Phew.

[juliemac]

It wasnt a heart attack, just palpitations. My GP gave me the news yesterday. Phew.

MY GP is an elderly vietnamese doctor who really got into the discussion of dilation. Her discription was almost comical. "Just shove it in there!" Bent knees, arm thrusting upwards. Suggesting finding an inflatable dildo or designing one. She said I could keep the patent, but wants a cut of the profits 

AND...
With the help of some pain control was able to move to #3 last night with minimal bleeding. YAAAA!

Now.. Start with a silicon outer and a dapcon stent... Hand pump. No... Sears has a 22 gallon compressor on sale....

[Padma]

...then paint it funky surf colours and call it Dilater, Dude™

[AbraCadabra]

Hon,
10 month into dilation it and still occasional bleeding with #3 (1" or 25mm diameter, yes?) OUCH!
Going on 13. June for GRS, just wish me luck. Maybe must keep nose clear of this group until after?
Take care,
Axelle

[juliemac]

Hon,
10 month into dilation it and still occasional bleeding with #3 (1" or 25mm diameter, yes?) OUCH!
Going on 13. June for GRS, just wish me luck. Maybe must keep nose clear of this group until after?
Take care,
Axelle

You'll probably be ok. I had problems after surgery and, well I am slow at this 
Good luck on your trip! I am a June baby too 

[FairyGirl]

You'll probably be ok. I had problems after surgery and, well I am slow at this 
Good luck on your trip! I am a June baby too 

woohoo! another June baby here too- mine was on Summer Solstice, 21 June last year.  I'm finally back up to using my #4 again, but it was 6 months off of it before my skin finally stretched/softened up enough to use it again. At about 4 months it just got impossible to use it anymore.  Hang in there and I can testify it does get better eventually.

I think however your inflatable job should use hydraulics rather than pumping air- I mean if you think about it, that's the way a penis works too; those are inflatable and they seem to work alright.   I think it would allow for more hardness than air inflation.  But probably anything would be better than those brick-hard polyurethane ones we've been using.

[rejennyrated]

I hate to tell you this - but us old timers know that back in the 1970's and 1980's the late great Stanley Biber used exactly that - a pump up dilator which was inserted as a small size and then inflated whilst in place with a little hand bulb to make it a big size.

Inevitably some of us who went to other surgeons who used the more conventional solid glass rods used to joke about the Biber babes with the inflatable vaginas. 

I dont know why he stopped using them...

Maybe there was some problem that we don't know about.

[Sarah B]

Ok, for over a year and a half.  I have read a very good proportion of the dilator stories that have been posted.  However, still to this day I still cannot understand why so many have problems with dilating.  I personally never had the proverbial 4 dilators.  I never had a rubber, glass or the 'polyurethane' one either.  I hardly ever dilated.  Maybe I dilated once a day (and as far as I can remember I do not think I even did it every day) and then only maybe for 5 or 10 minutes.  Don't quote me on those figures.  This routine basically only lasted for just over one year.  So my needs after this were taken care of by my by long time partner at that time.

So, you maybe asking how come I got away with virtually no dilating and this was twenty odd years ago?  The only two (maybe three) reasons that I can think of was.  One, I used a dense foam of rubber (for the want of a better description) which, was thin (couple of millimetres thick) and in the shape of a rectangle and this was rolled up to form the shape of a dilator.  A condom was put over this and tied at the end, along with some lube, this is what I used.  So in effect it really had no twisting ability and it was firm enough for insertion.  Second, I actually left it in.  Now I do not how often I actually left it in, but usually it was overnight, in other words it performed the function of a packing material.  But thinking about this second reason,  I know it was not regular.  Three, maybe it was just down to the surgical technique that was used at the time (maybe the fourth reason is, I'm getting old and senile and I cannot remember much).

