Sizing For Vacuum Pump

Been through this...

He needs to refer you to an ED clinic, or better still if he can refer directly to a pump clinic (but I suspect he might not have a way to do that, although could ask in the ED clinic referral). Going via a Urology referral will just slow things down by 3 or more months by the time they see you, and then refer you to the ED or pump clinic will be another 3 months.

At the pump clinic, a rep who works for the manufacturer will go through the pump, and offer to demonstrate it on you. Stats show that those who take up this offer are twice as likely to use it at home successfully as those who don't, so I would strongly recommend this, and it wasn't at all embarrassing. He will show you how to use it for penile rehabilitation, and also how to use it to have sex with constriction rings. He will fill in a form for you to take to your GP which says which parts to prescribe - which will be a pump, and an extra three of the most useful size constriction rings (the pump only comes with one of those).

When I looked and saw I'd been prescribed the size large pump, I was of course chuffed to bits, like any man would be. When I got home and looked in more detail, I saw it comes in two sizes, large, and extra large... Oh well, the elation was short lived... (I have seen suggestions the extra large can't be prescribed - you'd have to buy that yourself, but I don't know if that's just some areas, or everywhere.)

There is a problem in some areas of a blanket ban on pumps being prescribed, but it sounds like your GP has already indicated that doesn't apply to your area. Unfortunately, getting a pump clinic appointment and form to take back to your GP is no guarantee your GP will be able to prescribe it. I think they're around £200 if you buy it yourself (don't forget to buy it VAT free as a medical aid).

One other thing, when you go to the chemist to collect it, take a large opaque bag with you. It comes in a box which is not in the least bit discrete if you had to carry it home. (Someone here warned of this beforehand.)

The other thing to ask your GP for is 5mg daily tadalafil. That also helps prevent damage to the penis even when flaccid by improving blood flow, but will probably help with improving natural erections too. The pump only erects the visible half of the penis, not the part inside your body, so if you can get erections naturally, particularly if tadalafil helps, do make sure you do that as often as possible too, as that helps maintain the half of your penis inside your body. The pump will help with blood flow in the whole penis, but not with stretching the corpus cavernosum (erectile part) inside the body. The suggestion for me was use the pump when libido is too low to get a natural erection, but get a natural erection in preference if you can. In your case, you might want to use the pump anyway, as it might be able to reverse some recent atrophy, but it can't reverse long term atrophy.

Edited by member 05 Feb 2020 at 11:18  | Reason: Not specified

This is true of some areas but not all. In our area, the ED nurse teaches how to use it and then writes to the GP requesting a prescription is written. No manufacturer involvement at all. In areas where there is no ED nurse or andrology clinic, it comes down to persuading a GP who may have been instructed by the CCG not to prescribe.

iMedicare will do the demo over a videocall during COVID-19, if you're still interested (or if the remaining ball is still interested;-). I think the details are on their website, but PM me if you can't find them.

I presume you are referring to their Surefit rings. The pump comes with one, but you should get a pack with 3 more if you got it on prescription, and in theory, the 3 ring set should be on a repeat prescription, although you aren't meant to cut them off after each use.