From Diagnosis to Treatment to Recovery

I'm going to pencil in the Rochester GFMPH, last weekend in September.

Thanks Sophie, that's good to know. It's good that he's making progress, hope it speeds up and he's pad free soon.

I've started weighing the pads, and noting each one with the time worn and activity. This will help me monitor progress.

Good good... Easy on expectations on being dry, this can take time. I was very very frustrated after a few weeks of leaking, thinking that I could not get better but it did.

You are doing great

Chask, thanks. But that 7.2 ounces was in a 5 hour period. The total yesterday was 7.2+5.3+2.9 over three pads in a 24 hour period. So subtract the three pads weight and that is 7.9 ounces, so about one cup. That was my first full day without the Catheter

I haven't started actual Kegel exercises yet, they told me to wait three days after catheter removal, which means I'll start tomorrow. I just do situational Kegels, like if I'm getting up out the f bed or I cough or something.

It seems like if I have to go, I can hold it, except for the leaks , till I get to the bowl. That includes nighttime. I wake up 3 times, a night with a strong urge to pee, and I just get up and walk into the bathroom and pee. I Kegel as I'm getting up off the bed, but still it leaks a bit . And the blood, even though I know it's normal, is disturbing to look at, can't wait till that stops.

Still it makes me feel like I'm not ready to go visiting people, etc.
I might be able to get away with guards in my briefs, but I'm afraid to.
Very frustrating, because it's so new to me, but I know I can't and shouldn't complain, I guess I'm in decent shape all things, including the timing, considered.

Gedman, when I had my meeting with HELEN, ONE F HIS pAs, she went over with me,things to expect and things to look out for. She told me to expect blood in urine for up to six weeks. Said it may come and go, and I may even go a couple of weeks without any blood, and then for no apparent reason, have bloody piss. She said it will often be more blood at the beginning and end of the stream, which is exactly what is happening.

But thanks for mentioning that, I will email Mae, the Nurse Practitioner, on Monday, just to confirm. She's been my hobo person to email questions as they come up, since before the surgery.

Thanks Gedman, good to know.

Back to work....

So the last two days. I decided enough laying around. So yesterday and today, I got up around 9, did some work , spoke to some clients, then got on the treadmill for 40 minutes, showered and went to the office. Spending about 2-3 hours a day there.
Honestly, one of the things I've learned the last few weeks is that I really don't ever have to go to the office unless I have a meeting. Working from home is fine. BUT.......

GOING IN, AND HAVING MORE ACTIVITY, has helped me fight thru a perceived lack of energy. Today I felt much stronger at work and when I and when I got home. Maybe psychological but it works, so who cares.

Emailed my docs office this morning with some questions. They confirmed that some blood an blood clots are still normal and expected for a few weeks. They told me I can start weaning myself off the Colace, reduce dosage as long as I am regular and not straining, but not to eliminate it for another week or so,

On the incontinence front, I am frustrated, even though I am probably on track. I put on a new pad, at 12:30pm, and changed it at 5:30 when I got home from work. After weighing the pad it showed that I leaked 6/10ths of an ounce in 5 hours out of the house. But. It felt like I was leaking more, and it is just frustrating. My problem, I need to get over it, keep doing Kegels, and keep the faith that it will resolve.

Yesterday morning, I'm pretty sure I woke up to a stiff Willie. I was shocked. It happened twice before, but I figured I Was dreaming . This time it was real, it didn't last long, and it hurt a little, but I didn't care I was so happy. I put off starting the Cialis. This morning Willie was back to his usual Mr Softee self. So I'll start the Cialis today 5mg daily. I got a 30 day free supply thru my surgeon,

Keep the faith, a little progress on one front or another, each day. And expect setbacks along the way, keep frustration in check.

Post Edited (Pratoman) : 1/21/2015 6:05:43 PM (GMT-7)

Caspar, you are very insightful when I buy something new, that's exactly what I do.
My impatient nature is not a positive. It's just how I roll

PROGRESS CONTINUES.....

I AM 2 days short of three weeks post surgery.
I am almost fully continent, not quite there. I can hold it, but I leak a little. In the last 24 hour period, I did not wear a pad, only q guard, and leaked a total of 7/10ths of an ounce. This included going out to dinner last night , and spending 40 minutes on the treadmill this morning at 3 MPH. So a fair amount of activity.
So I think I am done with pads, and onto guards. Hopefully I won't have any setbacks.

