AMS Pump Operation Questions

[Dave92014]

I had an AMS 700 CX installed 9 weeks ago. I started pumping 2 weeks ago so am still learning how to use it and what to expect. There are a couple of mysteries in my pumping so I would like to ask what other users of the AMS experience.

1. When I first started pumping I was using one hand but two times of the first three times I pumped I noticed that after pumping my dick became very stiff but after a few minutes it lost some of the stiffness. Then I switched to the two-hand pumping described on FT and I pressed harder on the bulb. I realized I had previously only been depressing the bulb about 25%. With two hands I depressed it about 50% or more. Thanks to whoever came up with the two hand method. With the two hand method I have not had the situation of losing stiffness after pumping. So I think with the one hand method I was not getting the pump fully engaged into the “inflate” mode. Now though I good two different actions when I pump. Sometimes when I do the first squeeze of the bulb it sort of collapses so I depress the bulb about 75%. I think this indicates that I got the pump switched into the “inflate” mode and so some fluid was leaking back out of the cylinders after I stopped pumping. After the first squeeze when I squeeze the most I can depress the bulb is about 50% as the bulb does not collapse like on the first squeeze. But on other days when I start pumping, the first squeeze does not collapse the bulb and feels the same as the subsequent squeezes. When my doc taught me how to pump he said that my pump seems to be a little stiff. Even when I don’t get the collapse on the first squeeze the result seems to work the same as far as dick stiffness. So now my question for FT is that I wonder if other guys usually feel the difference in the first squeeze and think that indicates engaging the pump into the “inflate” mode?

2. I also wonder if the feeling of the bulb changed with time as it became broken in from use?

3. Then the deflate is a slight mystery to me too. I use two hands when deflating to be sure I get the button pressed firmly. About half the time when I first press the deflate button, I feel a buzzing in the pump that lasts about one second. I think that indicates that I switched the pump to deflate mode. But half the time when I first press the deflate button, I don’t feel that buzzing in the pump. Regardless I hold the button pressed for four seconds, per the AMS video, and I am sure the pump switched to deflate mode because my dick becomes less stiff. I wonder if other AMS users usually or always get buzzing when they first press the deflate button?

Thanks in advance for any response to my questions and also thanks for all the information others have posted here.

[radiodec]

Answers from someone only 8 weeks into the process.

First, the first pump is almost always very deep. According to AMS the first pump should be quick and full to activate the pump. The pump gets softer with use but each pump can make it a little stiffer from back pressure. The some what deflate is from the cylinders stretching a little.

Second, my pump generally buzzes on deflate, but this isn't necessary.

Third, becareful of hitting the deflate while pumping, this seems to put the pump into a "bypass" mode that makes the bulb easier to squeeze but doesn't send anything to the cylinders.

As you use it more the system becomes more easy to use.

Dave

[Dave92014]

Radiodec, thanks for your answers. When I saw the AMS instructions included "don't press the deflate button while inflating", I thought "duh, of course". But using the two hand method, my left hand thumb, which is on top of my right hand thumb is close to the deflate button so I have been careful to not let the left thumb accidentally hit the deflate button. I can see now that it would be easy to accidentally let the left thumb hit the deflate button and the AMS instructions don't look so dumb now. I don't think that has been happening to me.

[Bionic_by_AMS]

But on other days when I start pumping, the first squeeze does not collapse the bulb and feels the same as the subsequent squeezes.

When this occurs it usually indicates that you were not fully deflated previously ... when fully deflated you should feel the 'pop" on the first squeeze.

I also wonder if the feeling of the bulb changed with time as it became broken in from use?

It's not that the feeling of the bulb that changes ... once the cylinders start to stretch a little the bulb will be easier to squeeze, up to the point where it gets very hard to squeeze. When you reach that point if you are pumping for rehab ... wait a few and add a pump or two. You will feel the tips for quite a while ... this is normal.

If you are pumping for sex ... then pump to the point where you just start to feel the pressure in the tips ... and give that a try ... you can always add a few pumps if needed.

But half the time when I first press the deflate button, I don’t feel that buzzing in the pump.

Try holding in the deflate button and squeeze the shaft ... you should feel the buzzing ... until it stops. You may need to repeat after a bit if needed.

I wonder if other AMS users usually or always get buzzing when they first press the deflate button?

When you are max pumped you should always feel the buzzing ... don't worry you will not break the pump, and you will find what works best for you.

[Dave92014]

But on other days when I start pumping, the first squeeze does not collapse the bulb and feels the same as the subsequent squeezes.

