A couple of questions from a recent implantee

[joho1984]

Hi All,

I've updated my journal today if anyone's interested but have a couple of specific questions for the more experienced:

1. On pumping, I'm only managing to get 2-3 pumps in, then the bulb is going hard. I'm implanted with a LGX, so is that likely to change over time? I'm young and my dexterity is fine, but it is still quite tender (surgery +8 days, but pumping in-line with instructions). Hoping it's not a malfunction? Pumping is so subjective I guess but because each pump is uncomfortable I'm wondering if that's affecting my ability to pump harder if that makes sense.

2. In terms of regaining length, I'd say i'm 1" shy of my original size currently. I don't have any bruising (which amazed me) but is there likely to be swelling in the pubic fat pad and scrotum that is there but has no external signs?

The scrotal swelling is up and down (I think this is connected to when the bulb slips) but getting better on the whole. I wouldn't say I'm devastated but honestly I'm surprised at the psychological effects of all this. Feeling pretty flat today. But it's done now and keeping the faith it'll get better.

[dan_bionic]

The pump is hard in the beginning, but will get softer over time and you will learn how best to squeeze with more experience and I promise you, you'll love your dick! (Check my video and see how easy you can squeeze and inflate your implant.

The swelling goes down and up during the day but overall decreasing during the initial healing time.
It's a surgery and it's normal you are feeling flat but believe me, it will get better day by day.

Try to keep good mood and look for the future, where you will enjoy your sexual life!
Just stay happy and relax!

Cheers
Dan

[alans4570]

To soften up the pump I was told to get in a hot bath for cycling. I waited 6 weeks per my doctor's instructions. I tried the bath a couple of times and it was too much messing around. I went to Walmart and bought a small heating pad and it worked great. Now my pump is very flexible and easy to pump. Mine started out just like yours, very hard and difficult to pump. Avoid any hot water until your incision is fully healed.

[SWorks17]

Hi All,

I've updated my journal today if anyone's interested but have a couple of specific questions for the more experienced:

1. On pumping, I'm only managing to get 2-3 pumps in, then the bulb is going hard. I'm implanted with a LGX, so is that likely to change over time? I'm young and my dexterity is fine, but it is still quite tender (surgery +8 days, but pumping in-line with instructions). Hoping it's not a malfunction? Pumping is so subjective I guess but because each pump is uncomfortable I'm wondering if that's affecting my ability to pump harder if that makes sense.

2. In terms of regaining length, I'd say i'm 1" shy of my original size currently. I don't have any bruising (which amazed me) but is there likely to be swelling in the pubic fat pad and scrotum that is there but has no external signs?

The scrotal swelling is up and down (I think this is connected to when the bulb slips) but getting better on the whole. I wouldn't say I'm devastated but honestly I'm surprised at the psychological effects of all this. Feeling pretty flat today. But it's done now and keeping the faith it'll get better.

Joho1984, I couldn't even squeeze my pump till 6 weeks and I could barely get in 10 pumps when I went in for deflation and implant training, you're just 8 days in, my Doc told me to just pull down on the pump to make sure it didn't stay too high in my scrotum until I got device training.

Yeah, I did sort of try to get in a squeeze on the pump around 4 weeks out in the shower and yes the pump did feel really hard; I thought to myself, how am I going to pump this thing to make my dick hard I don't know your docs protocol for cycling your implant but this is a little too soon after surgery.

joho, things will get better every day, I was around an inch shy of my original length when I started cycling my implant at 6 weeks.

Don't get down, we are all hear for you. Do listen to your doctor and what he wants you to do for the best recovery and later down the road for cycling your implant.

You have the same implant as I do.

Tell us a little bit about yourself, update your signature block on your porfile so that it will show up when you make post.

Keep getting better,
SWorks

[cbinspok]

Way too soon Joho
It will all fall into place, follow your dr’s instructions. No worries enjoy the next few months. One day at a time. The pumps will come.

