Being a Grower and the Penile Stretch Test

The final frontier. Deciding when, if and how.
WindWizard
Posts: 73
Joined: Sun Feb 17, 2019 4:53 am

Being a Grower and the Penile Stretch Test

Postby WindWizard » Thu Sep 12, 2019 5:38 pm

Hey guys,

So I've got my surgery scheduled with Dr. Karpman for October 8th. One things that's been bothering me tho, reading past posts on FT, is that many people do claim they lost some length right after surgery with Karpman. Everyone seems to say they got most or all of it back, and are very happy with their results, but when I hear about an inch or more length lost with Karpman, it still kind of scares me.

I'm very much a grower, my flaccid penis length changes throughout the day, but typically hangs at about 3.5 inches, sometimes four, but sometimes less as well.

Using trimex with Dr. Goldstein, he measured me at 16 cm, so just under 6.3 inches. In a VED device, pumped up fully, my penis is right about 6.5 inches.

Now, while I understand that I can't expect to achieve my max VED length after surgery, I would very much hope to have or be very close to my trimex length of 6.3 inches.

Dr. Karpman asked for these measurements during our phone consultation, he also asked about my stretched flaccid length, saying that it was the best estimate he could give me of my post surgery size, though he noted I should grow more after surgery through cycling. I didn't have a stretched flaccid length to give him, as I hadn't done the stretch test.

Well, I just did the stretch test, and lemme tell ya, the results are disappointing. I'm not sure exactly how hard to pull, but right now I'm getting 5.3 inches! :shock:
If that's the size of my penis post surgery, I'm going to be very disappointed! Yes, hopefully I'd be able to gain most of that lost length back through cycling (this might require the choice of an AMS LGX however) but I'm really nervous about potentially loosing that much length.

Which is making me honestly completely reconsider my choice of Karpman as my surgeon. Yes, I know that being able to get an erection is far more important than not being able to get hard at all, and if getting a penile implant HAD to result in a loss of erect length, I'd still do it. But maybe I'd be better off holding out for surgery with Dr. Kramer. It could be a good long while before I'd be able to see him for surgery given that his new surgery center has still not been approved by my insurance yet, (And his secretary said that can take a while) but maybe waiting and not losing any size at all would be better than going ahead with surgery and losing an inch from my trimex size.

But then again, I know while most guys who had Kramer seem to report no loss of length following surgery, some guys claim they've lost an inch or so with Kramer as well, and that they had to gain that back through cycling over the next several months. But then why on earth would some guys claim that they lost no length with Kramer following surgery, and others say they lost an inch. What's going on there?

But this all has be thinking. As a grower, with my flaccid size generally about 3.5 inches, of course I'm not going to be able to stretch as much as someone who is a shower with a 5.5 inch flaccid that grows to 6.5 when erect. So for a grower, how could the stretch test even be accurate at all? But if it's not, why would Karpman say that's the best estimate he can give me?

Gah! I've so many doubts!
20 years old. Severe ED for the past 5 years due to scar tissue.
Tried shockwave therapy in Greece, and PRP shot from Dr. Goldstein in San Diego. Both with no results.
Implanted with a AMS LGX 18cm + 2 RTEs, performed by Dr. Edward Karpman - 10/8/2019

indusvalley
Posts: 260
Joined: Thu May 02, 2019 5:27 pm

Re: Being a Grower and the Penile Stretch Test

Postby indusvalley » Thu Sep 12, 2019 5:50 pm

This is what terrifies me too. Honestly, I am not as terrified for the operation as how some people are but I am absolutely terrified of losing length. I am a grower too and my erect size is 5.6 inches. However, my flaccid at completely calm and cool state must be 1 or 1.5 inches when it shrinks like a turtle head. Otherwise it would be around 2.5-3 inches. I have not done the stretch test but I reckon it must be 4 or 4.5 inches max. If the doc says I will get my penis the size of stretch length, I will freak out. Perhaps more experienced bionic brothers in this forum can chime in and help ease our stress.
A young guy in his early 30s from South Asia. Implanted Titan 22cm by Dr. Tariq Hakky in Atlanta (Dec 2020). Amazing doctor! No pain during recovery. My size is 5.75” x 4.6” which is better than pre-OP size of 5.6” x 4.5”. Hoping to gain more in future.

