Scared because of stretched length

[noot1991]

Like I said I used it pre-op and regained 1 and 5/8 inch loss however that much stretching apparently gave me soft penile tissue and that's what caused my distal crossover. Still if I had to do it again I wouldn't change anything other than going to the right doctor. And after surgery because of my severe scarring I had to use it again to regain all of that length. With me the issue was consistency. If you use Ved you have to use it every day you can't even miss one day until things settle down or you'll lose all your g a i n.

So none of those gains are permanent then? Does that mean you'll need to keep pumping until the day before surgery?
I'm mainly wondering if the VED would help with stretchability/elasticity.
I don't necessarily want to gain length over what I have now (5.5"-6"), but just want to make sure that my stretched flaccid length can get close to that (which is currently only around 4").

Just my theory, that post-implant your flaccid size is definitely going to be bigger and you'll suddenly be a shower instead of a grower, and your erect size seems unlikely to decrease, and instead very likely to increase, especially with effort put into exercising it.

Well, there seem to be two generally accepted views on this forum: assuming a good surgeon, your post-op erect length (1) will be the same as your pre-op length and (2) will be the same as your pre-op stretched flaccid length. For me, erect length and stretched length are completely different, so these two statements become contradicting, and I don't know what to expect. It also feels like a dangerous gamble, because in the smaller size range of 4"-6", a 2" difference is very noticeable (much more so than if you'd go from 8+" to 6+", for example).

Hi indusvalley! Actually, I've read your story (being a similar size) and it gave me a lot of hope. I would love a similar outcome, but you can never have such a guarantee that of course... In your case, did dr. Hakky also do a stretch test first?

I think he did but I also think he said that the stretch test isn't necessarily important because the true length can be found during surgery only. He asks his patients if they want the implant to be normal or aggressive sizing. Just ask him to go for aggressive sizing and you will recover your length and heck get even more maybe. The Dr is really open, you can shoot him an email via his contact form on his website and ask him anything, however many times you want.

Good to know! Similar to you, I'm not from the USA, but would be willing to travel there to ensure the best possible outcome. From what I read on this forum, Hakky seems to be an excellent choice.

I feel ya. My stretched length was 7" on a Monday, yet in the surgeon's office the next day I had such shrinkage from being very tense that when he stretched it went into spasm so it could only stretch to 6". By the time I got home very upset it was spasming into such a hard knot it would only stretched to 5". So now what?

Exactly, I feel the same sometimes! When I'm nervous (such as in a doctor's office), it'll go completely turtled. On the other hand, after sex/masturbation it'll be larger for the next 2-5min., to the point where the stretched length would get close to my erect length. Something interesting I've read is that Dr. Eid uses spinal anaesthesia and claims that this completely "relaxes" the penis to ensure maximum stretchability during surgery. Unfortunately, none of the other doctors seem to do that?

You are younger than me. It seems you should go with the less invasive treatments for your ed concerns. I agree with another member when they suggested vacuum device.

What caused your ed, or when?
Have you tried sildenafil or others?
Herbal supplements or just exercise?

Not sure how it started. I remember already having some difficulties masturbating when I was ~20 years old, losing it halfway and having to increase stimulation (both physically and/or mentally) to get it back up. Went to a doctor, hormone levels were normal, and was given 5mg Cialis/tadalafil. That worked very well initially. I then had my first long-term relationship of 4.5 years; during this period, I sometimes managed without pills, sometimes not. When it didn't work we found other ways to be intimate so there was no pressure, and when I really wanted it to work (weekends/holidays/...), I just took some Cialis beforehand. No longer in that relationship now, back to being single and found my ED worsening (trouble masturbating, no morning wood, ...), which to be honest also caused some depression, adding a psychological component to this whole problem. Went to the doctor again, testosterone was significantly lower than 5 years ago (325 instead of 600+), but still within range. Had a US Doppler examination, could not get hard after the injection (there was basically no reaction) and was given the infamous "venous leak" diagnosis. However, I still respond to 5mg tadalafil (though much less so than initially), so the doctor now has me on a daily dosage of that, which seems work most of the time to maintain nocturnal erections.

So, at this point, I don't know how long this daily dosage will continue to work. I'm hoping it can still buy me a few years, but lots of people here report that these pills just stop working after a while (and taking them daily might accelerate that process?). 5mg tadalafil is not a lot of course, so perhaps I'll be able to stretch that by increasing dosages to 10mg/20mg, but in the long term that would eventually stop working as well I guess. Injections are not an option for me for various reasons, so after the pills an implant would be the next step. Even now, sex is already becoming barely enjoyable for me because of all the worry ("will the pills work well enough this time?"), for which I'm currently also seeing a sex therapist. I hope that the pills will buy me another 5 years or so before moving on to the implant. Still having lots of difficulty coming to terms with this situation at such a young age (work and general quality of life are suffering), but luckily found this forum which gives me some hope!

