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Peyronies Disease TREATMENT Discussion Boards => Vacuum Erection Devices (VEDs) for Peyronie's Disease => Topic started by: anxious2014 on April 09, 2014, 01:02:35 AM

Title: Thought and questions after 1 session of therapy
Post by: anxious2014 on April 09, 2014, 01:02:35 AM
Hi all,

Sufferer of stable, 10-year old injury curve of approximately 20-25 degrees with obvious fibrous, collagenous build-up

After some encouragement garnered from my introduction a week or so ago, I decided to purchase the SomaTherapy stf VED and just performed a trial run with it. A couple quick thoughts and questions:

- It worked! I was doubtful and bit scared of VED, but it definitely does what it's supposed to. This soma model seems like a good one too
- The lubricant worked well but seemed to dry up pretty fast, and I had to apply quite a bit throughout the course of the session
- The instructions said to pump 3 times and wait 5 or so seconds, then continue, but with the number of pumps it takes to become completely erect, I have a feeling most people continuously pump?
- To be safe, I pumped slowly and cautiously as many have advised. However, how exactly do you know when to stop? I didn't feel much strain in my penis, as most of the slight discomfort towards the end came from the suction cup pressing against me. Further, I am not large in terms of girth but I felt a pretty snug fit within the small A chamber. This is what we want, correct?
- Regarding the recommended protocol on this forum, I was wondering why the recommendation is only once per day? I feel like twice a day wouldn't be a bad thing, especially given how much traction devices are worn in comparison

That's all for now. I'll try to keep this post updated as I continue.

Title: Re: Thought and questions after 1 session of therapy
Post by: NeoV on April 09, 2014, 02:25:55 AM
Hey Anxious,

The protocol is what Old Man and his urologist developed using trial and error which a lot of people have had success with here,
whether or not some of the guidelines are musts is up to anyone really.

I do not use any lube at all anymore, nor do I time my sessions or count my holding times.
I used to pump twice a day and hold for longer periods. This resulted in a lymphocele and bad edema from lymph vessel damage. I had not even been pumping too hard nor did I feel any pain, but when my penis came out of the tube it had doubled in size due to swelling. Recovering has been hell. Watch for edema and watch for lymph vessel enlargement under your glans. I don`t think anybody here has real scientific data suggesting once per day vs twice.

Everyone's penis and anatomy around there is different. Body fat, skin, etc. So it naturally takes each individual a while and a bit of his own trial and error to get it right. Whatever you do, do so with care. A lot of people on here will most likely tell you to stick to the protocol, I have a feeling it's the way it is mostly for safety.

-V
Title: Re: Thought and questions after 1 session of therapy
Post by: james1947 on April 09, 2014, 02:51:03 AM
anxious

On this very board you have the protocols that Old Man developed and many of us are using.
Just be careful not to overpump

James
Title: Re: Thought and questions after 1 session of therapy
Post by: Norm on April 09, 2014, 08:45:39 AM
Anxious,
The protocol was developed to work with EVERYMAN in mind. Since we are all different, it is acceptable to vary from it to suit you. There is, however, one hard, fast rule. If it hurts, stop! Do not pump to the point of discomfort. Other than that, you are free to use it as you will.
Norm
Title: Re: Thought and questions after 1 session of therapy
Post by: Old Man on April 09, 2014, 11:08:27 AM
anxious2014:

Let me chime in here to repeat what the posts below have cautioned you about with the VED therapy. YOU MUST REMEMBER TO USE PLENTY OF LUBE AT ALL TIMES WHEN USING THE VED THERAPY! The A small cylinder was designed to be very close fitting in order to help remold the curves/bends of ones shaft. So, be sure you follow the protocol schedule by the weekly setup of what cylinder or cylinders to use.

I get PMs almost daily where some member has over pumped the vacuum pressure and caused more trauma to their dicks. So, one hard and fast rule, WATCH THE VACUUM PRESSURE AND IF YOU FEEL ANY DISCOMFORT OR PAIN, STOP IMMEDIATELY AND LET YOUR DICK RECOVER BEFORE STARTING UP AGAIN. VED therapy is one where less vacuum pressure is much better than more, so  remember that caution.

Now, one last suggestion for you as a new member using VED therapy:  You must not go for erections at any time using the protocol. You only want to ''exercise'' the corpora for a few days before embarking on the formal protocol schedule.  The amount of holding times between pumps is adjustable to suit your personal feeling. I strongly urge you not to do more than 30 minutes for one day sessions and if using two sessions per day, divide them into two 15 minute sessions.

Feel free to ask any and all questions that arise when your doing the therapy. I will be very happy to assist  you in any way. The protocol for the three cylinder VED therapy was developed over a 20 odd year of trial and error on my part while working with my personal uro to make sure that the schedule was workable without causing any injury to anyone using it.

Old Man
Title: Re: Thought and questions after 3 sessions of therapy
Post by: anxious2014 on April 10, 2014, 11:32:42 PM
Thanks all for the advice. I will continue being very cautious. Old man, what did you mean by, "you must not go for erections at any time using the protocol."?

