Penis Version 2.0 - Ongoing Journal

[544kenmatt]

My Surgeon tried pumping me up 7 days post op and I wasn't ready for it. the squeezing of the bulb was very painful and I almost passed out! I think everything was just too swollen and inflamed at that point. So, I am content to wait until the 17th to attempt another full inflation. I will be in control this time. My scrotum is still a bit sore in places, so I'm in no hurry.

[stephen54]

My Surgeon tried pumping me up 7 days post op and I wasn't ready for it. the squeezing of the bulb was very painful and I almost passed out! I think everything was just too swollen and inflamed at that point. So, I am content to wait until the 17th to attempt another full inflation. I will be in control this time. My scrotum is still a bit sore in places, so I'm in no hurry.

Hey, you were at your doc today, how did it go?! Let us know. I just saw my surgeon today and was about to post an update for what it might be worth. I'm so interested in the guys who are on a pretty close timeframe of where I'm at...

[stephen54]

Well, I went in today for my 4 week post-op follow up (was implanted on 11/18/2019). My initial thoughts and observations/feelings from today, for those who may be interested.

I think I have had a really surprisingly easy post-op and recovery. No bruising to speak of and no frank pain. Obvious discomfort in the first 3-5 days, for sure, but minimal in my opinion considering what went on down there. I went in today not having fished around in my sac really at all to get the lay of the land. I know, rationally, what Dr. Levine did in there, but I think I just wanted to not touch it much, wait for the 4 week follow up/activation. That being said...we did have sex several times with my new "flaccid" semi-hardon. Odd but super fun. I just haven't felt comfortable fishing around the bulb.

My perception going in to the office today was that I was not experiencing much swelling at all. I was aware of some...mostly if I'm particularly active and up on my feet a long time. But I've been back to entirely normal activities since day 7-8 post-op and just kept the intensity and duration of physical activities in check and moderate, followed by rest, even if I didn't really feel I required the rest. I felt my swelling in the sac was minimal. I met with Dr. Levine's Physician Assistant and her comment was that I in fact still had more scrotal swelling than I was aware of. Enough swelling in there still that she said, at the onset, "I think this is going to take some time and maybe be a bit challenging to get you pumped up" because of the residual continuing swelling. She was definitely correct. NOT EASY!

So on day of surgery they gave me a sample of the actual bulb/inflation deflation valve which is not implanted in me. It LOOKS obvious enough how it works. As a concept? No problem, very straightforward. In practicality? Um...very damn difficult to get the grasp of things (both physical and mental). My sac is not sore. I think no small part of this is my probably squeamishness about manhandling a part of my body that I've spent my life being seriously protective of. Now, to do what I need my dick to do, I've got to get in there and wrestle around and figure shit out.

So Dr. Levine's PA is giving me the hands on tutorial. She states that she will break the seal, so to speak...get that first pop and get the pump pumping, which she did, then she handed the task over to me. It took me, I am sure, about 10-15 minutes of mapping my sac with every combination of thumbs and fingers imaginable, to get the bulb to pump. Again, more than a little disarming that when you're feeling the bulb/pump, it's just not super clear to me what I was feeling and its orientation. What she told me was that my pump/bulb was not hanging freely in space, due to the residual swelling still present in my sac. The bulb/pump apparatus is sort of angled backward slightly toward my body and, as a result, it's making things a little challenging to effectively get fingers around the right part of the thing. Once I got some confidence with pressing the bulb to inflate, that was fine. I had a hell of a hard time figuring out the deflate. They assure me this all gets easier and easier and (and this will be no surprise to many of the guys here on FT) she just kept coaching me to be PATIENT. To work things and to keep trying and to move forward with the post op regiment but to be patient. I'm not great at patience.

