Posted 3/5/2014 7:27 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Geeterman,
If you have a fear of the catheter, this is something you probably need not worry about. After Dr Tollefson performed the surgery on me, I never had any pain from the catheter. Didn't even have any pain from the drainage tube when it was removed the morning after surgery.
The catheter was not painful at all except once or twice when I had some irritation at the tip of the penis. But when I left Methodist Hospital (this is a hospital within the clinic complex, which is where Dr Tollefson performs his surgeries) they gave me a squeeze tube of jell to apply -- and it immediately relieved the irritation every time.
When I returned to the clinic 7 days later to remove the catheter, the doctor's nurse was VERY nice and reassuring -- and I did not feel a thing when she removed the catheter.
Now, to be fair, I cannot claim that every single case will be as painless as my experience. Could be that my individual situation was favorable for a painfree process -- or it could just be that the doctor, nurses, etc. are simply that good at what they do. Or perhaps a combination?
In any event, many people relate having no pain with the catheter (and, once again, others DO have pain) -- probably most people have little or no pain.
I simply spent the week enjoying all the wining & dining (mostly wining, LOL) with tons of coffee, soda, etc., in the knowledge that I could drink to my heart's content without having to run to the bathroom every five minutes. LOL
So, for whatever it is worth, you probably would NOT have a lot of discomfort with the catheter. It's mostly just an "inconvenice."
As one of the Methodist Hospital nurses told me as I was being discharged, "You have to remember your DANCE PARTNER for the next week." She told me this as I was starting to walk into the bathroom to start dressing to leave the hospital -- the catheter was so painless that I had forgotten it was attached to me and, at that time, on a rolling IV stand. I started walking toward the bathroom and suddenly felt something tugging at me -- turned out to be the "dance partner" waiting for me to take it along with me. LOL
Take care,
Chuck
Resident of Highland, Indiana just outside of Chicago, IL.
July 2011 local PSA lab reading 6.41 (from 4.1 in 2009). Mayo Clinic PSA Sept. 2011 was 5.7.
Local urologist DRE revealed significant BPH, but no lumps.
PCa Dx Aug. 2011 at age of 61.
Biopsy revealed adenocarcinoma in 3 of 20 cores (one 5%, two 20%). T2C.
Gleason score 3+3=6.
CT of abdomen, bone scan both negative.
DaVinci prostatectomy 11/1/11 at Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN), nerve sparing, age 62.
My surgeon was Dr. Matthew Tollefson, who I highly recommend.
Final pathology shows tumor confined to prostate.
5 lymph nodes, seminal vesicles, extraprostatic soft tissue all negative.
1.0 x 0.6 x 0.6 cm mass involving right posterior inferior,
right posterior apex & left mid posterior prostate.
Right posterior apex margin involved by tumor over a 0.2 cm length, doctor says this is insignificant.
Pathology showed Gleason 3 + 3, pT2c, N0, MX, R1
adenocarcinoma of the prostate.
Prostate 98.3 grams, tumor 2 grams. Prostate size 5.0 x 4.7 x 4.5 cm.
Abdominal drain painlessly removed morning after surgery.
Catheter painlessly out in 7 days. No incontinence, occasional minor dripping. 100% continent after 3 weeks.
Post-op exams 2/13/12, 9/10/12, 9/9/13 PSA <0.1. PSA tests now annual.
Brief, firm erections on occasion, still hoping for more improvement.