In this post I describe my second round of six sessions and the start of my third round.  In my ongoing SW experiment, I found answers to the questions, “How much is too much?” and “What happens after that?”

Review

My first round of six sessions – two per week – used relatively high energy – 90mj – and low frequency – 3Hz using about 2200 shocks per session.  I used the largest hand piece attachment which is about 41mm diameter.   The result was of this round was excellent – it was though I rolled the clock back twenty years.  But, as I am sixty-eight, I was not at the level of a twenty-something.

I noted that for a day or two after each session that responsiveness and sensitivity was reduced.  The full effect of the six-session round did not kick in until almost three weeks after I finished the round.

Planning for Round Two

While I liked the result of round one, my feeling was that there was some unevenness.  In round one I positioned the hand piece at twelve o’clock (pointing straight down) at the base, mid-shaft and near the top for 500 shocks in each location.  I definitely felt some difference between the locations where the hand piece was used and other locations.   I thought it would be an improvement to use more locations on the shaft – to use the hand piece on each side directly above the corpus cavernosum (approximately two and ten o’clock).   I also wanted to experiment with more shocks.  Having no adverse effects with 2200 shocks per session, the round two plan was to start with 3600 shocks and see what happens.   Rather than give 500 shocks per location (except glans) the plan was for 400 shocks for most locations.

I saw no reason to change frequency setting, energy level or hand piece attachment.

Round Two

The first session worked out amazingly well.  Post-session, the immediate feeling was that the session felt more thorough and complete than the round one sessions.  Three days after the session, I had sensitivity I’ve not experienced for forty years.  It was one of those, “Too good to be true” feelings.  This would have been the right place to stop therapy.  Just end it.  Mission accomplished.

But no, I was thinking that “More is better,” and wondering what happens if I keep the number of shocks per location the same, but add more locations – top and each side.  So I decided on a plan with a total of 4400 shocks, still at 90mJ.  And this, gentlemen, was too much.

I lost a lot of sensitivity.  I wasn’t overly concerned in the moment as reduced sensitivity immediately after a session was my experience.  But unlike previous sessions the sensitivity didn’t come back by the next session.  Also there was tenderness the day after the session.  However, there was no pain at all, either during or after the session.

It was clear this was too much, so for the remaining four sessions – two weeks – of the round I dialed back to the level of the first session of round two.  But the damage was done.  Instead of hard erections, I had tissue paper.  In those sessions I increased the frequency to 4Hz from 3Hz to reduce the time per session.  My feeling is that 4Hz is just fine.  As I noted in another post, my machine skips shocks at 6Hz.

While I was concerned at the end of round two, the significant improvement after round one happened in the three weeks following the final session, so I was still hopeful.  During the three weeks following round two, there was some improvement, but basically I was back where I was before I started SW.

After almost another week there was little, if any, additional improvement.  What happened?  My best guess is that the shocks caused cardiovascular trauma.  Basically, angiogenesis in reverse.  I had some fear that there was nerve damage, but as things have improved since then, this seems unlikely.

The machine giveth, and the machine taketh away.

Planning for Round Three

Almost four weeks after the end of round two, and my morning wood was more soggy cardboard than wood.  I figured if the damage was cardiovascular, then it could be repaired.  I would be more cautious this time.

For this round I am reducing energy level to 30mJ – down from my previous 90mJ.  I am reducing the number of shocks to 2400 – down from 3600.  Using a total of twelve locations to spread the shocks around was an experiment that I feel had a positive result.  So each location gets 200 shocks.

I also was going to allow a bit more time between sessions – five days.  Previously, I scheduled two sessions per week.  This is a more conservative plan.

Round Three

I am halfway through round three now.  Improvements have come.  Morning wood is back.  I’m not back to the level I was before I ran my SW program off the rails, but it looks like I’ll get there.   What is noticeable from the lower energy level is that I don’t have reduced sensitivity immediately following a session.  This suggests that the higher energy level caused trauma that the lower energy level does not.  I believe this is a good thing.

My mental metaphor – that SW is like weight training – you want as many sets and reps and as much weight as you can handle – was wrong.  Now I realize the therapy should have an objective of getting shocked just enough to promote growth and then letting the body heal itself, while staying well below a level that causes trauma.   There seems to be a wide range of SW programs that can do this.  But it is now clear to me that getting too aggressive with a program does more harm than good.