Implanted 12/13/24, Challenging Recovery

[Old Guy]

Sorry you're having such a tough recovery. I guess only 3% of us guys have a rough time after the implant. I've always been jealous of the guys who post not much or no pain and recover in a couple of weeks.
Whatever antibiotic they used for my implant did not like me. Felt like my penis was sunburned for 3-4 months.
It is concerning that Dr. Eid is suggesting baths when your incision is still open. My doc said no baths until I was six weeks out and/or my incision was fully healed.
If you're using the kids sock method one other thing I used was satin underwear at night. Those let me turn easier in bed and kept my bandages/kids sock from tangling up. Another thing is staying up on the pain with the pain meds. If you wait until the pain is horrible to take anything it makes for a tough ride.
Hope you feel better soon. After the recovery it was a wonderful thing to be able to engage with the wife again.

[Martin25]

Sorry you're having such a tough recovery. I guess only 3% of us guys have a rough time after the implant. I've always been jealous of the guys who post not much or no pain and recover in a couple of weeks.
Whatever antibiotic they used for my implant did not like me. Felt like my penis was sunburned for 3-4 months.
It is concerning that Dr. Eid is suggesting baths when your incision is still open. My doc said no baths until I was six weeks out and/or my incision was fully healed.
If you're using the kids sock method one other thing I used was satin underwear at night. Those let me turn easier in bed and kept my bandages/kids sock from tangling up. Another thing is staying up on the pain with the pain meds. If you wait until the pain is horrible to take anything it makes for a tough ride.
Hope you feel better soon. After the recovery it was a wonderful thing to be able to engage with the wife again.

Good advice, thank you so much. I think I am going to stop the warm baths and just use my heating pad. I wrote to my doctor, who is on vacation, and to the nurse practitioner this morning and have not heard back. Eid has some things that are solely unique to him (also, activating at three days, which I was completely unable to do, of course, and still haven’t done because of all of my swelling and hematoma); he has been quite successful, but I’m going to use a little bit of my own common sense regarding immersion in water.

You are correct about the pain medication; I waited too long

I have definitely been making progress. For the first time in 13 days, believe it or not, I went for a little walk and I was OK. I no longer feel my testes swollen against my thighs. The most uncomfortable thing while walking, frankly, are all the little bristles of pubic hair growing back, which are quite scratchy. I never shaved way down there… but that is just a minor uncomfortable thing.

After this difficult recovery, I also look forward to re-engaging with my very patient long time girlfriend again

[Martin25]

Day 14 Two Week Mark

I decided to reach out to Dr. Eid yesterday regarding continuing to spot blood from the bottom of the incision. One of the great things about him is that he gives you his cell phone number. I know he’s on vacation, but I decided I needed feedback. I texted him and sent him a picture of white underwear with about a half dozen blood spots on it from overnight, night before last. He wrote back A few hours later that I should stop the hot baths and not to try any activation. He also told me to put Neosporin on the incision. He said I could use a heating pad. I then asked him if he was concerned. He replied with one word, No.

My gut had been telling me for a while that the hot baths did not make sense since I was leaking or oozing some blood from the incision, but I am glad I heard directly from him. Now I’m thinking I’m not even so sure about the heating pad. Doesn’t that increase blood flow? Not sure I want to do that near the incision. I wrote to the nurse practitioner to bring up that point. I’m glad I advocated for myself by texting my doctor…

This morning, only discomfort, not overriding pain from the perineum, although I did take the prescription ibuprofen to make sure to get out in front of it.

I’m a worrier, started taking medicine for anxiety a few months ago, and lying around all day without not much to do gives me too much time to think and to worry. Plus my girlfriend left at 4:30 AM to go visit family in California for a week (we don’t live together, but she has been staying with me for the past two weeks caring for me, bless her). I am fine in being able to care for myself, but I am going to miss her company. Although she did leave her cat with me, and I seriously do like that.

