HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Depression Following Prostate Cancer Surgery

Support Forums
>
Prostate Cancer
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
1 2
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 1/31/2007 6:55 PM (GMT 0)

Hi Kat,

I "try" to urinate (on purpose) about every one to two hours. about 75% of the time there is no urine left in my bladder since since it has all leaked out into the pads while I am walking to the bathroom. about 25% of the time, if I walk to the bathroom quickly after I was sitting down for some time, I reach the bathroom with some urine still left in my bladder and I can then produce a small stream and I then practice stopping and starting although I sometimes only have a few seconds to act. This works best first thing in the morning when I have been lying down for many hours and have a lot more urine to work with. 

I will try to get a little more structured about this and make a consicious effort every hour to go to the bathroom. Maybe that will help.

I am doing Kegels. I do 10 sets daily with each set consisting of 5 repetitions of 5 seconds holding and 5 seconds relaxing. I have been doing that routine for about two weeks. Prior to that I was doing three sets of 20 fast repetitions daily which is what my urologist suggested. This weekend I skipped the Kegels entirely for two days to see if I was tiring myself out but that didn't seem to make any difference either. I will just keep at it.

Ben

Posted 2/1/2007 1:25 AM (GMT 0)
B
Just a reminder that i went from being totally wet to dry in a period of 2-3 days.

Lets hope that happens to you!

S is right- nothing wrong with taking Prozac-

R
Posted 2/1/2007 2:33 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks R,

I haven't given up hope on the incontinence. I have just run out of patience. S says that I was patient and well behaved for 30 days after the surgery. After that, my patience was gone.

I am sure looking forward to having control again, hopefully it will be 2-3 days from right now. No, right now! No, starting right now!! Okay, how about starting now!!!

Oh well. Like I said, no patience.

Best
B
Posted 2/1/2007 3:02 AM (GMT 0)

  Ben,  Hang in there.  I'm still have almost no control when standing.  I cahnge my pads almost hourly at work.  I work in a manufacturing type of facility.  My bosses have been very understanding.  I do sleep almost dry at night.  Wake up with a full bladder and can make it to the toilet with almost no leaking.  My problem is after I'm up and moving around.  Mr Dr. is going to "scope" me on the 20th of Feb.  If he thinks it will help they will do a colligen injection at that time to help plump up the tissues.  If it works for me I'll post it here so you can ask your Dr. about it.  You could also e-mail me at (edit) if you want to.

   I just keep telling myself that the main thing is that I have a all clear from the cancer and can expect to live many more years.  I know my dr will continue to do all he can to get me back to pre surgery condition.  It is just going to take me longer that a lot of the guys on here. 

  Try to keep your spirits up.  Things could be worse.

  KW

Contact Moderators e-mail address

Post Edited By Moderator (bluebird) : 5/2/2008 8:46:39 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 2/3/2007 4:49 AM (GMT 0)
Hello to all, especially to "bluebird" cause we know from your recent posts that you've been looking for us.  Since our last post in Dec. 06, things have greatly improved on their own, I feel mainly from more healing time for the body and more kegals.  Hubby's incontinence has greatly improved since Xmas.  He has been using a much lighter weight pad that is changed twice a day, not because they are greatly soiled, but more for freshness sake after bathing.  Pads only contain a few dribbles.  His activity level has pretty much returned to pre-surgery level and he is able to perform all his job duties.  He is quite amazed at how much better he is able to pee; said he feels like a 20 year old in that regard.  Best news of all was 3 month post-op checkup Jan. 07 - first post surgery PSA reading was undetectable.  Doctor told him his continence recovery was well within the normal range at the 3 month point.  As a wife speaking for her husband, I can say that the incontinence does get better over time, but when you're living with it day in and day out, it seems like an eternity, and sometimes it takes your significant other to objectively point out the improvements they've noticed.  In our years together, my husband has always been the patient one, never losing his temper, but this prostate cancer experience I think has brought him to his knees and brought out a side of him that I didn't know existed.  We feel he has made the slow climb to the top of the mountain, and is now on the downside of the bad time.  Hang in there to all of you.
Posted 2/3/2007 5:19 AM (GMT 0)
KW: Thanks for the information. It helps me to hear that others share my longer time to recover continence. This is frustrating but will surely get better. I will be curious to hear about about the collagen injections.

JOSAL: Thanks for the pep talk. It helps just to talk about all this stuff and hear from others. I can definitely relate to your comments about patience. I have none left and have to forcibly remind myself to calm down about this stuff at times and not overreact (can you overreact to something that is so awful?) Anyway, it sure is frustrating.

