Is it just me?

jeffman
jeffman Member Posts: 46 Member
in Prostate Cancer #1

Going on 8 months since robotic prostatectomy and all is as expected. It hasn't been a picnic and there are still incontinence issues but PSA is still less than .01.

The incontinece is improving. Faster at first,but then I never even see the improvement except in retrospect. Three to six weeks will go by and I realize that I'm using less pads and sleeping better than I was a month ago. Not really noticeable on a weekly basis, but all of a sudden there is a "EUREKA' moment and I realize that it got somewhat  better. Based on what I was told this would be the case for me based on age an physique.

However, every so often, it all goes out the window and I have a bad day/night where all hell seems to break loose and I spring a leak for a day. Multiple pads and I stay up for a couple hours before bed in order to "drain"

I assume that this is a part of the healing since it never lasts and I get back to the slow process of getting back to "near normal" but I figured I'd post it since "misery loves company" and all that.

Comments

  • VascodaGama
    VascodaGama Member Posts: 3,641 Member
    #2
    Nice story

    Congratulations for the 0.01 remission level.

    I had open surgery in 2000 and never experienced incontinence since pulling out the catheter, but the fact is due to the principles of the doctor that treated me. This surgeon was the person in charge of the urology department of that hospital so that all moved according to his rules. He would not discharge patients if the "V" neck at the sphincter (verified with a local X-ray) wasn't properly formed. For me it represented a stay in the hospital of 14 days post RP (after approval on the second x-rays). In some other facilities the open surgery would regularly require at least one week stay for recovery. Robotic approaches that fasten the process didn't exist yet around the corner so that the extent of the after-caring-service was more specific, even the food at the hospital was restricted to a choice of three menus. While in the hospital patients were cared by a team of nurses (24H) and had access to several tests and exams, and every evening we were visited by one or several of the doctors that made part of the team involved in the RP. Looking back it seems that I had a ride in First-Class, but that was the way treating everybody. Factory style treatments were not common.

    I believe that the extent of the recovery process has to do with what one experiences regarding the side effects. It may take more time to get to a more natural status but it will eventually get better to a complete recovery.

    Best wishes for full improvement and remission forever

    VGama

  • Clevelandguy
    Clevelandguy Member Posts: 1,003 Member
    #3
    More time to heal?

    Hi Jeffman,

    I would say at 8 month out you still have a lot of healing to do with a few ups & downs during the process.  I had my Robotic surgery back in 2014 and I had healing(got better) until the start of my second year.  You just have to give it some time for everything to settle down and heal.  Everyone heals at different rates but from what I have heard it takes about two years to reach the point that you won't be getting any better for both the ED & leakage.  Vasco had no leakage which is great and unfortunetly some folks never recover and leak alot, hopefully you won't be in that group.  Good luck with your progress.

    Dave 3+4

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