Can I also take this opportunity to thank you Tony for all you have written about your experiences. I joined the AUS club in November, with activation just before Christmas. I’m so happy with the outcome of my procedure and was even pleasantly surprised at how little pain was involved.
We are forewarned that the AUS is not intended to be 100% leakproof, and so it has proved for me. But mine is not too far off it. Yes, coughing or sneezing (and dare I say farting!) tends to cause a small seepage, but I have learned to brace my pelvic area in preparation and this seems to help. I also find that I leak if I hunch forward in the armchair so I try to remember to avoid that position. I don’t generally need a pad and am willing to accept the very occasional need for a quick change of underwear as the price of going without. I tend to use a pad only on occasions where it’s particularly important that this doesn’t happen!
I’m actually about to proceed to the next stage (for me anyway), which is a penile implant later this month. I’m hoping this will be just as successful!
It would be great to master one-handed operation of the AUS as currently I’ll admit it’s not terribly pleasant when I have to use a public convenience. But as I’m about to be reconfigured down below (again!) which may alter the necessary technique, this is not something I’ve yet tried.
I have to say that I too opted for private treatment in the end, as unfortunately I found the wait for NHS treatment, at least in my part of Scotland, unacceptable.
Good luck to Tony and all other “club members”!
Andrew