perineal pain after surgery

Hi MGL

You didn't mention where you are in your healing process.  How long ago was your surgery?  If you are just a few weeks past, then a bit of pain of all sorts is a regular companion.  My doctor told me I shouldn't to sit in a chair for any longer than a few minutes for the first few weeks.  I relocated my computer to the side of a "lounge chair" to avoid sitting at a desk.

So, if you have pain...don't sit on it.  Cushion it.  Avoid long car rides. etc...lay down for a while. Take some tylenol (not aspirin).

If you are months past surgery and pain still persists, then I would suggest consulting with your urologist.

FLASH....

I just checked your older posts and see you still have your catheter in place.  So, Yes you will feel some discomfort.  Even after your catheter is removed you will be uncomfortable for days, even weeks.  I remember that the tip of my penis was quite sore for at least three weeks after I got my catheter out.

This is going to be a time when you wonder every single day what your body is doing, and why. You will keep asking, "Is this normal pain?", "Is that the usual drip?" , "Am I healing ok?".

All I can say is, we all went through this.  Once in a while, things arn't usual. but so far, it seems that you are going in the right direction.  Keep on healing 

Yes It is normal to have pain in the perineaum. Im 4 weeks post op and 2 weeks post catheter and the pain is still off and on with me. It just started getting to where I feel sort of normal a fe w days ago. It still comes and goes. Sometimes it hurts all the way from the anus to the penis ( including testicles) Feel like a bad bruise when you press on it so suggest you keep the pressure off it as much as possible. I have a ring pillow that helps but makes the boney part the buttocks sore if I sit on it too much. It will SLOWY subside so be patient. Just try not to disturb it as much as possible. WALK WALK and Walk some more as it exercises the area too and help the pain go down. Take tylonol for the pain as well. At first when you walk it may seem to cause slightly more pain but is bearable and after a few days it will get better and better. Also pain increases with coughing sneezing and passing gas. But all is normal according to my uro doc. You will find many different things hurt some start hurting after a while and not right after surger some come out of nowhere but usually pass quickly. I have to remind myself and now I say to you dont forget a lot of cutting and damage was done internally due to the surgery robotis as well as radical. I was told to forget the 6 week healing standard as it is different for us all. Some of us got lucky and in 6 weeks did good. BUT I dont belive any one was fully normal at 6 weeks. My uro doc says it may be 6 months or so before I will really seem to be back to my normal self and will have many  good days and a few bad ones before I get there. Just dont get too caught up in a quick cure as it will probably not happen, Unless your one of the lucky ones. Your next big battle will be incontenance so get ready for the fun and games...  Do your keagels and keep youself dry to prevent rashing etc. God bless and hang in there it will pass.

Gleason 3+4=7

nodes and surrounding tissue negative

thanks Tamu

mike

I only heard the term perineal pain for the first time yesterday while searching the Net and trying with your help to confirm that's what i have.

I am 53 YO and had a radical prostatectomy and lymph nodes removed Fe 6th. went home with a catheter Feb 9th and catheter removed Feb 19th. about a week after the surgery i started to get significant pain/pressure in what i thought was my rectal area but since then I think I have pinpointed it  to the area between the rectum and scrotum and when really bad the pain would radiate into my buttocks. to be blunt it felt like someone was shoving a baseball bat up my you know what, when i would sit it felt like I was sitting on a balloon and the only way to get relief was to take painkillers and lie down. after lying down the area would throb for about an hour.

I mentioned this to my doc/surgeon who said my bladder was spasming and was inflamed and swollen from the surgery and catheter. he said it would be better when the catheter was removed.

well the  catheter was removed Feb 19 and pain stayed the rest of that day and next day went away for about 3/4 of a day and then came back. it is much reduced from what it was and seems to have stabilized at a moderate uncomfortable level but does not seem to be improving after a week and a half without the catheter. the doc again talks about spasms, possible infection so has put me on strong antibiotics and just says for some it takes longer to recover. he has never mentioned perineal pain.

the symptoms i'm experiencing:

-the balloon like feeling is the least first thing in the morning and seems to get larger as the day goes on

-walking relieves the pain/ache

-lieing down "        "      "

-the pain is the worst and comes on the fastest when standing in one spot such as when shaving or standing under the shower.

-seems to also come on when i feel a bowel movement coming on and is temporarily relieved like 10 or 15 minutes with the movement.

i mentioned all of this to the doc this past Thursday and he has booked me for a cysytoscopy for Tuesday if i am not improving. I'm sure you can all appreciate that after having a catheter for 2 weeks i certainly want to avoid having more things shoved up there if i can avoid it.

I am hoping the gentlemen in this forum who have been through this can tell me that all the symptoms are normal and will go away.

I look forward to your reponses and thanks to all in advance.

Rick

Hello All:

I am so relieved to find this discussion group.  I had the Da Vinci radical prostatectomy almost six weeks ago and I still have significant perineal pain.  This is the first site that has given me the assurance that this is not out of the ordinary.  Thanks.

FYI my PSA 4 weeks post surgery has gone down from 12.5 to .008. another test in 2-3 weeks and my docs thinks it will be down to .006 which he says is considered 0 and undetectable. I had a slight exceedance of margin on one side.

Rick