Gt1956
Posts: 2859
Joined: Fri Apr 05, 2019 2:47 pm

Re: Being a Grower and the Penile Stretch Test

Postby Gt1956 » Thu Sep 12, 2019 6:09 pm

It's my opinion the the flaccid stretch test isn't worth much. It just helps to answer the impossible question that every man asks his surgeon. The only measurement that matters is the one that he does inside your penis during surgery. That is the one they use to select the implant size they install. Watch some of Kramers YouTube videos. He makes it pretty clear.
The doctor can't give you a 10" penis. The implant won't fit into your penis. Your own trunica limits the length.
Your flaccid length after surgery will likely be longer than before. Your pumped up length will likely be shorter than before. That stretching is the process where guys get most of their length back.
Remember, that one of the side effects of e/d is that your penis will atrophy. So waiting on your surgery can be a gamble. Even using VED, once your penis stops stretching. If you slack off on the VED. Your penis will likely start to shrink again.
68yo, HBP at 40, high triglycerides at 45. Phimosis at 57. Type 2 at 60. Dr. William Brant May 1, 2023 CX 21cm w/no rte's penoscrotal 6" girth @ 6 months

tomas1
Posts: 1946
Joined: Tue Jul 23, 2013 5:12 pm
Location: Tempe, AZ

Re: Being a Grower and the Penile Stretch Test

Postby tomas1 » Thu Sep 12, 2019 6:17 pm

Dr Karpman may be a fine surgeon, but saying a stretch test is about what you should expect sounds like a cover your ass statement.
As I understand it, and can attest, the only measurement that counts is when you're unconscious and the surgeon uses the measuring rods.

Why some surgeons short you by as much as an inch seems strange.
I can only cite a sample size of 1, but I was at my old length the first time I cycled.
My doc never did a stretch nor asked my length.

Instead of trying to regain the lost length, I gained a bit since then.
I've heard the infra-pubic approach makes it more difficult to size properly.
I don't know if that's true.

I'd have Dr Kramer do my operation, and if I live long enough to require a re-do, I'm going to him.
I'm happy with my result, but my doc refused to use the LGX due to supposed floppiness of an 18cm long cylinder.
That seems to fly in the face of all I've read.

Good luck with whatever you decide.
I also think his risk of infection statement of scrotal is lame.
85 years
Inject testosterone weekly.
Implant on 1/22/19 by Dr Avila.
Scrotal, hor. incision just over 1"
18cm AMS 700 CX, 3.5cm RTE 100cc res
Gleason 6 prostate cancer. Monitoring it for now.
Update: On my last biopsies the cancer wasn't found.

Lost Sheep
Posts: 6133
Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2016 11:16 pm

Re: Being a Grower and the Penile Stretch Test

Postby Lost Sheep » Thu Sep 12, 2019 6:31 pm

I don't have the link, but recently another member posted a quote from Dr. Kramer that referred to Dr. Karpman in truly glowing terms. That is, Dr. Kramer endorsed Dr. Karpman very highly.

