post prostate

Hello, my first post on HW although since coming across the site I have read lots of posts and gained good ideas from them. I was diagnosed with pc in June 2016. I had no symptoms and was shocked, still am. The doc had me on watch and wait for a time but the mri showed there was a possible probability (or the other way around) of the disease moving out of the sac. So that option was off the table and I had RPP December 7th 2016. Gleason was 6 and of the 6 biopsy samples one was 50% cancer related, so I was early along the path which was/is good. My father lived till 80 with the disease and died of an unrelated illness. The operation was no problem, the first week was the worst and had the catheter removed after 8 days, which for me was too early and promptly had it replaced when I couldn't pee. Thankfully my surgeon had me in the office within an hour of my call to replace the catheter, which turned out to be placed incorrectly. I then had an ultrasound which also pointed out the urethra had come away from the bladder. So I was back in for another operation to fix it. The surgeon had no idea why, looking back I think the catheter was out too early and with too big a yank.
So in went another catheter and all in all I lost 23 days recovery time. So I am two months in recovery, roughly. Incontinence is a challenge for me, my wife has been very supportive through all my hissy fits and feeling sorry for myself, she is a rock and pulling me through. My willy kind of disappeared for a while but is making a comeback I am happy to say. No erection as yet, but now and then it feels stronger than the last time. I take Cialis every other day but this is expensive so won't be long term.
I have found the penis clamp to be of benefit, I actually ventured out for a meal with friends for the first time wearing the clamp and a light pad for three hours and was quite comfortable the whole evening, so I can have a life. I am walking two miles a day and have a 30 min easy exercise routine, plus the kagels are a daily occurrence. Easy to do so why not do them. I will venture back to the gym in a while, the clamp has given me confidence. The worst of it I find is wearing the thick pads during the day, this is my worst time. I use them until heavy and walking is difficult. I use 3/4 pads, maybe I should change more often. I use a barrier cream and have not had any real issues with chaffing. I do have a problem with the penis glans being red and itchy due to the constant leakage, anyone use anything that is good to help. I find all I can smell these days is pee. Sleeping and sitting are no problem, as with most of us. I have spent a good deal on supplies, as we all do but finally feeling I am zoning in to what works best for me.
This is a game changer for sure and its easy to say I wish I had hung on to my prostate but my relief when pathology reported they had got it all was immense, no cancer sounds good.
So doing the best I can, trying to be positive and like all of us hoping for some semblance of improvement. I have already made my mind up I will go for the aus800 (not the sling my surgeon has suggested already, go figure) but will allow myself 18 months recovery time. My surgeon told me my experience during this has been anything but normal (good to know) and I should have more control by now, reading on this forum suggests not. I think surgeons put way to much of a positive stance on the procedure and underestimate the incontinence part and the effects. I was not expecting the way things have been.
These are my thoughts right now and find this little exercise good, in that it reinforces that I have improved very slowly. That is good and I will take anything at this juncture, the improvements are hardly noticeable but are there. Thanks and if there is anything which may help me and others please let me know.

Iluvgrub said...
I was not expecting the way things have been.

Well, I think this very clearly states, yet subtly under-states, exactly how a lot of low-risk men feel after seeking an aggressive treatment.

Hi MD and thank you for your reply. I am sorry for the confusion, I had a radical prostatectomy, not the perenium route. Still trying to figure out the abbreviations. I didn't know what a perenium was until I had the op. So naive about everything, I have times I wish I had looked into other treatment options also, a bit late now. I have a contact going the radiation route and just sailing through it, its early days but he is doing well thankfully.
Cheers.

Thanks Gemlin, that is interesting. It is difficult to retrieve information on studies like that. I am giving myself 18 months. I truly hope I am in the 9 of 10.
Cheers.