To Pump, Or Not To Pump?… THAT, is the question!…
I’ve been getting this question A LOT, so I just decided to type it once here and just link folk to this posting because it’s not necessarily a one sentence answer. There are quite a few factors that went into my decision making process. And understandably so!
I never thought I would get the semi rigid when I first started my personal research into this process in 2005. Yes, 2005. Actually it wasn’t until only about 4 months ago that I experienced 180° turn in terms of my implant desires. Up until then I didn’t really fully relate to or understand how anyone would think it was the ideal choice to go with the rod if they had the option of choosing the pump. Logically I understood the idea of not wanting to have to replace it every so often with future surgery, but the idea of future surgery seemed well worth it to have a “naturally” soft penis when I wasn’t having sex or aroused. However, I’ve always had a really strong desire to have two symmetrical testicles which, with the pump is not an option. I know some people have questioned whether two testicular implants as well as the pump bulb might all fit into the scrotum. It’s worth noting however, that the UK found that one of the leading causes of pump failure was the scrotum being too tight around the pump bulb – and that’s with only one testicular implant! I also was not all that satisfied with the level of fullness that my penis had when in it’s natural flaccid state which the pump would allow it to be in the vast amount of the time when I wasn’t erect. I’m a very lean guy with thin arms which equates to not much fat in my penis. After trying a fat grafting procedure in June 2016, 4 months post stage 1 and the fat being completely absorbed by my body within a month’s time, I felt like the rod was just going to meet more of my needs. I LOVED how fat/full/thick my penis was right after the fat grafting and that experience made me realize that I would be a whole lot happier with my penis if it always had that level of fullness.
The main reason I went with the rod was because I wanted to have a larger appearing package all the time, first and foremost. And not only just in terms of appearance, but what I would touch and interact with when I reached into my pants. I’ve never been a size queen, but always when imagining my body after finishing all stages of phallo, I absolutely did picture myself having at least a mildly visible bulge in my pants, and I really didn’t have that once the initial stage-one post-op swelling went down. Maybe that would have changed a bit with the introduction of testicular implants but I also wanted the shaft to not only be more visible but thicker and dense. I just all around wanted more to hang on to.
Now that I have the semi rigid rod and balls I am wildly happy with the profile of my package. No, it’s not as floppy as a flaccid penis, and that has certainly been an adjustment. But I was willing to give up a flaccid, floppy penis if it meant that I would have a larger feeling, more noticeable package. I also was not a fan of the way my flaccid penis felt when it fell down completely between my thighs and just seemed to get lost. Sometimes even when wearing thin/light shorts with the way it fell it just didn’t look like there was much of anything there, even to me, and that was a really dysphoria inducing experience. I can’t say that I’ll never get the pump or that I’ll have this specific implant forever, because I don’t think that I will. In the future I would like to have some version of the pump or, even better, an altogether better/new model that is designed specifically for the anatomy of a neo phallus. It’s just that none of the erectile options right now feel like they could completely 100% meet my needs, and for the interim I knew I needed something to hold me over till there was a more suitable option available for us – which will be who knows when.
I thought I would list out my personally experienced pros and cons to the semi rigid rod. Please keep in mind that 1.) these are my opinions – and 2.) I am still in early recovery from having this device implanted (less than 3 weeks post-op). So these pros and cons could still very well shift as swelling and pain decreases and mobility and healing progresses.
my PROs:
- Fuller, more girthy penis 100% of the time to interact with
- Much more pronounced and visible”profile”
- Less likely to have complications, infections, and mechanical breakdown than any of the inflatable options, giving it a potentially much longer lifespan
- Allows for two symmetrical testicular implants
my CONs:
- At least initial (temporary) audible clicking noise and palpable clicking sensation when changing position of penis
- At least initially not able to sleep on belly while healing
- Potentially might be unable to comfortably lay face down on hard or firm surfaces
- Detaching device at pubic bone connection point is a risk (i.e. sports, falling wrong, a kick in the groin etc.)
- Never being able to experience a flaccid penile state for as long as I have the device
- Not being able to experience the full range of the erectile process
So there’s clearly more cons than pros, however the numbers in one category versus the other wasn’t what allowed me to make my decision. Not to mention that 2 months into healing the scales might tip in the opposite direction with hopefully making the first 3 cons non-issues. In the end it comes down to what your priorities are. What really REALLY matters most to you when it comes to a device, to your everyday state of being, to complication rates, mobility, comfortability, self confidence, etc. When I had this discussion with Dr Chen in August during my phone consult I asked a ton of questions to find out if one device was really better or safer for the penis in the long run. His reply was that wasn’t really a factor in coming to a decision about an erectile device. He said what it’s really more about is which one you feel more excited about. And truly that’s a damn good way of looking at it. This is your dick, and this is your dick with an erection. Which one feels more exciting??? Maybe that’s a really obvious question, but it worked for me. I was more hesitant about the outcome with the inflatable cylinders than I was about a semi rigid rod.
As I said before, this decision is right for me right now, and that could absolutely change down the road. One of the best things that a close friend reminded me of years ago when I was in the midst of making big decisions (that felt permanent at the time but weren’t) was that you just have to make the best decision that feels right for you NOW. And if at some point down the road things don’t feel right, you make another decision. There’s not too much in life (or anywhere for that matter) that’s truly permanent, and thankfully an erectile device isn’t one of them.
I hope this explanation of how I made my decision was helpful to you. If you haven’t read it already and are looking for more more details about what the rod is like, please first take a look at the exhaustively long:
2 Weeks Post-Op Stage 2 (Semi-Rigid Rod & Testicular Implants)
It goes into detail about everything I ever wondered about the semi rigid and testicular implants, and more… And trust me, I wondered a lot… It felt important for me that I make that available to others… So if you have questions, please read that before asking.
Thanks!
MyPhalloplasty 