Tips of Titan cylinders / arthritic thumbs?

The final frontier. Deciding when, if and how.
MissionInflatable
Posts: 47
Joined: Tue Oct 21, 2025 10:24 am

Tips of Titan cylinders / arthritic thumbs?

Postby MissionInflatable » Sun Mar 08, 2026 1:07 am

Shout out to Titan recipients and bionic brothers in general;
I'm almost two months post-op. Everything is progressing fine. I still get a bit nervous when inflating; waiting for the pump to slip from my grip and smash into a testicle. I really must toughen up.
Anyway, Question 1: The tips of my cylinders sit just underneath the glans (below the lower part of the head). I can feel them distinctly, particularly when fully pumped. Not only can I feel them, they seem to be sitting so close to the surface of the skin that I wonder if they could burst out like something from a sci-fi movie? - particularly if having very active sex. Is this normal? Can others clearly feel the tips sitting just under the head like that?

Secondly, I have encountered a problem I should have probably considered earlier. I turned 68 today (YeeeeHaaaa). I have been experiencing a bit of arthritis at the base of my thumbs, particularly the right thumb, from before I had the implant. I should have mentioned it to the Doc as I know there are different pumps available. Anyway I didn't mention it and now have the Titan Classic pump. I'm right handed, but when using that hand to naturally pump, I get hellish pain at the base of my right thumb. I'm currently using two hands to pump, but feel pain creeping into my left thumb, too. When deflating, I also get thumb pain.
All I want to do is focus on cycling and get used to this thing so I can use it spontaneously and easily. This bloody arthritis thing has thrown a bit of a spanner in the works, and I'm wondering how much of a problem it will be.
The irony isn't lost on me, I spent $26k to get a rock hard pee pee, which I may not be able to use it because of arthritis. WTF!!!!

Any feedback on these two topics would be much appreciated. Thanks, Lads.
67yo - Australia - embarked on the usual journey of pills and injections 10 years ago, which worked sporadically but turned out to be more stressful than they were worth.
Coloplast Titan Classic 22cm (via Infrapubic) on 13 Jan 26. Dr Chris Love, Melbourne

LGXDownunder
Posts: 705
Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2025 7:59 am
Location: Sydney, Australia

Re: Tips of Titan cylinders / arthritic thumbs?

Postby LGXDownunder » Sun Mar 08, 2026 10:35 am

Mission, Yes I can easily feel my cylinder tips, most prominently when fully erect. Due to the shape of the glans, underneath they are not in as deep and yes, do feel closer to the surface. But if I press from the very end, sides or on top they are more than 3/4 inside when I'm erect. About halfway in when I'm flaccid. No problem with vigorous/rough sex and I would not want them any deeper due to erosion risk. Is that what you are describing? But if they are way short of the glans in every plane that sounds like undersizing. You had Dr Chris Love, who is possibly the only high volume implant surgeon in Australia and very well regarded, so I would be really surprised if he undersized you.

Sorry I'm not much help with the arthritis. Sure, I have some age related arthritic stuff going on too, but fortunately my hands are still functioning. My only suggestion is to try and pump as slowly as you can, and maybe try using painkillers (appropriately). Other than that have you seen a doc or physio for some help with it?
71, married, Sydney Oz. PC/nerve sparing RRP Mar 22 then profound ED. Tried pills, Trimix inj, focal shockwave, VED.
Implanted Mar 6 2025 AMS 700 LGX 21cm x 12mm, no RTEs, MS pump, Penoscrotal. Back to 6.5" BPEL @ 9m.
Recovery great but have a bend.

MissionInflatable
Posts: 47
Joined: Tue Oct 21, 2025 10:24 am

Re: Tips of Titan cylinders / arthritic thumbs?

Postby MissionInflatable » Sun Mar 08, 2026 11:07 am

LGXDownunder wrote:Mission, Yes I can easily feel my cylinder tips, most prominently when fully erect. Due to the shape of the glans, underneath they are not in as deep and yes, do feel closer to the surface. But if I press from the very end, sides or on top they are more than 3/4 inside when I'm erect. About halfway in when I'm flaccid. No problem with vigorous/rough sex and I would not want them any deeper due to erosion risk. Is that what you are describing? But if they are way short of the glans in every plane that sounds like undersizing. You had Dr Chris Love, who is possibly the only high volume implant surgeon in Australia and very well regarded, so I would be really surprised if he undersized you.

