Hi Everyone. I just discovered this site last week, one week AFTER my Da Vinci surgery. In some respects I am glad I did not discover it prior to my operation… it might have caused me to either worry excessively about the outcome or, perhaps even rethink my decision to have surgery. In any event I did have a Da Vinci postatectomy on Monday, December 3 (the day after my 57th birthday). The surgeon met with me about five hours after the surgery and told me that he had been able to save both nerve bundles and that the prostate was easily removed (no fibrous entanglements).
I was discharged the following evening and had a very tough night attempting to sleep. By Thursday (Day 4) I was off all pain meds, even Tylenol. For me, each and every day brought about a significant reduction in my pain/discomfort level; almost a half-life type of effect. My biggest “pain” was having the catheter in, with its associated tubing and “the bag.”
I returned on December 10th (Day 8) and had the catheter removed (not as big a deal as I had feared. I went home wearing a pad. By the second day after the catheter removal, I was virtually dry with no incontinence, although I continued to wear a pad for confidence until two days ago. I am now pad-free. I was also given a prescription for 50mg Viagra to be taken once daily for 30 days. On December 11th, the second day after the catheter removal, I achieved and erection and made love to my wife that night (and once again since then). I was as firm as pre-surgery and it was equally as satisfying. Albeit, the Viagra was perhaps responsible for the erection, it was great to find that everything is in working order.
I know (and am grateful) that my case is probably an exception, but I am posting this to let everyone pending surgery that there is hope for a complete and rapid recovery. I attribute my incredibly fast restoration to three things:
a.) The skill of my surgeon and the entire team in the OR (it was his 298th Da Vinci procedure).
b.) My anatomy was such that it facilitated the clean removal of my prostate.
c.) I did go into the operation in excellent health and physical condition (I run and bicycle and have a BMI of 22.5)
d.) The Grace of God.
Don’t give up, don’t ever give up!