Post Surgery PSA's ZeRo - Continence - Erections... Glad I Didn't Do "Watchful Waiting"

fishing_fool
fishing_fool Member Posts: 18
edited March 2014 in Prostate Cancer #1
I had my da Vinci radical prostatectomy on Nov. 9, 2009. My Gleason score was upgraded from 3+3=6 to 3+4=7. My surgeon said that had my margins not have been clean - we would be having a "different" conversation. Originally I was told I was a candidate for "Watchful Waiting" Thank God I didn't do that. It turned out that at first they said, "I only had one of twelve biopsies positive and of the one less than 5%".

After the pathology came back it was throughout my entire prostate. Again, clean margins. Two PSA's since surgery and they are undetectable, Zero!!! Continence good - except when I really have to go - then I HURRY. The secret... Kegels - Kegels more Kegels. Erections - Doing pretty good on my own, but wanted a better and longer lasting erection so I went to the injections. First one lasted 5 hours - had to go back to the Doc to bring it down. Letting things rest before we try another injection, but very excited and hopeful. My thoughts on "Watchful Waiting" if I had - I might be in Big trouble at this point. The American Cancer Society told me, "If a person has ONE cancer cell, it can metastasize." I was not willing to take that gamble. Wishing all my fellow men fighting with this... THE BEST OF LOVE, LIFE, HEALTH & HAPPINESS. Each day is a blessing - fight for it.

Comments

  • JR1949
    JR1949 Member Posts: 230
    #2
    Glad you did not wait
    My fellow "victim" or member of the club you would rather not be a member so to speak.
    I mean the Prostate cancer club, you would not be a member if you had a choice, but very thankful that you survived.
    Yes my friend, EACH DAY IS A BLESSING FROM GOD - fight for it.
  • randy_in_indy
    randy_in_indy Member Posts: 496 Member
    #3
    JR1949 said:

    Glad you did not wait
    My fellow "victim" or member of the club you would rather not be a member so to speak.
    I mean the Prostate cancer club, you would not be a member if you had a choice, but very thankful that you survived.
    Yes my friend, EACH DAY IS A BLESSING FROM GOD - fight for it.

    Like Sonny says "Every Day is a Bonus"
    We all need to be greatful for what we have and will have...regardless of the peril we are all dealt...at least that is my thought. I too was so glad I did not wait...going from a 3+3=6 to a 3+4=7 post surgery and finding that the cancer was throughout the entire prostate which was only thought to be in the right side...and less than 1 mm from breaking through in two places right and left.....yes...a very different conversation with the doc had it broken out and had positive margins.....hey...I am still not considering myself done with this...one thing about this beast...it can return unannounced later...it seems we have to beat the beast to a bloody pulp repeatedly and forever in order to have a chance to beat it.

    Randy in Indy
  • bdhilton
    bdhilton Member Posts: 866 Member
    #4
    Amen …enjoy each day

    Amen …enjoy each day
  • Kongo
    Kongo Member Posts: 1,166 Member
    #5
    Curious Minds
    Fishing Fool -- I'm really curious...how did "they bring it back down?" Have always wondered about those caveats in Viagra commercials that tell you to seek medical attention if you have an erection lasting more than 4 hours. I sort of thought that just might be hype as in, "whoa honey, stand back...not sure how long this thing will last". Is there an actual procedure or drug they use?
  • fishing_fool
    fishing_fool Member Posts: 18
    #6
    Kongo said:

    Curious Minds
    Fishing Fool -- I'm really curious...how did "they bring it back down?" Have always wondered about those caveats in Viagra commercials that tell you to seek medical attention if you have an erection lasting more than 4 hours. I sort of thought that just might be hype as in, "whoa honey, stand back...not sure how long this thing will last". Is there an actual procedure or drug they use?

