This experience actually happened about a year and a half ago.
At A Glance Author anonymous When A year ago Artist Rob Studio Addictive tattooing Location London, Ont I knew for a long time that I would get a PA. It was just a matter of when. The right time arrived. I went, nervously. Like everyone else, for me this was not a trivial undertaking.
When I got there I did all of the usual stuff. Waited impatiently to be taken, signed the forms, and followed Rob into the room. Down came the drawers, up onto the table, confessed my anxiety, laid back and awaited my destiny.
Rob was good: cool and professional, seen it all before, and explained what he was going to do, as if I didn't know. He inserted the receiving tube. Barely felt it; it was just a slight pin prick. He asked me to inhale three times deeply. I knew what coming on number three. He pushed it through. I went through the roof. I yelled out and drew both knees up. Thank God, he stayed with me. I apologized immediately. It hurt like hell - for half a second. Caught me completely off guard. My frenum was a piece of cake by comparison. However - that was it. No more pain. Putting in the CBR was nothing.
After that it was the usual. Blood, wrapped up in gauze, plus a glove. Back on with the underwear and pants. As I said to him, I didn't wear black for nothing. Truer words were never spoken. Later when I went to the store for more gauze, I could feel that my pant leg was wet, but it was invisible.
That night I took elaborate precautions to make sure that there was NO blood on the sheets. Gauze, underwear, a kitchen catcher plastic bag with leg holes, PJs (yea I'm an old guy), garbage bags on the bed, old towels on the bags and an old bed spread to sleep in.
The next morning, I awoke at 6 AM with painful bloody erection. But nothing got past the kitchen catcher. No pain at all, all day. Urination was also pain free. I am convinced that stinging urinations are caused damage to the urethral lining from the receiving tube, not the piercing itself. The following morning there was a lot less blood and on the third morning almost none.
The healing time seemed to be about 2 weeks, although I am sure it was longer. But there was nothing to it, apart from the usual strict attention to aftercare. Incidentally I am not circumcised, so good hygiene is really important. That being said, I have a natural protective barrier which I think made the healing a lot easier and quicker.
Over the next six months, I went from a 12 to 10 to 8 gauge CBR, with intentions to go to a six.
Fast forward to a year later. I go to the doc for a physical. Being as private as I am, I took the CBR out before I went, wanting to avoid judgment. After I came home, I went to put it back in, and it wouldn't go. Over the next few days I beat it up trying to get any CBR back in, even the 12 gauge. I finally gave in and went back to Rob. He tried using a taper to reopen the hole. No good. He couldn't tell what angle it should go in at, and it just wasn't working. And the old man was really getting beaten up.
I went home and waited for a week for the tissue to settle down. Then I took a silver earring wire (16 gauge?) and started probing, gently. No pain. After a few false starts, it went through! I then joined the ends and left in for 24 hours. I didn't want to push my luck with a silver reaction, so the next day, I started probing with a 14 gauge bar and got that through. Encouraged, I started with the 12 gauge CBR, and after some pushing and a little discomfort, it also went through. Much relief here. I snapped the ball in and left it for about 2 weeks. Then I managed to get the 10 gauge in, and left it for six weeks. Finally the 8 gauge CBR- again some discomfort, but success. It's been in ever since. And I still plan to go to a six gauge.
However, I won't make that mistake again. That PA was in for a year, out for a few hours, and then torture getting it back. Next time I see the doc, my CBR will be front and centre.
In the meantime my frenum bar was out for 6 months, I found the bar again, and put it back in no problem after probing with the ear wire to see if it was still open, which it was. Amazing.
Take home message - enjoy your PA, but don't take the jewelry out except to change it for some other style or size. Otherwise, no