Today was day 3:

- Again, the only discomfort that makes me stop pumping is the suction cup pressing against the root of my scrotum. Don't know how one would be able to prevent this from happening given the nature of the device, and I'm actually not completely sure if I achieve a maximum erection before this discomfort sets in, but I do stop once I feel it. Any thoughts?
- Using the larger of the two suction cups provided by Soma, on a few cycles I found that a little bit of the skin of my scrotum would get sucked up into the chamber, not a good feeling. Switched over to the smaller suction cup, which I think helped with that. Will continue to monitor this.
Title: Re: Thought and questions after 1 session of therapy
Post by: NeoV on April 11, 2014, 03:56:55 AM
It's tough to get it right, the scrotum or spermatic cord can get sucked up in there.

I use the larger insert. Do trim or shave the area, and try to use lube only on the spot where you will be placing it. Again, I don't even use lube, but I agree that it's the wiser choice and a must for most guys based on their curve.

Try using the device in a slightly downward angle. This has proven to be a must for me.
Old Man means, do not try to get a natural erection. It will probably happen anyhow due to the stimulation, but focus on therapy not getting aroused.
Title: Re: Thought and questions after 1 session of therapy
Post by: Old Man on April 11, 2014, 06:45:38 AM
anxious2014:

What I mean about not getting an erection while using the VED takes a bit of practice. You should only use mild vacuum pressure and try to concentrate on just getting good blood flow into and out of the corpora. Getting a full erection precludes the blood flow moving in and out as the corpora is full engorged with blood and therefore it holds the penis erect, etc. Sounds like that you get a good feeling from the VED and you just keep pumping until you get erect, so try not to do that.

The best way to keep the scrotum from being pulled into the mouth of the cylinder is to NOT GET ANY LUBE on it when lubing up for each VED session. Another tip about the pressure of the VED against your pubic area seems like that you are using way too much vacuum with each session. So, do not over pump pressure, especially at the beginning of each VED session. Just progress slowly with the vacuum pumping and let the penis engorge slowly, and when you feel you are getting an erection, stop pumping, release the pressure and wait a while before starting again.

Practice with the sessions until you get the right combination. This can take a few days so take it slow and easy with your session.

Old Man
Title: Re: Thought and questions after 7 session of therapy
Post by: anxious2014 on April 16, 2014, 01:57:14 AM
Post day 7 (+1 practice day):

Old Man and NeoV, thank you guys again for the great advice. I'm definitely getting better at pumping... keeping lube off my scrotum has really helped keep the suction cup from causing discomfort. I do find that putting lube on the upper half of the rim of the suction cup helps create a tight seal, and using my thumb to hold the skin of my scrotum down also keeps it from getting sucked up. Notes after a week of therapy:

- as optimistic as I feel about how everything has gone so far, I will hold off on judging any progress just yet. It's only been a week and I don't want to jump to any premature conclusions
- it takes a variable # of pumps for me to get the right seal and achieve an erection - I take 3-6 pumps at a time with a breath in between each set, I stop when I feel any discomfort, hold the erection for about 10 seconds, and then rest for 15 sec. Sessions take me about 30 minutes
- looking forward on the protocol, I was wondering about the significance of the A-B-C cylinder size switching. What are we trying to achieve by doing this? So I understand that the small A cylinder is supposed to help correct curvature by providing snug fit, but what about the larger B and C cylinders?

Finally, what are your thoughts on masturbation/sexual activity/ejacuation while on VED therapy? Obviously, I think this activity should at least be limited. However, on the one hand, I think it actually could be a good thing to induce a full erection ("the real thing") after some "physical therapy" with the VED. On the other hand, it seems like doing so may disrupt healing processes that may be going on. 

Title: Re: Thought and questions after 1 session of therapy
Post by: anxious2014 on May 11, 2014, 05:00:37 PM
Post 1-month:

I've been able to adhere to the daily regimen.... starting week 5 now with the small cylinder. Can't really say I've noticed any major improvement, but I don't think it's done me any harm. I do definitely FEEL better. The logic behind VED makes sense to me, and so I will continue with the 26-week regimen.
Title: Re: Thought and questions after 1 session of therapy
Post by: james1947 on May 11, 2014, 05:10:24 PM
Anxious

As I stated many times, VED and traction are marathon, not a sprint.
Some people got fast improvements, but the vast majority just after long time even 2*26 weeks.

James
Title: Re: Thought and questions after 1 session of therapy
Post by: anxious2014 on May 11, 2014, 11:13:44 PM
Thanks James. I do realize that... didn't really expect overnight healing after 10 years. The VED does seem to have an immediate, transient effect after use, as I've read about somewhere in these forums... which threw me off a little but that effect is in fact short term. Hopefully with sustained use that will become a longer term effect.
Title: Re: Thought and questions after 1 session of therapy
Post by: james1947 on May 12, 2014, 01:45:09 AM
During VED, my penis length and girth increasing and is normal.
After the VED, it is shrinking back slowly, let say in one hour.

James