VED's - Vacuum Erection Devices

[Old Man]

ashen311:

The main difference between the Soma STF and the Vitality OTC unit is the meaning of OTC. OTC, of course means over the counter and does not require an RX to get one. The Soma STF has to prescribed by a doctor to be purchased. Both are basically the same unit except for maybe some differences in the warranties of each.

The Vitality OTC three cylinder model is of a good durable medical quality and works equally as well as the Soma STF. Size is an acronym that simply means sized to fit hence the three cylinders. The Vitality model is designed more for a utility model VED that works well for both erectile dysfunction and for peyronies disease symptoms.

Hope this helps you better understand the differences between the two VEDs. The Vitality is the weapon of choice of a goodly number of guys on the forum. Look for their posts in the various topics that discuss the use of VEDs especially those containing the procotol for using the VED.

Old Man

[Old Man]

jimifan:
A single cylinder model VED can and will work just as good for ED and Peyronies Disease symptoms as a three cylinder model. You just have to adapt a protocol that can be used with only the one cylinder. JackP has posted a protocol for using a single cylinder VED elsewhere on the forum. It is one that I developed for him when he was having serious problems with using the VED.

He saved it for future use and has now posted it on the forum. Hopefully, he will read this post and post the link where he added it to the VED subject. If not, look for it under the area where the VEDs and other related topics are shown on the home page of the forum.

It worked successfully for me in my early Peyronies Disease days before the 3 cylinder model VEDs hit the market. He was successful in using the one cylinder model to help with his problems.

Old Man

Edit: See the later post from JackP stating to look at an earlier post of his.

[jackp]

Old Man /jimifan

It is the single cylinder post at the bottom of the VED board.

I will copy it and send it to you in a PM.

Any questions, just ask glad to help.

Jackp

[cowboyfood]

Soma Erect STF?  Vitality?  Something else?

I have an indentation and use the Vitality VED.  And, I'm very pleased with it.  It's easy to use and seems to be a high quality device.  I know that another member, JackieO, began using the Vitality the same time as me and I believe he is very satisfied with it.

CF

[Ashen]

Thanks for the response's Old Man and cowboyfood.  I think I will go with ordering the Vitality, especially since I won't have to jump through hoops to get a prescription for it.

Where is the best place to order the Vitality ved from?  So far I have found www.vedsystems.com

[Old Man]

ashen311:

The source you listed in your post below is for a one cylinder VED. You want to get the three cylinder model Vitality OTC. It is available from this source:   www.fitzz.com

Open the home page for this source, locate the shop by manufacture space in the upper right hand corner, locate the Augusta Medical Systems from the drop down window and click on that name. Look for the Vitality three cylinder model when their page comes up, etc. Mention the word TEAM in your on line or phone order and you will get a discount from the company. You want this model: Vitality OTC three cylinder model which works for both ED and Peyronies Disease symptoms. It only costs a few bucks more, but has all the items you will need for your therapy protocol.

Since you are going for the three cylinder model, you will want to follow the 26 week protocol for three cylinder VEDs listed in the VED section of the boards.

Have any questions, let us know.

Old Man

[Ashen]

Thanks again, and also for all you contribute to this community.  It's greatly appreciated.

[skunkworks]

If you do order from fitzz, email this guy mark@fitzz.com.au as soon as you have ordered. There was a two week delay on my order being shipped, it was only shipped after I emailed him direct. No apology either.

[SimonBart]

I've been using my new VED for just over 2 weeks now. First week was to get a feel for how it all worked. Second week started the 26 week program. Part way through week 3 now.

Quick question:
When I release the pressure after each cycle, my erection almost immediately goes down. Is this normal?
I am approaching this as an exercise.....so I'm not thinking about sex.....so I'm not naturally aroused at all.
When I remove the device....I have a large flaccid penis.....but definitely not hard.

Other then that....everything seems to be going fine. I am hoping that I will start to see improvements after a couple of months.

[Old Man]

SimonBart:

Yes, your penis will usually deflate after pumping in the exercise cycles. (Just be sure to hold the VED cylinder mouth firmly against your body to keep a good tight seal.) The real younger guys do get an erection while using the VED and their penis will not deflate after the exercises. This also might indicate that you have a venous leakage problem.