    Curious Minds
    Hey those commercials I found out are VERY serious. I went back to his office "just in time" and he gave me another injection (not sure what) but it was down before I left the office. The Doctor said interestingly that men that have an erection that long can cause permanent damage. When the penis is erect, it is not getting oxygen to the tissues. If a man waits to long to do something about it... The tissues can die and that can be HIS LAST erection. I was lucky... I am fine. I also wondered about those commercials. They need a little more info to get across how serious this can be! Thanks Kongo.
  • Kongo
    Kongo Member Posts: 1,166 Member
    #7
    fishing_fool said:

    Curious Minds
    Hey those commercials I found out are VERY serious. I went back to his office "just in time" and he gave me another injection (not sure what) but it was down before I left the office. The Doctor said interestingly that men that have an erection that long can cause permanent damage. When the penis is erect, it is not getting oxygen to the tissues. If a man waits to long to do something about it... The tissues can die and that can be HIS LAST erection. I was lucky... I am fine. I also wondered about those commercials. They need a little more info to get across how serious this can be! Thanks Kongo.

    Thanks
    Fishing Fool, thanks for the very relevant information!
  • bdhilton
    bdhilton Member Posts: 866 Member
    #8
    Kongo said:

    Curious Minds
    Fishing Fool -- I'm really curious...how did "they bring it back down?" Have always wondered about those caveats in Viagra commercials that tell you to seek medical attention if you have an erection lasting more than 4 hours. I sort of thought that just might be hype as in, "whoa honey, stand back...not sure how long this thing will last". Is there an actual procedure or drug they use?

    My Uro instructed me to take
    My Uro instructed me to take 60mg of pseudoephedrine and if that does not work go to emergency…but never have had an erection that lasted that long… I am really surprised on some of these posts here how many doctors do not tell their patience much of anything… I personally would not tolerate a doctor not telling me literally everything I need to know to be totally aware…
  • JR1949
    JR1949 Member Posts: 230
    #9
    fishing_fool said:

    Curious Minds
    Hey those commercials I found out are VERY serious. I went back to his office "just in time" and he gave me another injection (not sure what) but it was down before I left the office. The Doctor said interestingly that men that have an erection that long can cause permanent damage. When the penis is erect, it is not getting oxygen to the tissues. If a man waits to long to do something about it... The tissues can die and that can be HIS LAST erection. I was lucky... I am fine. I also wondered about those commercials. They need a little more info to get across how serious this can be! Thanks Kongo.

    Thanks for Heads Up
    Hey fishing fool,Thanks for the heads up, no pun intended.
    That's good and relevant information

    JR
  • fishing_fool
    fishing_fool Member Posts: 18
    #10
    bdhilton said:

    My Uro instructed me to take
    My Uro instructed me to take 60mg of pseudoephedrine and if that does not work go to emergency…but never have had an erection that lasted that long… I am really surprised on some of these posts here how many doctors do not tell their patience much of anything… I personally would not tolerate a doctor not telling me literally everything I need to know to be totally aware…

    Didn't Listen
    My Urologist told me about the pseudoephedrine - but I took loratadine instead. I was thinking it was the same, boy was I wrong! The Doctor said men get to the point of knowing how much to inject and at the same time take a pseudoephedrine - and they get it down to a science. I guess in life practice does make perfect!
  • bdhilton
    bdhilton Member Posts: 866 Member
    #11
    fishing_fool said:

    Didn't Listen
    My Urologist told me about the pseudoephedrine - but I took loratadine instead. I was thinking it was the same, boy was I wrong! The Doctor said men get to the point of knowing how much to inject and at the same time take a pseudoephedrine - and they get it down to a science. I guess in life practice does make perfect!

    I am 10 weeks tomorrow post
    I am 10 weeks tomorrow post surgery and have been injecting myself for about seven weeks. Yes I still play with the dosages. There is a “science” to the hardness you want…You want it hard enough for penetration but not 100% because I am instructed the goal is to finish the “hardness” during intercourse…intercourse per my surgeon and urologist is the best place to “exercise” your Willie and get him back on track…

    Best to all
  • g8rb8
    g8rb8 Member Posts: 18
    #12
    ditto ditto ditto on the
    ditto ditto ditto on the kegels kegels and more kegels. I get a laugh out of doing them at the oddest times, like sitting in a meeting or sitting in traffic. I found info on them prior to my daVinci, but all of the info seemed to be aimed at using them as a tool to fix problems after the surgery. I thought that if they can help after, wouldn't it be good to start doing them before? and turns out the answer is yes!

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