In the ED department, I think this may work out. Last night was my 4th night of daily 5mg Cialis. I woke up the last two days with some firmness, and this morning in particular, it was quite a bit of firmness. Still a bit uncomfortable though. Too soon for sexual activity . But good to know its coming along. Last night, just for fun, I put on a **** flick, and managed to get some firmness from that too, which was different from morning wood, because it was intentional. It wasn't enough for penetration, but Its not even 3 weeks from surgery, so I was thrilled.

I GUESS dr Tewari's low tension, anti thermal whateveryacallit approach is working for me.

Regarding blood in urine, the clots continue to come out, and I still have blood, but it's only the last couple of drops, very little.

I still don't have all of my stamina back. I suspect that will be gradual, and hopefully in another month or so that will change. I get winded after a long phone conversation. But I have no problem doing a couple of miles of brisk walking on the treadmill.I also just generally move slower. I've always been a high energy guy, and I don't feel that now. Things just generally feel different. I hate to say this, but for the first time in my adult life, at age64, I actually feel my age. I really hope it's temporary.

This general feeling of things just being different, has me a bit depressed. I know it's normal, and probably/hopefully, temporary, and I think I'm doing very well considering where I am on the timeline. but nevertheless, for whatever the reason, I'm depressed. Maybe it's woorry over the PSA test in 4 weeks , maybe it's reading about a number of guys here with (7 (3+4) and no ECE neg margins, who have had a recurrence. Or maybe it's just impatience. But I need to fight my way out of this.

Like I said, overall, I think I'm making good progress at this point.

No real questions here,balthough comments welcome, because everyone's experience is different. But hopefully, as I've said before, my experience can help some newbies know what to expect if they chose the route I've taken, that being RALP

KEEP THE FAITH.

Caspar, you've got mail 👴

Pratoman, Thx for all the advice and the great INFO on the 'PROCESS' in telling your story!!! Very helpful and enlightening! Hoping I won't have to go through it but one step at a time.

My brother-in-law had his Prostate out by Samadi and they liked him very much. He was Dx'd at 48 yrs.

I am in the Dallas Area and have some good Urologists down there so I have already started doing some research if I get a Biopsy in the coming months. Hoping this is just BPH since my Prostate is huge (79cc).

What is GFMPH?

Prato-

Dr. Mulhall's research shows that men's ED tends to get worse over the first 3 months post-surgery and then begins to improve.

I really hope that the partial wood you are getting now is the real deal and will only get better from here - but I also want to share Dr. Mulhall's info so you don't get concerned if your "results" diminish in the near-term.

-Gedman

THE 3 WEEK MARK...

Today, as the day winds down, is 3 weeks to the day that I had my Robotic RP with Dr Tewari. Man, did that 3 weeks go fast.

Incontinence - I am using one pad a day - the thing wrapped in grey paper and folded in thirds, that goes into your regular briefs - I'm still confused about termonology so I'll call it a pad. I'm leaking about 1 - 1.2 ounces a day. It's more bothersome when I am up and about, not much leaking when sitting or lying down.
I'm doing my Kegels - 4 sets a day of 5 reps holding for 10 seconds then resting for 10 seconds. A little confused whether it's the right thing because it seems every Dr has their own protocol. But this is what my Dr recommends

ED - it's probably early, so maybe I shouldn't say this, but I think. I'm doing well in this department. I've been taking 5 mg Cialis nightly, for 5 nights. Last night , put on some dirty ****, in an attempt to keep the blood flowing. With little,stimulation, I got some solid firmness. I would say just about enough to do the act in full, and I made it last about 10 minutes. No wife, no girlfriend, no live external stimulation available or neded.
I'm not having sex yet because 1. Doc said wait minimum of 4-5"weeks, I'm thinking 6, and 2. I'm nervous about it.

Stamina - getting better. I worked from home today, my voice is getting stronger on the phone, I went out to laugh at everyone shoveling their cars out of the snow for half an hour and I walked 2 miles on the treadmill

My brain - goes back and forth between logical, adult like, calm, to lunatic mode or depressed. But mostly ok. Thinking about first PSA test, three weeks from tomorrow, that doesn't calm me down. What a surprise.

Issues - my right nut is a little more sensitive than usual, and maybe a bit swollen, but not terribly. I still have some blood in my urine, but very minimal, only maybe a drop or two at the end. So little that if I didn't look for it I wouldn't notice. What I do notice is a fair amount of black flecks in my urine, which I've mentioned before. I'm going to assume it's mini blood clots breaking off internal stabbing, and part of the healing process .
No pain whatsoever, other than the left nut. Down to two Colace a day. And my abs are tolerating a little more straining when necessary.

I've never done this surgery before ;-) , so I don't know for sure, but all in all I think I am on track for a good, fairly quick recovery (albeit expecting it to be months beofre I'm totally 100% me again.)