Enough said?
Lost Sheep
AMS LGX 18+3 Nov 6, 2017
Prostate Cancer 2023
READ OLD THREADS-ask better questions -better understand answers
Be part of your medical team
Document pre-op size-photos and written records
Pre-op VED therapy helps. Post-op is another matter

WindWizard
Posts: 73
Joined: Sun Feb 17, 2019 4:53 am

Re: Being a Grower and the Penile Stretch Test

Postby WindWizard » Thu Sep 12, 2019 6:41 pm

Gt1956 wrote:It's my opinion the the flaccid stretch test isn't worth much. It just helps to answer the impossible question that every man asks his surgeon. The only measurement that matters is the one that he does inside your penis during surgery. That is the one they use to select the implant size they install. Watch some of Kramers YouTube videos. He makes it pretty clear.
The doctor can't give you a 10" penis. The implant won't fit into your penis. Your own trunica limits the length.
Your flaccid length after surgery will likely be longer than before. Your pumped up length will likely be shorter than before. That stretching is the process where guys get most of their length back.
Remember, that one of the side effects of e/d is that your penis will atrophy. So waiting on your surgery can be a gamble. Even using VED, once your penis stops stretching. If you slack off on the VED. Your penis will likely start to shrink again.


I've seen a lot of guy say the same thing, that the stretch test isn't really worth much. To be honest, Karpman didn't really seem to indicate it was a good predictor of length either, I'm pretty sure he something along the lines of, "that's the best I can give guys when they ask about their post operative penis length."

I'm aware that Implant surgeries aren't done to increase penis length at all. But I know that a lot of Doctors, Kramer, Eid and Karpman, as well as many others, pride themselves on their ability to keep your erect length the same, and this forum is filled with guys who have retained their erect length, and also full of guys who have gained length that they lost due to years of ED, etc. I just want to make sure that a doc can keep my length, which again, on trimex was about 6.3 inches. I don't wanna lose that.
And if I'm a bit shorter after surgery when I pump up, I wouldn't really be concerned with that, since I should get it back with cycling over the following months, but if I lose an inch or more I'm gonna be a bit scared cuz I might not get all that back.

It's just weird to me that some guys claim their pumped length after surgery was the same size as it was before surgery, while others claim that they were shorter and had to regain length through cycling overtime. I just don't understand why the disparity is there.

You are right about the ED and atrophying... I'm not sure what the atrophy rate is, but I know I've lost length over the years due to ED... I certainly don't want to lose much more.
20 years old. Severe ED for the past 5 years due to scar tissue.
Tried shockwave therapy in Greece, and PRP shot from Dr. Goldstein in San Diego. Both with no results.
Implanted with a AMS LGX 18cm + 2 RTEs, performed by Dr. Edward Karpman - 10/8/2019

WindWizard
Posts: 73
Joined: Sun Feb 17, 2019 4:53 am

Re: Being a Grower and the Penile Stretch Test

Postby WindWizard » Thu Sep 12, 2019 6:44 pm

Lost Sheep wrote:I don't have the link, but recently another member posted a quote from Dr. Kramer that referred to Dr. Karpman in truly glowing terms. That is, Dr. Kramer endorsed Dr. Karpman very highly.

Enough said?



Hahaha. Fair point. I'm probably just overthinking this. I just don't understand why some guys have their old erect length the first time they cycle, and other guys have to wait months of cycling, and some say they never quite get all of it back. And even with patients of the same doc, like Kramer, some guys say they had all their old length day one of cycling, others say they lost an inch or so and had to wait to get it back. I just don't understand the disparity.

But you're right. Dr. Karpman is an experienced doc, everyone on here who's had him recommends him, and Kramer himself endorses the guy, what more could I really want?
20 years old. Severe ED for the past 5 years due to scar tissue.
Tried shockwave therapy in Greece, and PRP shot from Dr. Goldstein in San Diego. Both with no results.
Implanted with a AMS LGX 18cm + 2 RTEs, performed by Dr. Edward Karpman - 10/8/2019

WindWizard
Posts: 73
Joined: Sun Feb 17, 2019 4:53 am

Re: Being a Grower and the Penile Stretch Test

Postby WindWizard » Thu Sep 12, 2019 6:52 pm

tomas1 wrote:Dr Karpman may be a fine surgeon, but saying a stretch test is about what you should expect sounds like a cover your ass statement.
As I understand it, and can attest, the only measurement that counts is when you're unconscious and the surgeon uses the measuring rods.