The depression (maybe that word is slightly too strong) ebbs and flows. Some days are worse than others. Strangely enough, weekends seem to be worse than weekdays. Maybe more free time to think about things.

Ben
Posted 2/3/2007 6:11 AM (GMT 0)
Hey Ben, Pete told me something the other day that kind of put things in perspective when I was really down about low T. He said that anything is better than a dirt hole.

I'm still in here looking out and sucking air. That is a good thing...

Jim
Posted 2/3/2007 2:55 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Jim,

Yeah, I keep telling other people (and myself) that all these side effects are better than the alternative of kicking the bucket. I need to keep reminding myself of that.

I saw on your thread that you are having trouble with low T and it sounds like this is making you feel pretty down. I am sorry to hear that and hope that you get a resolution soon. Isn't Swimom great!

Ben
Posted 2/3/2007 2:59 PM (GMT 0)
Hi again KW,

You mentioned in your last post that your doc is going to "scope you" on Feb 20th. Is the scoping being done to make sure that there are no physical problems at the surgical connection to the bladder that might be contributing to the incontinence?

One thing that I am unclear on is when it is appropriate to be doing more actual medical anaysis (scope, x-ray, pressure test, whatever) to see if there is a reason for incontinence.

Ben
Posted 2/3/2007 4:05 PM (GMT 0)
Hey Ben,

Yeah Swim is the greatest! She always says just the right thing and I'll be she isn't afraid to kick butt when its needed. I can live with effects of PCa as long as I know where I am at and what to expect because there is always something that can be done to make it better. Its the little surprises that come along once in a while that get me down. It seems that just as the cancer is slow growing, so is the recovery.

Keep looking up Buddy....

Jim
Posted 2/3/2007 5:39 PM (GMT 0)
Hi~ JoSal,     (Thank you for starting this Thread!!!!   You can see how important it is!!!!)   J   You’re back… ahhhhh this truly comforts the heart and mind!   I’m starting a new Thread….   JoSal's Page :)     See you there!!!!!!!! (direct link ~ just click on the title!   Reminder to click on the REFRESH icon once there)   Glad you checked in with all of us!!!       In Friendship ~ Lee & Buddy
Posted 2/7/2007 4:30 AM (GMT 0)
Pete, we need to get together and talk buddy..... I just recently went back on Prozac after a 10 year hiatus. You hit the nail on the head about missing the passion for things. I can't determine if it's psychological or physical.... but one thing is for certain I do not get up for things, vents, parties, meetings like I used to. Even eyeballing a sexy, pretty lady does nothing for me. And with sex, what few experiences I've had since the surgery, my orgasms are very brief and I cannot imagine my erection being very effective for penetration at this point.

 

The good news is that I've met with my surgeon for my one-month post-surgical meeting. Blood tests indicate a PSA of 0.1 and that's supposed to be good, right? The doctors told me that the minor bouts with incontinence will go away over time. As for the erections, I was directed to keep taking doses of Viagra, and if that didn't help to take Levitra, or if that doesn't help take Cialus. If none of those three work, then I will be back for my next appt in three months to talk about pumps and shots. I am still a single/divorced man and seeking a partner and my "Mojo" ain't what it used to be. I am having difficulty imagining what a healthy woman would want with a man who can't achieve a full erection for more than a few moments. Shoot, it's all in the head, but that's how I feel right now.... generally down and without drive. I have sought the help of a counselor and I am hoping that will help in the long-run.

 

By every measure I've apparently beaten the Prostate Cancer, and I should be elated, but I'm not in the slightest... something is missing.

 

Talk to you all soon.....

 

Love ya, Jay

Posted 2/7/2007 10:26 AM (GMT 0)
Jay,

If you can reach have a erection of any sort at this early stage of the game you are doing better than most.
Your MoJo will get better with time. FELLAS....have just a more little patience while the your body's heal and adjust. For most it is not a lack of testosterone but rather healing from the emotional whirl wind followed by surgery affecting you. Patience is a state of mind! Don't lose yours!!!

God Bless, Swim
Posted 2/8/2007 1:59 PM (GMT 0)

Swim,

Those are excellent words of advice for us all. Regardless of one's circumstance in life, this is a HUGE change of life for any man and one needs time to heal physically and emotionally.

Thanks, Jay

Posted 2/9/2007 4:08 AM (GMT 0)
Oh thanks Jay! I thunk that saying up all by myself I did!
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
12