Sorry I'm not much help with the arthritis. Sure, I have some age related arthritic stuff going on too, but fortunately my hands are still functioning. My only suggestion is to try and pump as slowly as you can, and maybe try using painkillers (appropriately). Other than that have you seen a doc or physio for some help with it?

Thanks, LGX.
I think I'll take a pic and send to Dr Love. I have a feeling they are correctly placed, and I have faith in Dr Love. It's just that I have become very aware of them now that sexual activity is recommencing!
As always, thanks for your input.
67yo - Australia - embarked on the usual journey of pills and injections 10 years ago, which worked sporadically but turned out to be more stressful than they were worth.
Coloplast Titan Classic 22cm (via Infrapubic) on 13 Jan 26. Dr Chris Love, Melbourne

Old Guy
Posts: 3090
Joined: Tue Mar 31, 2020 4:31 pm
Location: Ohio

Re: Tips of Titan cylinders / arthritic thumbs?

Postby Old Guy » Sun Mar 08, 2026 12:56 pm

Mission, yes my tips are close to the tip of my glans. Never had any issue with them. I do believe they were stitched in during surgery. As far as the pump issue, the Titan is a tough one at first. The bulb will soften up a little over the months/years. Arthritis can make it difficult to squeeze that hard bulb. Try adjusting how you hold the bulb while inflating, maybe use one hand finger & thumb on the bulb and the other hand use all fingers to squeeze and cover the two on the bulb. I use both thumbs and index fingers, middle fingers bent to create a barrier so the bulb doesn't go flying.
Although that's happened to me more than once. (OUCH)
Nov. 8, 2019
6+ years, Coloplast Titan OTR
Married 38 years to my beautiful young bride
Always here to answer questions if you PM me

MissionInflatable
Posts: 47
Joined: Tue Oct 21, 2025 10:24 am

Re: Tips of Titan cylinders / arthritic thumbs?

Postby MissionInflatable » Sun Mar 08, 2026 7:42 pm

Old Guy wrote:Mission, yes my tips are close to the tip of my glans. Never had any issue with them. I do believe they were stitched in during surgery. As far as the pump issue, the Titan is a tough one at first. The bulb will soften up a little over the months/years. Arthritis can make it difficult to squeeze that hard bulb. Try adjusting how you hold the bulb while inflating, maybe use one hand finger & thumb on the bulb and the other hand use all fingers to squeeze and cover the two on the bulb. I use both thumbs and index fingers, middle fingers bent to create a barrier so the bulb doesn't go flying.
Although that's happened to me more than once. (OUCH)

Thanks for that.
Now it's starting to get used, the tips have become very prominent and eerily close to the surface. But, I'm sure that's normal.
I'll experiment with different way to pump, too. It's all a big learning curve, but I'm very satisfied with progress to date.
67yo - Australia - embarked on the usual journey of pills and injections 10 years ago, which worked sporadically but turned out to be more stressful than they were worth.
Coloplast Titan Classic 22cm (via Infrapubic) on 13 Jan 26. Dr Chris Love, Melbourne

Kiwias
Posts: 96
Joined: Sat Jun 07, 2025 7:22 pm

Re: Tips of Titan cylinders / arthritic thumbs?

Postby Kiwias » Sun Mar 08, 2026 8:51 pm

Hi Mission,
I have the same issue of arthritis in my thumbs. I actually raised it with Dr Love prior to surgery. He recommended the Titan classic pump so you do have the right one.
I avoid using my thumb to inflate. Instead I rest the bulb on the ball of my thumb and use my middle fingers to squeeze it from behind .
I'll take a photo of the practice one when I get home (at work at the moment) and try to post it here.
As to the tips, yes I can clearly feel mine. The left more than the right as my glans still has a slight tilt to the right because of my Peyronies.
I do get some ocassional pain on the left one but I don't think it has any chance of bursting through, it just has less glans to cushion it and gets a lot of friction throughout the day as my penis hangs to the left in my jeans so tends to run on that side. No issues with it during sex though.
Will try and post that photo tomorrow.
66yrs. Radical prostatectomy 2017. ED last 3yrs. Mild Peyronies Jan 2025. Used RestoreX pre-surgery with great results. Titan Classic 20cm Nov 2025. L 7in, G 4.5in first inflation. (Small loss from youth but big gain from ED days)

MissionInflatable
Posts: 47
Joined: Tue Oct 21, 2025 10:24 am

Re: Tips of Titan cylinders / arthritic thumbs?