When this occurs it usually indicates that you were not fully deflated previously ... when fully deflated you should feel the 'pop" on the first squeeze.

Thanks for all your answers. I think you are probably right about not being fully deflated. I have noticed that even if I get well deflated it seems to re-inflate somewhat on its own over a period of hours. I think the pump is not in a fully one-way mode and lets some liquid seep back into the cylinders. That is not much of a problem but probably causes the initial squeeze to be different.

[radiodec]

Add another variable to the mix. You can only squeeze at most 2/3 of the cylinder length and might have a fair amount of fluid in the "hidden" eareas. Also, on the advice of my urologist, i do the squeezing slowly and steadily as rapid pressure changes could reset the pump to "pump and hold" mode.

Radiodec

[Dave92014]

Add another variable to the mix. You can only squeeze at most 2/3 of the cylinder length and might have a fair amount of fluid in the "hidden" eareas. Also, on the advice of my urologist, i do the squeezing slowly and steadily as rapid pressure changes could reset the pump to "pump and hold" mode.

Radiodec

Thanks, that is good info. I think you are talking about squeezing the penis to deflate it, not squeezing the pump bulb to inflate it, right?

[Jbcsatx]

I had the AMS CX implanted on October 9 so I am almost 3 months out. In the beginning I had trouble with the pump slipping out of my hand and causing tremendous pain. Now things have settled in and I have no sensation that the pump or implant is even there. Pumping is still a little tricky but I have learned to give it a forceful pump ( I am able to use one hand kind of pushing the pump over to the left testicle for instead of holding on to the top of the top of the pump for support) the first time to activate it and waiting about 15 seconds between pumps. I guess that allows fluid from the reservoir to refill the bulb and with that it takes less pumps. I can get fully erect with about 10 pumps using the delay method. Before I was repeatedly squeezing the bulb and it was more difficult, took longer and more pumps. Now I get 10 full pumps in and I am ready to go. I do experience the post inflation losing of hardness and thought I was getting backflow also. Now I realize that it is prpbably due to the cylinders expanding so that is good news-just add another couple of pumps after 5 minutes or so. The deflate button is very accessable and I too get the whistling sounds. Surgeon told be to squeeze on the penis and all the way down to the base to totally deflate every time. I squeeze until you can no longer hear or feel any fluid being forced out. All in all I am very satisfied with the results of my implant and wish I had done it years ago! Jim

[Dave92014]

Jim, thanks for your info.

I had trouble with the pump slipping out of my hand sometimes initially and banging a testicle. When I started using the two hand pumping method I also modified my right hand from the grip I think the FT post about the two hand pumping suggested. I am right-handed. I am using three fingers on my right hand on the pump bulb. I put my middle finger at the side of the bulb that is opposite my thumb. Then I put my fore finger and my ring finger on either side of the bulb to cradle it. I use those two fingers only to steady the bulb so it does not slip out during pumping. The middle finger is the one that provides the pressure to match the pressure from the thumb. Then with my left hand I use the left thumb on top of my right thumb to provide added pressure. I use the left hand’s fore finger and sometimes also the left hand’s middle finger on top of the right hand’s middle finger to provide more opposition force to the thumbs. Then I also hook my left hand’s smallest finger and sometimes the left hand’s ring finger over the top of the pump to provide more protection from the pump slipping out of my hands upward. That keeps the left hand fingers on top of the pump far enough back to be sure they don’t accidentally trip the deflate button. With that method I have not had problems with the pump slipping out.

Regarding your statement about losing some cylinder stiffness over time, I have been watching that carefully in my daily test pumping. Since I have been using the two-hand pump method I have not had any loss of stiffness over a period of about 15 - 25 minutes that I leave it pumped up. I do have significant “hinge effect” in that my penis is very stiff but its direction up or down, can be moved easily, especially in the upward direction. I have found that if I wait a few minutes and then give it a few more pumps, that decreases the hinge effect so it doesn’t move in the down direction as easily.

Regarding waiting between pumps for the bulb to refill, I am not so sure about that. If there is no air in the system, then it seems to me that as soon as the pump bulb expands to full size, it must have filled with liquid. If that is correct there would be no advantage to waiting between pumps. I see my doc Tuesday so I will ask him if there is any air in the system. If there is air in the system, then there might be some advantage to waiting a bit between pumps.

[Anonymous1]

I had the same model you have installed in 2002. I use the two-hand method to inflate, and the two hand method to deflate (one hand on the release valve and the other hand squeezing my penis to help the saline solution exit and go back into the reservoir). Would have happy to answer anyone's questions.