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Hey guys...I have another topic going where I also posted the below, and I'm sorry in advance for double posting. I know that's not everyone's favorite thing. But I also realized that a lot of guys probably won't see this topic kind of threaded away into the prior topic, and I guess I was hoping for some feedback and perspective from others. Thanks so much for listening.

Ok, so...holy hell...what a morning.

So yesterday was my 4 week post-surgery check in with Dr. Levine. I got the all clear to begin cycling per his protocol and to "use it however you like". In the office, however, I had a hell of a difficult time figuring out how to deflate the implant. I mean...a really, REALLY difficult time. They felt I was still swollen (I didn't think so, but they do) and, also, the bulb/release valve apparatus is not hanging lateral to my body. What I mean is...instead of the release buttons being in an orientation where they would be naturally and easily grasped by my right/dominant hand thumb and forefinger, the bulb is instead oriented front to back. Meaning, when I reach down to try to feel the release buttons, there's a crazy contortion and rotation of my wrist necessary to even get close to being able to confidently and firmly grasp the buttons. I struggled in the office yesterday. The PA helped me deflate. I hoped for the best once I got home.

This morning I inflated. No problem at all pumping the bulb. Full hardon in 15-20 pumps, I didn't count. So I stand there and it's kind of seriously emotional, right? Like...holy shit...I just made a 45 second unrelenting hardon. Awesome. Still can't believe it.

His protocol just is to inflate and then deflate 2x per day for the first month. So I tried to deflate. And I tried.

And tried.

And tried and tried and tried tried and tried and tried and tried and tried tried and tried and tried and tried and tried tried and tried and tried and tried and tried tried and tried and tried and tried and tried tried and tried and tried and tried and tried...

Didn't even get close to getting a reasonable grasp on the buttons. Not...remotely...close. I feel tubing, the bulb is moving around, my testicle is getting knocked around like a fucking lottery ball in those machines. It is so physically uncomfortable. Not painful. But just terribly uncomfortable. I imagine I could attribute a fair amount of my reactions to my personal squeamishness on the subject of my sac. I've got a sensitive ball sac, always have, what can I say. I've spent my life protecting that thing from damage, from getting squeezed, knocked, injured....and now it's like bread dough being violently kneaded.

So I worked on trying to get that fucking button pressed for 3.5 miserable...utterly fucking miserable...hours. Frustration morphed into pure panic. I called Levine's office, they told me to come in. Fun 2 hour round trip with a raging hardon. Walking across a university medical center. When I got there, a younger doc, one of Levine's urology residents sees me. Great guy. Examines me and tells me, listen, you're not crazy...you're just still very appreciably swollen in your sac. I don't feel like I am. But I have that perception because, I suppose, I am looking and feeling a sac which is SO much smaller vs post-op. But it was apparently a lot bigger then (and still now) than I perceived. So he gets it deflated. And it took him some time and some real effort even for him to get around to that godforsaken release button and get it down. It's terribly uncomfortable and a bit humiliating that I'm apparently so squeamish and/or so incapable of such a seemingly basic task. I felt better that he struggled, too, because he sees plenty of implants and knows what he's doing. The issue as they're explaining it to me is that the swelling and fluid accumulation is still to the point where the bulb/buttons are not hanging freely enough in space in my sac. He says they should be and they will be in time. He says that the orientation of the bulb/buttons will ultimately be of no concern once the sac swelling is alleviated, because he says when you're up and running minus the swelling, the buttons can be pretty easily found, felt, and slightly turned to a lateral orientation which is more natural and easier for me to grasp and grasp firmly/confidently. I sure as hell hope so.

He asks me to lay down on a procedure table and he says he wants to see if he can manually press out some of the inflammation/swelling/fluid. What follows was...um...not enjoyable. Yeah. Not fun. He moves around my sac and particularly around the bulb/valve area and he is applying serious pressure with both hands, driving the accumulated fluid out and away. This goes on for longer than any rational person would knowingly tolerate. But what the hell choice do I even have? This needs to get done and some progress I tried to meditate myself to a better, happier place, because I'm telling you...and honest to god I'm not exaggerating...this shit this morning was materially worse than the fucking surgery days 1-3. It just was.