You should try to get a natural erection and hold it up long enough to determine if it deflates quickly or if you can perform, etc. Most guys in their middle life begin to get venous leakage based on how sexually active they have been during their earlier lives. Mine started at about age 55 and continued on until today. After a radical prostatectomy, the VED proved to be the weapon of choice for erections for me. It works great with no side effects as caused by the ED pills in a lot of cases.

So, be sure to check out the venous leakage thing to determine if you do have the problem. Otherwise, don't worry about your penis deflating after the VED therapy exercises, as this is normal for most guys.

Hope this helps, regards, Old Man

[skunkworks]

hmm, naltrexone had started giving me great morning and nocturnal erections.

Have used VED for three days now, erections have stopped. I thought I was being quite conservative about hte pressure, does this sound like something that could be caused by using too much pressure?

[jackp]

skunkworks

I was curious about the side effects of naltesone so I googled it.

This is just part of what I found.

Loss of appetite, diarrhea, constipation, increased thirst, increased energy, feeling down, irritability, dizziness, skin rash, delayed ejaculation, decreased potency, and chills.

Be careful this can be mean stuff.

As for the VED just continue the protocol it takes time for it to work.

Jackp

[skunkworks]

Those sound like the potential side effects of full dose naltrexone, from what I remember. Low dose naltrexone is quite different, pretty much every male who is on it has commented on the intense morning erections it gives.

[skunkworks]

I was searching around for an answer to this question, and found this post by Pete

My uro had proposed VED-therapy. He said to me not to worry about it, it was a bit scar tissue because of masturbation friction orso, and that my age (28), the scar would be able to stretch just fine. And at that point things seemed to worsen. After i have used the VED, i cannot have an erection for a day orso, because it takes away 'all feeling', there is 'total numbness' after using it. I can also induce only a minor erection with it before it's starting to hurt. I have never pushed beyond the pain limits, but nonetheless i have seemed to have caused some permanent damage. The erection became back after rusing the VED, but is weaker than before. Do some guys recognize this? Should i keep using the VED despite of the numbness and lack of spontaneous erection after using it? Could VED induce nerve damage?

I have the same issue. The VED took away the good morning erections that LDN had brought on, but in my case the numb feeling is only slight. I can still manually get an erection, which does not subside.

[skunkworks]

Also what do you guys think of this?

http://www.peyroniesassociation.org/x.php?p=Ask_the_Doctor,Archived_Answers#QCG

The 3-cylinder (SOMA) vacuum device has been recommended as a non-surgical treatment for Peyronie's disease.  My personal approach has been to start with the largest cylinder so as to accommodate the curvature when it first presents.  As the curvature and deformity responds to the pressures created by the vacuum tube, one should progressively go to the middle and then the smallest of the caliber cylinders.  I typically recommend that this progression occur after at least one month of use of each cylinder, which should be applied for 20-30 minutes at least once, but possibly better 2-3 times per day.   There is no need to apply the constriction band.  I recommend that the pressure be maintained throughout the 20-30 minute treatment period rather than using a repetitive inflate/deflate process.  It seems to me the effects of traction are best transmitted with prolonged application rather than with intermittent application.  So far there are no published reports showing benefit with traction therapy, but hopefully a formal trial will be conducted in the near future which will provide better insight as to whether vacuum therapy really works to correct Peyronies Disease deformity.

The key is that the device needs to be applied daily for no longer than 30 minutes per treatment, but these treatments can be done 2-3 times per day if the time is available to do so.

[cowboyfood]

Also what do you guys think of this?

I believe this particular advice has been discussed at length by many.  IMO, the forum's consensus is to use the 3-cylinder protocol listed in the forum's VED section.  

In fact, it might be a unanimous consensus.

CF

[skunkworks]

Ok I have done some digging, and this is what I have found. The people who created the current 3 cylinder protocol, were about to change it due to recommendations from Dr Levine before that website went down. They were the ones running the trial for the 3 cylinder VED.

http://web.archive.org/web/20080513141658/www.vacuumtherapy.org/extras.html

NEW PROTOCOL!
We will shortly be posting a new treatment protocol from leading Peyronie's researcher Dr. Laurence A. Levine. It takes a different approach to cylinder usage from the Spivey protocol and will be mentioned in several sessions of the upcoming AUA conference in Atlanta, May 20th. The protocol data is being assembled and details will e posted here as soon as they are available.

I think this is very important information, especially since the member on this forum who has had the best result from the VED, was using a single cylinder VED during the first part of his treatment.

I think we really need to find some way of getting in touch with Dr Levine to find out what the new treatment protocol was going to be.  

