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Posted 6/4/2007 9:08 AM (GMT -6)

Yup, I was diagnosed in May at age 43 and I freaked a bit but nothing I can do except move forward. I have scheduled the Di Vinci surgery July 31 with Dr. Albala at Duke. I have read through the posts about incontinence and I'll have to say seeing that I workout 3-4 times a week I'm worried that might end for good. I surf as well but not too worried about being able to continue that. Any thoughts?   

Posted 6/4/2007 9:27 AM (GMT -6)
Welcome to the site no one really wanted to be at. I completed my Davinci about amonth ago, no incontinence issues here after the first week or so,.Prior to surgery I was working out 5 times a week, I am slowly getting back into it and have not had any problems, the key is not rushing things.

Posted 6/4/2007 1:01 PM (GMT -6)
Sorry to say welcome,

But we are here to help each other!

Had Davinci April 17th, Hospital stay was 24hrs
Spared nerve bundle on right side.

In my 6th week, still dealing with incontinence.

As all say here..Patience is the key..be very patient!

Ask all the questions you like..there are no stupid ones! seriously!!

Good Luck..and God speed to recovery!

Dave M.
Posted 6/4/2007 1:20 PM (GMT -6)
kdnole,

Your young age is a plus. I am about 7 months post op. I became fully continent at about 3 months post op. I walk a lot and have done some strenuous project work on a house I bought and fixed up for my daughter with no leakage at all. From a urinary point of view I feel just like I did before the surgery. I can go 3 to 4 hours without urinating and never get up in the middle of the night. I see no reason why you cannot work out and surf just like you do now after you have totally healed after surgery. My urologist cleared me to workout at the six week post op appointment but told me at the same time not to go out and do something stupid. You will be pleased at how well you will feel after the Da Vinci.

May your journey be filled with comfort and pleasure.

Tamu
Posted 6/4/2007 2:35 PM (GMT -6)
Thanks for all the support and words of advice. I know it will be hard to be patient but I have a great support group to help me, plus being 20 minutes away from Duke helps a ton too.
Posted 6/4/2007 3:12 PM (GMT -6)
Hey kd,

Like the others said, welcome to the place nobody wants to join. But we are all here to help and support each other.

I am 6 months post-surgery and am 100% continent. Don't even think about it anymore. The ED is still an issue but I have received lots of support and advice here. Physically, I am as good as I was before surgery. It just takes a little time to get back to normal. Paitence is the watchword for PCa.

I hope you stay with us and help those who follow...

Jim
Posted 6/4/2007 4:34 PM (GMT -6)
Welcome kdnole....
Sorry to say, but youth is in your favor. I had open surgery (2/14/06). and believe continency problems seem to be less severe with most DaVinci pro-
cedures.

Keep Positive....Vet
Posted 6/4/2007 4:34 PM (GMT -6)
Hi kdnole: I'm 4 1/2 months out from surgery and doing well. The incontinence was gone within about eight weeks, for me. Your age and good physical condition will be an asset to you through your treatment and recovery. However, after surgery, you must be prepared to exercise your "patience" as you used to exercise your body.  Your exercising regimen will not be gone for good -- just temporarily.

Let nature take its course. You'll be fine.
Stay in touch.
Tom

Posted 6/4/2007 5:47 PM (GMT -6)

I am so glad I found this forum!!!!!

I've been searching for something similar to the forums my wife and I frequent for her autoimmune disease Sceloderma (when it rains it pours) but I had absolutely no luck. I'm glad I stayed "patient" and persistant and found Healing Well. Doctors should recommend it, and yes I will be here long after I'm cancer free. 

Posted 6/4/2007 6:27 PM (GMT -6)

Hello kdnole,

I'm glad you found this wonderful group of carring friends. Like veteran1 I had my DaVinci procedure February of 06', and I'm now pretty much back to normal. (in spite of the fact I underwent 2 hernia surgeries as well). One thing seems to be important for a fast recovery, and that is good physical conditioning. Of coarse youth is a big plus in recovery time too.

I'm sure you'll have many more questions before your procedure, and we're all ready to help any way we can. Even if it's just to calm you, and lend a sympathetic ear. We'll be here.

Glen 

Posted 6/4/2007 7:31 PM (GMT -6)
kdnole, sorry you are joining our group. I assume that by saying you are a stage 2, you mean T2, which means either it is on both sides, or was felt during your DRE. My husband was a T2c, PSA 4.1 and gleason 6. He also is in his 40's. He had da vinci in March and has had little difficulty with "wetting his pants" as he calls it. He even went all day this weekend without a pad and played golf. No leaks. He does wear one pad daily to catch the occasional leak. Start your kegal exercies now and you will be one step ahead. Kurt did them everytime he used the restroom up until the surgery and then 2 times a day following. Keep us posted, and we will be thinking of you and your wife. Courtney
Posted 6/4/2007 7:34 PM (GMT -6)

Hi kdnole.

