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Posted 9/9/2007 3:22 PM (GMT 0)
I too am patiently waiting for my first erection. I just got my 3 month PSA results and it's <0.01% so the cancer seems to have been stopped. Havent leaked for weeks and no longer wear any pads so now my full attention is on my ED. "Little ED" as we call him now, so far can't stand at attention, although he does get bigger with stimulation. But despite this, with some creativity, and an understanding girlfriend, I can get an orgasm that is every bit as pleasurable as it used to be. That definitely helps take the pressure off and helps me be patient that erections will someday return. Viagra, Cialis or Levitra dont seem to help much, and I have been able to get an orgasm without the pills but no erections.

My question is, does anyone know if by NOT using the pump or injections, am I doing any longterm damage toward eventually getting an erection? i.e., are the pump or injections THERAPEUTIC or just a way to keep us happy until the real thing returns? Has anyone asked their doctor this? I see my surgeon next week and will ask him then but I thought I'd get some feedback here first.
Thanks to anyone who replies, and thanks for this forum !
Posted 9/9/2007 4:09 PM (GMT 0)

Grover

Most people who respond here indicate that their doctors have recommended penile stimulation on a regular basis.  My doctor said it was important to keep blood flowing until the nerves have time to heal.  He prescribed regular use of viagra (or cialis) and a vacuum pump beginning just a few weeks past surgery.

My ED is my biggest concern so far.  But at about eight months past surgery I am just beginning to get some natural (partial) erections.  I notice that the younger guys (40s-50s) often have much earlier results.  I am now doing Caverject injections.  I inject 20mcg along with 50mg Viagra and see some pretty good progress.

You will get some other good advice here.  Someone said "use it or ..."

Keep the blood flowing.

Posted 9/9/2007 11:20 PM (GMT 0)

Hi, guys.  I've decided to buy a pump, despite what I think is the beginning of some spontaneous blood flow.  Before my surgery, anxiety sometimes made erections fleeting in the best of circumstancing.  With my nerves still healing, I feel that a pump will help boost my confidence, giving me a freebie before I can relax into a confident erotic state. 

I'm alarmed by the cost of some of these devices, but I'm skeptical of the sleazier cheap ones.  Should I really expect to pay upwards of 300 bucks for one that works?  What about those 50-dollar budget models all over the internet?  I'm absolutely amazed at the market for penis pumps for ED.  I'd take a few extra inches (who wouldn't! yeah ),  but that is not what I'm really looking for.  I'm assuming I will need a perscription if I want insurance reimbursement.  I'm dismayed that my uro has never mentioned this; I learned about them from you guys.  He put me on viagra right out of the hospital, but the pump has never come up in all of my follow up visits. 

This is what I want to know: what should I absolutely not buy?   Are they all the same, or will I "get what I pay for?"

Thanks again, guys.

Posted 9/10/2007 2:20 AM (GMT 0)

PM10000

I had the same concern as you do.  The idea that a piece of plastic tube and a suction pump sells for $399.00 was to me outrageous.   Osbon charges that kind of money.  You can get Medicare to pay part with a Rx. But I chose to go elsewhere.

I went on line and bought a discount pump for $69.  It looked the same to me and I didn't want the electric motor because I wanted more control.  My pump has worked just great. I never tried the more expensive model so I don't know the difference.  Maybe some one else can fill in thoses blanks..It appears to me  that with the Osbon "Ericaid" pump you are paying for sales commissions, a video and promotion.

My pump is called the Encore.  On line you will see several different names , but they all look about the same. Most are under $100.  Take a look. 

Posted 9/10/2007 3:14 AM (GMT 0)
pm10k,

There have been some men on this forum that had actually tried two different kinds of pumps and perhaps they will see your post and respond. When I was researching pumps the two brands that were predominant were the Osbon and Vacurect. The prinmary difference between the two is that the Osbon forms the seal for the vacumm against your pelvic area and then you snap a ring off of the pump onto your penis to hold the blood in and maintain the erection. With the Vacurect you place a ring on the end of the pump and lube it with KY and then insert your penis into this ring while pumping at the same time. This draws the pump down on the penis and then once you have an erection you push the ring off of the pump and it holds the blood and sustains the erection. I bought the Vacurect and my insurance(Blue Cross) covered 80% of the cost with a prescription. I was happy with the Vacurect as a pump but not happy with the discomfort that the ring caused. After about six weeks of using the Vacurect I decided to go to injections.