In the meantime, I'm trying to figure out if there are things I can do to improve the outcome of this surgery, given that I (hopefully) still have at least a few years to prepare for that. VED has been suggested a few times here, so I'll definitely check that out. Perhaps some traction (RestoreX, Andropenis, etc.) could also help: getting a bit of extra length now might offset what I'd lose after surgery, perhaps ... (then again, I still have some natural ability left, so I don't want to do too risky exercises too soon either).

None of that matters. When you're sedated in sugery. You doctor will get the real measurements that he needs to select your implant length plus any RTE's you may need.
Have faith, if you select a skilled surgeon. He knows what hes doing.

But isn't the measurement during surgery quite similar to the measurement of the stretched flaccid length? I mean, yes it's measured from the inside instead of from the outside, but it's still done by stretching a flaccid penis as far as possible. And in that case, wouldn't it also be depend on the amount of relaxation during surgery (hence why Eid uses spinal anaesthesia?) as to how large that stretched measurement would be? I'm scared that I'll be at my tiniest the day of the surgery due to being nervous and therefore end up short-sized, even with a skilled surgeon

[Gt1956]

Noot1991, yes it can be similar but I really doubt it has to be in all cases. Humans are not all the same. My thoughts come from watching the measurement being done in surgery videos. The rod is very firmly inserted until it is fully pushing in the penis head. There was times that I almost feared that the tool would burst out the penis end. My penis was pulled firmly but by grasping it the way it was done. I think the end 1/3 of my penis stretched very little if any.
I suggest to not place much emphasis on the stretched length. A lot of your penis is inside your body & despite being stretched it was not measured. This part must be measured to get your implant size. There is absolutely no way to measure internally until surgery time. Don't waste any time even thinking about it. That measurement is totally ignored at surgery time.
In all honesty, upon my measurement the dr told his assistant that there was no signs of fibrosis. I think the stretch test is for other dianostic reasons. Perhaps to even feel for early peyronies damage.

[DougAnd]

Once my size stabilized after VED there was no more problem with loss

[Musson]

I’ve been very intermittent with my restorex traction therapy. This is my 4th start and I’m about 3 weeks in. Very good gains but I always seem to hit a wall at about the 1/2 inch mark. Would love to get to 7 inches for psychological and vanity reasons. VED has also been helping. Almost impossible now to get my erect penis into the standard tube.

[Alan67]

Do not have an implant put in. You are too young. You can not go back if it doesn't go well. I realize it statistically goes well for most people but if it goes bad it can go real bad. You are not just risking you sex life, you could be risking your basic health. I have to stand at my desk at work because I can't sit for long periods of time. Can't bend and lift anything very heavy. I'm in constant discomfort. I can have sex but I'm sore afterwards. I lost alot of girth but that's the least of my problems. When I go back to the doctor (new urologist) I'm going to ask about a pain management clinic referral. I had no significant health issues before the implant. The surgery site healed and my implant is supposedly correctly positioned. And from what I've researched, 60 precent of people who had their implant removed due to pain, we're not relieved of their pain. As I said, if this goes bad it can go real bad and you can not go back.At your age please don't do this.

[hectorm64]

So, I'm turning 28 next month, but have basically already been struggling with mild ED over the last 5 years. Most of the time, I've been able to hide this using some occasional 5mg Tadalafil/Cialis (recently switched to daily 5mg dosing), but I notice that the effects are diminishing and now becoming unreliable, unfortunately. I'll probably still be able to manage in the short/mid term by increasing the dosage, but since I do not want to consider injections for various reasons, in the long term I'll probably need to prepare myself for an implant. Far from ideal at my age, but it is what it is.

There's one major concern holding me back there, however: size. I'm not that large to begin with (measure around 5.5", a bit shy of 6" when measuring bone-pressed), so naturally I worry about becoming even smaller. Now, being realistic, I do realise that some size loss might be unavoidable, and I'd still be happy if I ended up with a functional 5" penis afterwards (that seems to be the limit of "decent size" vs "is it in yet?"). My major concern, however, is that I'm not only a grower, but also have a significantly shorter stretched flaccid length! I'm talking max 4" here (say 3.5"-4.25" depending on its current state) when pulling it to a point where it already gets really uncomfortable (it also gets super thin when I do this, but I guess that's normal?). Now, as I understand it, stretched flaccid length is the best way to estimate your post-op inflated length, since you'll also be measured "from the inside" by having your penis stretched maximally with a stick/ruler. Obviously, I'd be pretty disappointed if I end up with a 4" penis afterwards. I know it shouldn't matter that much, and I'm sure that if you are 7+ inches it really doesn't, but it's really a completely different matter when you don't have much to lose to begin with.

