Prostate Cancer Support Group

Wondering if I'm all alone here:

11 months post surgery I'm still having bladder spasms. They only happen at night, but when they do, they are painful. I thought these would end a few weeks after surgery. They haven't.

Still wearing a pad, which isn't too bad, but I hate leaking urine during in different phases of sexual excitement. I thought this would stop as well.

Anyone else having these kinds of issues almost a year out from surgery?

I go to UCSF this week to discuss why injections stopped working. I'll be discussing the other issues as well.

Post edited by: RickRed40, at: 02/10/2012 05:37 PM

Sorry to hear about your issues. I am 4 months out from robotic surgery, here is my status. I too had bladder spams initially as you describe, but they were gone by the first month. I still wear a pad a day; I was leaking more last week as I had slacked off on my Kegels, I am back on a more regular schedule and doing better with leakage; I think I am dry over night but then I am asleep so don't know if I have occasional drops. I have yet to try the injections, my doctor and I discussed it via email, I just need to go in. I have read that their efficacy is diminished with time, so perhaps that is what you are experiencing. Can't speak about the leakage with sex as I am not in a favorable situation there. I do wonder about my libido, its not what it use to be and wonder if it is a result of the surgery, I am planing to put a post on this topic, I had it before surgery. I hope you can get some answers during your visit to UCSF, it does seem to me that you are having a harder time with it than some others, but don't loose perspective and forget the bright side, that being that your cancer is under control. I know it is easy to fall in the trap of doubt, did I do the right treatment? I have read your posts that indicate you are not there, so keep it up. Good luck.

Post edited by: paperplane, at: 02/10/2012 09:40 PM

I have been having a more difficult time than others and my Urologist warned me of that. I had many issues with BPH. My prostate was giving me lots of trouble prior to the diagnosis of cancer.

That's one of the many reasons I was willing to part with that pesky organ.

After prostate surgery, testosterone levels increase. Yet like you my libido is at the lowest levels of my life. What makes me think this wasn't surgery was that this happened before my biopsy.

Today I received an automated message from UCSF reminding me of my appointment next week. The message began by saying "this is the Urological Oncology Unit at UCSF"

My first thought was why is a Urological Oncology Unit calling me?

Then I remembered, Oh I had prostate cancer. I don't think much about cancer anymore, my mind is more about post surgery. I rarely think about cancer reoccurring. In fact I think of myself as cured. That's why I wondered why a cancer unit was calling me.

PP-Have you thought about injections at all? They not only give you the opportunity to enjoy sex, it speeds up recovery of the nerve bundles. In fact even though I'm starting to get some response to ED medication, I'm going to get a new script for injecting, since the old one stopped working.

The best to you as you continue to recover from your surgery.

Rick