Buckfever's General Progress Log

Correction above the 4.9cm diameter tube is .25" smaller circumference than the 5.1cm diameter.

Ran 8.33 miles this morning real slow.

Discoloration is clearing up pretty rapidly now, I’ll give it the full week for healing though.

6/26/2024

Discoloration from petechiae has resolved but will wait till Friday to resume. Ordered a 1.75" diameter tube to see if I can fit. In my experience the portion of the shaft that gets packed does not experience the red dots so I thought I should give it a try. Worse case I’m out a few bucks.

Weight: 185.6 @ 19.9%

It will be a useful experiment. But remember the shaft is covered in skin; the glans is covered in mucous membrane, like the inside of your mouth. It’s not nearly as tough as skin.

Thanks for the heads up. I don’t want to solve one problem only to create another.

6/27/2024

5 minutes @ 2.5 hg
2 minute rest
5 minutes @ 2.5 hg

Length: 6-7/8"
Pack ?

Decided to restart as things have cleared up. I noticed that the gauge from 0 to 5 for the in/hg measure only has 8 increments marked. So kept it halfway for`2.5 hg. The other thing I did was bring the pressure up more slowly. Anyway the tissues are clear at the end of the session. I forgot to note how much of the tube was packed.

For now we’ll stay at the 2.5 in/hg. Really don’t know how much time is needed for conditioning, not sure 7-10 days? Or maybe monitor the incremental expansion over time and stay with this until it plateaus? I really don’t know how to approach this, we’ll have to sort it out.

If anyone has any input, do tell.

Weight: 184.8 @ 19.6%

Doctor is concerned about my blood pressure, as I was high when she checked. I’ve always had low blood pressure and my readings in the evenings are usually 105/60, but maybe my monitor is off. I ordered the one she recommended and will start monitoring more closely. I do spike to coffee and did have 2 mugs before the appointment and I was dehydrated. Still that is a serious concern. Even more motivation to get the weight off and get fit before the follow up in 8 weeks.

6/28/2024

5 minutes @ 2.5 hg
2 minute rest
5 minutes @ 2.5 hg

Length: 6-7/8"
Pack 2.3/8+

Weight: 184.8

2.5 does not seem like enough, but we’ll stay there for a while for conditioning.

Need to go after the fitness hard now.

The glans is only a mucous membrane if you are uncircumcised. A circumcised glans keratinizes, like skin. So I suspect that the difference in sensitivity to petechiae in a circumcised glans has to do with the pressure dynamics at the tip of the vacuum where there is no opposing pressure from the chamber wall rather than the characteristics of the tissue.

This variation in pressure dynamics is also why the shaft discolors where it doesn’t pack the tube.

My experience with pumping, and one I’ve heard expressed from other veterans, is if a session is effective there is some degree of ongoing increased blood flow for a a good while. This results in the penis being darker and warmer than normal for several hours. So some of the transient discoloration might be a positive indicator.

Also, I do seem to get some transient increase shaft skin color where it doesn’t pack the tube, and a little discoloration (but less) where it takes some time to pack. This usually resolves or mostly resolves within 24-48 hours or so. It is a different kind of discoloration that remains after the more reddish, heat-related discoloration, and it seems tough to avoid if the session is anywhere near valuable, at least for growth-level pressure.

Petechiae are another issue, though, and those take a few days to resolve and are much more unsightly, so I try to avoid them.

A few things seem to help prevent them, other than conditioning and good session technique: make sure you aren’t taking anything that affects platelet function, like aspirin, ibuprofen or other NSAIDs. Some supplements, like fish oil or EFA’s can also affect clotting, so know what you are taking and plan accordingly. If you are taking NSAID’s, give yourself a few days off of them (7-10 days for aspirin and 3 or 4 on any other kind) and you will be surprised how much more pressure you can use and not get petechiae.

I started taking a supplemental enzyme called serrapeptase, as it is reportedly good for inflammation and as an added benefit, might help prevent or even reverse atherosclerosis. Turns out it helps dissolve clots a bit, and I’ve found bruising and petechiae resolve much faster since I’ve been on it. Like 24 hours as opposed to 3 or 4 days. So it might be worth looking into.

Finally, arnica creams do seem to help resolve things more quickly, too, so I use that if I’ve overdone it a bit.

@tenaciousD Thanks! Especially the nuanced discussion on discoloration! That was really helpful to me.

I have some serrapeptase on the way. What dosage are you using?

The bottle I have says 120,000 SPU per capsule and I take 2 every morning on an empty stomach.

6/29/2024

5 minutes @ 2.5 hg
2 minute rest
5 minutes @ 2.5 hg

Length: 6-7/8+"
Pack 2.3/8+

A tiny bit more expansion with the 2.5in/hg than the previous session and the tissues seem to be getting better acclimated. Does not feel like a whole lot of effect though, Just need to be resolved with the need for conditioning and we’ll see what happens with a smaller diameter tube.

Weight: 184.6@19.7% bodyfat

Ran 4 miles yesterday, foot is feeling much better should go longer tomorrow.

6/30/2024

5 minutes @ 2.5 hg
2 minute rest
5 minutes @ 2.5 hg

Length: 6-7/8+"
Pack 2.3/8+

About the same expansion, it needs a little more pressure, BUT visually the skin on the unpacked portion of the shaft is showing better tolerance at the end of the session so we need to condition a little more.

Weight: 183.6 @19.5% bodyfat

Weight is dropping maybe a little dehydrated though.

7/1/2024

5 minutes @ 2.5 hg
2 minute rest
5 minutes @ 2.5 hg

Length: 6-7/8+"
Pack 2.3/8+

Almost back to 7" the tube but not quite there. Still think that 2.5hg is too light, but will give it a few more days and maybe move up just one notch. That would be 3.125"/hg, still well below the 4-5 that is generally recommended here once conditioned. I’m going to be careful moving up. As far as the diameter of the tube it is actually too small to seat fully on the base looking at where it is marking the shaft, but I think it is a matter of using the smaller tube when it arrives until the whole shaft is packed and then moving up. I’ve read of staging cylinders but never looked into what that is about.

All that said if we ever get to packing the 2" tube I can see the treatment benefit of moving up to a 2-1/8" diameter to be able to fully seat the tube and in my case that would be all I would ever need. We’ll see how it goes.

So far the experience with pumping has been very positive, it seems like a very healthy treatment, when done with a modicum of discipline.

I contrast this to the stretching where there’s always some short term adverse effects associated with progress.

Weight: 183.6 @ 19.5% bodyfat.

Ran 8.9 miles yesterday but the pace fell off hard after 4 miles, I am way behind schedule, hopefully no more setbacks.

7/2/2024

5 minutes @ 2.5 hg
2 minute rest
5 minutes @ 2.5 hg

Length: 6-7/8+"
Pack 2.3/8

If anything packed a little less. Petechiae issue appears resolved will bump up to 3.125in/hg starting tomorrow and will see how that goes.

Weight: 184.4 @ 19.6% bodyfat

Felt slightly depleted so added extra food yesterday and pushed fluids.

Will be off for 5 days for the holiday so will run most days.