum also. I went to the urology clinic and had device training at the 6 week mark. The urology assistant not my doctor, deflated the implant and I had to inflate it, but it hurt like heck and I could only manage a few pumps to get it back to the level that the doc had inflated it to, after installing the implant. Then I had to deflate it, pressing the button on the AMS700 lgx and try to squeeze the fluid out of the implant. All of this was painful. Especially trying to grasp the pump bulb and pump it up, the ridges on the AMS pump hurt like heck. Pushing the deflate button on the AMS pump was very painful. Eventually the surgical capsule forms and there is no more pain pumping the bulb, or pushing the deflate button.
Also during this time the doctor was having me pull the pump bulb down in the scrotum so that it would not migrate to the top of the scrotum and get stuck there.
It took a good while before I could really grasp the pump bulb and pull it down, with my scrotum still swollen.

For me it started getting better around week 8.

I don't remember if I could grasp the top block of the pump at week 6, but that is where I grasp it with my left hand, I use my index finger and my thumb to pull it down in place to pump. I use my right index finger knuckle and the lower part of my thumb to pump the bulb because this uses your forearm muscle rather than just your fingers. Yes, it sort of sounds like a pop when you do the first pump but it can be a faint, and then continue pumping. If the implant is not inflating, try pushing the deflate button again.

Boston Scientific has patient champions that you can call and they will help you with any questions. Just go on the web site and contact the patient coordinator.

It gets better every week, keep trying.

[portageriver]

I have posted a couple of time about scrotum pain after surgery. Just a little over the 6 week mark after surgery and I've been sitting in the hot tub daily after talking to the Dr about the extra fluid in my scrotum. I attempted to cycle for the first time today and no matter what I did I couldn't squeeze the bulb hard enough to release the valve. The Dr said I should hear an audible "pop" when the valve releases and the pumping will become easier after that. No matter how hard I squeezed the bulb I got nothing. I truly squeezed as hard as I could and that bulb felt like a solid rock.

Needing advise from you "veterans" out there. My wife says to be patient and give it a few more days before trying again. To be honest I'm still slightly tender, so maybe I'm not as aggressive as I should be. Thoughts?

Maybe the valve is in the locked position and you need to 'unlock' it? I do this purposefully every day, I walk around with three pumps in the chamber at all times for two reasons. One, my dick just looks more natural with a few pumps in, and two, I can't stand the feeling of 'dog ears.' With three pumps in I am 'activated' and the pump is locked to hold the saline in. So if I get home and the wife says it's go time, I must first hit the deflate button for 4 seconds, wait maybe another 10 seconds, and then start pumping it up to 'full mast.'

So try that next time you go to cycle, hold the deflate button down for a 4 count, release the button, give it 10 seconds or so and then try cycling.

Hope it works out my friend and welcome to the brotherhood!

[KeithC]

I also have an AMS 700CX and it was installed 4 months ago.

If you are waiting to hear an audible pop you will be waiting for ever. It’s more of a popping sensation between your fingers as the valve does it’s thing. There is no sound.

That damn bulb does seem pretty hard but not impossibly so. When you are in pain it definitely makes it harder. It seems to get softer though with use.

I don’t know your hand strength or how much pain you are in that my hinder your squeezing hard enough. But if you truly cannot physically squeeze it and you have somewhat normal strength then something is wrong with it.

Hopefully the extra fluid in your scrotum isn’t the saline. You would think if it was the bulb would be easy to squeeze instead of harder.

Good luck and keep us posted about what happened.

[Livingstonguy]

I'm trying to think back to my 6 week after surgery and I believe that I still had a swollen scrotum also. I went to the urology clinic and had device training at the 6 week mark. The urology assistant not my doctor, deflated the implant and I had to inflate it, but it hurt like heck and I could only manage a few pumps to get it back to the level that the doc had inflated it to, after installing the implant. Then I had to deflate it, pressing the button on the AMS700 lgx and try to squeeze the fluid out of the implant. All of this was painful. Especially trying to grasp the pump bulb and pump it up, the ridges on the AMS pump hurt like heck. Pushing the deflate button on the AMS pump was very painful. Eventually the surgical capsule forms and there is no more pain pumping the bulb, or pushing the deflate button.
Also during this time the doctor was having me pull the pump bulb down in the scrotum so that it would not migrate to the top of the scrotum and get stuck there.
It took a good while before I could really grasp the pump bulb and pull it down, with my scrotum still swollen.

