382485996 wrote:Im 19 days out and I also cant positively locate the release tabs. I know what they look like but I cant feel anything in there that feels like what the picture looks like. I suspose Im going to have to man up and just start squeezing and hope I hit the the target. Anyone have the secret for success?
A couple of comments:
First, according to what I've read Coloplast has a newer pump called the 'touch' as opposed to the OTR ('one touch release'). From what I've seen, it doesn't have the same tabs as the OTR. But, I've no experience with it. So make sure you have the OTR as opposed to the 'touch' if you're trying to feel release tabs.
Second, its way helpful to do your first deflate/inflate with your surgeon, or a nurse, or a PA who has lots of experience. I know I was instructed to not play with anything until my first session with the doc. I did end up playing around sooner though. But, you can learn a lot from someone there with you in terms of how to hold the pump (its slippery!), and what fully inflated and fully deflated really feels like. It seems to me quite a few guys with Titans don't discover what fully deflated really is unless they get really good instruction. Without that some guys complain about an always 'semi' erection. In many of those cases they're just not getting it fully deflated. I don't think either Coloplast or AMS recommend that you learn, at first, on your own. If your doc is recommending that I think you're not getting full service.
Third, I got, and at least a couple of years ago just about everyone got (both with Titans and AMSs) a pump replica on a keychain. Its easy to dismiss this as a gimmick, but its actually very very helpful in terms of feeling the components. On the OTR replica I have, pressing the deflate pads feels very very realistic. Squeezing the pump is pretty realistic for the second thru the tenth or so pumps. The first and later pumps are often harder to press than the keychain. I don't understand why everyone doesn't get one.
Other than these suggestions, yeah, I guess you just have to feel around pretty aggressively until you can make out and feel the components based on looking at pictures. Seems like it should be obvious, but its less obvious and intuitive that you would think. And, you sometimes have to squeeze both the pump and the deflate pads way harder than you would imagine. If you don't get good instruction, you will learn, via trial and error, how to hold the pump so it doesn't slip away and slam your balls. That's much more painful when you first try pumping and are still tender. Eventually, you won't be tender and will toughen up, and of course, you'll get good at holding it all securely.