I am glad to see you are going to have Dr. Albala do your surgery.  A good friend of mine had him do his last fall and when I was diagnosed he suggested I see Dr. Albala.  I did see Dr. Albala and really like him and his associate.  But since I have sleep apnea he told me I wasn't a good candidate for robotic surgery.  Instead of turning me away he sent me to another Duke Dr. the same day without and appointment and he even refunded my co-pay, because he could not help me.  That referral led me to Dr.  Moul, Chief of urology at Duke who did an open procedure on me May 30.  I had an epidural to better manage the pain( good choice by the way) , was up walking a quarter mile on thursday and a half mile on friday.  Got out of the hospital friday afternoon stayed a night at a hotel across the street and came home saturday.  No pains since thursday.  Are you from NC too?  If so after surgery stay an extra night if you live far from Duke.  Blue bird and Buddy are from NC also and a good source of information, so are a lot of other people here on this forum.  Take care and good luck to you.

mvesr

Posted 6/4/2007 8:58 PM (GMT -6)
Hi   ~   kdnole   &   Loved Ones,             A    “Special”   Warm Welcome   to   You!          We know ~ we can “all” make “Your Journey” smoother just by being here for you!   This is truly a great forum!!! ~ You have joined!  You are now part our forum family ~ a group of wonderful individuals who are so willing to share...   It helps “all of us” ~ to help you ~ if we know where you are on your path. So ~ Please stay with us and take our hand when you need it!   Keep posting.... OKAY!!     KNOWLEDGE     IS     POWER   ...   and   POWER conquers   fear   YOU MAKE THE DECISIONS… YOU HAVE OPTIONS… ~ and ~ Your decision will be the right decision for you!!!   Our thoughts and prayers will be with you as you continue to move forward. In Friendship ~ Lee & Buddy   “God Bless You” It's a little prayer   ~   "God Bless You" ...but it means so much each day, It means may angels guard you and guide you on your way.   (Direct Link ~ just click on the title below and a new window will open!   Reminder … click on the REFRESH icon once you get there) Helpful Hints ~ & ~ Direct Links to Important Topic Threads ~ Hope this helps you!! :)
Posted 6/4/2007 9:09 PM (GMT -6)
Hi kdnole & wife,   We are thrilled you found us too!   Keep up the exercise, start your kegels, and do stairs.   This will help to get the sphincter muscle ready to do a job he’s never had to do before.   You will gradually get back to your regular routine!!!!    We have chosen not to put the extra stress on our sphincter so stopped doing the sit down machines at the Y!.   A personal choice but one that we feel will help us in the future with urinary continence.   There are many threads listed on the Helpful Hints thread…I hope you find time to check them out!!!   We invite you to visit our personal thread…. Listed in our signature below.   If you pull “1’ thing that will help make “Your Journey” smoother ~ it will be a blessing for us.   We are glad you reached out because there are so many Helping Hands here at HealingWell. Keeping you close in thoughts and prayers… In Friendship ~ Lee & Buddy
Posted 6/5/2007 6:46 AM (GMT -6)

Yes, I am definitely a T2 because it was found on both sides during the biopsy. I don't remember the percentage but I'm sure if my wife's reading this she'll remember.

Hey mvesr - I was told Dr. Moul is the man to see for the open procedure. We live in North Raleigh about 20 min. away from Duke so we are blessed in that case. My Urologist Dr. Bianchi (Duke as well) highly recommended Albala but told us there might be a wait to get scheduled for surgery. It worked out well because I'm scheduled just after we get back from the OBX for vacation.

Bluebird - So you're saying use the stand up machines (i.e., eliptical, treadmill) are better to due then say bikes. What about ab excercises?

I've done kegel excercises for years so I'll continue, and now everytime I urinate I start and stop the flow.

Another question for the group. I like beer and the occasional glass of wine. I saw what happened to my father when he drank after his surgery, but he drank a lot. What are you all's thoughs?     

Posted 6/5/2007 7:08 AM (GMT -6)
mvesr - Didn't have it together this morning - Welcome home and I'm glad to read everything went well with your procedure.
Posted 6/5/2007 7:46 AM (GMT -6)
Hi kdnole,

I like beer & wine too, and I have no problems when I have just a couple. Everyone will be different when it comes to alcohol so ask your doctor. I'm sure you'll be able to enjoy beer & wine in moderation within a reasonable time after healing.

Glen
Posted 6/5/2007 3:21 PM (GMT -6)
The key to my success was getting in the best physical shape possible before the surgery. After surgery I did things slow and easy and knew when my body would say "no". No cafeine or alcohol helped. Exercising in three weeks, 18 holes of golf in five weeks and almost normal after seven weeks (one pad for physical stress per day)  Impotence still an issue but along time to go.