Tamu
Posted 9/10/2007 4:55 AM (GMT 0)
Grover,

What I read indicates that those using the pump on a regular basis keep the tissues more intact and achieve "normal" (most report an eventual 90% of pre-surgery erectile function) erectile function sooner than those who do not use a pump.  Injections are supposedly even more therapeutic in this regard and are reported to get you there faster - but do have a few possible side effects.

I find the pump boring and the pump erections less pleasing than current orgasms without erections.
However, like a good little Native American [(I have Cherokee heritage on both sides of the family - I'm "3/16...."), I stll try to avoid making jokes about the horse-traders selling these pumps and the insurance companies denying our cliams ....] however, I use the pump at least once a week to keep my soft-on from developing a lean to one side or the other and to give it a loftier goal!

CCedar
ICTHUS!


Posted 9/14/2007 12:44 AM (GMT 0)

Thanks for the responses, guys; I intend to look into the brands you mentioned.  I would appreciate any other comments from others who recommend a specific pump.  My impression is that they all pretty much work the same way--variations on a theme.  I don't think insurance is going to cover it; therefore, I'm more interested in the lower-cost products. 

Posted 9/14/2007 12:52 AM (GMT 0)
I asked my surgeon about the pump. He didnt think it's therapeutic, just a way to get an erection until hopefully the real thing happens. But he did say it was only his opinion, so I bought a cheap one online today and I intend to use it as "exercise" because the idea of using it for sex right now doesnt sound appealing. I'm just gonna pump it up daily and feed the tissues with blood. The way I see it, it cant hurt and why take the chance? So, get ready little ED, I'm gonna PUMP YOU UP !! yeah
Posted 9/14/2007 2:01 AM (GMT 0)
Vacurect for $200.00 80% money back 30 day if not a happy no questions asked. I have had my first natural erections 10 months after the surgery 08/12/07 yeah I'm 58 and thangs have been looking really up since 08/12/07. DaVinci was 10/12/06. There was a big thread about pump recomendations a while back.
Posted 11/23/2007 5:06 PM (GMT 0)
I'm reading a lot from those whose nerve bundles were spared. What if they weren't? Because of a very enlarged prostate I lost most but not all the nerves on both sides. Have any men more in this situation regained potency? And if so, how did they do it? Thank you.
Posted 11/23/2007 5:43 PM (GMT 0)
KMC51, I also had a very large prostate (87cc) but my surgeon said the nerves were spared. It's been 6 mos. now since my surgery and I see very little change in the ED department. I tried a pump one time but didnt like it. I go for my 6 month checkup in a few weeks and also have an appt. with another doctor in my surgeon's practice who is supposed to be an ED specialist. I'll let you know what they say. I'm guessing if you were his patient he's say that it's way too early for you to be worried, since your surgery was done only 2 months ago. I'm not giving up and hope you have the same resolve.
Posted 11/23/2007 6:26 PM (GMT 0)
KMC - Bob only was spared one nerve and the doctor says it was quite mutilated at time of surgery. There is no activity at all unless we use Trimix injections and they produce quite a satisfactory result - but never anything without it. Cialis and Viagra produced more blood flow, but certainly not an erection. . . . . BUT . . ..we have had a solid year of "undetectible" PSA results, and that to us is definitely the best news.
;o) Linda & Bob
Posted 11/24/2007 12:33 AM (GMT 0)
Hello,
I Hope this info helps someone. I am 9 months since Robotic Surgery(I was 55 at the time of surgery and was very sexually active and very healthy). I had a great Surgeon (He had done about 850 Robotic Surgerys). Have gained alot of valuable info from this site. Don't seem to read much about 1-2 yr post surgerys. I had 10-15 % cancer in 2 opposite outer sections of prostrate. Nerves were spared. Cancer had not spread. Have had normal PSA tests since. Surgery was the easy part. Still wear 2 pads a day for minumum dribbles. Started viagra 50 mg 3 days a week shortly after surgery to keep blood flowing. Started vacuum pump after about 6 months. Got enlargement but barely hard enough to penetrate. Also, very uncomfortable. After reading about injections on this site, I asked the doctor to give it to me. The first time he gave me a tri-mix. Worked great at first. Went home, but started to feel like I was going to explode. Had to go back and let him undo what he did. No fun at all. Next he gave me a bi-mix(Phentolamine .05 mg with Papaverine 30mg). Bingo!!! Did the trick. My wife injects my penis with 16-17 units of 1/2CC Insulin Syringe with a 1/2 inch 30 gauge needle. Takes about 25-35 minutes to get a super hard erection that lasts for about 3 hrs. We do this 2-3 times per week. Cost is about $120 for a bottle and needles and lasts almost 2 months. My doctor says I am progressing properly. Patience is important. Could take up to 2 years to get a normal, unassisted erection. Be proactive! Read! Ask your doctor everything. I feel like I was the ED Doctor telling him what needed to be done as far as rehab. My ED doctor was pushing a penal implant(I saw dollar signs in his eyes). I said NO! This should be a last resort. No turning back after that surgery. I'll be happy to answer any questions. I was lucky. They caught my cancer in early stages.