[Txagq8]

Joho: congratulations on your 18 cm LGX. Granted, my bias is inevitable as that’s the only implant I’ve had and I’m just now approaching the 5 year mark. But based on my experience, and talking to a lot of guys on here, you’ve got the equivalent of a Toyota pickup truck installed. It might last damn near forever and it’s not likely to cause you any trouble once you get the hang of it. (My ‘98 Tacoma has 380,000 miles and I’ve replaced two clutches, one of which died trying to teach daughter to drive a standard)

Hard bulb/hard to pump: we’ve all been there, done that. When I first started pumping it was like squeezing a rock. I didn’t think I was accomplishing anything. But I could tell I was moving some fluid because I’d hit the deflate button and feel the buzzzz as fluid went back to reservoir and pressure equalized. Even now after about 25-30 short squeezes my bulb gets hard. I just keep going because I like it as hard as I can get it.

My speculation on why it’s hard: early on, it’s new. But age and body temperature does cause it to limber up. But think for a moment what the LGX does. It’s designed to increase in size, both length and girth.

When you have a deflated cylinder in a body cavity with room to expand, it’s going to be fairly easy to pump. You’re not pumping against any resistance. Only when you fill the cavity and start to expand against surrounding tissues will you meet resistance. Where there is resistance, there will be increased hardness in the bulb or difficulty in pumping.

Those cylinders they’ve installed in you….at the 8 day mark they are right up next to swollen, angry tissues that are aggravated from recent surgery. That doesn’t mean you don’t pump because you want that stuff stretched out to avoid limitations due to scar tissue. That’s why you follow doctors instructions on pumping early on. Different doctors abide by different protocols (I had a real start pumping early guy) but they all seem to get us to the same finish line.

I’ll echo earlier posters. It’s waaaaay too early in your recovery to worry. At your point I felt good but my dicklet looked like hell and I was thinking WTF?

A year from now, if you’re like me, you don’t even think of it as a mechanical device. I just had a defective part replaced. My implant is as much a part of me as my nose, fingers, toes, balls, and let’s not forget the uvula.

[Quincy]

My surgeon has his patients start cycling at one week after surgery, but that's partially due to the particular approach he takes to the surgery. When I started it, in his office, I put about 7 pumps in and thought it looked good. He said "do you think that's hard now, and that's the right number of pumps?" It hurt to do that much, so I said, "Yes". He then reached in and gave me another 10 pumps or so to show me what it really should be like. The pain of having him crank on the pump was enough to have me on my tiptoes, but I clearly knew what "hard" meant from the implant.

I've had an LGX for over 6 years, and early on I'd give it about 18-20 presses, wait a few minutes while playing with my dick for a while - bending it and moving it, etc. - and then put another 3-5 pumps in. It always lets me get more into it after I've waited a few minutes. I still follow that routine.

Right now, fresh from surgery, you should be careful and follow whatever your surgeon recommends. Later, you'll probably be able to add more pumps and get greater firmness and length. My doc had me inflate 4 times a day, every day, and stay inflated for 20-30 minutes each time during the first year after the surgery. I grew over an inch in length and added significant girth, as well, by following that regimen. But don't overdo things too soon. Your doc will know best what approach you should take for your particular surgery, implant, and anatomy.

As others have said, the pump does get softer over time, allowing more presses with less pain, and it especially helps to soak your junk in hot water for a while to soften the pump bulb before you inflate. For the first couple of weeks after surgery I would try to sit in a bathtub full of hot water, or at the very least take a hot shower, trying to get the pump warm. It helped but was frustrating because the hot tub water would cool too soon. So I went out and bought a hot tub and put it on my back patio. It worked great, and I would get in the hot tub a couple of times a day to inflate. It's a lot easier now to pump up than it was, but I still prefer to inflate in the hot tub when I have the time and inclination.

So, hang in there and be patient. Follow your doc's orders. Ask him for recommendations on how often and how long to inflate to increase size. Eventually it will be easier and you will be able to get more pumps in. You'll be able to get harder than you can believe, and stay up for as long as you want for some marathon sex sessions. As a trial, I stayed erect for over 9 hours one day, just to see what it would be like.

Best wishes to you. I hope you enjoy your implant as much as I enjoy mine.

Quincy.