[cowboyfood]

skunkworks,

After looking at page you linked, I do not believe the site is attributing the "New Protocol" remarks to Chris Spivey.  Although at first glance, one could easily make that assumption.

I've seen some of the remarks which are located on that page, before and after the "new protocol" section, attributed to Spivey.  I'm willing to bet that the web page's author inserted the "new protocol" section, and is NOT attributing the remarks to Spivey.

Do some more "digging" on this site.  I think the "whys" of the 3-cylinder approach with a protocol similar to Spivey's protocol is well-documented on our forum.  The Levine suggestion is fairly "stale."

CF

[skunkworks]

At the moment we are using a protocol based on nothing but anecdotal evidence. If that is all we have, then that is fine. I am doing exactly what is recommended on this thread and others, following it to the letter in fact. But I am still going to try and find out more information, and hopefully proof about what is the best way to use a VED.

I am hoping to get some information from another source about the 3 cylinder study that may or may not have been completed, which should shed more light on the matter.

In my mind it comes down to who might have the most useful information. If the 3 cylinder study was completed, then Chris Spivy would most likely have the most useful information. If it was not, the Dr Levine would most likely have the most useful information due to his very large patient base, which in itself would be something of a never ending study of treatment effectiveness.

Yes you are right I did assume that the site was connected to Chris Spivey which looks to be a mistake. Can't find any email address for the Birmingham Urological Society, have a telephone number and address if someone in the US would care to give them a call about the 3 cylinder study:

Birmingham Urological Associates
1915 E 14 Mile Rd
Birmingham, MI 48009
(248) 642-4474  

[despise]

I am interested in using a VED but It's hard for me to understand how to make one.

Here is a fairly priced ($72 plus shipping) and high-quality penis pump cylinder (many sizes, but not graduated like SomaCorrect). Note that they also sell the connecting couplers for the tubing:

http://www.stockroom.com/pumps.htm

Here is their FAQ about pumping (fairly well written; semi-accurate):

http://www.stockroom.com/suction-faq.htm#09

Here is a link to a typical handpump via the internet (less than half the price of most sex-toy vendors):

http://secure.sciencecompany.com/Vacuum-Pump-with-Pressure-Gauge-P6489C692.aspx

The total expenditures can come to about $120. Not bad to get going with something that can be controlled and moderated carefully (using the guage on the pump).>>>>


Could I buy the cylinder from stockroom and the pump from secure.sciencompany? Would I also need - "This male coupler can be pushed in to attach the pump hose to the cylinder. Compatible with most major brands of cylinders." That they advertise on the stockroom site to connect the pump to the cylinder? And would that be it?

[Old Man]

skunkworks:

Read your post about the Birmingham study of the three cylinder model VEDs. I have tried many times to contact that group to get a copy of their results of the study.

To date, have received no answer from them. BTW, Chris Spivey is a lady who is charge of the study as far as I know. Have tried to contact her personally, but no luck there either. There was a web site connected with the study originally, but I don't think it is still up and running either.
So, as far as I know, there seems to be no way to get any results from a three cylinder study for the three cylinder VEDs. We are just using the protocol that was developed by the Augusta Medical Systems for the old Somacorrect VED that was taken off the market due to some quirk of regulations by the FDA here in the USA.

The Soma STF VED was placed on the market as a result of that problem. In addition, they also started marketing the Vitality model VEDs which are basically the same as the Somacorrect which was supposed to be marketed for Peyronies Disease therapy. So go figure = who knows. The 26 week protocol is the only therapy that seems to work best for a lot of guys on and off the forum. I know that is has helped many of my friends who have used it.


Old Man

[Old Man]

despise:

Tim468, Angus and several others on the forum have made their own VEDs. Hopefully, they will see your post and give your some information on how they built theirs and how you can make you one as well as where they bought their supplies.

There are several posts somewhere in the main forum boards that list how they made theirs, but at the moment, I cannot find them. You might do a search and see if you can find those.

Old Man

[Ashen]

So yesterday I received my Vitality Plus.  It only came with 2 cylinders though despite it saying there should be 3.  I have contacted Fitz but have not heard anything back yet.

My packing slip only listed the following 2 cylinders:

Style A Cylinder for Vitality Vacuum Therapy Systems (1 1/2" Diameter)
Style B Cylinder for Vitality Vacuum Therapy Systems (1 3/4" Diameter)

For those that ordered the Vitality Plus did you receive 2 or 3 cylinders?

