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Posted 1/27/2009 4:14 PM (GMT -7)

I had robotic surgery three weeks ago today. I previously posted all the details. I am 60, 6'-00" and 176#. I am retired and in excellent shape. Prior to the surgery, I was spending 5 days a week at the fitness center.  Dr. Patel, in Celebration, FL, is a fabulous surgeon and he and his staff made me feel special. That said, I'm frustrated with the leakage. I wear a diaper at night with only slight leakage. Day time is different. Lots of leakage and I change pads at least three times a day. Dr Patel prescribed 1/2 Viagra pill three times a week. I took the pill Monday a dinner time. This morning at about 6:00 am, a miracle happened. I had an erection. I woke up my wife to see the miracle. She just rolled her eyes and told me the Doctor said no sex for at least four weeks and we have a week to go. In any event the erection lasted only about two or three minutes then disappeared. But... it gave me hope for the future. Its this  #@%!!!! leakage that is driving me nuts.

Sam

        

Sam

Posted 1/27/2009 4:37 PM (GMT -7)
Sam
it was the same for all of us. We are so concerned that we will be incontinent following surgery we are looking for instant control. In most cases it simply does not happen that way. Gain of continence for most is a gradual process which takes place usually within the first three months..................for some it can take much longer and for a small minority it will require further surgical intervention. Try to be patient.........first you will notice that you're dry at night, then probably drier in the mornings and then afternoon/evening control develops. Last to recover is stress incontinence where if you really exert yourself (such as lifting heavy loads/ lifting a load and twisting or say sit ups or squats when exercising .....anything that brings your abdomen to your knees) although having said that I still loose a couple of drops after 18 months when I really exert myself.
Bill
1/05 PSA----2.9 3/06-----3.2 3/07-------4.1 5/07------3.9 All negative DREs
Aged 59 when diagnosed
Biopsy 6/07
4 of 10 cores positive for Adenocarcinoma-------bummer!
Core 1 <5%, core 2----50%, core 3----60%, core 4----50%
Biopsy Pathologist's comment:
Gleason 4+3=7 (80% grade 4) Stage T2c
Neither extracapsular nor perineural invasion is identified
CT scan and Bone scan show no evidence of metastases
Da Vinci RP Aug 10th 2007
Post-op pathology:
Positive for perineural invasion and 1 small focal extension
Negative at surgical margins, negative node and negative vesicle involvement
Some 4+4=8 identified ........upgraded to Gleason 8
PSA Oct 07 <0.1 undetectable
PSA Jan 08 <0.1 undetectable
PSA April 08 <0.001 undetectable (disregarded due to lab "misreporting")
PSA August 08 <0.001 undetectable (disregarded due to lab "misreporting")
Post-op pathology rechecked by new lab:
Gleason downgraded to 4+3=7
Focal extension comprised of grade 3 cells
PSA September 08 <0.01 (new lab)

Posted 1/27/2009 4:41 PM (GMT -7)
Sam Great going there  i am sure you  are thrilled as  you should be ... it is almost a miracle , and do not take it lighttly you are on the best side of  the scale and sometimes a great surgeon can make  a whole difference in the world , betwen a full erection 6 weeks out  or no erections at all for 18 months or ever ....

so consider yourself Lucky!!!

continence usually will take  car of itself as it is the least of the 2 to battle ....do  your kegals and hope for the best..

i was fully continent the day after cathetar removal , but had to wait 12 months for my first real sex

Good Luck

GB

April 2007 PSA 8.4 for last 6 months biopsy shows PC 3+3=6
June 13 2007 Nerve Sparing open RP / Dr. Christopher Johnson at St. Francis Hospital NY.
4 days later home for Fathers Day, and Catheter.
Removal of catheter 10 days later , incontinence not an issue, no pads used from the get go.
1 month PSA next to not detected

ED is a longer battle:
1 month out start using occasionally Cialis and 50MG Viagra to promote blood flow with no response. 3 months and 6 months PSA not detected
ED 6 months mark starting with VED therapy and being more aggressive with meds , in addition taking Folgard supplement daily.
April 2008 : 10 month out and start seeing some serious improvements with ED while using Meds and VED , can achieve erections, Mid nights erections almost on a regular basis , and uncontrolled 90 % erections spontaneously.