For me it started getting better around week 8.

I don't remember if I could grasp the top block of the pump at week 6, but that is where I grasp it with my left hand, I use my index finger and my thumb to pull it down in place to pump. I use my right index finger knuckle and the lower part of my thumb to pump the bulb because this uses your forearm muscle rather than just your fingers. Yes, it sort of sounds like a pop when you do the first pump but it can be a faint, and then continue pumping. If the implant is not inflating, try pushing the deflate button again.

Boston Scientific has patient champions that you can call and they will help you with any questions. Just go on the web site and contact the patient coordinator.

It gets better every week, keep trying.

I saw the Dr on Tuesday, just before the 6 week mark. Since he left me slightly inflated at surgery, he decided to deflate it. He did it himself and since I was still very tender he told me to wait a few days and keep sitting in the hot tub to my allow my scrotum to heal. His deflation was pretty uncomfortable, but not horrible.

My pump sits pretty low in my scrotum, so there is no need to pull it down. The Dr was very pleased with the pump location. I can feel the bulb very easily, and I think I can feel the deflate button on the pump block. The Dr said the button was on the median side and I do believe that's where I feel it. Still not sure why the pump bulb is so hard. Maybe it's just me. Hopefully by week 8 I can cycle without issues. Thanks for answering.

My fear is finally being able to get it pumped up, then not be able to deflate it. LOL

[Livingstonguy]

I also have an AMS 700CX and it was installed 4 months ago.

If you are waiting to hear an audible pop you will be waiting for ever. It’s more of a popping sensation between your fingers as the valve does it’s thing. There is no sound.

That damn bulb does seem pretty hard but not impossibly so. When you are in pain it definitely makes it harder. It seems to get softer though with use.

I don’t know your hand strength or how much pain you are in that my hinder your squeezing hard enough. But if you truly cannot physically squeeze it and you have somewhat normal strength then something is wrong with it.

Hopefully the extra fluid in your scrotum isn’t the saline. You would think if it was the bulb would be easy to squeeze instead of harder.

Good luck and keep us posted about what happened.

I think it's just me and nothing is wrong with the pump/bulb. The Dr said the extra fluid and tenderness was from a mild reaction to the antibiotic that was on the implant and it will go away in time. He wasn't the least bit concerned. Thanks for responding!

[Livingstonguy]

I have posted a couple of time about scrotum pain after surgery. Just a little over the 6 week mark after surgery and I've been sitting in the hot tub daily after talking to the Dr about the extra fluid in my scrotum. I attempted to cycle for the first time today and no matter what I did I couldn't squeeze the bulb hard enough to release the valve. The Dr said I should hear an audible "pop" when the valve releases and the pumping will become easier after that. No matter how hard I squeezed the bulb I got nothing. I truly squeezed as hard as I could and that bulb felt like a solid rock.

Needing advise from you "veterans" out there. My wife says to be patient and give it a few more days before trying again. To be honest I'm still slightly tender, so maybe I'm not as aggressive as I should be. Thoughts?

Maybe the valve is in the locked position and you need to 'unlock' it? I do this purposefully every day, I walk around with three pumps in the chamber at all times for two reasons. One, my dick just looks more natural with a few pumps in, and two, I can't stand the feeling of 'dog ears.' With three pumps in I am 'activated' and the pump is locked to hold the saline in. So if I get home and the wife says it's go time, I must first hit the deflate button for 4 seconds, wait maybe another 10 seconds, and then start pumping it up to 'full mast.'

So try that next time you go to cycle, hold the deflate button down for a 4 count, release the button, give it 10 seconds or so and then try cycling.

Hope it works out my friend and welcome to the brotherhood!

Thanks for the suggestion! I'll try holding the deflate button in for a few seconds the next time before I try to inflate.

[SWorks17]

SWorks17 here, I’m attaching a link to an instructional video for the AMS 700 implant and pump.
Towards the end of the video there are troubleshooting procedures to solve problems with the pump.

https://youtu.be/qwp0YfSLxIU

Good Luck