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28 days after surgery, catheter still around!

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Posted 2/26/2009 4:28 AM (GMT 0)
Congratulations on being snake-free!

The urge to go nearly all the time happens to a lot of us at first. It gets better as the days go by. If you do urinate at night--people do it. Life goes on.

Good luck in the future!

DJ
Posted 2/26/2009 1:33 PM (GMT 0)
Well my friend, I am glad it was more like we all hoped for you. The fear of it, was worse then the reality. Now you are going through one of the very normal early stages of Incontinence, the peeing often, the dribbling, truble at night. at night, just wear a full pull-up diaper, it should allow you to sleep better when you aren't as worried about wetting, and if you did, the pull up will hold it. The ED part is a whole other regiment, so my advice is to worry only about one part at the time. You got that horrible catheter out of you, and you are working on becoming dry. My best to you.

David in SC
Posted 2/26/2009 4:02 PM (GMT 0)
Congrats on losing your Man Purse... more like a ball and chain really. The day I parted with my catheter was a happy day. Diapers and all.

I hope your as dry as the Sahara soon.
Posted 2/26/2009 9:40 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks guys!
My Doctor called this morning to tell me to do about 30 KEGAL exercises each day. I joked with him telling him he did an awesome job on the robotic surgery,because I had an erection yesterday for 4 hrs with the 1/4 (.25mg) Viagra he wants me to take everyday to get the blood working again. Nah, just kidding,I told him. I know, one thing at a time. These man diapers can be expensive, and I'm burning through three or four each day. Maybe Wal-mart or target might be cheaper,but I bought some at CVS Drugs.. DEPEND Brand $16.99 for about $16.00.

Has anyone's urologist also prescribed .25 mgs Viagra, or any other strength Viagra post robotic prostatectomy to help kick-start the blood vessels? If so, did it work? It might take time to see any improvement at all in the ED department. It's good to at least dream, isn't it! I had to wait this past Tuesday to get the catheter out BEFORE start taking the Viagra. OK, for now it's the incontinence to take cae of...thanks again and take care!
Posted 2/27/2009 3:57 AM (GMT 0)
uhc,

My doc prescribed Cialis instead of Viagra, half a tablet per night. It actually worked a little too well. Part of the problem was that after a certain point of expansion, there sudden pain and I had to back down, er, shrink back down. So they had me go to half a tablet every other night. They said this was normal, that the tissues just need to heal more, and they have.

DJ
Posted 2/27/2009 7:24 PM (GMT 0)
DJ,
I know last year with the robotic assisted net carcinoid tumor removed from between the rectum and the seminal vesicles, even after three weeks after this surgery I felt pain upon every orgasm, and even some blood with the ejaculate. The doc said this was normal and would clear up, but did not for a whole year, then I had this prostatectomy. He said there might be scar tissue, but has anyone after this surgery experienced pain or blood....wait a minute, the doc said that these surgeries will eliminate any ejaculatory fluid,and will be dry orgasms...Is this true, and are they more intense than before this surgery? That's what he told me. Everyone is different, but how soon do the erections/orgasms return? With even a quarter viagra daily, I'm feeling a little frisky,but don't believe I could achieve an erection, but the sensation is there, or I just want it to be.
Posted 2/27/2009 9:05 PM (GMT 0)
uhc,

As far as erections and orgasms...two different sets of nerves involved. Which means you can have an orgasm and not have an erection. Weird I know. The intensity of the orgasm for me...was a little dull at first probably because I was still healing...but lately they are getting very intense and last alot longer than before. Yes they are dry, but for a little leakage of urine which I understand will go away with time. about the erection...I still need the little blue pill, but I do feel some stirring in the morning hours so things are beginning to wake up. So if you are feeling frisky...I'd say go for it unless the doctor stated otherwise.
Posted 2/27/2009 10:07 PM (GMT 0)
unhappy (we got to get you a new name :)

I agree with Les above. I have my first "O" about a week after the last of my great catheter battles ended. It was strange, and I described it at the time as being "remote". And yes, a dry "O" takes some getting useto, its more of a trick on your mind than it is in feeling. Over the past few weeks, I can achieve an "o" basically whenever I desire, either "alone" or best with the other half. The length of it, and the feelings with it. are become less distant and more intense. Compared to my best "o" pre-surgery, and this is very subjective, I would say my best post surgery "o" is perhaps 50-60% as good as before. But I am only 3 1/2 months out of open surgery, and I am having all the "o" with natural wood - still havent needed a pump, pill drugs or injections (still a miracle I believe), my own dr. said no point taking anything if I can do that on my own. The best advice, and this is to myself as well as anyone else, is you have to make yourself forget how it use to be, and how it is now from this day forward. Not as easy to do as to say, but takes some self training in your own mind. Most of all, my cancer appears to be contained, and that is what I am most happy about, everything else at this point is icing or gravy to me. My best to you brother.

