HW Member gray knight now comes to PCa - welcome

Welcome here, Gray Knight.

Glad the mod picked up your post on a very old thread here. Usually best to start a new thread so that you won't get lost.

Perhaps some of the other folks that answered you will bring their answers to you up on this new thread so that they don't end up getting lost.

good luck to you,

david

Welcome, Gray Knight.  Our stats are somewhat similar.  Hopefully in the next few weeks you'll see a huge improvement in continence.  The fact that you're already doing pretty well when sitting or lying down is encouraging.

As for ED issues, only time will tell.  What will be will be...or not be.  Good luck.

With the finding of "organ contained," there's a good chance you'll never have to deal further with this prostate cancer issue.  I hope that's true for you, and for me.

 

Welcome aboard HW Prostate Cancer. Sounds like you are having a very normal recovery period. With the PCa contained, you may have taken care of the beast once and for all.
Good luck to you and come back often.

Bill from Florida

Hi Gray Knight,

Welcome to this forum as I also say I'm sorry you have to be here.

Remember that you are barely over one month removed from your surgery -- and the recovery ahead takes many months and even up to several years. So your recovery should be very satisfactory, but will take time. As with you, I've been searching for an OTC -- or even a prescription -- for patience because I am "patience intolerant" to go along with my lactose intolerance. LOL

Before much longer, though, you will probably begin to notice that things are gradually improving on the continence front. ED issues vary widely from patient to patient -- could be just a matter of months, or could be a matter of 2-3 years.

I am just now getting hints of "usable" erections after 18 months.

Without playing on words here, just "hang in there" and you'll be rewarded in the future as your recovery continues.

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.
Prostate 98.3 grams, tumor 2 grams. Prostate size 5.0 x 4.7 x 4.5 cm.
Abdominal drain removed the morning after surgery.
Catheter out in 7 days. No incontinence, occasional minor dripping.
Post-op exams 2/13/12, 9/10/12, PSA <0.1. PSA tests now annual.
Semi-firm erections now happening 14 months post-op & VERY slowly getting a bit stronger.

Welcome, Gray.  Sorry you have to be here, but you'll find lots of support and shared experiences.

If your uro hasn't already discussed penile rehab, don't wait for a follow up appointment to ask him/her about it.  If you didn't have much in the way of ED trouble pre-surgery, you're a good candidate to recover that function.  Although it can take 1 or 2 years to regain natural erections, many uros now prescribe a combination penile rehabilitation program that can include daily Cialis (to encourage natural nocturnal erections), MUSE (intra-urethral), or penile injections (bimix) along with a vacuum erection device.  The idea is to keep tissues oxygenated and to stretch your member .... sooner than later, to avoid atrophy and lessen chances for permanent ED issues.

I am not a medical professional.  My surgery was May 21 and my doc already has me on Cialis and did my first injection today.

Here's to a GREAT recovery to both of us!