Implant questions

[alexschulze]

Had couple of questions about Implants. I

[Time2Change]

1. I told everyone I was having surgery to repair a hernia. That was accepted by everyone, including my two young-adult kids who were living at home.

2. I wore regular clothes to the hospital. I wore sweatpants when I came home.

3. The reason why I wore sweatpants is because my doctor left me 60% inflated with my dick pointed up towards my belly button under a bunch of gauze and a jock strap. With loose sweatpants, my hard on didn't really show.

4. I laid around longer than I should have. I didn't try any sort of walk for a few days, and I was surprised by how much strength I lost. I would start walking as soon as possible. I was able to drive after a few days. I didn't take any prescribed painkillers, so I wasn't concerned about being under the influence. It was uncomfortable to drive and get in and out of my truck, but I managed. If you're like me, it's going to be a challenge at first to get around, so it may be noticeable to others, but, again, the explanation of a hernia operation was sufficient.

5. Your doctor should give you extensive information about what to do and not do, and what you'll need at home. I bought myself a few pairs of sweatpants, a bunch of gauze, and an extra jock strap.

6. From when I was admitted to when I was in my room was 5 or 6 hours. I stayed overnight, so my wife picked me up the next day.

7. To reduce pain I iced a lot and took over-the-counter pain medication. A lot of guys talk about taking hot baths.

8. I don't think there's any specific diet. I assume eating well will help your recovery.

My understanding is that doctors may have different protocols. I urge you to follow your doctor's instructions, so you have the best outcome possible.

[BuffaloMaxx]

Had couple of questions about Implants. I assume many questions have been answered, but would help me to find the right post. My Doctor has decided to use Titan

1. My son who is 25 years old will be home. I planned the surgery assuming he is be back at work
on East coast (I am in Texas). His company has extended WFH . What should I tell him about surgery? My wife knows. I was planning to tell him , me having urinary infection. I do not want to tell him about implant. I dont plan to tell anyone about this surgery.

2. What will I be wearing when I come from Hospital? What should I wear when I go to hospital

3. Will I have an erect penis (easily noticable) when I am at home? What should I wear all day? Do i have to be in bed all day or can I walk around the house.

4. When can I start wearing pants , go for short walk , start driving car etc. Will it be noticable that I had surgery.

5. What should I take to hospital during surgery and what should I keep home for post-op . Is there a list.

6. How long is the surgery. Should I tell my wife to wait outside or she can drop me and later pick me .

7. Any tips/pointers to reduce pain after surgery?

7. Any diet is should follow after surgery?

Hey Alex, congrats on the decision.

1 - I had 3 teenagers at home with me. I told them I had hernia surgery and I’ve told friends the same. To me it’s the perfect cover.

2 - I had a catheter bag so I wanted long pants. Light baggy sweatpants or hospital scrubs would be my recommendation. I wore the latter.

3 - I basically had a cod piece bandage for 3 days, after that, yes you will have an erect penis. Mine stuck straight out. It was most comfortable to wear tight underwear that made it point straight up against my body. Some folks suggest 2 pair of underwear and I agree.

4 - I was wearing pants once the bandage was removed on day 3 and I took my catheter out. Short walks were never a problem. Standing in general wasn’t an issue. Sitting down, big issue. I just cleared 2 weeks and have just started sitting without pain or discomfort. I could drive short distances with my seat reclined much more than usual.

5 - I brought my ID and vax ID. To the hospital. That’s it.

6 - probably depends on Dr. , but mine was approx 2 hours. I was told 1.5 to 2 hours by my dr. He had the OR booked for 2.15

7 - ice, ice and more ice. Particularly the first 48 - 72 hours. Be careful not to “burn” yourself. I used 3 ice bags. One on each thigh and the 3rd tucked under my scrotum. 20 min on/off. Lie down as much as humanly possible. Pain isn’t awful, but it’s pretty damn uncomfortable. I continued to heavily ice myself the first full week alternating with a hot bean bag (the weight makes them better than heating pads) and hot baths ( follow your doctors orders on baths). The second week I still continued to ice/heat, but tapered quite a bit. I also suggest using ibuprofen for the first 2 weeks to reduce inflammation even if you don’t have much pain. This will expedite the healing process. I’m sure there are other factors, but I never had bruises or very much visible swelling once In took the bandage off on day 3.


Best of luck and keep us posted!!

[Lost Sheep]

Had couple of questions about Implants. I assume many questions have been answered, but would help me to find the right post. My Doctor has decided to use Titan

Yes, most all of your questions (and many, many which you have not asked) have been discussed in the forum. When I first joined FrankTalk I tood a couple of weekends to skim through two to three years of past posts. It have me a good knowledge base to make questions and to understand the answers better than if I just read the answers "cold".

1. My son who is 25 years old will be home. I planned the surgery assuming he is be back at work
on East coast (I am in Texas). His company has extended WFH . What should I tell him about surgery? My wife knows. I was planning to tell him , me having urinary infection. I do not want to tell him about implant. I dont plan to tell anyone about this surgery.