  Ed

Posted 6/5/2007 3:41 PM (GMT -6)
Dear kdnole. I was impressed with Dr. Albala also. Don't have any idea about his schedule but I found Dr. Moul to be the most professional Doctor I have ever been in contact with. The entire staff at Duke were extremely professional. All you have to do is look around the facility and realize that are medial professionals. I know my way around Raleigh after retiring from the state. It will be good to be that close to Duke. Please stick with this forum, there are some very caring people here. Let me know if you have any questions about Duke. Have a great time at the Outer Ban ks. We are going to a conference at Atlantic Beach in July and looking forward to being there.

mvesr
Posted 6/5/2007 5:51 PM (GMT -6)
No questions about Duke. My wife has an autoimmune disease called Scelroderma and has been taking chemo for 5-6 months now. Her Dr. is at Duke south and Big Duke so I think at this time you could blindfold me I could find my way, especially to the cafeteria's. :-)
I totally agree about how professional Duke is. They treat you more like a person than a patient it's nice.
Posted 6/5/2007 11:52 PM (GMT -6)
Dear KDNole, You're going to be happy with the Da Vinci surgery. I'm post surgery 3+ months. The leakage isuues I've had have ranged from minimal for the first 3 weeks to WHAT"S the problem for 4 to 5 weeks then I can handle this issue the rest of the way. I know everyone is different but the few guys I've heard of who had Da Vinci surgery faired pretty well. I'm back at the gym now 4 times a week. I do have some stress leakage, drippage really, with coughing, sneezing and laughing hard. I used pads for about four weeks but not until I started back to my normal life. The first 2 weeks fooled me because I was taking it easy, not too much physical stress=not too much leakage or dripping in my case. Once I started back to my normal life I had to use pads for 4 to 5 weeks. Now if I think about it I can "clinch a muscle" and no leakage. I don't always remember to do this but I'm getting better. My biggest disapointment is with orgasm/erections that have been much less than anyone disclosed to me pre-surgery. My Doc says things will improve within the next 6 to 9 months and I believe him. I just wasn't prepared for the lack of feeling/orgasm and erection difficulties. I have to say I'm on blood pressure medication which has had an ill effect on erections to start with. So I'm sending my best wishes to you for a positive outcome and we just have to keep a positive mental attitude through the whole ordeal. Send me your address I'll send you the balance of my pads. I have no use for then anymore and they shouldn't go to waste. All the Best Wises to you, Burt
Posted 6/6/2007 7:09 AM (GMT -6)
B&B email me and I'll get you my address.
Posted 6/6/2007 7:22 AM (GMT -6)
Hi, KD - jumping in late with a "glad you found us," too! I know you're worried most right now about leakage issues, which is very normal. We were one of the laggers, but found (in our case) that it didn't seem to matter much whether husb. continued with caffeine or not plus other liquids throughout the day. Leaking was regular regardless - don't know where it came from.

Our regular Happy Hours probably didn't help, either, but we decided some vices are meant to be kept! You'll be fine - and you're so fortunate in being close to a major center. (And I hope your wife is doing well through her chemo treatments, too.)
Posted 6/6/2007 2:40 PM (GMT -6)
kdnole,
I had a robotic RP at Duke by Dr Albala April 28. At Duke Dr Albala does the Robotic procedures on Tuesdays with three scheduled. I was scheduled as the last of the day at 3:00pm. However, due to a large person before me I finally was taken to the OR at about 6:00pm. The surgery went well and I was out of recovery and in a room by 10:00pm. Almost no pain, and had a fairly restful night. The drain was taken out the next morning and I had breakfast and starting walking the halls by 10:00am. They discharged me by 10:30am after a little over 12 hours in the hospital room. I had a 2.5 hour ride home but it went well and my recovery has been fast and uneventful. I got very good care at Duke.

As with most teaching hospitals the actual surgery is preformed by both Dr Albala and one of his senior Residents. It is supervised by Dr Albala.

I took no pain medicine at home other than Tylenol for three days. The gas pains were much worse than the surgery. The catheter is a very uncomfortable companion and you will look forward to the day it is gone. I have had some incontinence problems but they are improving daily. I never did leak at night or while sitting but when working around the house it was a different story.

I go for my post op PSA in two weeks.

Good luck with your experience.
Posted 6/6/2007 3:31 PM (GMT -6)
Idoun, that is great to hear. From what I was told I might be the late procedure as well so hopefully no big guys in front of me. I'm not too worried about any pain but I am glad to hear it is low and most important the incontinence is not too bad.

Your story is so helpful in preparing me for this journey and I hope and pray for your continued success with your recovery.

Thanks

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