After effects

[popsb21]

2011 in a routine visit to a Nurse Practitioner regarding a Sinus issue she ask when was the last physical and I responded about seven years prior. She insisted on one right away and two days later the blood report came back with a PSA reading over twenty. She indicated there was some serious issues I should get checked and actually stated it was an indicator of probable prostrate cancer. Fortunately there is a Prostrate Cancer Center here in Arlington ,TX at the USMD Hospital. After going there I was told a biopsy was in order and after about twenty samples most came back in the 8 and 9 Gleason range. I met with three Doctors, one a surgeon, one on radiation and one on cryogenics. I chose surgery as the Dr. indicated if it came back radiation could still be in play but if radiation was first surgery would be out of the picture. Was given some medicine to halt the progress and in 2012 I had a Robotic Prostatectomy. The surgeon, Dr. Lee , one of the finest men I have ever visited in 75 years, advised he took out not only the prostrate but glands and areas around there to minimize chances it had migrated elsewhere. Thanks to his expertise I am now cancer free going on four years. I do have residual effects such as ED and Incontinence. Several surgeries have been attempted to reduce leakage and currently I have and artificial sphincter which is the second as the first one failed . Helps but still not total answer. They first tried a mesh sling which proved to be ineffective. While there are steps to cure the ED I am still having problems with the leakage so relations with wife have been non existent which has strained the relationship somewhat. I believe it is mostly in the mind type of thing and the embarrassment , frustration and depression are difficult to over come. After going through this I have made it a priority to tell my sons, my friends and others to make sure to get yearly checks as it could probably lesson a bad experience. I wish there was a Doctor who could resolve this but so far not.

[Darryl Partner]

I've met a couple of dozen men who got the sling for urinary incontinence and none have had good experience

[adlerman]

You said you spoke to a Doctor about cryosurgery but then never mentioned it again.

The advantage of cryosurgery is it's repeatable. While radiation may be in play after the prostate removal it is often difficult to know where prostate tissue begins and ends. I had cryosurgery 14 years ago- my psa has been less than 0.1 since then. I had tumors near the base so ED was a given no matter what method I chose. No incontinence since 1-2 months after the procedure. There's nothing you can do now but I posted this for others who will be making a decision. There's a bias against cryosurgery because in the early days it was a very poor option but those performing that procedure worked to improve the technique and outcome but most urologists are stuck in the past. I went home the next day.

[JoelT]

POPSb21

Sounds as if you have been through the mill.

Joel

[Ibdcaptn]

I too have had UI since my radical prostatectomy by the brilliant Dr. Peter Carol at UCSF in Oct 2015. PSA is negligible. I waited six months and had both an artificial sphincter and a penile implant at the same time. It was very painful for several months. It turned out that the sphincter failed, because there was a leak in the "system" and the cuff didn't tighten enough around the urethra , so constant leakage, which of course renders the penile implant useless. I had the second sphincter installed on Sept 15, 2016 and have another 10 days before I go and have it "activated".

I am in dire hopes that the new sphincter will work properly to somewhat restore my quality of life and allow my wife and I to make use of the implant.

[Darryl Partner]

What did dr Carol say was the surgical cause of your ui? Were you being (perhaps appropriately) cynical in describing him as brilliant?