Friday, June 8, 2007

Post Op Irritation and Pain





Hello Readers:
I'd like to talk about Post Op pain. In the past couple of days, I've sent and received email with three concerning tenderness and pain in the scrotal sack wall and testicle in the same side as the pump sits. The new pump is smaller and my implant along with one of the gentlemen I wrote to, is also using the new pump. When you are implanted, expect a great deal of swelling in your scrotum after your surgery. I described mine as a small grapfruit hanging between my legs. Unless you have a large, low hanging scrotum, there isn't a lot of room in each chamber of the scrotum. In my case the pump and testicle don't have a lot of room to coexist, thus there is irritation to the testicle as well as the sides of the scrotum from over crowding. I'm on testosterone replacement and had a vasectomy 20 years ago because I no longer want to father any more children. Knowing what I know now, I replied to one of the recent implantees that maybe I would have been better off having my doctor remove one of my testicles freeing up space for my implant pump. It's not as if I need my testicles anymore. I don't need sperm and I'm on testosterone replacement because my testicles quit working like they should years ago. To remove a testicle, all the surgeon has to do is tie off and cut the neuro vascular bundle and remove the testicle from the scrotum. If you are considering implantation surgery and your situation is similar to mine, you might want to talk it over with your doctor about having a testicle removed as part of the implantation procedure and putting in the pump in its place. Nobody could tell that you have a pump from an implant rather than a testicle. And if the testicle is no longer useful to you, why miss it. I think with my experience and that of three other men, that I would not have such tenderness and pain in my scrotum now, if I had freed up space and had a testicle removed. Just food for thought. Take care guys.Bob

6 comments:

  1. My husband had testicular seminoma in 1990 that required the loss of one testicle and a heavy course of radiation. After 17 years of making the rounds through all the different treatments (vacuum, shots, pills) he elected to have a Coloplast Titan installed on April 26, 2007. We made jokes both before and after the surgery that he had a ready-made pouch for his pump, having lost that right testicle years ago. The pump is slightly smaller but I cannot imagine anyone in a YMCA locker room noticing any difference.

    As for post-op pain, my husband has followed his urologist's instructions to the letter and he says that he was finally free of all pain after about 2 weeks - his job requires he sit for 3-4 hours at a time and that was the most difficult pain for him to overcome. We still continue to do twice-daily massages over the pubic incision to increase blood flow to the incision area and at his doctor's advice, he cycles his pump at least 4 times daily, leaving the erection for at least 10 minutes, tugging and pulling the penis gently to encourage the length to return.

    That having been said, there are several other issues we, as a couple, would like to discuss, should anyone wish to further the dialog of expectation versus reality, adjustment period and radical loss of length.

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  2. I am considering having a penile implant. After prostate radiation I am unable to get an erection. What happens to the penis size, both length and girth? The doctor states that the girth will increase but the length will decrease; the length being only the stretched length of the penis.

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  3. I had a penile transplant only 5 days ago and I am black and blue. Talk about a shiner. I am learning to get along with the pain and I have been using ice packs and pain pills to help. They have. I am keeping posted to others' comments; what better mental therapy could there be?

    I will post again within another 5 days. So far I am pleased that I have confronted this as I couldn't bear another few years without trying to get a normal life! If it fails I at least gave the attempt.

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  4. Just one comment about removing a testicle. I've had this done (2x) and the best way to do this is not to cut anywhere near the testicle itself. The cord / nerve bundle all to often dangles and or tries to attach to something causing chronic pain. If you MUST remove a testicle I think the best advice is cut high

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  5. hi my husband had a implant 6 weeks ago, is it normal for it still to be very sore, he has a slight bend and it is still very tender, he cant even wear jeans!as it pushes on the bend, is this normal and if it is how long will it take to recover?

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  6. I hope someone is still reading this Blog. Anon. said her husband had pain and a curve in his penis at 6 weeks. I am at the same point [2 wks] and have pain and a curve. When inflated the curve is less noticable but still there, My pain is on the left side from the insion up the shaft. Very irritating and some nites prevents sleep.
    I was told I have a Coloplast Titan, but the relase device takes two fingers rather than one,as the current model is advertised. I'd like any info on the above. Please post.

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