Well I’ve had my follow up now, so I’m “up and running” as it were!
It works as expected and I’ve been cleared for sex in a further 2 weeks’ time (which will be a total of 5 weeks after surgery). Functionally it would be entirely possible right away. At the moment, there is room for improvement in terms of appearance, and I think there is every chance of that, but the operation has certainly given me a penis that works. The pump and the deflation button are quite hard to operate at this stage and require a good deal of strength in the fingers, but I am told that this will get easier with use.
The procedure itself was much less unpleasant and painful than you might assume. I was given painkillers, and used them the first night, but they were not really needed so I discontinued them after that apart from occasional use if I felt a bit sore. I had a catheter which was removed the day after surgery and then I was sent home. I was perfectly able to walk to the nearest London Underground station and take the tube during the rush hour, followed by 90 minutes on a train, if that gives an indication of the low level of discomfort I felt. I had some swelling and tenderness over the days that followed, but nothing too bad at all. (And I am someone who found the aftermath of robotic prostatectomy excruciating in the extreme). The only remaining issue is that the skin of my scrotum is very sore where the pump is pressing on it from the inside, but I had the same problem after my artificial urinary sphincter was fitted last year and that resolved itself within a few weeks so I expect this will be similar.
Drayton - or anyone else - feel free to send me a private message if there’s anything you want to ask that you don’t wish to post on the public forum.