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Posted 11/13/2009 7:57 PM (GMT 0)
52 yr old 2 weeks out of RP surgery , scared after reading some of the posts, I was under the impression ED was alot less prevelant than I'm reading about . Does anuone know the percentage of ED post ops? I have been doing the excercises every day and I'm down to one pad a day, seems to have stalled for now but it has only been 1 week without the cath.So happy I have found the site as I have become a little depressed and I'm having a hard time getting back to my work.I did have a slight nocturnal erection twice while the cath was in so I'm hopefull.

                                                       Charlie

Posted 11/13/2009 8:23 PM (GMT 0)
Welcome Charlie, and it sounds like you are doing quite well for only being 2 weeks. You will have a lot of feelings as you go thru the healing process, and depression is common. The old timers will be on in awhile and teach you how to include your stats on your signature. Take care for now.

Michael

Posted 11/13/2009 9:24 PM (GMT 0)
Welcome to HW, Charlie. Glad you decided to join the brother hood. Sounds like for two weeks you are doing good on the incontinent part, and the little feelings in your penis should be viewed as a good sign. But you are way way too soon out of surgery to be worrying about that part. The ED situation here varies almost as much as there are guys here. Some stories are amazingly good and some are terrible, and many are in between the two extremes.

Please keep us posted.

David in SC
Posted 11/13/2009 9:30 PM (GMT 0)
Greetings Charlie,



I agree with Michael, based on your report for only a week without the catheter, that's exceptional. Keep up with the exercises. As far as the ED goes, as you will hear often at this forum, "everyone is different." But based on my informal survey, I've come to believe that your ED recovery time will in large part be based on the degree of trauma your nerve bundles went through during your surgery. You have every reason to be hopeful. Remember your body has been through a lot and it will take a while to heal, so try not to be impatient.



When you get a chance, go to Control Panel at the upper left of this page, and enter your signature information, which will appear at the bottom of your messages that you post.



Best wishes,



Greg
Posted 11/13/2009 11:00 PM (GMT 0)
Welcome to the site Kodiak. Sounds like you are doing well. A little chubby with the cath is a good sign. I experienced that as well. Doctor put me on Levitra as soon as the cath was out. I responded to it well. I needed it less as time went on. By ten months post op I no longer needed the Levitra at all. I learned that while there was obviously a physical / medical reason for the ED, my mental state played a big part as well. If I began to think about my erection, while engaged in sex, I would likely loose it. I learned to just let it happen and not think too much. I wish you well on your recovery.
Posted 11/13/2009 11:44 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you everyone with the posts.I also believe your mental state has alot to do with it, thus far I remain positive .My girlfriend has been very supportive and that is a great help, as I  have been going through her menapause for sometime now so I suppose it is my turn now.Have to cook dinner will check back .

                             Thank you all again ,

                               Charlie 

Posted 11/14/2009 1:56 AM (GMT 0)
Welcome to our party Charlie. Sorry you had to join however I can't think of a better place to be under the circumstances. I can't speak very educated about the ED problem post op because two years later I am still 100% impotent. I will preface that by saying that I also had radiation and ADT3 which is the main contributor for me. I would say that you have a good chance of regaining your potency. It takes several months for most men so please be patient so as to not get disappointed. Right now just enjoy life and find new and exciting ways to love your partner. A new chapter in life has been written my friend so make the best of it.

Welcome to HW
peace and love
Dale
Posted 11/14/2009 11:06 AM (GMT 0)
welcome Charlie Don't worry too much about the ED so soon after your treatment. And you sound like you're doing well on the incontinence side of things too. Most of us have been doing this in three stages, first the op then the incontinece then the ED, but also of course keeping an eye on the ED all the time. And while there may seem to be a lot of fellows here with problems, that is after all what the forums are mainly about : people with problems who are looking for help advice and support, there is another active thread around at the moment about where are the guys who are okay. Clearly most of the guys who are okay will not be coming to the site as they are not surfing the net looking for answers, or they are just looking and not posting. At first glance my signature makes it looks like things are not too bad for me, but my "E" is still a bit "D" and I am waiting for tests results at the moment and the guys on the forum have been very supportive over recent days becasue of that. And I'm keeping my mind occupied by cooking stuff for a dinner party. ANd next week will involve a lot more than just PCa and those results And I think the fact that you are having problems going back to wotk is not surpising, I think you are amazing to be working again at all so soon after your op  Alfred
Posted 11/14/2009 1:02 PM (GMT 0)

     Welcome to the group Charlie, and what a group of misfits we are! yeah Like many of the others have said, you seem to be doing just fine.......no longer than it's been since your surgery, and you're only using one pad, I'd go out on a limb and guess the whole IC issue will take care of itself in time.....don't get all hung up about it, you're doing great.  As far as the ED, as David replied to you, we're all very different in that regard.....but, I'd be checking on some Levitra, Viagra etc....in my signature below you can see I started ED therapy the day after my cath came out. Many say the sooner the better....My Doc believed it, and so do I....

 Have a good one and don't let  this disease take anymore from you than it already has...

     

    

Posted 11/14/2009 1:29 PM (GMT 0)
Charlie,

Welcome to HW. You have found what I have come to know personally, a tremendously knowledgeable and supportive bunch of folks.

Your search for answers will be aided greatly here.

Bless you and your family as you continue your travels down the path of PCa.

Sonny
Posted 11/14/2009 1:36 PM (GMT 0)
Charlie, Welcome here I will agree with you I was lead to believe that if nerves were saved things would come back. 13 months out I am still waiting. Now the Dr tells me it is a 50/50 crap shoot. I am not real happy with that news. On the other hand I am pad free and have been sence the cath came out and I am in the zero club. That means PSA of zero after a year...

Everyone is different there are some that had erections with the cath in place. I guess we would call them lucky stiffs.

You are a bit early in your process. If you are not on one of the 3 pills. Call you Dr and see if he will start you ASAP.

Good lucke on healing.

If you have any more questions just ask. We are borthers here on the same mission.

Jeff T
Cajun Country
Posted 11/14/2009 4:51 PM (GMT 0)
I can't even put into words the thanks I have for all who posted, it has been very helpful to have read all your posts.I am going to call the Doc on Monday to see about starting some pills to be a little ahead of the process to get things going again. I have read alot of imformation about starting ED treatment ASAP to get a jump on the situation . For some reason perhaps my bad, it seems like everyone here has alot more info on their surgery.Doc said it went well margins were good and that was really it. I'm sure he knows if the nerves were spared and to what extent?I have an appointment in 3 weeks for a follow up and PSA test at which time I will ask more questions.

Thanks Charlie
Posted 11/14/2009 5:23 PM (GMT 0)
Charlies, when you have your follow-up visit with your surgeon, ask for a copy of the surgical pathology report. It will give you your final Gleason score and stage, as well whether or not there was capsular penetration, etc. Your doctor should spend a few minutes walking you through the report and answering your questions. Of course, we're always here for any questions you have.
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