Went for Prostatectomy

Thanks for the advice - love this forum.

Joe H, good to hear from you. Fitness is everything and so is weight AFAIC. Being fit has helped me throughout and I started the Kegel regime as soon as I was sure that prostatectomy was the way forward.

Here we go in answer to your Qs:

1. Gleason (3+4) 7 confined to right lobe of prostate, discovered in all 6 biopsy 1cm cores taken on that side. Longest core sample length 9mm, shortest 3mm indicating disease. Graded T2c N0 M0. The c means ‘from biopsy’ - Decision for surgery option was based on two important factors. First - MRI indicated a contained tumour. Second - I’ve suffered from prostate infections, proven through urine cultures and DREs, for many years. Prostatectomy has dealt with both issues. It’s nearly 2 weeks since op and the relief from the supra pubic pain associated with chronic prostatitis is joyous. The cancer was symptom free. Finally, pathology/histology will tell the full story

2. Nuffield Cambridge Hospital - 18 Mar 21 - My choice through Google - and reputation - linked with the answer in Q5

3. Not long, Biopsy 3rd Feb 21

4. No

5.  My Company Scheme is footing the bill

6.  Yup, I elected for the Surgeon who leads the Cambridge team. Due diligence, through contacts, revealed has Don status amongst DaVinci specialists. Superb . . . 

Finally, all is well apart from urine stream, which is getting better. Will report the pathology results in due course. In the meantime, Kegel exercise and taking things very easy. Not considering a return to work until June at the earliest.

Best to you Joe, and everyone else too

Marty

Edited by member 30 Mar 2021 at 11:06  | Reason: Cocked up my answers! 😂

Update. Total bladder control, whoopee. Previous worry about flow has subsided given a healthy stream has returned with gusto. Nocturnal control also spot on. Down to 3 visits per night with urgency reducing and bladder capacity increasing judging by amount of pee passed.

Lucky to have had double nerve sparing op. Thoughts are moving to ED, but not before full pathology report etc will I start down the full penile rehab route.

Hope everyone is well. Bio updated to reflect the fact I’ve just realised I could update it!

Edited by member 04 Apr 2021 at 09:04  | Reason: Bio update

I wake up wanting to go and I have a urinal jug next to the bed - swing my legs out to sit on the edge of the bed, grab the bottle and drop the penis into it and then stand up - this starts the flow without thinking about it (being half asleep).

It started at 3 times a night and now is down (after 7 weeks) to twice or sometimes just once.

Hey Sam, you read my Bio, nice one. Old Crabfat here has done some aviation over the years I can tell ya’ . 😂

Some great advice here Sam from the other chaps. Everyone is different. My own case has been helped by being fit, relatively straightforward RP and total bladder control which I’m convinced is down to two things. A fantastic surgeon and pelvic floor muscle preparation prior to the op.

Immediately post TWOC, for two weeks or so, I restricted my fluid intake from about 6pm onwards. I still peed a lot at night, but in small amounts. I never strained just relaxed to allow gravity to do its work.  In no way did I want to compromise the wound healing in the bladder/urethra area.. I felt there was always a little amount of urine retention but not enough to make still want to pee. I’ll admit also for the first few nights, I slept on a waterproof mattress cover (wife insisted) and wore thin Tena pants in a light pair of shreddies. Very little leakage if at all, I’ve been lucky. It will all seem quite dramatic at the mo, but again, trust me, your body given time, is a masterpiece of biology and will heal beautifully.

Don’t be too fussed about the ED side of things to start with. I started with SomaErect II pump after about 6 weeks - a great piece of kit. I have no idea if you have a partner to share all this with, but mine has been FANTASTIC in helping me rehab. It’s taken time, but our sex life is pretty good - it’ll never return to the heady younger days of sheer spontaneous abandon, but hey, I quite enjoy the planning that goes into our current “regime of enjoyment!”

Edited by member 10 Jul 2023 at 15:32  | Reason: Not specified

My histology consult was 6 weeks post op so you are on the same schedule.