[Rider1400]

I have a titan with the. Lassi. But had very similar experience. At first I was doing good to get 3-4 pumps in but that number grew monthly to about 24-25 full and then a few baby pumps. Hour way early to even be concerned. You’ll get it back if properly sized. Give it a few months and then tell us how your feeling

[joho1984]

I have a titan with the. Lassi. But had very similar experience. At first I was doing good to get 3-4 pumps in but that number grew monthly to about 24-25 full and then a few baby pumps. Hour way early to even be concerned. You’ll get it back if properly sized. Give it a few months and then tell us how your feeling

Thanks Rider. When you were in the '3-4 pumps' stage, was that because of the hardness of the bulb or the sensitivity of the scrotum? I find it's like pushing my scrotum into a razor blade. I can sort of push through that. But after the initial release of pressure from the 'pop' it seems after 2-3 pumps there's just a lot more pressure in the bulb. I guess by then the pain is increasing and possibly I'm pushing less hard. I guess it'll help when I can have a bath to soften it up.

My surgeon's instructions were to keep it inflated at 40% for a week, then deflate then cycle. Clearly at 4 pumps max I'm not inflating to the max, but hoping while the bulb softens, I'm not losing too much to encapsulation, by at least getting some stretch in there.

Thank you again though.

[joho1984]

My surgeon has his patients start cycling at one week after surgery, but that's partially due to the particular approach he takes to the surgery. When I started it, in his office, I put about 7 pumps in and thought it looked good. He said "do you think that's hard now, and that's the right number of pumps?" It hurt to do that much, so I said, "Yes". He then reached in and gave me another 10 pumps or so to show me what it really should be like. The pain of having him crank on the pump was enough to have me on my tiptoes, but I clearly knew what "hard" meant from the implant.

I've had an LGX for over 6 years, and early on I'd give it about 18-20 presses, wait a few minutes while playing with my dick for a while - bending it and moving it, etc. - and then put another 3-5 pumps in. It always lets me get more into it after I've waited a few minutes. I still follow that routine.

Right now, fresh from surgery, you should be careful and follow whatever your surgeon recommends. Later, you'll probably be able to add more pumps and get greater firmness and length. My doc had me inflate 4 times a day, every day, and stay inflated for 20-30 minutes each time during the first year after the surgery. I grew over an inch in length and added significant girth, as well, by following that regimen. But don't overdo things too soon. Your doc will know best what approach you should take for your particular surgery, implant, and anatomy.

As others have said, the pump does get softer over time, allowing more presses with less pain, and it especially helps to soak your junk in hot water for a while to soften the pump bulb before you inflate. For the first couple of weeks after surgery I would try to sit in a bathtub full of hot water, or at the very least take a hot shower, trying to get the pump warm. It helped but was frustrating because the hot tub water would cool too soon. So I went out and bought a hot tub and put it on my back patio. It worked great, and I would get in the hot tub a couple of times a day to inflate. It's a lot easier now to pump up than it was, but I still prefer to inflate in the hot tub when I have the time and inclination.

So, hang in there and be patient. Follow your doc's orders. Ask him for recommendations on how often and how long to inflate to increase size. Eventually it will be easier and you will be able to get more pumps in. You'll be able to get harder than you can believe, and stay up for as long as you want for some marathon sex sessions. As a trial, I stayed erect for over 9 hours one day, just to see what it would be like.

Best wishes to you. I hope you enjoy your implant as much as I enjoy mine.

Quincy.

Quincy, Thanks so much for this considered insight. My surgeon's instructions were to keep it inflated at 40% for a week, then deflate then cycle. I think that's because he's in Turkey and I'm in the UK. Clearly at 4 pumps max I'm not inflating to the max, but hoping while the bulb softens, I'm not losing too much to encapsulation, by at least getting some stretch in there.

I am looking forward to bathing but have been instructed not to bathe until the last stitches have come out. Slowly but surely they're coming out now.

Net, I'm following the instructions but it'd be easier if I lived in the same country as the surgeon. I have booked a follow-up with a local urologist just to get checked up in a few weeks.

I love the idea of a backyard balls bathtub!