So, am I basically doomed here? Are there any other members who also had such a big difference in stretched vs erect length (and if so, what did you end up with after getting your implant)? Also, any ideas on why there can be such a big difference in my case? Perhaps there is some fibrosis/scar tissue that I'm not noticing, but in that case my erect length would also be shorter, right?

Thanks in advance!

Hey man,
I was in the same situation, flaccid I was 3 inches and during colder temperature, it almost disappear, very embarrassed.
The real measure happens, during the surgery. I used aggressively the VED three months before surgery and my surgery was able to implant the best side for me. I didn't lost length, I can be a shower if I want to. I am very happy with the result.
I wish, I would have implanted when I was 28 years old. Don't wait until you get traumatized with several ED events. I will affect you for the rest of your life.
My suggestions: Use the VED before surgery, search for the best penile implant specialist, super important ask your surgeon to use the infrapubic approach ( faster recovery) and positive mind. You won't lose any length.
Keep in touch with us (FrankTalk family). We will tell you our experiences and you will extract whatever apply to your situation. There are lot of good guys here. They helped me during my journal and I love them for that.
Sending you positive vide.
Hector

[bobthelover]

So, I'm turning 28 next month, but have basically already been struggling with mild ED over the last 5 years. Most of the time, I've been able to hide this using some occasional 5mg Tadalafil/Cialis (recently switched to daily 5mg dosing), but I notice that the effects are diminishing and now becoming unreliable, unfortunately. I'll probably still be able to manage in the short/mid term by increasing the dosage, but since I do not want to consider injections for various reasons, in the long term I'll probably need to prepare myself for an implant. Far from ideal at my age, but it is what it is.

There's one major concern holding me back there, however: size. I'm not that large to begin with (measure around 5.5", a bit shy of 6" when measuring bone-pressed), so naturally I worry about becoming even smaller. Now, being realistic, I do realise that some size loss might be unavoidable, and I'd still be happy if I ended up with a functional 5" penis afterwards (that seems to be the limit of "decent size" vs "is it in yet?"). My major concern, however, is that I'm not only a grower, but also have a significantly shorter stretched flaccid length! I'm talking max 4" here (say 3.5"-4.25" depending on its current state) when pulling it to a point where it already
gets really uncomfortable (it also gets super thin when I do this, but I guess that's normal?). Now, as I understand it, stretched flaccid length is the best way to estimate your post-op inflated length, since you'll also be measured "from the inside" by having your penis stretched maximally with a stick/ruler. Obviously, I'd be pretty disappointed if I end up with a 4" penis afterwards. I know it shouldn't matter that much, and I'm sure that if you are 7+ inches it really doesn't, but it's really a completely different matter when you don't have much to lose to begin with.

So, am I basically doomed here? Are there any other members who also had such a big difference in stretched vs erect length (and if so, what did you end up with after getting your implant)? Also, any ideas on why there can be such a big difference in my case? Perhaps there is some fibrosis/scar tissue that I'm not noticing, but in that case my erect length would also be shorter, right?

Thanks in advance!

Hey man,
I was in the same situation, flaccid I was 3 inches and during colder temperature, it almost disappear, very embarrassed.
The real measure happens, during the surgery. I used aggressively the VED three months before surgery and my surgery was able to implant the best side for me. I didn't lost length, I can be a shower if I want to. I am very happy with the result.
I wish, I would have implanted when I was 28 years old. Don't wait until you get traumatized with several ED events. I will affect you for the rest of your life.
My suggestions: Use the VED before surgery, search for the best penile implant specialist, super important ask your surgeon to use the infrapubic approach ( faster recovery) and positive mind. You won't lose any length.
Keep in touch with us (FrankTalk family). We will tell you our experiences and you will extract whatever apply to your situation. There are lot of good guys here. They helped me during my journal and I love them for that.
Sending you positive vide.
Hector

Hector,
Was your implant penoscrotal or infrapubic?

[DougAnd]

I had both penoscrotal and infra pubic during the same surgery. You need to be very careful and ask your doctor exactly how he intends to do whichever one you choose. My infrapubic cut through the center of my fat pad vertically. Most doctors cut right beneath your fat pad horizontally. That's the one that you want.

