This side of the bridge

Hello from the other side of the bridge!

I was totally shocked when the doctor told me Prostate Cancer..... I too had a case of on again /off again prostatitis for 4 1/2 years after hernia surgery. They thought my PSA rising was just infection caused.

Had a biospy to be be "sure". It was in 4 out of 20 samples.

I decided on daVinci surgery at UCSF Medical Center in San Francisco. I never had to go on nerve meds but I was very "down". about a month after my diagnosis my mother unexpectedly passed away. This didn't help suddenly having things to take care of 2/3 the way across the country from here.

I was always wanting sex. After diagnosis and the depression setting in, I lost interest. Then I felt I should "make hay while the sun shone". I did some but not nearly like before.

I had surgery in the afternoon on July 24, 2008. I was in the hospital 2 days. On the second morning I woke up to a partial erection on the catheter. So I knew I wasn't totally "broke"!!!!

I have gotten along very well. My life is about back to normal already. I can get erections without Viagra although I have it to help and I am supposed to use it several times a week for increasing bloodflow.

I rarely leak anymore and what I do is very minimal. I still wear pads when I am gone from home just in case. There are times when laughing causes a slight problem.

What to do before surgery? Study up on this as much as you can. The knowledge will come in handy. You will not panic if you know this or that might happen, etc.

I dreaded having a catheter. That was wasted worrying. Sure it was wasn't a great thing but it was very liveable. I used the bedside bag in the late evening and night. I used the leg bag in the morning after my shower.

I went to church and numerous public functions and never had any problems at all. Things didn't "show" through my pants and the leg bag worked great. One tip: Take extremely loose pants to the hospital to wear home.... I was swelled up from the surgery and then the catheter and leg bag on top of it. I had taken my favorite pair of Docker Pants. Normally they fit just fairly loose and they were really tight..... And I had to use the bus to the train, train for an hour, then ride on in the car for another hour. Other than unbuttoning my pants and letting my belt cover the unbuttoned area, the entire trip was uneventful.

I never used anything extra to help tie down the catheter or the leg bag. I was given several catheter clamps that adhered to my legs that held the catheter. The built in velcro straps on the leg bag held securely. I could walk OK. The "full" feeling came and went on me. Some times I could get that to go away by very gently wiggling the catheter.

Another tip: You will be told to bring a pad to wear after the catheter is removed. I looked at my "mart" pharmacy, my supermarket pharmacy, and my local drugstore for male incontinence pads. Basically all I could find was a bulky looking type that kind of goes from the front to way underneath. I did find online and at a drug store with Aid in their name that they carried a brand that is triangular and just fit in the front of a pair of brief type underwear. That has really helped. Other than being a bit warm, they have not been bulky or hard to live with.

My doctor was not a big fan of me returning to work quickly so I have been off 2 months and will return shortly. I am fortunate to have a job that will allow this time off and he felt I could recover better long term this way.

I am now nine weeks out and can basically get along without any pads. I usually only have problems late in the day when I am getting tired. I have had maybe two or three drops when I laugh or when I have gotten up out of a chair. I was not allowed to lift anything heavier than a gallon of milk for over six weeks. Only lately have I been lifting and so far have had no leakage with that.

My wife feels that sex life is actually improved. I know I do not have any problems especially if I use Viagra. It may take a bit more to get aroused without Viagra but other than that, no big deal. Something that is mental is I do miss ejaculating. I really am beginning to believe it is nicer not, but even though I had great orgasms, It was just different with nothing visible happening.

Besure you have a doctor who is experienced in using the robot. Experience really does play a part on future erections unless there is cancer near the nerve bundles. I am very glad I choose a hospital and surgeon who has done this several times a week for a number of years. Your doctor sounds great on the internet.

Let me know if I can help more.

3+4=7 gleason

7.5 PSA

4 out of 20 biopsies were cancerous

daVinci Robotic surgery July 24, 2008

Univ of Calif San Francisco Med Center  Dr Peter Carroll

In hospital 2 nights altho I had option of leaving the next day but stayed due to distance home.

Contained in prostate, not spread

Six weeks post surgery PSA less than .01

I found no trouble walking around. I did tape the catheter tube to my upper thigh. I found this useful at night especially when rolling around in bed. It kept it from tangling up and pulling on my valuables.

Interestingly, I think you will find the biopsy a far worse experience than the surgery. At least I did. I had very little pain at surgery, and was up and around in no time.

I did not see your age, but from everything I have read, if you are in your 40's or 50's you have a good prospect of returning to near normal sexually - especially if you have nerve sparing surgery. I am not so lucky because the doc cut a little wider with me, because of my biopsy. Time will tell how I will do - right now I am not fairing very well on that issue. But, I am very glad to be alive, and on this side of the bridge.

