Peyronies Society Forums

Peyronies Disease TREATMENT Discussion Boards => Vacuum Erection Devices (VEDs) for Peyronie's Disease => Topic started by: Tim468 on June 19, 2006, 12:14:01 PM

Title: VED SOURCES, PRICES, HOME MADE VED
Post by: Tim468 on June 19, 2006, 12:14:01 PM

Some random thoughts and a caution regarding the use of a VED:

I shaved around the base of my penis to effect a better seal with the VED. I discovered that so doing *right* before one applies a vacuum can pull an ooze of blood out of the skin where you just shaved. After a LOT of panic, I realized what had happened, and simply now chose to shave/trim at a time that is at least 6 hours different than when I apply the VED. Shaving does help me get a better seal. So too does using a water based lubricant (such as K-Y, astroglide, Aqua Lube, Wet, Foreplay, or Probe, etc) - vaseline is not as good for the skin IMHO.

Second random thought is that there seem to be two different hypotheses regarding the use of a VED. One use is to improve delivery of blood to the area, and by so doing, reduce inflammatory processes that might flourish under local conditions of hypoxia (low oxygen). Since blood is what carries oxygen to tissue, then it makes some sense that "improving" blood flow would improve oxygenation. A second hypothesis seems to be that it can stretch out tissue that is contracted, and thus preserve length or girth.

Obviously, there are no good data in the literature regarding the VED, or that speak directly to either hypothesis. As a doc, I will say that (based on what I have read) if I reviewed a study with such hypotheses in them I would be tempted to table them for further review, as both hypotheses are sort of "hokey", and not very scientific. But then, neither is my personal hypothesis that has kept me going for a long time, which is "Use it or lose it". I think all of the different VED hypotheses are about as sophisticated as that. Of course, who cares, if it works?

Well, I care! I like what I do to make sense, and so for me the "stretching" hypothesis makes a tad more sense physiologically than does the "hypoxia" hypothesis. That too, is why the use of a stretching device may also make sense (ignore all the "stress realigns the collagen" bunk - I think it is a process of simply stretching out contracted tissue.

Finally, a note for those seeking a "medical quality VED". The markup in the medical field is pretty high, in general, and that rule of thumb seems to apply in this realm also. For instance, the electromotor driven vacuum pump system called Osbon Elite, costs about $450+. The hand pump version of it costs about $350. The chief differentiating quality of these devices (from non-medical brands) is that one can slip a rubber tourniquet off of the end of it and onto the base of the penis. This traps the blood in the penis and allows intercourse for the man with erectile dysfunction.

Since the VED "protocol" we have been suggesting here recommends brief and repeated periods of time under vacuum, AND since applying a tourniquet to the base of the penis may cause injury to that constricted tissue, that particular design is not needed IMHO (unless one plans to use it for erectile dysfunction also, and not just for the "Peyronies Disease protocol"). Thus, a cheaper and good quality tube could work just as well.

Here is what I did:

I ordered a cylinder through a better sex toy company (Good Vibrations). It does not allow me to do a graduated diameter program as described in the "VED protocol", but one could achieve that particular goal by ordering 2-3 different diameter cylinders. Each cylinder is about $45 - $60.

I then ordered a hand pump from a scientific supply store (example: Hand Vacuum Pump with Pressure Gauge (http://secure.sciencecompany.com/Vacuum-Pump-with-Pressure-Gauge-P6489C692.aspx) )

My total cost (with some misc pump attachment hardware to connect the pump tubing to the cylinder) was less than $100.

I pump to a negative pressure of about 120 - 150 mm Hg vacuum (I think  - I am at work, and figure I'd better not run home to check this out!). That gets me hard and just a little bit more, where I start to feel a tug on the stricture points.

Just my two (or more) cents worth. Anyone else with any thoughts on optimal vacuum pressures to use?

