Not having fun yet.

jkummerow
jkummerow Member Posts: 1 Member
edited September 2022 in Prostate Cancer #1

I’m 50 and had a radical prostatectomy with nerve spare on 8/1. PSA was 10.6. Gleeson score was 4+3 on the biopsies, but downgraded to 3+4 after surgery. I am really struggling with the incontinence and ED. Could really use some tips here.

Comments

  • Clevelandguy
    Clevelandguy Member Posts: 1,206 Member
    #2

    Hi,

    Don't get discouraged since you are only about one month out. Healing will vary from person to person and it might take you up to a year to regain your functions. After I had my surgery it took me about a year with gradual improvement to gain control of my bladder and get a useable irrection. Others on this site have had both better track records than me and some worse. Need to keep doing your Kegal reps and using whatever means to get blood into your penis to stimulate an irrection. Some guys use something like Viagra or a generic to get the blood moving. I do about 120 Kegals a day, other start and stop their flow a couple of times during urination. I guess the main point is to see some type of improvement over the next several months. I know my Urologist offered a rehab service through medical professionals just to get me going again but I did not use it. Have hope things will get better.

    Dave 3+4

  • Old Salt
    Old Salt Member Posts: 1,530 Member
    #3

    Cleveland's first two sentences are right on the money (from what I have read). And his advice to get back to, what may be a new, normal is on point as well.

    Hang in there!

  • JP63
    JP63 Member Posts: 37 Member
    #4

    I was incontinent right away after surgery 6 weeks ago.

    It became a little bit better but towards the end of the day it was bad again.

    I just realized that I am not incontinent any more. Just like that.

    I did not do Kegel exercises since I had a lot of pain in that area.

    The pain is now also gone so I will try to do the Kegels anyway.

    I even downloaded a couple of applications for the iphone. Yup they have a lot of apps for that LOL

  • centralPA
    centralPA Member Posts: 341 Member
    #5

    Play the long game, @jkummerow . I “just” had a HoLEP procedure, which is much less invasive than what you had, and it took me 4 months to get to the new normal. I’d be extremely jealous if you were there already!

    Set your sights on Christmas for seeing real improvements. A watched prostectomy never…not sure what. But you’ll get there.

  • lighterwood67
    lighterwood67 Member Posts: 395 Member
    #6

    I had my RP at 67. Gleason 3+4=7 I did Kegels and stop/start urination flow. I would say around the 4 to 6 month, all cleared up. I did not allow any of this to interfere with my wife's and I Quality of Life. At the time we were camping a lot. My PSA is undetectable; I am fully continent; I am intimate with my wife, if I can catch her. Give yourself time to heal. Best of luck on your journey.

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