I went in for my age 50 physical and had an elevated 7.4 PSA. Thirty days later it was 7.6. The 12 samples from the prostate biopsy were all cancerous. My Gleason was 7 and I have a history of cancer in the family. I had the robotic laparoscopic surgery on January 26, 2010. The cancer was contained to the prostate!!
I complained of gas pain in the recovery room. They said it was normal. At the thirty day check had an undetectable PSA but still abdominal pain. I had all of the blood, urine, stool, colonoscopy, endoscopy tests and nothing. My hearing seems to have improved though. Had an abdominal CT Scan and nothing. I don't have indigestion or reflux just pain, bloating. This week is a little better. A modified diet, Prilosec and an enzyme mix from the health food store.
I'm on 100mg Viagra 3 times a week. I had maybe a 3 erection (Duane's Erecto-Meter) prior to the thirty day check so the plumbing is hooked up. I get maybe a 4 now (10 months). Its tough to get an erection when your stomach hurts so much your testes ache.
My wife and I are separating (again) the end of the month. It was not a strong relationship. We were separated (reconciling) when I was diagnosed last year.
It looks like I'm one of the younger members on the site. [Not really - we have six members under the age of 40 and about 150 aged 50 or younger - indexed here.] My choice was really a no-brainer. My mother died with bone cancer. After watching her battle I wanted the crap out of me ASAP.
It's a good life!!
Bayard
I am doing well. My PSA is zero and my function/performance is very good. I never had a problem with incontinence, if anything I hold my bladder better than before the surgery. I sneezed on the way home from the catheter removal and filled the pad but within just a few days the pad was not needed.
The err performance was a little slow coming around but it's a fine tool now. My problem has been gas pain. It was like I was pumped full of gas and they turned off the fart valve. I complained in the recovery room and it got worse from there. I took care of it myself for couple of months with over the counter meds then went for tests. All the tests came back negative and my primary doc called it irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). IBS is the catch all if they cant figure out what's wrong with you. No stomach problems before surgery and then horrible pain almost daily. I started laying down when I didn't feel well and the gas moved but it still hurt. If I didn't have gas pain then the prostate area would hurt, especially near the end of a work day. I joined this site originally looking for information on the gas and posted a thread without response. I know a lot more about what causes gas and the digestion process than anyone would need. Did you know the average person farts 14 times a day. I used to eat a lot of red meat, the BBQ was on almost every night all year. Now I eat fruit in the morning, much less red meat, and more chicken than any man ever seen. When my stomach does not hurt the erection is very good.
There are a lot of nerves in the prostate area. The nerves at the end of the rectum control gas. I think they nicked something. I don't want them back in because everything else is working. I could be sitting here in diaper.
It's a good life.
I originally found this site looking for information on my lower abdominal pain. It still hurts but it's much improved. I don't have any incontinence or ED problems.
It's a good life.
I came to this site looking for others that suffered from severe gas pain after surgery. I guess I am the only one and it is much improved. My only option now is for an exploratory operation. My other "functions" are very good. I will deal with the stomach "discomfort" and not chance a reversal of my good fortune.
Stomach is better but I still need to be careful of what I eat. Overall I feel pretty good.
It's a Good Life.
Overall I still feel pretty good about the decision to remove my prostate. It's been seven years and I'm alive. I still have nasty gas pain problems and now incontinence too.
I have severe spinal stenosis and degenerative disc disease in my back. One neurologist wants to use 4-5 cadaver discs and screw them together with two surgeries (front and back). The second opinion wants to remove all discs and install a rod. Both are the best available in the area. I would lose 60% movement in my neck and one complication is a chance of paralysis. Still on the fence but leaning towards not having surgery.
In 2009 I went in for my 50 physical and said my hip hurts and my neck/shoulders hurt with pain and stingers down my arms. I hadn't really been to a doc since I broke my arm in 4th grade. The x-rays said I had arthritis in my back and bone spurs in my neck.
I had rotator cuff/shoulder clean out surgery in 2012. My hip was replaced in 2014.
I went from "man this really hurts" to not being able to walk down the street in 5 short years. The bone scans were clear after surgery maybe I should do it again. There are some recent studies that show a correlation with prostate cancer and a loss of bone mass. Does it escalate arthritis and joint degradation?
It's a good life.
Still kicking and cancer free. I feel good about my decision for Da Vinci surgery. I would do it again to remove any type of cancer that comes up. I pretty much lay around all day and my stomach problems have improved greatly. I can fart standing up now.
Im waiting on my disability hearing. I have really nasty arthritis that limits what I can do. I have severe spinal stenosis and sitting or driving is the worst with stingers down my arms and horrible aching pain in my hip, neck and shoulder. I have severe multilevel degenerative disc disease in my back and cant walk any distance, stand, or bend over without excruciating pain. My hip replacement (2014) didn't take well, it's swollen and pops when I walk.
Coming up on 10 years since surgery. Doing well it was the right choice.
The cancer problems are fine. Nasty arthritis/joint pain make it hard to get around most days. It's a good life.
Bayard's e-mail address is: bcseydel AT gmail.com (replace "AT" with "@")
