My Robotic Prostatectomy Experience
Comments
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1 Year appointmentNM said:Sept 3rd
Thats the date of my davinci of this year. Please continue posting as I still need to see what the future might hold and not get too discouraged. I know we are all different but your posts keep me and others optimistic about our future after Davinci.
Thanks again
Nick
My one year appointment was met with the great news that my PSA is still <.1 (considered undetectable)!!!
The only thing Dr. Tewari suggests for me to help with a very minor issue is to have a procedure done to 'ream' out the scar tissue where the bladder was reconnected.
I don't see the reason for it, so I will wait another 6 months to decide.
Otherwise, I have very little to report in terms of my recovery, as I essentially feel back to 100%, besides very minimal issues I metioned in my last post.
Thanks very much to my friends here, and I always welcome anyone to contact me for advice, for my experiences, etc.
Good luck to everyone!
-Wayne0 -
1 Year and countingwhubbs said:1 Year
Hello everyone
I'm sorry for not posting up for a while, you'll realize after treatment, you tend to move on.
However, for those who would like to contact me regarding my experience, have any questions, especially of the sensitive nature, feel free to email me at cobrabite427@yahoo.com (just make the subject prostatectomy, as I do get a lot of spam)
At 1 year, here's where I am;
Oncological- At 9 months PSA is still ND (non-detectable) - Next week is my 1 yr PSA check. Fingers crossed. (This is an anxiety I may never be able to escape from)
Continency- A drip here and there when I cough, sneeze, laugh or strain. Doc says a 'reaming' of the surgical site may help. I chose to wait and see. Not exactly something I consider a problem right now. Otherwise, I consider myself 'continent' - just have a slight leakage issue that is easily remedied by a tissue. Life goes on.
Erectile function- It's all back, in varying degrees of 'fulfillment'. For the first time in my life, my brain needs to be engaged, once it is there is no problem.
Of course, the little blue pill works wonders, but not needed.
A word to the naysayers- Take the ED pills before, during and after surgery- the improved blood flow helps healing. Thank me later.
Good luck to everyone. I'll report my PSA next week.
Hope to hear from anyone who needs to talk.
I've heard from hundreds of men during this year, and it's been very rewarding to me to help.
Sometimes, just knowng what will transpire during surgery helps the anxiety.
Special thanks to Dr. Ash Tewari - Easily the best at robotic prostatectomy, and continues to research less invasion methods, including a catheterless procedure. (One I was not eligible for unfortunately)
I see the great Doctor Tewari next week for perhaps the last time.
If you can, make him a part of your treatment options. His practice is remarkable.
Peace and health to all!
Hi Wayne,
I have enjoyed your updates and postings. On December 1, 2009 I am 7 months post. I use one pad a day and none at night. 6 month PSA = <0.004.
I take cialis but no erection results. Yes it is good for blood flow. My wife is okay with no erection but, it bothers me. I am continuing with patience.
Happy Thanksgiving to You and thanks for the boost!
shubbysr (jim)0 -
I have had my da Vincejohndeer said:daVinci
Wayne,
I am very interested to read your experience with the robot. I have a date at City of Hope in Cal. of Feb 5 for the same procedure. I am happy for you in your outcome and proud of you for being so forthcoming in your experience. I'm sure my wife will kick me out of the hospital bed if I'm not willing. I am 54, with a gleason score of 3+3 and a PSA of 2.0. I too, think I am too young for the radiation ( I am considering proton beam). Dr Kawachi at City of Hope has done 325 + procedures since '03 and will do 377 this year. He is very concerned for my quality of life issues, so he will do his best ,I believe, to ensure the best result.
God speed your recovery!
Rick
I have had my da Vince robotic surgery and I'm doing Great! I never had to take any Pain meds when I was in the hospital, I went home that Friday morning, the only reason I stayed till Friday was because my surgery was late in the evening. The only thing I took was a prescription Tylenol for a little pain. But I had NO TROUBLE. I having a fast recovery and The surgeon was able to save my nerves. Its been 4 weeks now and I'm doing great! I got full control over my urination, with no leaking!
This Video is of me:
http://www.vcstar.com/videos/detail/robotic-medicine/0 -
Cancelling Radiation Treatmentskkauppi said:incontinence and prayer
Thanks Whoops for your continuing updates. I have had incontinence issues which are more troublesome to me than the cancer issue. I have not started any cancer treatment yet but I have cancelled my appointments for 1) proton radiation at Loma Linda in California and 2) brachytherapy locally. I'm not sure what to do or not do.