When I did get that first pump, it was entirely unmistakable that it had pumped. Not because there was a big dramatic increase in dick size - there wasn't, not with one or two pumps - but you can actually feel the little whoosh of the fluid moving into and through the bulb. I don't know how to explain this, but when it happened, it was obvious to me that it had happened. The reason it took me so damn long to pump up was, I am sure of this, mostly entirely my hesitancy to really lay into that bulb and give it the vigorous pinching it clearly requires. It's a confidence thing. I was worried about...all kinds of shit I think. Worried the bulb would squirt out from between my fingers and go shooting across my sac ( it did once ); worried I would hurt one of my testicles (always a worry for a tender ball sac guy like me, but it didn't happen today, mostly I think because my balls are sitting up very high, kind of retracted vertically and out of the way, they say still because of the surgical trauma and swelling); worried I would break the tubing, wreck my implant, etc etc.

So at some point as I am slightly figuring out how to pump, it becomes obvious that there is some serious rigidity taking place. It was odd, though, and a little disarming (but ok...) because I didn't so much recognize my Version 2.0 dick. Its girth is much less than I went into surgery with and its length is definitely less. I'm not measuring at this point, and I'm actually committing to myself to entirely not do that shit for a good long while. I'm not getting on that paralyzing carnival ride of measuring myself. Not even by myself, out of curiosity. I'm just not getting on that fucking endless train of anxiety or concern or whatever, about girth and length. I talked to Levine's PA about this and she assured me that, over time, with the prescribed regimen of cycling and work, that I am going to be noticeably bigger and much more resembling my old Version 1.0 original dick than I would probably believe here today on activation day. That's good. I really liked my old girth/length. But I'm also accepting and I readied myself pre-op for whatever those changes might ultimately show themselves to be. I have things I want to do. We...have things we want to experience. I wanted reliable on-demand hardness. The rest is background noise we'll figure out. Or ignore.

To re-state, though, the lay of the land going into implant surgery:
Girth: I was 6.5" with max Trimix on board
Length: I was 7.25-7.50" with max Trimix on board (had been at, or a little over 8" in the very early years of Trimix)

I went with a Titan.
Dr. Levine said he implanted:
Right side: 27.5cm
Left side: 28cm

So, all that being said...I stood in an exam room today and (despite appreciable effort and trepidation) gave myself a respectable hardon. And (please, please, please...) if this implant remotely does what I know it's capable of doing over time...and if I find that I can essentially fuck on demand for as long as we choose to fuck...then I am absolutely beyond blessed.

That's what I know as of today. I will come back and post some photos in chronological order showing night before implant (last full max Trimix injection); immediate post-op; post-op at 1, 2 and 3 weeks out; today before activation; tonight when (if?!) I can get myself re-inflated fully.

Dr. Levine's post-implant protocol, for what it's worth, is a bit different from what I seem to be hearing many of the other guys say here. I left surgery fully deflated and he leaves you that way until the 4 week check in visit. Now, the protocol is:

Days 30-60 Post Implant (first full month of activation):
Inflate and deflate 2x daily.
This is just the exercise of getting a full inflation, making sure you're there, then successfully deflating. Not keeping the erection going for a prescribed time, just deflating it.
* In my case, they cleared me to "use as needed". Which...ahem...obviously, we most certainly will. Regrettable timing...we're empty nesters now but 2 of our kids just came home from college for Christmas break. Not great timing for all this, but hey...we're adaptive problem solvers and she's beside herself to play, so I'm hoping we can carve out some privacy and take Version 2.0 for a proper test drive soon.

Days 60-90 Post Implant (second full month after activation):
Inflate and keep inflated for one hour, once daily, for one month.

Next follow up visit in 6 months.

[WhiteCane]

You sound like quite an incredible human being! The best thing my mother ever taught me was the communication part… I admire that and I feel exactly the same way about its importance… anyway, go out and enjoy that thing!

[stephen54]

Ok, so...holy hell...what a morning.

So as I had updated, yesterday was my 4 week post-surgery check in with Dr. Levine. I got the all clear to begin cycling per his protocol and to "use it however you like". In the office, however, I had a hell of a difficult time figuring out how to deflate the implant. I mean...a really, REALLY difficult time. They felt I was still swollen (I didn't think so, but they do) and, also, the bulb/release valve apparatus is not hanging lateral to my body. What I mean is...instead of the release buttons being in an orientation where they would be naturally and easily grasped by my right/dominant hand thumb and forefinger, the bulb is instead oriented front to back. Meaning, when I reach down to try to feel the release buttons, there's a crazy contortion and rotation of my wrist necessary to even get close to being able to confidently and firmly grasp the buttons. I struggled in the office yesterday. The PA helped me deflate. I hoped for the best.