And as far as testosterone, I don't think you need to be too concerned because your biopsy (from what I could tell) is still in the early stages. Harmone theraphy to block testosterone is usually reserved for those in a more advanced state of cancer. Blessings.

RB

Age 61
Original data - pre-operation
PSA: 5.1
T1C clinical diagnosis, Needle biopsy - 10 cores, Gleason 7 = 3+4 in 1 core (40%), 7 cores Gleason 6 = 3+3 ranging from 5% to 12%
All scans negative
Lupron administered 4/9/2008 for 4 months (with idea I would undergo external beam radiation followed by seed implants - then I changed my mind).
Robotic DiVinci surgery - Dr. Fagin (Austin) May 19th
Post operative - pathology
pT2c NX MX
Gleason 3+4
Margins - negative
Extraprostatic extension - negative
seminal vesicle invasion - uninvolved
1st Post PSA .04

I was well-prepared pre-op, because my Urologist (at Northwestern Memorial in Chicago) provided me with a huge packet of information detailing things pre and post-op, explanation of the surgery, catheter care, post-op issues, etc.  The hospital offered a pre-op workshop at which everthing was explained best it could be.  During my 1.5 day hospital stay it was required that I sit and watch (from my bed) a video explaining how to deal with the catheter, it's cleaning and care, securing, etc.  Just prior to discharge my nurse worked with me and the take-home catheters (there were two different types - day/night) so I understood how to handle it.  The catheter was tethererd to my thigh by a velcro strip which the hospital provided - no need for tape.  The catheter presented no discomfort or problems and was removed 12-days post-op.

At Northwestern Memorial in Chicago all rooms are private rooms, and they are quiet.  Nurses were in/out during my first night, taking vitals, checking on incisions (the holes punched in the stomach/abdomen for da Vinci), checking on the IV and medications, etc. - but I was, for the most part - 'out of it' - and remember little of those events.  I was up and walking mid-day the day following surgery (didn't get to my room until about 1:30 a.m. following surgery, because of operating room delays ahead of me).  I was eating light meals right away.  I was discharged mid-Friday - following a late-day Wednesday surgery.

I live alone and the first several days at home would probably have been a little better had I asked for a visiting nurse to check on things a couple of times - but I handled the logistics and am no worse for the wear.  Showering, changing the catheter bags, etc. took some juggling, but I did it without incident.  I've had no post-op pains.  It was, though, not easy to sit for long in the chair when the catheter was in, but once the catheter was removed I've encountered no sitting problems or discomfort.

My work involves sitting at a desk/computer for 8-hous daily and I wondered how soon I could get back to that, so I returned yesterday - 18-days post-op, and everything went well.  Incontenence has been an issue, but an expected one.  I leak when I get up/sit down, when I'm walking sometimes, when I get in/out of bed.  At first, I was going through 10-pads a day.  Now I'm probably at 7 or 8.  I change often, though, because I don't like the wet feeling - or thinking I may be wet - and others may not change the pads quite as often.  The pads are inexpensive and easily disposable.  Thank God for those pads!  There's no leaking through to my slacks, though - so just I know why I'm rushing through the office making a bee-line for the bathroom!

At my age, I've enjoyed a good sex life thus far and removing the cancer is/was more important to me than what may happen to my sex life post-op.  I don't expect it to be the same, and if it is that's a bonus.  A longer, overall healthier life is what I'm looking for.

Pre-op I hardly thought about the surgery.  There was nothing I could do about it anyway.  I remember nothing about the surgery itself and the hospital stay was very short.  I've had no pains or real discomfort post-op.  I've approached this like I've approached lesser medical issues - found out about it and let the doctor's deal with it.  End of story (well, once the leaking stops it'll be the end of the story!).  I was so relaxed pre-op I went to Rio de Janeiro for a week just prior to surgery.

Comforting to me was reading through these types of discussions and searching the www for helpful information.  I knew what to expect, before it happened.  Fear of the unknown often causes great stress.  Take the time to read through the materials your doctor/hospital will give you (ask for those things now if you haven't received a packet) and post-op listen to your body and let it make some of the "when" decisions for you.

Best wishes for a successful surgery and complete recovery.  Relax best you can.

Mavica

 

Gerbe, sounds like you have got the routine down pat. That's about the norm for most of us here, so there shouldn't be any big surprises for you. I remember my biggest surprise during it all was how lousy I felt on the 4th day, and how much better I felt a week later. It's been a steady climb back to normalacy for me, all that remains after a year is getting some response other than none on the ed front and maintaining those zero's.