Tim
Title: Information on a Home-Constructed VED: Inexpensive, Simple, Safe, & Effective
Post by: Hawk on December 12, 2007, 12:27:11 PM
Many are prohibited from the use of a good VED purchase because of price.  As Angus and Tim have pointed out, it is very feasible to make a home-constructed VED with any diameter tubes you choose.  Thanks to Angus and Tim for making this information available to all our members.  Below you find all the links to the necessary forum information for a home-constructed VED.

It is possible to make a VED at home and you don't have to be rich to buy the parts. I have made VED's for myself that work great and Tim468 has made them as well. They are simple devices with no magic involved in their use. Below is a link to my post from a while back that describes how my VED's were made. All of them are safe to use. Tim has several posts back in this thread dealing with VED construction as well. The bottom line is: If you can't afford the $200US or so for a prescription VED, you can make one at home for a fraction of that amount of money.

Angus


https://www.peyroniesforum.net/index.php/topic,25.msg2539.html#msg2539


<----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------->


Not to promote any vendor over another, but I thought I would mention some possibly affordable ways to create a VED for oneself wiothout spending $450

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).>>>>

Tim
Title: VED conversions by forum members
Post by: souldigger on April 01, 2010, 09:02:11 AM
I was prescribed an Osbon VED after prostate surgery. When I first wanted to start the protocol Old Man advised me to buy the optional smaller opening ring that fits inside the standard one that comes with the Osbon. I did this and tried the protocol but was never that crazy about how it worked.

So I went to Home Depot to look for possible materials to help me improvise. I took along the two rings to see how they might match to some of the PVC tubing or anything available. Here's what I found--

1. Home Depot sells a standard section of PVC tubing that is used for a sink drain. It is about 6 inches long and 1.25 - 1.5 inches in diameter. It fits perfectly inside the small Osbon opening ring. Using that tube has allowed me to experience something like those of you who use the VED that comes with the 3 tubes. I can see how this might make a big difference over the long term.

2. Home Depot also sells a coupling that is used for plumbing applications. This coupling actually appears to be ideal for improvisation with the  Osbon, though I haven't tried it yet. The coupling is made of two sections of PVC that fit together. It is about 7 inches long and will fit inside the Osbon tube. The coupling itself, being made of two diameters of tubing nested together, will provide two additional diameters of tubing similar to those used in the 3 cylinder VED.

Worth a try...
Title: Re: Improvising 3 cylinders with an Osbon
Post by: Angus on April 02, 2010, 09:23:04 PM
 I too made my own VED's with good success. Go easy and see how your system works. I'd really like to read a follow up post on how you're doing when you've had some experience with the system you've come up with.
Title: Re: Converting a Vitality OTC VED for 3-Tube Protocol
Post by: Angus on January 27, 2012, 05:28:26 PM
   Good job, Buckeye... well thought out project. This makes three methods so far posted on the forum for ways to make quality 3-tube VED's without a huge cash outlay. Having made my own VED's years ago, I can confirm that there is no compromise made on the function of home made VED's when compared to medical grade VED's when care is taken during construction.
  This post and thread will eventually become a "sticky" post at the top of the VED forum (meaning it will remain at the top regardless of how many replies are made).
Title: Re: Converting a Vitality OTC VED for 3-Tube Protocol
Post by: shadow on January 28, 2012, 12:47:51 PM
Buckeye...thanks for this.  Nice work!

I'm not sure my e-copy came across in total.

Paragraph 2 reads this way in my copy (I've bolded where the difficulty is:

I was fortunate that there was a distributor 5 miles from me so I was able to go there and buy "cut pieces" – one tube 1 _" I.D. / 1 _" O.D. (I'll call this Tube C) and one 1 _" I.D. / 2" O.D. (Tube B), both about 30" long for about $20 each. (By the way, there is a posting on the forum that states that the sizes of the extra tubes for the $600 version from Augusta are 1 _" and 1 _" I.D.s so that is why I selected those sizes).  I could have purchased shorter length pieces and saved some money, but I got the extra lengths in case I messed up cutting them!

Likewise paragraph 4:

4. The Vitality OTC comes with one tube (I'll call this Tube A) that is 2 _" I.D. at the mouth and tapers down to 1 7/8" I.D. where it connects to the vacuum pump.


