More questions....

[sonnyjim]

The fact that a lot of people here have had pump failures and other problems I have that in the back of my mind. I absolutely cannot afford to take any more time off work so I hope that isn't the case with me. Are these problems very common?

I don't know how I'm supposed to relax when it could go wrong at any time

Also, I would of rather of had a titan if the difference is having your size straight away vs having to cycle religiously to maybe regain your size. Apparently the AMS has more failures too, well from what I can make out.

If I have soft glans after three weeks, is there any hope that maybe that will change in the future?

[Lost Sheep]

(edited for focus)
I don't know how I'm supposed to relax when it could go wrong at any time

Your home could get hit without warning by a meteor any time. Nothing you can do about it. (I grant that the probabilities are vastly different, but my point is that either is outside your control.)

Make a plan to deal with it if it DOES happen, keep it updated and rely on that plan to be there if you ever need it.

Once you have done all you can reasonably do, made all the reasonable preparations, go enjoy your life and don't worry about the things you cannot control. There is reassurance in having dealt proactively with the contingencies. To let them nag you is counter-productive.

[Waynetho]

Most employers also have a "Flexible Spending Plan" that can be used to help pay for your medical. The nice thing is, when you start a new plan year, you have available to you immediately, 100% of the contributions that you *WILL* have deducted over the next year. If your out of pocket max is $3000.00, work it so you have enough contributions per paycheck to cover the $3000.00 (around $115.40 contribution each bi-weekly paycheck) and you can pay your entire out of pocket in full at the beginning of your plan year. This means you're no more than a year away from a revision because you just sign up for a Flexible Spending account at open enrollment and put $115-116 on it per paycheck and when your plan year starts you can get your surgery *THEN* assuming your insurance covers it.

[Lost Sheep]

Most employers also have a "Flexible Spending Plan" that can be used to help pay for your medical. The nice thing is, when you start a new plan year, you have available to you immediately, 100% of the contributions that you *WILL* have deducted over the next year. If your out of pocket max is $3000.00, work it so you have enough contributions per paycheck to cover the $3000.00 (around $115.40 contribution each bi-weekly paycheck) and you can pay your entire out of pocket in full at the beginning of your plan year. This means you're no more than a year away from a revision because you just sign up for a Flexible Spending account at open enrollment and put $115-116 on it per paycheck and when your plan year starts you can get your surgery *THEN* assuming your insurance covers it.

And since the contributions are pre-tax, you NEVER have to pay tax on it.

The downside is that if you don't spend it, eventually, you could forfeit the money.

Tax laws. Gotta watch'em.

[Gt1956]

Sonnyjim, when looking at failures & revisions. You need to put into perspective each brands market share. Lets say that in a month members report 10 failures. 3 Coloplast & 7 AMS. Many people would be quick to presume that AMS fails a lot more than Coloplast. But I think Coloplast only has something like 30% of the market. So in this example, AMS & Coloplast has the same failure rate.

[Gt1956]

Most employers also have a "Flexible Spending Plan" that can be used to help pay for your medical. The nice thing is, when you start a new plan year, you have available to you immediately, 100% of the contributions that you *WILL* have deducted over the next year. If your out of pocket max is $3000.00, work it so you have enough contributions per paycheck to cover the $3000.00 (around $115.40 contribution each bi-weekly paycheck) and you can pay your entire out of pocket in full at the beginning of your plan year. This means you're no more than a year away from a revision because you just sign up for a Flexible Spending account at open enrollment and put $115-116 on it per paycheck and when your plan year starts you can get your surgery *THEN* assuming your insurance covers it.

And since the contributions are pre-tax, you NEVER have to pay tax on it.

The downside is that if you don't spend it, eventually, you could forfeit the money.

Tax laws. Gotta watch'em.

True LS. I used a flexible spending plan for a few years due to high prescription costs. Best way is to plan on coming up just a little short in your plan. You don't need to lose very much in your plan in order to kill much of its benefit.
My son, single. Uses a high deductable plan. It allows him to set aside money for a very high medical bill. There is a max set aside. But he doesn't run the risk of losing his money if it isn't used yearly. This seems to work best if you're single & relatively healthy. So he has low insurance premiums & his high deductable is fully funded. If he gets married or his health changes. He has the option at open season of moving into a more conventional plan.
You are very correct. You need to watch the tax rules. They can bite you if you don't watch them.

[Waynetho]

This was how I managed my colonoscopy last year just after the first of April. My plan year is 4/1-3/31 so when I figured out that my recheck colonoscopy wasn't PREVENTIVE and would be paid on a percentage after deductible, I had to factor the cost of deductible and percentage of remainder. I got my flexible spending jacked up at open enrollment (Feb/March) so I could afford to pay everything on the card and have some left over.

Colonoscopy paid for

Next, UroLift coming up, had enough for the rest of my out of pocket minus about $600+ so I paid the extra from a credit card and zeroed my flex account. Now anything else is gratis...

Next was my IPP - didn't pay a penny because I paid for colonoscopy and UroLift with an inflated flexible spending account plus about $600 on a credit card.

On my next open enrollment this past February I put the flexible spending back down to $520.00 which was only $20.00 per paycheck.

[sonnyjim]

Forgot to ask one other thing too. It's about the position of the pump. I noticed over the last couple of days it has changed position. I had it so the bulb that inflates it (AMS 700 MS) was down at the lowest part of my scrotum and it was pretty straight.

Now it is sideways, so there is a square edge at the bottom and the inflate bulb is like, horizontal. I can't get it into the position that it was.

Does the position matter that much?

[Waynetho]

Forgot to ask one other thing too. It's about the position of the pump. I noticed over the last couple of days it has changed position. I had it so the bulb that inflates it (AMS 700 MS) was down at the lowest part of my scrotum and it was pretty straight.

Now it is sideways, so there is a square edge at the bottom and the inflate bulb is like, horizontal. I can't get it into the position that it was.

Does the position matter that much?

Could be because of variations in how much your scrotum is contracted. Mine will (or used to) fold up nicely toward the back of my scrotum and stayed pretty much out of the way unless my scrotum got relaxed (dartos layer). Then it hangs down to what seems like my knees (exaggeration). My pump used to have the bulb down (except when tucked in) and the deflate button forward (or down when tucked in) with the pump block sideways in the scrotum. now it has turned so the deflate button is facing my left testicle (the pump's roommate). It doesn't fold back as much anymore but it does sometimes.

[sonnyjim]

The whole entire block is sideways so the bulb to inflate is horizontal and the tubing curves around my scrotum, kind of sticking out. I can't move it at all and I'm worried that if I keep trying I'm gonna mess something up. Is the pump supposed to be straight?

Any tips for how I can move this? Or should I just leave it?