Penile implants

I am coming up on my one year anniversary of my RP. Sadly, erections are not happening and trimix and bimix are not giving a suitable erection.

I am seriously seeking real information on implants from guys who have them. I thought surely this board would have guys with some experience, but I don't find it. Its a situation where making a decision requires real practical information.

Examples:
How good is the implant erection?
Do you still feel the same sensations?
Is it obvious that there is something artificial in there to you and your partner?
Can you ride a bicycle with one of these implants.
Do you feel it when its not inflated?
What do you look like in the locker room when its not inflated?

The list goes on, but I wish there was a FAQ written by a real consumer

You can go to the second post from top (Resources) and scroll down to the ED section for some posts about the IPP.  Also can type in penile implants or IPP in the search site above and get some of the posts on this site.  Also, Gene214 has a thread just a few lines down.

Also might check out this info:

http://boards.webmd.com/webx?THDX@@.89a3e7bd!thdchild=.89a3e7bd

Best of luck.   Dutch

I appreciate you guys providing some info. Its very personal stuff, but you can't really decide about it without asking tough questions!
Dave

Hi Guys,I'm a new kid on the block. I have been reading your comments about the penile implant.

 I'm 2 years post RP,have tried all the things and now have opted for an implant. Its scheduled for the 19 th. Will let you know how it goes.

Well I had the implant on the 19th,lots of pain and swelling.Pain pills help some,going to have the staples removed today. Will keep you updated

Hey Luke and Gene -

Wait, I'm not the doom and gloom guy here today.
Congratulations on the implant.

As Gene well knows, it is more than a tingle when you get one of these babies put in.
Yep staples - had those a couple of times, and sutures the rest. The staples work great.

My advice is to be patient, and go 'bottomless 'as much as possible at the beginning.
Cool and dry was my motto.

Depending on your body's reactions, it might take several months for the hematomas to be reabsorbed into the body. Seepage and wound tenderness are pretty common.
Trust me, your body will revert back to it's natural look.
I look normal, even after my 'adventures in surgery'.

Gene is a pretty open and helpful guy and will have real-time answers to your questions.

I'm the old timer, having had 7 of these so far, so if complications arise, please feel free to contact me as well.

It is a great invention and 1st time implants have very good results.

Here's hoping to a speedy recovery.

Hey Gene -

good to see you here.

Oh, degloving - well, this is going to sound a lot worse than it is - well - it is pretty bad.
Degloving is the removal of the skin of the penile shaft. A circular cut is made around the head of the penis and the tissues are pulled back. Degloving is done to allow access to the deep tissues for scar removal and to the Tunica albuginea, which is the web of tissue that covers the corpora cavernosa. The implant cylinders are inserted into this area.
Those who have had a degloving know of the 'crown of thorns', which is the stitching around the head of the penis.
It's a tingler, to say the least. But you survive.
A few penile implant patients will develop an aneurysm in the Tunica albuginea - a weakening of the penile shaft wall that requires strengthening so the implant cylinders will inflate properly.

Gene, very few people have near the problems that I have had with the IPP.
Advanced surgical techniques and improved equipment have made the modern implant much more reliable.

I hope my posts don't disillusion anyone. I am a great supporter of these things.
I have had my problems with them, but am thankful I don't have to face some of the challenges the rest of you face each day.
I hope that if anyone does have problems with their implant I can at least give my perspective and history as to what worked, and what didn't work - at least in my situation.

Luke... How are you?  By now at one week the pain and bruising is probably a little less... right?

Art,

Well, I am almost sorry I asked.  It is difficult to even imagine such things.  I am sorry you had all that difficulty and I am glad my implant came along in 2008 instead of the 80's. 

I am a "sucker" for questions, I guess.  Here goes: What I am wondering now is "How much is too much use of the penile implant?"  In other words, since I have this new bionic penis, which I really like to use, should I use it sparingly so as not to cause too much wear or should I put it to use, as I am now doing, when the opportunity affords itself, which is two or three times a week?  What do you think?  Is this something an implantee like myself should be concerned about? 

I hope this is not too much for this forum.  Someone let me know if I am going too far.  I think the more we prostate cancer survivors know about these things, the better decisons can be made.  But I really do not want to offend anyone.

Gene214

For all
The Dr. kept my implant inflated and only after I had a problem urinating did he ease up. Not too bad now.
Got the bill from the hospital today,almost had the big one $44,400 and thats not with the Dr bill. How about the rest of you guys ?

Luke,

In one of my posts after implant, I named myself the $70,000 bionic man.  That's about what my total bill was, but of course it included not one but two implants:  AUS and IPP.  I am blessed with medicare parts A & B and a hospital supplement policy. My surgeon was glad to receive Medicare and my suplement.  Younger guys can have some problems with affording it.

I accused my doctor of leaving me partially inflated but he kept saying (via email) that he did not leave inflated.  It sure looked inflated.  The day after surgery, while they were trying to get me out of the hospital, I practically refused to leave because I thought the doctor had made a mistake and left me partially inflated.  Finally, I (with a red face) got the urology nurse on the floor to come check me out.  When I began blushing, she said, "Don't worry hon.  I've seen them in all color, shapes, and sizes."  That brought a laugh to all three of us (includning the wife).  She felt around and finally said it was not inflated, just gigantically swelled.  Also, I didn't realize that the prosthesis never recedes into the body, neither does it hang limp.  So, in other words, it all hangs out, making it look really a lot bigger than it was when flacid.   

The above story really happened.  I shared it so I could laugh again.  Hope the rest of you got a laugh, too.

Gene214

Right, KW.  These implants are only for those who really need them.  Laying all jokes aside, what we are born with is much, much better... if it works.

I am guessing your healing is going as expected.  I'm sure you're now counting the days until AUS activation.

See you in Dallas

Gene214

Luke,

When we go to a doctor, we must listen to what he/she advises.  However, sometimes doctors/surgeons tell us as little as they can get by with.  I am sure it has something to do with their training.  But I am one who had rather hear all the details.  So your surgeon has a reason, I am sure, for leaving your penis partially inflated. 

However, one thing I have heard/read about the penile implant is that the reservoir should be full of solution during most of the healing time before activation and the penis should not be left inflated for long periods of time.  The reason is that the full reservoir will cause expansion in the area of tissue/muscle where it it placed and there will be produced a capsule around the reservoir in your abdomen.  This is important because if it (the reservoir) stays deflated too long a time, the flesh will harden around the deflated reservoir, making it impossible to contain all the fluid it was deigned to hold. When the implantee desires to return his prosthesis to the flacid state, after erection, there would not enough room in the reservoir for the fluid, therefore stays in the penis, not allowing for full deflation of the penis. 

I hope I am clear in all of this.  My point is to talk with your surgeon and make sure he is comfortable with the amount of saline left in your penis and left in the reservoir during healing.  Again, I am sure he knows what he is doing, but sometimes physicians make mistakes... sometimes.

Please understand I am not questioning your surgeon.  I just want you to know what I have heard and read about inflation/deflation of the prosthesis and the reservoir.  It it were me, I probably would want to cover that subject with my surgeon sooner rather than later.

Hope I don't cause you unneed anxiety with this.  Not my intention. 

Gene214   

Art,

Thanks for the clarification.  Of couse, now I wonder if my surgeon made a bad call about not leaving me partially inflated.  Hmmmmm. 

Gene