Vacuum Erection Devices

I had the DaVinci Robotic surgery on Jan 8, 2009. Everything went well and the cancer completely removed. The Dr. kept the nerves intack but I have no sensation of getting an erection at all. The Dr. put me on Cialis (20mg every other day) and suggested that I purchase a vacuum erection device. My insurance will not pay anything related to sexual dysfuntion and the pump the Dr's office had was $750. Now comes the confusion - which pump is the best? My main objective is to find one that will return blood flow and not primarily used for sexual intercourse. I am leading toward the Vacuret system since I like how the rings slide off and attach to maintain the erection. However, money is an issue and wondered if there were other options that might work just as well. I have read where some guys have bought cheap pumps at certain book stores but am afraid I might do more damage than good. You the know the saying - you get what you pay for. I still experience some leakage during the day but feel this is beginning to improve and have complete control during the nightime hours. I would appreciate all input since I have read that those that have prostrate surgery and do not start a program could eventually experience length and girth reduction so I would like to purchase relatively soon and begin.

thanks for your help

honestguy

I ordered the VED from Encore medical products for $78.00 plus shipping. I have used it for over a year with satisfactory results. Stay away from the battery operated ones, they seem to break down alot. I think some companies overcharge fro isurance purposes. Look them up on the web.

Thank you for the welcome. Were do I go to put my stats in? Good suggestion but I did not find an area in the control panel. New to this so any additional help would be appreciated.

Thanks

Purgatory said...
hello and welcome honesguy. glad you found us here, and also glad you are on the recovery side of your treatment. Can't answer your questions on the pump, but I am sure others here will quickly come to your aid. I hope you can find some support here, and enjoy your time with us.

Perhaps you could put up a few stats about yourself and your case, will make it easier for others to help you.

david in SC

Thanks James, I'll check this out. The price is much more within my line. Do you find the rings with the Vacuret system more comfortable and easier to use than the rings from other pumps?

Thanks

James C. said...
Welcome, new friend. Glad to see ya on the other side. Sounds like things are progressing normally in your recovery. Here's a link to a pump that I recommend, is medically appropriate with all the safety features, is inexpensive and does the job as well as the other more expensive ones. Several of the guys here use it with no complaints.

www.vitalitymedical.com/Product/Encore-Impo-Aid-Manual-Vacuum-Erection-Device-OTC-44010001.html

I also use the Vacuret and it is fine for you, but more expensive, of course. Any of the medical grade penile pumps will allow you to place the rings and hold the erection. Any questions just ask....

I'll be honest with you. I don't use the rings that come with it. I use the rings that come with the device I recommended. Why? The Vacurect rings are actually plastic disc's that fit on the end of the pump. You lube up everything well, then put the tip of your penis in the disc center hole and pump. This vacuum draws the penis through the disc and into the pump, while filling the penis with vacuumed blood and pushing the disc back towards the abdomen. Getting the disc to stay on the end of the pump while doing this can be a problem, as can removal afterwards. I selected this system initially to avoid a common problem with pumps and rings- the drawing up of scrotal tissue into the pumps and rings. I found that none of the devices can guarantee that won't happen, so I decided to try the regular silicone ring on the Vacurect pump. They fit fine, the same size/diameter pump as the others and makes application and removal much easier, plus I seem to get a much better result with the silicone ring versus the disc. The pros and cons of the various devices, whether Vacurect, Osbon or the less expensive ones are the same, in my opinion. They all function basically the same-vacuum created to pull blood into the penis. Whether they cost $500 or $75, it results in an erection. The expensive ones are those that take a prescription and that the insurance company will pay for, in the mistaken believe that cost affects function and marketing overrides all. You can buy any of them without a prescription, with a steep discount because no insurance company is involved. One thing though, lube helps and it is strongly recommended that you keep the pubic hair trimmed down to 1/2 inch or less....