However, I have to thank you for your observations. I do not believe in prayer. Sorry. And I do not believe in god. Sorry again. I do trust the observations of people such as yourself who, I hope, have helped hundreds, maybe even thousands of people like myself.
You are a great unknown fried.
Hi kkauppi. I was just curious as to why you cancelled your two radiation treatment appointments. Were these just consultations to learn more about these treatments? I can totally understand any trouble with making this type of decision since I'm at that same point myself (just diagnosed a couple of weeks ago). Incontinence is one of my main quality of life concerns following any treatment choice. Your situation sounds a bit more complicated if you are already experiencing some of these problems. It seems like all of the common treatments have this as a possible side effect to one degree or another. This is one of the toughest decisions I have ever had to make. As of today I still have at least three options on the table; surgery, brachytherapy, and some form of external beam radiation maybe even proton beam. Good luck to you with your decision.
Tom0 -
yes the catheterwhubbs said:Catheter or not to catheter
Yes, Dr. Tewari suggested that if it were possible he would.
This was something he would determine once the surgery was underway.
I understood it that the surgery would still involve the catheter, but may be removed after surgery if it were anatomically feasible. (meaning if the sphincter at the base of the bladder wasn't interrupted, that they could essentially remove the catheter)
In hindsight, with all of the immediate bladder spasms, pain, etc. it helped to not have to deal with the incontinency issues until a week later.
Week with the catheter was very uncomfortable though.
I'm not sure which way I'd go if I truly had the choice.
yes it took a bit of getting used to my exsperiance was mild discomfort I had a radical prostectomy no robot some initial pain peeing somtimes leakage and blader stinging felt like peeing razor blades just got used to the plumbing then after 3 weeks had staples removed and then the catheter oh boy staples hurt comming out but barely felt catheter being removed .as soon as catheter out just wanted to pee and pee so be ready for some pads or be close to the toilet first day couldnt stop peeing was ok when lying on my back. 2 weeks later 1 to 2 pads a day with slight leakage getting better each day. and as for walking after surgery start as soon as you can the wind pain hurts like hell each day you will get stronger and soon forget the pain . lifes good keep up the exersisers when you remember best of luck to everyone thanks for your honest comments Shane almost 5 weeks post op now0 -
what are your stats?sonomablue said:Robotic Da Vincvi
Congrats to all of you. I just found this site tonight. I was diagnosed in October. After consulting with my local Urologist, and after reading the book "Dr. Patrick Walsh's Guide to Surviving Prostate Cancer, 2nd Ed, I received a referral to UCSF. I am scheduled to have the Da Vinci surgery in Feb. I will continue to read these threads. Nice to hear from people who have been, or are currently going through it. thanks for your information, suggestions, thoughts, etc.
What is your stage e.g. T2C, PSA, did your DRE have a lump? etc... I am thinking of Da Vinci and my status are TB2, GG 4+3 PSA 2.8/4.1 and my doctor did fell a lump that started all of this process...many thanks0 -
What to expect immediately following Da Vinci surgery
I am 50 years old and was diagnosed with PC this past October. I had a 12 sample biopsy with 2 showing cancer. Gleason scores were 3+3 in each sample and my PSA was only 2.6. I had Da Vinci surgery last Tuesday 1/12/10. So far it looks like everything was self contained. I will know more tomorrow when I return for my follow-up visit. The reason I wanted to respond to this was to let people know what to expect from the surgery. After I woke up from recovery and had to move into my hospital bed, I felt like I had done 5,000 sit-ups and looked like I had gained 25 pounds. No one told me they would pump that much gas into my abdomen to complete the surgery. I had really bad gas pains for two days and it was extremely painful to get out of bed. Once I got out it was hard to straighten up all the way due to the soreness of those muscles. One week later I feel so much better. While still sore, I can now bend over and touch the floor. I walked 5-6 times per day for 10-15 minutes while in the hospital and have continued to walk 20-30 minutes at least 3 times per day. I would highly recommend walking this much to anyone. Not only did it help relieve the gas pains but it helped me get over the soreness much quicker. Also, I week later, my ab is back to the normal size. Good luck to anyone with recovering from this surgery.0 -
1-1/2 Years after Ash Tewari Robotic Prostatectomykevinwise said:What to expect immediately following Da Vinci surgery
I am 50 years old and was diagnosed with PC this past October. I had a 12 sample biopsy with 2 showing cancer. Gleason scores were 3+3 in each sample and my PSA was only 2.6. I had Da Vinci surgery last Tuesday 1/12/10. So far it looks like everything was self contained. I will know more tomorrow when I return for my follow-up visit. The reason I wanted to respond to this was to let people know what to expect from the surgery. After I woke up from recovery and had to move into my hospital bed, I felt like I had done 5,000 sit-ups and looked like I had gained 25 pounds. No one told me they would pump that much gas into my abdomen to complete the surgery. I had really bad gas pains for two days and it was extremely painful to get out of bed. Once I got out it was hard to straighten up all the way due to the soreness of those muscles. One week later I feel so much better. While still sore, I can now bend over and touch the floor. I walked 5-6 times per day for 10-15 minutes while in the hospital and have continued to walk 20-30 minutes at least 3 times per day. I would highly recommend walking this much to anyone. Not only did it help relieve the gas pains but it helped me get over the soreness much quicker. Also, I week later, my ab is back to the normal size. Good luck to anyone with recovering from this surgery.
