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Hey, I am new to the group. My name is I.V. I am having surgery on November 30, 2009. Needless to say I am a bit nervous and very anxious. I think is because I don't know exactly what to expect.

I was diagnosed with cancer October 6, 2009. My biopsy was an aweful experience. The doc that did it didn't use any anesthic. I have never felt such pain. Because of this experience I have chosen another doc for the surgery team.

If you have any suggestions as to how to prepare for the surgery or the recovery or anything else I sure would be glad to have it.

Thanks

I.V.

Welcome to the club. We've all got stories and survival tips. Here are a few of mine:
After surgery, rest and walk when you can and feel able. Wear those basketball pants with the snaps on the side, theyre good for dealing with the cath. Drink lots of fluids, eat what you feel good eating, sleep in another room if youre married or with a partner.

Get help when you need it -- YOU"LL need it for the first few days.

Healingwell.com has lots of tips too

Hang in there
TONY

I understand how you are feeling. I had my Date with the Robot on Aug.12. It is interesting that every man has a different experience with it from no pain to moderate pain, etc. For me the biopsy wasn't too bad. But I did have more pain initially with the robot surgery then I thought I would. I rated it on a scale of 7 from 1-10! Though i'm at 3 months post surgery now and doing great. No urine problems and getting erections using Levitra. Also glad to hear that you switched Doctors. You want one with experience, lots of it. What did I do to prepare for Surgery? Sex and lots of it since you never know when you will be up to it again! After surgery, walk and push water. The cath is not fun but not as bad as I thought it would be.

Larry Age 55
Gleason 7 3+4

ithomas323 wrote::) Hey, I am new to the group. My name is I.V. I am having surgery on November 30, 2009. Needless to say I am a bit nervous and very anxious. I think is because I don't know exactly what to expect.

I was diagnosed with cancer October 6, 2009. My biopsy was an aweful experience. The doc that did it didn't use any anesthic. I have never felt such pain. Because of this experience I have chosen another doc for the surgery team.

If you have any suggestions as to how to prepare for the surgery or the recovery or anything else I sure would be glad to have it.

Thanks

I.V.

Re your biopsy.... My family physician (she) is the one who told me she didn't like my PSA results and that she was referring me to a Urologist. Her instructions to me, for my first visit with him, was if he wanted to do a biopsy , I was to ask him about the procedure and if anesthesia was involved. She said if he didn't think a anesthesia was necessary I was to get up and walk out!

I didn't have any anesthetics with my TRUS biospy. Nothing.

I think it was more in my mind in terms of anticipation stress, or whatever label you would like to put on it. I was fine. I had mine done in a hospital clinic that has a specialist doing prostate biospsies. I wouldn't walk away from an experienced biopsy doc. In hindsight, I had more discomfort from the probe manipulation, not from the actual needle shots. That area of anatomy doesn't have much nerve response to a biopsy, as I was told. I was OK. Guess everyone has a different spin.

After my open Radical Prostatectomy in May 09, I had far less post-surgery pain than I did with a hernia surgery 4 years earlier. I was up and active walking to my chair from my bed within hours of waking up...the hallway soon after. The catheter was a pain in the butt, but, I dealt with more of a nuisance than a pain. Within a couple days of catheter removal, I was dry. ED another story but, I'm making good progress with Trimix and may even be "med-free" for a boner soon.

The single biggest reason I chose surgery was to determine cancer content and best possible prognosis based on actual pathology results. Something other treatments can't provide as yet, or any imaging I'm aware of to the same accuracy. And, nothing is 100% certain, either.

If robotic is better than what I had, I don't think I would have noticed the difference. But, we're all different.