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Posted 4/8/2017 8:34 PM (GMT 0)
I had my prostate removed on 2/27/17, released from the hospital on 2/28, and had the catheter removed on 3/6/17. 5 days later I got up in the morning, urinated with no issues, then 2 hours later urinated and what started as a slow burn at the base of my penis, spread and became a totally paralytic mind numbing pain that all I could do was scream on every exhalation. Couldn't move a muscle. After about 10 minutes I was able to crawl to the bedroom and grab a couple of pain pills, and then after another 10 minutes crawl out to the living room and get my phone. I went to the local ER, and then was sent by ambulance an hour away to the hospital where I had the surgery. Once there my surgeon wanted a urine sample so had me try to urinate in a handheld urinal. I immediately had the same pain episode, which they determined to be a "pain crisis". A foley catheter was placed, and IV pain meds pushed. It was determined that I had been bleeding internally, and a large hematoma had built up in my pelvic area. I was sent to the CT and a drain was put through from the back of my left butt cheek into the pelvis with a vacuum pump on it. The next day the blood stopped draining, but it started pulling urine from the bladder/uretha through the same area into the drain. That was 4 weeks ago and the last CT with contrast still shows the bladder leaking, so still on the catheter, but drain is gone. I'm having the same issue as some others with pain/irritation, sometimes very much, from the tip of the penis. I've tried vaseline (Dr. recommended) and Neosporin. Neither lasts long. I clean the tip and catheter hose every couple of hours so that isn't the problem. The hose just seems to rub the tip raw no matter what.
Posted 4/8/2017 9:35 PM (GMT 0)
Wow sorry about the pain, dare I say welcome to this place none of us ever wanted to be, but the folks here are amazing. I hope things settle down and very soon for ya. What about some kind of lotion?? A thought I use lidocaine ointment 5% on my back for pain (my back is screwed up and cancer is in there) Maybe ask your doc? Maybe lidocaine cream?
Posted 4/8/2017 11:09 PM (GMT 0)
KerryM
Wow. Tough going for you. This too will pass believe it or not!
Bob
Posted 4/9/2017 1:14 AM (GMT 0)
It's already raw. (painful) You need something to address the pain of the injury that's causing the pain. Vasoline is only going to work as long as there's good lubrication between cath and the injury of the tip of the penis. That's not enough to stay pain free for long. Neopsorin isn't for pain either.

Tell your doc you want a numbing agent or something to keep it from hurting. Not just to lubricate it. And tell him you want something prescription that'll do it. No over the counter crap.

He owes you that.

The doctor is on call should be able to call you something in. You could call them now. If he says he can't.....tell'em to call somebody who can 'cause "you've been put through the wringer" already

Post Edited (island time) : 4/8/2017 7:35:38 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 4/9/2017 3:54 AM (GMT 0)
I agree with IT. Time for someone to get you some relief. I was whincing while reading your post, and I don't even have the correct anatomy to fully comprehensive what you've been through.
Beth
Posted 4/9/2017 5:07 AM (GMT 0)
I had a catheter for too long, for completely different reasons. I discovered that nurses often placed the leg attachment device too high on my leg, and this caused the catheter tube to curve too much as it came out of my penis, causing discomfort whenever I moved. Try placing a new attachment device somewhat lower so that the tube can go more straight down. Good luck.
Posted 4/9/2017 1:21 PM (GMT 0)
The doc tore my urethra when he ran the video camera up there for the biopsy. It got torn again when they put the catheter in after cutting the urethra to remove the prostate and then sewing it back together. smhair The week in hospital hurt quite a lot, a bit less after I asked the nurse to move the catheter mount. When I went home I wore the catheter which hurt a lot. The week I had it in at home, I slept propped up on the couch (my Labrador checked on me at least 3 times every night, she is an excellent nurse!) Every day I told my long - suffering wife that my dick hurt. Felt like I had been hit with a hammer. shocked Lots of nerves involved in the surgery, some damaged or stressed and some cut right out. sad

It went on hurting pretty badly for maybe 6 weeks, then gradually faded away. For a whiles there, I had to make sure I drank enough water as the temptation was to refrain from drinking it in order to not have to pee as often.

My surgical areas developed 1" diameter blisters all over my belly from an allergy (surprise!) to the surgical adhesive on the bandaging. Those tore off with the bandages so I was left with large raw bloody areas. The doc told me to stand in a warm shower for as long and as much as I could. It helped to lessen the pain quite a lot - ALL of it, also kept my urethral opening clean where the cath went in. I used Neosporin on the damaged areas. A few tokes of cannabis from a vaporizer and a few shots of rum for the pain. Opiate script on hand but unneeded. smile
Posted 4/9/2017 1:37 PM (GMT 0)
Good grief Kerry. Ouch and double ouch. Where was your surgery and who was the surgeon, if you'd rather not say that's understandable.

