Implanted at 38 and concerned about size & revision

[DonBecker54]

I wonder if the stiffness of the bulb is almost a one-time thing. I could not get my bulb to squeeze even a little bit. It was like a rock.

I made an appointment with a nurse practitioner, and she was able to squeeze it and get the penis to inflate. (She opens pickle jars for her husband).

The next day I was able to get the thing to inflate.

[moetheman]

I tried feeling the deflate mechanism but I could only feel one side and not the other. The side that points towards the body is easy but the side that points to the front, away from the body is more difficult as there is layer of skin and sutures, as well as the nuts very close by. I will wait for the swelling to go down a bit more and try to feel it. I don't think it's going to be as easy as I thought. The skin is quite sensitive too and I felt pain when poking around. Bit more recovery time needed.

[David_R]

Moetheman, has your urologist demonstrated inflating and deflating for you, and then watch as you do it yourself? That is how I learned things.

[merrix]

I tried feeling the deflate mechanism but I could only feel one side and not the other. The side that points towards the body is easy but the side that points to the front, away from the body is more difficult as there is layer of skin and sutures, as well as the nuts very close by. I will wait for the swelling to go down a bit more and try to feel it. I don't think it's going to be as easy as I thought. The skin is quite sensitive too and I felt pain when poking around. Bit more recovery time needed.

No, it's not easy!
But I guess you know already from your first implant (or maybe the experience isn't relevant because of the completely different pump positioning?) that the whole scrotum will loosen up considerably.
My pump felt like it was stuck in a fixed position for the first weeks. Now it's just loose and can be moved around when pumping/deflating to put it in the best angle for access.
I am sure that'll happen to you too.
So just relax. Let it take the time it needs.
And as Eid said, be sure you can deflate before you inflate. Otherwise you're in trouble...

[merrix]

I wonder if the stiffness of the bulb is almost a one-time thing. I could not get my bulb to squeeze even a little bit. It was like a rock.

I made an appointment with a nurse practitioner, and she was able to squeeze it and get the penis to inflate. (She opens pickle jars for her husband).

The next day I was able to get the thing to inflate.

We're all different apparently. Or maybe, our implants are all different...
I never had that problem. I could squeeze the bulb already from the first time (day 13).
However, it was much harder than now (3.5 months post-op). I couldn't get nowhere near a complete wall-to-wall pump in the beginning. I needed around 50 pumps in the early days. Once I could start to completely squeeze it, I only needed a bit more than 20. Now I am up to being able to do close to 30, so apparently there has been some tissue and/or cylinder expansion.

[DonBecker54]

Maybe I'm just weak.

[merrix]

Haha, no I don't think that's the problem.
Probably differences between different implants.

[palace01]

Alabama, when I went for 4 week activation he told me I wasn't ready due to scrotum swelling and to come back in 5 or 6 weeks. He also implied that pump was high and close to left testicle where I had a very tender area left over from surgery nearly 30yrs ago. So I assume he wants the pump to move around in sac.
I assumed that meant more ice but you are telling Moetheman about using heat for swelling, so I'm confused ????

[merrix]

Alabama, when I went for 4 week activation he told me I wasn't ready due to scrotum swelling and to come back in 5 or 6 weeks. He also implied that pump was high and close to left testicle where I had a very tender area left over from surgery nearly 30yrs ago. So I assume he wants the pump to move around in sac.
I assumed that meant more ice but you are telling Moetheman about using heat for swelling, so I'm confused ????

Ask your doc.

[moetheman]

Not much to update yet but today it's been 2 weeks since my revision with Dr Eid. After the first couple of difficult days, the recovery has been remarkably smooth. I've hardly had any pain and swelling has gone down a lot too. I don't have any soreness in the glans either and the temperature is back to normal. I had a bit of a scare a few days ago as I could feel a fever coming on but it didn't last long and I was fine by the evening. I think I had over exerted myself physically that day.

No sign of infection and the pump isn't attaching to the scrotum (unlike the 1st implant) so definitely good news. I'm having the sutures removed tomorrow by the nurse. I hope she won't have any issue with it as Eid has given the instructions and the correct blade / scalpel for the job.

I will aim to inflate by this weekend, once the sutures are removed. It's mainly because I have to press on top of the sutures to feel the deflation button and I don't want to take any unnecessary chances. I'll keep you posted on my progress.