Jazzbo
Posted 2/26/2008 9:03 PM (GMT 0)

Thanks for sharing information.

I had hernia surgery two months after a nerve-sparing prostate removal.  Just now getting back on my feet.

Still incontinent, but showing great improvement since recovery from my hernia surgery.

Starting using Viagra in December 2007 to stimulate blood flow.

Starting using Osbon manual pump in mid February 2008.

Hope to eventually regain natural erections, but if that never happens, I hope the pump or bi-mix/trim-mix will work for me.


Posted 2/26/2008 11:07 PM (GMT 0)
Hey Danman Bob,

Welcome to our forum. As you probably have found, there is a wealth of info here on continence and ED recovery. Even an old guy like me is getting close to recovering the sexual function I had before surgery. I still us Trimix but Viagra gets me nearly ready. Good luck and please stay with us. We can all get well together...

Jim
Posted 2/27/2008 12:19 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks, Jim.

How long have you used the trimix?  Do you mix it yourself or how does that work?

You mentioned that the Viagra almost has you where you want to be....have you used Viagra since the  beginning to increase blood flow?  did the Viagra help immediately or did it take you a while?

Any other tips you can share?

Posted 2/27/2008 12:51 AM (GMT 0)
Trimix is a mixture of 3 drugs put together by a compounding pharmicist. That means it is not a premixed product like most medications. Its formula varies by physician's preference. I have used it since August 2007 and had to find my own dose that works. The doc started me with .1 cc and that was way too much. I am now down to about .03 cc per shot. That along with 50 mg of Viagra about 2 hours before the shot does the job nicely. I stay up for about an hour and have not pain at all.

I have used Viagra (or a substitute) and L-Arginine from immediately after the catheter came out. I used Levitra for several years before I got cancer so if I can get back to that condition, I will be recovered. I have been using Viagra for about a year now and the progress has been slow but steady. It takes the distrubed nerves and tissue a long time to heal after surgery so patience is a must.

I buy the Viagra substitute from AllDayChemist on the web. It costs about $0.60 per 100 mg pill and I cut them in two so at 30 cents a dose it sure beats US prices. The Trimix costs $75 for a 5 cc vial. At .03 cc per shot I get about 130 or so shots per refill. That comes out at about 60 cents per shot. I got the prescription filled in July 2007 and am still using the original vial. So at 90 cents, I am a cheap date.

We have to find our own way in this recovery business. Docs give us advice and guidelines but we have to find out for ourselves what works and we are all different. Most of the younger guys don't need as much help for as long as some of us older folks.

Being cancer free is worth the battle with the side effects of surgery IMHO. Lets get well together...

Jim
Posted 2/27/2008 12:32 PM (GMT 0)

Hi

I just saw a uro guy yesterday, he works together with my surgeon. He sees the people with and ED problem after surgery. He wants me to take 5 mg of Cialis every day to keep the blood flowing and then a 20 mg tablet any time I want to have sex. My operation (nerve sparing), was Nov 13/07 and I have not had anything close to an erection yet. I asked him about the generics. He said there are no generics yet but there are sbstitutes that can be purchased over the internet. He also said you would not know what you were getting, it may be gyprock!!!.

Anyway, I had already ordered some drugs from alldaychemists and I am certainly going to try them out before forking over $115 for 8 tablets. He gave me 6 weeks worth of samples. This will certainly do me until my order arrives. From what I read on this site they are as good as the real thing.

Pux

Posted 2/29/2008 4:55 AM (GMT 0)

Pux, good luck with your recovery.

By the way, my surgery was the same day as yours, November 13, 2007.

