I was wondering if anybody has had experience with the situation that I currently find myself.
A little history (I like bullet points)
- RPP in January 2009
- Incontinent and Impotent from the get-go
- For incontinence I tried:
- Waiting
- Using a condom catheter (UroDry... pretty good stuff)
- Kegels
- Physical Therapy
- After all that I went from 5 to 6 pads right after surgery to 2 to 3 pads a year later
- For ED I tried:
- All the pills: Viagra, Levitra, Cialis: I couldn't take the side effects and I didn't get a full erection
- VED pumps: As soon as the pump was removed, so did the erection
- bi-mix and tri-mix injections: Just made Mr. Happy sore, no more effect than the pills
So, my Urologist recommended that I have surgery to "install" two devices:
#1 the AMS Male Sling
#2 the AMS 700 LGX penile implant
both during the same surgery session.
One day post surgery, I was not able to urinate on my own. I was discharged from the hospital with a foley cahteter. Five days post surgery, I had the foley removed, but I could not void on my own. Later that evening, I had to go the ER to get another cath put in.
Another week passes, I have the foley removed, but I stay at the hospital to see if I can void. I cannot. So my Uro gave me some intermittent catheters so that I can completely drain my bladder 3x a day at home.
I am now 4 weeks post surgery and here's my situation:
- I have to "go" about every hour
- When I do, I void about 150 ml
- When I cath, right after I void, 3x a day, I get anywhere from 150 ml to 250 ml
- When I have the urge to go, it's immediate. If I'm not near a bathroom, I still leak anywhere from a couple drops to filling my diaper (I'm using the belted shields)
That's the main problem. I'm starting to get the "hang" of the implant. I can pump myself up to a useful firmness, although I have not been released to attempt intercourse yet. However, the pump in my scrotum (I call it my 3rd ball) is irritating the inside of my scrotum. However, I'm sure that will get better as time progresses.
So, after all that, am I to expect that the male sling isn't doing the job it's designed to do? Should I approach my urologist about an artifical sphincter?
I'm just frustrated that I'm back to using the diapers PLUS I have to cath 3 times a day.
Anybody have any insight?
Diagnosed: November 2008: - PSA 4.5 - 3 Cores out of 12 Positive - Gleason 6 (3 + 3)
Surgery: Nerve Sparing RRP on January 6, 2009, Age 53- one night in the hospital
Catheter: Removed on January 20, 2009.
Side Effects: Incontenance - leaking like a sieve
(as of 1/27/09) Impotence - half-staff with Levitra
Follow up surgery:
April 1, 2010:
AMS Male Sling
AMS 700 LGX Penile Implant