Just had another PSA check.. still less than .1 (or undetectible)!
Dr. Ash Tewari and I will meet once more in November for my 2 year anniversary and then again every year thereafter.
I couldn't be happier right now. Dr. Tewari and his team did a PERFECT job on me. For that I can not thank them enough.
It was a dicey first few months, but I've been essentially back to 100% for almost a year now.
Scars have healed and erectile function has been completely restored without any 'help'.
Incontinency is a strong word for what remains, and as Dr. Tewari put it recently, the prostate served as a sort of contractor at the end of a urinary stream which would pull a remaining drip 'back in'. Without it, that one miniscule drip, not even a drip, remains.
So, it takes a little longer to get that completion, but worth it.
Anyone contemplating a robotic procedure? Get into NYC and visit Dr. Ash Tewari. He and his team are world class, leading the path to very successful and minimally invasion robotic prostatectomies.
(I saw someone mention that he is 'out'? I saw him last week with no mention of it. Anyone have Tewari related news?)0 -
2 years - Still Zero PSA!!whubbs said:1-1/2 Years after Ash Tewari Robotic Prostatectomy
Just had another PSA check.. still less than .1 (or undetectible)!
Dr. Ash Tewari and I will meet once more in November for my 2 year anniversary and then again every year thereafter.
I couldn't be happier right now. Dr. Tewari and his team did a PERFECT job on me. For that I can not thank them enough.
It was a dicey first few months, but I've been essentially back to 100% for almost a year now.
Scars have healed and erectile function has been completely restored without any 'help'.
Incontinency is a strong word for what remains, and as Dr. Tewari put it recently, the prostate served as a sort of contractor at the end of a urinary stream which would pull a remaining drip 'back in'. Without it, that one miniscule drip, not even a drip, remains.
So, it takes a little longer to get that completion, but worth it.
Anyone contemplating a robotic procedure? Get into NYC and visit Dr. Ash Tewari. He and his team are world class, leading the path to very successful and minimally invasion robotic prostatectomies.
(I saw someone mention that he is 'out'? I saw him last week with no mention of it. Anyone have Tewari related news?)
2 years since my Davinci prostatectomy by Dr. Tewari in NYC and still enjoying the zero PSA results.
I wish the best for everyone and know there is life after this treatment!
Feel free to tap me on the shoulder if you want candid and honest answers to the tough questions- cobrabite427@yahoo.com
Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!
May the new year bring happiness and renewed health to everyone here.
-WH0 -
Celebrate! Dance to thewhubbs said:2 years - Still Zero PSA!!
2 years since my Davinci prostatectomy by Dr. Tewari in NYC and still enjoying the zero PSA results.
I wish the best for everyone and know there is life after this treatment!
Feel free to tap me on the shoulder if you want candid and honest answers to the tough questions- cobrabite427@yahoo.com
Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!
May the new year bring happiness and renewed health to everyone here.
-WH
Celebrate! Dance to the music like the kitten in your 'profile'
Congrats and a health New year to you.