This morning I inflated. No problem at all pumping the bulb. Full hardon in 15-20 pumps, I didn't count. So I stand there and it's kind of emotional, right? Like...holy shit...I just made a 45 second unrelenting hardon. Awesome. Still can't believe it.

His protocol just is to inflate and then deflate 2x per day for the first month. So I tried to deflate. And I tried.

And tried.

And tried and tried and tried tried and tried and tried and tried and tried tried and tried and tried and tried and tried tried and tried and tried and tried and tried tried and tried and tried and tried and tried tried and tried and tried and tried and tried...

Didn't even get close to getting a reasonable grasp on the buttons. Not...remotely...close. I feel tubing, the bulb is moving around, my testicle is getting knocked around like a fucking lottery ball in those machines. It is so physically uncomfortable. Not painful. But just terribly uncomfortable. I imagine I could attribute a fair amount of my reactions to my personal squeamishness on the subject of my sac. I've got a sensitive ball sac, always have, what can I say. I've spent my life protecting that thing from damage, from getting squeezed, knocked, injured....and now it's like bread dough being violently kneaded.

So I worked on trying to get that fucking button pressed for 3.5 miserable...utterly fucking miserable...hours. Frustration morphed into pure panic. I called Levine's office, they told me to come in. Fun 2 hour round trip with a raging hardon. Walking across a university medical center. When I got there, a younger doc, one of Levine's urology residents sees me. Great guy. Examines me and tells me, listen, you're not crazy...you're just still very appreciably swollen in your sac. I don't feel like I am. But I have that perception because, I suppose, I am looking and feeling a sac which is SO much smaller vs post-op. But it was apparently a lot bigger then (and still now) than I perceived. So he gets it deflated. And it took him some time and some real effort even for him to get around to that godforsaken release button and get it down. It's terribly uncomfortable and a bit humiliating that I'm apparently so squeamish and/or so incapable of such a seemingly basic task. I felt better that he struggled, too, because he sees plenty of implants and knows what he's doing. The issue as they're explaining it to me is that the swelling and fluid accumulation is still to the point where the bulb/buttons are not hanging freely enough in space in my sac. He says they should be and they will be in time. He says that the orientation of the bulb/buttons will ultimately be of no concern once the sac swelling is alleviated, because he says when you're up and running minus the swelling, the buttons can be pretty easily found, felt, and slightly turned to a lateral orientation which is more natural and easier for me to grasp and grasp firmly/confidently. I sure as hell hope so.

He asks me to lay down on a procedure table and he says he wants to see if he can manually press out some of the inflammation/swelling/fluid. What follows was...um...not enjoyable. Yeah. Not fun. He moves around my sac and particularly around the bulb/valve area and he is applying serious pressure with both hands, driving the accumulated fluid out and away. This goes on for longer than any rational person would knowingly tolerate. But what the hell choice do I even have? This needs to get done and some progress I tried to meditate myself to a better, happier place, because I'm telling you...and honest to god I'm not exaggerating...this shit this morning was materially worse than the fucking surgery days 1-3. It just was.

When he's done he says I should inflate it and deflate it in front of him while I'm there. I can't bring myself to do it. I mean...I just don't want to. It's been hard at this point for almost 5 hours. There's a fair amount of pain under the glans and in other places where...I assume...this is unavoidable after a max pressurized 5 hour erection. So I'm not so interested in repeating that and I'm definitely not interested in continuing the digging around in my sac. It feels like a grenade went off in there.

So he tells me:
- Leave it alone to continue to heal up for the next 7-10 days. No inflation.
- But...at 7-10 days, they need me to get the inflate/deflate daily protocol underway and happening. They don't want to delay that any longer.

I'm inclined to not touch that stupid ass valve until I go back into their office. Will inflate it and attempt deflation next time in the safety of the exam room and with their support at the ready.