UPDATE 1 YAER FOLLOW UP
ED: With Viagra Usable erection for intercourse , AND AT 80% without any medications !!
Fully continent since removal of catheter.
PSA one year : 0.0 as of 6/13/ 2008 BIG Wooohoooooooooo!!!!

UPDATE AS OF Dec 2008 (18 months out)

PSA  still Undetectble!!!!

No continance issues!!!!

ED Mostly  getting better  with oral meds and the right woman  = good  sex

80% without any help   and 95% with oral Meds ... 100% with  VED

hope to keep progressing and by 24 months get back to 100% potency  WooooHoo!!!

Posted 1/27/2009 4:56 PM (GMT -7)
Sam,
You are in great shape and doing well, and it hasnt hardly been any time since your surgery. Your feelings about the incontinence is completely expected and normal. Hang in there, brother.

David
Age 56, 56 at DX, PSA 7/7 5.8, 7/8 12.3

3rd Biopsy 9/8 Positive 7 of 7 cores pos, 40-90%, Gleason 7

Open RP surgery 11/14/8, Non-nerve sparing, 4 days hospital, staples out 11/24/8, 5th cath out on 1/19/9

Post-surgery Pathlogy Report:Gleason 3+4=7, pT2c, 42 grm, tumor 20%, Contained in capsular, clear margins, clear lymph nodes 

First PSA Post Surgery   2/9/9

 

Posted 1/28/2009 6:56 AM (GMT -7)
I would be interested in hearing any other accounts or stories of men here, that with or without nerve sparing surgery having early or rapid decrease of ED. Like how far from surgery? With or without ED drugs. Etc. And would love to hear from anyone that had a non-nerve sparing op that is doing somewhat ok on the ED subject.
Age 56, 56 at DX, PSA 7/7 5.8, 7/8 12.3

3rd Biopsy 9/8 Positive 7 of 7 cores pos, 40-90%, Gleason 7

Open RP surgery 11/14/8, Non-nerve sparing, 4 days hospital, staples out 11/24/8, 5th cath out on 1/19/9

Post-surgery Pathlogy Report:Gleason 3+4=7, pT2c, 42 grm, tumor 20%, Contained in capsular, clear margins, clear lymph nodes 

First PSA Post Surgery   2/9/9

 

Posted 2/1/2009 12:04 PM (GMT -7)
Has anyone had any luck with ED by taking one of the Meds. either everyday or several times a week? I'm a little over 7 weeks out and have about 1/3 of an erection using Viagra. Am switching to Levitra to see if that has any better affects. Already tried Cialis with no results.

Thanks for the tip about Alldaychemist. Bought the generic brand of Levirta in anticipation of my 3 Levitra pills running out. The doctor gave me 10 MG dosage, but was using the full strength dosage of Viagra with the results mentioned above - 1/3 erection. Think I'll try two of the pills to make it the full dosage of Levitra unless someone thinks that's not a good idea.

Man this is a different life, but it sure is helpful having this web site with folks like you all. Great support, thanks. turn

One of my friends just told me he was diagnosed with PC a few days ago, told him about the site and also will be his big brother through this lifelong fight.
Thanks again to you all,
Age: 51
Diagnosed with a PSA of 2.0 last winter
6 months later PSA went to 4.9
12 biopsies revealed a Gleason score of 3 + 3 in 2 out of 12 slices
Robotic Da vinci surgery on Dec. 10th of 2008
Catheter for 9 days, in hospital for 20 hours - no pain - was walking within 16 hours
Using one pad a day, none needed if I watch my fluid consumption
Not much luck down below but seeing small improvements weekly but not enough for intercourse, tried cialis and now the blue pill.
Went back to work after 6 weeks on Jan. 22nd 2009, did okay but noticed a little more leaking - I'm a PE teacher so have to be on my feet.
Next doctors appointment in March

Posted 2/1/2009 12:26 PM (GMT -7)
Thanks Dave, and glad you like it here, hope your ED improves over time, you are not that far out of surgery of course. Thanks for mentioning the site to your friend, we welcome one and all here. If they need us, we need them.