Larry0 -
I Can't thank you enough
I would really like to thank each and every one who has posted to this site... I have sat here and read every comment and it was definately an eye opener for sure. I also have been diagnosed with prostate cancer.. scale of 3+4 total 7. It was found in two of the samples. An 80% strip and a 30% strip. My Dad had prostate cancer about 94 or 95 and opted with the radiation therapy.... he has had nothing but trouble since... uncontrolled leakage and bleeding rectum from the radiation. Most of the symptoms went away after a few years but in the last few years all the symptome have returned... he has be cauterized (not sure of spelling...sorry) to stop the bleeding.... he was put in a hyperbarric chamber.. all sorts of guinnea pig ideas to combat his problems... he now has a sling to help his bladder. SO needless to say, eventhough radiation has come a little way in advancement ... (they don't shoot so close to the edges of the prostate)I have elected to have the robotic surgery to have the cancer removed. I am scheduled 4 weeks tomorrow. Reading all these blogs has helped me prepare. I am not looking forward to the whole thing but, at least I know what to expect thanks to all your posts. Knowledge is power and you have all given me the power to be ready for my big day... and year to come.0 -
LabLover,LabLover said:I Can't thank you enough
I would really like to thank each and every one who has posted to this site... I have sat here and read every comment and it was definately an eye opener for sure. I also have been diagnosed with prostate cancer.. scale of 3+4 total 7. It was found in two of the samples. An 80% strip and a 30% strip. My Dad had prostate cancer about 94 or 95 and opted with the radiation therapy.... he has had nothing but trouble since... uncontrolled leakage and bleeding rectum from the radiation. Most of the symptoms went away after a few years but in the last few years all the symptome have returned... he has be cauterized (not sure of spelling...sorry) to stop the bleeding.... he was put in a hyperbarric chamber.. all sorts of guinnea pig ideas to combat his problems... he now has a sling to help his bladder. SO needless to say, eventhough radiation has come a little way in advancement ... (they don't shoot so close to the edges of the prostate)I have elected to have the robotic surgery to have the cancer removed. I am scheduled 4 weeks tomorrow. Reading all these blogs has helped me prepare. I am not looking forward to the whole thing but, at least I know what to expect thanks to all your posts. Knowledge is power and you have all given me the power to be ready for my big day... and year to come.
Sorry to read
LabLover,
Sorry to read about your father and your start on this journey but glad that you found the forum. Everyone is very willing to help as you see. If any questions just ask and someone will know the answer!
Keep us posted how you do.
Larry
19 months post surgery
Pre Suregery Gleason 4+3 - 70 -
Best WishesLabLover said:I Can't thank you enough
I would really like to thank each and every one who has posted to this site... I have sat here and read every comment and it was definately an eye opener for sure. I also have been diagnosed with prostate cancer.. scale of 3+4 total 7. It was found in two of the samples. An 80% strip and a 30% strip. My Dad had prostate cancer about 94 or 95 and opted with the radiation therapy.... he has had nothing but trouble since... uncontrolled leakage and bleeding rectum from the radiation. Most of the symptoms went away after a few years but in the last few years all the symptome have returned... he has be cauterized (not sure of spelling...sorry) to stop the bleeding.... he was put in a hyperbarric chamber.. all sorts of guinnea pig ideas to combat his problems... he now has a sling to help his bladder. SO needless to say, eventhough radiation has come a little way in advancement ... (they don't shoot so close to the edges of the prostate)I have elected to have the robotic surgery to have the cancer removed. I am scheduled 4 weeks tomorrow. Reading all these blogs has helped me prepare. I am not looking forward to the whole thing but, at least I know what to expect thanks to all your posts. Knowledge is power and you have all given me the power to be ready for my big day... and year to come.
Lab,
As you noted in your post, radiation treatments have improved significantly in the past 15 years with such procedures as HDL brachytherapy, IMRT, IGRT, tomography, and CyberKnife. The side effects your father experienced are unfortunate and were relatively rare even in the mid-90s but the relatively broad pelvic exposure common then is in no way like the very precise dosage administered today that can take into account the real time movement of the prostate and deliver sub-millimeter accuracy.
But I do understand your concerns and wish you the best success in whichever treatment you chose to follow.
K0 -
Update after 5 yearswhubbs said:Impatient Poster
Sorry- I'm apparently hitting the post button twice...Hello everyone!
I've recieved many emails from men all around the world since I posted my experience with robotic prostatectomy treatment.
It is now 5 years since my treatment and I wanted to drop a line to give some insight into 'life after davinci'..
My PSA still remains 0.0 !!
