How long before vacuum device or injections?

Hi all,

Have read the very helpful threads on vacuum devices and injections.  I have kind of a poll-type question(s) to ask those who have tried these.  When did you start after surgery?

1) If you use/used a device, how soon after surgery did you start using vacuum therapy? (and also, seems like most people's insurance didn't cover, but if it did cover which insurance do you have? Haven't checked on ours yet).

2) If you use/used injections, how soon post-surgery did your doctor authorize the use?  

Thanks!

Tanya

1. At my six week post op appointment my urologist recommended injections but since my insurance(Blue Cross/BlueSheld) covered the cost of a vacuum device he wrote me a prescription for one. I got it in about a week and began using it twice a day for rehab purposes and it took about a week before I got an erection good enough for penetration. The rings were not comfortable and the rection was kind of floppy and did not do much for my wife.

2. After the frustrations with the pump I tried injections at the 3rd month after surgery. The medication, Caverjet, gave me penile aching which lasted for three weeks. It took me a while to get back motivated and then used Bimix and it worked. This was about 6 months post op. The Bimax works very well and there is no penile aching. The small needle that is used is just a pin prick. I should have gone injections earlier.

Tamu

Tanya, Kurt started the pump 3 weeks post op. We too have BC/BS and it covered some of the pump. We were actually given the pump the day the cath came out. He was told to use it 2 times every day, but has since quit using it on a regular basis. He says he hates to do it alone, and I can't stand to see him act like he is in pain. We use the pump to try to attemp intercourse and have been successful a handful of times. I don't think he is anywhere interested in injections at this point, but our doc did mention a supository that is half the size of a piece of rice. That sounds a little more appealing than a needle to us. We were told to expect to be at 50% at 8 weeks. If that was to include the pump and pills, then we are there. Without, we are nowhere. Courtney

Thanks everyone,

From reading here and the other threads, it seems like maybe just skipping to the injections might be the route to go, instead of doing the "intermediate" step of a pump. Although, then again, maybe a pump might be good for just therapy, in conjunction with injections for sexual activity?

We have our next appt. with surgeon on June 16th (little over two months post-surgery), and want to make sure we discuss our options. I have a 'feeling' that he is gonna tell us to give it a little more time before starting injections, but we at least want to start having the conversation about injections.