Opted for surgery

Hi Matthew

I had surgery 12 years ago, at the age of 71, very fit with no other health issues. My PSA level has remained at 0.003 since three months after the surgery. I was lucky to be able to pick one of the best and experienced surgeons (private insurance) in our area who did a wonderful job during the surgery which lasted nearly 6 hours because of the problem with reconnecting urethra to the bladder. I am not 100% continent because I tend to leak when sexually excited. As for ED my erections were waining because of my age anyway and as I expected there was further deterioration. I was probably one of the first few in this country to undergo robot assisted procedure. You are in a very good position because there are many surgeons out there with good experience. We have been  able to deal with the side effects and are still enjoying an active intimate life with unexpected benefits. Have a look at the following link which shows that it is possible to navigate through all the difficulties back to a new normal:

https://community.prostatecanceruk.org/posts/t28948-Re-establishing-Sex-Life

Be optimistic and with a bit of luck all will be well. Let me know how you get on; I will be pleased to help in whatever way I can because, have been through the mill, we know how you will feel before and after the surgery. Good luck.

Edited by member 05 Aug 2023 at 15:22  | Reason: Not specified

Hi Pat,

In my opinion there’s nothing like speaking to other men in person who’ve been through treatment for PCa. I would recommend you go along to your local Maggies centre(if you have one) and join a support group where you will find men who’ve had all kinds of treatments. The other benefit is you can speak to men who have undergone the treatment in your area..and they can share their experiences with the surgeon or oncologist that would treat YOU.
What I’ve found in these groups is a mixture of men who have had good and some not so good outcomes…they come along to the meetings before treatment for support and tend to stay on, some for years after because they form a bond with other members, and also get some satisfaction of being able to help others through their journey.

In the Maggies Group I am in in Fife, those who’ve had surgery are ALL very positive, even with the side effects such as ED and incontinence, those on HT/RT route maybe not so much because of the side effects mainly from HT….and that certainly includes me, I wish I had been given the option of surgery. You might be on HT for up to 3 years and ok, the side effects should start to get better when you come off…I am hoping for this because I can deal with the ED, Hot flushes, brain fog, total loss of libido, weight gain, fatigue/tiredness and Peyronie’s disease…..but at the moment I am battling with joint stiffness and aches which can be quite debilitating at times. Of course not everyone gets these side effects but you should be aware that you might. You need to balance this against the side effects and risks of surgery to make your decision. Now that you’ve made your decision you will hopefully feel better, especially after the reassurance you get from here.

Good luck with your treatment.

Derek

Edited by member 05 Aug 2023 at 20:49  | Reason: Not specified

It's just over six weeks since my robotic assisted prostatectomy, following a T2 and Gleason 7 (3+4) grading.

All has gone surprising well given the range of expectations that I had set for me beforehand. I followed guidance i was given, starting with gentle walking from day two and once the catheter was removed (+ 11 days), I recommenced daily walks which were typically 8 miles pre op and are now approx. 6 miles at >4 mph.

Much of the information available is a bit vague as to what exactly you can do when. The patient information I was given on discharge says "8 weeks before any strenuous exercise", however last week my surgeon told me not to return to the gym for 16 weeks due to the risk of a hernia, which surprised me, but I'll take notice.

Simply, I think the pace of recovery depends on so many variables, one of which is luck and the key message is to take it step by step, listen to your body and not be impatient with recovery timescales, which can be easier said than done.

I'm as keen as anyone to get back to doing what I did previously as time and the good weather is passing by, so have to give myself a good talking to now and again!

All the best,

Mark

Yes. 50 at diagnosis and surgery (in 2020). Very fit from cycling several thousand miles per year.

You can see my story in my profile, but I followed the instructions I was given to the letter and have had a very good outcome so far. I don't come here very often these days, but look in from time to time for EXACTLY the reason Andy stated. Very often in places like these forums, the majority of people who stick around are the ones for whom things didn't go so well, so you get to hear about all the bad things that can happen. And those for whom it went well disappear into the sunset, so you can get a slightly distorted picture.

15 years younger than you though, which can make some difference, but rest assured it CAN go really well.