Considering Penile Implants

[mmorris1128]

Hello Everyone,

This is my first post and I have no inhibitions about what I am about to discuss. In 1994 while still on Active duty I was diagnosed with prostate cancer and had it surgical removed. Of course, I was then impotent, but could still obtain an erection and could actually reach organism. However, over the years, I was diagnosed with Type II diabetes (very well controlled with AIC testing normal 5.0/5.1) in 2006. I had Asthma as a kid and it came back as well. Then in 2010 I had to have a Colorplast Advance mail sling implanted because I was tired of investing in pads and dribbling all over the place. It will tell that this is most painful surgery I have ever had and it took a year for the pain to go away. For the first 6 months, I felt like I was sitting on a broom stick. Six weeks into recovery from the mail sling implant, I developed Afib and ended up in the emergency room with a heart rate of 150. I then had two cardioversions and an ablation. The two cardioversions lasted about a week and the Ablation about 3 months. Then I was placed on a drug called Tikosyn to control my Afib and with adjustment of my other heart medicine, I have been good since two months ago. It turns out the AFib was initially caused by severe sleep apnea and I now use a CPAP. The final indignity of all was that I was prescribed was prescribed 900 mg of Ibuprofen for times a day for pain due to my sling surgery. This was a bad idea. We go Thanksgiving diner at our best friends each and every year. We finished came home and my wife want to go to the black Thursday sale at Walmart because she had never been to one. So we went (our local walmart is only two miles from our home) and we bought 3 items (nothing big) and then proceeded to checkout. I remember grabbing the shopping cart and then nothing until I woke up in the ER with a breathing tub down my throat. I had collapsed and apparently stop breathing, turned blue and had to be administered CPR by an off duty paramedic and two nurses from our biggest hospital. I spent a week in the hospital having every test imaginable and no cause was found, but the Ibuprofen was a suspect of interest. When I told my family care physician about what my urologist had prescribed, he simply stated very, very stupid.

Now that you know my total background, I am posting to this website. Starting about 2005, I started having problems getting an erection and reaching organism. As the years went along, it continued to get worse and by 2009, I was completely ED. My Penis now looks like an accordion closed shut. I cannot take oral medication because of my heart and I will not stick my penis with a needle just to get an erection. I have tried pumps, but with very unsatisfactory results. So I am now strongly consider Penile implant for my ED. I have done lot of internet research and have determined that it is a procedure for which you want your surgeon to have lots of experience (performing hundreds of such implants each year).

It appears to me that there are two penile implant products that are used a majority of the time - the AMS 700 LGX and the Coloplast Titan or Titan OTR. I have read the stories that many have posted and it appears that the physicians have adopted which ever product gets the best results (many have concluded that the new implants can be sized to as large as each individual can accept and that length may actually grow for 18 to 30 months after implantation). When I was able to look at a great looking women and get an erection, it was one to be proud of - 7 inches with a big circumcised head that was big and hard and made the skin shine.

I live in the Columbia SC area and will be looking for a urologist with lots of experience in doing such a procedure. I am willing to travel to Charleston, SC or Nashville TN (Dr. Milan) if necessary. I know if we travel we will have to spend a week in a hotel near the hospital. Fortunately, I have Medicare and Tricare for Life. It terms of the potential pain and recovery I am totally prepared for that (the implant of the sling was a great painful teacher. I will, of course, get my cardiologist's blessing before.

There appear to be two surgical techniques available. One where the incision is made on the bottom of the penis where it meets the scrotum and the other above the penis and scrotum. Both insert the cylinders, but the first method simply lifts the skin on the scrotum and pushes the pump into place while the second method inserts the reservoir and pump through the same incision. The first method seems to use the two part penile implant, while the second seems using the 3 piece implant. The brushing and pain from the first method seems to be a lot less than the second method.

So I want your opinions on which implant is better (AMS 700 LGX or Coloplast Titan/Titan OTR)? Second, if you have had penile implants what was post-op experiences based on the surgical method? Also, if you know a great doc in my area for penile implants, please let me know.

No pain - no gain.


Thanks for reading and feel free to ask questions for provide opinions or answers.

Mike

[radiodec]

I can only post from my experience. The AMS 700 LGX is great for me. The implant was placed through the peno-scrotal type incision, but as a result of scar tissue from an ancient hernia repair the reservoir had to be place with a separate abdominal incision. For me, and I must emphasize that this is highly individualized and I have a high pain threshold and great recovery rates, there was little to no real pain. Needed some pain medication in the hospital because the $&@## catheter wouldn't drain continually and would backup causing an uncomfortable bladder. No catheter, no pain.

My urologist, is in Herdersonville, TN a suburb of Nashville. Dr. David Morris is an excellent surgeon and urologist. He uses the Hendersonville Medical Center which is an excellent facility and enough smaller than Vanderbilt that the care level is better. It is large enough to have all the modern facilities though. Dr. Morris has implanted both AMS and Coloplast prostheses, but is currently using the AMS 700 LGX.

Biggest thing for recovery is keeping your penis and scrotum higher than your heart during early recovery. Hospital beds and recliners are sometimes not a help. Your head is up, your feet are up, and you know what is down. Not good.

Do not be discouraged by minor setbacks, they come with the implant territory. My implant was postponed for 5 weeks to allow me to recover from scar tissue removal from the neck of my bladder so that the required catheter could be placed. The scar tissue was an artifact of a radical prostatectomy in 2000. The incision scar from that left the peno-scrotal incision for the implant as the best choice.

Whomever and wherever you get your work done. Good luck and "Hard" times.


Radiodec

[losangeles]

hello mike, i am los angeles (my first submarine) retired after 25 years as HMC (ss). what service were/are you in? I am 60 y/o and have diabetes type II and contribute that to my severe venous leakage problem since all the equipment worked just fine prior to that. i to tried the pills and VED and yes i even tried the injections. after the first 3 injections failed to give nothing more that a deep throbbing ache in my whole penis, it was a no brainer that injections were not for me. i now take cialis 5 mg daily and use the VED with constriction bands to achieve an erection, and that is a hit and miss proposition. after 8 years and numerous visits to my urologist he has finally talked me into the implant. my uro only puts in the AMS 700 LGX for the simple reason that he has seen to many coloplast pt's coming back with problems. I met with the AMS rep and brought with him the 700LGX for me to see. Additionally this weekend i met with a man with the 700LGX implant and believe it or not i actually got to inflate and deflate the implant. nothing any more sexual about this than just test driving the equipment before i lay my penis out on the table. i am now more than ever sold that this is what i want. i have talked to my uro and i asked for the vertical incision down the scrotum mainly because there is already a scar there and the AMS 700 LGX... I also asked that he treat my penis the same as he would treat his own if he were in my place. so now i have a 9/12/13 surgery date. why wait so long. work schedule and vacation that has already been planned. i hope this has helped you in your decision making process but ultimately the decision is yours. I am simply not ready to live the life of a Monk. before ed stole mine and my wife's sex life things were great and healthy. by the way, are you married or have a significant other and better yet, how does she feel about this. my wife is still amazed that i am willing to take this on. i will be happy for you what ever your decision. you might also get some answers to questions by visiting the JereJounney in the discussion section. take care and let us/me know what you have decided. Los Angeles