When he's done he says I should inflate it and deflate it in front of him while I'm there. I can't bring myself to do it. I mean...I just don't want to. It's been hard at this point for almost 5 hours. There's a fair amount of pain under the glans and in other places where...I assume...this is unavoidable after a max pressurized 5 hour erection. So I'm not so interested in repeating that and I'm definitely not interested in continuing the digging around in my sac. It feels like a grenade went off in there.

So he tells me:
- Leave it alone to continue to heal up for the next 7-10 days. No inflation.
- But...at 7-10 days, they need me to get the inflate/deflate daily protocol underway and happening. They don't want to delay that any longer.

I'm inclined to not touch that stupid ass valve until I go back into their office. Will inflate it and attempt deflation next time in the safety of the exam room and with their support at the ready.

Swelling or not, this is so damn frustrating. I mean...swelling or not...I feel like a raging incompetent fool that I cannot complete so straightforward a task. It's ridiculous. I know. I know, I know...Patience. The (I am sure mostly accurate) mantra of almost every implant guy here on FT. I'm sure you're right.

But I am not good at patience....

Thanks for listening. I'm not even sure I had a question, I think this was mostly to cathartically rant incoherently for a moment. I guess I would certainly be curious others' experiences with this type of thing. Bulb/valve turned at unfavorable angle, and inability to discern/operate buttons.

All that being said...the erection was pretty damn fun to see and feel. But a moot useless point, if I can't figure this Deflation 101 shit out soon.

Oh, my. That sounds unpleasant.

I hope things will get better with time. Patience is what guys on this forum are preaching. I myself am just starting to cycle. And am finding it is not as easy as I had hoped.

Let us know how you are doing. We feel for you.

What I cannot understand is how the hell a doctor lets a patient go home with cycling protocol without being sure the patient can inflate/deflate by himself in a suitable manner.

When I was instructed to begin cycling, I had to inflate and deflate 3 times in front of the doctor and without his help before he showed me the green light. It was difficult, but he didn't let me go without being sure I was able to do it by myself.

I haven't started cycling yet, just told to keep pulling pump down. same thing, not much instruction on how. finally got ahold of it and tried to feel around and figure out the location of all the parts. pump hangs on the left side against my nut so I move it to the middle and cradle it while I explore the top without having to chase it around. I would say take some time and explore when your not under pressure.

I found this link that helped me visualize what I was trying to do.
scroll down to pump tips and tricks.
then
How to Inflate and Deflate Using Anatomical Model – Titan Touch.

https://www.coloplastmd.com/diseases/er ... sfunction/

hope it help you and others.

Stephen! Mine is the very same. Positioning in the sac the same. I was ptsd after my first round of having it pumped for about an hour with starting to get really bad Peyronies pain. Panic!! I am finding I can get to it easier in a hot shower. Your ball sac expands. It’s the worst for me after I cum. Ball sac tight and thick. I’m more confident after 2 weeks of cycling. Yesterday got it on second try! With that said, when I do get it I’m squeezing my cock and suddenly I feel the fluid give and flow out - for the life of me I can’t say “oh yeah that’s it, this is how you do it” It’s more like somehow once again I got lucky. Scary. Let the inflammation settle. Your story is insane! A 5 hour hard on and getting to the dr and all. You the man!!

oneperson wrote:What I cannot understand is how the hell a doctor lets a patient go home with cycling protocol without being sure the patient can inflate/deflate by himself in a suitable manner.

When I was instructed to begin cycling, I had to inflate and deflate 3 times in front of the doctor and without his help before he showed me the green light. It was difficult, but he didn't let me go without being sure I was able to do it by myself.

While this reply quotes oneperson, it is in answer to the OP's (Stephen54) post.

I was sent home without being able to inflate/deflate (though my surgeon did deflate me from about 80% postop to about 75% the day after surgery).

Waiting until my incision healed enough, I began after those few days and as I could tolerate it, I felt around my scrotum to identify the bulb, the valve body and search for my (hiding atop the pump ) left testicle.