So I'm mystified, stunned and totally baffled as to why "I", who virtually never dilated, used basically primitive implements.  Never in pain, have always had good depth and width.  Never had any problems with dilating as compared to what I have read about.  One day when I go back to my surgeon.  I will mention this and ask why I never problems dilating.  Meanwhile, If you can tell me, I would be more than eternally grateful.

Kind regards
Sarah B

[juliemac]

Sarah
I am going to guess that it has several factors. One would be skin type, another would be age. Hydration of the skin, its thickness, fat content and its color would be other factors.

I, for one, am 54, 53 at the time of surgery, was on E&P for 20 years prior to surgery and become dehydrated at the drop of a hat. I am also (or was) hyperactive and had a terrible time trying to gain or even keep weight on when I was younger.

Skin is the largest and one of the more complex elements in the body and I am sure even the doctors can only guess at this cause. I am sure a post surgical analysis would be a nightmare no engineer would enjoy.

Jenny
He possibly stopped as inflation would not be even across the surface. It would not expand as much on the constricted tissue as it would for the non-healing constrictive tissue, creating a vaginal cavity that would have 'waves". A roller coaster for sperm. I can almost hear them scream! Wheee! <thunk>. Sorry kids no cervix..... (I have an image of a bug on the windshield as I type this)
Should we post a disclosure to warn the little swimmers?
A tatoo stating no riders over a certain diameter? (low head room.....)

Chloe
Hydrolics would work. Its how they do the penile erectors. A fluid reciever, hand pump and a resivoir (sp?). Though conventional hydrolic fluid would be toxic and stain the bed sheets, maybe use mineral oil? Base the "tool" on a pipe expander sort of thingy. Multiple "ribs" of polyurethane that expand outwards as the baloon expands. Outer skin made of a silicon based outer shell. Disecting the shaft would look a bit like an orange, having segments with a central core of a semi flexible plastic.

I'll build it, but I really dont want to test it  Any volunteers?

[AbraCadabra]

Julie baby,
you just too much of an engineer, I can see it. A funny one though, good for you :-)
Seems this engineering makes you too cocky (or ->-bleeped-<-y) and the rationales getting in the way of your tinie clam? Right?
JUST LET GOOOOO...! It was suggested before, no.
How to let go? Get off!!
So? Problem solved, or.
(Only hope not to come back here with hat, I mean dilator in hand next month and have to ask what means to "get off"... ouch)
Axelle

[AbraCadabra]

Hi Val,
+++ Is the idea that being aroused or orgasmic will make dilation less painful?+++
YES! Because problem is related to cramping PC muscle as explained earlier.

+++ Pain is pain. Being aroused is not going to lesson that, in my opinion. +++
Once PC muscle is cramped up, pain is pain, yes.

Being aroused FIRST will leave muscle more pliable, therefore less pain maybe hardly any.

It works for my friend very well.
Also seems to help GG suffering vaginismus.
First hand info by self must wait till next month, sorry.

+++ When I was in pain during dilation, I couldn't imagine sexual stimulation +++
Sure, because you in pain ALREADY! And YES, if in pain no one (normally) gets aroused.

Hope this can make sense?
Sounding like Dr. Freud with wrong plumbing for argument?

Doctors during 1900 used "getting off" (female only!) to relieve anything from "hysteria" or what we call PMS today. (Banned practice later on, now is sexual molestation...)
In fact I know they still used surreptitiously if doing internal vaginal examination due to same issue: camped PC muscle closing vaginal entrance causing pain. (Mostly younger women nervous and twitchy with examination)
Take care,
Axelle

[FairyGirl]

Chloe
Hydrolics would work. Its how they do the penile erectors. A fluid reciever, hand pump and a resivoir (sp?). Though conventional hydrolic fluid would be toxic and stain the bed sheets, maybe use mineral oil? Base the "tool" on a pipe expander sort of thingy. Multiple "ribs" of polyurethane that expand outwards as the baloon expands. Outer skin made of a silicon based outer shell. Disecting the shaft would look a bit like an orange, having segments with a central core of a semi flexible plastic.