Hi

You might also get at least two rings. I tried the pump for awhile and just bought one from the street stores but got the rings online. I agree with everything that James said, especially about trimming the hair. Also found it necessary to use two rings to retain the erection.

I'm on Trimix now so don't use the pump anymore and the Levitra has started to work also. Good luck

Thanks for the info - very helpful.

Sleepytime said...
My insurance didn't cover a VED, but forwarded the prescription to Augusta Medical. Augusta Medical contacted me by phone and I had my VED within a few days. The cost was discounted 75% because I was purchasing it without insurance. The owner of the company (Michael Osbon) is the creator of the VED, sold his original company, and later started Augusta Medical. The following blurb is from their website:

Augusta Medical Systems, LLC vacuum therapy products are covered by MEDICARE and many insurance companies. You may not have to pay the full retail cost of this unit depending upon your insurance coverage. Your Medicare eligibility may cover 80% of the amount due. Augusta Medical Systems, LLC will handle your prescription and claim process as part of our customer service.

http://www.augustams.com/

The device is great, but how well it works depends on how I'm doing down there. Most days I use both the primary and secondary sizing adapters and get a good fit. Some days I use both the primary and secondary sizing adapters and the fit is so loose that I have tremendous trouble keeping scrotal tissue out of the chamber and my penis refuses to become more than 3/4 erect. Yet other days I can only use the primary sizing adapter because the fit is snug from the get go, uncomfortably snug once engorged, and and get an erection that's an inch longer than normal. I don't have a clue why I'm so different from day to day. As a result, it can take anywhere from 1 to 15 minutes to get erect, plus the 10 minutes of therapy time.

One other thing... I have tried several different gel lubricants and found that the lubricant Augusta Medical sells has a thicker consistency, making it easier to get a good seal.


Hope this helps...
Shawn

A few more comments about the Encore (And i checked thru a lot of previous old posts and did not see this anywhere). I think it will be of particular help for pumpnoobs.

First, about electric vs manual. I could see a BIG advantage of the electric is that it can be run with one hand -- I assume with manual you have to hold the tube steady with one hand and pump with the other. The electric is nice because it frees up my left hand to hold down scrotal skin from getting sucked up -- although I dunno if it is a real problem -- just from reading some of the stories about it happening and I did not want any of that.

One other 'start up' issue for me was this:

When starting pumping up to the first 'stopping point' -- that is where it gets a little uncomfortable to continue more vacuum and Mr Penis is not lengthening anymore, i looked at this sad and short version of my former self and said "What the heck is this -- is that ALL ??" (The directions do mention if you have not had an erection in a year to pump and hold 15 second and repeat that way as a way of practicing -- but hey .. not my problem).

What worked for me was to pump until i saw no further length movement.
Then did some 5-10 fake kegels (you know the kind where you attempt to flex/pump your penis to stay hard when it is going soft--but never really works right?).
(Updated 03/14/2009)
Now that I am a real PRO at this I want to amend this a tiny bit.

After the flexings you just continue again with the pumping a little more -- I now have it down to about 5 mins or less to get to the max. So I guess even those two short weeks of no stretching after surgery were enough to make it 'less flexible'. I wouod imagine a longer period of non-inflation would make it tougher still to get back up to your old length.

So far The Pump is the only game in town as far as penetration quality erections go -- meds are not doing much yet (at 5 weeks post).

Also i am not sure if it was pointed out that NO ring is needed with Encore if you are just rehabbing and not planning on holding onto the erection (so to speak!) afterwards. I think that is a comfort factor over say the Vacuret that does require a ring all the time (although the encore tube by itself does dig down pretty deep into the pubic bone area - but not a real problem).

I have been usually using the rings (two) for IC but for a rehab-only I might go without it.

Your Mileage may vary ..

