From what I’ve read since my surgery, about 3% of guys will have one hell of a time healing afterwards. If you’re here on Frank Talk you are one step ahead. There are a lot of knowledgeable fellows here, and lots of good info. Wish I had found this site before my implant, not 5 months after.
Just for some background info, I don’t tolerate many medicines well. Most either make me sick or have little effect. Anti-biotics are one of my worst; they give me body aches and nausea. Advil, Tylenol, Motrin, etc. do nothing for me.
So the few days after my surgery were pretty much spent sleeping; the anesthesia really did a number on me. I was 68 years old when I had my implant, the only surgery I’ve had as an adult.
By day 6 the hydrocodone and Tramadol doc prescribed were doing little to ease my pain, and I asked him for stronger something. Percocet eased the pain from 9/10 to about 5/10, but left me with such bad constipation I couldn’t deal with it after a week. Back to the hydrocodone, got sick and threw up. Next morning I woke up with severe pain from my left ear down to my chest and ended up in the ER with a suspected heart attack. Had a bunch of tests, doctor gave me a dose of morphine, sent me home fuzzy but with a good report about my heart. That was it, no more drugs for me, I’m gonna have to tough this out. Wish I knew then how long of a journey that was going to be.
The pain from then on was always in the 6-8/10 range, and my penis felt like it had been sunburned. Dangling around in my underwear made it feel raw like the skin had been peeled off. I was taking hot baths every morning, covering my penis with a sock and dousing my shaft with Aspercreme just to feel better. Sleeping was the next tough thing as I prefer to sleep on my stomach, but that wasn’t happening unless I wanted to hurt for the next couple of days. It was also very tough to get over the fact that my penis was half erect even when deflated. That made the rubbing around inside my pants even more unbearable.
By the third month out the pain was still in the 6/10 range, although some days it could jump up to 8/10. I would have one good day, then 3-4 rough days filled with soreness and “zingers”, a sudden zap along my shaft like an electric shock. Some of those would last for a minute or so, some just a quick zap. I still had bruising along my shaft and on my sack too.
By month four things were getting better, less pain but the raw sunburn feeling along my shaft continued. I was using Aspercreme almost daily. I tried wearing jeans a couple of times but found that would increase the raw feeling on my shaft, so sweat pants became the norm. I still had pain along the incision, and in my testicles from the pump getting squished between them. Sex was ok, but afterwards I would have discomfort along my shaft. I found that every time I’d inflate for the next couple of days that sunburn feeling would return, although it was not as severe as before. My thought on that is the anti-biotic impregnated on the cylinders was doing a number on me.
At 5 months out things were getting better, my pain level was down to about 1-2/10.
I could inflate and deflate without problems but the day after some of that sunburn sensation would be back. Also if I was quite active the next day I’d have a little soreness. This is when I finally found Frank Talk! Dang there are lots of things there I wish I knew before my surgery. Now at 6 months post implant my pain is near zero. After years of ED and trying every fix out there, the ability to inflate at any time to make love to my wife is the best return from all the pain suffered. If I squeeze my penis hard there is still a little bit of soreness along the incision and at the base of the cylinders, but nothing that stops me from doing whatever I want to do. This was one long tough road to ride, but for me the end results have finally paid off.
Again for any guy contemplating an implant please don’t let my experience stop you. I do admit I am a weenie when it comes to pain, especially on my male parts. Part of my issue is probably the fact that I don’t tolerate medicines well. The other part was my lack of knowledge for after care which was found here at FT, even though it was too late to help me.
One last piece of advice, find a good surgeon who will spend time with you. Mine was ok, but lacked giving me any kind of aftercare knowledge other than “Go use it”.