Swelling or not, this is so damn frustrating. I mean...swelling or not...I feel like a raging incompetent fool that I cannot complete so straightforward a task. It's ridiculous. I know. I know, I know...Patience. The (I am sure mostly accurate) mantra of almost every implant guy here on FT. I'm sure you're right.

But I am not good at patience....

Thanks for listening. I'm not even sure I had a question, I think this was mostly to cathartically rant incoherently for a moment. I guess I would certainly be curious others' experiences with this type of thing. Bulb/valve turned at unfavorable angle, and inability to discern/operate buttons.

All that being said...the erection was pretty damn fun to see and feel. But a moot useless point, if I can't figure this Deflation 101 shit out soon.

[Waynetho]

@stephen54, I'm sorry you're having to go through that trouble with your pump. I've got an AMS Momentary Squeeze (MS) pump and it's quite easy to deflate but I've heard of some others with Titans having issues mainly with inability to INFLATE, but not so much with deflation.

Does your Titan pump have the sides of the block as the release valve or is there a distinct and separate button? I've seen illustrations of Titan pumps where the sides of the valve block are labeled for use in deflation. Do you know if you have the Genesis or OTR pump? I found the following image/diagram.


In the AMS MS pumps like the one that I have, the sides are used as a "last-ditch" effort to reset the pump (to get saline to fill the bulb). There's a physical button on one long-edge of the block. My button is facing forward with the bulb underneath, laying in the bottom of my scrotum with the tubes along the front.

[stephen54]

@stephen54, I'm sorry you're having to go through that trouble with your pump. I've got an AMS Momentary Squeeze (MS) pump and it's quite easy to deflate but I've heard of some others with Titans having issues mainly with inability to INFLATE, but not so much with deflation.

Does your Titan pump have the sides of the block as the release valve or is there a distinct and separate button? I've seen illustrations of Titan pumps where the sides of the valve block are labeled for use in deflation. Do you know if you have the Genesis or OTR pump? I found the following image/diagram.


In the AMS MS pumps like the one that I have, the sides are used as a "last-ditch" effort to reset the pump (to get saline to fill the bulb). There's a physical button on one long-edge of the block. My button is facing forward with the bulb underneath, laying in the bottom of my scrotum with the tubes along the front.

That's awesome - you basically have the manufacturer's engineering drawing. A man of detail. Love it. And thank you, that's very interesting what you're describing. You're inspiring me here to dig in and get myself a deeper understanding of exactly how my Titan works. I have only the most basic understanding at this point. They sent me home last month with an actual bulb/valve apparatus, identical to what was implanted in me, which is this (sorry it's posting sideways...have tried everything, no clue why I can't get pics to post oriented correctly). This is just the shell, obviously, so I lack an understanding of how the interior of the valves look and work once they're put together during surgery.

image0.jpeg (428.77 KiB) Viewed 1404 times

So there is this distinct button, shown top side, which I need to get enough pressure on in order to trigger the deflate mode. But there's no way in hell to get enough pressure on that button unless you have another finger strongly supporting the flat/opposite side from the button. The combination of the valve's current orientation (sideways) and the extremely limited free space in my sac...I guess that's what they're saying is my limiting factor at the moment. So they told me to let the sac chill and heal another week, so I will, but...um...yeah, I'm not inflating this at home next time. No way. I'm going to go to their clinic and attempt in their presence...!

[b_rad2]

stephen54. “They sent me home last month with an actual bulb/valve apparatus, identical to what was implanted”

Seriously,
I’m hoping Dr Eid sends me home with a key chain like yours.

[Waynetho]

stephen54. “They sent me home last month with an actual bulb/valve apparatus, identical to what was implanted”

Seriously,
I’m hoping Dr Eid sends me home with a key chain like yours.

They should. I received a plastic mock-up of the AMS MS pump on a keychain when I went home.

[vajim1]

That is the same as mine. It is the one touch and it will take time to break it in.
I am at over three months and once in a while I have to cycle again to get it to reset to the inflate mode.
You may email me if you have further questions. Jim