David in Sc
Posted 2/28/2009 4:13 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks guys for your innermost, candor, don't hold back,and honest reponses to my concerns on the "O"s. I guess it will be a complete mindset change over what it used to be. I DO apreciate all you've got to tell me. It's great Purgatory that the cancer is contained. I now have the other NET carcinoid cancer to worry about, and hopefully my prostate issues are no more with the abscence of the gland itself. I was talking to a lady from Dencver who was visiting her brother and taking care of him in Calif. because his Prostate cancer had spread to his spine,and he was undergoing radiation,and was really in a very bad way,so we can have these blessings that we will be fine that they caufht it in time. I was very low-grade, but opted for the robotic. I will try to post the findings when I get the pathology and surgical report. I am hopeful that he did indeed perform a "nerve sparing" surgery, thats what he told me anyway, also he reminded me he had to get all the cancer out, and that was more important that anything else. He's right afterall, I have alot to worry about the other cancer spreading to major organs and repeated future surgeries since radiation/chemo is not viable option to this particulalar cancer.  I'm dealing the best I can with that, it would be nice to think of the "release" and the O's, to take my mind of of it. Now, Go enjoy your weekend tongue

Post Edited (unhappycramper) : 2/28/2009 9:20:40 AM (GMT-7)

Posted 2/28/2009 4:50 PM (GMT 0)
Unhappy, when you take the surgical route, such as you didn, and myself and many others, a good doctor always has the same marching orders in terms of priority. My dr. and I never disagreed on that sequence.
1. Get the cancer, by all means (margins/edges wider if needed) possible, he/she has one shot to do that right
2. Do the surgery in a way to lessen incontinence problems in the long term
3. Try to impact the ED situation and possibilities as little as possible, but without risk to the goal of #1 above

Number 3 is important to all of us, doesn't matter what age, etc. But Number 1, is cancer eradication. PCa makes us make tough choices, so that is why the initial treatment decision is so, so important.

You have a good one too brother,

David in SC
Posted 5/11/2009 6:31 PM (GMT 0)
Hi all!
Well coming upon my four month Robotic Surgery anniversary tomorrow, (January 12, 09) here are my issues. Because of the almost seven weeks my buddy catheter was in me, I feel as though now I have scar tissue as a result. It's a little (not too much) pain upon urinating. I am doing kegals, but not as many as I should. I leak most times I laugh or cough. I am down from four diapers daily to only one. I ordered and received a pump, looked it over and have nor used it yet, as it looks very daunting. This is an emotional let down to have to rely on a mechanical device to help get and achieve an erection. But do they work? Are injections better? The Doc told me to take one whole Viagra,to try it out, but because of the cost,and at the time, no girlsfriends, I'll save the money as these little purple pills are not cheap. I'll get my nerve up someday,but want to wait a while. The Viagra makes me a little chubby feeling,but not enough to hardness. I was also bleeding two months out of the surgery,but that has diminished to no blood in the urine at all. Take care.
Posted 5/12/2009 5:56 AM (GMT 0)
Purgatory,
I agree about the username change. The reason I had the unhappy"cramper" was because of the Docs telling me I had IBS, and all the painful cramping associated with it. but actiually had a bowel obstruction in my right ascending colon which I then needed a Right Colectomy. I used to post on this site in another Forum. Since I was diagnosed with Prostate C, and moved to another area on this site, I just kept it. When I do a name change, I will post that too. I'm no longer unhappy. Thanks!
Posted 8/20/2011 4:39 PM (GMT 0)
Seed implants 8years ago-PSA rose to 1.28 in April 2011-after biopsy-found tumor and had robotic surgery-successful-all margins and lymph nodes clear-gleason 3+4-nerve sparing-BUT catheter is still in after 8 weeks. nNot fully healed. Having a cat scan in 2 weeks to see if infection or what's going on. Anyone have a similiar experience? How long catheter stayed in ?

PSA last week undetectable   Thanks Thespian

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