Implant scheduled for next month.

[shadowwolfe]

I am scheduled for a penile implant April 28th.
I was dx with very advanced prostate cancer when I was 41. My doctor told me because I was young he recommended radiation for two reasons, one hardly any E.D. problems with external beam radiation and HDR and also because my cancer had spread to outside of the prostate, the external beams would hopefully get that. Well new data… a lot of radiation patients have E.D. afterwards and I am one.
I tried pills the pills and they did not work. I tried the pump and I think it is useless. I tried muse and call me a wimp, I hate sticking things in there. So I did research thinking there had to be something new. I saw implants and figured that was old school and continued searching.
Implants kept coming up so I took a look. I saw on that site that everyone that had implants loved them. One person even said there girlfriend moved in and she never knew he had one (my doctor said he would question the girlfriend state because he said you can tell for sure when you feel it and there is one question, can you?)
Well with my research I went to an urologist at a major hospital in SLC which dealt more with E.D. than my very small town urologist did. I told her I wanted an implant and she calmly explained why it was a really bad idea (infection, failure, etc) and told me about trimix. I told her ok and she gave me my first shot and it worked.
I was excited at first but still could not get back to have sexing as often as we wanted. It says to not use daily but I found sometimes I could use it in the morning or even afternoon and again in the evening. But we also gave breaks. But the shots (regardless of what the video on here says) did sting a lot. Also in order to get a good erection I had to fill it to four which gave me the erection I desired but it last for 3 – 4 hours. Great, if we were in the mood for a long one, but painful and difficulties sleeping if we did not. If I cut back it just did not get hard like I wanted and sometimes I would lose it too soon. Because of the pain our sex died from several times a week to 1-2 a month and sometimes not at all. It has now been since December. Also with shots, besides being a mood killer does not allow for spontaneity. The mood sometimes hits when we are driving or hiking, etc.
Well I called the other day and asked for an appointment because with injections they have to check you. She told me have I considered an implant? Argh, I reminded her that she talked me out of it several years ago. She said that was because they did not have a doctor that was really experienced in implants and now they do.
She gave me the name and I went and saw him. I told him I researched and if I got the implant I wanted the AMS 700 LGX. I explained since I had not used it I had lost a lot. He told me he preferred the Coloplast because it is a much more reliable product and it produced a much firmer erection (so there is another question.. is he right). He said the only thing about the coloplast is it makes a weird sound when pumping (does it?) He measured me and I was shocked! Only 12 cm! Only 5 inches vs. my almost 7 inches I had. I did not know I lost that much. He told me though that if I followed all his directions, I should be able to get some but definitely not all back.
So post-op he is having me use my old pump daily (I opt for twice) to stretch my penis out. I did it already and the first time I measure was at 13.5.. closer and if I was actually 14 I would not be so disappointed. Has anyone else done this and did it help? I figure it cannot hurt. He also said they would do some stretching prior to operating and see what more they can get. I never use to fall out and now I do and some positions we loved just do no work because I lost so much.
Dr. William O. Brant is my doctor: http://www.utahpediatriccardiothoracics ... x?id=18404. He is at the University of Utah Hospital. He said he did (if I remember right) 160 last year and had the same national infection rate of (again if I remember right) 1%. He said for implants, penile infection rates are actually lower that all other implants including hip replacements which I had already (is it really the lowest of all implants?).
I am nervous. Not of the pain or operation, but if I am really making the right choice? I did not know I would have to have so many implants if I live to a ripe old age. I did know my hip replacement will not last forever but 12-15 years with a penile implant? And he said the can fail even at 5 or sooner and last 20 years or longer. Anyone have a second implant and was it worse? I heard because of the extensive cleaning there is more bruising. I read on one site all devices regardless of what we are told have a life time warranty against infection and failure so when you have it replaced years from now and the company is still around of course, is the device free?
Sorry for rambling so much. I have other questions but I will save it since this is a book anyhow. One last one though. I can only read here and there if people are really glad they had the operation and I heard the %95 rate of satisfaction but is that really accurate? Thanks.

[Illuminist]

I have been speaking with a doctor that I may get my surgery done from. He had told me that he does AMS and Coloplast and after him giving me his honest opinion on both, I'd say AMS is better.

The AMS implant provides a normal looking flaccid penis (that is what I need). The Coloplast does not. He also informed me that patients he gave the Titan to, were complaining that the tubes were "folding" when flaccid and since the tubes are made of a stronger material, it created a "dog ear" effect. He also said that the Titan when deflated may makes some creaking noises while walking. As for firmness, he said once the implant is inside your body, they feel the same. The reps from Titan promote their device by letting Dr's feel the implant before it has been inserted into a penis surrounded by tissue.

As for pumping before your surgery, I don't think that is a good idea. Your goal is to gain as much length as possible before surgery, not girth. Pumping will make you a bit shorter but more plump. I'd suggest instead of pumping you work on stretching your penis to gain as much flaccid stretch as you can before surgery. The tubes will give you girth, you need length to get the biggest implant into you at the time of surgery.

I am probably going to get the AMS 700CX because I don't need anymore length. I have been doing stretches for the last month+ and my flaccid stretch is now at 8.5" when measured from the top. I am longer than a paper towel roll tube when stretched lol.

You may be able to get your flaccid stretch back to 7inch if you postpone your schedule a few months and work on stretch techniques.

I think the study on the AMS CX from people who were implanted in 1984, 80% are still functioning well.

