Trouble pumping

[Mr Timex]

I cannot get the thing to pump. My glans is beautifully engorged and sensitive like never before but I just cannot pump. It feels like either the bulb is rock hard or I’m grabbing the release block by mistake. I’ll give it another week of trial before I try a return visit to urologist.

[stephen54]

I cannot get the thing to pump. My glans is beautifully engorged and sensitive like never before but I just cannot pump. It feels like either the bulb is rock hard or I’m grabbing the release block by mistake. I’ll give it another week of trial before I try a return visit to urologist.

Have you successfully pumped up the first time post-surgery yet?

If not, just know that the pump/bulb can feel like concrete until you start successfully, repeatedly pumping. My surgeon's PA actually "broke the seal" so to speak and pumped me up for my first time. I felt like I couldn't do it, the amount of pressure I felt like I needed to exert seemed crazy, and I was unsure about my new anatomy. And squeamish about fishing around in my still-swollen sac.

That bulb can definitely be like a rock at first. Just know that it will loosen up and become easier and easier.

[Tokyo_123]

I cannot get the thing to pump. My glans is beautifully engorged and sensitive like never before but I just cannot pump. It feels like either the bulb is rock hard or I’m grabbing the release block by mistake. I’ll give it another week of trial before I try a return visit to urologist.

I've got the Titan One Touch. Yes, I am having these issues also. It is difficult to pump. Also difficult to deflate.

[newbie443]

These devices are made to last a long time and are stiff and tight. They are self lubricating and when left at one inflation level until activation are not being self lubricated. That is the reason when you are able to cycle successfully they start working better. They are being lubricated. Heat helps early on. I used a heating pad. A few doctors use surgical glue to seal the incision so men can use hot baths. But most do not and you need to follow your doctors instructions about when to be able to start bathing. Heat will soften everything. The cylinders as well as the pump. Like a cold engine that needs to warm up. You can use sealed bags and microwave them for heat. I do not remember what others have used as I used the heating pad plugged in and would just turn it on before i was getting ready to cycle.

I hope this helps and good luck.

[Txagq8]

That bulb can definitely be like a rock at first. Just know that it will loosen up and become easier and easier.

I’m not sure I have ever seen a more true statement on here.

I would squeeze and squeeze that rock, thinking it wasn’t doing anything. But it was. Early on especially a squeeze where you can’t even feel the bulb change will move a little fluid.

Here’s what I did. I’ve also got an LGX. This worked for me. I offer no guarantees. Standard disclaimers apply. If you do this and your implant explodes, you indemnify me and hold me harmless.,

Left hand. Use two fingers in a scissor like grip of bulb. I actually use thumb and forefinger. Make sure it’s nowhere near deflate button. I actually tried to cradle the bulb with the first joint of each finger. Then I gripped the two finger scissor with right hand and squeezed hard, release, squeeze, release. 50….60…..70 times. No, I wasn’t getting much action on bulb but I could tell I was moving fluid into the cylinders. I could actually feel them stretching me.

I would be able to tell if I had done a good inflate job by the length of time to deflate. I definitely get that bzzzzzzzzz during deflation.

Of course you can also consult your doc. My surgeon’s PA told me the truth, that these are a pain in the butt to pump initially. Even after 2.5 years I still use a lot of pumps…it may be all in my head but I’m convinced higher cylinder pressure contributes to my really nice angle.

[Lost Sheep]

I cannot get the thing to pump. My glans is beautifully engorged and sensitive like never before but I just cannot pump. It feels like either the bulb is rock hard or I’m grabbing the release block by mistake. I’ll give it another week of trial before I try a return visit to urologist.

The manufacturer's Patient Liaison is paid for (free to you now) and often knows more tips and tricks than the surgeon for getting past such difficulties. Give the P.L. a try. They can spend time with you on the phone and coach you. It is also very very reassuring.

[stephen54]

The manufacturer's Patient Liaison is paid for (free to you now) and often knows more tips and tricks than the surgeon for getting past such difficulties. Give the P.L. a try. They can spend time with you on the phone and coach you. It is also very very reassuring.

Hey LS:

From Coloplast's perspective, they use the term "Patient Liaison" rather generously and misleadingly in my experience. The Coloplast "Patient Liaison", when I tried to get in touch in early 2020 immediately after implantation, was just a random Titan patient Coloplast had recruited to have chats with other patients. It was absolutely not a clinician, a product specialist, a product development engineer, or an employee of any sort at Coloplast. Essentially, Coloplast had a handful of guys much like FT has who were implanted with a Coloplast device and willing to chat. Nice, perfectly fine, but comically short of what I needed and expected. Then, as I detailed somewhere elsewhere here, I tried to pry open someone...anyone...at Coloplast to talk to me with the voice of the manufacturer, and with their product expertise, and the silence was absolutely deafening. That company does not have the remotest interest in engaging the public. I'm capable. I tried. It was ridiculous. Hence my continuing opinion about Coloplast to this day - absolutely outstanding device, designed, manufactured, marketed and sold by people who do not give two sideways shits about engaging their patients directly. Maybe that's dramatically changed in the last 2.5 years but I'll remain skeptical until proven wrong.

So I know you have a Boston device. Taking my above rant into consideration...does Boston do it differently in terms of a Liaison? Are you as a patient able to directly engage with someone on their clinical/product team?

[Gt1956]

Stephen54: Yout LI experience seems to of been poor but I suspect maybe understandable. If Coloplast is the minor player in the USA market as has be mentioned. Then paid LI's would likely cut into the bottom line too much. Just the hard reality.
Thanks for telling your story.

[Lost Sheep]

The manufacturer's Patient Liaison is paid for (free to you now) and often knows more tips and tricks than the surgeon for getting past such difficulties. Give the P.L. a try. They can spend time with you on the phone and coach you. It is also very very reassuring.

Hey LS:

From Coloplast's perspective, they use the term "Patient Liaison" rather generously and misleadingly in my experience. The Coloplast "Patient Liaison", when I tried to get in touch in early 2020 immediately after implantation, was just a random Titan patient Coloplast had recruited to have chats with other patients. It was absolutely not a clinician, a product specialist, a product development engineer, or an employee of any sort at Coloplast. Essentially, Coloplast had a handful of guys much like FT has who were implanted with a Coloplast device and willing to chat. Nice, perfectly fine, but comically short of what I needed and expected. Then, as I detailed somewhere elsewhere here, I tried to pry open someone...anyone...at Coloplast to talk to me with the voice of the manufacturer, and with their product expertise, and the silence was absolutely deafening. That company does not have the remotest interest in engaging the public. I'm capable. I tried. It was ridiculous. Hence my continuing opinion about Coloplast to this day - absolutely outstanding device, designed, manufactured, marketed and sold by people who do not give two sideways shits about engaging their patients directly. Maybe that's dramatically changed in the last 2.5 years but I'll remain skeptical until proven wrong.

So I know you have a Boston device. Taking my above rant into consideration...does Boston do it differently in terms of a Liaison? Are you as a patient able to directly engage with someone on their clinical/product team?

I am going to go with the opinion that quality of the Patient Liaison (PL) experience varies widely with the region. My experience with one AMS rep was pretty good, but by the time I got my implant the PL in my region was remarkably unhelpful. However, when I went to a seminar (hosted by one of the surgeons I interviewed for my implant), the Coloplast PL was VERY helpful and willing to talk, even with me, who was by that time an AMS recipient.

So, I will conclude that much depends on the individual PL that you get, depending on what region you are in.

Or, in 4 words, "Luck of the draw."

Sad.

[Mr Timex]

Is it possible that there is kink preventing fluid from getting into the tubes?