I'll build it, but I really dont want to test it  Any volunteers?

I'm thinking a foam-like spongy material that expands when saturated.  Attached in strips around a central, perforated tube as you suggested.  Yes the fluid would definitely have to be non-toxic; mineral oil might work, or vegetable oil lol. Not sure about polyurethane ribs though- unless it would be required to fulfill a specific function it might be unnecessarily complicated.  In this case the KISS method would definitely be the way to go

as for testing it... hmmm... maybe after a few hundred test runs outside first lol

[juliemac]

I'm thinking a foam-like spongy material that expands when saturated.  Attached in strips around a central, perforated tube as you suggested.  Yes the fluid would definitely have to be non-toxic; mineral oil might work, or vegetable oil lol. Not sure about polyurethane ribs though- unless it would be required to fulfill a specific function it might be unnecessarily complicated.  In this case the KISS method would definitely be the way to go

as for testing it... hmmm... maybe after a few hundred test runs outside first lol

Humm thinking like an engineer! An open cell foam might work and is castable (blown in a mold), but draining it might be slow.
I was talking to a materials engineer at work (hehehe. He had NO idea why I wanted the stuff  Hes trying to find a non irritant castable silicon mix that could be used.
5 splines coated in a release agent allow them to be pulled after the cast hardens.

Hummm why am I typing this? I could make millions from sales on less than desirable web sites!
1-900-breatheheavy!
I can see it. A marble statue, me standing tall, hand extended to the future, dildo in hand. Julie. Queen of the Dong. Quite a ring to it!
Ok. That part was actually quite disturbing.....

[FairyGirl]

Humm thinking like an engineer! An open cell foam might work and is castable (blown in a mold), but draining it might be slow.

lol actually I have an electrical engineering degree specializing in robotics, which is probably why your idea got me to thinking...  But that was another life and another time, and even bringing that to mind to me is quite disturbing.... 

Anyway now I just make dolls for people to play with- a much more suitable occupation for a princess, I think.

[Sarah B]

Hi Julie

Thank you for your insight.  I'm not sure, but maybe what you discussed was brought up in a previous thread something like Deja Vu.  I suppose I can throw in a couple more details.  Which might enlighten others.  I was 32 when I had my surgery and I was involved in a lot of swimming 10 years prior and therefore I was extremely fit. To this day people tend to think I'm 7 or 8  years younger than what I am.  Oh and I'm currently 52 years old.  So along with what you said:

Sarah
I am going to guess that it has several factors. One would be skin type, another would be age. Hydration of the skin, its thickness, fat content and its color would be other factors.

I, for one, am 54, 53 at the time of surgery, was on E&P for 20 years prior to surgery and become dehydrated at the drop of a hat. I am also (or was) hyperactive and had a terrible time trying to gain or even keep weight on when I was younger.

Skin is the largest and one of the more complex elements in the body and I am sure even the doctors can only guess at this cause. I am sure a post surgical analysis would be a nightmare no engineer would enjoy.

I will keep what you have said above in mind for future reference and I thank you most sincerely from the bottom of my heart and I remain your humble servant. 

My warmest regards
Sarah B

[juliemac]

lol actually I have an electrical engineering degree specializing in robotics, which is probably why your idea got me to thinking...  But that was another life and another time, and even bringing that to mind to me is quite disturbing.... 

Anyway now I just make dolls for people to play with- a much more suitable occupation for a princess, I think.

OMG. Me too. But remember, electrons dont care if your an inny or an outie! I just love to make electrons dance. My back room is an electronics area, the garage, mechanical. Ahhh the fun we could have teaching electrons the happy dance! Knowledge is hard won, combine your skills in robotics and doll making.... On second thoughts....

[spacial]

I know there is a type of catheter available which is intended to compress esophageal bleeding.

It looks like a normal gastric catheter, though slightly wider. Also, at the  exterior end, it has about 5 ports to inject air.

Once the air has been injected into a port, a section of the caterer expands, looking rather like the sausage shaped balloons that clown use to entertain kids at parties.