Perhaps I shouldn’t dwell on it, but I still think my particular surgery was not the best and I did not get my doctor’s A game. No one is at the best all the time, it’s just human nature. I thought my incision looked bad right from when the bandage was removed, not to mention the single swollen grapefruit testicle… I think it was a mistake to just stick to the protocol that he uses of hot baths from day three several times a day, and then trying to activate early. I’m glad I only did baths twice a day because I found them to be a miserable experience lying on my back with my legs up, which is what he wants you to do. As long as it all works out and I don’t get an infection and I get to the other side, I will just tolerate the pain and discomfort… I just wish he hadn’t told me multiple times, unsolicited, that I’d be up and about in a few days and having sex in three weeks. I could care less about having sex so fast, but I would’ve been better prepared if I had anticipated a much more difficult recovery. I know some guys here have had the same or even worse, and it has been so nice to have the support.

[treetop]

Martin,

I am very encouraged by your last post! I am so happy you reached out to EID and the nurse, they are great people... not sure how your surgery turned out bad, I still think EID is the best, but as you said no one is perfect, I feel a little guilty posting when my surgery was the 'A Game' but I just want you to get past your initial healing because I think you will have a great outcome.

As far as the heating pad.. I was an athletic trainer in the past, and heat is good for injury.. as is icing. Your goal is to get all the swelling gone... if there is any.. heat will get circulation going and speed healing... swelling slows healing.. in my opinion that is what I am thinking.

And a 'No' from EID is great news... so just try and manage the pain, and get rid of that swelling.... and you will be on your way to awesome days.

I hope my advise is ok.... I did not go through what you are, but just trying to help.
TT

[Martin25]

Martin,

I am very encouraged by your last post! I am so happy you reached out to EID and the nurse, they are great people... not sure how your surgery turned out bad, I still think EID is the best, but as you said no one is perfect, I feel a little guilty posting when my surgery was the 'A Game' but I just want you to get past your initial healing because I think you will have a great outcome.

As far as the heating pad.. I was an athletic trainer in the past, and heat is good for injury.. as is icing. Your goal is to get all the swelling gone... if there is any.. heat will get circulation going and speed healing... swelling slows healing.. in my opinion that is what I am thinking.

And a 'No' from EID is great news... so just try and manage the pain, and get rid of that swelling.... and you will be on your way to awesome days.

I hope my advise is ok.... I did not go through what you are, but just trying to help.
TT

You are helping, thank you so much! Everybody is different… I heard back from Eid‘s nurse practitioner and he said I could do both but to cut back on the heating pad.
Thank you for the encouragement, I’m thinking positive and that we will both end up in the same place, except my path was bumpier and had some curves in it

[treetop]

Yes... you will... and if you look, many posts worst than yours....
Your recovery is just more painful and slow, but no major problems from what I can tell. So a good surgery, your body just got more beat up.
I think your past the worst, get into the ice and some heat, get your swelling down and then you can start to feel around.
I was doing that before cycling.. I did not have super swelling because I iced so much....
You can just start feeling your balls and pump and get familiar. But get the swelling out first.

Everyone is different, but your already a success
TT

[tomas1]

I guess at this point this is academic, but bleeding from the incision seems unnatural.
Maybe the swelling caused that since it had to be pulling on the incision.

I hope you finally get to the other side of this.
You've paid your dues to the implant gods.

[Martin25]

I guess at this point this is academic, but bleeding from the incision seems unnatural.
Maybe the swelling caused that since it had to be pulling on the incision.

I hope you finally get to the other side of this.
You've paid your dues to the implant gods.

Yeah, I agree with you. I think it was unnatural. So I do have a little criticism of my doctor for not looking more at my specific situation. I love how you put it that I have paid my dues to the implant gods! Thank you so much.

[Martin25]

Day 17 Tough Days, but also Progress

First, the past few days:
For some reason, yesterday I was at my nadir, emotionally… This, despite the fact that the swelling is way down. Maybe it’s because I was basically in my apartment for two straight weeks, a lot of the time on my back. Also, days 15 and 16 I felt extremely tired and somewhat achy, like I would feel after getting a Covid booster… went out for a little walk yesterday and walked like a baby, had no energy. I came home and I just kind of crashed. I’m all alone now, with my girlfriend visiting family in California and me not having told anyone else about the surgery, I had no one to commiserate with (save for you guys on the forum, which has been so helpful). I wasn’t able to attend any family gatherings for the holiday, I had told family that I hurt my back again, so I was just so down and depressed, wondering what I had done and if it would ever get better. I also worried about an infection because of the achiness I was feeling, as though I were getting sick. But then today…

Stitches Removed Today
I went into the doctor’s office today and had the stitches removed by the nurse practitioner. I can’t say enough good things about Tim. He has been very encouraging and very gentle with me. Before he removed the stitches he asked if I wanted to try to pump up and find the release button again because once the stitches are out, you have to allow it to heal and can’t use the pump for a while. I’m able to pump, but I can’t find/work the release button. He says that the pump is very high up for me and that eventually it should come down a bit.