David
Age 56, 56 at DX, PSA 7/7 5.8, 7/8 12.3

3rd Biopsy 9/8 Positive 7 of 7 cores pos, 40-90%, Gleason 7

Open RP surgery 11/14/8, Non-nerve sparing, 4 days hospital, staples out 11/24/8, 5th cath out on 1/19/9

Post-surgery Pathlogy Report:Gleason 3+4=7, pT2c, 42 grm, tumor 20%, Contained in capsular, clear margins, clear lymph nodes 

First PSA Post Surgery   2/9/9

 

Posted 2/1/2009 12:27 PM (GMT -7)
I am about one year post-op and I noticed 50 to 60% erections with Viagra.  Yesterday I went to about 80%.  I had the nerve sparing and I am happy with the progress.  I started with the VED and Viagra after the catheter was removed. I have done this faithfully since day one.  Sometimes it gets old doing the same routine but for me it is working.  I have also injected bi-mix about 3 months post-op at least once a week.  I think they have also helped in the recovery.  The forum is great.  I have received better advice here from the guys than any Uro and for that I am very greatful.  Good luck in the ED battle.

Age 65

Diagnosed 10/12/07

PSA 6.3

Biopsy 18 core samples, 2 positive <5%

Stage T1a Gleason 6 (3+3)

LRP  1/29/08

Post-op

Gleason 7 (3+4)

1 positive margin (.3cm)

T2C

4/16/08- Started Bi-mix injections 

5/15/08- 1st Post-Op PSA 0.07 Undetectable

8/11/08 -2nd Post-OP PSA 0.02 Undetectable

8/15/08- No more pads as of today  Whoopee!!!

11/13/08- 3rd post-op PSA 0.02 Undetectable

Posted 2/1/2009 12:32 PM (GMT -7)
ScubaDave, I think the full or normal dosage of the big 3 ed drugs are 100mg Viagra, 20mg Cialis and 20mg Levitra. I think that is the standard dose most prescribed. Trying a full 20 mg of Levitra sounds ok. Good luck.

As an aside, some of us here also take 2000mg of L Arginine with the pills. It's function is to release nitric oxide into the blood stream to allow for the better adsorption of the ed drug into the blood system. Something to consider. They are found in most drug stores and health stores.
James C. Age 62
Co-Moderator- Prostate Cancer Forum
4/07 PSA 7.6, referred to Urologist, recheck 6.7
7/07 Biopsy: 3 of 16 PCa, 5% involved, left lobe, GS 3/3=6
9/07 Nerve sparing open RRP- Path Report: GS 3+3=6 Stg. pT2c, 110gms, margins clear
16 mts: ED- 50 mg Viagra 3X week, pump daily,Trimix .35ml 2X week continues
PSA's: .04 each 3 months

Posted 2/1/2009 12:46 PM (GMT -7)
Thanks!

I'll get the 2000mg of L Arginine and try that too.

Thanks for responding so quick, what a great site.
Age: 51
Diagnosed with a PSA of 2.0 last winter
6 months later PSA went to 4.9
12 biopsies revealed a Gleason score of 3 + 3 in 2 out of 12 slices
Robotic Da vinci surgery on Dec. 10th of 2008
Catheter for 9 days, in hospital for 20 hours - no pain - was walking within 16 hours
Using one pad a day, none needed if I watch my fluid consumption
Not much luck down below but seeing small improvements weekly but not enough for intercourse, tried cialis and now the blue pill.
Went back to work after 6 weeks on Jan. 22nd 2009, did okay but noticed a little more leaking - I'm a PE teacher so have to be on my feet.
Next doctors appointment in March

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