I wanted to start using it but now it seems like things may be put on hold.

[Old Man]

ashen311;

Just read your post about the improper shipment from Fitzz of your VED. I called the Fitzz company and talked with their general manager. He stated they had gotten your request about the missing cylinder. He checked your order, found the cylinder was missing and the shipment of the correct one was handled and shipped to you today, 10/22/09.

He apologized for the problem and said he would check his shipping department to determine why shipment are going out wrong. They have some new personnel in the shipping department and probably did not check the order thorough enough.

Anyway, you should have the correct cylinder soon. BTW, the package normally comes with three cylinders as stated on the web site - A is the smallest, B is the medium and C is the largest. The Fitzz company builds the Vitality three cylinder model VED package from a standard erectile dysfunction package by adding the other cylinders and retainer rings, etc. What happend in your case was that the B medium cylinder got left out of the package by accident.

Let me know if you do not get the correct cylinders soon.

Old Man

[Ashen]

Once again thank you Old Man.  They have emailed me back stating that the missing cylinder is on its way out.

Thanks so much!

[despise]

despise:

Tim468, Angus and several others on the forum have made their own VEDs. Hopefully, they will see your post and give your some information on how they built theirs and how you can make you one as well as where they bought their supplies.

There are several posts somewhere in the main forum boards that list how they made theirs, but at the moment, I cannot find them. You might do a search and see if you can find those.

Old Man

Ok well I read the post that Angus made about how he made his and to be honest it was to confusing for me. So it just might be easier if I buy my own. I thought what I copied and paste was a cheap way of buying the parts separate and combining them.  

[bummedout]

was wondering if anyone tried this out

http://peyronies-disease-help.com/penis-stretching.html

Also, I haven't posted my monthly results lately because I stopped using the VED, mostly because I've been having real sex with a girl instead of a cylinder.  And although I have managed to have intercourse, I still have had no improvement in my condition.  Right now I'm mostly in the process of just trying to figure out how psychologically I'm gonna deal with this the rest of my life.  I'm thinking about it too much, keeping me distracted from other things in life.  Using the VED everyday just really isn't practical, especially when I'm still not even sure if I'm doing the exercises right, and that there is no assurance when and if it will work.  I haven't given up, just contemplating things.  Anyway, just thought I share some thoughts.

Go Yanks.

bummed

[jackp]

bummedout

Manual penile stretching does not work. If it did I would have a "big one".

A quick look at the link posted and IMHO it is designed to sell you there products.

Proper VED exercise works. It takes time and commitment. Usually 3-6 months to see results. The VED will help keep your penis healthy in ways manual stretching will not.

Many on this forum have had excellent results with the VED. To read mine see My History at the bottom of this post.

Jackp

[skunkworks]

Bumed - that is pretty much just an unsubstantiated sales page. Real traction devices do have one completed study at least backing them up. These people have very little, looks like they made that 'study' up on the spot.

[bummedout]

ok, this is what I figured, just thought I'd ask

[Pete28]

I've read the following concerning the use of penis pumps on the internet:

'They also tend to thin out the penis, making it very weak and reducing the duration of erections.'

Could this really happen? I thought the effect was just it makes the erection stonger and longer in duration. What's the scientific base on this? Or is it just nonsense in order to promote other penis enlargement stuff?

[jackp]

Pete28

That is nonsense. Just trying to promote something else.

Jackp

[skunkworks]

Well I just discovered some penis measurements I took quite a while back (for vanity reasons I suspect).

Compared them to current measurements and the news is not all bad.

I have lost some length, but no girth!!!

So as I know where I was before Peyronie's, I have a great opportunity to properly gauge the VED and its effectiveness in restoring lost length. Then after that if it can actually give length (while used in the same non-aggressive manner).

[Jackieo]

skunkworks:  Great news!
And, glad to see that you are giving credit to both the use of the VED and to supplements (Pentox, etc).
It is a crazy combination that seems to work.  
I have gained my girth back as well as most of the lost length....still working on a slight "bend".  I did a measured drawing back in May...it has been excellent at showing me what is really happening month to month.
I hope you have continued improvement. JackieO

[despise]

Can anyone help me out and guide me to what VED I should buy? And how to use it? I have noticed I have lost some length and I am having trouble with my sexual performance. I'm only 18 so there's no way im going to let this continue. Doing anything and everything I can to get this disease better and I believe in physical therapy a lot more than oral, such as hypothermia and massaging the peyronies. Help would be greatly appreciated guys! =]

[jackp]

despise

Send Old Man a PM he is the best with the VED.