[hectorm64]

So, I'm turning 28 next month, but have basically already been struggling with mild ED over the last 5 years. Most of the time, I've been able to hide this using some occasional 5mg Tadalafil/Cialis (recently switched to daily 5mg dosing), but I notice that the effects are diminishing and now becoming unreliable, unfortunately. I'll probably still be able to manage in the short/mid term by increasing the dosage, but since I do not want to consider injections for various reasons, in the long term I'll probably need to prepare myself for an implant. Far from ideal at my age, but it is what it is.

There's one major concern holding me back there, however: size. I'm not that large to begin with (measure around 5.5", a bit shy of 6" when measuring bone-pressed), so naturally I worry about becoming even smaller. Now, being realistic, I do realise that some size loss might be unavoidable, and I'd still be happy if I ended up with a functional 5" penis afterwards (that seems to be the limit of "decent size" vs "is it in yet?"). My major concern, however, is that I'm not only a grower, but also have a significantly shorter stretched flaccid length! I'm talking max 4" here (say 3.5"-4.25" depending on its current state) when pulling it to a point where it already
gets really uncomfortable (it also gets super thin when I do this, but I guess that's normal?). Now, as I understand it, stretched flaccid length is the best way to estimate your post-op inflated length, since you'll also be measured "from the inside" by having your penis stretched maximally with a stick/ruler. Obviously, I'd be pretty disappointed if I end up with a 4" penis afterwards. I know it shouldn't matter that much, and I'm sure that if you are 7+ inches it really doesn't, but it's really a completely different matter when you don't have much to lose to begin with.

So, am I basically doomed here? Are there any other members who also had such a big difference in stretched vs erect length (and if so, what did you end up with after getting your implant)? Also, any ideas on why there can be such a big difference in my case? Perhaps there is some fibrosis/scar tissue that I'm not noticing, but in that case my erect length would also be shorter, right?

Thanks in advance!

Hey man,
I was in the same situation, flaccid I was 3 inches and during colder temperature, it almost disappear, very embarrassed.
The real measure happens, during the surgery. I used aggressively the VED three months before surgery and my surgery was able to implant the best side for me. I didn't lost length, I can be a shower if I want to. I am very happy with the result.
I wish, I would have implanted when I was 28 years old. Don't wait until you get traumatized with several ED events. I will affect you for the rest of your life.
My suggestions: Use the VED before surgery, search for the best penile implant specialist, super important ask your surgeon to use the infrapubic approach ( faster recovery) and positive mind. You won't lose any length.
Keep in touch with us (FrankTalk family). We will tell you our experiences and you will extract whatever apply to your situation. There are lot of good guys here. They helped me during my journal and I love them for that.
Sending you positive vide.
Hector

Hector,
Was your implant penoscrotal or infrapubic?

Good morning;
It was infrapubic. Minimal pain for the a couple of days and I started cycling on second week.
PM if you need to talk, a phone call or what'sapp text or e-mail.
Have a great day.
Hector

[noot1991]

Thanks for all the advice guys!

I would give the daily tadalafil of 5mg a chance to do its work. At the low dose taken daily it is my understanding that it builds up into the system over time. Then you have a sustained set amount in your body. The larger pills of 10 or 20mg I think are more for on demand probably not daily.

It sounds like you're doing the right things and I applaud you for seeking the therapy. Do you think the couseling is helping you to see things in a different way?

Yes, I plan to take the 5mg tadalafil daily for at least a few more months, then take a break maybe to avoid building up a tolerance. I'd totally be fine taking that for the rest of my life if it solves this issue, but unfortunately many guys report that after a while "the pills stop working", and in my case the effect is already much less than when I first started taking these pills. 5mg is indeed the maximum recommended daily dose, but taking 10mg/20mg should be fine too (main risk seems to be a drop in BP, but mine is usually on the higher side anyway). I'd prefer to exhaust all options with pills (higher dosages, other pills, ...) before moving on to more radical treatments.

As for the therapy: while it hasn't helped me (yet) for this issue directly, it did help me to better cope with the situation psychologically. The effects are usually short-term though (as in, I feel much better after a therapy session, but a few days later all the worry sets back in). I guess I'll perhaps need to go more frequently.