It certainly isn't the sort of thing that would be available to the general public, but the principal and therefore the blue prints will exist.

If you could redesign this idea, you might get an engineer who works with synthetic rubber to make a suitable device. It would need to be fairly stiff. It could be quite thin, since only one balloon would be needed. The amount of expansion is, of course, controlled by the amount of air injected, though warm water could easily be put in as an alternative.

adition. It has occured to me that three baloons would be even more useful. That way the expansion could be adjusted to different levels, concentrating on those areas most needed. Just a thought though. The extra baloon would mean widening the diametre. But even with the 5 port model used for esophageal bleeding, the width of the catheter is only about 8 mm

Further adition.

I found these, which are what I'm referring to. I'm not entirely certain if these are the type that open into a small, round baloon, or the long sausage type. But the name is what I was looking for.

I apologise if my descriptions are a little vague. It was almost 30 years ago, since I worked in a medical ward for any length of time.

http://www.nextag.com/esophageal-bougies/compare-html

And another.

Sorry to be a pest, but I found this. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esophageal_dilatation

The item is generally called Esophageal Bougies

[juliemac]

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&sugexp=ldymls&xhr=t&q=pipe+expander&cp=12&qe=cGlwZSBleHBhbmRl&qesig=Va2x_Mn2iy0km4aHzAODCg&pkc=AFgZ2tkoHsmJ1skIg64cN7YsPvQ0kXvJ3FrNKn6b5ms-eq90U_5jaeHmHGtvZmz-_yOn0WPRu96abwBKIO_N2fejfiOJNO88Pw&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&biw=1051&bih=748&wrapid=tljp1306491951120022&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=13974552073996315280&sa=X&ei=MHzfTdDINMWcgQe34tDXCg&sqi=2&ved=0CGAQ8gIwAA#
Thats the tool I was thinking of. The design allows even expansion from a set diameter. I wouldnt use a threaded rod though. Talk about getting screwed....

If the expanding edges were a plyable plastic, with out sharp edges, pushed outwards, it might prove to have a few more benefits in our application. Pinching might be a problem on colapse.

[AbraCadabra]

Hi Val,
changed avatar. Missing yours. Looked pretty. No need hiding. I just changed mine to the real thing. Well, few month old but so what. All I have anyway.

I understand the issue. Well, your issue. We're all different. Some more some less. I hope will have no need finding out about how to deal with long term scab. Ouch. Time will tell. But also makes me guess there is some GG similar issues e.g. when PC muscle is made very sore from heavy child birth.

OK, no Dr. Freund and company for you at present, and their "invention" of female paroxysm (speak orgasm today). However so dandy, hey.
Yet, found most interesting self-made dilator from hard foam covered by condom and leaving in over night. Interesting. As close as gets to the real thing?
It makes me recall putting earring holes. Imagine stick earring 3 - 4 times a day for 20 minutes. Of course we try keep it in place best till it is pretty well healed, no?
OK, can't keep the thing in ALL the time, but it has something. Will keep it in mind.
Greetings,
Axelle

[Sandy]

Inevitably some of us who went to other surgeons who used the more conventional solid glass rods used to joke about the Biber babes with the inflatable vaginas. 

I dont know why he stopped using them...

Maybe there was some problem that we don't know about.

Springing a leak and causing explosive decompression, perhaps? 

Not being privy to those older technology devices, I had often thought of something similar whilst I was lying in bed working my way "up the scale" from Homer to Jethro to Big John to OMG!!

Now it's just me and Homer.  I don't feel the need to be like a segment of the Alaskan pipeline, nor do I want to hear echoes after I dilate.  Just keeping the goodies in good working order is all I need.

-Sandy

[juliemac]

  I don't feel the need to be like a segment of the Alaskan pipeline, nor do I want to hear echoes after I dilate.
-Sandy

ROTFL.
Your all whacked! No wonder I feel like I fit in