INCONTENENCE STILL HERE

Hang in there friend. Took me 8 months on the pads.

Sorry to hear about the shingles. As I recall, they are realted to the mumps virus. Seem like you ought to be able to build up some immunity.

Good luck.

Shingles are related to chicken pox. There is an immunization shot you can get for shingles but I don't know if you can get it if you have a live case of shingles in progress. Our county health service provided the shot for my wife and me because our family physician does not get the serum.

I know shingles are horrible and to be avoided at all costs. My sympathy.

Hey Sea..........hopefully your incontinence will improve as time goes on. As for shingles, it's the chicken pox virus that has been dormant roaring back to lfe. I had a bout about 10 years ago, and was lucky that it subsided in about 8 weeks from outbreak. My lesions were on one side of my back, and fortunately it wasn't along nerve paths (along which the virus travels)

near my eyes etc., which can really be dangerous. It was very painful while it lasted. You need to address things that affect your immune system, getting plenty of rest, checking for inflammatory markers, etc., as well as addressing with anti-viral meds, both oral and topical. Just like the chicken pox shouldn't go on continuously, neither should shingles in most cases although durations of the attacks vary from person to person. I'm not aware, personally, of anybody who has had chronic shingles like you describe. Have you seen a specialist regarding this? It could be that in trying to restore your body to it's former self prior to PCa surgery, your system has been depleted to the point where the shingles virus comes out of it's coffin.

Arnie in DE

Hi Sea, I`m glad to hear that the incontinence is improving. I had my surgery about the same time and have also seen improvement in that as well. I`m sorry to hear about the shingles; I`ve known people with persistent pain after shingles infections that can last for quite a  while. I hope that it improves for you. I`ve heard that some of the medications for neuropathy pain like Neurontin can help with the pain; check with your Dr to see what they can do to help.

I am still one pad daytime / one night at DaVinci +27 weeks. It has gotten better, but for now this seems the "stable" point.

I am going to start a new thread about my progress and call it, "light at the end of the tunnel!"
But because you have a SHINGLES question I thought I'd post it here first…

I thought I was recovering well until I contracted Pseudomonas Aeruginosa
I was first diagnosed with Swine Flu and treated with antibiotics for five days
until my GP (General Practitioner) informed me that a swab taken from throat had shown positive for Pseudomonas Aeruginosa.
I had ten days of full on Anti-Biotics and recovery was initially quick but eventually slow paced.

I think the drugs just killed off everything and so I was very susceptible to any flu bug flying around.

Then I developed SHINGLES
Holy crap - it was awful…
Fortunately my amazing GP diagnosed it within three days of the initial rash appearing
and treated me with antibiotics.
But the pain in my back and front rib cage was excruciating.

I am currently trying to get some rest and at the same time build up my strength again
Walking is good but I really need to do more aerobic exercise
and I'm a lazy sod really.
I only ever exercised when I had a ball at my feet
But my girlfriend and I have just joined a racquetball club so that may be a solution for me.

INCONTINENCE:
I have been very fortunate.
I was able to do all the post surgery kegel exercises they suggested for the fifth week BEFORE my surgery
and I think that helped tremendously.
I still have a leakage problem if I get drunk at a party
so I wear a pad if I think I'm off out for a good time.
I also wear a pad when I'm traveling long distances
but that is merely precautionary and i have never yet been caught - short
as it were.
So lucky me, so far.

ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION:
Thirteen months after surgery and I can get a reasonable erection without drugs
I still find that my penis head is not as bulbous as it once was
but I'm hoping that will return
I am using a vacuum pump to help improve that
( I highly recommend using a good Vacuum Pump to stimulate the blood vessels
this was not something that my urologist stressed but I think it's essential and better than the drugs option)
I have used Levitra, Cialas and Viagra and whilst they all worked
I never seemed to regain a natural "hard-on " sensation,
the sensitivity just wasn't there with the drugs.
I am uncircumcised so I have always had a very sensitive penis head
and I just don't seem to have regained that sensitivity - yet!
So sex, both oral and penetrative, are just not as satisfying as before surgery,
but I have my fingers crossed that given more time, and pump action,
I'll regain that fantastic feeling again.
I'm certainly optimistic. I just keep telling my girlfriend I need more practice, haha…

So life after surgery is getting better everyday
I have certainly had some very distressing and depressing days
but generally feel optimistic
My recent PSA score was zero so another six months of not worrying ahead.

Good luck to everyone out there.
I hope my story is of benefit to at least one other fellow cancer patient.