It's the underscores that are screwing with me.  Can you clarify those dimensions for me?

Thanks.

S-
Title: Re: Converting a Vitality OTC VED for 3-Tube Protocol
Post by: Angus on January 28, 2012, 03:50:33 PM
Shadow, it looks like the fractions in your copy of the file present as underscores. Here is a copy and paste of that section in text plus the fractions:


"one tube 1 ½" I.D. / 1 ¾" O.D. (I'll call this Tube C) and one 1 ¾" I.D. / 2" O.D. (Tube B), both about 30" long for about $20 each. (By the way, there is a posting on the forum that states that the sizes of the extra tubes for the $600 version from Augusta are 1 ¾" and 1 ½" I.D.s so that is why I selected those sizes)."

Title: Re: Converting a Vitality OTC VED for 3-Tube Protocol
Post by: csp on January 31, 2012, 10:53:05 AM
Is it important to have 3 nested cylinders or 3 different sized tubes with the same end size (like plumbing tubes) would do the trick?

Title: Re: Converting a Vitality OTC VED for 3-Tube Protocol - reply to CSP's question
Post by: Buckeye on January 31, 2012, 03:18:47 PM
CSP...If I understand your question correctly having 3 nested cylinders isn't mandatory if you can find 3 different sized tubes with the same opening at the end that attaches to the pump, (i.e. they would have to be tapered) and that are designed to attach to the vacuum pump. The way the Vitality OTC pump is designed that would be difficult and tapered tubes would have to be specially designed and manufactured significantly increasing the cost. Can anyone else comment? Buckeye
Title: Re: Converting a Vitality OTC VED for 3-Tube Protocol
Post by: csp on January 31, 2012, 04:16:06 PM
Oh, sorry for the misunderstanding. I really need to read more carefully. I haven't noticed that the tube is tapered. Are those little things just below the smaller end of the tube for locking?
Title: Re: Converting a Vitality OTC VED for 3-Tube Protocol - reply to CSP question #2
Post by: Buckeye on January 31, 2012, 05:51:10 PM
CSP - Yes, the purchased cylinder and vacuum pump is designed so that there are interlocking male and female like notches that when you twist the cylinder it tightens and locks against an O-ring to create a seal and attaches the cylinder to the pump. The generic cylinders that I bought are not tapered to fit the pump circumference and there is not a way to attach them. The design I used with the nesting of the cylinders B and C uses the original cylinder A and locking device to maintain the vacuum seal. Buckeye
Title: VED SOURCES, PRICES, HOME MADE
Post by: LWillisjr on March 04, 2016, 06:45:50 PM
To all forum members......

Thanks to Old Man, we have an agreement from Augusta Medical Systems in Augusta, GA USA to provide our forum members a discount on VED purchases. Each member would need to call the company sales rep, tell them they are a member of the Peyronies Disease forum, ask to purchase the OTC one cylinder package and add either one or two cylinders to make up the VED they would want. The price would be much cheaper than the current list price of the SomaErectSTF three cylinder package.

www.augustams.com (http://www.augustams.com)
[Admin update] The discount for forum members is not available online. You must call the Augusta Medical Systems number 1-800-827-8382 ext.1026

We also can have contacts with their distributor companies in the UK and Australia. These two distributors would be able to sell to forum members in both areas. The distributors can be contacted by emailing the Augusta Medical Systems or contacting them on their toll free telephone number. Feel free to contact member 'Old Man' by PM (private message)for additional details or help with obtaining a contact with the off shore USA distributors.

Just to be clear the discount is for VEDs only and not any accessories.
Title: Re: Forum member discount from Augusta Medical
Post by: SomaTherapy_ED on March 16, 2016, 09:08:28 AM
Thanks for the endorsement of the AMS STF system.  Anything I can do to assist you guys in making your purchase or answering any questions that you might have please do not hesitate to contact me.

Just remember when you call me up to mention that you are being referred from the Peyronies Disease forum in order to get the deep discount. 