Yay! It remains a concern, every 6 months or so when I get blood work done, my stomach ties up in knots worrying about metasized cancer - which scares the crap out of me. So far so good. (knocking on my head and wood)I'm now 46 and ED issues are minimal - my brain just needs to be engaged. I now understand what its like for women! Not such a bad thing really. I do very occassionally deal with an issue there, but 90% of the time everything is great. Nothing a blue pill can't help on the 3 or 4 occasions per year they happen - not bad if you ask me.
Incontinence is not an issue, however I do experience a drop here and there, full bladder and exerting myself certain ways, coughing, sneezing, etc. might create a drop. I think this is very common and really not an issue in the grand scheme of things.
Living with issues like these rather than living with the 'wait and see' possibility of an invisible cancer spreading outside the prostate is a no brainer. (I do find it odd reading posts from men who mock those who decide to get treatment - we all have a comfort zone, personally I couldn't wait to get it out of me and don't regret that decision for 1 minute - I'd hope that others could respect that personal decision)
Again, my recommendations to anyone considering a robotic prostatectomy are:
- Find the BEST. I went with Ash Tewari, there are many others. Ask how many they do, what percentage result in incontiency and ED, oncological results, etc. If they can't tell you this - beware. They all should be tracking that and tying in with their patients years down to the road. A note on Tewari - I understand he is moving his practice to Mt. Sinai - I am not sure if he will continue his prostatectomy practice - however he has trained many surgeons at prebysterian in NYC and I am sure they remain cutting edge. Samadhi is also another great surgeon.
- Ask if they are aware of and utilize nerve sparring techniques. They should. If not, heads up - a good surgeon with a davinci robot can leave you pissing yourself and playing pool with rope the rest of your life. Nerve sparring AND oncological results should be BOTH on the top of their priority list. Don't be afraid of getting 2nd and 3rd opinions. Once I shook Tewari's hand I knew he was the right surgeon for me. When I discussed with current urologist (Dr. Hesse in New Haven CT) at the time - he pushed the fact that there were countless ED treatments, that freaked me out and I cancelled his surgery - he then dropped me as a patient and told me not to return. Glad I made that move!
- Do the kegel exercises! You'll thank me later. If I had done mine, I'd likely not be dealing with that drop I mentioned.
- Remember blood flow to that area is important. Have regular relations before and after surgery - utilize ED meds to improve blood flow - this will benefit you greatly.
- Get off the couch! Walk, exercise, get in better shape. This will make recovery easier and will benefit you all over.
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions - especially the sensitive stuff you can't ask your doctor. I've heard it all (probably close to 500 emails since 2008 surgery) and I'll give you the straight on all those intimate concerns you have.
Take care everyone and best of luck!
-Wayne
0 -
Congratulationswhubbs said:Update after 5 years
Hello everyone!
I've recieved many emails from men all around the world since I posted my experience with robotic prostatectomy treatment.
It is now 5 years since my treatment and I wanted to drop a line to give some insight into 'life after davinci'..
My PSA still remains 0.0 !!
Yay! It remains a concern, every 6 months or so when I get blood work done, my stomach ties up in knots worrying about metasized cancer - which scares the crap out of me. So far so good. (knocking on my head and wood)I'm now 46 and ED issues are minimal - my brain just needs to be engaged. I now understand what its like for women! Not such a bad thing really. I do very occassionally deal with an issue there, but 90% of the time everything is great. Nothing a blue pill can't help on the 3 or 4 occasions per year they happen - not bad if you ask me.
Incontinence is not an issue, however I do experience a drop here and there, full bladder and exerting myself certain ways, coughing, sneezing, etc. might create a drop. I think this is very common and really not an issue in the grand scheme of things.
Living with issues like these rather than living with the 'wait and see' possibility of an invisible cancer spreading outside the prostate is a no brainer. (I do find it odd reading posts from men who mock those who decide to get treatment - we all have a comfort zone, personally I couldn't wait to get it out of me and don't regret that decision for 1 minute - I'd hope that others could respect that personal decision)
Again, my recommendations to anyone considering a robotic prostatectomy are:
- Find the BEST. I went with Ash Tewari, there are many others. Ask how many they do, what percentage result in incontiency and ED, oncological results, etc. If they can't tell you this - beware. They all should be tracking that and tying in with their patients years down to the road. A note on Tewari - I understand he is moving his practice to Mt. Sinai - I am not sure if he will continue his prostatectomy practice - however he has trained many surgeons at prebysterian in NYC and I am sure they remain cutting edge. Samadhi is also another great surgeon.
