Position of deflate button - horizontal or vertical to your body?

[proctor]

Hi,

I haven’t seen any discussion on the positioning of the deflate button (or maybe I have missed it). If my deflate button is vertical to my body rather than horizontal, is it going to be an issue? How about your positioning of the deflate button? Any advice appreciated.

[Waynetho]

Mine was pointing toward the front or down when my pump folded back under my scrotum. Over time it's started to twist a little and now it's pointing toward my left nut. It's easily turned forward again when I need to deflate. As a matter of fact, all of my tubing is very accessible right down the front of my more than ample scrotum (I needed a ventral phalloplasty with my implant but I didn't get it).

[proctor]

Thanks Way! Mine is just perpendicular to my body......

[stephen54]

Hi,

I haven’t seen any discussion on the positioning of the deflate button (or maybe I have missed it). If my deflate button is vertical to my body rather than horizontal, is it going to be an issue? How about your positioning of the deflate button? Any advice appreciated.

There's definitely some discussions here on that, some recent ones for sure. I've described my experiences with my Titan in several threads such as

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=13560&p=137522#p137522

My basic experience:

My deflate valve never oriented itself in a lateral plane the way Coloplast suggests is optimal via their marketing materials, videos, etc. Mine today at 11+ months post-implant is in exactly the same place and orientation it decided to settle into right after surgery. What I'm describing is: my buttons are in line with / parallel to my shaft. My deflate button is distal, if that makes sense (it faces/points toward my shaft/glans). This makes deflating (for me, at least) very much a two-handed affair. Certainly not the smooth easy thing the guy in the video does.

My two-handed contortion is necessary because my "Touch" valve also doesn't work as Coloplast advertises it's designed to. I don't get full deflate with a single 3-4 second click of the buttons - I have to keep very serious pressure against the block/button the entire time I'm forcing fluid out to the reservoir, or else the transfer of fluid stops.

It’s physically a bit awkward to do what I need to do but obviously I’ve adapted. I found my groove and I get it easily and efficiently deflated, through my own odd process, but it's just an awkward placement of the buttons in my opinion.

Having said all that - I'm really not complaining. Lots of variables in play. Surgeon did a great job. My historically small/tight sac probably played into all this. No excess room in there for me, never was. But I found my deflate workaround. Nothing is perfect.

[proctor]

Thanks Stephen....sorry for not thanking you earlier.... as everything is going smoothly so far (touchwood) I am becoming irregular in this forum. I am writing my experience and shall post soon for future patients.....hope you have recovered fully and back in action

[Bushpig]

My button is in a horizontal position. I think a vertical button would be harder for me to operate.

[SW0110]

Titan deflate was pointed straight out which I loved, either hand use the same. Lgx rectangular block is pointed out, so deflate button is, let me check, left side.

[proctor]

thanks, mine is perpendicular to my body which works fine.

[AussieFarmer65]

I had my surgery on October 12 so I guess things are still settling down. I'm now pumping daily and the deflate button is about 10 O'clock. I sometimes feel that I'm not right on the button but eventually it returns to the new flacid, which is not the same as the old flacid but I'm ok with that.

[truckrglenn]

stephen54, thanks for the links. Very interesting read. Basically the pump location depends on which side of the scrotum has enough room for the Dr to make a pocket. No specifics on which way the deflate button faces. Looks like if pump is located in the left side, the button faces left, visa versa if located in the right side.