[knotreel]

Choice between titan and lgx. I was lucky I guess in that my implant doc had both models on display and I was able to handle them and pump them up. My doc never indicated his preference ,if he had any, but he did say that he recomended adding to the natural girth. His PA who actually showed the units to me and discussed the differences thought my dr. had a slight preference for the titan. Here is what I observed in the demo. The tips of the titan were pointed and made out of the same material as the tubes. The lgx has rounded tips of a different color and appeared to be solid, thus considerably firmer. Both had suprisingly large reservoirs. I don't remeber which had the biggest pumps but both are BIG. THe titan's tubes were bigger in girth and were made of a semi transparent plastic type material and the lgx had opaque tubes that appeared to have some reinforcing built in. I guess nine of this really matters in making the decision but here is why i choce the lgx.
Contrary to my dr. I did not want increased girth, I wanted about the same as I had. Flacid state was important to me and I did not want it to be the same length all the time. I wanted a more natural looking lenght and feel in the flacid state. When I inflated both units, they both appeared to have more than than adequate stiffness.
I liked the idea of the lgx sorta growing over time (as they say it does) and right now at 2 weeks after activation it is about 3/4 inch shorter that it was maybe 10 years ago and maybe 1/2 or less shorter than it was after RRP. Girth is a little bigger than my natural girth but not nearly as big as it was when i used the vac. My doc appears to have given me the perfect size. I never discussed lenght with him as him being a specialist in this area would give me what fit the best and let the chips fall where they may. As for what I have lost lenghtwise, others report they gained that much back after a year or so, we'll see. As for stiffness it is very good, however not rock hard 18 year old stuff but more than stiff enought to use. Anyway, good luck to you both in making your decision
Ron

[shadowwolfe]

Thanks for the feedback so far. To those that have an implant already, when you inflate it, first to your partner does it feel totally the same or can you kind of feel the tubes? also, when inflated, and I hope you understand this question, to you does it feel like an erection? is all that sensation still there that feel like a "normal" erection gives? do you just see that it is hard?

[knotreel]

I am still a newbie having less than a month since activation but here is my answers to your question, My partner does not feel like it is abnormal feeling, the hard tips she can feel but overall is is close to the OEM. My take is the lgx does a great job in feeling like the natural inflated corpus except the harder tips. I'd say pretty nornal feeling. Feels like an errection? yes and no. since you can inflate anytime without sexual arousal it obviously does not always feel like a natural errection which are usually accompanied by sexual arousal. so yes it can but not always. And by the same token yes it can feel only like it's just hard. I think a lot of what you ask would depend on you and not the implant. Bottom line you get a stiff penis and rest rest is up to you. Since I am less than a month into the daily pumping up Mine is still a little painful to use so don't expect everything to be great at first. hopefully someone with more experince than me will offer you a longer term view.
I have to say this implant has not been a whole lot of fun so far but i am taking a long term view. You probaly will not be fixed all at once. One thing that I will point out, in my case is engorgement of the glans has not recovered ,yet. I Think that until that happens the erection will not be a complete one. I had prostate surgery which can ,and did, pretty much mess all that up.

[shadowwolfe]

Well this board has been helpful but I am still pretty nervous, but it looks like that is pretty typical. I go in for my surgery this week on the 28th of April. I did a lot of research and it does seem almost everyone I talked to is glad they had the operation and most regret that they waited so long. I have been struggling for ten years and a bad divorce because of the E.D.

I figure I do not have much to lose.

Thanks again.

[antelope]

Shadow--

Any time a doctor employs sharp instruments on and around your most important body part, you SHOULD be nervous. But based on everything I can read and ask, you've made a good decision. Once you determine that a limp dick is not an acceptable outcome, then whatever it takes to provide the solution is the preferred treatement. Hang in there. We're cheering from the sidelines. Keep us posted.

Greg

[knotreel]

Shadowolf what implant did you choose? and Robin the same for you? You guys are fast approaching the day. My last advice to you guys is to take the pain meds on the prescribed schedule even if you don't think you need them, keep ice pacs on the area for the first few days, and don't stand and walk much the first week, especially the first few days. I hope you guys have a text book proceedure with no complications and most of all get this behind you do you can start the process.
so, good luck!
Ron

[clearwatercowboy]

Shadow,
First off, best of luck with you surgery scheduled for April 28th (tomorrow). Your information that you have provided to all of us is so helpful, and particularly for me, as I have been searching for a specialist in erectile dysfunction for some time. And, living in Idaho, I have not found a specialist that has been doing enough implants that I would feel comfortable with. Dr. Brandt might be just the doctor that I need to see, and even though it would be about a 8 -9 hr. drive for me, it beats traveling to Nashville, TN, or further to find a competant implant surgeon. I shall look forward to your post-op posts that will assist all of us guys out here on Frank Talk. We hope that you will feel comfortable giving us updates as to how you are feeling and managing your pain levels and swelling.

And again, THANK YOU for providing this valuable information. I'm excited, and as soon as my wife awakens, after working her 12 hour night shift at the local hospital, I will be calling her to tell her the good news. Hee Haw !!

Good luck to you !


Dallas

[knotreel]

OK shadow and Robin you ought to be awake now, thurs PM, and have a huge ace bandage around your whole reproductive area with a catheter coming out the middle of it. Come on now and give us a report, what brands did you guys end up getting? how are you feeling? ect. I hope that it will be smooth sailing and great for you to get this big step over.
Let's here from you.
Ron