RARP surgery peeps -- would you mind answering some questions for me?

1) Nope, but in my case, I had to have another surgery to stop the leaking, which is VERY rare.
2) Yep
3) Only some shortening
4) Nope

Just remember, whatever you decide will have side effects. With surgery, you have them immediately, with radiation, they tend to develope later.

I went for being cancer free as my #1 goal

Bill from Florida

No incontinence, other than a minor stress leak once in a while, and an occasional minisquirt when I drink (or grab my wife's butt) not enough to bother me.

No impotence, lthough I can't say it's the same as before surgery, I do have to work a bit harder (no pun intended) to finish it off

No shortening, no peyronies (crooked penis)

Don't regret surgery.

But none of this matters, because everyone has a different experience. And a lot depends on the experience of your surgeon. (But that's not the only factor)

1) No
2) about 20% down from pre-surgery (<3 months from surgery- recovering)
3) No
4) Jury is still out

Post Edited (Vmost66) : 4/28/2017 11:40:48 PM (GMT-6)

I probably could have just watched my Gleason 6 and it might never have gotten any worse. But AS requires repeat biopsies which r literally pains in the ass, and I didn't want to keep doing them plus I was afraid the biopsies might be missing more aggressive gleason 7s or higher although the final biopsy at surgery showed that wasn't the case. Trimix isn't the most spontaneous way of having sex. It takes some preparation, I just wish it could be the old simple easy way. But the surgery did get rid of the bph, no more getting up every 2 hours all night long, I get up only once now which is great. My sleep is so much better and I don't dread getting on a plane for fear of not having a bathroom readily available like I used to and I can sit through entire movies now. So that is great. Life is full of these compromises I guess

logoslidat said...
no
for 2 years post op yes...after that with viagra....its fine
no thats a myth..its just set deeper in...when erect...girth and length are the same...tho the orientation is different...like somebody dicked with it...
no

😂😂😂😂😂

1. Occasional drippage--I look at it this way: before surgery I had a touch of minor BPH that led to incomplete drainage and periodic drips. If I was considered continent then, then I should be considered continent now. The times are more random, but the daily frequency and volume is about the same.
2. No issues. I take 2.5 mg cialis daily. It's different, it takes more effort to make things happen, but no issues.
3. In cold weather the turtle effect seems to be more so, otherwise no.
4. No

I wear one pad per day to catch dribbles. Total ED. Trimix worked well but I now have major Perryones (sp). Dick is unquestionably smaller. I regret the surgery only because it failed to stop the cancer. Had it worked I would have been okay with the SEs.

1) No
2) No
3) No
4) No

No
No, but rehab took some time. No to climacturia.
Did not measure.
No

thank you, all! keep the responses coming!

fiddlecanoe - i totally get the bias! i went to grad school for clinical psych, so i actually love learning about all the different cognitive biases. but i also love hearing from real people about their experiences even if they're cloaked in a subjective reality!

btw - statistics are all over the place as well! dr. king, mark schulz & dr. ahlering all used so many opposing statistics this week for side effects etc. and king & schulz are both for radiation but had different numbers... it's beyond confusing.

Specialists like to quote numbers that work in their favor. My urologist quoted results that I knew were patently false. What I like of consulting Dr. King is that he supported his numbers by printing two medical papers for me, so I could take my time and study the results for myself.

I recently started the SBRT process with Dr. King's team and I must say that we often overlook the importance of the whole team. We focus on the skills of the surgeon or RO, but forget that there's a whole team that we will be dealing with. I knew from the day of hearing my diagnosis that I would not be dealing with my urologist. His bedside manners were poor, although he had a pleasant personality (He walked into the room, ignored my wife and his first words to me were: "We found quite a lot of cancer in you"). The front office was just a hot mess. That tells you a lot right there.

Everyone in Dr. King's office is fantastic and makes you feel like a patient who matters, not just a number to add to an invoice.

Sorry this is a bit OT, but I thought it important enough to be said.

I am posting on behalf of my husband:

1. No, never a drop. Peeing is much easier now, the flow is awesome.
2. Viagra needed. Not as spontaneous as it used to be, and this had turned out to be an issue.
3. No difference
4. Probably would have still gone for surgery but brachytherapy was an option that we should have considered more. AS was not an option that Paul was happy with due to family dying young and painfully (aged 60-70) from prostate cancer.