- Ask if they are aware of and utilize nerve sparring techniques. They should. If not, heads up - a good surgeon with a davinci robot can leave you pissing yourself and playing pool with rope the rest of your life. Nerve sparring AND oncological results should be BOTH on the top of their priority list. Don't be afraid of getting 2nd and 3rd opinions. Once I shook Tewari's hand I knew he was the right surgeon for me. When I discussed with current urologist (Dr. Hesse in New Haven CT) at the time - he pushed the fact that there were countless ED treatments, that freaked me out and I cancelled his surgery - he then dropped me as a patient and told me not to return. Glad I made that move!
- Do the kegel exercises! You'll thank me later. If I had done mine, I'd likely not be dealing with that drop I mentioned.
- Remember blood flow to that area is important. Have regular relations before and after surgery - utilize ED meds to improve blood flow - this will benefit you greatly.
- Get off the couch! Walk, exercise, get in better shape. This will make recovery easier and will benefit you all over.
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions - especially the sensitive stuff you can't ask your doctor. I've heard it all (probably close to 500 emails since 2008 surgery) and I'll give you the straight on all those intimate concerns you have.
Take care everyone and best of luck!
-Wayne
Wayne,
Great report!
I am sure that your write up on things to consider will be very helpful to guys just starting down the PCa path.
Since your new note was in the middle of the thread I had a hard time finding it. While i was looking for it, I did enjoy looking at all of the postings from guys who had not been on the site for a while .... Old home week!
Here's the best wishes for a similar report in year 10!
0 -
5 year updateKongo said:Best Wishes
Lab,
As you noted in your post, radiation treatments have improved significantly in the past 15 years with such procedures as HDL brachytherapy, IMRT, IGRT, tomography, and CyberKnife. The side effects your father experienced are unfortunate and were relatively rare even in the mid-90s but the relatively broad pelvic exposure common then is in no way like the very precise dosage administered today that can take into account the real time movement of the prostate and deliver sub-millimeter accuracy.
But I do understand your concerns and wish you the best success in whichever treatment you chose to follow.
KHello everyone!
(I'm reposting because I accidentally posted in the middle of the thread
)I've recieved many emails from men all around the world since I posted my experience with robotic prostatectomy treatment.
It is now 5 years since my treatment and I wanted to drop a line to give some insight into 'life after davinci'..
My PSA still remains 0.0 !!
Yay! It remains a concern, every 6 months or so when I get blood work done, my stomach ties up in knots worrying about metasized cancer - which scares the crap out of me. So far so good. (knocking on my head and wood)I'm now 46 and ED issues are minimal - my brain just needs to be engaged. I now understand what its like for women! Not such a bad thing really. I do very occassionally deal with an issue there, but 90% of the time everything is great. Nothing a blue pill can't help on the 3 or 4 occasions per year they happen - not bad if you ask me.
Incontinence is not an issue, however I do experience a drop here and there, full bladder and exerting myself certain ways, coughing, sneezing, etc. might create a drop. I think this is very common and really not an issue in the grand scheme of things.
Living with issues like these rather than living with the 'wait and see' possibility of an invisible cancer spreading outside the prostate is a no brainer. (I do find it odd reading posts from men who mock those who decide to get treatment - we all have a comfort zone, personally I couldn't wait to get it out of me and don't regret that decision for 1 minute - I'd hope that others could respect that personal decision)
Again, my recommendations to anyone considering a robotic prostatectomy are:
- Find the BEST. I went with Ash Tewari, there are many others. Ask how many they do, what percentage result in incontiency and ED, oncological results, etc. If they can't tell you this - beware. They all should be tracking that and tying in with their patients years down to the road. A note on Tewari - I understand he is moving his practice to Mt. Sinai - I am not sure if he will continue his prostatectomy practice - however he has trained many surgeons at prebysterian in NYC and I am sure they remain cutting edge. Samadhi is also another great surgeon.
- Ask if they are aware of and utilize nerve sparring techniques. They should. If not, heads up - a good surgeon with a davinci robot can leave you pissing yourself and playing pool with rope the rest of your life. Nerve sparring AND oncological results should be BOTH on the top of their priority list. Don't be afraid of getting 2nd and 3rd opinions. Once I shook Tewari's hand I knew he was the right surgeon for me. When I discussed with current urologist (Dr. Hesse in New Haven CT) at the time - he pushed the fact that there were countless ED treatments, that freaked me out and I cancelled his surgery - he then dropped me as a patient and told me not to return. Glad I made that move!
