Prostate Cancer

[DonTriad]

Hello. I had a robotic laparoscopic RP about a month ago. The post-surgery pathology was good with no cancer found in the nodes or margins. However, despite kegal exercises before and after the operation I remain fully incontinent and impotent with no positive signs at all. While I know it's too early to know the final results, the lack of progress is disappointing. I would appreciate hearing how others fared after RP, particularly their progress toward regaining urinary control or sexual function. Thanks.

[olslyfox]

Don, you wanted some input on how others have fared?

I had my prostatectomy Aug 2007 and was totally urinary incontinent.
After 6 months, my doc recommended an AUS implant and i got it!
Now i am pretty dry (1 kleenex per bathroom stop, or 1 lite pad in 24 hrs).
refer to my post 'living comfortably with urinary incontinence' to see how i coped during those 7 months (dry bottom and active, wearing shorts!).

My ED has not really improved much in 1.5 years soft semi-erections and blase climaxes ... not very fulfilling

the viagra/cialis stuff just gives me a headache and nausea ... no results

the vacuum pump didn't work either, although it did suck urine from the bladder!!! ugh, messy!

my doc says penile injections and/or suppositories are iffy

my AUS surgeon does penile bladder implants ... now that will work, i am pretty sure!!

BUT, ON THE OTHER HAND, my PSA is staying at 0.0 ...... so each one has to balance their own scales!

[DonTriad]

Olslyfox,

Thanks a lot for the feedback. I'll check out your other post. Best wishes for continued progress.

Don

[Red Doug]

I had the same surgery. this is day 85 for me since the cath was pulled and I peed all over the doctor's floor. My revenge!

I am almost totally dry at night while in bed. I feel an urge to urinate and I get up and have a natural release. As soon as I am up during the day I only have spontanteous releases of urine when I get up. I can now hold it for a short fleet of time and get to the toilet, but most times I don't make it. I can go all day long with no urge to urinate at all except when I stand up from a sitting position- has me worried.

I do have some marginal cancer left on the bladder and will need radiation when I am dried up because when radiation starts drying up quits- that is what my urologist told me.

[olslyfox]

I have/had your same condition: diagnosed 6-07, laparascopic 8-07, cancer contained in prostate, psa 0.0 since then, no urinary control (constant leaking), kegels, electro therapy didn't help.

my surgeon said only 5% didn't regain most of their urinary control ... i guess you and me are that 5% !!

my progress was so NOT, the surgeon okayed AUS for 1-08 ... since then, very little leakage, 1 light pad per day (or one kleenex per bathroom stop) ... unless significant physical exertion ... then i might leak more .... e.g. during a round of golf, i usually wear a heavier pad.

The AUS is a pressure cuff, and has to be adjusted by the surgeon during implant .... therefore, each patient will have varying ability to force (vouluntary or not) urine pass the cuff and leak.

i had a little ED before the surgery and it got worse.... very soft erections was the best i could for a year ... and climaxes were a 3 on a scale of 10 like they used to be. Viagra etc didn't seem to help ... just headache and nausea ..... now , 2 years after surgery, i can occasionally get maybe a 2/3 erection ... still not good enough for penetration though ...

the same surgeon that did my AUS also wanted to do penile implant (another scrotum pump) that would create erections on demand ... maybe i should have done that too ... i think you would have a very sore member for a couple months... but it is also covered by Medicare (i am now 68)....

as far as getting by on a daily basis with urinary incontinence, check out a couple of other posts:
'living with male incontinence' and
'living COMFORTABLY with urinary incontinence'

good luck

[buckmelanoma]

I know that everyone's post-op recovery is different. Anytime you have any radical prostate procedure performed you're looking at the post-op problems you are having. I sorry to say that the only person I met who had the procedure done 2+ years ago still has mild incontinence and has not had an erection since dispite even taking Viagara. That's not to say that this will happen to you.

I wish you the best of health in you recovery.