Whether you tell family or close friends about the surgery depends a lot on your particular situation, about which we know nothing. But do consider this: Keeping ED hidden helps to keep it shameful. There is no more shame in ED than there is in Diabetes, high blood pressure or other conditions over which we have little or no control, including Peyronie's Disease (which is often not realy a lack of erectile ability, but by various causes makes erections unusable).

Opening up to him might improve your relationship (and perhaps help him if he has or ever develops ED himself or knows someone with a similar condition.

2. What will I be wearing when I come from Hospital? What should I wear when I go to hospital

Why not wear the same clothing home you went in with? Just choose clothing that would not prevent comfortable wearing over an erection with lots of bandaging and a catheter/bag combination (worst case scenario). Then you will be all set. Take an extra pair in case of contingency - unlikely, but possible.

3. Will I have an erect penis (easily noticable) when I am at home? What should I wear all day? Do i have to be in bed all day or can I walk around the house.

4. When can I start wearing pants , go for short walk , start driving car etc. Will it be noticable that I had surgery.

Your surgeon is best able to answer the question of how erect you will be post-op.

From my experience and reading, expect to be pretty much erect (some surgeons leave their patients 80% inflated for a couple weeks post-op. Some a lot less, down to 20%. The reasoning is that scar tissue begins forming around the implant and the reservoir. The one can prevent full inflation and the other can prevent full deflation. Early cycling mitigates formation of such scar tissue "pseudo-capsule" formation. (Been discussed in threads on FrankTalk in the past.)

I stayed in bed with only bandages covering my private parts for a full week. The more time you spend absolutely horizontal, the easier and quicker your healing will be, generally speaking. I had the opportunity/luxury of of such extravagant treatment. I was able to get up and walk around with no problem, but rolling out of bed was VERY painful due to the trauma to my abdominal muscles around the reservoir. Not many anticipate pain and bruising there, worried more about the penis and scrotum. Rising from bed requires core musles and I had to carefully plant how I got up. A "sky hook" over my bed would have been useful. But it was manageable with planning. Used my elbow at the edge of the bed as a fulcrum.

No driving while taking prescription pain meds. No driving if an emergency braking situation would be impeded by bandaging or discomfort. Or hitting potholes.

I took three weeks from work. Not because I had to, but just because I had the leave time and wanted to take it easy. I could have returned to work fulltime after two weeks and part time after one. I was able to wear an athletic supporter (jock strap) with bandages for comfort/padding and wound protection from the day I left surgery. So, while I had a significant bulge, it really didn't look like an erection. More like I had a tremendous beer belly slipped 'way down.

5. What should I take to hospital during surgery and what should I keep home for post-op . Is there a list.

There are several lists in other threads on FrankTalk. I don't have links to them, but they should be easy to find. Search on the terms "list", "lists", "questions", "hospital" and read likely-looking titles.

If they give you a plastic urinal at the hospital, take it home. It is a lot easier to stand at the toilet at home and pee into a bottle, then pour the urine into the toilet than to aim a partially erect and uncomfortable penis with an unpredictable urine stream.

6. How long is the surgery. Should I tell my wife to wait outside or she can drop me and later pick me .

Actual surgery, less than an hour most of the cases. Time to get into the surgical suite, maybe a couple hours. Recovery from anesthesia, another hour or more. Waiting for the paperwork to be completed to get you out of the door, could be half a day. Maybe less, depending on bureacracy.

My personal recommendation is to have her with you for as long as the staff will let her. It gives you someone to occupy your mind and someone to lood after your interests. It is always advisable to have a "patient advocate" who is not under anesthetic to make decisions for you if the need should arise. Also, she can make sure your records do not get switched with someone going in for a different operation.

These are worst case scenarios. I went in at 6 AM and got out of the hospital into my car (my girlfriend driving) early afternoon the next day. They like to keep patients overnight. Some surgeons do implants as day surgery, though, so you COULD get out the same day. I found it VERY convenient to have a nursing staff on hand without inconveniencing my GF. I had the same convenience with shoulder surgeries and toe surgery as well. Take the overnight stay if you can.

7. Any tips/pointers to reduce pain after surgery?

7. Any diet is should follow after surgery?

Take the pain pills before needed. No need to be "tough". Pain pills take a bit of time to take effect and waiting for them to take effect does no good for the healing process. You will know if the pain will be uncomfortable. The pain level will start to go up. Take the pill then. Don't wait until the pain level is untenable. After a few days, the rise in pain level will be slower. Delay the pill schedule a bit. If you pay attention to the pain levels, you will be able to gauge when you can stop the prescription pain medications.

DO NOT slack off on the antibiotics. Take them as scheduled rigorously.

Diet is important before surgery also. Eat easily digestible foods for at least three days before surgery and for at least a week after (blanket generalization there - your mileage may vary). The pain medications slow the peristaltic action of your intestines which often causes constipation. You don't want to have to strain to empty your bowels. Those stitches inside you do not need to have any strain on them and your wounds need to heal completely.

[oldbeek]

Just tell him you are getting an implant. If people would open up and talk about their body, maybe others would not make the same mistakes. Especially if your ED is from prostate cancer. PC is hereditary and he may have the same thing later.