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unfortunate swelling

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User
Posted 28 Jan 2017 at 15:35

Hi all.

My first post on here!  I hope it's in the right section...

I had the da vinci treatment 11 days ago, and catheter removed yesterday.  For the last week, I have had extreme swelling in my scrotum and skin round my penis, which is mainly uncomfortable rather than painful.  And the practicalities of supporting the extra weight/size whilst trying to use pads is a little challenging.

When my catheter was removed, a registrar checked out the swelling and told me is was lymph fluid following the removal of some lymph nodes.  However, he gave me no information (or comfort) about how long this is likely to carry on for, or indeed what level of concern it is.

I imagine this has been covered numerous times on this forum, but I can't find it yet.  Any advice, views, thoughts about living with the extreme swelling will be most very welcome.

Many thanks,

G

User
Posted 29 Jan 2017 at 07:55

I had severe numbness in my penis and thighs for months. I also had technically the sorest pair of gonads on planet earth for nearly 4 months post op. I had to treat them like they were TNT.
Keep a very close eye on that swelling. I had 18 nodes removed and little swelling , but then again I was in hospital two weeks with the drain in. But some people can get lymphodoema which is a permanent issue with legs swelling and drainage needed etc. Get to the doctor if you worried.

User
Posted 28 Jan 2017 at 22:39
Graham

I had the robotic prostatectomy 7 weeks ago. My left testicle, inner thigh and the left side of my pubic hair area were all numb after surgery. I was told it was possible nerve damage. It was so numb I could have stuck a pin in it and I wouldn't have felt it.

Anyway, 7 weeks on I am a bit numb but nowhere near what it was like. Whatever it is is definitely subsiding and the pain and heaviness in the left testicle is almost gone too.

It might just be that you'll have to wait and see if it gets any better.

Ulsterman

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User
Posted 28 Jan 2017 at 22:39
Graham

I had the robotic prostatectomy 7 weeks ago. My left testicle, inner thigh and the left side of my pubic hair area were all numb after surgery. I was told it was possible nerve damage. It was so numb I could have stuck a pin in it and I wouldn't have felt it.

Anyway, 7 weeks on I am a bit numb but nowhere near what it was like. Whatever it is is definitely subsiding and the pain and heaviness in the left testicle is almost gone too.

It might just be that you'll have to wait and see if it gets any better.

Ulsterman

User
Posted 29 Jan 2017 at 07:55

I had severe numbness in my penis and thighs for months. I also had technically the sorest pair of gonads on planet earth for nearly 4 months post op. I had to treat them like they were TNT.
Keep a very close eye on that swelling. I had 18 nodes removed and little swelling , but then again I was in hospital two weeks with the drain in. But some people can get lymphodoema which is a permanent issue with legs swelling and drainage needed etc. Get to the doctor if you worried.

User
Posted 29 Jan 2017 at 12:30

If not already done so, get a proper jockstrap from a chemist - if they don't have them in stock they should be able to order one for you. Are you wearing proper pants rather than boxers? Some men are more affected than others; personally I suspect this often has something to do with whether or not they had already had a vasectomy but is also related to how many lymph nodes were removed. The hospital in our area does not remove lymph nodes during keyhole RP which is one of the reasons John opted for open surgery.

As Chris says, crucial that you don't tolerate it for too long - for now it could be seen as fairly normal but if it develops, lymphodema is a serious problem that needs careful monitoring.

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User
Posted 02 Feb 2017 at 13:57

Hi Graham

hope things have settled now but after my husband had focal cryo he developed severe scrotal swelling (including penis) after about 6 days. It lasted at least 1-2 weeks and he found it almost impossible to walk or sit. I bought him some fairly tight swimming trunks that helped a bit. Lycra cycling shorts might be good too.

Good luck

User
Posted 02 Feb 2017 at 14:34

Hi everyone.
Thanks very much for all the replies. The good news is that the swelling has now completely gone! It was rather unpleasant and startling at the time though. Hope this gives some supportive thoughts for others in the same situation now.

cheers
G

User
Posted 09 Jul 2018 at 16:06

I had robotic radical prostatectomy and lymph nodes removed (wasn't told how many) 2 weeks ago, and catheter out 1 week ago.  I've still got large swelling of my scrotum - as someone said, like a red melon.  My penis all but disappears inside it at times.  It goes down a bit overnight but enlarges again whenever it's not very well supported. I don't see very much improvement in 2 weeks.  Wearing a jockstrap all day, on top of Tena pants or with a pad. Any comments on when the swelling should go away? 

User
Posted 11 Jul 2018 at 13:33

Hi Grahamt, I have a similar story. Prostate removed about 2 weeks ago via RALP procedure. Everything went well including recovery. Last Thursday, just before my catheter was to be removed, I noticed that one of my dressings has a bulge in it which was full of fluid. Thinking that perhaps some water had got in during a shower, I burst the dressing with a pin to release the fluid. This opened a sluice gate. The fluid just kept pouring out. Went to A&E who eventually summoned a surgeon to take a look. He didn’t think it was anything too serious and fastened a drain bag over the leak. 

Had the catheter removed the following day and they sent samples of the fluid as well as urine  for analysis. 

Fluid continued to pour out over next three days. Spoke to a doc on Monday who was able to reassure me that the fluid was simply the body’s reaction to the surgery, affecting some more than others. Now seems to be drying up. 

User
Posted 16 Jul 2018 at 19:57

Hi all,

 

I had my prostate removed in May 2015, immediately after and for the following four weeks my testicles were literally the size if golf balls, as you can imagine the pain was off the chart. It was unbelievably worse while standing and need assistance constantly. i was told by my consultant this was normal and would subside as time went on. After about 6 weeks the swelling was mostly gone as had one of my testicles which had effectively died!!! Again i was told this sometimes happens by my consultant and basically things could have been worse.

I had a number of lymph nodes removed and have lymphodema swelling below my belt line. depending on what im doing this will expand during the day. I also suffer with excruciating pain in my lh leg if i am on my legs for a number of hours or if i walk for about 30 mins. I am absolutely convinced it is the build up of lymph fluid that presses on a nerve which causes this pain but as of yet my consultant refuses to acknowledge this could be a result of the surgery. 

 
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