Jackp

[skunkworks]

Despise most on here recommend the 3 cylinder Vitality package, from a website called fitzz. Google that and you will find it no problems. No need for a prescription either.

http://www.google.com/search?q=3+cylinder+fitzz&sourceid=navclient-ff&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1B3GGGL_enAU295AU296

Result 1 is this site, result two is the website you should check out.

[skunkworks]

Jackieo:

Actually I have only really used the VED for two weeks, more as practice so I would not think any success so far is due to the VED. I am cautiously optimistic now though.

I think that maybe I got on pentox and some quality erection boosters early enough that I may have saved myself from a lot more damage. Pentox stopped the actual process, erection boosters keep sending in good amounts of oxygenated blood for healing, the erections themselves keep stretching the penis. Hopefully VED will be the last piece in the puzzle and help me regain that lost bit of length.

[despise]

despise

Send Old Man a PM he is the best with the VED.

Jackp

Thank you Jackp!

[despise]

Despise most on here recommend the 3 cylinder Vitality package, from a website called fitzz. Google that and you will find it no problems. No need for a prescription either.

http://www.google.com/search?q=3+cylinder+fitzz&sourceid=navclient-ff&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1B3GGGL_enAU295AU296

Result 1 is this site, result two is the website you should check out.

Thank you once again skunk!

[shrout]

Hi

I've been offered surgery, but I'm reluctant to take it until I've ruled out once and for all the possibility that VED therapy could make a real difference in my case. I've tried the protocol as recommended on this site but with only small and temporary benefits. To me it seemed to require too little time with the penis stretched/engorged to have any chance of working. It didn't for me, but obviously has for some.

My uro has given me another far more rigorous regime ( six cycles of 1 minute pumping up followed by a 4 minute hold, twice a day. i.e. two 30 minute sessions, for 6 months ). I tried this and only lasted for less than a week. My penis got too sore. Probably I was pumping too hard. Another problem was that I found it well nigh impossible to hold the vacuum for 4 minutes. The air just gradually seeped out and I had to re-pump, and eventually I just completely lost the discipline. So I gave up on it.

Anyway, my question is.... does anyone else follow this or a similar regime? If so, how do you manage to hold the vacuum for long periods without the air seeping out? Is there a knack to it? I'd really appreciate any advice because I want to follow this regime, and I feel that if I can get it right it stands a chance of working. The only alternative the way I am right now is to pray for a miracle breakthrough with xiaflex, or surgery. Thanks.

[Old Man]

shrout:

I totally disagree with the regimen that your uro put you on with the VED. The time elements he proposes is just way too much "trauma" on your penis. The 26 week protocol is based on one of the best treatments that so far has shown any good results. VED therapy just does not work for all guys, so keep that in mind. You may be one of those who do not see good results.

However, I highly recommend that you resume the 26 week course and this time be sure to use plenty of lubricant inside the mouth of the cylinder(s) and also on up into the cylinder. In addition, use plenty on the shaft of your penis. Have you tried trimming off the pubic hair around the base of your shaft? It not, you might shave off enough of it to allow for a clean surface for the mouth of the cylinder to work against. The lubricant provides a slippery surface for the shaft to slide easily into and out of the mouth of the cylinder as well as providing a seal so that the vacuum pressure is not lost when pumping up. VED therapy takes a bit of practice to get the hang of the right procedure.

Try doing several things different from what you have been doing, especially the lubricant thing. I have found when working with guys that they are reluctant to use enough lube to get the best results.

If there is anything that any of the VED users on the forum can do to help, feel free to ask questions. There are many guys using the VED therapy and surely some have other suggestions to offer for you.

Old Man

[cowboyfood]

Old Man,

I agree with you.

Based on my experience during my first 6 months of VED usage, shrout's uro sounds like he doesn't have much experience with a VED....four minutes sounds pretty rough.

I found trimming the hair necessary or else negative pressure escapes.  

I get the impression that some are expecting results too soon...IMO, you should focus on getting into a routine of daily VED usage and using the VED correctly.  This in itself takes some time...think of it as going on a diet...many have to "start over' because they either did not follow the diet on a regular basis or conducted the diet improperly.