Do not have an implant put in. You are too young. You can not go back if it doesn't go well. I realize it statistically goes well for most people but if it goes bad it can go real bad. You are not just risking you sex life, you could be risking your basic health. I have to stand at my desk at work because I can't sit for long periods of time. Can't bend and lift anything very heavy. I'm in constant discomfort. I can have sex but I'm sore afterwards. I lost alot of girth but that's the least of my problems. When I go back to the doctor (new urologist) I'm going to ask about a pain management clinic referral. I had no significant health issues before the implant. The surgery site healed and my implant is supposedly correctly positioned. And from what I've researched, 60 precent of people who had their implant removed due to pain, we're not relieved of their pain. As I said, if this goes bad it can go real bad and you can not go back.At your age please don't do this.

Damn, that sounds pretty bad; hope your situation will get better as it heals further! I realise that an implant is far from an ideal solution, and that there are significant risks/limitations/inconveniences involved. I absolutely plan to postpone this step as much as possible to avoid those (and perhaps surgery techniques / devices will have improved further if I can wait a bit longer). But really once none of the pills and other options work anymore, there is not much to lose anymore. At my age, giving up on sex is just not something I can see myself live with.

So, I'm turning 28 next month, but have basically already been struggling with mild ED over the last 5 years. Most of the time, I've been able to hide this using some occasional 5mg Tadalafil/Cialis (recently switched to daily 5mg dosing), but I notice that the effects are diminishing and now becoming unreliable, unfortunately. I'll probably still be able to manage in the short/mid term by increasing the dosage, but since I do not want to consider injections for various reasons, in the long term I'll probably need to prepare myself for an implant. Far from ideal at my age, but it is what it is.

There's one major concern holding me back there, however: size. I'm not that large to begin with (measure around 5.5", a bit shy of 6" when measuring bone-pressed), so naturally I worry about becoming even smaller. Now, being realistic, I do realise that some size loss might be unavoidable, and I'd still be happy if I ended up with a functional 5" penis afterwards (that seems to be the limit of "decent size" vs "is it in yet?"). My major concern, however, is that I'm not only a grower, but also have a significantly shorter stretched flaccid length! I'm talking max 4" here (say 3.5"-4.25" depending on its current state) when pulling it to a point where it already gets really uncomfortable (it also gets super thin when I do this, but I guess that's normal?). Now, as I understand it, stretched flaccid length is the best way to estimate your post-op inflated length, since you'll also be measured "from the inside" by having your penis stretched maximally with a stick/ruler. Obviously, I'd be pretty disappointed if I end up with a 4" penis afterwards. I know it shouldn't matter that much, and I'm sure that if you are 7+ inches it really doesn't, but it's really a completely different matter when you don't have much to lose to begin with.

So, am I basically doomed here? Are there any other members who also had such a big difference in stretched vs erect length (and if so, what did you end up with after getting your implant)? Also, any ideas on why there can be such a big difference in my case? Perhaps there is some fibrosis/scar tissue that I'm not noticing, but in that case my erect length would also be shorter, right?

Thanks in advance!

Hey man,
I was in the same situation, flaccid I was 3 inches and during colder temperature, it almost disappear, very embarrassed.
The real measure happens, during the surgery. I used aggressively the VED three months before surgery and my surgery was able to implant the best side for me. I didn't lost length, I can be a shower if I want to. I am very happy with the result.
I wish, I would have implanted when I was 28 years old. Don't wait until you get traumatized with several ED events. I will affect you for the rest of your life.
My suggestions: Use the VED before surgery, search for the best penile implant specialist, super important ask your surgeon to use the infrapubic approach ( faster recovery) and positive mind. You won't lose any length.
Keep in touch with us (FrankTalk family). We will tell you our experiences and you will extract whatever apply to your situation. There are lot of good guys here. They helped me during my journal and I love them for that.
Sending you positive vide.
Hector

When flaccid, mine also almost disappears at times, especially after exercise in my case (such as running). That being said, were you still able to stretch yours to approximately your erect length? I get that many guys are growers, but it is not clear to me whether a grower, despite the smaller flaccid size, is still supposed to have a decent stretched length (close to erect length). For instance, I remember reading the story of a guy on FT here (I think his username was hopeless_future) who was also a grower, and indeed he posted a picture of his tiny (only a few cm) flaccid, but also mentioned that he measured 15-16cm on a stretch test, which confuses me (as in, how can it stretch that much?!).

And well, as I mentioned, I plan to postpone this step until pills stop working or become too unreliable (even at higher dosages). But I get your point. It's not always clear whether it's best to wait as long as possible (because then you having nothing to lose if the results are subpar), or to pick this route earlier (to avoid wasting more time of your best years struggling with ED & not enjoying sex, and to avoid further atrophy & size loss from the ED itself ...).

Anyway, thanks for the vibes; this forum has definitely been very helpful for me already!