My PSA went from 1.8 in 2006 to 14 in 2007, so I was lucky to catch it before it spread.

Posted 3/2/2008 4:21 AM (GMT 0)

Some questions for those in the know....

Started vacuum pump therapy a little over a week ago, roughly 3.5 months after surgery.  Have had about 7 therapy sessions lasting around 20 minutes each.  Doc told me NOT to use rings during these sessions, as they are being done only to recondition the tissues in my penis....might use for the real thing eventually, but not now.

Have any of you used pumps in this way?  Penis was very red at first....not so much now, so maybe that means that the tissues are getting reconditioned.  Will the redness eventually go away completely?

Feels a little uncomfortable at times, especially when I get close to a full erection....feels like pressure is pulling on it, so I usually let the air out a little bit and repump some.  Have any of you experienced a similar feeling when you get to the point of a full erection?  Is that normal?

For those who use bimix or trimix for sex......do you also use a pump in between or are you having sex often enough that you do not need to condition anything?

Does your erection from using a bimix or trimix feel the same as when you created an erection with a pump and ring?  Better or worse?

Thanks for sharing any insights that you have.

Bob

Posted 3/2/2008 7:08 AM (GMT 0)

DanmanBob said...
Some questions for those in the know....

Started vacuum pump therapy a little over a week ago, roughly 3.5 months after surgery. Have had about 7 therapy sessions lasting around 20 minutes each. Doc told me NOT to use rings during these sessions, as they are being done only to recondition the tissues in my penis....might use for the real thing eventually, but not now.

Have any of you used pumps in this way? Penis was very red at first....not so much now, so maybe that means that the tissues are getting reconditioned. Will the redness eventually go away completely?

Feels a little uncomfortable at times, especially when I get close to a full erection....feels like pressure is pulling on it, so I usually let the air out a little bit and repump some. Have any of you experienced a similar feeling when you get to the point of a full erection? Is that normal?

For those who use bimix or trimix for sex......do you also use a pump in between or are you having sex often enough that you do not need to condition anything?

Does your erection from using a bimix or trimix feel the same as when you created an erection with a pump and ring? Better or worse?

Thanks for sharing any insights that you have.

Bob


DanManBob -

My bimix erections are far better than pump erections. I do use the pump in between on occasion.

If the pump is creating anything close to pain, stop. Otherwise, yeah, if the pressure is uncomfortable, release some air and continue. Don't stay pumped up for more than a half hour is what I was told.
Posted 3/2/2008 1:33 PM (GMT 0)
A word of encouragement to those of you with only one nerve spared: I am now nine and a half months out from surgery and have just now had two usable erections with both 50 and 100 mg. of Viagra from alldaychemist. Needless to say we are thrilled. Don't give up hope! Be patient.
Posted 3/2/2008 3:04 PM (GMT 0)
There are usually videos (cartoon) on the pump websites. They all instruct that for this therapy, you pump up, hold for a few minutes, let it out, pump up, hold, let it out etc. The purpose is to get as fresh blood as possible into the tissues. Yep, it can get a bit uncomfortable when it is near the max. But it should never be painful. If it is, let it out. You can rupture blood vessels. What is interesting, is that as you do this exercise, without a ring you will very possibly get an erection just from the repeated pumping as the blood engorges more and more. I have to laugh, this pump stuff is anything but erotic. My buds all thought it was hot stuff to be told to pump. HAHAHA I can't imagine doing this if you didn't absolutely have to! hardly sexy.
Paul
Posted 3/2/2008 11:35 PM (GMT 0)
To CVK

I hope those 2 erections were not while driving in your car as was psoted on another site.. I just received my shipmnet from AllDayChemists. 240 100 mg Viagara. In the interim my doc gave me a 6 week supply of Cialis. I have taken 5 days worth and I am experiencing 2 of the side effects. Heartburn and headaches. Should I give up on these and start the Viagara?

I get my first post op psa reading tomorrow, hoping for BIG GOOSEEGGS!.
Phil
Posted 3/3/2008 6:02 AM (GMT 0)

Phil, good luck with the PSA test Monday.

CVK, congratulations on the two Viagra-assisted erections!!  What sort of penile therapy regimen did you undergo, if any, prior to this success?

Thanks to all for the information about pumps and therapy.  As one guy said earlier, there is nothing sexy about using a vacuum pump, but if it helps me short or long term, then I am happy to do it.

Bob


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