Postby MissionInflatable » Mon Mar 09, 2026 12:24 am

Kiwias wrote:Hi Mission,
I have the same issue of arthritis in my thumbs. I actually raised it with Dr Love prior to surgery. He recommended the Titan classic pump so you do have the right one.
I avoid using my thumb to inflate. Instead I rest the bulb on the ball of my thumb and use my middle fingers to squeeze it from behind .
I'll take a photo of the practice one when I get home (at work at the moment) and try to post it here.
As to the tips, yes I can clearly feel mine. The left more than the right as my glans still has a slight tilt to the right because of my Peyronies.
I do get some ocassional pain on the left one but I don't think it has any chance of bursting through, it just has less glans to cushion it and gets a lot of friction throughout the day as my penis hangs to the left in my jeans so tends to run on that side. No issues with it during sex though.
Will try and post that photo tomorrow.

I must try that technique of yours - I think I've got the gist of it.
I think I can stop worrying about the tips, given the comments on here. I just kept having these thoughts of them breaking that thin layer of skin!
As always, many thanks for your feedback.
67yo - Australia - embarked on the usual journey of pills and injections 10 years ago, which worked sporadically but turned out to be more stressful than they were worth.
Coloplast Titan Classic 22cm (via Infrapubic) on 13 Jan 26. Dr Chris Love, Melbourne

User avatar
SWorks17
Posts: 1180
Joined: Sat Jan 15, 2022 4:33 pm
Location: Garden Ridge, Texas

Re: Tips of Titan cylinders / arthritic thumbs?

Postby SWorks17 » Mon Mar 09, 2026 8:25 am

MissionInflatable wrote:
Kiwias wrote:Hi Mission,
I have the same issue of arthritis in my thumbs. I actually raised it with Dr Love prior to surgery. He recommended the Titan classic pump so you do have the right one.
I avoid using my thumb to inflate. Instead I rest the bulb on the ball of my thumb and use my middle fingers to squeeze it from behind .
I'll take a photo of the practice one when I get home (at work at the moment) and try to post it here.
As to the tips, yes I can clearly feel mine. The left more than the right as my glans still has a slight tilt to the right because of my Peyronies.
I do get some ocassional pain on the left one but I don't think it has any chance of bursting through, it just has less glans to cushion it and gets a lot of friction throughout the day as my penis hangs to the left in my jeans so tends to run on that side. No issues with it during sex though.
Will try and post that photo tomorrow.

I must try that technique of yours - I think I've got the gist of it.
I think I can stop worrying about the tips, given the comments on here. I just kept having these thoughts of them breaking that thin layer of skin!
As always, many thanks for your feedback.


Mission, have you went to the doctor to see if you have
Rheumatoid arthritis and if you might need a bio-logic medication to control it?

Thankfully I don’t have arthritis, but I’ve have several friends and neighbors that take bio-logic meds to control rheumatoid arthritis.

Good luck brother,
Your Bionic Brother in Texas
SWorks
Age 68, Garden Ridge Texas, Boston Scientific Rezum procedure for benign enlarged prostate 19 May 21, AMS LGX 18cm with 3cm RT's installed 5 Nov 2021 by Major Dr Shane Barney, BAMC, San Antonio, Texas, Married 37 years.
DOD Pg 131, Faces Pg 27

cbinspok
Posts: 988
Joined: Wed Feb 03, 2021 7:45 pm

Re: Tips of Titan cylinders / arthritic thumbs?

Postby cbinspok » Mon Mar 09, 2026 10:25 am

mission
I nearly built from a modified cherry pitter and manual pump squeezer, I may continue this project Lol, my hands are strong but when the pumps are new, geeeezus its a fight! So I hear you brother.
good luck keep us in the loop. hopefully your pump will soften up asap.
67years,fighting ed for over twenty years. A sever break, vit E, pataba, Viagra, massage Ved cilas, and I'm tired- throwing in the towel, Op for implant Mar 18, 2021 AMS LGX 18 x12 + 1 3cm RTE, gained girth and length, very glad I took the hard step.

Kiwias
Posts: 96
Joined: Sat Jun 07, 2025 7:22 pm

Re: Tips of Titan cylinders / arthritic thumbs?

Postby Kiwias » Mon Mar 09, 2026 12:42 pm

Hi Mission,
Here's my thumb avoiding technique.
IMG20260310051947.jpg
IMG20260310051951.jpg
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
66yrs. Radical prostatectomy 2017. ED last 3yrs. Mild Peyronies Jan 2025. Used RestoreX pre-surgery with great results. Titan Classic 20cm Nov 2025. L 7in, G 4.5in first inflation. (Small loss from youth but big gain from ED days)


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