I got some pumps in, which felt pretty good, but still could not work the release button. He had to do it for me and it was a bit painful. He told me not to worry, and that I still have plenty of time. He also commented on how much better everything was looking. He said I had been VERY swollen, which probably put a lot of pressure on the incision.

He removed the stitches and I saw that his gauze pads were red with blood. Then he added some glue strips and gave me some extras to take home in case any come off prematurely. They are supposed to come off on their own between 3 to 7 days. He said there is definitely a light at the end of the tunnel for me and that I had had a particularly hard time with the amount of swelling. He asked if I usually bleed this much or if I take blood thinners. I told him no.

I’m home now, and I am so much better mentally emotionally. I feel that this will all still work out for me; it’s just going to be longer for me, which is fine. Dr Eid is still on vacation, but I have an appointment to return to the office and I believe 10 days to see him and get his advice. Hopefully, at that time I will be able to activate and pump and find the release valve on my own in the office.

[RMJ9224]

Day 17 Tough Days, but also Progress

First, the past few days:
For some reason, yesterday I was at my nadir, emotionally… This, despite the fact that the swelling is way down. Maybe it’s because I was basically in my apartment for two straight weeks, a lot of the time on my back. Also, days 15 and 16 I felt extremely tired and somewhat achy, like I would feel after getting a Covid booster… went out for a little walk yesterday and walked like a baby, had no energy. I came home and I just kind of crashed. I’m all alone now, with my girlfriend visiting family in California and me not having told anyone else about the surgery, I had no one to commiserate with (save for you guys on the forum, which has been so helpful). I wasn’t able to attend any family gatherings for the holiday, I had told family that I hurt my back again, so I was just so down and depressed, wondering what I had done and if it would ever get better. I also worried about an infection because of the achiness I was feeling, as though I were getting sick. But then today…

Stitches Removed Today
I went into the doctor’s office today and had the stitches removed by the nurse practitioner. I can’t say enough good things about Tim. He has been very encouraging and very gentle with me. Before he removed the stitches he asked if I wanted to try to pump up and find the release button again because once the stitches are out, you have to allow it to heal and can’t use the pump for a while. I’m able to pump, but I can’t find/work the release button. He says that the pump is very high up for me and that eventually it should come down a bit.

I got some pumps in, which felt pretty good, but still could not work the release button. He had to do it for me and it was a bit painful. He told me not to worry, and that I still have plenty of time. He also commented on how much better everything was looking. He said I had been VERY swollen, which probably put a lot of pressure on the incision.

He removed the stitches and I saw that his gauze pads were red with blood. Then he added some glue strips and gave me some extras to take home in case any come off prematurely. They are supposed to come off on their own between 3 to 7 days. He said there is definitely a light at the end of the tunnel for me and that I had had a particularly hard time with the amount of swelling. He asked if I usually bleed this much or if I take blood thinners. I told him no.

I’m home now, and I am so much better mentally emotionally. I feel that this will all still work out for me; it’s just going to be longer for me, which is fine. Dr Eid is still on vacation, but I have an appointment to return to the office and I believe 10 days to see him and get his advice. Hopefully, at that time I will be able to activate and pump and find the release valve on my own in the office.

Up's, Down's, distress, regret, hope. All seem to be part of the recovery process, your getting to the stage now where the pain is going to start dying down but the discomfort is going to take over. it shouldn't be too long for you now before you start feeling somewhat normal. I wont lie to you even at 5 weeks in im still getting odd aches as well as random shooting pains and parts feeling like their bruised ect but the pain im in now compared to 2 weeks ago is a massive difference. I can get through the day with no drugs, i typically only take them at night for a good night sleep. I do still feel like im using way more energy than usual and i am still often going for afternoon naps but i imagine for me soon this will all start changing.

Hang in there take one day at a time it'll be worth the effort.