Then, once a person is committed and performing the cycles appropriately, they should sit back for a while and not worry to much about improvement becoming noticeable immediately.  For me, one of the first improvements I noticed had nothing to do with deforminty reversal, but had to do with the quality of my erections (improved).  I can't say for sure whether the VED or my improved psychological state of mind caused the good erections; but, I know the VED itself improved me psychologically.  

So, either directly or indirectly, I believe the VED helped me with erections.

CF

[skunkworks]

Were you very cautious with pressure at the start CBF?

I just took two weeks off from using the VED because I think I was not cautious enough. I started waking up without an erection, even when I had taken cialis before bed.

Now whatever I did seems to have healed, so I will be starting again very cautiously.

Everyone told me less is more beforehand, but I did not realize just how careful we need to be.

Very glad to hear VED helped you with erections.  

[jackp]

I agree the doctor has you causing too much trauma to your penis. I also thought more was better before I got in touch with Old Man.

I ruptured a blood vessel and it took a while to heal. That is when I found the forum and started doing what Old Man suggested.

Trimming hair helps hold pressure with plenty of lube.

A tip on lube. Go to Walmart and get the store brand. It is cheap and works just as well as the name brand.

Jackp

[Angus]

  Four minutes is too long, and you had too much vacuum. Please go back to the 26 week protocol. The VED teaches patience. This is not a quick fix. A year, year and a half is not un-common for results and improvement. You have got to give the VED time, and lots of it. I'm sure your doc is trying to help, but in this case he's trying to re-invent the wheel.

[skunkworks]

I ruptured a blood vessel and it took a while to heal. That is when I found the forum and started doing what Old Man suggested.

How long did it take to heal Jackp?

[shrout]

Thanks for your replies, your opinions and advice

It's actually something of a relief that you regard the regime I was given as inappropriate. The dedication required to perform it for 6 months would have been quite arduous. It sounds like you believe it might actually have been harmful, so that's also a relief. The uro concerned works in one of the UK's top teaching hospitals, UCH in London, so he's no mug. But as you say, it doesn't necessarily mean he's a Peyronies expert, still less an expert on the use of the VED. You guys have walked the walk.

I am going to give the VED another go. Hopefully I'll be able to follow the recommended protocol to the letter, or possibly adapt it somewhat if necessary. But if there are no clear signs of improvement after 26 weeks I'll consider calling it a day there. As you say OM, there are some guys who it just doesn't work for, and I may be one of them.  If necessary I''ll try using more lube. But I don't have any difficulty maintaining a vacuum for the much shorter holds this site's protocol recommends, so I've never found it necessary to trim the pubic hair.

Once again, thanks all for your advice and encouragement.  

[jackp]

SW

It took about 4 weeks to heal. I went to the doctor and he gave a cream to put on it and it helped a lot.

Jackp

[olddog]

OK, this is embarrassing, but I have an Augusta Medical with the 3 cylinders from Fitzz, and I'm darned if I can see how it goes together for the small cylinders.

Can someone please advise?

Parts are:

1 manual pump with O ring, large diameter, will only mate with the largest cylinder
1 large cylinder, the only one that mates with the actual pump. (Call it "C")
1 medium cylinder ("B")
1 small cylinder ("A")
Two rubber donut-like sizing adapters; one small and one large

As noted, the large cylinder is the only one to actually mate with the pump using an O ring and twist lock, so I'm figuring from that and some comments that to use the smaller cylinders you nest them inside the large one.

But how to do it and retain a vacuum is escaping me.

Neither small cylinder nor medium will mate directly with the pump.

Inserting either medium or small directly in the large won't work ... no seal and it just falls in.  So clearly the two black seals are meant to assist in the nesting.  But ...

1. Using the large rubber donut  in the base of the large "C" tube, then and inserting the medium "B" tube in the donut is a bad force fit ... the "B" cylinder won't slide in easily.  And besides, the "B" tube has 3 longitudinal ribs on the outside that will break the air seal.
2.  By itself the small rubber donut just falls into the large "C" tube.  But the small rubber donut **will** nest in the large donut.  This will allow the "A" small tube to be inserted, but it too feels like a bad force fit, and also has those longitudinal stripes that will probably break a vacuum seal.

So how does this &**&(^&*^* thing go together?  "C" looks just fine, but from what I read that's for late in the protocol; I need to get A and B to work.  And at least the way I'm fitting them, they are too tight to fit inside the donuts then inside the big "C" cylinder.

Ideas?  Pictures?  I'm sure it's something obvious I'm missing.