Yeah... and maybe that's all he was doing... covering his ass. He just said that the stretch test was the best he could give me, and that I won't be any shorter than that. But if I'm only gonna be 5.3 inches the first time I pump up I'm gonna be scared haha.

Why some surgeons short you by as much as an inch seems strange.
I can only cite a sample size of 1, but I was at my old length the first time I cycled.
My doc never did a stretch nor asked my length.


Yeah see I don't get that. How come you were the same length the first time you cycled, but other guys say they had to gain back that length over months of cycling. Even with Kramer, many guys say they had all their old length day one of pumping. But recently, BeardedMan had his done by Kramer and he says he lost an inch off his erect length, but that Kramer assures him he'll get it back the following months of cycling. I just don't get the difference... why does it happen?

Instead of trying to regain the lost length, I gained a bit since then.
I've heard the infra-pubic approach makes it more difficult to size properly.
I don't know if that's true.


Dr. Karpman certainly doesn't believe it makes it any more difficult to size properly, and he told me that he's used both approaches for years. In which case, if both he and Kramer size me maximally, "push the envelope" as Kramer calls it, I shouldn't have anything to worry about. I'm just hoping Karpman will indeed do that.

I'm happy with my result, but my doc refused to use the LGX due to supposed floppiness of an 18cm long cylinder.
That seems to fly in the face of all I've read.


That is bizarre... it's funny how even great Docs seem to make oddball statements that we can't figure out haha.

Good luck with whatever you decide.
I also think his risk of infection statement of scrotal is lame.


Maybe? I mean infections start due to bacteria on the skin right? And I don't know about you, but my balls are certainly generally far more sweaty and wrinkled than my pubic area, so it seems the scrotum would be a much easier place for bacteria to grow and thrive... but I'm not really sure!
20 years old. Severe ED for the past 5 years due to scar tissue.
Tried shockwave therapy in Greece, and PRP shot from Dr. Goldstein in San Diego. Both with no results.
Implanted with a AMS LGX 18cm + 2 RTEs, performed by Dr. Edward Karpman - 10/8/2019

tomas1
Posts: 1946
Joined: Tue Jul 23, 2013 5:12 pm
Location: Tempe, AZ

Re: Being a Grower and the Penile Stretch Test

Postby tomas1 » Thu Sep 12, 2019 7:07 pm

As for risk of infection, I was told to use some kind of anti-bacterial stuff for some time prior to surgery.
The instructions I was given said to not use it on the scrotum. WTF?

I used it there anyway since it seemed moronic not to.
Doc said that was fine, but his office even cited that.

Maybe the instructions were written for infra-pubic?
There's so much misinformation with some of this that it's confusing.
85 years
Inject testosterone weekly.
Implant on 1/22/19 by Dr Avila.
Scrotal, hor. incision just over 1"
18cm AMS 700 CX, 3.5cm RTE 100cc res
Gleason 6 prostate cancer. Monitoring it for now.
Update: On my last biopsies the cancer wasn't found.

Gt1956
Posts: 2859
Joined: Fri Apr 05, 2019 2:47 pm

Re: Being a Grower and the Penile Stretch Test

Postby Gt1956 » Thu Sep 12, 2019 7:18 pm

Just thinking out loud, not trying to start arguments. But we seem to put all of the implanted experiences into one large group. Seems to me that the varied "lost an inch" vs "didn't lose any" might be traceable back to those members that have had prostate surgery vs those that didn't. It would be a monumental task to sort though all of the posts to find the people that would fit the 4 different possibilities.
68yo, HBP at 40, high triglycerides at 45. Phimosis at 57. Type 2 at 60. Dr. William Brant May 1, 2023 CX 21cm w/no rte's penoscrotal 6" girth @ 6 months


Return to “Implants”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: 25yearsold, alans4570, Baidu [Spider], CuzznClark, Google [Bot] and 62 guests