I have no advice for you since my cath was only in for ten days and I had no issues. Hang in there buddy.
Posted 4/9/2017 6:05 PM (GMT 0)
Trailguy, you seem to have had the same rocky trip I did. I have worse scars from removing the tape over the incisions, than from the incisions themselves. All the skin came off! My surgery was performed in Anchorage Alaska. The surgeon is very experienced and capable. My body just seems to have a history of not cooperating. I had so much bruising up both sides of my rib cage (BLACK bruises) that the ER nurses thought I had fallen down some stairs. I'm on the 4th Statlock swivel for the foley. I've tried different positions and legs, different kinds of underwear, anything to decrease the rubbing or whatever it is. I tried some lidocaine rub last night and that provided pain relief but it's so irritated now I need something to heal it also. As much as I hate the catheter, I'm scared to death of having it out and trying to urinate again, lol! Now 6 weeks out from surgery, I haven't even felt a twinge of an erection (not that I want one with a catheter in), and have been in situations where it should have been rock hard. Could the catheter be hindering that? Or is it a rehab thing? I had no issues before, and the operation was nerve sparing and successful.
Posted 4/10/2017 11:30 AM (GMT 0)
Kerry....I felt the same way about my cath. I wanted to keep it! lol Five days after my catheter was removed (the first time), after about 3 days, I began to get sick. On the 5th day, I had to be readmitted to the hospital. (kidney function was at zero, vomiting blood, pancreatitis, distended stomach, bladder spasms, you get the idea) It was determined my urethra sutures had come loose and acites (urine) was leaking into my abdomen (without anyone knowing it) I was on an IV drip 4 days. No food or water. When they cleared me to eat again...I couldn't. I was in the hospital 5 more days.

After discharge, I wore the cath again for 2 more weeks at home. I dreaded them removing it again. It made me feel safe having it in me. I knew I would not get sick again as long as that catheter was in me. So I viewed that cath as my friend. I was scared of it being removed. I also had black and purple bruising around my abdomen after the surgery. The bruise went from my spine around the left side of my abdomen into my stomach.. It was about the size of a beach ball.

what I did for those last 2 weeks of wearing the catheter....I just didn't wear pants or any underwear at all. Just a bath robe, letting the tube hang free and hooking the bag to the belt of my robe. I let the cath tube pretty much just hang straight down (or whatever way it wanted to go).... free. This way...what ever way my wiener wanted to go...the cath would go as well. And vise-a-versa. Whatever way my cath tube wanted to go, my wiener would follow. I just didn't try and make anything go in any direction it didn't naturally want to go. The restriction of any pants or underwear made it uncomfortable....just sitting up or sitting down. In the wearing a robe, all my "equipment" was able to go in any direction it wanted. I believed this helped keep it from becoming so sore. not so much chafing that way.


The lack of erection may or may not be a rehab thing. I remember my girl friend at the time visiting me in the hospital and Mr. Johnson definitely noticed. (that was scary....having "feelings" with that cath in). I didn't have much problem regaining use of the guy after the cath was removed. It comes back differently for different men.

don't worry too much about loosing the cath. It'll stay in until the urethra has healed. My penis also hurt quite a bit during that whole time. As a matter of fact...now, at the year and a half mark since surgery...my penis can still hurt from time to time. It can last about 30 to an hour and it can be somewhat painful.

as for exercise....I saw where alot of guys were doing it WAY before I was. (It seemed alot of guys were walking on treadmills and playing golf when it was all I could do to walk across the room without a cane lol). If this is the case with you.....don't worry one bit about that. You will regain strength at your body's own pace. Mine took a while. (several weeks, if not months to a year!). They were talking about exercise when I couldn't make it to the car without holding onto someone for support.

I also lost alot of body mass. My legs looked like toothpicks (and I'm a stout guy). Lost about 25 lbs. That was scary as well. I hadn't weighed that much since college LOL (that's definitely not a problem anymore).

You'll be fine. It may seem as if you're body won't ever be normal again. It will be though. It's just that not all surgeries are the same for all people. You're gonna be fine. You'll heal up.

I also believe you may be onto something about some people's body's just not liking medical proceedures as well as others.

(we're the more "sensitive ones" ;-) Hang in there. Like I said...it feels as if each day is a week. But....it'll come....your body has been through ALOT. but, nothing it can't overcome. and it will.
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