Some problems on day 4

Things were going pretty well until today. My testicles swelled up to about double their size. I got a large purple patch on my hip that is thickly swollen and numb. There was a burning discharge from my penis. I cleaned it with anti bacterial soap, it burned a little. My wife called the Dr. service. He said it was normal because a lot of blood vessels get ruptured during surgery. The discharge is from the uretha being irritated from the catheda. No BM even with the milk of magnesia.
What ticks me off is that the catheda rubber tube is not that smooth. There is a seam in it that is like sandpaper and it has been very uncomfortable from day one.

rick: Mine did also. Dr said put some ice on it. That did help a bit. Still say the worst part of my recovery was the cathera.

Hang in there Rick it will get better.

Cajun Jeff

Rick,

Just let the BM happen. Drinking some MOM and maybe even some prune juice is great, along with lots of liquids, but let the BM happen. Fiber is good too.

I about turned my anus inside out and didn't help anything else out either trying. Even made a few hemmorhids. The sensation was there, but not the logs.

When the colon wakes up, and is full, it will come.

Good luck. Oh, take another walk.

Thanks guys. Knowing it is not that unusual helps a lot. I think I'll walk around the dining room table :)

Rick, sorry to hear about your troubles, but it should pass in due time. Like Fairwind, I never had any of the swollen testicle problems, and I stayed on a cath for 63 days straight, after surgery, it was annoying and I hated it, but it never hurt me per say, and nothing ever leaked out of it during that time. Each journey here is so unique, hope you get your relief soon.

david

The swollen testicles, which no one warned me about, had me calling the duty doctor at 2 am. They were upset that I bothered them, but carrying around that pair of softballs was scary.

Did not have the bruised spots, so no comment there. The homeopathic "arnica" gel is good for breaking up bruises.

They kept me in the hospital for four days, so the first BM was there. Past experience with colon issues says that if all else fails, take 2 tablespoons of mineral oil (available at any pharmacy or grocery pharmacy department). Wait 5-8 hours, and you'll be pumping sliders without even the first strain. One warning - if you have the sensation that you might possibly need to go, run, don't walk, to the nearest can.

Try to find something water-based for the catheter tube, or maybe polysporin. Any petroleum jelly type products seal in whatever irritation and infection you might have. If you can get by with washing the tube often (every hour or so) it is better, at least according to my post-op nurses.

hey rick, i too had the monsterous right testicle and was purple black and blue from my hip all the way up to my beltline, was crazy looking and lasted a good long while. bm issues were also the biggest issue for me as i was dry from the get go and very little ed issues. i`m still fighting passing some blood from time to time that no doubt is hem. related from the constipation. i found cleaning and putting neosporin on the tube kept me the most comfortable. good luck!

Rick; I hope today brings you more comfort and healing. Like Fairwind, I find it so interesting that different guys have such wildly different outcomes, and issues post surgery. I had virtually zero swelling of scrotum, with just a little bruising. I think it's horrid that a catheter tube is not soft and smooth. That's outrageous as far as I'm concerned. I found my catheter to be very inconvenient, but not uncomfortable. It required a lot of care such as cleaning the glans, the penis opening, and an inch of the catheter tube with alcohol pads, and then liberally applying an antibiotic ointment. I performed this little ritual several times each day, and I sincerely believe that it prevented any inflamation in that area.

Difficult BM's seem to be a common problem for all men after prostate procedures. I had a few really difficult bm's, and used the mom daily along with a cheap and effective generic stool softener from walmart. I'm now 3 months post op, and my bm's are just now finally getting back to normal, and I'm not taking anything. Still occasionally have a little constipation, which is now probably more related to diet.

I wish you the best in the coming days and weeks. I assure you that things will get better. I feel so blessed that my recovery was virtually uneventful. Once the catheter had been removed, I could see daily improvement with the incontinence. I have not used a pad in over two months. I do occasionally have a little stress dribble. Last night driving home late from a business dinner meeting, I was very tired, and experiencing some sinus drainage. I noticed that when I coughed, I would experience that sensation of incontinence, so I was careful to keep my bladder as empty as possible. These days, I never miss an opportunity to "go pee" prior to a meeting, or simply going for a drive. Whenever I stop for gas, I do an "insurance" pee. It's become a way of life.

ED is a totally different topic, and it has become a much bigger and complicated problem for me, but I'm exploring all my options at this time.

Again, I hope you find minimal symptoms today, with even more improvement tomorrow. Please keep us posted, and also let us know what your pathology is once you find out.

God Bless

k