When I was able to distinguish the operating button, and only then, I began to cycle the implant. But I DID NOT INFLATE FULLY until AFTER I was certain I could deflate at will.

Discretion.

And I was lucky. I broke every rule (almost) that the doctor gave me. I was to see him at 2 weeks for first activation and I had to "play dumb" when he instructed me on inflating and deflating and just let him talk and explain.

I had already pumped it to about 50-75% on day 7, against doctor's orders (and 2-3 times more later the second week), just to see it up for the first time in I can't remember when...

He said after first activation, "NO SEX FOR SIX WEEKS" and added "DON'T STICK IT IN ANYTHING UNTIL THEN". I took that to mean no anal or vaginal penetration - nothing about stroker toys... (wrong!) I got an edema and blue swelling one night at day 32 from using a stroker too vigorously. Taped it up loosely with elastic athletic tape and left it that way overnight to eliminate the swelling. I had had the same blue swelling at day 2-3 so I believe it was a vein that was injured during the Peyronie's remodeling and it hadn't healed well enough by day 32.

I never seemed to have any difficulty with the AMS MS pump as my escapades from day 7 on would indicate. I guess in that way I was lucky, both for an easier pump use and that I didn't do any permanent damage in my breaking the rules.

oneperson wrote:What I cannot understand is how the hell a doctor lets a patient go home with cycling protocol without being sure the patient can inflate/deflate by himself in a suitable manner.

When I was instructed to begin cycling, I had to inflate and deflate 3 times in front of the doctor and without his help before he showed me the green light. It was difficult, but he didn't let me go without being sure I was able to do it by myself.

That sounds prudent. And correct. I wish my doctor's PA had done something similar to be absolutely sure I was getting it and able. And I definitely wish I had pressed and insisted on not leaving there until I was clearly able. Maybe it doesn't change anything for my situation, if it's really just the fact that the swelling is making things difficult. But you're right - turns out, despite my go-get-'em attitude...I was far from capable.

sharpspike wrote:I haven't started cycling yet, just told to keep pulling pump down. same thing, not much instruction on how. finally got ahold of it and tried to feel around and figure out the location of all the parts. pump hangs on the left side against my nut so I move it to the middle and cradle it while I explore the top without having to chase it around. I would say take some time and explore when your not under pressure.

I found this link that helped me visualize what I was trying to do.
scroll down to pump tips and tricks.
then
How to Inflate and Deflate Using Anatomical Model – Titan Touch.

https://www.coloplastmd.com/diseases/er ... sfunction/

hope it help you and others.

Thank you very much, I did not see that page before I don't think. I'll take a good look. Much appreciated. And good luck figuring yours out!

Jasonsa wrote:Stephen! Mine is the very same. Positioning in the sac the same. I was ptsd after my first round of having it pumped for about an hour with starting to get really bad Peyronies pain. Panic!! I am finding I can get to it easier in a hot shower. Your ball sac expands. It’s the worst for me after I cum. Ball sac tight and thick. I’m more confident after 2 weeks of cycling. Yesterday got it on second try! With that said, when I do get it I’m squeezing my cock and suddenly I feel the fluid give and flow out - for the life of me I can’t say “oh yeah that’s it, this is how you do it” It’s more like somehow once again I got lucky. Scary. Let the inflammation settle. Your story is insane! A 5 hour hard on and getting to the dr and all. You the man!!

Hey Jason...hey, why am I even surprised that you and I are having sort of a similar experience....??!

Thank you, man. I appreciate the encouragement. I sincerely do. I'll try the hot shower thing. Makes sense. I thought the same, that heat has got to help. But then I decided not to do that because I figured wetness was not likely to encourage a good grip. Maybe hot shower water is ok. I'll guess that (later) the wet battlefield usually left all over me after sex is NOT going to be a hospitable environment for deflating...

About that nearly 5 hour hardon...the crazy thing is that I feel fine now. Had some soreness develop under the glans earlier today but even that subsided.

Crazy world we're living, man....