Thanks for your support!
Title: Re: Forum member discount from Augusta Medical
Post by: LWillisjr on February 24, 2017, 07:23:05 PM
Augusta Medical Systems contacted Old Man recently and requested to pass on their thanks to all members of the Peyronies Disease Society forum. They will continue to work with us to get the best deal possible on their products.

The discount for forum members is not available online. You must call the Augusta Medical Systems number 1-800-827-8382 ext.1026
Title: VED SOURCES & PRICES
Post by: Old Man on March 03, 2017, 07:48:50 AM
Question for all Australia members:

I repeatedly get requests for the source of the Augusta Medical Systems VEDs in your country. So far, I have been unable to locate a viable source there to help new VED user members to find the VEDs they desire to use for their therapy.

So, bottom line, if any member has a source in Australia for the Augusta Products, please post the source. Many thanks for your cooperation.

Old Man
Title: New Pricing Schedule for Augusta SomaSTF VEDs.
Post by: Old Man on February 22, 2018, 09:51:32 AM
Note to all members:

Currently, the Augusta Medical Systems no longer shows a discounted VED price to forum members. See Special Note below for pricing other than the USA source.

As of today, 2/22/18 the prices for forum members are across the board:

1. Three cylinder Soma Series, sales price to members:
     Manual pump head ~~~ $249.95 (call for any shipping charges)
     Battery pump head ~~~ $349.95 (call for any shipping charges)

2. The one cylinder Vitality VED series will be priced by the Augusta Sales Rep when 
    members call for pricing and delivery. Toll free number =1+ 800-827-8382 Ext. 1026
    ask for forum sales representative. Leave name and number for a call back if no one
    answers, specify that caller is a Peyronies Disease forum member.

VED purchases MUST BE REGISTERED WITH THE AUGUSTA MEDICAL SYSTEMS FOR ANY EXTENDED WARRANTY AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE FOR IT TO APPLY.

Special Note: The above prices are for purchases from the Augusta Medical System in the USA. Members for other countries need to call the toll free number for sources and prices. Augusta Medical has a distributor in the UK = IMEDCARE.

Old Man
Title: Re: New Pricing Schedule for Augusta SomaSTF VEDs.
Post by: LWillisjr on February 22, 2018, 06:45:04 PM
I received the following in an email from Augusta.

We have discontinued the discount on the system and now offer a new lower price of $249 across the board. However Forum members can still call me directly 1-800-827-8382 ext 1026 to take advantage of a free shipping offer.
Title: Re: Source of Augusta Medical Systems VEDs in Australia
Post by: Philby on March 25, 2018, 08:33:06 PM

Augusta Medical will not ship to Australia! So here is what I discovered in my quest to buy SOMAErect stf:

There are two main options

1. The Australian distributor is Endotherapeutics. Here is the relevant page: https://endopersonalcare.com.au/collections/erectile-dysfunction-products. They are very expensive however, AUD529 for the Erect STF, which is around USD410. Also they do not appear to have an online store.

2. Set up a US shipping address with a parcel forwarding service. There are several you can find online but I used an Australia Post Service called ShopMate https://shopmate.auspost.com.au/. That allowed me to buy at USD249 with a US shipping address from which Australia Post will forward it to me in Australia. I am not sure how much the cost is yet, but I expect AUD40 - AUD50 approx.

I ended up buying from Amazon to my ShopMate address and I expect my total cost to be approximately AUD370 (USD280) including shipping. Compared with buying from the distributor I would guess that warranty would be more of a hassle (if needed) and delivery time slower, but for me it is worth it.

I hope that helps some fellow Aussies.
Title: Re: Source of Augusta Medical Systems VEDs in Australia
Post by: Philby on April 02, 2018, 08:04:09 PM
Further Information:
***Warning***
Do NOT overpump.  Read all protocols BEFORE using the VED


ShopMate's postage charge to Australia was AUD 42.75.

So by this method I was able to buy the device at the same price as US customers plus AUD 42.75 extra shipping.