Well it's Saturday and on Wednesday I had robotic surgery to remove my prostate at a terrific place in NYC. So far the pain and discomfort is worse than I expected and I admit to being grateful for opiate pain killers. Now it's a rough 6 days,ahead before the catheter comes out and then the next phase begins. I am sure it was the right decision and it will get easier but for now...
ouch
Yep. Hang in there. It gets better,
Welcome. It does indeed get better and the week leading to catheter removal will quickly pass. Consider using a gentle cream near the tip of your penis as the catheter might irritate Also since you are in nyc, consider attending a group when you are up for it. Malecare.org/nyc
Been where you are at and I support you in your surgery decision and know you will recover soon. Any questions please contact me here.
~Tim
Did you get a lot of penis swelling with the catheter?
I did not.
Seems like it would.
Hang in there, it definetly gets better and once the catheter is removed you'll regain your freedom. Good time to be home with our frigid weather here on the east coast......
Thanks and amen to that. Catheter out 5 days ago so now I am learning the joys of pee control, pads and all that stuff. So far I am actually surprised that 3 or so pads a day is all I need and I am often getting a warning "you need to pee" sensation in time to get to a bathroom. But the joy of no catheter is great... so far it seems that Memorial Sloan Kettering in NYC did a good job!
Congrats on being "post-catheter" and let the healing begin!! Remember to take it easy as you are still healing internally. After the removal of my catheter, I did daily walks for about a 1/2 hour and that really helped me both mentally and physically. Don't lift anything heavy yet!!! Happy healing to you....!! I am 2 months post-surgical and feel pretty good!
That's encouraging. The pads annoy me but seem essential... I wonder how long for? The Sidenafil... my first week so too early to judge I guess.
From what I have read by other guys, it seems wearing of pads is average about 3 months...BUT, everyone is different and some don't need to wear that long. I was complaining to it about my surgeon a few weeks ago but he encouraged me to hang in there and reminded me my healing is still in the early stages. I am on Cialis, and in a few weeks, I have a follow-up with the Consultant on my surgeon's medical team, who will assess both my incontinence and ED. I am very happy with my medical team and my surgery went well...so, I am remaining positive.
Thanks... yep at least the frigid weather is over for now. A whole week without the catheter so now it's the issue of the pads.. yuck. As for Sildenafil... too early to judge but the first challenge dose certainly did some good although it gave me a headache too... Ray
Hang in there Ray, it's still early. And yes, so glad the frigid weather is over.
Been 6 years and you can believe that it gets better. I Know! Let me know if you have questions or need a friend who is watching and hoping for the best for you. I have learned a lot from my personal experience. Stay positive and know that you are not alone
-Karlos
Thanks Karlos... a million questions for you! Ray. Raybarratt@msn.com
You are right, it the pain lessens everyday and you will get used to the catheter if you haven't already, My pain was worse than I expected for about the first week. Good luck with all that comes after that. I think prostate surgery creates a level of PTSD which we aren't prepared for and my not even realize that we are experiencing it. It changes our lives for sure but hopefully it saves our lives as well. Everyone's story is different except for the reality that iife will never be quite the same. But take everything one day at a time and do something special for yourself each day too. I got some benefit from meditation, reading and watching movies. Move around as much as you can and rely on your support system.
I'm 9 months post prostatectomy and the ED (and penile rehab) continues...
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