Jim

Thanks, Carver, I appreciate the info. You are one of the lucky ones not to have the leakage issue. I thought mine was decreasing but am not too sure at this point. Still control at night but its during the day that is the worst especially if I drink fluids. I've noticed several other guys haven't had much leakage problem - I just don't understand why mine is continuing but the Dr said it was normal. Anywhere from 2-3 months up to a year before full control. I wouldn't mind slight leakage but the flowing at times is sure getting to be depressing. I just want it to stop!

Take care and thanks again

carver said...
http://www.firmastore.com/

Check out the constrictor bands. They are basically rubber bands.

I found that the rings stretch out quickly after a couple of uses and the erection is not maintained. They are less expensive too!

I did not have a urine leakage problem after my RP but I would think that the bands would stop any urine leakage too!

Best wishes, Al

Thanks for the clarification, James, I appreciate it. I guess I am just too anxious for wanting everything to go back to pre surgery status.

Joe

James C. said...
Joe, I think maybe carver is talking about controlling urine leakage during sex. If I'm wrong, he can correct me. You see, lots of men initially have trouble with spurting urine while having an orgasm or when intensely stimulated after a RRP. It takes a while for us to figure how to clamp down and for our muscles, spinchter and such to regain tight control, so rings are used to keep the erection up and at the same time keep the urine stopped.

As an aside, I got a package of rings and applicator that would allow me to apply a ring at such time that I no longer needed a pump for erections, if I could get one but not keep one up. These rings will fit on almost any pump and offer a very good, comfortable and tight control. When stretched, they go back to original size and last a good lon time. Something you and others may be interested in.

www.vitalitymedical.com/Product/Encore-Impo-Aid-Ring-Kit-OTC-44023001.html

Sorry for busting into this, but I received a pump through insurance. It came with the rings that were shown on the site posted.

Without the pump, I don't have erections, but junior is showing some signs of life sometimes in the early morning hours.

My question is; How do these rings get put on? I have a good fight on my hands strecthing them out large enough to go on and junior isn't going to win any size contest anytime soon. Also, there's no cooperation concerning hair and the rings.

Junior works when I want him to, but that's sans an erection that doesn't do ML much good. Since I'm almost a year out, is that "Normal"

Billy

Hi there Honesguy..
welcome to the other side .
I have tied couple of those pumps ...at first went with the Obson erect aid that was the extremely expensive one ... and return it as my Insurance did not cover it as well .. BUT i found after research that the one by Augusta Medical is the one that is most similar to the Obson one and comes with all the Lubs and rings for just $105 which is a fraction of the price

here is the link .. i am using it for over a year and i am very happy with the results ... i use the rings just to "train" the vessels to keep the blood in the penis ....

you are in the VERY early stages ... it takes alot of Patience and work ... i started to see real improvemnets 10 to 12 months out and sems like your recovery is on the right track and you should see results soon ..
good Luck
check this out ..
http://www.vitalitymedical.com/Product/Augusta-Medical-Elite-Custom-Manual-Operation-Vacuum-Erection-Device-15020.html

GB

mlbsm, Billy,

If I understand you correctly, you are saying you need the pump for erections, but may be having trouble applying the rings? If so, the rings aren't placed on the penis with the hands but there is probably some cone shaped device with your pump. The ring is rolled onto the cone shaped device and the device is then inserted into the end of the pump and the ring rolled, or otherwise moved off the device onto the pump end. You then pump up, and while holding a vacuum to keep the blood inside the penis, roll the ring off the pump onto the vacuumed and erect penis. If I misunderstood, I apologize for writing what you already knew... The second link I posted, for the rings and applicator device is for people who can attain an erection without pumps, like with pills, etc, but can't keep it and need them to keep it up. As far as what is normal at 10 months or 2 years, who knows....?
I'm almost 18 months and have nothing to show, even with very aggressive rehab with pumps, pills and pricks (injections). The most I can say is it might start shortly or maybe not. Hope for the best and keep working at it. The longer it takes, then the more important it is to continue a full course of therepy..