- Do the kegel exercises! You'll thank me later. If I had done mine, I'd likely not be dealing with that drop I mentioned.
- Remember blood flow to that area is important. Have regular relations before and after surgery - utilize ED meds to improve blood flow - this will benefit you greatly.
- Get off the couch! Walk, exercise, get in better shape. This will make recovery easier and will benefit you all over.
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions - especially the sensitive stuff you can't ask your doctor. I've heard it all (probably close to 500 emails since 2008 surgery) and I'll give you the straight on all those intimate concerns you have.
Take care everyone and best of luck!
-Wayne
0 -
5 year updateKongo said:Best Wishes
Lab,
As you noted in your post, radiation treatments have improved significantly in the past 15 years with such procedures as HDL brachytherapy, IMRT, IGRT, tomography, and CyberKnife. The side effects your father experienced are unfortunate and were relatively rare even in the mid-90s but the relatively broad pelvic exposure common then is in no way like the very precise dosage administered today that can take into account the real time movement of the prostate and deliver sub-millimeter accuracy.
But I do understand your concerns and wish you the best success in whichever treatment you chose to follow.
K0 -
Thanks for updating us andwhubbs said:5 year update
Hello everyone!
(I'm reposting because I accidentally posted in the middle of the thread
)I've recieved many emails from men all around the world since I posted my experience with robotic prostatectomy treatment.
It is now 5 years since my treatment and I wanted to drop a line to give some insight into 'life after davinci'..
My PSA still remains 0.0 !!
Yay! It remains a concern, every 6 months or so when I get blood work done, my stomach ties up in knots worrying about metasized cancer - which scares the crap out of me. So far so good. (knocking on my head and wood)I'm now 46 and ED issues are minimal - my brain just needs to be engaged. I now understand what its like for women! Not such a bad thing really. I do very occassionally deal with an issue there, but 90% of the time everything is great. Nothing a blue pill can't help on the 3 or 4 occasions per year they happen - not bad if you ask me.
Incontinence is not an issue, however I do experience a drop here and there, full bladder and exerting myself certain ways, coughing, sneezing, etc. might create a drop. I think this is very common and really not an issue in the grand scheme of things.
Living with issues like these rather than living with the 'wait and see' possibility of an invisible cancer spreading outside the prostate is a no brainer. (I do find it odd reading posts from men who mock those who decide to get treatment - we all have a comfort zone, personally I couldn't wait to get it out of me and don't regret that decision for 1 minute - I'd hope that others could respect that personal decision)
Again, my recommendations to anyone considering a robotic prostatectomy are:
- Find the BEST. I went with Ash Tewari, there are many others. Ask how many they do, what percentage result in incontiency and ED, oncological results, etc. If they can't tell you this - beware. They all should be tracking that and tying in with their patients years down to the road. A note on Tewari - I understand he is moving his practice to Mt. Sinai - I am not sure if he will continue his prostatectomy practice - however he has trained many surgeons at prebysterian in NYC and I am sure they remain cutting edge. Samadhi is also another great surgeon.
- Ask if they are aware of and utilize nerve sparring techniques. They should. If not, heads up - a good surgeon with a davinci robot can leave you pissing yourself and playing pool with rope the rest of your life. Nerve sparring AND oncological results should be BOTH on the top of their priority list. Don't be afraid of getting 2nd and 3rd opinions. Once I shook Tewari's hand I knew he was the right surgeon for me. When I discussed with current urologist (Dr. Hesse in New Haven CT) at the time - he pushed the fact that there were countless ED treatments, that freaked me out and I cancelled his surgery - he then dropped me as a patient and told me not to return. Glad I made that move!
- Do the kegel exercises! You'll thank me later. If I had done mine, I'd likely not be dealing with that drop I mentioned.
- Remember blood flow to that area is important. Have regular relations before and after surgery - utilize ED meds to improve blood flow - this will benefit you greatly.
- Get off the couch! Walk, exercise, get in better shape. This will make recovery easier and will benefit you all over.
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions - especially the sensitive stuff you can't ask your doctor. I've heard it all (probably close to 500 emails since 2008 surgery) and I'll give you the straight on all those intimate concerns you have.
Take care everyone and best of luck!
-Wayne
Thanks for updating us and glad you are doing well!
Lewvino
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